Ashish heads to McLeod Ganj for an adventure that’s off the beaten path. He triumphs over one trek, only to be inspired enough to set another one firmly in his sights...
It may sound a bit strange – especially for a motoring hack who also writes travel pieces occasionally – that I’d never been to McLeod Ganj before. I had always passed-through, but never stayed there. I should have, in retrospect.
The thing is that there’s a great deal that’s already been said and written about this place. So, that left me thinking what else can I offer our readers? That’s when I started reading as much as I could about McLeod Ganj. On some adventure portals, there were mentions of beaten-up trek routes that looked pretty interesting.
Sure, there’s the ever-famous trek to Triund that’s up on everyone’s checklist, but there are more beautiful, captivating and difficult treks around. And so we decided to attempt one that presented a great challenge, not to mention a stunning landscape – Kareri.
Not many ‘regular’ folks seem to know of this trek, and it’s famous for being a relatively difficult one. Upon reading, researching, and speaking to a few people in the know, another trek popped up – Indrahar Pass. The natural beauty of the place is mesmerising – just check out the Google images and you’ll see what I mean. The trek to Indrahar Pass is supposed to be quite daunting, and novices are best advised to stay away. I (naturally) considered myself to be above the novice category. So, in my mind, I was completely suited to do the Indrahar trek. Only, I wasn’t – according to an expert mountaineer, who said I was a miserable As$#@!e.
Indrahar pass was snowed under and that’s when we zeroed in on Kareri. The plan was set. I called on BMW to loan me the X3, as I hadn’t driven it much. Plus, it offered the perfect combination of size and comfort – so we were all set. The road to McLeod Ganj is mostly without any histrionics and lacks character. NH1 has an ill reputation among guys who like speed. There are cops armed with speed guns at random and odd locations between Delhi and Karnal, so you’re best advised to keep the speedo needle a touch under 100 for your own good. It’s only from a sleepy town called Una that the roads get a bit interesting – crests and dips that’ll surprise you, motorists who’ll test your calm (and vocabulary), and a few bends that’ll leave a wide grin on your face!
The entire area of McLeod Ganj and Dharamsala lends a feel of Tibet – but then you’ve already read that on many other sources perhaps! The place doesn’t give you even the slightest feeling of being a refugee area. The monks stroll leisurely along the streets and eat at regular tourist restaurants. Everyone seems to know each other, and warm greetings are exchanged. There’s a good section of international tourists who – it looks like – have made McLeod Ganj their home. Yes, the charm and enchanting feel of the Namgyal monastery is palpable, and the Buddhist way of life is visible thanks to the elderly monks. But for a wide spectrum of people, traditional robes have given way to a jeans-and-t-shirt way of life – and it’s all about that cell phone rather than the prayer wheel.
I’m not going to dig into the spiritual books and tell you about the history and culture. I came with a very different aim – to experience McLeod Ganj and Dharamsala in a very un-Buddhist way. There are tea gardens just a short distance away, and while there’s nothing much to see there. I did, however, come across a group of teenagers – women and small kids rushing into the middle of the plantations for the ubiquitous selfie that will invariably become their next Facebook display pic. Well, rightly or wrongly, that’s the new age I suppose…
Next, we drove to Naddi. One tip – there are many good hotels here, and the view from each of them is spectacular. Try to look at accommodation options here, rather than the main towns of McLeod Ganj or Dharamsala. The village is basically a vantage point for both two things – the towering Dhauladhar range, and the sunset that’s just inspirational. There are local chaps with low-rent telescopes who’ll show you the not-visible-to-the-naked-eye jewels hidden in the Dhauladhar ranges – the Indrahar pass can be seen, as can Triund, and the Guna Devi temple. No matter how childish, do indulge in this viewing – it’s worth the small change that you’ll shell out.
For us, the most crucial plan, however, was the trek to the Kareri lake. The drive to the Kareri village can be quite adventurous in parts. The initial part of the road leading up to the village from Dharamsala is manageable, but as you enter the last two-thirds of the drive, the road vanishes and it’s nothing short of a proper off-road experience. Along the hairpin bends, there’s almost no space between the cliff face and your car – and you need to steer accurately, else you may end up with a souvenir on your front fender that you’ll likely regret. It was here that I was a bit nervous about run-flat tyres, but the X3 handled it all pretty well – occasionally spinning the tyres, and adding a little more thrill to the entire experience.
The trek to the base camp of the lake would be right up there on the difficulty level for most people. It’s only the experts who happily hop through it. The gradient can get steep and the path is not always friendly – loose ground can make things scary! After almost 6 hours of intense trekking, we camped by the Liund river, ready to head out the next morning to the lake that this trek is famous for. But there was a crossing that was laced with a glacier that hadn’t melted, and because we didn’t anticipate a vertical snow climb, we weren’t prepared for it – no crampons, and no restraints! And so we had to get back.
I reflected upon the entire experience once back in the hotel. This trip wasn’t meant to be typical. It wasn’t meant to be spiritual in the traditional sense. I intended to see McLeod Ganj in a way that not many people have. And I did that, to a small extent. For the next one, I’ll build up my stamina and aim for the Indrahar pass. Images aside, the tales I hear are intoxicating.
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