My encounter with the surrealistic Himalayas at Buran Ghati!

“It is the experiences, the memories, the great triumphant joy of living to the fullest extent in which real meaning is found.” 

― Jon Krakauer, Into the Wild

They say that a taste of something good lingers for so long that it can seldom be forgotten. The taste of a Himalayan trek was such for me. 2-3 months after my first Himalayan trek to Roopkund, the plan for the next one began. I researched and read about over 20 Himalayan treks that are offered in India. Sandakphu seemed to be a good choice for me as I had imagined myself contemplating the sight of Everest (1st Highest), Kanchenjunga (3rd Highest), Lhotse (4th Highest) and Makalu (5th Highest) besides other higher peaks all in one huge frame. And, why not? Who wouldn’t want to see peaks that are in the list of top five highest peaks of the world? When I discussed this with Aniruddha and Harsha, the choice was immediately shot down with the pretext being, “We should do the tougher ones while we can.” They were not wrong. As I scouted for other treks, I happened to come across this article on Buran Ghati. This article led me to watch this video by Arjun Majumdar, founder, Indiahikes. After some more groundwork, I zeroed down on Buran Ghati. After what followed a 2-3 day long discussion with the gang, Aniruddha, Harsha, Geetha, Rachana, Aditya and I signed up for the trek. Indiahikes was an obvious choice for us after the great organizing that we witnessed during the Roopkund trek.

My preparation for trek started even before we registered. I began with running 2 kms daily, followed by intense cardio, cross training, HIITs and other exercises. I progressively improved by running 3 kms every day and then 5 kms twice in every week. I was very sincere, this time. Everyday workout made me feel good; I could see my stamina improving. Running, workout at the gym, accompanied by regular treks in the Western Ghats, cycling etc. made me feel confident that I was in the right direction of preparation for Buran Ghati. Besides, having done Roopkund-Junargali trek successfully added to my confidence.

A picture taken at Janglik.

Day 1: Shimla to Janglik

Encounter with River Pabbar at Chirgaon.

We flew to Chandigarh on June 2^nd, 2017. From there, we took a HRTC bus that plied to Shimla on that very evening. It was 10 30 PM when we reached Shimla. Sleep was on everyone’s mind after a good dinner at the hotel, except mine. On 3^rd June, 2017, we were to be picked up from the Old Shimla Bus stand by Indiahikes. Because of various reasons, the vehicle arrived at around 9 AM. However, once the journey started, on seeing the mountains already and the winsome sceneries, the zing started to build up. We greeted the other folks with whom we’d be spending the rest of the days with. My friend, Geetha joined me for this trek and this was her first one to the Himalayas. I could see her beaming with joy at the sight of any snow-capped mountain that we saw on the way. Everyone seemed overwhelmed with Euphoria, already. While the conversations kept going, the weather started to dampen. We could see the River Pabbar meandering in its serenity amidst the tawny grasslands and we knew that in a few days, we’d be close to where it originated from. The 9-hour journey took us through villages of Rohru, Chirgaon to reach a point half an hour away from Janglik. Here, our on-site ground co-ordinator, Sandeep Verma who also happened to lead the next batch of Buran Ghati, along with some of the other local folks from Janglik came to take us to the basecamp. We reached at around 7 PM.

Walking to the other side of the road to hop onto
the vehicles that would take us to Janglik

A wooden house, standing about five feet from the ground with wooden support was our sojourn. As soon as we entered the house, a tall guy, his skullcap on, face still not clearly visible because of dim light welcomed us. “Vishal”, he said, shaking hands with each of us in greeting. “Vidhya”, I mumbled and headed back to drop my bag into one of the rooms that was allotted to the ladies. “Hello All. I’m Vishal Negi. I’m your trek leader. We’ll do the medical tests now. We’ll have dinner after that and then I’ll brief you about the trek and other instructions that you need to be aware of”, said Vishal. He was a fair-complexioned, tall man who spoke impeccable English and had the physique of an athlete. He hailed from Dehradun, so pahadi-ness was in his blood, he claimed. All of us huddled in a common area of the house to listen to him. The BP readings were taken by him, Sandeep and another trek leader. We were handed our health cards as well into which these readings were recorded. He individually asked us if we had any medical issues or anything that he needed to be aware of. After this was done, we had sumptuous dinner and everyone peacefully sat down to listen to the trek leader’s briefing.

