Seven Days. One Long-Awaited Return to the Mountains – The Journey Begins.
The Start…
I was looking at my posts, saw that my last Himalayan trek post
was in 2007.
OMG… seriously?
Seems like eons ago.
That does not mean I did not do traveling.
In fact, 2017 was the year I made another trip to the
Himalayas, this time with my kids, when my little one was just eight years old.
That was a completely different kind of Himalayan trip —
travelling with kids, seeing the mountains through their eyes and, of course,
dealing with all the joy, excitement and chaos that comes with a family trip.
But somehow, I never got around to writing about it.
So, technically, the 2007 Sikkim trip remains my last
Himalayan story on this blog.
And then, life happened… long story short.
As the years went by, there were jobs, project deadlines,
responsibilities, routines, plans and all those little things that slowly took
over my days, without me even realising it.
And somewhere in between all of that, the wandering soul
went quiet.
Until 2026.
It was sometime in July when Ajit, a contact friend I know
through my daughter’s school, shared details of a Spiti trip on WhatsApp.
The trip details were awesome.
But what really clicked in this trip's favour was the
background image of the itinerary.
Silly excuse, I know… but hey, that happens to be one of the
reasons I get mesmerized 😊.
Forget all that.
Spiti was already on my bucket list.
And this time, the Himalayan call was too strong. Nothing
seemed capable of standing in the way.
Well… almost nothing.
I still had official commitments and project deadlines to
meet, which meant going on the trip was still a big question mark.
But somewhere in my mind, the decision was already half
made.
The remaining half was getting lured every time a message
popped up from Ajit asking,
“Hello Bhuwana, will you make it Spiti?”
“Hey, anything working out. We have a month to go and few slots left out”
“Have you decided?”
or
“Did your leave get approved”?
Such messages kept popping up…
Even my dreams were not spared by Spiti Valley!
Joining this trip was actually a last-minute decision for
me.
I had a project deadline. I had work to finish. Going away
for seven days was probably not the most sensible thing to do at that point.
But then came that sudden Eureka moment.
Why not?
And that was it.
Decision made.
I was going.
Of course, going meant that I also had to figure out the
official side of things — how to make sure the work didn't suffer while I
disappeared into the mountains for a week.
So, parallelly, I started working that out.
Booked my travel tickets after checking with Ajit about how
everyone was planning.
Touched base with Satish, who helped me book the bus tickets
from Manali to Delhi.
Bharati, who helped me to understand how the weather
conditions could be as she had prior experiences.
Started dumping the required clothes and warm stuff into the
suitcase.
All this was happening.
And where was my mind?
It was already there…
In Spiti.
I was busy imagining the mountains, the roads, the
landscapes, the tiny villages, the cold and all those pictures I had seen of
Spiti over the years.
The itinerary had already given me an idea of what the next
seven days would look like.
Seven days… wow!!
900 kilometres.
Shimla. Sarahan. Kalpa. Tabo. Kaza. Losar. And finally,
Manali.
Well, don't forget — this is just the high-level list.
The places mentioned in the itinerary were enough to make me
do a Google search… 😊
And yes, one search led to another.
Just looking at the itinerary and then doing all those
Google searches was enough to bring back a feeling I hadn't realized I had
missed.
That excitement of going somewhere unfamiliar.
With strangers.
That little curiosity about what lies around the next bend.
As people say, the mind is a strange creature.
I was already visualizing myself looking out of the window,
watching the landscape change as I travelled further and further into the
mountains.
And somewhere in my subconscious mind, I realized something.
I never really stopped loving travel.
The wandering soul wasn't gone.
Maybe it was just waiting.
Waiting for the next road to happen.
==================================================
Hyderabad to the mountains
There are trips you plan.
And then there are trips that somehow just happen.
Spiti was somewhere in between.
My excitement was crazily high. And as the days neared, it
just went up a notch. I was busy wrapping things up at work and working late
into the nights, which left me exhausted. But the trip excitement did not dim
at all.
