Parvati valley calls! - A trek to remember

 

“Let’s go on a trek!”, who knew these innocent words that came out of my mouth on April 2022 would land us in one of the most beautiful places on Earth and give us some of the most memorable experiences of our lives.

 

The trek to Kheerganga was one of those random treks that happened as a result of my sudden crave to breath fresh air amidst snow-capped mountains of Parvati valley after I was done with my  5th Semester under graduation exam. Believed to be a meditation place of Lord Kartikey, thousands of years ago, Kheerganga is one of the best treks with scenic and charming villages, quaint little cafes, gushing rivers, pine trees laden forests, and glittering snow-capped peaks that look vivacious under the moonlight.

Trekking is not considered suitable in extreme summer, monsoon or winter. So, it is recommended to make time during transitional weather. Keeping this in mind, I, along with a group of six people decided to go for this trek during spring amidst our  state festival Rangali Bihu. Barshaini, the starting point of Kheerganga trek is around 17 km from Kasol. It’s around 9-10 kilometres to the Kheerganga which can be covered in three different ways-Via Nathkan village,  Kalga  village  and the other one Tosh village. The best and the easiest route to reach Kheer Ganga is through Barshaini  crossing over a bridge which goes to the Nakthan Village. This is the most preferred route as it is the shortest one and takes only 3-4 hours to reach KheerGanga on average trekking speed. While on this route, you get to witness the pristine Parvati River on one side of the trek. We also took that route on our way back. While the route via Kalga goes through dense forests, it  becomes difficult to keep on track so it is advisable to take a person or a guide who is already familiar with the route. 

With no guides and arrangements for the journey ahead we took the route via Kalga on our way up. We were lucky to have met another group with a guide who happily accompanied us. Also, thanks to fellow travellers for the markings during Kheerganga trek helped us remain on the right track. We carried a light backpack with a bottle of water, light snacks and extra pair of clothes. Water and food, weren’t a problem because there were plenty of cafes on the way to Kheerganga with basic food options. In fact one can also drink water from the waterfalls on the way to Kheerganga and speaking from my own experience , I have never tasted water having such  sweet and delicate flavor, full of oxygen, naturally cold and digestible.

Talking about accommodations there are numerous private rooms, tented accommodations, common spaces like dormitories for a group of travellers and one can also pitch their own tents by renting a space at Kheerganga.

Located 2960 m above the sea level, Kheerganga is one of the easiest treks for beginners. Certainly a miracle , the natural hot water spring is like a cherry on the top. There are two sub-sections of the pool – one for the men and the other for the women. Scary and soothing at the same time, the Kheerganga trek is so mesmerising that exhaustion feels like breeze. The best of the journeys are indeed the ones that are least planned.

Ajanita Kalita

1st Sem, Department of Communication and Journalism, Gauhati University