A 5000 km road trip across India to Adikailash
This is the stunning and majestic ADIKAILASH.
While Adikailash had long been on our bucket list, its resemblance to Kailash Parvath in Manas Sarovar, the stunning visuals and importantly its accessibility by motorable road catapulted it to the top choice for this year’s road trip. Here’s a glimpse into this incredible expedition.
Our WHY
As a family, we adore the majestic Himalayas and never seem to get tired of their allure. The Himalayan states of Himachal and Uttarakhand keep reckoning us with a promise of natural beauty, adventure, spirituality and emotional healing that we keep coming back for bigger and better experiences. And the mountains never disappoint: the magnificent views of snow-clad peaks, the gushing waters, the expansive landscapes, the stunning sunrise and sunsets, the calm in the mountain air, the rustic villages, the beautiful flowers, the lush greenery and the chirping birds rejuvenate the soul like nothing else.
The Preparation
We undertook this road trip from May 28th to June 10th and it was the time when many Indian states were bearing the brunt of the heat wave. To brace the impact of varied temperatures, from the sultering 47 degrees of the plains to the chilly 4 degrees of the Himalayas, we packed a separate bag of jackets, thermals and scarves. We also carried a bagful of snacks, but hoped to use them as sparingly as possible. The food connoisseurs in our group craved for the street food of central India.
The plan
We had set aside 14 days for this road trip. Being adventurous, we opted to take a different route for onward and return journey. Plan was to reach Delhi in two days (day 1 and 2), then head on towards Pithoragarh in Uttarakhand( day 3). From there, we were to reach the base camp town of Dharchula, where Adikailash travellers are to take a permit to go further. Days 4, 5 and 6 were to be spent in the Adikailash circuit and we were to return to Pithoragarh by day 7. We parked day 8, 9 and 10 for some relaxed time in the hills and day 11,12 and 13 for the return journey.
The TEAM
There were four of us in this group. Krishna was the chief driver, his passion for new locales, enthusiasm for the road and ability to drive nonstop in the ghat roads has been the cornerstone for our successful journeys so far. He’s also the storyteller and the street food compass. I’ve been the co-driver, the chief photographer and the speed limiter. Virinchi, our teenage son took the role of being the time keeper, assistant photographer, star gazer and street food connoisseur while Raaga, our lovely daughter commissioned herself for enroute stays and in-house entertainment. From the best of affordable stays to endearing music to funny puns and jokes, she ensured we rested well and giggled throughout the journey.
Here is the map of our entire road trip.
This post :
This trip is categorised into four laps — lap 1 is about our onward journey from Vizianagaram to Pithoragarh, lap 2 covers the travel from Pithoragarh to Adikailash and Omparvath and back to Pithoragarh, lap 3 talks about the stopover at Choukori for 3 days and lap 4 describes the return journey. If you are here for Adikailash circuit and experiences, feel free to directly head on to lap 2.
Disclaimer : This is entirely a self drive trip with no help from any travel agencies.
First Lap: Onward Road Journey (Vizianagaram to Pithoragarh)
Day 1: Vizianagaram to Narsinghpur
Our journey began with a joyous ride through Odisha, the state welcomed us with wide roads and sparse traffic. Along the way, we saw many solar-powered streetlights lining the highways. Then came the new landscapes of Chhattisgarh, with its dense forests and long, wavy highways. We observed many terracotta-tiled mud houses with spacious porches where women cooked and their families gossiped. Navigating through new routes, getting lost in forests, through the winding ghats, we finally stopped for the day in the quaint town of Narsinghpur in Madhya Pradesh. Covering 900 km in 16 hours, it was the longest drive of our trip.
Day 2: Narsinghpur to Delhi
We continued on the splendid roads of Madhya Pradesh, driving through the wide highways to reach Uttar Pradesh’s Jhansi for lunch. The state served mouthwatering delicacies at very affordable prices. Avadh Foods, a vegetarian eatery famous for its kabab rolls, served a delicious meal that cost just Rs 200 for all of us. Likewise a bowl of flavourful and crispy aloo tikki costed us just Rs 10.
During this stretch from Jhansi to Gwalior to Agra, we saw the climate fluctate from normal to scary. From temperatures rising beyond 47 degrees to a fleeting encounter with sand storms, to lashing rain and fierce winds, we’ve seen it all in a day.
Pressing on, we reached Mathura by 4:00 pm and chose to visit Gokul Dham. The experience in the temple town was a unique one. The city boasts of a rich cultural heritage of a bygone era and it was fascinating to watch the people blend to the changing times.
