Overcoming Travel Setbacks: A Himalayan Adventure
‘Landslide again?’ I was disheartened to hear the news two weeks before our trip to Kinnaur, Spiti, and Lahaul.
Travelling to the Himalayas region post-monsoon is a test of determination due to the threat of landslides. Yet, this is when the Himalayas reveal their true beauty. The landscape transforms into a vibrant canvas, with flowers blooming and greenery enveloping the surroundings, making it the best time to travel in this part. As September approached, these natural calamities rocked the region we aimed to explore. Some roads were temporarily closed for repairs, including the route we were taking. Despite this, our resolve to find a way remained strong. The sheer beauty of the Himalayas, with its majestic peaks and lush valleys, constantly inspires and fills us with awe and deep appreciation.
It will defeat the purpose if we can’t travel part of our itinerary from Sarahan to Sangla. Google Maps shows the road was closed for over a week. To allow time for repair, we can travel in opposite directions from Manali. We can do the Lahaul, Spiti, and Kinnaur route instead of our current Kinnaur, Spiti, and Lahaul route. We later met a few people on our journey who had to change this route. However, the route change will significantly disrupt our itinerary. We will face altitude-related issues as we try to acclimatise to the abrupt rise from Manali. We had to acclimatise quickly to the high altitude. It can cause altitude sickness. We had to adjust our pace accordingly. Secondly, all our hotels are booked and paid for along our current route.
‘Hmm… What can we do now? We need some updated road conditions?’ I was looking for information.
Realising the need for updated information, I began searching. However, I found that all the information on the Internet was outdated.
‘I have an idea: I will contact the hotels we booked,’ I told Arpan, determined to approach our travel challenges proactively.
I contacted the hotels in Sarahan and Sangla to get the latest updates from the horse’s mouth. They promptly updated me with the information. They even shared a work-in-progress video for the damaged roads at Nigul Sari. The road is still showing as closed on Google Maps.
‘The BRO works day and night to fix the damaged part of the road. You could pass through the section when you arrive.’ They assured me.
India’s Border Road Organisation (BRO) plays a crucial role in maintaining and repairing the region’s roads, providing reassurance and confidence to travellers like us.
Their assurance gave me the confidence to continue our journey from Sydney to Delhi. This proactive step provided us with crucial information. It empowered us to take control of our trip and be prepared for any potential obstacles, instilling confidence and readiness.
Navigating Himalayan Travel Challenges:
We arrived in Delhi at night and checked into a hotel near the airport. We woke up at 4 am, excited about our early-morning flight from Delhi to Shimla. Our excitement was short-lived. The flight could not land due to the rain, so we had to return to Delhi. The flight circled over Shimla, offering fleeting glimpses of the captivating landscape before the pilot decided against landing. The disappointment of being so close to charming Shimla yet so far was hard to comprehend.
‘It would be difficult to follow the original itinerary.’ Arpan was gloomy.
We couldn’t decide what to do, as our long trip to Kinnaur, Spiti, and Lahaul starts tomorrow. The pilot’s decision was hard to accept, but the crew explained, ‘Shimla runway is on a small hilltop. Everyone’s life will be in danger if it skids and ran off.’
‘Hmm…not ideal for us, but safety first.’ We thought
We spoke to some people travelling to Shimla on the same flight. They booked an afternoon flight to Chandigarh and said they would take a car from Chandigarh.
‘We think this is the best route we can travel now. We have to reach Shimla today.‘ They wanted to reach Shimla today to start their Kinnaur, Spiti and Lahaul trip early tomorrow morning.
We couldn’t think straight and re-booked the flight to Shimla from Delhi the following day.
‘If we landed early tomorrow morning in Shimla, we could start tomorrow. We have time,’ we discussed.
It turned out to be a wrong decision.
Rechecked into the same hotel in Delhi. Delhi was sweltering, and we couldn’t leave the hotel. We regretted our decision. To lift our mood, we decided to go shopping in the evening.
‘Let’s go to Lajpathnagar market,’ we thought, and we felt much better in the evening after some retail therapy. The best part was enjoying the delicious kebab from a roadside restaurant.
‘This mouth-watering chicken reshmi kebab made up for some of the lost time in Shimla.’ We started feeling better. We wasted a full day’s sightseeing in Shimla. Delhi’s local cuisine and shopping experience were a delightful diversion from our travel woes.
‘Good heavens,’ the flight to Shimla was again cancelled. We had been eagerly looking forward to reaching Shimla and faced another setback. Luckily, this time, they didn’t fly to Shimla and returned. So we knew by 5 am that the flight had been cancelled due to the rain.
Diversion of our journey to a different route:
‘The weather check didn’t show any rain in Shimla. What happened now?’ I murmured.
