Retreat To The Mountains When The Showers Start Pouring
Valley Of Flowers
If mountain climbing and trekking are your forte, the Valley of Flowers is your haven. The period of July to August is the best time to visit the valley, as the snow would have just melted and the flowers are in full bloom. Located in the state of Uttaranchal, the valley is a day's trek and, because camping overnight is not allowed, Ghangria serves as a base camp. Declared a world heritage site by UNESCO, the Valley of Flowers is one of those places that will leave a mark on your memory.
Haflong
Known as the 'Scotland of Assam' , Halfong is one of those few hill stations that have a sanctuary of scenic beauty. Home to unique of orchids and rare birds, its blue hills grant peace to any visiting soul. Getting to Haflong might be a slightly strenuous journey, as the only way to reach the top is by road--but the road to heaven was never easy and serenity is sure to pay. If trekking through the colours of nature, freshly showered in rain, its not enough to thrill your yearning heart then Halfong is not a hill station to lose hope. It boasts adventure activities, such as gliding and Para-gliding over the pristine Halflong Lake. If you are still bored, the valley of Jatinga, located just 9 km away is sure to appeal to your aesthetic senses.
Lahul And Spiti
Tourists often overlook the snowed-in beauty of Lahul and Spiti, the valley districts in Northern Himachal Pradesh. So when the snow melts by the end of June, get ready to discover unknown lands tucked beneath the white capes. The revealed landscape will stun you as the bare mountains grow little vegetation. Because weather conditions refuse their plea for greenery, the ranges flaunt their openness and we are serenaded by a different kind of beautiful.
Kasauli
Small and quaint, Kasuali was built as a cantonment during the British Raj. It is easily accessible by road from Dharampur, Kalka and Chandigarh, as its winding roads give way to magnificent views of the valleys below.
Being no stranger to luxury, Kasuali is home to the palatial Kasuali resort, leftovers from a bygone era. The monsoons are an ideal time to visit the hill station, as the serene sidewalks and manicured gardens are bathed in misty clouds.
Darjeeling Hill Side
We undertook a seven day journey to Darjeeling and Gangtok. We hired a car from Bagdogra (the nearest airport) for the entire trip. The Toy Train which runs from New Jalpaiguri / Silliguri (twin cities) to Darjeeling has been suspended for operational reasons. The Toy Train on narrow gauge now runs from Kurseong to Darjeeling.
The journey to Darjeeling by road gets better only after the hills start and the plains end. We crossed the Sukna Military Camp before getting on to the hills. We covered the distance of approx 80 Kms in about 3 and half hours, taking all pleasure of the drive. The toy train, we were told would have covered the same distance in about 8 hours. We did not stop for snacks as we thought that the meandering roads could cause nausea. There were Tea Gardens on both sides of the road, which made the journey captivating and we felt it was a movie shot taking place in this beauty of nature.
You must go to DARJEELING in winters if you like cold. We had booked The Gymkhana Club, a British Era club with the old world charm. The rooms were comfortable and the food was good. The Club was close to the Governor House and Mall road. We spent three days walking, shopping, eating and chilling in Darjeeling. We were unlucky with the rope-way as it was closed for maintenance, and is one thing we didn't want to miss. One morning we got up at 4:00 AM to see the sunrise and the Kanchenjunga. The walking trail behind our Club offered a breathtaking view of the majestic Kanchenjunga at sunrise when the snow turns golden and then red. Satisfied and happy we left for Gangtok. We drove for another 90 kms to reach our destination in around 2 and half hours. It was mostly downhill as the elevation of Gangtok is lesser than that of Darjeeling. The roads were in excellent condition which made for a smooth and non tiring drive. En route we came across the Rangpo river merging into Teesta. The confluence is quite scenic and we came across groups camping, playing and pick-nicking. In Gangtok we stayed at a beautiful Resort and Casino. The Casino made our wallets lighter. The Resort was aesthetically built, each room had a view the food was lovely and the service impeccable. Highly recommended if you want to recharge rejuvenate and blend with nature.
We were again unlucky with the rope-way in Gangtok as it too was shut for maintenance. That actually spoil our mood for sometime, as it was one of the must see places. We also visited the Rumtek Monastery, a Tibetan Buddhist Monastery. A must see for the spiritually inclined. When it was time to leave, we left with heavy legs, a heavy heart and a lump in the throat. The journey of approx 110 kms to Bagdogra was covered in 5 hours. The road was very bad and gets only worse during monsoons. As it is we didn't want to go back and the bad road condition prolonged the time we took to reach the airport. Land slides are frequent. The people from the hills are quite friendly, simple, helpful and honest.
One unfulfilled wish - My friend on the toy train, me in an open Jeep singing 'Seasons in Sun' Maybe next time.