Vishal spoke a few things about himself, about Indiahikes, the green trails initiative, the trek, each of the campsites, health cards; he stressed about AMS, HAPE, HACE and the importance of drinking water several times. “I am going to be your best friend on this trek. I’d be around for anything that you need. That even includes wanting a person to talk to if you’re not falling asleep in the night. If you feel the need to go to washroom, please inform your tent mate and if your tent mate would not want to step out, I’d be more than happy to escort you. I have all the medicines that anyone would require. I would also be carrying sanitary napkins if anyone needs them. Please do not hesitate to ask me for anything. All you need to do is shout out my name.”, he said. This man had already earned our trust in him as a trek leader with that briefing. At least, I was assured that I was in safe hands.

“Our timing for tomorrow will be 6, 7 and 8. Tea at 6 AM. Breakfast at 7 AM and we leave at 8 AM”, he added.

Post dinner, I struck up a conversation with Sandeep about the various treks and stuff. He shared his experiences from Kashmir while he was helping with the KGL trek around the same time when the turmoil occurred there in 2016. I was amazed at how the safety of the trekkers was never compromised at any point of time despite the turbulent state of affairs. Seldom do you find these kinds of people who go that extra mile. I decided to head back to the room and get some sleep after what seemed like a long time for me to stay awake.

The basecamp, Janglik at 9200 ft.

Day 2: Janglik to Dayara

Sheru/Tiger at Janglik

The day began with a gloomy start because I’d difficulty sleeping yet again. I got myself to wake up, even with a heavy head. After the tea, I took a stroll around Janglik during the early hours. This place looked beautiful. The bright rays of the sun caressed me into believing that the day was going to be great. While the village of Janglik was springing to life and the crew of Indiahikes was working to put the things in place, I roamed around, carefree, with a camera in my hand and clicked some pictures. Breakfast was ready when I came back to the house and Vishal was already calling out, “Come on, guys. Breakfast is ready.” I gobbled up quickly and went out with Geetha to play with the mountain dog, presumably a Sheru or Tiger, who was already being fondled and called “So Cute”, “Achoooo” etc by my trek mates. Geetha has been an amazing company on the trek. I cannot thank her enough for her efforts to help me think about a better moment whenever I had trouble sleeping during these two days.  

The Oximeter readings were done and the entries into the health cards were made. The briefing was due. We all gathered to listen to Vishal. “Good Morning all.. Before I start the briefing, I’d like to introduce you to my team here. We have two local guides who’ll be guiding you on this trek and will be answering all your questions on the flora and fauna and about the history of the places that you’d be seeing, Satyadev Ji and Rajesh ji”, he said, pointing to two men, both in their 40s, hailing from Janglik. Satyadev Ji was a short man, his kinnauri topi on and had an infectious smile. Rajesh ji, on the other hand, looked like a shy-natured person and nodded in acknowledgement. He continued, “Today, we’ll be reaching Dayara. You’ll be trekking through Birch forests to reach the Dayara Meadows. The altitude that we’ll be reaching is 11,075ft. Carry 1 liter of water. We’ll find streams on the way where you can fill water if required. Satyadev Ji will lead, Rajesh Ji will sweep and I’ll be in between.” And so, the trek to Dayara began.

Trekking through the pine forests

The fact that we were the first batch meant that we were the first ones in the season to witness the untouched beauty of everything around us. The trail starts off with a gradual ascent into the dense pine forests, and then a longer level walk and then some more gradual ascent, passing through several streams before you reach the meadows. The beauty of this place leaves you awestruck. Due to the courtesy of the Rain Gods, it had not poured at all like was expected and the sun was shining bright making the day all-the-more exsquisite. On reaching the campsite, the team circled to stretch their muscles and meditate under the trek leader’s guidance.

The beautiful campsite of Dayara at 11,075ft.

