India (Frommer's, 4th Edition) (359 page)

Rafting in Ladakh

Without doubt, Zanskar offers one of the most exhilarating and challenging white-water rafting journeys in India. Beginning on the Stod River in Zanskar—“the land of white copper”—the multiday river adventure descends through rapids of Class IV and V, passes incredibly desolate, scenic gorges and stupendous cliffs down the Zanskar River, and ends on the Indus, near Alchi Monastery. The adventure takes a minimum of 12 days round-trip from Leh and is best attempted as part of an organized expedition.
Aquaterra Adventures
(
011/2921-2641
or -2760;
www.treknraft.com
) is possibly the best choice for discerning travelers looking to raft the Indus or Zanskar rivers, and the very professional
Mercury Himalayan Explorations
(
www.himalayanadventure.com
)
does a number of all-inclusive trips that combine several days of rafting with sightseeing and general exploration. If you’re looking for something less hairy, there are tamer options close to Leh: a half-day rafting trip from Nimoo to Alchi that’s got some adrenaline packed in, a 3-hour gentle rafting trip from Hemis to Choglamsar where your guide does most of the paddling work with well-practiced efficiency, or a 4-hour trip from Phey to Nimoo that packs in a bit of both. Enquire about daily trips through
Rimo Expeditions
(
www.rimoexpeditions.com
) which also does 12-night trips down the Zanskar Gorge. For a slightly more gentle river-riding experience, upmarket
Shakti
(
0124/456-3899;
www.shaktihimalaya.com
) offers a 3-day rafting trip in the Nubra Valley, with nights spent in above-ordinary camp sites.

Chapter 14: Uttarakhand: Sacred Source of the Ganges

For devout Hindus, a trip into the Himalayan ranges of Uttarakhand—source of the sacred
Ganges
—is no mere journey, but a
yatra,
or spiritual pilgrimage. For the city-smothered traveler, it’s balm for the soul, particularly the less commercial Kumaon region. This relatively untouched area sees far less tourist traffic than the more hyped neighboring Himachal Pradesh, yet is in many ways more accessible, with plenty of wonderful places to stay.

Comprising the territories of Garhwal (west) and Kumaon (east), tiny Uttarakhand was carved from Uttar Pradesh in 2000, when it was named Uttaranchal; 7 years later it adopted the name bestowed upon it in the ancient Hindu scriptures, the Puranas: Uttarakhand. Besides Hindu pilgrims and adventurous trekkers and river rafters, Garhwal attracts New Age Westerners who flock to the ashrams of
Rishikesh
on the banks of the holy river Ganges, and to nearby
Ananda-in-the-Himalayas,
one of the top spa destinations in the world. For visitors looking for a gentle road trip, the picturesque lower-altitude
hill stations of the Kumaon
offer glorious views of snowcapped mountains and a chance to spot tigers in one of the country’s best-known wildlife sanctuaries,
Corbett National Park,
which vies with Rajasthan’s Ranthambore National Park in terms of accessibility (264km/164 miles from Delhi; 6–7 hr. by road or rail). With the addition of
Shakti’s
fabulous village walks through Kumaon and stunning accommodation perched high on a table-land, Uttarakhand can now comfortably vie for attention along with other top Himalayan destinations in India.

Uttarakhand

Trekking Through the Land of the Gods

Below are some of the best treks in Uttarakhand. You should definitely engage the services of a guide for any of the routes, and bring clothes and footwear to withstand extreme weather conditions. Note that certain treks in Garhwal require a
permit;
your trekking company can arrange this as well as equipment should you require any. We have recommended trekking companies below; for more assistance, contact the local tourism office (see “Visitor Information,” under Garhwal below).

Garhwal
From Uttarkashi, a short drive takes you to Kalyani, which is the starting point for one of Garhwal’s most popular treks—to fabulous
Dodital
, a striking lake surrounded by fantastic alpine forests. A relatively easy trek lasting 3 days, the 23km (14-mile) route takes you through the Asi Ganga River valley.

Several treks of varying levels of difficulty start out from
Gangotri
(at an altitude of 3,000m/10,000 ft.), a small pilgrim town at the confluence of the Bhagirathi and Kedar Ganga rivers, in the shadow of Mount Sudarshan (6,500m/21,325 ft.), some 98km (60 miles) from Uttarkashi. One popular trek from Gangotri goes along
Kedar Ganga Valley,
to
Kedartal,
a gorgeous lake surrounded by mountain peaks. But arguably the most beautiful Garhwal trek is the 26km (16-mile) hike that takes you along a gradual ascent from Gangotri, along the Bhagirathi, to
Gaumukh
, which is where the river has its source in the Gangotri Glacier—here the water gushes out from a small amphitheater carved out of the 15- to 20m (50–65-ft.) ice walls. En route, you pass through scenic alpine forests near Chirbasa, following an ancient pilgrimage route; a panorama of snowcapped peaks accompanies you throughout. At night, you camp on the banks of the embryonic Ganges, known here as the
Bhagirathi.
Beyond Gaumukh, you can cross the glacier to reach the high-altitude meadows of
Tapovan
and
Nandanvan;
note that the route to Tapovan varies with the constant downward movement of the glacier. You can schedule the full trek to last anywhere between 6 and 9 days; longer if you wish to explore the meadows and glaciers at the foot of Hinduism’s center of the universe,
Mount Meru.
Another short and fabulous option is the
Chopta/Tungnath
hike which can be done in a relaxed 5 days, including travel time to/from Delhi. The high altitude meadows are breathtaking and with the quaint temple at Tungnath, a walk to the Chandrashila Pass and camping without any concrete around, this is a great option.