Are you staring out of your window, welcoming the rains that will wash the heat away. And yet feeling saddened by the prospect of being home bound for the next few months? Well, you needn't worry because the rains are no reasons to stop you from taking that holiday for which you have been itching. In fact, the monsoons are nothing but an incentive to go out and explore the country because, while people shy away from nature, it is busy flaunting its colours. So this monsoon season, throw caution to the wind and explore some of the best hill stations that INDIA has to offer.
Valley Of Flowers
If mountain climbing and trekking are your forte, the Valley of Flowers is your haven. The period of July to August is the best time to visit the valley, as the snow would have just melted and the flowers are in full bloom. Located in the state of Uttaranchal, the valley is a day's trek and, because camping overnight is not allowed, Ghangria serves as a base camp. Declared a world heritage site by UNESCO, the Valley of Flowers is one of those places that will leave a mark on your memory.
Haflong
Known as the 'Scotland of Assam' , Halfong is one of those few hill stations that have a sanctuary of scenic beauty. Home to unique of orchids and rare birds, its blue hills grant peace to any visiting soul. Getting to Haflong might be a slightly strenuous journey, as the only way to reach the top is by road--but the road to heaven was never easy and serenity is sure to pay. If trekking through the colours of nature, freshly showered in rain, its not enough to thrill your yearning heart then Halfong is not a hill station to lose hope. It boasts adventure activities, such as gliding and Para-gliding over the pristine Halflong Lake. If you are still bored, the valley of Jatinga, located just 9 km away is sure to appeal to your aesthetic senses.Lahul And Spiti
Tourists often overlook the snowed-in beauty of Lahul and Spiti, the valley districts in Northern Himachal Pradesh. So when the snow melts by the end of June, get ready to discover unknown lands tucked beneath the white capes. The revealed landscape will stun you as the bare mountains grow little vegetation. Because weather conditions refuse their plea for greenery, the ranges flaunt their openness and we are serenaded by a different kind of beautiful.Kasauli
Small and quaint, Kasuali was built as a cantonment during the British Raj. It is easily accessible by road from Dharampur, Kalka and Chandigarh, as its winding roads give way to magnificent views of the valleys below. Being no stranger to luxury, Kasuali is home to the palatial Kasuali resort, leftovers from a bygone era. The monsoons are an ideal time to visit the hill station, as the serene sidewalks and manicured gardens are bathed in misty clouds.
Darjeeling Hill Side
We undertook a seven day journey to Darjeeling and Gangtok. We hired a car from Bagdogra (the nearest airport) for the entire trip. The Toy Train which runs from New Jalpaiguri / Silliguri (twin cities) to Darjeeling has been suspended for operational reasons. The Toy Train on narrow gauge now runs from Kurseong to Darjeeling.
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| Hill Side |
You must go to DARJEELING in winters if you like cold. We had booked The Gymkhana Club, a British Era club with the old world charm. The rooms were comfortable and the food was good. The Club was close to the Governor House and Mall road. We spent three days walking, shopping, eating and chilling in Darjeeling. We were unlucky with the rope-way as it was closed for maintenance, and is one thing we didn't want to miss. One morning we got up at 4:00 AM to see the sunrise and the Kanchenjunga. The walking trail behind our Club offered a breathtaking view of the majestic Kanchenjunga at sunrise when the snow turns golden and then red. Satisfied and happy we left for Gangtok. We drove for another 90 kms to reach our destination in around 2 and half hours. It was mostly downhill as the elevation of Gangtok is lesser than that of Darjeeling. The roads were in excellent condition which made for a smooth and non tiring drive. En route we came across the Rangpo river merging into Teesta. The confluence is quite scenic and we came across groups camping, playing and pick-nicking. In Gangtok we stayed at a beautiful Resort and Casino. The Casino made our wallets lighter. The Resort was aesthetically built, each room had a view the food was lovely and the service impeccable. Highly recommended if you want to recharge rejuvenate and blend with nature.
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| Toy Train |
One unfulfilled wish - My friend on the toy train, me in an open Jeep singing 'Seasons in Sun' Maybe next time.
Flying Colours
We take in Arunachal Pradesh’s remote and unsurpassed beauty on a birding trip to the Mishmi Hills.
The Mishmi Hills are a beautiful world of jaw-dropping landscapes—tropical forests, alpine meadows, shrubby woods, bamboo groves and sloping grasslands so deeply hued that verdant would be an understatement for this high rainfall biodiversity hotspot. The setting is simply other-worldly. Cerulean skies seem to reach out for the rolling hills. Trees wear giant creepers, elegantly draped. Orchids flower profusely on the forest floor as well as high up on trees. The earth far below the lush canopy is not only blanketed with decorative ferns, they leap up ten feet tall and sprout like umbrellas at the top. The bends are hairpin and the valleys unfathomable. It’s one of the last places on earth, or at least in India, that are still mysterious—in fact, the number of species of mammals, birds, flowers, insects and butterflies that inhabit the Mishmi Hills are still being counted. They are sparsely visited by tourists, these hills, and I think that’s one of the reasons why this remote land belongs most to the clouds, fog and snow and, sometimes, sunshine.