Having not slept properly rendered me a tad bit exhausted and thus, I lied down with my tent open. Vishal enquired if everything was alright and pinched my finger with the Oximeter as an immediate reaction to this. The oxygen saturation in my blood seemed perfect and he believed that I should be able to sleep properly that night. My mind was telling me to sleep while I could but the frames that my eyes captured while still lying there were too good of a nature-calling-out-to-me moment to pass. The team had huddled in the tent. I went alone, exploration on my mind, awe for nature in my heart and clicked so many pictures. The sprawling, yellow-carpeted meadow with speckles of lavender and green in between; the horses and mules grazing at peace after a tiring day of equipment and ration carrying made this a perfectly woven picture. It was as though God himself stitched every thread minutely into this righteous piece of design. The weariness had disappeared; my head was filled with sublime thoughts. The songs that I played after this only soothed my soul further and I called it a perfect day! The lingering beauty of the place, even after dusk, accompanied by hot soup, followed by sumptuous dinner, a must-mention Gajar ka halwa being on the menu as the dessert were just the things needed to keep this longing soul satisfied. Sleep was the next sought out thing and boy did I sleep so well that night. All is well that ends well? You bet!

View from my tent at Dayara

Geetha and I were tent mates. We woke up at 5 10 AM; hence made it late to the dining tent for tea and then for breakfast. “Isn’t waking up early one of your superpowers?”, asked Vishal, mocking at me, by observing my Green lantern shirt and the fact that I was late for breakfast by 15 minutes. I shamelessly grinned at him and told myself, “This is the last ever day that I show up late for anything.”

Day 3: Dayara to Litham

The daily drill of Oximeter reading was done. The briefing then began. “Today is the shortest day of the trek. We should be able to reach Litham in about three hours. Walk at your own pace. Carry 1 liter of water as we have enough streams on the way for you to fill water. The altitude that we’d be reaching is 11,737 ft. We’ll be staying at Litham for two days. You’ll also meet the next batch on your second day at Litham.”, said Vishal. Slowly, my trekmates left one by one. I decided to leave with the group that left last. Rajesh Ji, who happened to be at the tailing end accompanied us. The conversations that I had with Rajesh Ji about the local stories, about his daily routine etc. were engaging.

Rajesh ji.Captured at Dayara.

On the way to Litham.
On the left is Mohit and on the right, Vedant.

The trek began with a gradual ascent, then a level walk and the trails started to narrow down; there were streams with the Pabbar river gushing down with constant music that calmed the soul. The lush green meadows of Dayara changed to flat fields and now, the U-shaped valleys with snow capped mountains remained in the backdrop making a picture-perfect landscape out of it.

River Pabbar, at Litham

On arrival at Litham, we saw that river Pabbar was right next to the campsite. My plans for the day were sorted. Staring comfortably at the river while listening to some of my favorite songs was one of my favorite pastimes. I longed for solitude because it helps me realize that the best time spent is with self. We also played a variety of games to while away the time. The game of catch was intense!

Some games to lighten the day

Captured at Litham

During the night time, I wanted to try my hand at some shots of the moon and the night sky. Unfortunately, the clouds did not let me. I did manage to capture some decent night shots nevertheless. While Geetha and I were at this, Vishal walked past and what followed this were enthralling tales from his treks, phenomenal pictures of some of the most beautiful peaks of the Himalayas and his super cool handstands and more stories about mountaineering.  

Day4: Litham to Chandranahaan Lake and back to Litham.

We were told that the excursion to the Chandranahan lake would be taxing in terms that we’d be trekking for 6-7 hours. From Litham, we crossed the glacier section which now had steps (thanks to Rahul ji from the technical team of IH) carved out for easy walking on it. Satyadev Ji walked effortlessly on ice even without the steps, as though he was meant for that. After this, the trek followed a steep ascent for about 1-2 hours until we reached a point when the ascent became gradual. The change of landscape blew my mind away.

Satyadev Ji. Captured at Chandranahan.

The seven lakes in this region were together called the Chandranahan Lake. The first two lakes showed a diminish in the water level. However, the next ones turned out to be pure and lovely! You would not believe your own eyes when you saw the turquoise blue colored water. We visited only 5 lakes out of 7. At the fifth lake, we sat down to get amazed by the stories to be told by Satyadev Ji and Vishal, while nibbling at the Prasad that Satyadev Ji and Rajesh Ji offered to the Gods after prayer. The 13,900 ft altitude barely seemed to bother anyone. Everyone went “Whoaaa” when Satyadev Ji told us that Lord Shiva bathed at this very lake. Around this place, you can also see a lot of cairns, or Odis as the locals call it. Apart from being constructed for Mannats (wishes that one long for), these serve as route markers. From one cairn, you should be able to see the other and figure out the trail ahead. A lot of glacial tarns around this could be spotted because of melting of the glaciers. These join the River Pabbar which is a constant source of water on this trek. Vishal told us that the Brahma Kamal, the state flower of Uttarakhand, could be found blooming around here. Would you believe me if I also said that this flower can be found in altitudes higher than 12,000 ft, blooms only once in a year, and only at night?