Finally, Sep 04, 2026 arrived - the D-day that I had been
waiting for.
I left Hyderabad, carrying the usual things one carries on a
mountain journey — clothes, shoes, a camera, a few expectations and, somewhere
at the back of my mind, the hope that the mountains would surprise me.
My flight to Chandigarh was at 1:45 PM, so I left home by 10:45
AM.
Before I left home, I ensured that my boarding pass was
uploaded to “DigiYatra”. I love this app. It helps me navigate the
airport rush at ease. I reached the
airport and completed the check-in using the self-service.
Then I moved towards security. Here, I had a funny episode,
I was carrying battery backup, gadgets and battery-operated water flosser in my
hand luggage. Everything came through
security successfully, including me, but the tray containing my flosser moved
to red line…😊.
The security personnel showed me my beautiful teal-colored water
flosser, asked me about it and I had to explain it to her. I even offered to show her how it works, so
that she could get an idea. The moment I
mentioned that, she laughed and asked me to move on with my stuff.
With that, I was off flying to Gate 4, and I was as restless
as one could be to get started.
I popped a message in the group asking if anyone was at the
airport. Well, most of them were, but I did not know anyone by name or face.
Just then, Smitha responded.
When I asked where she was, she gave me her location — Gate
4, next to the phone charging point. I looked up and saw this person. She
immediately got up and we walked towards each other.
As we said hello to each other, I noticed her lovely smile &
her height.
We decided to move around to find two seats together and get
to know each other better.
Well, we did find our seats and then we met Pragnya and her
parents. Smitha knew Pragnya from her previous trip. So, off we went yapping.
Soon boarding was announced and we boarded. We were all in different seats. Seat belt on,
I was off to my dreamland as the flight soared towards Chandigarh.
At Chandigarh airport, I finally met Ajit, Bharathi, Satish.
A hello here and there, and we were off to collect our luggage. While this was
on, we got a message in our Spiti group from Subhadra that they were waiting at
Gate 1.
With our luggage rolling out, we moved towards Gate 1 – met the
sisters Subhadra & Hyma. Ajit guided us towards the tempo traveler that was
booked for us for Shimla run.
As the plains slowly gave way to the mountains, my stomach
started to rumble in a way that could have started World War 3. Thanks to
Pragnya I was able to settle my stomach with Famley Dates bite.
The roads started to climb.
The air changed. So did the landscape.
And as our tempo traveler moved on, we played Antakshri.
As time flew, we knew we needed to stretch our legs…and we
did - with garama garam chai, sandwich and pakoras.
Before I knew it, I was in Shimla - the first proper stop.
My Himalayan journey has begun.
Before I realized it, the world I left behind started to
feel a little distant.
And somewhere along those winding mountain roads, I could
feel the urgency of city life slowly slipping away.
And this time, I was heading deep into the mountains.
=======================================================
Shimla — A Quick Hello
It must have been around 8 PM when we reached Shimla. We
checked into the hotel, and Smitha was my roomie. Oh my my… it felt like I was
back to my college days. 😊
Bharathi gave us an option — we could take a walk to Mall
Road or hang in our boots for the night. Most of us decided to take a walk. So,
off we went, taking the steps, walking through the silent roads, and somehow, I
felt that Shimla gave me more of a colonial vibe than a hill station.
Maybe it was because my mind was running amok, or it could
have been the stone walls and steps that we walked through.
As the group walked towards Mall Road, I suddenly felt sick
and threw up. I freshened up, felt better, and decided to continue with the
walk. Me — the person who never drinks soda — had to slowly sip through one. I
will not deny it… it made me feel a lot better.
As I walked through Mall Road, my feeling of a colonial vibe
just got reinforced. I saw a prominent red-bricked building with a huge vintage
clock — the Town Hall, as it is called. Then there was the old Post Office, the
library, the Gaiety Theatre, Christ Church, the Hanuman statue and, of course,
the Lala Lajpat Rai statue.
