I woke up with an alarm at 5:30. And we got ready.
New Delhi railway station is huge. Always in chaos. And you are supposed to reach with at least 15 minutes in hands to by pass the security checks and reach the platform in time.
We reached the station panicked, with only 5-6 minutes left in the departure.
As we entered the station, there was this staircase beside the main entry.
Standing near it was a street vendor selling sweet potato.
"Is this the way to the platforms?" I asked.
"Yes", he said.
"Where do you want to go?"
While rushing towards the stairs I said, "Dehradun by Shatabdi Express".
"Platform No. 16", he shouted.
And I still feel having that information made all the difference, or we might've missed the train.
The Alternate Routes
Delhi being the capital of India. It won't be a problem for anyone to reach there.
From Delhi, there are two popular routes to reach Uttarkashi, the city/district nearest to the starting point of the trek.
Route A
Delhi - Dehradun - Uttarkashi
Dehradun is the capital of Uttrakhand, also popular as the city of love. And you can also visit the hill station Mussourie near Dehradun well known for the famous 'Camptiv Falls'
Route B
Delhi - Rishikesh - Uttarkashi
Rishikesh along with the nearby city Haridwar is one of the most visited Indian pilgrimage site, for taking bath in the holy river 'Ganga'. And Rishikesh is also famous among youth for experiencing adventure sports like Bungee and River Rafting.
We preferred the route A, we didn't plan to stop anywhere but complete the trek first.
Means of Travel
All kinds of modes are available to travel to Dehradun/Rishikesh. You can opt for a Train, Bus or Private/Shared cab to reach there. And if you prefer to travel by air, the only airport is the Jolly Grant Airport near Dehradun. And you would have to take a Bus/Cab to Uttarkashi.
We opted for the train - Shatabdi Express.
The Train Journey
What I most like about trains is that they move fast but they are also as stagnate as a living room.
And I feel if you ever want to travel from Delhi to Dehradun, it's even better than a drive or a taxi. Shatabdi will touch you to Dehradun in a precise 5h 50min. And it's doesn't cost as much as Rajdhani.
Though it's not the cheapest. And the this journey in AC Chair Car will make you $13 (INR1000) poorer, lol, inclusive of water, snacks, tea and a meal.
The price is worth it for the extra comfort and cleanliness.
We arrived at Dehradun junction at 12:55 pm. Went out, had tea and patties and reached the nearest ATM to disburse lots of cash.
Dehradun To Uttarkashi
But when we reached the bus stand, there was no bus to Uttarkashi, the last bus left at 1:00 pm.
An option was to hire a private taxi available opposite to the bus stand. Uttarkashi is 145km from Dehradun or a 5-6 hour drive. And cabs were asking $50 (INR4000).
Well, we would've took it. But we were two male bachelors, without family members, going to spend 3 days hiking for at least 7-8 hours per day. So, before blatantly going for the lazy option, I tried to look for an alternative.
Meanwhile I researched the internet for the private buses operating at the route. My teen friend rang a lodge in Uttarkashi to enquire about any means available to reach there from Dehradun after 2:00 pm. And fortunately he guided us in the right Direction.
There is another taxi stand in Dehradun, near Ghanta Ghar where you can find shared traveler vans and taxis for Uttarkashi till 3-4 pm.
Without wasting any time we reached there. And found a shared taxi for $5 going to Uttarkashi.
Smiles marked our face. And another run with sharp twists and turns began. And the valleys opened themselves up as our jeep climbed higher.
The cab stopped at a restaurant to have the lunch. We ate Aloo Prathas and some tea.
We reached Uttarkashi at 8:30 and checked inside one of the many lodges in a row.
Weather was chilly. Had our dinner and some warming elixirs. And wade good by to the day.
Day Two - Reaching Agora
Agora, the starting point of the trek still remained 28km away from Uttarkashi.
But Uttarkashi is also a famous spot, people arrive here from far away places to visit Kashi Vishwnath temple of lord Shiva.
My heart directed me to visit the temple before heading to the trek.
So, we went to the auspicious place before leaving for Agora.
We searched for an accommodation in the village and contacted the guy, he arranged our pickup from Uttarkashi to the village.
Things To Remember Before Leaving Uttarkashi
A lot of short hikes and small treks are scattered around Uttarkashi. And provided it is the only nearest district surrounded by that area. Ensure you have the following before you say sayonara to this holy place.
- Enough cash, as there are no ATM's ahead.
- Enough fuel, if you are driving to the remote areas from where the trek begin.
- Your prescribed medicines/medical assists, if any. And also general medicines including the Diamox, tablet for altitude sickness.
- Your preferred brands of the life saving elixirs
- Anything else you can not dispense with even for a day.
The off-road ride took 2 hours and we reached Agora in the afternoon. And in the way we stopped, I captured the nearby school.
Agora is a remote village with limited connectivity. It has the electricity and water supply though. But rest of the life is very simple.
It doesn't have any commercial settlements except a couple of small departmental shops.
We stayed at Dodital Homestay, Views from there were magnificent. Here is the front yard of our room.
After having some refreshments. We went out to explore the village.
Most of the people there survive on farming and breeding the livestock. There are multiple homestays in the village and they also organize the trek for you.
Assisting the visitors in trekking, camping, porting their luggage is the only other livelihood of village locals.
They all were very hospitable and kind, and seemed not to be in rush about their lives.
After coming back, they burned a fire and we sat around playing the music and drinking our esteemed elixirs.
Owners were very warm and serving. They told us about their festivals, their religious traditions, their life and everything else we were curious about.
And they cooked for us whatever we asked and was available.
A group of four friends who belonged to Delhi were staying adjacent to our room. They too came down to enjoy the warmth. And we exchanged ideas, and stories, some smokes and booze and more.
People are coming to stay at Agora, because since one year you can drive uphill till this village. And can camp for a day or two nearby or do some hiking. Or enjoy the serenity and nature, away from the heckled city life.
Soon the dinner was ready, we preferred to have it in our room. Planned our next day for half an hour and slipped under our blankets to take proper rest and get ready for the long day ahead.
