Mission to Moon Lake - Chandrataal
31-Jul-2009
Gurgaon
They say "Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. The third time it's a well planned enemy action". This was a Third trip to Manali for many of us, and a well planned one too! Whether the trip 'planner' (myself) is an enemy or a friend... that you need to ask the ones who accompanied me on this bit-tough yet beautiful trip to "Chandra Taal" situated in the Spiti district of Himachal Pradesh.
Once again the team consisted of Gokul, Rahul, Varun (the unavoidable members of any trip), Kishore (who was very much eager as he missed the last year's Ladakh trip), Vikas (who wanted to give his Nikon D40 some fresh air. It had been lying in his cupboard for a long time now), Apoorv (all the way from Bangalore with Delhi, Manali, Chandrataal, and Mussoorie in his mind!)
Even though we had other choices such as Valley of Flowers, the Sunderbans, or the Gangtok, Chandra taal was accepted by all because it was going to be different from all our earlier trips!
There was going to be trekking, there would be camping in the open for 2 days, we will be cooking ourselves, and living like the nomads! Sounds interesting! Right? Well it sounded very interesting for all of us!
So this 'enemy' started planning everything from July 1st. After google-ing and reading a lot, I decided to outsource some of the tasks to someone who has more expertise in this field. I contacted Vishal Prasad; the same person who arranged our entire trip from Gurgaon-Leh-Gurgaon last year.
Vishal did a wonderful job charting the entire 5 days trip taking care of the vehicle, driver, hotel arrangements in Manali, the cook, and even the tents! Whatever we asked for was included in the Itinerary and I just had to take care of the ration at Chandra Taal and sleeping bags. Vishal said he will arrange sleeping bags too. However considering the cost factor, I decided to get them from Manali iso Delhi.
Thanks to Pradipta De's nice blog, we got all the information we needed and on July 31st evening we started the trip as planned!
After a long night drive, numerous tea breaks. a couple of driver changes (Vikas and the driver Vijay) and half a dozen vomits, we reached Manali around 8:30 AM
01-Aug-2009
Manali
Vishal called us early morning and gave us the directions to the hotel The Dream in Circuit house road near Hadimba Temple. Since most of them were tired, and considering the next day's journey, all decided to take rest in the hotel (except myself, Apoorv and Vikas). We 3 decided we will visit the temple and the market and also checkout the sleeping bags.
The whole day was spent roaming in the Mall road and the market purchasing the rations for our next 2 days. The others had a nice rest and they too joined us in the evening. We went to sleep early so that we could all get up and get ready before 5 AM the next day.
02-Aug-2009
Manali
We started at 5:30 in the morning to avoid any weekend traffic before Rothang Pass - the final destination for the usual Manali tourists. We had one more person with us, our cook-guide Monti. Later we found out that Monti was a good driver too. We stopped for breakfast in Madi and by lunch (2:00 pm) we were in Batal.
Batal is a small village at the foot of Kunzum pass from where people start the trek to Chandratal (14 km) or Hamta Pass. Other than 3 or 4 small dhabas, huge rocky hills and the flowing Chandra river you dont see anything in this windy and dusty place. Earlier people had to trek the entire 14 km to Chandrataal but now there is a road (dusty a bit risky and broken at places)
After the lunch in the Dhaba, we told Monti and Vijay that we will start walking. We told them to go ahead pitch the tent and wait for us with dinner ready.
Monti said there is a big stream 2 km ahead. He suggested instead of walking the entire 14 km, why not start after crossing the stream. To be honest, before reaching Batal, all of us were eager to trek the entire 14 km.. However when we reached Batal, it was too cold and windy (even in the afternoon) and our enthu had diminished a bit! So when Monti gave this suggestion, we all decided to accept it. We covered the first 2 km by car and crossed the stream which was not as 'big' as described earlier! Anyways, we got down, said tata to them and started walking.
The trek from there to Chandratal was mostly an easy to moderate ascent. The problem was not the distance. It was the altitude sickness or acclimatization issues! We could have done it easily, if we had acclimatized in Batal for a day. Everyone we talked to had advised us to do that. But what to do.. we never were good listeners!
