It had all the makings of a blockbuster movie. The usual themes — love, camaraderie, friendship — that spring in unlikely places. And drama that eventually leads to a happy ending. Finally, the setting. As fabulous as it is remote — The Mustang region of Nepal.
Pune, where I live, is home to around 36 forts, of which 32 are hill forts and outposts of strategic importance. Most of them were built around the 1st century CE during the reign of the Satvahan dynasty and used as recently as the 19th century CE. One of the most interesting outposts is located …
The Walker’s Haute Route (WHR) is the more demanding close cousin of the popular Tour du Mont Blanc (TMB). While the vistas, the natural beauty and the pretty vales are very similar, the fact that the WHR take the high passes most of the time, makes if more arduous and taxing. That is not the …
In July-August of 2017, we took a trekking tour of the Mont Blanc region by circumnavigating the Massif. The famous trail that we used for this circumnavigation is called the Tour Du Mont Blanc. See daily kit details here. We were a group of 6 with varying levels of fitness, ability and time constraints. We …
I was awake even before the alarm could go off at 3 AM. I almost jumped out of bed before I remembered the time and decided to take it slowly, least I make any noise. I had already laid out my things the previous night. All that remained for me to do was fill up …
Sandhan valley always seems like a mysterious place that a few have visited. Its description as a valley of shadows added to its charm even more. The valley is located on the west side of beautiful Bhandardhara region near Samrad (pronounced sam as in farm and rad as in rudd) village. The village itself is …
Wet wipes – though they a add a little to the weight, they are incredibly handy in a lot of situations from wiping hands clean, to sanitizing the area around wounds and soothing itchy skin. Spare water bottle – If you have a shake or an energy drink to mix, keep one with you besides …
Korigad is one of the easiest for to climb in the Lonavala region. It is popularly clubbed with Ghanagad, another fort to the south. A marathon trek weekend can include visits to Korigad, Ghangad, Tel Bailya, Sudhagad and Sarasgad – all in 2 days. The fort affords a great view of the Aamby valley set …
Tikona is one of the easier and quick to access forts in the Lonavala region. It has scenic and has sweeping views of the Pavana valley, the lake ahead and a few forts in the same region, prominently Tung. How to reach and back: From Pune, take the morning 6.30 AM local from Pune station to …
