From Paragliding at India’s highest site to Triund trekking: A beginner’s excursion to Himalayas in a weekend
Sometimes all we want is just a quick getaway from mundane routine life, away from the hustle bustle of city life. No wonder, living in the NCR region of India, a quick trip to Himachal Pradesh is always one of the most popular, though affordable, option over the weekend. Almost a year ago from today, I planned a small trip of visiting only Bir-Billing for paragliding with some friends. But the charm of this state got us to explore further and we managed to come back with a remarkable experience of exploring Bir-Billing-Mcleodganj-Triund, and all that in just three days.
Starting off in an overnight bus from Kashmere Gate in Delhi to Bir in Himachal Pradesh, followed by several other places, I ticked off many wishes from my bucket list. This pandemic has brought back the memories of this trip and I will recount my experience here in a hopeful attempt to encourage more people, especially beginners, to travel around and explore the world, while we still can.
Day 1: Flying high in Bir-Billing
Talking about Bir, it’s a small village situated in the valleys of Kangra, Himachal Pradesh, and 14 kms from it is another hamlet, Billing. However, these villages are usually talked about collectively for the simple reason that together, they form the best paragliding in India and the second-best in all of Asia. Luckily, despite being so popular, this site is still relatively untouched and retains its natural mountain beauty.
When we reached Bir in the early morning on day one of our journey, winds were a little chilly, soothing, and just cold enough to get our pullovers on. We had made a booking with one of the local camping agencies in advance, and it included paragliding and a music festival also. We preferred camping so we could be out there in the wild and experience the best and worst of the nature, and of course, to be away from the commotion of the city life. However, one could easily get a hotel near the bus stands for pretty reasonable rates. Similarly, paragliding can be booked separately, and while the prices vary across agencies, they are usually around Rs 2000 to Rs 2500 depending on whether you want to include Go-pro.
After a little hike, we reached our camping station and were welcomed by a stunning and breathtaking view of the Dhauladhar mountain range on all sides. For paragliding, Billing is the take-off point and an open jeep ride to reach there was no less than an adventure in itself. We were excited yet nervous the whole time, and soon we took off with our individual pilots from a little verdant meadow at Billing.
Although scared in the beginning, I got comfortable very soon and thoroughly enjoyed the 30 minute journey of soaring high in the sky among the clouds, all relaxed and relishing the eagle eye view of the world below, the untouched scenic locations, verdant landscapes and mountains. This experience was more than awesome and words would never suffice for it.
After landing at Bir, we took a bicycle ride around the village and explored local restaurants. We were pondering over ways to explore nearby places as much as we could and finally took the decision of hiring local taxi for Mcleodganj for the next day. There are several agencies offering taxi-rides for around Rs 2000, and one could get an even fairer bargain during off-seasons. Oh also, did I tell you about the delicious fresh pan pizzas in one of the cafes near the landing ground which, as a vegetarian, you don’t expect much in the mountains.
With flying prayer flags and monasteries on one end and mountains on the other, we wandered in the woods for a while and then returned to our camp. Later in the evening, we immersed ourselves in the ongoing music festival.
Day 2: Mcleodganj and Bhagsu Waterfalls
After a brief early morning walk in the mountain trails, filled with soothing cuckoo voice from the surrounding Bir forest, we left for Mcleodganj at around 10 in the morning. En route this 72 km drive, we stopped by an ancient and architecturally significant shrine of Lord Shiva, Baijnath temple. Set against the magnificent backdrop of the Dauladhar range, Baijnath temple derives its name from Vaidyanath, meaning ‘Lord of Physicians’, and is one of the 12 Jyothirlingas as per some sacred texts. After spending some time on the bank of Kheerganga, flowing on the backside of the temple, we headed straight to Mcleodganj. Luckily, we got a booking at one of the hotels in Main Square and from there also made some enquiries about local sightseeing spots and treks. After some rest, we left around late afternoon and took an auto to the majestic Bhagsunag Waterfall, located at a distance of approximately 3 km from our stay.
Bhagsunag waterfall is near and named after the Bhagsunag Temple which is dedicated to the Hindu god, Lord Shiva. The waterfall is amongst the most famous attractions of Mcleodganj. The route is well-constructed and easy to trek. Lying between clouds, this place is simply amazing because of its serene and magnificent views, where at one moment you can see different hills around you, while at another all you see is just cloud-filled paths. Crystal-clear waters and an adventurous trail filled with Buddhist values gives you a nice feel of nature throughout. After returning from the waterfall, we explored the local market which is quite famous for its woollen collection and ate some local cuisine like Thupka and Momos. Also, to my surprise, there are many famous restaurants in Mcleodganj which have been visited by several celebrities.
Day 3: Triund Trekking
Triund is easily one of the most popular and picturesque treks around Mcleodganj-Dharamshala belt for beginners. Triund trek is easily accessible throughout the year, except during rainy season (July-September) and in case of heavy snowfall in the months of January and February. Although our trip fell around the end of rainy season but luckily, the weather condition were favourable and we immediately decided on going to Triund. It turned out to be one of the most memorable treks for me in the near past. Starting from Mcleodganj, this 9 km trek takes around 4–6 hours to travel one side making it possible to complete the trek back and forth within a single day. If you start early morning, you can easily come back to Mcleodganj by evening time. You can also ride till Gallu Devi temple or Dharamkot in a shared cab/taxi which will save you around an hour or two but you might be overcharged on account of bad roads. Also there are a few guest houses in the Gallu Devi Temple area where you can take a short break there before going for the climb.
Since we were short on time, we started our trek from Dharamkot. Surrounded by rhododendrons, oaks and deodars, the route to Triund Top was absolutely splendid. On our way up, we stopped by several tea, egg and Maggi stalls to recharge our energy for the uphill climb. The entire trek is well marked with directions and we were also accompanied by different groups at different points depending on our pace. The relatively easy trail and magnificent views of Dhauladhar ranges in Kangra valley on either sides of the trail makes it an easy introduction to the trek for beginners. The trek is fairly easy with gradual incline for the first 5 km, but for the last 2 km from the Snowline Café, the climb becomes steeper all the way till Triund. With the weather changing its mood after every kilometre, we also experienced everything from chilly breezes to occasional heavy rain showers and the brightly shining sun. In sum, the trip to Triund is not a hassle at all, there is no risk of getting lost in the way, and the journey is just bliss.
Reaching the top of Triund was no less than an awestruck experience when we saw the clouds floating at eye level and sun’s varied coloured beams reflected by snow capped mountains around. It was so fascinating that for a moment it was hard to believe that it’s actually true. The astounding mountain ranges and the serenity of nature so close to us was almost poetic and moving at the same time.
Sadly, we had to catch an overnight return bus to Delhi on the same day, which also meant that it was time for our return journey. On our way downhill, we also met a few experienced trekkers and were quite surprised to know that they have been trekking around the hills for past 3-4 days. I realised then that the trek doesn’t end at Triund. If you are a trekking enthusiast, then you should definitely trek further to snow-filled Laka Glacier, and to Indrahar pass where you might witness snowfall even in early October. It certainly is on my list for the next time I visit Triund.
