trek

Today’s episode is Part 2 of my Mount Everest Base Camp Trek Travelogue from May of 2018. If you haven’t yet listened to Part 1, I highly recommend starting there so you can catch up on the journey so far, as I travel from to Kathmandu to Namche Bazaar with a group of five fellow New York City based photographers.

This episode covers days 8 through 18, as we continue up and across the Sagarmatha National Forest, all the way to Base Camp, and back down, stopping in different villages and teahouses along the way. If you’ve already listened to Episode 1, thank you so much! I’ve gotten some lovely feedback about the format and am excited to share the conclusion with you today.

And if you happened to hear it back when it was first released and have been eagerly awaiting this follow up, I sincerely thank you for your patience! Podcasting has been a fun and creative way for me to share outdoor adventures and stories with you, but it’s just one part of my greater Girl Gotta Hike universe. While I fully intended to pop out this second installment the following week, I found myself both booked up for the foreseeable future with guided trips and photo gigs, and bogged down with the boring behind-the-scenes business stuff that eats away at my best intentions.

While six er.. seven months may have slipped by between that last recording and this one, the sentiment remains the same -- I’m so stoked that you’ve tuned in to head back to the hills with me and hear about the second half of this Base Camp Adventure!

 

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Sophie Matterson fell in love with camels at first sniff. After working with them for years, she hatched a plan to walk across the vast Australian continent with five humped companions - Jude, Delilah, Charlie, Clayton and Mac

Sophie Matterson fell in love with camels at first sniff. After working with them for years, she hatched a plan to walk across the vast Australian continent with five humped companions - Jude, Delilah, Charlie, Clayton and Mac

Winners of the Giveaway
Sudip Maji
Sanand Dekhane 
Litishka Jagdeo

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks with slow traveller and host of the podcast - Postcards from Nowhere, Utsav Mamoria!

Today's destination: Kashmir!
 
Nearest Airport: Srinagar Airport (SXR)

Nearest Railway Station: Udhampur Railway Station (UHP)

Prerequisites -  Ensure to check for ground conditions before traveling

Packing - Pack warm clothes depending on time of the year

Time of the year - N/A

Length of the itinerary: 1month

Itinerary Highlights: 

Utsav starts off the episode by taking us to Arq-e-gulab, one of the last remaining rosewater makers of Kashmir and shares the state of the occupation and it’s origins
We also talk about Khanaqah-e-Moula, one of the oldest mosques in Kashmir - very unique for its wooden architecture as well as some stunning interiors made of papier mache.
Utsav’s next visit was to the carpet makers of Srinagar who make handmade carpets - again one of the last remaining generations of this traditional art form. 
Next stop is at Burzahom - an ancient archaeological site that has ruins that date back to 9000 years ago. There is also a very unique stone depiction of a hunting scene and its surprising connection to astronomy. We also talk about the sad state of the archaeological remains and the conflicting needs of the locals and preservation. 
We also cover some touristy spots like Aru valley and Betaab valley (of the movie Betaab fame, starring Sunny Deol and Amrita Singh). Utsav talks about his experience trekking to the Shesh Nag lake and his encounter with the hospitality of the native Gujar bakharwal shepherd community. We also discuss about the challenges this community and their occupation faces. 
We next talk about Utsav’s visit to the Ganesh Temple in Pehalgam also called the Mamleshwar temple and the story of Ganesh and Karthikeya circumnavigating the world. 
One of our final stops is a visit to the Kargil war memorial and Hunderman Museum of memories, talking about the village of Hunderman and how it exchanged hands between India and Pakistan during recent conflicts, and how the people’s lives have been impacted. 

Links:

Utsav’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whywetravel42/ 
Utsav’s Twitter - https://twitter.com/utsavmamoria 
Link to Utsav’s podcast - https://open.spotify.com/show/1wBEmLH3UjoMV0kbMgy5gy?si=LULYcnCYRdWvb5YwkiGBrQ 

Links to Utsav’s series on Kashmir:

The last rosewater maker of Srinagar
https://open.spotify.com/episode/7K2uTDPcq2X2C5gQkow503?si=JuSpdW09T_ePCVRZW_l5oQ 

