Himalayas calling...

As it was Shravya's first long school break during the summer, a trek in the Himalayas was the first choice. Although we had considered a trek the previous summer, we had hesitated due to concerns about Shravya's age.

Then, in February, our friend Mithali shared details about a kids and parents trek near Manali organised by Mountain Fit. Our friend Apoorv was going to be one of the leaders and he expressed confidence in Shravya's ability to complete the trek. I was still not sure whether we should go for it. But we hadn't been to Himalayas over 6 years and it felt like a calling...

We had already done a few treks in Sahyadris with Shravya, and her fitness and enthusiasm had never faltered. However this was the Himalayas and everything changes at the higher altitude. 

Coincidentally, another friend of ours Pranjali was also considering joining the same trek. So, after gathering more information from Apoorv, and knowing that Shravya would have a company of children her age, we decided to go for it. :) Now we knew atleast half a dozen people including 4 children joining the trek and it was comforting to know that we would be together. We enthusiastically shared the trek plan with other friends and family who might be interested, and to our delight, one of my sisters decided to join us with her nephew. The more, the merrier! :)

Once the plan was set Shravya too was excited about it. We were amazed by her dedication to follow the daily walking routine. Her friend Spruha had started marking their walks on a calendar, noting the days they went for a walk and those they didn't. Shravya followed the same throughout the month of April, ensuring maximum days were marked with a tick. She even climbed Sinhagad and we were very happy and reassured that she will be able to walk the longer distances in Himalayas as well. 

On the 6th of May 2023, we boarded a flight to Delhi, to go to the trek. We met with friends and other participants, including Krishna, the other trek leader, and Akshay, the founder of Mountain Fit. The group was fabulous. In the evening, we hopped on a bus to Manali.

We reached in Manali around 7am on 7th May. On the way we saw the beautiful Moon over the mountain ranges and Beas river. This was my first time visiting the region in May, and I was happy to see the snow covered mountains from Manali. That meant the snowline was lower than I had usually seen it during treks. I knew the kids would be thrilled to play in the snow. :)

We stayed in Hotel Suryansh near Manali mountaineering institute. It was a beautiful, peaceful area in Manali. The hotel had a great view of mountains and I was very excited to see so many snowed caps. Later, I heard Shravya telling her friends that 'aai sarkhich bhari bhari mhantye' :D. 

It was raining since we arrived at the hotel and we could see the clouds moving around the mountains making them whiter. While the sight was delightful for a while, the rain and the snowline descending further began to raise concerns about how the children and we would cope with the cold in the mountains. Fortunately, the rain subsided and the weather cleared. However, we were at the altitude of 6,725 ft above sea level and were going to go atleast upto 10,000 ft during the trek. We knew it would be chillier than in Manali.

The trek group consisted of children ranging from 4.5 to 15 years old. After a quick icebreaker game, we had formal introductions and received a briefing about the trek schedule. In the evening, we went for an acclaimatisation walk. By this time everyone had started mixing well with the group. 

Parth, Shivangi, few children including Shravya, Spruha, Iniya, Neil, Vihaan and Malhar, and I had a great time playing lock and key, andhali koshimbir, mazya aaicha patra, jodi sakhali, kan goshti etc, while everyone else went to market or prepared for the trek. In the evening, as the temperature dropped, we gathered around to play Uno, playing cards and a new game of story telling and theme based card collection using our new deck of 'Connect 5' picture cards. All children loved the new game too. The game sparked our imagination as we created unique stories based on the random pictures in our hands. It was inspiring to witness the creativity and storytelling skills of both the children and adults.

After the dinner and packing our bags for the trek, we finally retired for the night around 11pm, eagerly anticipating the adventures that awaited us in the days ahead.

We woke up to a chilly yet pleasant morning on 8th May. Everyone was ready to leave for the long-awaited trek. By 9am, we boarded a traveller that would take us to Sethan village. The view was amazing all the way. There were many Apple farms on both the sides of the road and Apple trees with beautiful flowering which I had never seen before. 

The traveller dropped us off a short distance past the village. I remembered this village and the road ahead vividly, reminiscent of our previous trek to Hampta Pass a few years ago. We started walking over a mountain trail and it was heartwarming to see Shravya enjoying the walk with Spruha and Iniya, her best buddies so far. 

We walked through a dense jungle, where we stumbled upon enchanting mushrooms and beautiful creations of nature. We had two new companions with us, a black dog later named as Softy and the other magnificent golden dog named Simba. As we continued, we encountered more dogs along the way, each one capturing our attention and becoming a temporary center of attraction.

Trekking has always held a special place in my heart. It fosters independence, instills confidence, and humbles us, teaching us to appreciate and revel in the beauty of the small things that surround us. I believe, children possess an innate ability to grasp these lessons effortlessly; they do not need to be taught. 

As we trekked alongside the girls, it was evident that they were filled with curiosity, constantly questioning the world around them, and offering support to one another, motivating each other to keep moving forward.

A few children Mihir, Hardit, Vihaan, Malhar, Atharv, Arham, Avanish, Neil and an exceptional trekker Ashwattha, who was same age as Shravya were faster and had gone quite ahead. Shravya, Iniya, Spruha, Saee and we continued at our own pace, gradually making our way toward the campsite. Around 1pm we caught sight of the camp situated at the base of a majestic mountain. It was a picturesque location near a stream, surrounded by patches of a jungle and a waterfall at some distance. We reached the base camp around 1:30 pm, which would be our home for the next three days. 

At campsite, we were welcomed with hot drinks followed by a hot lunch. We gathered in the dining tent and enagged in conversations getting to know our group members. Krishna and Akshay briefed adults and children about the do's and dont's while staying at the campsite. 