We are in far eastern Arunachal Pradesh, in the Mehao Wildlife Sanctuary, of which the Mishmi Hills are a bewitching part. The famous monastery at Tawang and the Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary are in western Arunachal—of course, they are both slices of heaven on earth and they get more visitors because they are better equipped with basic infrastructure. It’s true that not many tourists come to Mehao, which only makes it even more pristine. Anini, the last village on the India-China border, is not far away. The Mishmi Hills actually shot into the spotlight only when the Rufous-throated Wren-babbler was re-sighted here in 2004, after a gap of fifty-eight years. Bird enthusiasts and eco-tourists couldn’t resist coming by and that has opened up the traffic a bit…but only a little.
The hills are divided into three altitudes—the lower altitude (1,300m) stretches from Roing to Tiwarigaon; the Tiwarigaon to Coffee House section forms the middle (2,655m); the highest altitudes rise from Coffee House to the Myodia Pass, the most elevated point (2,666m) on the Roing-Hunli stretch of the Roing-Hunli-Anini road, and it’s distinguished by snow-covered mountains. Hunli is a tiny town at a height of 1,250m, 90km from Roing but it’s best to set base at Roing (the higher altitudes have the fewest stay options). And the coffee house? Well, the legend goes that the authorities did not have enough funds to build a ‘proper’ resthouse and this ‘coffee house’, actually a rudimentary guesthouse, came up. You need prior permission from Roing to stay. A cook is available but you’ll have to carry supplies.
The hypnotizing landscape of the Mishmi Hills is the southward extension of the great Himalayan range in the Dibang Valley of Arunachal. The name is derived from the Mishmi tribe native to this land. The hills are home to leopards, jungle cats, musk deer and Himalayan black bears. Hoolock gibbons abound plentifully, and three abandoned tiger cubs were recently rescued near Anini. Irpa Mekola and Jibi Pulluare, two young men who live here, are doing a lot of conservation-related work and research. A good part of their efforts focus on the rehabilitation of the Himalayan black bear and Hoolock gibbon. But it’s the different species of birds that dominate the Mishmi Hills. Birdwatchers are naturally thrilled by this unexplored paradise.
Did you know that Arunachal Pradesh is home to 680 of the 1,200-odd bird species found in India? The bird species found here are a roll-call of exotic names—Sclater’s Monal, Blyth’s and Temmink’s Tragopan, Chestnut-breasted Partridge, Rufous-necked Hornbill, Pale-capped Pigeon, Ward’s Trogon, Dark-sided Thrush, Green and Purple Cochoa, Rusty-bellied and Gould’s Shortwing, Beautiful Nuthatch, the Rusty-throated and Wedge-billed Wren Babbler, the Fire-tailed Myzornis, there are at least four Parrotbill species, there’s also the Black-headed Greenfinch, the Scarlet Finch, and the Grey-headed Bullfinch. In brilliant contrast to the background in variegated shades of green, Mishmi’s colourful birds are as much a treat to the eyes as the wildflowers that grow here.
What brings them here, these birds? It’s the flowering (also of orchid blossoms) and fruiting season. Keep a look out—a keen eye can spot other, glorious wildflowers in bloom—it’s easy to overlook them when you are surrounded by so much beauty. Finally, the elusive Wren-babbler is easily sighted but just as difficult to photograph—still, you are bound to get lucky with a treasure of other bird sightings while you scan about for it. That’s how they are, the Mishmi Hills.
The Information
Getting there
Dibrugarh in Assam is the nearest airport and railhead (143km). Air India, JetKonnect and Jet Airways fly to Dibrugarh airport from Kolkata (about Rs 5,700) and Guwahati (about Rs 2,600). They also fly to and from Dimapur in Nagaland but it’s a highly priced route with multi-stop services. A Rajdhani Express connects Dibrugarh to Delhi, and trains run to Guwahati, Kolkata, Chennai and Bengaluru (Yesvantpur Junction) as well as other parts of the country.
The road that goes to Mishmi leads from Dibrugarh to Tinsukia and then Dholaghat. From Dhola-ghat, ferries ply over the gigantic Brahmaputra to the Sadiya Ghat on the other side, and from there, further by road, to Roing and then the Mehau Sanctuary (wherein lie the Mishmi Hills). The sun rises and sets early at Mehau, in India’s extreme east. Ferries start at 8.30am and ply only till 3.30pm. The road from Sadiya Ghat to Roing is terrible and eats up most of the travel time.
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