The 5th lake of Chandranahan at 13,900 ft

Our selfie at the Chandranahan Lake

We decided to head back to Litham after spending quite some time here. The approach of black clouds insinuated that it was going to rain. The descent was precarious as was the ascent. Pangs of hunger disturbed my sense of inner peace and within no time, we’d descended back to Litham. The clouds showed no mercy whatsoever now. It started to rain. Everyone ended up staying back in the tent, but for good. Because, Vishal kept us engaged with his awe-inspiring stories. We couldn’t help but get spellbound by the stories from Everest Expeditions that he shared from the books he read and the documentaries that he watched. He sure was a trek leader who had mastered the skill of effortlessly keeping his trekkers engrossed. We played a crazy session of dumb charades after this, followed by some music.

By the time we stepped out, the rain had receded. While some people chose to just come out and enjoy the weather, Vishal and I played catch with the next batch led by Sandeep. I surprised myself when I caught three back-to-back single-handed catches. “You’re nailing it, dude”, said he, to which I simply laughed. This game turned into a savage battle of strengths, now joined by several others. We headed back to our tents only when the showers were back.

Day5: Litham to Dhunda

From Left to Right: Ameen, staff of Indiahikes, myself
and Vishal Negi, trek leader.

Rains! The trek began after a delay of half an hour. The pouring had not stopped even for a while. The showers had dampened some of our spirits. Everyone had their rain wear/ponchos on.  The trail started to get treacherous. When I say that, I expect you to imagine me walking on a very narrow trail, just enough for both my feet to fit in, river Pabbar flowing vehemently beneath me. I painstakingly placed my footsteps and firmly so. The visibility was kind of hazy and the probability of taking a wrong step and sliding looked high.

The rains still showed no sign of stopping. Water had now started to get into my synthetic gloves and into my shoes as well. Combating the goddamned frigid temperature was another task. The decadent conditions, however, failed to deter our endurance. With the constant “Shabbash.. Shabbash..” from the trek leader and guides, we made it to the snout of the waterfall, supposedly meters away from which Dhunda was. My jaws dropped on seeing the stunning view of this beautiful campsite from the waterfall. The place had already started to nurse my corroding spirit. The gentle whisper of river Pabbar, the untouched carpet of yellow and lavender amidst the lush green patch and being engulfed by the snow-capped beauties made me feel rather cathartic.

The beautiful campsite of Dhunda at 13,365 ft.

After fueling myself with some food, I retired to my tent. My socks, two fleeces, gloves, shoes had all got wet. Little did this dissuade me despite the plopping temperature. In about an hour, the sun decided to play peek-a-boo with us. The simple pleasure of just seeing the sun made me an enthu cutlet. My warm clothes were already out and the wet clothes were out for drying. I went on to shoot some of the pictures and what a spectacular view Dhunda had to offer! I’m in short of words for Dhunda as I write this blogpost. I mean, wouldn’t you be delighted if you had to cross one stream for reaching the dining tent and two streams for reaching the toilet tent?

Some mountains seen from Dhunda.

My camera was out all the time around here. We were fortunate enough to spot Bharals (blue-sheeps) that can be found in the high-altitude regions of the Himalayas. “That’s the Buran Ghati, guys”, said Vishal pointing at the pass. Calmly, it beamed the light, like one solitary planet; limpid existence in tranquility. My noticeably dilated eyes relay a sense of excitement at this majestic sight.

We got introduced to the technical team who were to help us experience the most enthralling experiences of our lives, the rappelling down Buran Ghati of course! I carefully listened to the usage of the safety harnesses, the gaiters, micro spikes and even learnt how to sport them all.

Day 6: Dhunda to Buran Ghati and back to River Campsite- The pass day.

The alarm rang at 4 AM. I gathered the courage to step out of the tent and staggered to the toilet tent before it was occupied. As I was coming back, I happened to look above and behold! Planet Venus! I contemplated this sight before thanking the mountain Gods for all that had been bestowed.

