Ramgarh - The mountains are calling and I must GO!!!

I have been to Ramgarh a couple of times earlier and everytime I go, the love for the place deepens. There's nothing much to do in Ramgarh except for the long beautiful walks. We stayed in Neemrana's Ramgarh Bungalows. 

I somehow love their properties. They call their properties "NON HOTEL HOTELS". There are no T.Vs in the rooms and no telephones either. For us, this is a perfect recipe for a peaceful holiday. 

Ashok Vatika, Neemrana Ramgarh Bunglows

Ramgarh is a small beautiful hill station ahead of Nainital on way to Mukteshwar. The air is fresh, the weather is lovely, the crowd is less and you get unobstructed view of the snow-capped ranges of the Himalayas. 

          Green structure is AshokVatika

The map shows you the location of Ramgparh. Ramgarh is around 360 Kms fromP Gurgaon and if you leave early around 4 am, you should reach your destination by lunch. 

Breakfast With A View

We love eating out in the sun and with views like this who would want to sit indoors!!!

Blue Room

Our room had a huge bed and beautiful setting. Ashok Vatika has four room:-
1. Blue
2  Green
3. Yellow
4. Pink

We advise you to book either Blue or Green rooms as they have beautiful views of the mountains and the valleys. We had booked Yellow room but upgraded ourselves to Blue as it was available and much nicer.   

We clicked the above photo while one of our beautiful walks.

Sitout Area

The property has some beautiful sitout points which are ideal if you love to read. 

Out for a short drive

It rained quite a bit and we decided to head out for a small drive in the mountains. There were clouds all around as we drove half way upto Mukteshwar.

He invited himself for the drive!!!

As mentioned earlier there are few beautiful walks around the property which are worth exploring. You walk thru the villages and fruit orchids. 

Other properties in Ramgarh are:-

1. Welcome Heritage Taradale Cottage 

2. Seclude Ramgarh 

3. Cedar Lodge

Foggy Sunday Morning In Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary

As we drove on the unpaved roads inside the Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary, we were pleasantly surprised to see that we were in a jungle right in the middle of our concrete Delhi. The clock showed 8.30 am and it was still very foggy. 

We had come here for the Winter Bird walk organized by Mr Ishtiyak Ahamad of Conservation Education Center but the weather Gods had some other plans for us. It remained foggy almost thru out the day leaving little possibility  photography and sighting of birds. But to be honest I did not miss the birds, loved the drive and walk inside the jungle. We drove almost 14 kms inside the Sanctuary to reach the Bharadwaj Lake aka Asola Bhatti Lake. 

Peacock

We did spot a few birds but were not able to photograph them because of low light.

Sparrow

Asola Bhatti Lake or Bharadwaj Lake

The sanctuary has many lakes but Asola Bhatti Lake is one of the biggest and most pristine of them all. A part of lake also has a beautiful sandy beach making it a perfect place for nature lovers to spend a day.

 

The sanctuary is home to over 200 species of birds. Many migratory birds also make the sanctuary its home during this season.

Crystal Clear Water Of Asola Bhatti Lake

As the sanctuary is not promoted much by the Delhi tourism, most of us are also unaware of the presence of  these beautiful lakes in our Delhi.

Walk Inside the Forest

The are many trails inside the jungle to explore. As there are no sign marks so its almost necessary to have an experienced guide with you.

Leopard Scratch Marks On Tree

As it was foggy and spotting birds was almost impossible so we went on one of the Leopard trails inside the sanctuary.

Spooky

The terrain provides them perfect camouflage. They say as per the census there are close to 6 to 7 Leopards inside the sanctuary.

Down The Hill On Leopard Trail

Don't forget to bring a good camera or a binocular if you are a birding enthusiast. .

 

We came out around 1.00 pm and not before one of us had a flat tire inside and the gentleman had no spare tire too. The roads are unpaved and at places rocky too so make sure that the tires of your car has good rubber left on them. Also a car with higher ground clearance will surely help. Also bring your packed lunch and water as nothing is available inside.

To sum it all, I loved the experience and would encourage nature lovers to go and explore the little bit of Jungle left in our Delhi.  