From Mathura we drove through the famous Yamuna expressway to reach Delhi. The shrieks, screams and the joy in the car knew no bounds as we sped the 180+ km in about 3 hours to reach Delhi.
At about 11.30 pm, we found ourselves driving through the Delhi roads, around new Parliament building, the Bharath Mandapam and the ever so majestic Rajpath and India Gate. The magnanimous structures in the night lights were indeed a sight to behold.
Day 3: Delhi to Pithoragarh
At the touch of dawn, we found ourselves racing away from the concrete jungles of Delhi towards the serene embrace of the mountains. As the forests thickened and the air grew cooler, we knew that we were entering the kingdom of the mighty Himalayas.
Second Lap: In the mountains from Pithoragarh to Adikailash
Day 4: Pithoragarh to Gunji
We started from Pithoragarh and drove towards Dharchula, the basecamp for travellers going to Adi Kailash and Om Parvath. As we ascended and gained heights, temperatures fell but so did the phone signals and internet connectivity. From this point, we observed that road widening and landslide prevention works were in full swing along the entire stretch and workers and bulldozers laboured tirelessly through the day to make the Himalayas safer.
As we went deeper, the roads grew narrower and curvier and each turn seemed to reveal newer visuals of hills and mountains creating a mesmerising series of shadows. Raaga was the first to spot a snow peak, earning her choice of music for the return journey.
Amidst spouts of rain, chill and bright sunshine, we suddenly realized we had a flat tire. Finding an open tire shop on such a ghat road was challenging, but the locals helped, and a young man fixed it for just Rs 50. We moved on admiring the simple ways of the mountain people.
Tip: As you cross Dharchula, the internet connectivity as well as the phone signals drop drastically cutting you off from the outer world. Inform your connects of this in advance.
Dharchula seemed overwhelmed by the summer rush, with traffic jams and big cars clogging the narrow lanes of the silent hill town. Advised to take a four-wheel drive from here due to the rough roads ahead, we heeded the local union’s suggestion to avoid damaging our car.
We bought fresh plums, apples, and walnuts from the local market before embarking on the adventurous ride to Gunji with our lively driver, Deepak. He played many private album songs like ‘Uttarakhand ka Raaja’ in repeat mode that they got stuck in our heads. But what stuck more was the astounding sceneries that appeared from behind the hills and from beneath the clouds.
We were given only three days permit to complete the Adikailash circuit and ITBP (Indo Tibetan Border Police) checked our permits at every check point to ensure compliance. We also spotted many BRO(Border Roads Organisation ) personnel working tirelessly to lay black top roads. The scenes from their camp sites were spectacular.
Feeling grateful to be protected by these able soldiers in such tough terrain and climatic conditions, we moved on. The landscapes seemed to change faster than we expected, with new vistas waiting for us around every corner. The freshly laid roads and their stunningly beautiful backdrop made us wonder if this was the India we knew.
As the sun set and temperatures further dropped to 10 degrees, we reached Gunji, a simple town in the foothills of the Himalayas. We spent the night in a modest home stay run by the locals where hot food and warm beds felt like a true luxury.
Day 5: Gunji to Adikailash
Observe from the image that the entire route from Dharchula upto Gunji leading upto Om Parvath is on the Indo-Nepal border. This demarkation is done by the Kalapani river that flows between the two countries. Gunji and Nabhi villages act as the central hub for travellers going towards AdiKailash and Om Parvath and offer options for a night stay from Rs 1200 to 2000 per person.
Rested and recharged, we started towards Adikailash through the early morning chill. The terrain quickly changed to rugged, steep and dusty with receding greenery. At many points on this route, many small vehicles struggled through the steep assent through the Himalayan rocks, gravel, and sand.
Tip : Do remember to check the condition of the roads before starting on your own for, the local unions will push you to using their services. Please don’t venture in these mountains on your own if you aren’t a pro with some good off roading experience.
Driving on through these challenging routes, we soon reached the base camp of Jyolingkong, and it was a sight to behold. We saw the towering AdiKailash in all its glory.
AdiKailash, also known as Chota Kailash is believed to be the earthly abode of lord Shiva and his consort goddess Parvathi. Standing tall at a height of 5945 meters, it is the second most sacred peak amongst the Panch Kailash, the first being mount Kailash in Tibet and the other three being Kinnaur Kailash, Shrikhand Mahadev and Manimahesh in Himachal Pradesh. Many travellers of Manas Sarover take the darshan of AdiKailash before they embark on the Manas Sarovar yatra.
Leaving our driver and the car behind, we hiked up the mountain towards the temple for 2.5 km. The hike was steep and rocky with loose gravel, yet at every corner and turn around the mountain more and more landscapes and peaks presented themselves before us.
