Behind the wheel & Contributor

Vinod Kumar...know more about me

Route map guide

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Triund trek

Day - 1 - Drive to Mcleodganj, further to Dharamkot

Day - 2 - Trek to Triund, overnight stay

Day - 3 - Return and drive to Amritsar,visit Golden temple

Day - 4 - Amritsar to Delhi

Around 500 kms drive from Delhi, we arrive at the quaint Tibetan settlement of Mcleodganj, the present home of Dalai lama . From here we climb very steep, to reach the top of another hill called Dharamkot. Rest for the day, even though so remote it has....the best bakerys, awesome Italian, Tibetan, Indian food and more, lounge, western music, beer, free wifi, massage parlours, tatoo, yoga, ayurveda....its all here.

Pics of Dharamkot in and around







Adventure enthusiasts from all over the world, lamas, monks and tibetan people are aplenty....Anyways from 40 degrees, we have come to 10 degrees, the wind has a chill, the tall pine and deodhar trees dominate the valley around. That evening, we visit the German cafe and we trek to Bhagsu nag mandir, around 8 kms downhill. Enquiring the local people we find our way through rocks - through the shortcut, there is a motorable road also.

















Bhagsunath Temple


After reaching the temple all were tired to walk back so hired a taxi, back. In room.... music is on in all restaurants and all are full bustling foreigners and tourists...the chill is chilling with nightfall.... still at a distance, lit by the moon the hotel guy points us to a silhouette of a mountain...."Us pahad ke piche hai sir triund" he says....so the next moring at 7 we are going there......







Triund trek is a 9km trek from Mcleodganj. Further 4 kms will take you to Illaqa where you can experience the snow. Triund is open all throughout the year, but Illaqa can be done in summers, April to June and then Sept to November. Triund trek can be done in one day up and down, or one can spend the night in tents on top. A average trekker takes 4 hours to reach the top, while we took 6 hrs. There are 3 cafes for refreshment enroute where one can sit, rest have maggi, hot tea, chips, cold drinks etc.

Our hotel at Dharamkot was Dharamkot Inn, and they had booked our trek also. We were 6 and with guide, with food and tents our one day trek cost us Rs 10,000. Our guide Dhiraj was a very patient guy, who very carefully guided us to the top. We started early at 7am and our trek with breaks took us 6 hours, but once at top the mighty Dhauladhar's beauty drowned our fatigue and we were mesmerised and lost in the iconic snow clad ranges and landscape.

Morning 7am, trek starts...our first destination is Golu devta temple around 4 kms away...The green dress guy is Dheeraj our guide....


Golu devi temple at 6900ft, usually the first resting place. ....


View of Dharamshala and Mcleodganj from the temple top....


This is the pathway....The initial walk is easier as the path is even and linear..


At some stretches the climb is steep, the guide advises us to keep to the mountain side....


tea stall and snack break. only 2-3 shops are there enroute.


The rocks were too narrow and dangerous, as the other side is the steep valley, from the 2nd tea stall the climb and path became difficult....


A landslide area....huge rocks fallen....also it is a dry waterfall area


The winding path, crossing two mountains



The start is easy...but the last stretch gets tougher and steep....if our guide was not there we would have been lost!!!



the pathway, covering the 2nd mountain....



Still triund is not visible....



total wilderness....



mules carry tents and bedding to the top...



The last climb was tough...



Still more steps



Resting place....to get back our breath...



Still more to climb





finally we reach our destination ....The impressive Dhauladhar peaks of Himalayas at nearly 10,000ft.



The impressive views



Photo time....





Our tents



Tea stall









At 1:15 we start for Amritsar from Dharamkot. 223 kms and by 5 pm we reach Clarks Inn Amritsar. Quickly freshen up, hire a taxi to Golden temple. The eve we have darshan, have lunch from the dhaba near by and retuen back. The next morning, we start at 8:30 after breakfast and reach Delhi by 5:30 around 490kms.

Tips

March - September is the peak season and there is great inflow of indian as well as foreign tourists.

One can drive from Mcleodganj to Dharamkot and Galu Devi temple (although the road is steep), and then begin trekking from here. The trek is reduced to 7kms.

The trek is doable in a day. But one can pitch up their tents on top and stay for the night. There is a 4 room HP Forest Department rest house in Triund. Bookings for this rest-house are done in McLeodganj. The shacks will also accomodate you.

Nights are very cold and windy so good warm clothes are must.

Unexpected rains may occur so carry raincoats, umbrellas could fly in the wind.

No toilets so be prepared. They set temporary ones.

Carry lots of water bottles, as water is not available on the top.

Although there are one or two shacks serving hot food, still carry some light snacks with you.