The Art of Writing Time: Persian and Sanskrit Chronograms
https://open.spotify.com/episode/1UebJ7ccoS9XTUQQuZ8HOl?si=Bby4cTN0RYesN5Mv0njVbA 

Gujar Bakarwals - The forgotten people of Kashmir
https://open.spotify.com/episode/7mAxndubsMcu0zPf4VnhVS?si=LAPU62buTae83EuQyXMKdA 

Kargil, Hunderman and The Museum of Memories 
https://open.spotify.com/episode/7mAxndubsMcu0zPf4VnhVS?si=LAPU62buTae83EuQyXMKdA 

Srinagar, ancient carvings and Supernovas
https://open.spotify.com/episode/2wEMBgiBkYzeliXKvG5Ph7?si=6UrAITjNTiiPFUG3aEHqNQ 

Kashmiris, Hangul and the Manual of Life
https://open.spotify.com/episode/7bzdllBWy48K1LieJgmTqq?si=Ndfx4nKdR3yF0LDMkHughA 

The Vanishing art of Kashmiri carpet weaving
https://open.spotify.com/episode/2kTTQkdiS0LFhzdOwXRuAT?si=f1U0aDXIQnCyejPKMg6H2Q 

Sheshnag, deadly hikes and a thousand year old tradition
https://open.spotify.com/episode/2OL8mp09s2FQdmS2Z5bHKB?si=q0deAcUgSnyikahLnQtY0Q 

Zbayul, the invisible village of Ladakh
https://open.spotify.com/episode/0WZNprAo1ISgz2L2HE3HM1?si=4xM3YilSSxSq-DgLKuCyPg 

Cover Photo by Raisa Nastukova on Unsplash

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The iconic William Shatner is always loaded with stories...at 90 years of age..he's not slowing down..and ready for more "UnExplained" shows on the History Channel!! We also asked William about going to space..which he did recently on the Blue Origin rocket..and coming away with a much different experience than most you've heard from who have been to space. We love talking to William Shatner..spend a couple of minutes with Captain Kirk himself...right here...

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This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to blogger and traveler Upasana Kakati from www.unconventionalandvivid.com!

Today's destination: Seven Lakes Trek, Arunachal Pradesh!

Nearest Airport: Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi Intl Airport - GAU

Nearest Railway Station: Naharlagun Railway Stn (NHLN)

Prerequisites - Inner line permit is required (https://itanagar.nic.in/service/inner-line-permitilp/)

Packing - Sleeping bags, odomos, hat, rain gear, gum boots, trekking gear, backpack, raincoat, down jacket, trekking pole (optional), waterproof clothing

Time of the year - Monsoons are the best time

Length of the itinerary: 8 days

Itinerary Highlights:

1. Upasana talks about the seven lakes trek in the Dibang valley in Arunachal Pradesh, one of the most pristine and beautiful treks in the country.

2. The trek lasts for at least 8 days and covers 7 alpine lakes, the highest one being located at a height of over 14,000 ft. done with Emudu trekkers.

3. Upasana does the trek in October, one of the nicer months to do this trek, however monsoons might be a great option to consider given the offbeat nature of this expedition.

4. The nearest village is Anini, where the group gathers and heads to the trailhead at Emuli village. Day 1 involves trekking through a grassland and camping at the base of the forests for about 4-5 hours.

5. It is best to have a hat, a walking stick and odomos as there are dam dims or insects in the grasslands that could cause itchy bites.

6. The first base camp is Aniku where the group spends the first night at. The next day, the team starts walking through the grasslands. It involves 4-6 hours of trekking, and is filled with the cacophony of insects and birds making loud sounds.

7. The second campsite is called Emudu camp site and has a beautiful logwood cabin in the middle of the rainforest.

8. The third day included trekking through the rain forest and ascending uphill to scale rocky mountains. It is one of the longest days of trekking along with some technical climbs accompanied by winds and rain.

9. The first lake - Kahmu-yu lake is accessed from this basecamp. The next campsite is after a fairly easy trek through the rolling hills, the 2nd lake Emuh-ya lake is next to the campsite. There are also wonderful views including waterfalls, streams and fog covered peaks that one can see from this campsite which is base for the next 3 days and serves as the basecamp to trek to the remaining 5 lakes.

10. The team fills up on tin fish, dal, rice, pickle, rotis, leafy vegetables and maggie for meals with the aim of ensuring enough nutrition for the treks. Sitting by the campfire and gazing at the night sky was another of the moments to remember.

