It's not possible to reach Sangla in a day, if you are travelling from Delhi. It is advisable to halt in Simla and then head off to Sangla the next day at the crack of dawn. Simla, with its lively mall road and bustling hotels, provided a much needed pit stop to us exhausted travelers. Our hotel was located ahead of the mall road and we had many a prying monkeys drop down from the tree top to have a look at our lunch spread. The first time I saw inquisitive eyes staring back at me as I sipped on my soup, I nearly choked with fright. The mall road offered its usual fare of excitement with eateries and shops lining up on either sides. Having to elbow and push our way through the maddening crowd was a different story altogether. After the numerous photo sessions in and around the church, visits to the fabulous bakeries and the wonderment at the Gaiety Theatre which seems to be forever under renovation, we decided it was time to cool our heels.
We made our way to Combermere, a really fab hotel with great food and a lovely terrace restaurant. And I must say, if you want to take a detour from the regular fruit based cocktails and have the classic versions, then this is the place to be. Simple, robust and minus the fruity frills, these cocktails will surely lift your spirits. After a heart repast, we took off on a long walk to find our taxi which would take us back to our hotel. The next day, just as the sun rays were beginning to warm up the town, we started our journey towards Sangla. It is amazing how waking up early is such a task in the city whereas when you have a destination to look forward to, it just becomes part of the excitement.
The winding mountain road took us through the fruit terrain of Himachal, from Simla to Chail and Naldehra. It was amazing to see how the varying hues and textures of the mountains as we moved on. Soon, Sutlej greeted us with its cheerful gurgling and it was a delight to have it give us company throughout the way. To get a better view of this majestic river, we made a halt at a bridge. Chicken that I am, I refused to move an inch on the bridge, but soon the spirit of adventure got the better of me, and there I was strutting up and down the fragile bridge with glee (although with prayer on my lips....what if the bridge had collapsed under my humongous weight..or the flash floods would have made the river surge in a matter of seconds..or if I had lost balance...or if the tiny gust of wind would have blown me over..one has to think of these things before stepping onto a bridge..what do u know!) The best part of the journey started when we crossed Rampur. Never will I ever forget this site. As we crossed a bend of the road, the most breathtaking sight presented itself to me. Regal snow clad mountains peeping out from behind a deep rocky gorge- the pure white of the snow serving as a beautiful contrast to the blue flowers of the trees and the earthen beauty of the gorge. There is nothing that had prepared me for this beauty and it just left me speechless.
As we crossed Karcham where the Karcham Sutlej project is on in full swing, we did what we always do- we lost the way. We took a wrong turn and found ourselves on a rocky, untraversible (is there a word like this...well u got the point rt?) road and our gut instinct told us we were on the wrong path (a jeep full of locals also substantiated the point later..but it was our instinct which told us first! blaaa) With the directions firmly in place, we took the first step into Sangla Valley. The Kinner Kailash range rose in front of us and lush green meadows stood below us. Beautiful apple blossoms dotted the valley here and there and the river gleamed under diffused sunlight. Suddenly pleasant breeze gave way to cool winds as we made our way into the lap of nature. The best part about Sangla is that it hasn't been touched by much commercialisation. Luxury camps and not hotels and resorts are the available accomodation here..and boy aren't we glad of that!
We made our way to Banjara camps which was set in the heart of an apple orchard on the banks of the Baspa river. It felt like you could just put your hand out and touch the Kinner Kailash range. Needless to say, Sumu got extremely busy with the camera.....but soon he gave it a rest to just soak in the ethereal beauty of the place. I was in a frenzy of another kind. My mobile didnt have any network and I couldnt inform my parents that I had reached. I could just imagine my mom going frantic with worry, picturing every sordid thing that could have happened to us. But soon, a call from them to the camp manager put everything to rest and the no network situation actually appealed to me. This was exactly what I wanted- away from the madding crowd, away from office worries, daily anxieties and regular routine. Just communing with nature.
If you choose to take that trip to Sangla, then I would strongly recommend a stay at Banjara Camps. A handful of luxury tents offer you the experience of the beautiful outdoors without having to compromise on comforts. A warm bed welcomes you inside and there is also an LPG heated bathroom attached to every tent. A small sit out allows you to enjoy the grand locale in your own personal way. There is cute little dining area which is well equipped with games and a small library to cater to your recreational needs. And the food is just fantabulous...simple well cooked fare that is much more appealing than any royal repast. The first day we just let Sangla get under our skins. After a brief rest, it was time to gather around for a bonfire. And boy, were the evenings cold? Brilliant that I am, I had only packed two sets of woollens for myself...after all how cold could any place be in April. And was I proved wrong? After a scrumptious barbeque and a hearty meal, we headed back to our tents. I was so pleasantly surprised to find hot water bottles and a warm bed waiting for me. The considerate and hospitable touch of the camp personnel was visible all across our tent. Though chilling winds blew across the camp all night, the water bottles kept me warm and comfy.