Around 3pm we settled in our tents. We gathered again in the dining area to play. Groups were automatically formed to play various card games. The weather had started changing and Within minutes, the skies darkened, and the rain began to pour. It soon escalated into a hailstorm, and before we knew it, snowflakes gently descended, transforming the entire landscape into a winter wonderland. We continued playing cards and chit chatting till dinner and went to respective tents around 8:30pm.

Considering the location and challenging weather conditions, the facilities provided were great! Despite the adverse circumstances, the camp staff was so organised and provided all the required facilities on time. The food was delicious and child friendly. 

The rain and intermittent snow continued with no signs of abating. A dog who had accompanied us during walk and was named Softy by the children took shelter between the layers of our tent for the night. Shravya was very excited to tell this to Saee tai and other friends. 

It was beautiful at night. Late at night, the weather had cleared again. The brilliant blue skies and few clouds were brightened in the light of the rising moon. 

The Sun rose the next day with excitement filled in the air as this was expected to be the most exhilarating day of the trek in the snow. 

Some of the participants were experiencing trekking, snow, living in tents, being in the mountains for the first time and it was not easy to cope . But everyone inspite of it being a challenging night survived through and were ready to start a bright new day with a renewed sense of excitement and determination. 

Today, as per original plan we were going to climb to the snowline and to play with the snow. With the snowfall from the previous night, we found ourselves already at the snowline :D.

After the breakfast, we started walking up to go to the snowline that had been there before recent snow fall. To my surprise Shravya was climbing independently along with her friends Ashwattha, Spruha and Iniya. It was amusing to listen to their discussions and plans about what they were going to do when reached at the snowline, from where they should follow each other and climb without falling etc. It was not easy to walk through the melting snow and mud without falling yet all children managed it well and reached the snow point around 10:30-11am. By this time the entire group had such a great bonding that no one had to chase after their own child and only knew with whom their child is climbing. We had joined the trek with our daughter but now everyone in the group had become every child's parent.

Once at the snowline, we all played snow fights, adults and children together made a snowman, few of us were more enthusiastic than others and danced in the snow :) . After playing there for a while and taking photos with the snowman, we started climbing down and reached the camp around 1pm. The weather was very pleasant and the sun was shining nice and bright. It was amazing to see the landscape transform from the snow covered sludge we had to climb so carefully just a couple of hours ago to a grassy terrain that was super easy to walk on.

As we reached the campsite, the weather started changing and it seemed like it would rain. We were hoping it won't and we would be able to enjoy the outdoors at the campsite. However, It started raining while we had lunch. Some of us went to their tents to take some rest while most of the children were playing cards, doing painting, etc.

After tea and coffee, it was still raining a bit and we had to sit inside the tent. Krishna then proposed a family painting activity. After Krishna's instructions, everyone in the family started drawing something. One of the drawing activity was to show what each of us liked till then in the trek. Later, all the children and parents shared their drawings and what they liked. It felt like a warm family gathering where everyone's feelings were resonated with others'. Everyone was proud of every child and adult who had come in Himalayas for the first time and climbed well till the snow point and the bonding between the entire group. 

As the evening progressed, around 9pm, the rain stopped, and we gathered around a campfire for a while. As the weather was clear it became very windy and we slept hearing the noisy winds blowing tent's outers.

On 10th May, it was the third and last full day of trekking where we all would be together. 

After breakfast we went for a walk through a vibrant jungle. This particular stretch of the forest had colorful walnut trees, pine trees etc accompanied by a crystal-clear stream adding to the tranquility of the surroundings. It was a very peaceful walk filled with contentment. 

After an hour's walk through the majestic pine and walnut trees, green meadows, we arrived the rappelling site. Everyone was excited as the team prepared to rappel down a huge rock. Since for few younger ones it wasn't possible to rappel down, they were playing with each other, a dog etc. As one by one people started rappelling down, everyone else was cheering for them, encouraging them. The biggest cheer was given by Ashwattha to his big brother Atharv :D This was the loudest and most heartfelt cheering anyone received that morning. 

We started a walk back towards the campsite soon after the activity and reached by lunch time. On the way back, in the meadows, girls had fun rolling down on the grassy slopes. Throughout the time during this walk they played another game of collaborative storytelling. It was amusing to hear their observations of adults through the story. 

This was a very sunny and pleasant day. Due to heat it wasn't possible to have lunch in the dining tent and everyone sat out on the grass. Afterwards, many of us soaked up the warmth of the sun, gradually transitioning into card games.

Post snacks, Krishna and Akshay conducted few games for adults and children separately. It was indeed a cheerful fun evening.

Both the trek leaders and Akshay managed and engaged all the children and adults so well that every child was asking for them or for them whenever they weren't around. I must say Akshay and Krishna became the favourites amongst the children !  

The next day, the early morning view was mind blowing. The Moon was shining in the sky and the majestic mountains and campsite were glowing in the light. 

The children seized the morning hours, engaged in playing cards, running around. We took some group photos, had a breakfast and started walking towards Sethan village. 

We came back to Manali by lunch time and soon went to explore the places in Manali. After exploring the market on the way, we went to see the breeding center in the forest department. We saw the famous colourful bird Monal and few other birds like Kalij, peacock etc from the pheasant family, few ducks and few other birds. These birds were kept in beautiful, thick pine forest.

Overall, Shravya loved her first Himalayan trek experience and her most favourite part was the snow ! :)

We started our journey back from the trek with amazing new friends and fantastic memories. With hearts filled with gratitude and a sense of accomplishment, we bid farewell to the mountains, leaving behind a piece of our souls in their majestic peaks.

Photo credits : Apoorv Paranjape, Parth Lawate, Akshay Gokhale, Shruti J, Himangi, Abhimaan Pattar, Prajkta Kulkarni, Pooja Bahadkar