Those who attend school in the mountain village of Kumpur, walk across the mountains of the highest situated country on earth. Nearly half of Nepals lies more than 4 000 Meters above sea level. Today its normal that the kids go to school in the valley, but just 50 years ago the village was completely self sufficient. Only if there was a lack of salt would someone twice a year hard off to refill the stock. Today the children go to the city almost on a daily basis and are immediately forced to cross the dangerous river. A village in distress is left behind. The village community Kumpur is spread across 18 farms on the Dhap Mountain. Their families live in a very remote area.
These families have lived on their land now for thousands of years herding their life-sustaining cattle without electricity, running water or contact to the outside world. Although they constantly ask themselves if the promise of an education justifies the danger of the path involved, they send their children day after day to school.
The 330 km TOR Des Geants is a race in the Italian Alps. The course heads counter-clockwise on the Alta Via 2 along the south side of the Aosta valley for the first half of the race, returning along the Alta Via 1 back to Courmayeur.
The 2018 TOR was my first 200 miler. What follows is just a brief look at my experience at the race, all the ups and the downs on my journey among the giants of the alps.
I’m an ultra-distance trail runner based in Vancouver, BC. From the mountain ranges of Canada and the USA, to the Alps, the Andes, and the Himalayas, I’ve been fortunate to have the opportunity to pursue adventures around the world.
“K2 is a savage mountain that tries to kill you.” That is how climber George Bell described the infamous peak after the first American expedition in 1953–forever giving the mountain its nickname–The Savage Mountain. Sixty-six years later, Eddie Bauer mountain guides Adrian Ballinger and Carla Perez aim to summit the 8611-meter peak and join a community of explorers fewer in number than those who have been to outer space. Even more incredible, they both will attempt the feat without the use of supplemental oxygen. Every step of the way the team faces hazardous conditions, terrifying setbacks, and crushing misfortunes. But as Ballinger puts it, “Ill go until the mountain tells me I can’t go anymore.”
Nowhere in the Alpine mountains are water, forest and rocks as precipitous, rock faces as vertical as in the Gesäuse National Park, Europe’s largest canyon. “Gesäuse” is a name derived from the rushing noise of the water, the soughing wind that echoes up to the peaks of the north faces of this unique region – home to the myth of the mountain. When the sun rises and ushers in a magnificent day, the Gesäuse projects a perfect image of a mountain. However, in bad weather, the Gesäuse’s walls reflect a scary phenomenon as the speed of the inflowing airmass multiplies. Adverse weather conditions can thus convert the Gesäuse into inferno. Michael Schlamberger, Austria’s most renowned nature filmmaker internationally, listened to the rushing whitewater of the river Enns and conquered the sheer rock walls, chasing eagles and chamois in passing.
Application for permit does not mean confirmation of travel on that day, you still need to visit the forest office day before or few days before the journey and get the day of travel confirmation done.
You can do this either at Uttarkashi or Gangotri.
Charge for permit: You don’t have to pay anything online — when you reach forest office entry gate at Gangotri, you have to pay charge of Rs 150 per person.
Charge for Pony service: Government approved rate is Rs 1800 per person from Gangotri Forest entry gate to Bhojbasa and back next day.
Though Rs 1800 rate is fixed by government but on an average this costs Rs 2500 because they will charge extra for luggage plus if you are little over over normal weight they will charge extra. Consider this about Rs 2500 per person.
Guide charge: We paid Rs 2500 to our guide, Ideally you should fix your guide day before the journey, if you want only porter you may get it at Rs 2000 for the complete journey.
In our case Guide demanded Rs 2500 for his service then Rs 1000 extra for his boarding and lodging — we paid Rs 3500 to him for this 2 day journey.
In this route most guides work as Guide cum porter but still you should clarify this with the guide.
Food availability: You can carry your own food or if you want to locally buy, you will get Maggie with tea at Chirbasa.
Food at Garhwal Mandal vikas Nigam Guest house Bhojbasa- They serve good and tasty food, though options are limited, only veg food available.
Dal, Bharta or Bhindi average one person serving costs Rs 170 to Rs 190.
Tea in morning — you can get it at 6 am in morning at Bhojbasa.
Places to stay between Gangotri to Gaumukh: Only place where you can stay is Bhojbasa, there are 2 options there GMVN, you need to do online booking. There is no place to stay at Gaumukh.
Per person stay cost Rs 350 excluding food.
Other option is there is a ashram near GMVN, you can stay there as well at cost of Rs 350 per person. This cost at Ashram includes food cost, they serve langar there.
Electricity at Bhojbasa — There is no electricity over there, GMVN guest house has a generator which they run every day evening for one and a half hour.