The next day we decided to take a trip down to the last village on the Indo-Tibet border- Chitkul. The way to Chitkul is truly picture perfect. With quaint houses interspersed with a cluster of apple blossoms lining the way, the trip was truly a delight. We took small halts by tiny streams that flowed down an area that had been ravaged by flash floods in the past. As we neared Chitkul, the road opened up to the valley and the snow crested peaks seemed almost at an arm's distance. The small hamlet of Chitkul comprises of a few houses and shops. One can trek down to the last army post on the border. We roughed it out on a rocky terrain that overlook the river, met a couple of tourists and lot of animal life on the way. The weirdest encounter was with this unique family of three sheep and a cow, with the latter having a sort of an identity crisis- in its head it was as much a sheep as the one standing next to it..didnt I just hear a meeeeehheeehh from it instead of the expected moooooo.
After having passed several grassy knolls and streams on the way, we sat down to a lunch of sandwiches and rhododenron juice under a tree. But little were we to know that we would be so rudely interrupted. A couple of army officials came down to us and asked us so many questions that I almost began to feel I was an illegal trespasser on this land. After having convinced them of our motive and identitywe made a hurried trip back to the village. Needless to say, by this time I had convinced myself that if I didnt hurry back, i would be thrown into the gallows by the army and I would never see my family again. And hence, a route that had taken us some 40 minutes to traverse, took us only 20 minutes to cover on the way back. And no, we werent thrown into a dingy kalkothri or anything so grim....but my mood surely had gone sour for the day. I just didnt understand why harmless tourists were taken to task and that also so rudely. My mood cheered up a but when I made my way to the last PCO on the Indo-Tibet border. And for some reason, owners of all shops were constantly weaving and sewing something or the other. After having assured parents of our wellbeing we made our way back to the camp. But soon Sumu was struck with a brilliant idea. And this was strictly for medicinal purposes..he claims even now. Why not warm ourselves with a dose of dark rum mixed with warm water- only to drive away the cold. So on we drove to Sangla town and scoured for a wine shop. Luck was with us and Sumu soon got us the provisions. Feeling extremely smug with ourselves we made our way back to the camp. And needless to say the rum worked wonders. The cackling of wood at the bonfire, the smoky smell of tikkas and a glassfull of hot rum...it just couldnt get better than that. And of course, giving us company at the bonfire was this huge Gujarati family. Some of the elders put us to shame when they told us stories about how at the age of 70 and 71 they had taken a trek to Mansarovar and actually completed the parikrama- a feat which younger and fitter people have not been able to accomplish.
The next day, we were joined by Captain Sud who so ably manages the camp. He regaled us with stories of the various treks that he has taken across the Himalayas. We decided to experience the wild outdoors by going for a long trek to Rakcham. We crossed a faint bridge to reach Batseri village which was located just across the camp. The local devta temple and a really ancient gompa were some of the architectural delights that we saw there. Also unique was this huge 108 year old lock that a lady still used to secure her house. As we moved on from the village, we were joined by this handsome looking dog. It appeared out of nowhere and kept us company throughout the trek. If we would lag behind, it would go ahead and wait for us...if I had trouble climbing a rock, it would stand there as if egging me to go on...when we were eating lunch by a stream, not only did it not take a single morsel from us but also seated itself in the other direction so as to not intrude on the meal. I have never seen a more well behaved dog ever in my life! The trek to Rakcham unfolded a different terrain in front of us after every ten minutes. Grassy meadows, huge rocks, bhoj patra and leh berry trees, small glaciers and icy cold streams- all made an appearance on the walk. I thoroughly enjoyed the view....of course from whatever time I got from panting and puffing from the strain of walking uphill. This is not an easy walk...at least not for people who are unfit like me. One must keep halting and taking deep breaths to conserve energy. But at the end of it, I felt like I had accomplish a grand feat and mentally made a note to join a gym as soon as I hit the plains ( a resolution which is yet to materialise...but isnt it the thought that counts).
This last day at Banjara was the hardest..it was so hard to know that the next day we would be heading back to our normal routine city life...that we would be bidding goodbye to these majestic mountains and the tranquil wonder of nature. But as they say, every good thing must come to an end. So we bundled ourselves off to Delhi the next day..already thinking of our next vacation :)
PS: FYI- Here is the site of Banjara Camps....http://banjaracamps.com/
Reaching Sangla from Shimla:
You would have to take the road route from Shimla to reach Sangla. From Shimla, Sangla is an 8 hr drive (for first time drivers this time may be around 10 hrs). From Chail/Shimla to Karcham (the turnoff point on NH 22) is 221/209kms. Please take a right turn at Karcham. And at around 18 kms down the road, you will hit Sangla.
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