Banjar adventure

 Trekking, watching Himalayan peaks & enjoying local festivals

A friend of mine, Ravi Dhingra, who is also a profes
sional photographer and teaches photography, sug
gested that I accompany him to a Himalayan trip as part of photography lessons under “Camera Unlimited”.

The bare mention of Himalayas tingled my nerves and I was ready to try and experience this journey with 15 people, all from different backgrounds. We left on a four nights, five days trip to Banjar Valley from Delhi on a Volvo bus.

Banjar is a beautiful valley in Kullu District of Himachal Pradesh. Our base, known as “Camp Himalayan,” was run by a couple Sumit and Jasmine. It is 35 km from Aut village located between Delhi and Manali highway. It was an exciting bus ride up to village Aut where we changed over to taxis for our camp which is at 6000ft.

After a brief rest and lunch with our first lesson of photography, we left for the three-hour trek to “Chaini Kothi,” – a 1500 yrs old temple at about 7000 ft. This location is also close to the great Himalayan National Park. The trekking was enhanced with a brief shower, beautiful clouds and sunshine playing hide and seek.

The trek passes through several villages with small temples. We spent an hour having fun with our brief knowledge of photography and some rest at the base of the temple. Soon after our descent to the base camp, we were greeted by the organizers and local youth working at the camp. There were hot cups of tea and snacks followed by bonfire and dinner in the evening. Later, we all retired to our assigned cottages located at the campsite.

Day 2: It also started with lessons in photography and later we were taken to river Thirtan by local taxis hired by our guides. The snow fed Thirtan river gushes its way through rocks to drop into open area creating fountains of mini falls with sounds of water playing different strokes of music. Thirtan River passes though hundreds of villages. We camped at village Gushaini which is about 30km from our campsite.

We crossed the river by single metal basket pulleys and later were made to experience swimming, fishing and diving in the river, of course using life jackets and tow ropes for safety. It was indeed a lifetime experience to swim across the ice cold waters. Soon after our adventure in the river, we spent the day at a newly renovated typical Himachali mansion by the river, built by Sumit and his childhood friend Vijay. Sumptuous lunch and drinks were served overlooking the river.

After couple of hours of rest, we witnessed the local annual festival at Banjar Village. Several idols of local gods were brought here by the villagers and prayers were offered to them. This festival also serves as meeting place for local boys and girls hoping to get married. Local sweets and several household items are brought here for exchange and sale. Locals also perform cultural shows during this week long festival. Funfare and food attracts hordes of people from nearby villages.

Day 3: Soon after the morning classes, we were taken by taxis to “Jalori Pass” at 11000ft. Ascending the heights and being part of the Himalayan landscape is a thrilling experience. From Jalori Pass one can have the most spectacular view of the snow capped Banjar mountain ranges.

We were there for couple of hours and came down to 7000ft to ascend further 3km to village Hirab.

We were greeted here by the hospitality of village youth Sunil, who offered us hot cups of tea and biscuits. The final evening ended with bonfire and sumptuous dinner.
The Himalayas offer the best trekking experience to anybody who wants to enjoy the beauty of the mountains, valleys, rivers, snow capped mountains and meeting with the simple local people and their culture. I recommend this trip to anybody looking for adventure in mountains.

Camp Himalayan Overview
A stay at Camp Himalayan near Kullu is an unforgettable experience, one that you will treasure for a lifetime. Offering a variety of outdoor and cultural activities, Camp Himalayan gives you the opportunity to truly blend with the mountain lifestyle, breathe deep the fresh air, and glory in nature’s majesty. Along with comfortable accommodation, the camp provides delightful food along with warm and courteous service. Camp Himalayan promotes walking holidays and responsible Himalayan village tourism.

Camp Himalayan is located near the Village Bhiyar in the Banjar-Tirthan Valley in Kullu, and is approximately 57 km from the Bhuntar Airport (near Kullu), 200 km from the Gaggal Airport in Kangra Valley (near Dharamshala), and about 225 km from the Kalka Railway Station.
Hotel Facilities
Camp Himalayan offers a variety of outdoor activities to its guests, such as: visit to Bhiyar Village, visit to Shoja Village, visit to Chaini Kothi, bird watching, nature walks, hiking/trekking (to such destinations as Sirloskar Lake, Raghupur Fort, Great Himalayan National Park, many others), rock climbing, river crossing, trout fishing, yoga and meditation, drive to Jalori Pass, early morning walk to Shringha Rishi Temple, and many more activities. Camp Himalayan also offers guests a well-furnished resident’s lounge.
Room Amenities

The tents and cottages at Camp Himalayan are comfortable and spacious. Rooms are divided into the following categories: Luxury Tent, Camp Cottage, and Family Camp Cottage. The Camp Cottages are made in traditional hill style, out of high quality compressed bamboo, corrugated jute sheets, and wood. In-room amenities include an attached washroom with hot/cold water.
Dining

Camp Himalayan serves a wide variety of delicious and wholesome dishes from its efficient and hygienic kitchen. Food is served in the dining hall.
How to reach
By any chartered Volvo Bus/ Train to Chandigarh-Taxi/ Car/ By Air to Kullu and taxi to Camp Himalayan. By car/bus form Delhi it is 14hrs and 21/2 hrs to the Camp.
Contact “The Travel Addresses” company that arranges these kind of adventure trips. Ph No 09811864063, email traveladdresses@gmail.com.

KRISHAN SHARMA
India Post News Service