What I liked about Mall Road was that there was no vehicular
traffic and pedestrians could walk easily, without constantly hearing the
honks. The lights gave Mall Road a dreamy look.
The group was hungry, everyone started to keep an eye out for a nice place to eat. Since it was late most of the cafés and restaurants were closed, but finally, a nice place finalized that worked for everyone.
Subhadra and I decided to skip dinner. We just wanted to go
back to the hotel and put our legs up.
Off we went, walking, talking and getting to know each
other. The only things we could hear were our voices and the silence of the
night. Did I mention, we took a wrong route while walking back? We noticed that
something was off with the road, we retracked back and then moved on with the
right path.
Once we reached the hotel, the hotel night staff enquired
about the dinner. When we mentioned that
we both were not in a mood to eat, they were kind enough to give us some local
fruits.
Off we went to our respective rooms. The moment my head hit
the pillow, I was dead to the world.
I woke up when Smitha came back. Until then, I hadn't even realized
that I had slept off with the lights on. She fiddled with the switches to get
them off, and then again, we were into our dreamlands.
==================================================
Sarahan — When the journey begins to feel real
From Shimla, the road took me towards Sarahan.
Bharathi had informed us earlier that we needed to be at the breakfast counter by 7:30 AM. On September 5, 2026, Smitha and I made sure we were all set by 7 AM. As soon as we got ready, we checked with the twosome, Subhadra and Hyma, if they were ready.
Since they were, we went down to the
breakfast counter along with our luggage, which had been kept at the reception
area.
The breakfast spread was good — idly, aloo parathas, poha, a
sandwich, toast, along with the usual tea and coffee. Since I was not keeping
well, I decided to go with a simple breakfast that included idly, curd, toast
and sandwich. I did not want to eat anything that might upset my stomach.
Honestly, for the entire trip, I ensured that I had curd
with everything and anything. 😊
While we were having breakfast, we met a few other fellow travelers,
along with two more organizers. After that, we took a group photo, boarded two
different tempo travelers, and the journey towards Sarahan began.
As we left Shimla behind, the journey started acquiring a
different character. The roads were no longer simply taking me from one
destination to another.
They were becoming part of the destination itself.
About 47 km away from Shimla, we stopped at Matiyana, a
small scenic village, for a bio break and tea break. We spent about 30 minutes
there and, once again, we were on the road.
As usual, we tried to sing and have fun. But the valleys,
bends, mountainsides and those long stretches instinctively made me look out of
the window because there was simply no reason to look anywhere else.
I was so engrossed in the scenic beauty that I did not even realize
we had been travelling for the last few hours. Before I knew it, it was already
lunchtime.
Here, I should mention that the lunch spread was awesome!
Once lunch was done, we started moving towards Padam Palace,
which was situated on the banks of the Sutlej River. The locals mentioned that
the Padam Palace was built between 1919 and 1925 in Rampur Bushahr.
Though the palace was locked due to renovation, I got a
sneak peek inside through the stained-glass windows. I thought I was looking
through a kaleidoscope. Beautiful, but the interiors were absconding from me.
Looking at the palace, I felt that it had a European architectural influence. What caught my attention were the sloping roofs and blue doors, which had a unique style.
The stunner was the gazebo with its beautiful roof and huge open gardens.
The palace was surrounded by mountains, and the grass seemed to be inviting.
Beyond the gazebo, I found a path leading to some more rooms. The room had beautiful Baithak, pictures and Lord Ganesha statute.
The doors of these rooms were again in blue color with beautiful designs. The most important thing that I could gather was that wherever my eyes I went, I saw Lord Ganesha's motifs or picture was there.
We spent some time walking around the palace and gardens. After that, we boarded the vehicles and continued towards Sarahan.
Finally, we reached Sarahan.
The rain welcomed us at Srikhand Hotel with white scarves. We were told that we
had 20 minutes to settle our bags, pull out our ponchos, raincoats or
umbrellas, and be ready for the visit to Bhimakali Temple.