The darshan of AdiKailash was spectacular. The small temple and the beautiful lake Parvathi kund beside it gave it an alluring charm of divinity. While the chill refused to come down, the intense unfiltered sun rays provided much needed warmth.
Tip : Prepare to go with some good shoes and carry a bottle of water and some snacks to eat after the darshan. Remember to carry some camphor to smell as you ascend and keep some candy handy.
We felt fortunate that the clouds cleared up in time for us to view the massive Adikailash and its pristine surroundings.
Tip : In the mountains the climate is often very unpredictable. It is always good to keep a little time in hand to hang around and wait for clouds to clear up.
Usha’s Gyan : Did you know the reason for this mist and clouds? The warmer temperatures in summer cause increased evaporation from the peaks. This moisture in the air leads to the formation of clouds and mist, reducing visibility. Sometimes it can also be the snow on the peaks which melts, leading to an increase in water vapor in the atmosphere, contributing to cloud formation around the peaks. This mostly happens in the evenings and the peaks usually get cleared by the early mornings.
Tip: One should use goggles, caps, muflers and heavy jackets to protect themselves from the unfiltered UV rays and chilly gusts of winds.
After spending some time soaking in the beauty and charm of Adikailash, we ascended the adjoining peak to get a closer view of the peak.
Climbing on, we came across Bhim ki Khethi, a unique patch of land where paddy grows in the summers. It is believed that pandavas stayed here for sometime during the dwapara yuga and their hungry brother Bhim sowed this rice to satiate his hunger.
Filling our hearts with the experiences and tired to the bone, we returned back towards Gunji and this time camped in another village named Nabhi. This host provided us hot water and a private room with attached bath, a true luxury in such surroundings.
Day 6: Nabhi to Om Parvath to Pithoragarh
Moving on and continuing alongside river Kalapani, we drove towards Nabhidhang, the view point for Om Parvath. Nabhidhang is located on the route of the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra. The camp is near the Lipulekh Pass, which connects India and Tibet. The newer landscapes, treacherous dirt roads and patches of freshly laid black top roads opened more and more spectacular visuals to us. The rising sun and the misty clouds created a mesmerising series of shadows over the mountains.
Many places saw water overflowing onto the roads making it dangerous and risky to drive through. Here water swelled through the day making it difficult to wade through in the evenings. In the entire journey, this stretch felt risky of driving through in our Nexon.
Enroute we spotted the Seshnaag parvath and a couple more peaks. Though we started early, we found dense clouds all around Om parvath, bringing down the visibility of the peak. The Om Parvath peak, with 5700 mts in height is a natural formation in the shape of ॐ that retains the shape irrespective of the snow’s presence. It is said that only 9 such ॐ formations exist across the world and only this one had been identified yet.
Waiting for the clouds to clear, we could only get a partial view of the ॐ. Observe the ॐ on the mountain.
As we waited for better visibility braving the chilly winds, we gorged cupfuls of delicious hot Maagi and chai to keep us warm and sane. We also spotted an ‘Alpine Chough’, a bird from crow family that only nestles in the mountainous peaks.
After three hours and with no further clearence of the peaks, we started back. Our return journey from Om Parvath was fast and uneventful. Enroute we visited the Kalapani temple, the birth place of the Kalapani river and bid goodbye to the pilgrimage and the river. Descending the hills to reach Dharchula, we again got stuck in a traffic jam for 4 hours. This time it was the BRO police stopping the traffic to lay a patch of black top road.
We felt so tired that the very sights that fascinated us on the onward journey seemed uninteresting. We finally bid goodbye to our driver in Dharchula and started our journey back to Pithoragarh in our Nexon car. Rain lashed through the windshields as we sped through the winding pine forests and just as we thought the adventure was over, we found ourselves staring at it yet again - a big pine tree fell uprooted across the road leading to a kilometer long traffic jam on either sides. With temperature dipping, darkness hovering and shelter at a good 50 km distance, we longed for a safe place to rest our tired selves. But Krishna adeptly steered us through the tree enabling us to call it a day and finally get some rest in Pithoragarh .
Lap 3: Choukori : Unwinding in the pristine hills
Day 7, 8 and 9:
Our next destination Choukori is a dreamy village at a height of 2010 meters above sea level tucked in the western Himalayan range in the Kumaon division of Uttarakhand. The drive towards Choukori was a visual treat, with long stretches of pine forests lining the road where each scene resembled a picture postcard. Choosing a beautiful resort overlooking the mountains, we spent the next three days soaking in nature’s grandeur.
