My sabbatical: Damn, everything is a picture

7 – 9 May 2019

I left you last in Rishikesh (where no one deserves to be left. I am sorry), with us on our way to a hike. The next leg of our travel was a 7-hour bus ride to Uhkimath. It was mostly uneventful and hot, but we did get the front 3 seats, and the driver would not let anyone sit next to the 2 of us. It could have been because it would block his view of the side mirror. We thought it was because we were such lovely people.

Why go to Uhkimath? What is there to see in Uhkimath? Well, not much. It’s the closest main “town” to Chopta, where our hike would start. The only thing that happened in Uhkimath worth noting is that a person, who said he was “a stealer”, stole our friend’s phone (surprise) when he accidentally left it lying around. Weird sidebar, for a weird little place.

The Himalayas from Uhkimath.
Wait though, there much better Himalaya pics coming

The next morning, we caught (another) bus, about 45 minutes, to Chopta. Chopta is the base for the start of the Tungnath trail. After a quick breakfast, we started our hike, and shortly all our travels (13 hours in transport, 3 busses and 1 hitchhike) and struggles (Rishikesh) that went with them were forgotten. What a beautiful place.

Chopta

Pre-hike brekkies, Chopta

Paratha and curry

Entrance to Tungnath trial.
Let's go hiking

You walk past, and through, rolling green hills, and can drink freshly melted snow-water from the streams. The freshness of the water gives it almost a heavier feeling, but oh, so refreshing. The hike is easy, as the path is cemented, but starting at an altitude of 2,600 metres, you feel the climb. The most breath-taking part is the clear, unobstructed views of the Himalayas, getting closer and bigger, as you traverse the 2 hour walk.

The trail

Getting better hey?

Messing about on the cliff's edge

The valley below

Luckily, we arrived the day before the official tourist season opens, so the trail was relatively quiet, with very few other people on it. What was even more lucky was that of the houses that you could stay overnight in, only one was open, and it was free. Our host was there a day early to prepare for the season. Him and his brother live on the mountain for the 6-month season, and go back home only in winter, when the snow is too heavy, and the pass is closed.

Home for the night

Our dining room

After settling in, and having had lunch overlooking the mountains, we hiked up to the Tungnath temple (surprisingly, also the name of the hike). At 3,680m (higher than the Drankensburg), it’s the highest temple to Lord Shiva in the world, and supposedly 1,000 years old. We spent the rest of the day relaxing on the hills and cliff faces. Apart from the simply incredible views, what was so amazing was the silence of the place. At such a height, without any other travelers around, it was dead quiet. In such a place, with the warm summer sun on our faces, napping just off the cliff face, it was a feeling and experience I hope to never forget.

Walking to the edge

Can almost touch it now

Looking down

Just......yah, exactly

As the sun sets, and the winds pick up, warm and pleasant turns to very cold. Fun activity: you can get sun burnt and then frostbite in the same day.

We huddled around the kitchen fire in our host’s room for supper and then quickly into bed under many blankets, though not before taking a small detour to view the stars, unspoilt by any artificial city light. How cold you may ask? I did not know the temperature, but I slept in a tracksuit, in a duvet cover, in a sleeping bag, under two blankets – so pretty cold.

Warming around the kitchen fire

Dinner

We woke up at 4am to get up to the Chandrashila peak, the highest point of the trail, at 4130m, to view the sunrise. The cold from the night before had frozen up the small streams that flowed the day before.