Buran Ghati, seen from Dhunda.
PC: Aniruddha Bharadwaj, fellow trekker

Vishal went from tent to tent to wake everyone up. Within minutes, everyone was busy gearing up for the pass day. The breakfast had porridge and upma. I ate enough to keep myself from hunger. The packed lunch slowly arrived. My bags were packed and off-loaded. I saw the Buran Ghati from a distance one last time before we started the trek. Now, there were butterflies in my stomach.

Everyone had to walk together as one group. We couldn’t afford to split as this would slow down the whole group. The trek leader and the guides exercised extreme caution in helping the group move. The ascent was steep. We had to trek over a stretch of boulders till we hit the snowline. The micro spikes and gaiters were already in place. The incline was about 65 to 70 degrees and the climb was becoming laborious as we treaded on. Each one was fighting a demon of their own to get to the top. After about three hours of relentless trudging, I could hear voices signaling that we’d reached the pass.

From left to right: Me, Geetha and Rahul.

Vishal hugged and congratulated each one of us. I could see Geetha, exhausted from the climb. I ecstatically went and hugged her. She was overjoyed on completing her first Himalayan trek! As luck would have it, the sun was shining bright and there were no signs of any dark clouds that could foil our idea of a perfect day. The guides unrolled a flex that read “Done Buran Ghati.. 4572 meters; 15,000 ft.” Interestingly, we found network at that height. Everyone’s phones started to scream for attention, something that was of least importance for the past 5 days. I decided to quickly call up mom and then rappel down so that I could chill out further. Mom was so excited to hear from me and she was happy that I made it to the top without any hiccups.

The team.
Credits: Aadesh Jain, fellow trekker.

There was virgin snow (untouched by others) all around. The rustling of the wind and the perfect harmony in which the snow capped beauties gazed back at us and radiated the light rays of the sun kept me captivated amidst the commotion of the calls and the rappelling preparation. The beautiful vistas of white radiance, fading away in lustre and the bright blue sky blended in perfect romance; as if they were in love. My eyes gleamed with gratitude. I was humbled beyond imagination by the sight! There were screams of jubilation during the rappelling. I was the second one to rappel down. I had to totter down after a point because of no prior experience with rappelling. I was thrilled nevertheless! Post rappelling, I found myself screaming with glee while I slid down. I felt like a STUD to have rappelled down a snow wall at 15000 ft. and my walk towards the rest point with that sense of fulfillment clearly expressed it.

The Buran Ghati, 15000 ft. This is after you've crossed it.

From Left to Right: Mohit, myself and Geetha

I had the time of my life playing with the snow. Geetha, Mohit and I sported the various poses from the anime that we watched. Kirandeep started to fling snow at everyone. The snow balls hit hard but we seemed to be least bothered by this. The snowball fights went on for quite some time. I’ve never felt more alive! The pristine landscapes seemed to quench my thirst for bewitching sights. However, I was greedy for more. I succumbed to the beauty! Now, the vanishing landscapes turned to a strenuous boulder section that demanded cautious efforts to cross. What followed this were four more literally ass-burning snow slides. During one of the slides, I kind of bumped Vishal and Satyadev Ji away with the force that I slid. “There’s a quote that says getting to the top is optional but getting down is mandatory. And, that’s also when you make some mistakes. Please descend carefully.”, Vishal said during our descent. After walk, walk and more walk, we reached the river campsite at 11,800 ft.

On the way to the river campsite

Post trek stretching session in progress. Captured at River Campsite

We gathered at the dining tent for the feedback session. Satyadev Ji, Rajesh Ji and Vishal had only good things to say about us. “I’d like to thank Satyadev Ji and Rajesh Ji here who’ve really helped you complete this trek. A trek leader is just an entertainer. But, the local guides, they are the actual heroes.”, he added to his feedback on the team. Each one of us went to collect our certificates and give our feedback. Besides praising the trek leader and the local guides for going out of their way to

help us, we couldn’t help but mention about the various stories, the games, the nerve wracking wall descent and the snow slides that brought out the child in all of us. 

I was overjoyed to have received the ‘Trek leader’s Spirit of Trekking Award’. Vishal’s kind words on why he gave it to me will never be forgotten. This will also keep my trekking spirits soaring high. “This is a special award issued by your trek leader. It tells the world that you uphold the spirit of trekking. You are a trekker everyone must try to be”, the award voucher read and I was humbled by this gesture. I must also mention about staying up till 11 – 11 30 PM that night with Mohit and Geetha just to capture the night sky. What a treat to have witnessed the beautiful mountains glimmer in the dim moonlight!