11. The next day includes a trek to lake 3 (Koyombo lake) and lake 4 (Dinu lake). Dinu lake is the most gorgeous of all the lakes, situated at 14,000 ft, deep blue colored and sandwiched between two mountains.

12. After return to the camp and refreshing to have a go again the next day to the final three lakes, lake 5 (Che-ne lake), and lake 6 and 7 - Huhu I and Huhu II. This culminates in a very beautiful sight, Huhu I which is located at a higher altitude, flowing down to Huhu II, engulfed by mist all around.

13. The return journey retraces the initial trek, making stops at campsite 2 before heading back to Anini.

Links:

Upasana’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unconventionalandvivid/

Upasana’s blog:: https://unconventionalandvivid.com

Blog post on the 7 lakes trek: https://unconventionalandvivid.com/guide-to-seven-lakes-trek-dibang-valley/

Upasana’s podcast: https://unconventionalandvivid.com/travel-podcast/

Emudu Trekkers on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emudutrekkers/

Video series by Geetfreebird on the 7 lakes trek experience: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k93Ohent6Ts&list=PLZSzUvvwYwnducSpiBEW28wq_ronomF0Q

Cover Photo by Upasana Kakati

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WINNER OF GIVEAWAY FROM NASHIK EPISODE

RIKIN MERCHANT

This week, The Musafir Stories speaks with Akanksha Siwach, solo traveller, amateur gardener and a terrific storyteller who blogs at https://talesofthehiddentrails.wordpress.com

Today's destination: Glaw Lake, Arunachal Pradesh

Nearest Airport: Dibrugarh Airport, DIB

Nearest Railway Station: New Tinsukia Railway Station, NTSK

Prerequisites - Inner Line permit, Permit for the trek/camping

Packing - Pack light, good shoes/gumboots, rucksack, tent, sleeping bag and SALT - watch out for those leeches!

Time of the year - October - March

Length of the itinerary: 2 days

Itinerary Highlights:

Akansha takes us on a trek to the mystical Glaw lake in Arunachal Pradesh. Glaw lake is situated in the Wakro town of eastern Arunachal Pradesh, in the Lohit district - a sparsely populated region, still pristine with flora and fauna.

The lake is situated in the middle of Kamlang Tiger reserve, close to the Burmese and Tibetan border. The reserve is filled with thick forests full of exotic plants and animals - plantains, dry fruits like Chahal, oranges, elephant apple, butterflies, gibbons, the Great Indian hornbill, Himalayan monals among others.

Akanksha’s guide was a local student from Arunachal - Bethem, who helped navigate through this 7-8 hour trek (one way). Important pit stops include the forest hut, the suspension bridge over the Lohit River, trekker’s hut in Kalai among others.

Legend goes that Glaw lake welcomes anyone visiting the lake for the first time and is welcomed by showers, which was true in Akanksha’s case as well. Another legend goes that no one ever drowns at the Glaw (also no one swims at the Glaw!) and the lake never gets dirty!

The team arrives at the site of the lake just after noon, and spends time exploring around the lake. The team also meets up with a couple of local Miju Mishmi fishermen who help with breakfast the following day.

Akanksha and team also get a chance to share a meal with the fishermen and try out some of the local food. The views of the Glaw lake the following morning at sunrise are something to treasure - the mystical lake covered with mist and crystal-clear water as the first rays of the sun shine on the camping area. Akanksha also has a chance to go on a short boat ride on a raft made by the fishermen.

Miju Mishmi are one of the prominent tribes of the north east and are a very hardy people surviving on the resources from the mountains and forests. Akanksha shares some background about the tribe and their ways of life.

Akanksha also shares further details about places in the vicinity that one could visit, including Parashuram Kund, Walong, Namti plains, Golden pagoda and a few more places in the vicinity

Links:

Link to Akanksha’s blog: https://talesofthehiddentrails.wordpress.com

Link to the blogpost: https://talesofthehiddentrails.wordpress.com/2021/03/11/glaw-lake-the-secret-of-kamlang-that-youve-got-to-know/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/akankshasiwach/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AkankshaSiwach

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/akanksha.siwach.7

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email: themusafirstories@gmail.com

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