After the photo session we still had to walk half a km. Finally this was the place where I spotted a Scorpio, which meant we have reached our destination!!! Another 15 min later I reached our Tavera. It was parked along with 5 or 6 other cars on a hill. Vehicles could go no further.
Vijay was waiting there. He said the tents have been pitched and cooking is going on. I could see others walking downhill carrying their luggage. I decided to keep it in the car itself. I took only the necessary items and started walking towards the tent.
It was almost dark when I finally reached the tent. Then the problems started. The tents turned out to be small. They were enough for 2 to sleep comfortably (3 by adjusting) but certainly not for 4! One tent was occupied by Monti and our ration. Cooking was going on in there. For the time being we kept all our things inside the other tent and huddled together as it was too windy and cold outside. All of us were having severe head ache and kishore was going through the worst. He threw up 4 or 5 times and was shivering like anything. We decided to make room for him to sleep and arranged the tent. Gokul, Rahul, myself and Kishore decided to share this tent the other three would take the next one once the cooking is over.
Once everything was arranged and once I went inside the sleeping bag, I decided there is no dinner for me that night. We all were really tired.
Gurgaon
They say "Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. The third time it's a well planned enemy action". This was a Third trip to Manali for many of us, and a well planned one too! Whether the trip 'planner' (myself) is an enemy or a friend... that you need to ask the ones who accompanied me on this bit-tough yet beautiful trip to "Chandra Taal" situated in the Spiti district of Himachal Pradesh.
Once again the team consisted of Gokul, Rahul, Varun (the unavoidable members of any trip), Kishore (who was very much eager as he missed the last year's Ladakh trip), Vikas (who wanted to give his Nikon D40 some fresh air. It had been lying in his cupboard for a long time now), Apoorv (all the way from Bangalore with Delhi, Manali, Chandrataal, and Mussoorie in his mind!)
Even though we had other choices such as Valley of Flowers, the Sunderbans, or the Gangtok, Chandra taal was accepted by all because it was going to be different from all our earlier trips!
There was going to be trekking, there would be camping in the open for 2 days, we will be cooking ourselves, and living like the nomads! Sounds interesting! Right? Well it sounded very interesting for all of us!
So this 'enemy' started planning everything from July 1st. After google-ing and reading a lot, I decided to outsource some of the tasks to someone who has more expertise in this field. I contacted Vishal Prasad; the same person who arranged our entire trip from Gurgaon-Leh-Gurgaon last year.
Vishal did a wonderful job charting the entire 5 days trip taking care of the vehicle, driver, hotel arrangements in Manali, the cook, and even the tents! Whatever we asked for was included in the Itinerary and I just had to take care of the ration at Chandra Taal and sleeping bags. Vishal said he will arrange sleeping bags too. However considering the cost factor, I decided to get them from Manali iso Delhi.
Delhi Rates:
The Tents - 2 three men tents costs around 150/- per tent per day
Mats - @ 25/- per mat per day
Sleeping bags - @ 75/- per mat per day
Plus a Refundable Security!
You can contact Vishal - 9910144351. He can arrange everything for you for the trip.
Also you can contact Bhagwan Singh - 09350225713 (Final destination, Chirag Dilli)
NOTE: Later we found that we can arrange all these in Manali itself and save money by paying only for the days we really use them!
Manali Rates:
1 Sleeping bag was just 50 per day.
You can contact Murali of Paramount Adventure in Manali: (9318810082) They have a big shop for all your trekking / camping needs! It was cheaper when compared to Delhi and the gears were also good. ( Just make sure you call and book in advance as it is difficult to get them during the season! )
1 Sleeping bag was just 50 per day.
You can contact Murali of Paramount Adventure in Manali: (9318810082) They have a big shop for all your trekking / camping needs! It was cheaper when compared to Delhi and the gears were also good. ( Just make sure you call and book in advance as it is difficult to get them during the season! )
Also you can contact Mr Yugraj Mahant - 09816083448 (World of Adventure, Manali)
I called him from Delhi and he was very helpful and promised he would surely help us in finding the things we need when we reach Manali.
Thanks to Pradipta De's nice blog, we got all the information we needed and on July 31st evening we started the trip as planned!