Mobile network: You will get mobile network only for 2 to 3 km during the start of the journey, then no network, even BSNL network was not there.
If there is some emergency, GMVN people liasons with the Army there and communicates wirelessly with Gangotri.
Things to carry: Enough woolens, raincoat, oxygen cylinder, you can get oxygen cylinder from gangotri medical shop by paying Rs 600 and if it is not used they will deduct Rs 100 or 200 and return the balance money.
Its not compulsory to carry oxygen cylinder but just on a safe side.
Should you have any other query, please read through frequently asked questions below.
FAQ — Can i travel from Gangotri to Gaumukh and then come back on the same day to Gangotri.
Answer — Yes you can do that, as i did the same 6 years back when i went there with my wife but you need high physical fitness and good stamina. Though it is not advisable, as by the time you reach back Gangotri it will be dark.
Can i start trek early morning at 4 am?
Answer -No, Forest department allows entry from the gate at 6 am, to reach Forest entry gate you should start from you hotel or guest house at Gangotri at 5.30 am or 5.15 am…
Can i travel to Gaumukh in winters?
Answer — No — You can go there during May to Oct period only, during winters Gangotri National park is closed.
Benefit of taking guide?
Answer — He can guide you about danger zone, and give you good company. They are not professional guides, they were porters at some point of time and now have graduated themselves to guide.
Best time to travel to Gaumukh?
Answer — Mid august to end september. May and October will be cold. Though you can travel any time between May to Oct but avoid Monsoon time between June to July.
Is travel on Pony safe?
Answer — To my mind it is not advisable, because if you slip from Pony, it may badly hurt you or there may be a casualty too because it is steep below and passage is also small…
Though the number of travelers per day is limited so there is no crowd there but i will still suggest try walking down and you will love the journey.
wwtrek.com ➤ World Wide Trekking offers our guests the opportunity to take an absolutely breathtaking scenic helicopter tour up the Khumbu Valley and around Mt. Everest. Seeing the topography of the land, and the stunning high Himalayan peaks from a high-altitude vantage point is a truly unforgettable experience. In order of appearance:
2:00 — Helicopter takes flight
2:30 — Dudh Koshi the worlds highest river
3:00 — Lobuche, Pumori, Khumbu Glacier
3:20 — Cho Oyu
3:45 — Ridgeline into China
4:10 — Lobuche Glacier
4:45 — Kala Patthar
5:15 — Khumbu Icefall
5:20-6:00 — Mt. Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse
*We offer many scenic helicopter flight options (departing from Pheriche on your way up the Khumbu Valley, departing from Pangboche on your way out of the Khumbu Valley to finish your trek, and more!)
*Special thanks to World Wide Trekking guest Dave Kurtz for his scenic helicopter flight footage!
50 years after the first Indian climbed Mount Everest, 30 soldiers of the Indian Army decide to climb the highest peak in the world. However, their plans go awry after a series of devastating Earthquakes hit Nepal on the 25th April, 2015. 22 climbers are trapped in the avalanche in the deadly Khumbu Glacier and the remaining members, caught at the Everest Base Camp. Survival is key. Will they manage to make it alive? Film by Aamir Peerzada
Ten days into the auspicious month of Kartika we visited Chandra Sarovar, one of the many lakes surrounding Govardhana Hill. It is situated on the long, outer parikrama-marg of Govardhana Hill that extends for over 40 kilometers. It was the pilgrimage route most often taken by Srila Sanatana Goswami 500 years ago. There are many pastimes that take place at Chandra Sarovar, including Krsna’s springtime Rasa Lila dance with the gopis. It was there that the gopis sang their famous Gopi Gita, expressing their deep feelings of separation from the Lord. At Chandra Sarovar one can also take darsan of the samadhi of the famous Vaisnava saint, Sur das.
The other day as part of our Kartika parikrama 2019 we visited Chir Ghat, where the playful pastime of Krsna stealing the clothes of the gopis took place. The nearby village was enchanting and the spiritual atmosphere of Chir Ghat was overwhelming. We discussed the pastimes that took place there and chanted in bliss with Bada Haridas prabhu. I would say that Chir Ghat is a must see for all Gaudiya Vaisnavas who want to go deeper into understanding the science of Bhakti — loving devotion for the Supreme Lord.
Europe has to be the most beautiful place in the world! From the countless medieval cities, to the jaw dropping landscapes of the Alps, Europe has it all! Ive spent the last few years traveling Europe and I want to show you my favorite places! This video was months in the making and im so excited to finally share it with you! Where is your favorite place in Europe?