If we couldn’t reach Shimla today, our entire itinerary would be in jeopardy. We would have to skip the places we had been waiting to see for years. This prospect was difficult to accept. Lesson learnt! It would have been better to book a flight to Chandigarh. Travelling to Shimla by car from Chandigarh is highly recommended. We suggest taking this route if someone faces this situation.
”Let’s fly to Chandigarh first.’ We decided.
Booked a morning flight to Chandigarh. I contacted our driver/guide for the tour, Arpit, and explained the situation.
‘If we skipped sightseeing Shimla, could we reach Sarahan and continue our itinerary?’ I enquired. ‘We had been to Shimla before.’
He assured me that we could reach Sarahan late. ‘The best way to do this is to get to Shimla around 2 pm. The flight will land at Chandigarh at 10 am. Then hire a car. If everything goes as planned, you will reach Shimla by 2 pm. He also booked the car from Chandigarh for us.
Hooray, we are almost at Devbhoomi Himachal:
Our flight landed at Chandigarh at 10 am, and we got into the car immediately. A sense of relief washed over us as we settled into the car. We ardently prayed to reach Shimla by 2 pm. Out of anxiety now, slowly, we started feeling better and absorbing the beauty outside. With its well-planned layout and wide roads, Chandigarh was a sight for sore eyes. The journey uphill after leaving the city was delightful. We witnessed breathtaking views of the surrounding hills and valleys. The highway sometimes opened onto cute, colourful villages. This scenery was a refreshing change from our anxiety. The weather was mild, and the sky was crystal clear. We started loving the journey.
‘The Fantastic Valley view is free with our meal,’ Arpan said, returning to a good mood when we stopped for our lunch at Dharampur.
Our lunch stop at Dharampur, with a view
As our car ascended the hill, each turn revealed more breathtaking views of the stunning mountains and picturesque valleys. Despite a few visible landslides, the road was in good condition. After a 4-hour journey, we finally met Arpit, our young, knowledgeable driver who would guide us through Kinnaur, Spiti, and Lahaul.
‘What a relief! We can now follow our route.’ We were thrilled at the prospect of continuing our journey.
Entered gorgeous Shimla
Green Valley in Shimla
When we arrived, Shimla was cloudy. Before departing the city, we stopped at Green Valley. With its lush greenery and mist-covered hills, Green Valley truly embodies the beauty of the Shimla landscape.
‘Magnificient. Isn’t it? Look at the mist-covered lush green deodar and pine trees lined around the hill slopes .’ I told Arpan. The view brought back fond memories from our visit a decade ago and left us in awe.
‘The number of visitors has significantly increased, though.’ More people have parked their cars on the roadside, partly jamming the way. This influx of tourists has brought new energy and a bit of congestion to the place.
After passing Kufri, we stopped at Chharabra for our afternoon tea break. We chose a local restaurant with a stunning view of the valley at the rear.
‘Wow! This mesmerising view was just a sneak peek of the breathtaking vistas that awaited us.’ We eagerly discussed the prospect of exciting upcoming experiences. We were on cloud nine.
Alu Paratha, Spiced Tea, and Pakora not only satisfied our cravings and hunger, but the divine view also satisfied our minds.
Stunning view from our afternoon tea break stop at Chhrabara
Tea Break with a beautiful view
Valley of Fruit Orchards and Incredible Sutlej River:
Driving through beautiful places like Theog, Fagu, and Narkanda, we noticed abundant apple orchards. Fresh green, red, and yellow apples were hanging all around, but they were appropriately fenced. Also, many apples and other fruit trees on the hill steps were covered with nets, and I asked Arpit why.
‘To prevent the weather and birds from destroying them.‘ The beauty of the Himalayas is a place full of wonder and wisdom.
Apple Orchards on the way
Mastering travel disruption – A long day finally came to an end:
Our anticipation of seeing the Hatu Peak View Point off Narakanda didn’t materialise. Time constraints and the approaching evening forced us to set this desire aside. As we neared Luan, we were greeted by the mighty mud-coloured Sutlej River (Satluj to the locals). This river is one of the main rivers in Himachal Pradesh and acts as a lifeline in the region. The Sutlej River continued to flow, accompanying us along National Highway 5.
Stopping at Rampur Bushahr for tea was our last break before we turned onto the Jeori-Sarahan Road at Jeori.
‘Rampur Bushahr, a significant trading town along the ancient Silk Route, was strategically located on the banks of the Sutlej River.’ Arpit shared this historical insight with us. ‘This route, which connected India with Afghanistan, Tibet, and China, played a crucial role in the region’s trade and cultural exchange.’
Finally, after 17 hours on the road from our hotel in Delhi, we reached Sarahan around 8 pm. It had been a long, long day. The road seemed daunting and risky in the dark, but the excitement of reaching our destination overshadowed any fear.
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