Trek to Kuari Pass to connect with the inner you

I am not really into adventure travel. I enjoy homely comforts, so when a friend asked if I would like to join her on a trekking holiday in the Himalayas I wasn’t excited. Actually, I found the idea pretty daunting. But she kept pestering me and in the end I agreed to join her. At that moment, little did I know that this trek would change my perspectives on life and travel.

Kuari Pass trek is a five day trek into the Nanda Devi sanctuary. Once you are at the summit, you will get spectacular views of the Nanda Devi Sanctuary and a chain of Himalayan peaks (7000m and above) extending into Tibet. Winter is the best time to undertake this trek.

The itinerary

We drove from Haridwar to Joshimath on the first day. We spent the night in a guesthouse. On the second day, we drove from Joshimath to Chitrakhana. We covered about 12 kilometers in a truck and then trekked to Chitrakhana (about 4 hours). On the third day, we trekked from Chitrakhana to Tali Top. This 8 km trek takes about 2 hours. On the fourth day, we trekked from Tali top to Kuari Pass through Khullara and back. The 11 hour trek took about 8 hours.

Kuari Pass is at an altitude of 12,200 feet. What draws trekkers isn’t the height, but the spectacular view it provides.

Trekking to the mountains is a great way to discover the inner you. The trek to Kuari Pass in the Garhwal region of Uttarakhand is an experience that nourishes the soul. During the entire trek, you are followed by the holy waters of the Ganges. Wherever you look your eyes meet the white stretches of the Himalayan mountains. It is an out of world experience.

I still relish those nights when we slept under the sky in the lap of Himalayas. The mountains make a great wall that protects you from the world outside. You feel no fear or anxiety. Take a deep breath. Look around and savor the awesome beauty and majesty of nature. You don’t get this opportunity every day.

It is not easy to trek through the tough terrains of the Himalayas. Still, thousands undertake this adventure braving the sub-zero temperature. It takes long hours to reach the top. We had the company of some amazing people who kept motivating us to climb higher and higher. We conquered the height of Kuari Pass on the fourth day. Honestly, I didn’t think I would make it to the top, but I did.

It takes a great deal of passion and perseverance to conquer Kuari Pass, but it is well-worth the pain and effort. And when you are at the summit, you get an opportunity to admire the perfectly preserved untainted beauty of nature. At that moment, you will forget the pains you endured.