As I walked towards the temple, the drizzling rain and the
stone walkway had a different feel to them. I was completely with myself as I
observed the marketplace and the people around me, while the clouds gathered
above, giving us an early closure for the day.
At the temple, we were asked to leave our mobile phones in the locker.
I got to hear loads of local stories about Bhimakali temple. Locals believe that the Bhimakali Temple is one of the Shakti Peethas, where Sati Devi's right ear fell. Another story that locals talk about - Bhima had done penance for Ma Kali. Hence, the name Bhimakali.
It is also the
local deity of the ruling kings of Rampur.
The beautiful Bhimakali Temple complex is not exactly what I
would describe as traditional Hindu temple architecture. I felt it had a
Buddhist influence, something similar to what I had noticed at Muktinath Temple
in Nepal.
The temple is placed on a raised platform, and I entered
through one door and exited through another.
The temple has twin towers and two floors. I assumed that
the temple would have two stories, but when I entered, there were narrow steps
leading to the main sanctum sanctorum and, of course, I did notice a low
ceiling. The entire place was carpeted, and there was a silence that was
soothing to the senses.
After Devi Mata's darshan, I visited the Shivji temple, which
was part of the same temple premises. Once the darshan was done, the slow walk
towards the hotel in the rain was like a scene from a black & white
movie.
The food started with a local soup called Kheru, followed by
a full-blown meal. While the food was being served, we got to the business of
introducing ourselves. The first night - and first-time intro, and some
more and some less....:-).
Food done, we headed to our rooms to sleep for the night,
waiting for the next morning's plan.
The next morning (Sep 06, 2026), as usual, Smitha & I got ready early enough. The small balcony was calling us, so we decided to sit out and enjoy the mountains, the rising sun and the quiet village. As the time ticked, we waited to get started.
Sarahan Palace, was still eluding us,
so we walked towards the palace. The main gates of the palace were locked -
which was unlocked for us. But we could not view the palace as it is closed to
the public for viewing. One can, however walk around the sprawling lawns and
see the exterior of the palace.
One thing, while everyone waited for the gates to be unlocked, I just walked around and found some interesting views, which made my camera go click-click...
We spent some time there and, of course, took a few pictures
before heading back to the hotel for breakfast.
The breakfast, was really like breakfast for the kings… —
that included cornflakes, sandwiches, toast, poori subzi, stuffed parathas,
vegetable cutlets, fresh fries and bananas, along with coffee & tea.
I was informed that we could see Shrikand Mahadev peak from the dining area. But the clouds covered it. I hoped against hope; I would love to have a sneak peek of Mahadev Shrikand before I board the tempo traveller. Bhagwan Shiv answered my prayers.
The clouds moved away and I could see the
beautiful peak with the sun shining on it.
As the trip continued from Sarahan, the familiar mountains of Himachal were slowly giving way to something more stark, more dramatic.
The road ahead was taking me deeper.
And I was ready for it.
=======================================================
Kalpa — Mountains That Make You Stop
As we went deeper into the mountains, they were no longer
merely scenery in the background. They occupied the entire horizon, making me realize
just how small I was in comparison.
A visit to the historic Tibetan Silk Route was a must on our
itinerary. As we explored the area, I noticed that the place was monitored by
the Indian Army and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP). A salute to these
brave soldiers and officers who guard our borders, ensuring that we can sleep
peacefully.
Spending a few minutes in this peaceful place felt almost
like heaven. We also had a brief interaction with some of the army personnel,
which was a humbling experience for me.
Driving along the Hindustan–Tibet Road (NH 5) was an
experience in itself. The roads were smooth, like makhan, and the views
of the rugged mountains were beautiful.
All the way from Shimla to Sarahan, the mountains seemed to
be whispering to each other. But as we neared Kinnaur Gate, those whispers gave
way to grandeur. The mountains seemed to announce their presence, loud and
clear!
