It was a life time
experience.
And it was way back
in October 2001 however the memories are still fresh.
This fantastic
opportunity came to me from one of my childhood friends, an expatriate. He proposed
this idea that I should conduct a tour with 19 members. The travel group
included an 80 years old lady from his family. We therefore had to be extra
careful
There was urgency.
Tour plan had to be finished in a day. We had to start for the trip after
twenty days. The tour lasted for 18 days.
Where did we go?
It is popularly
known as ‘Chota Char Dham’, that is, a short circuit of important Hindu
pilgrimage, Yamunatri, Gangotri, Kadernath and Badrinath, located in the
Garhwal region of the state of Uttarakhand at a height, 3,000 to 4,000 m from
sea level.
We managed to
collect only few confirmed reservation tickets of train journey.
When is the best time?
The best time to
visit the Char Dham is May to October.
What route did we follow?
We chose the
shortage distance from Haridwar to Yamunatri then Gangotri, Kadarnath and
Badrinath. There is another route from Dehradoon but it is 50 to 60 Kms.
more.
How did we conduct the tour?
We decided that we will divide the whole work between five members
among us
Transport in charge
Lodging/Accommodation
Tour plan master
Food in charge
A cashier
What did we do?
We contracted a full
luxury bus of 24+1 seated to complete the four main spots from Haridwar. Now a
days roads for have been extended closer to the destination. But to reach
Yamunatri (7 Kms from Jankichatti) and Kadarnath (14 Kms from Gourikund) one needs
to walk or trek or can avail Palki - they called Dandi / Kandi, for the last
phase.
Where can we stay?
Luxury, deluxe all
types of hotels, Dharmsala for lodging and fooding are available and can be
booked by online. You can refresh and enjoy the natural hot spring there. Depending
on the group’s choice and budget, you can book your stay
What did we bring home?
The four holy places have their own significance, legends, mythology,
and history. The attractive natural beauty though out journey will definitely
change your mind.
It definitely
changed mine.
By the end of the
journey, we felt a sense of accomplishment – It was not just a tour, it was an
experience, it was huge responsibility to ensure everyone enjoyed.
That is the trigger
to conduct many more tours in future.
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| Image Credit: Canva Design |
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