After a long night drive, numerous tea breaks. a couple of driver changes (Vikas and the driver Vijay) and half a dozen vomits, we reached Manali around 8:30 AM
01-Aug-2009
Manali
Vishal called us early morning and gave us the directions to the hotel The Dream in Circuit house road near Hadimba Temple. Since most of them were tired, and considering the next day's journey, all decided to take rest in the hotel (except myself, Apoorv and Vikas). We 3 decided we will visit the temple and the market and also checkout the sleeping bags.
The whole day was spent roaming in the Mall road and the market purchasing the rations for our next 2 days. The others had a nice rest and they too joined us in the evening. We went to sleep early so that we could all get up and get ready before 5 AM the next day.
02-Aug-2009
Manali
We started at 5:30 in the morning to avoid any weekend traffic before Rothang Pass - the final destination for the usual Manali tourists. We had one more person with us, our cook-guide Monti. Later we found out that Monti was a good driver too. We stopped for breakfast in Madi and by lunch (2:00 pm) we were in Batal.
Batal is a small village at the foot of Kunzum pass from where people start the trek to Chandratal (14 km) or Hamta Pass. Other than 3 or 4 small dhabas, huge rocky hills and the flowing Chandra river you dont see anything in this windy and dusty place. Earlier people had to trek the entire 14 km to Chandrataal but now there is a road (dusty a bit risky and broken at places)
After the lunch in the Dhaba, we told Monti and Vijay that we will start walking. We told them to go ahead pitch the tent and wait for us with dinner ready.
Monti said there is a big stream 2 km ahead. He suggested instead of walking the entire 14 km, why not start after crossing the stream. To be honest, before reaching Batal, all of us were eager to trek the entire 14 km.. However when we reached Batal, it was too cold and windy (even in the afternoon) and our enthu had diminished a bit! So when Monti gave this suggestion, we all decided to accept it. We covered the first 2 km by car and crossed the stream which was not as 'big' as described earlier! Anyways, we got down, said tata to them and started walking.
The trek from there to Chandratal was mostly an easy to moderate ascent. The problem was not the distance. It was the altitude sickness or acclimatization issues! We could have done it easily, if we had acclimatized in Batal for a day. Everyone we talked to had advised us to do that. But what to do.. we never were good listeners!
The start of another long trek - 12 km to Chandrataal
As uaual, I am left behind!
Teaching Varun to whistle...
Expert faculties called in...
"no no... you need to do like this..."
Professional whistling in 3 minute by - Gokul, Vikas and Rahul
Eureka! Eureka!!
After 1 hr (3:30 pm)
Miles to go before we sleep...
Board Ahoy! (around 5:50 pm)
Please don't ask me about the 3 hrs walk from last stop. Actually I don't remember! I was tired like anything. As usual I was walking 1 or 2 km behind the others. Kishore was walking ahead of all of us. Even though we had warned him about Altitude sickness or acute mountain sickness (AMS) he never listened. Many times others I would find myself all alone in the vast landscape. At times I would see someone waiting for me around the corner. He would have taken min 15 min rest and as soon as he sees me he'd say "Ok! take a min rest and we'll carry on!!!"
Anyways like all the other treks I knew I'd pull off with this one also. But I must thank my friends for all their support and encouragement. Without them I know I wouldn't have made it at all!
A small photo session with the board. Another milestone covered!
Vijay was waiting there. He said the tents have been pitched and cooking is going on. I could see others walking downhill carrying their luggage. I decided to keep it in the car itself. I took only the necessary items and started walking towards the tent.
It was almost dark when I finally reached the tent. Then the problems started. The tents turned out to be small. They were enough for 2 to sleep comfortably (3 by adjusting) but certainly not for 4! One tent was occupied by Monti and our ration. Cooking was going on in there. For the time being we kept all our things inside the other tent and huddled together as it was too windy and cold outside. All of us were having severe head ache and kishore was going through the worst. He threw up 4 or 5 times and was shivering like anything. We decided to make room for him to sleep and arranged the tent. Gokul, Rahul, myself and Kishore decided to share this tent the other three would take the next one once the cooking is over.
Once everything was arranged and once I went inside the sleeping bag, I decided there is no dinner for me that night. We all were really tired.