Captured from the River Campsite

Night Sky, seen from River Campsite.

Day 7: River Campsite to Barua village and back to Shimla.

Reality hit me hard when I saw houses, apple orchards and signs of habitation. These were a testimony to the fact that the trek was coming to an end. I can now fathom the fact that meeting friends with paws, seeing herd of sheeps, staring at the snow-capped beauties, sprawling meadows with the yellow, lavender and green bed of flowers and shrubs, listening to the stream compose a music of its own and so unique made me immensely happy and a better person. We were on the last leg of the trek. Food, sleep and perhaps long forgotten bath was the requirement now. “Mountains will call you back”, echoed the words of my Roopkund trek leader, Salman in my head, as I hopped on to the vehicle that took me to Shimla.

Mules, carrying the daily ration and bags.

Every time, I’m rather fascinated by how we become different people when we’re in the company of mountains. Strangers turn into your best pals in about 6-7 days. And the simplicity of the people will move you greatly. On this journey, I met some people for just a day or two. But the few-minute talks that I had with them will stay forever. My friends, Geetha, Adi, Ani and Harsha were the best people to trek with. Adi’s words of inspiration and of care during the trek bolstered my spirits up. Ani and Harsha’s sense of humor had me laughing during the most unimaginable moments. Geetha, she’s one gem of a person. We had our silly moments of fight on this trek (even after knowing each other for over 13 years now). We handled them with utmost maturity (Geet, you know what I’m talking about. Same senheiser earphones :D) and more than anything, we’ve been there for each other. She’s been a welcome addition to the Roopkund gang. I can’t elucidate the secrets that lie in the hands of the kitchen staff. They cook breakfast, lunch dinner, soup, refreshing drinks, desserts, packed lunch at times and that too, every day at such high altitudes and in ungodly weather conditions. Gajar ka halwa, aloo ka zarda, gulab jamun, lauki ka halwa, kaddu ka halwa, sewaiyan are the variety of desserts that we were fortunate to taste. I'm touched by their hospitality. The technical staff, the porters, the other folks who take care of everyday logistics must be thanked, for their efforts are integral in making a trek successful. I’m forever indebted to Satyadev Ji and Rajesh Ji, for they’ve been the most helpful of the lot and gave us amazing moments to cherish. And Vishal, he has this insatiable thirst for adventure. His vast knowledge on the mountains and other things, his choice of music, his witty sense and his people-charming skills are something that are way too inspiring and amazeballs! He upholds the true spirit of trekking.

Super Team, captured at Dhunda.

The mountains make you a wholesome human being. While you’re here, you can break away from the chains of technology and get away from your materialistic problems in the city. They are the best teachers of humility! The question that we must ask ourselves is, in this quest for a luxurious lifestyle, have we forgotten to appreciate the minor things that life has to offer? “Why should I trek?”, you may ask. I would say, for the treasures of life that are unfolded on each day; be it watching an alpenglow, the first rain on the trek, the first snow fall, gazing the night sky, playing simple games, the sunrise and the sunset, the thrill of abseiling down a 15,000 ft wall, the sense of satisfaction you undergo on reaching the summit after a strenuous climb or just for the engaging talks with the like-minded people, getting awed by the local stories and appreciating how they make a living. I will keep coming back to the mountains. The Himalayas are a priceless possession that we have. If you’re thinking of where to go on your next holiday, go to the Himalayas and experience the trek of a lifetime. Trust me, you will not regret this. On the other hand, the impact that it will have on the rest of your life is stunning. If home is where you feel the most comfortable, the mountains are my home! The world is your playground. Do not sulk at the fact that your life is boring. Go climb some mountains!

“So many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned to a life of security, conformity, and conservatism, all of which may appear to give one peace of mind, but in reality, nothing is more dangerous to the adventurous spirit within a man than a secure future. The very basic core of a man’s living spirit is his passion for adventure. The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun.”

― Jon Krakauer, Into the Wild

Done Buran Ghati, 15,000 ft.
From Left to Right: Aadesh, Mohit, Kirandeep, Myself, Jayalakshmi, Sailee and Geetha.
PC: Aditya Iyengar