Ushas Gyan : Did you know that pine forests are known as ‘dangerous beauty’? Yes, pine forests catch fire very quickly during the summers, don’t retain much water and can’t be used as feed for the livestock. Looks are indeed deceptive :)
Every morning, we witnessed the sunrise as the crimson rays kissed the snowladden peaks of the gorgeous Nanda Devi, Nanda Kot and the Panchachuli peaks.
We enjoyed nature walks through the fruit orchids and pine forests, breathing in the mountain air amidst the soothing sounds of chirping birds. Unwinding with our favourite books and savouring delicious hot comfort foods, we had a great time experiencing the rustic and peaceful life in the hills.
Remember Virinchi and his passion for stargazing? He was fortunate to have a clear night sky on one of those days and he made the most of it, pulling us all into his midnight expeditions in the wilderness that lasted well past midnight.
Lap 4: The return journey : Choukori to Vizianagaram
Day 10: Choukori to Lucknow
Starting from Choukori at about noon, we soon sped towards the plains, leaving the hills and cool temperatures behind. A few showers and a beautiful rainbow across the sky bid us farewell. As we reached the plains, the heat quickly caught up with us, making us crave anything cool and refreshing. The flatter terrain allowed us to shift into fourth gear and cover long distances compared to the mountains. Before we knew it, we were driving through the roads of Uttar Pradesh once again and finally reached Lucknow long after sunset. The city came alive at night, with people flocking the streets and eateries post 10:00 pm
Day 11: Lucknow to Ayodhya to Varanasi
After a good night’s rest, we started towards Ayodhya, the abode of Shree Ram. We were excited to see the newly consecrated statue of Ram Lalla and the new temple premises. The darshan took about two hours, during which we saw thousands of people from all walks of life entering the temple. While construction work was happening in full swing, the temple management ensured that devotees are cared for and have the amenities they need for a stress free darshan. From security to providing adequate shade for the devotees to ensuring people maintained discipline in the queues to providing basic amenities, every aspect of crowd management was efficiently handled thus making the darshan a truly surreal experience.
Revelling in the divine experience, we headed towards Varanasi for another darshan of the ‘Uttarakhand ka Raaja’. Arriving in the city by dusk, we eagerly indulged in the mouth watering street food of Varanasi. We savoured gol gappe, tamatar chat, baati chokha and Kachori sabzi followed by generous helpings of rabri, curds, lassi and jalebis. Every bite was a delight, with each flavour surpassing the last.
Day 12: Varanasi to Ambikapur
We had a darshan of Kashi Viswanath ji and mata Annapoorna in the early morning and saw the renovation works change the face of the temple.
Around post noon we started on our return journey from Varanasi. In no time, we found ourselves in the dense reserve forests of Chattisgarh leaving behind the state of Uttarpradesh behind us.
The landscapes quickly changed paving the way for long winding stretches on lonely forest roads. We finally identified a bustling town of Ambikapur in Chattisgarh and stopped for the day.
Day 13 : Ambikapur to Vizianagaram
Ambikapur turned out to be a much bigger city than we expected, and the chattisgarh roads again welcomed us with their wide and empty stretches. We took an unconventional route through the hills driving through some rustic villages and appreciating the beautiful calves and cows enroute.
We finally reached Vizianagaram past 1.30 am.
Embracing the journey
I wish I could say that the trip panned out exactly as planned. But no.
A lot of unexpected challenges came our way — we’ve lost our way, got stuck in traffic jam for hours, almost ran out of fuel while in the deep forests in the night, endured a flat tyre, crashed through big potholes, almost ran into the animals on the road and endured symptoms of mountain sickness.
But with problems came their solutions. When Google maps refused to help, total strangers helped us with directions; when traffic jams delayed our plans, we made new ones and found different experiences; when we got sick, we received help.
Uncertainties on the road are bound to come by and predicting every twist and turn is impossible. Sometimes our resourcefulness might save the day, at other times we might have to learn it the hard way. Either way, it’ll definitely be seen as an experience worth revisiting and bragging about .
Whether in the mountains or off it, the journey matters more than the destination
Coming back to the one image that I can never forget, Imagine standing in front of it, soaking in the beauty of the snow capped peaks and their crevices, feeling the chilly winds from those glaciers blow through your hair as you stare into vast landscapes of mother nature. We feel a great sense of peace and happiness when we realize we are a tiny speck in comparison to the magnanimity of nature.
I can vouch that some of the best experiences and memories have been made in such escapades and we will keep coming back to the mighty Himalayas for many more.
Himalayas are to be visited at least once in a lifetime.
I hope this travelogue inspires you to embark on your own adventures and create stories worth telling.
For a detailed day to day itinerary and a different perspective of the same journey, head on to Virinchis post.