A reminder to me that there is a world much larger than the
small routines we build around ourselves.
As our vehicle moved on, I could see the sheer drop into the
valley, with the Sutlej River flowing far below on one side and the rough,
rugged mountain face on the other. Nothing had prepared me for Kinnaur Gate.
The rugged mountains gave me a hint of what lay ahead. But
seeing the road cut straight through the rock, with a vertical drop plunging
towards the Sutlej River below on one side and the mountain rising sharply on
the other, was something else altogether.
And right in front of me was Kinnaur Gate.
I was mesmerized. Honestly, I think my jaw was hanging as
much as the cliff itself!
We got down from the Tempo Traveller, and I stood there
taking in the sight. Here was nature, displaying a beauty that I could never
have imagined. No photograph or description could quite prepare me for what I
was seeing.
Crossing through Kinnaur Gate felt like entering a different
world. The mountains seemed to grow steeper, bigger and wilder. For some
reason, the landscape reminded me of the Wild West I had seen in some of those
good old English Western classics.
My imagination had clearly taken off on its own journey!
The roads became narrower, winding along the mountainside
without guardrails in places. Yet the vehicles continued at a steady pace.
Watching the drivers navigate these roads day in and day out made me realize
how much skill and confidence it must take.
Honestly, if I had to maneuver such a big vehicle along
these narrow roads, I'm sure I'd be sweating like a pig!
The way these drivers handled the bends deserved a salute of
its own. It struck me that nature has its own rules here. You learn to respect
them and follow them, because you never quite know what lies around the next
turn.
I spent quite some time at Kinnaur Gate, taking photographs,
but I couldn't help feeling that my phone camera wasn't doing the place
justice. I wished I had a better camera to capture what I was seeing.
(Thoughtful me! 😊)
Eventually, it was time to get back into the Tempo Traveler
and continue towards Kalpa. As we drove away, I felt as though I was leaving a
little part of myself behind. I knew I wanted to return someday, perhaps even
as a biker — a dream! Some places leave you wanting more even before you've
properly left them.
Our next stop was Taranda Mata Temple, a small temple set against the mountain cliffs, overlooking the Sutlej Valley. Locals believe that Devi protects travelers passing through this valley. I noticed something interesting. Every vehicle passing this region seemed to slow down, bow in front of the temple and then continue on its way. It was a small gesture, but one that stayed with me.
Honestly, I felt that the people living in these mountain
regions were deeply rooted in nature, its power and their faith in God. There
was a simplicity in the way they lived that I found endearing.
This was also our WTB stop — water, tea and bio breaks! We
had the opportunity to bow our heads before Taranda Mata before getting back on
the road.
As we continued towards Kalpa, the landscape remained captivating. Rugged mountains stretched along the route, the Sutlej ran parallel to the narrow road far below in the valley, and beautiful snow-covered peaks appeared in the distance.
The views seemed to continue endlessly, right
until we reached our homestay in Kalpa, which was drenched in rain.
Our homestay was run by a retired SAI sports coach, a
cheerful man who welcomed us with a warm cup of tea from his kitchen. The room
keys were handed out, and Smitha and I were allotted a room on the second
floor, which opened onto a beautiful terrace.
From there, one could see the mountains, a temple, a
monastery and apple orchards. I was already looking forward to spending some
time on that terrace.
We settled our luggage in our respective rooms, pulled out
our ponchos, raincoats and umbrellas, and assembled in the dining area before
heading out again.
The chill in the air and the walk through the village
towards Narayan Nagini Temple gave me an exhilarated feeling. The steps leading
to the temple were a mix of short, steep ones and long, deep ones. Anyways, the
brisk walk ensured that we were nicely warmed up by the time we reached the
temple!
We removed our shoes and covered our heads before entering. That little pause also gave me time to look around.
Inside, a ritual was in progress, while on one side, some
beautiful construction work was underway. It looked as though an entrance was
being built. Maybe, when I return someday, I'll find out what it was all about.
The entire construction area smelled of pine. I found myself
engrossed in the local ritual as the men carried the Goddess while the main
priest conducted the ceremony.
Once the ritual was over, the Goddess was placed back within
the temple premises. I walked around the temple, taking in the surroundings and
enjoying the quiet moments. We also met a few local women who were delighted to
click photographs with us. Their happiness at sharing that little moment made
me smile.
From there, we moved on to an ancient Buddhist monastery. According to the inscription I read mentioned that it is one of the oldest monasteries in the region.
What fascinated me most was its architecture. It wasn't quite what I would associate with a traditional Indian or Hindu temple, nor was it what I had expected of Buddhist architecture. There was a distinctive blend of local and Buddhist influences that I found intriguing. I felt that every place has its own stories to tell.
As I walked towards the monastery, I noticed the prayer
wheels. We then made our way up towards the main temple, with prayer flags
fluttering in the cold air mingled with rain.
I slowly walked around the outer perimeter, and the prayer wheels caught my attention again. My hands instinctively reached out to turn them. They looked so easy to rotate from a distance, but they actually needed a fair bit of strength!
Still, I enjoyed turning them. There was something calming about the simple, repetitive movement. For me, it became a moment of quiet reflection, a small connection with my inner self.
The prayer wheels led me towards the monastery's inner
sanctum and altar. Inside, I saw three brightly robed Buddhist statues, with
prayer items arranged in front of them. Spending some time there in meditation
felt wonderful.
When I stepped outside, I noticed an open shelf on the left,
filled with different forms of Buddha figures. Some white scarves had been tied
around the shelf. I wished there had been someone around who could explain the
significance of these beautiful things. My curiosity, as usual, had questions
that remained unanswered!
On the right stood a giant prayer wheel. Smitha and I spent
a few minutes turning it before making our way out.
The walk back to the homestay was quiet. We had both taken
in quite a bit that evening, and perhaps there wasn't much that needed to be
said.
Back in the dining room, we watched videos of the Raula
festival and Kinnaur Kailash while dinner was being served. By then, it had
been a long and eventful day. After dinner, everyone made a beeline for their
rooms.
I was ready to drift off to dreamland, looking forward to
one thing in particular: the morning view of Kinnaur Kailash.
And what a morning it was!
The sun was shining brightly when Smitha and I stepped out
onto the terrace. We were among the first ones out, eager to see what the
mountains had in store for us.
The temple and monastery stood surrounded by rugged
mountains, while Kinnaur Kailash seemed undecided about whether to come out and
shine or remain hidden behind the clouds.
Anyways, we let Kailash Parvat make up its mind. My gaze
wandered from one apple orchard to another, their trees laden with apples,
waiting to ripen before making their way to markets elsewhere.
Meanwhile, my camera and I got busy!
And then, finally, Kinnaur Kailash gave us its darshan.
Beautiful. Awesome. Those were the only words that came to mind.
All the other words that usually come rushing into my head
had mysteriously disappeared. I tried to dig them out, but no luck! They had
decided to stay hidden somewhere, refusing to make even the slightest sound.
And there I was, standing in front of Kinnaur Kailash, with
so much to feel and so few words to describe it.
I stood there hoping and praying that someday I would be
able to make a trip closer to Kinnaur Kailash and experience it more fully.
By then, the rest of the group had assembled, and the
morning turned into a round of group photographs before we headed downstairs
for breakfast. Our next destination was waiting, and it was time to move on.
But I was already thinking about returning.
Kalpa was another chapter.
Some places demand to be explored. Some places simply make
you stop.
Kalpa felt like the latter. It made me realise that a few
hours were nowhere near enough. I wanted to come back, stay longer, slow down
and explore at my own pace — as if this little corner of the world were all
that mattered for a while.
Perhaps that is one of the reasons I travel.
Not just to see beautiful places, but to find those moments
that make me want to stay a little longer.
But the journey wasn't over yet.
Spiti was still waiting.