Location :-

The entry gate is from Dr Karni Singh shooting range road , New Delhi. If you are driving from Delhi towards Faridabad on Shooting Range Road, you will see Asola Bhatti Sanctuary gate on your Right hand Side. 


How To Get In :- 

You have to take permission from the Delhi Forest department to get inside the sanctuary and that too a day or two in advance.  The best way is to contact The Conservation Education Center and they will arrange the entry permissions for you or you can also join their one the many Nature walks which they keep on organizing. Their contact details are :- 

Bombay Natural History Society,
Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary
Near Dr.Karni Singh Shooting Range,
New Delhi - 110044
Contact Number: 8800748967, 8800741864
E mail- cecbnhsdelhi@gmail.com
Website- www.cecdelhi.org

They are organizing the next bird walk on 14th Feb 2016. If you interested than following are the details :-



Date: 14th February, Time: 8.00 am- 10.30 a.m.

Venue: Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary

Fees: Rs 350 per head/- (Includes entry fee and expert guidance)

For Registrations contact: Mr. Ishtiyak Ahamad, Education Officer on 011-26042010 or 8800741864, 9868441983

Email: cecbnhsdelhi@gmail.com

Last date for registration: 13th February 2016

Kuari Pass Trek- Not All That Wander Are Lost!!!

The dream of going to Kuari Pass finally took shape when me and my trekking partner, Dr. Anil Agarwal agreed to do Kuari Pass over a pint of beer in DLF city club Gurgaon. Kuari Pass also known as Lord Curzon's trail is a beautiful trek in the Nanda Devi sanctuary The trek passes through alpine meadows and crosses several major streams. It will not be an exaggeration when I say that the view from Kuari pass can be described as one of the best in the Himalayas.  Kuari Pas trek offers beautiful views of Trisul (7,120m), Hathi Ghoda Peak, Kamet (7,756m) and  Nanda Devi (7,817m) which is the second highest mountain in India. After a weeks of preparation we started for this beautiful hill station called Auli, from where this trek starts. 

Delhi to Auli is 500 Kms by road. 

How to reach Auli from Delhi-  



We broke our journey at Srinagar(Uttrakhand), which is around 100 Kms ahead of Rishikesh. Next day we started early and reached Auli by afternoon. Auli is a popular ski destination in India and is at an altitude of around 2700mts above sea level.

View From Auli

Another Religon Of India

In India you can find people playing cricket in any place possible. Here you see them playing at an altitude of close to 3000 mts. 

Dr Anil at a Temple on the way to Gorson Meadows

DAY-1 - We started a bit late in the morning with our guide Vicky and our two porters because day one was an easy walk of around 5-6 Kms to Gorson Meadows. 

View From Gorson Meadows

GORSON MEADOWS

DAY-2 - As you can yourself see the beauty of the place that I don't have to write much about it but still the place was breathtakingly beautiful. 

Early Morning At Gorson Meadows

Views From Gorson 

Gorson Village

The walks around the village while it was raining were beautiful. These huts that you see are of Shepard's who come here with there sheep and mountain goats when the Grass Is Green!!!

To Gorson Peak

The peak that you see on the extreme left of the above photo is Gorson peak. The idea was to cross the peak before 2.00 pm because it usually gets cloudy and starts raining. 

Lammergeier or The Bearded Vulture

There's a lot of wild life that you encounter throughout your trek. While on our way to Gorson Peak, we spotted this might bird of prey, Lammergeier also known as the Bearded Vulture. It is a huge bird with wingspan between 7 to 9ft. It was a delightful sighting. 

Lammergeier In Flight

Pika

No, its not a Rat as you might be thinking. It's PIKA. He belongs to the family of Rabbits and Hares. Pika is a beautiful small mammal and is native to cold climates. 

Right On The Edge- Gorson Peak With Vicky, Our Guide 

The moment that you see in the picture above is one of those moments which you want to relive again and again. While sitting on the edge I recalled what Jonathan Waterman, a climber, photographer and a writer once said 

"...by bringing myself over the edge and back, I discovered a passion to live my days fully, a conviction that will sustain me like sweet water on the periodically barren plain of our short lives." 

The final climb to Gorson peak is a bit hard but it's worth every drop of sweat. The views from the Gorson peak are just awesome. It feels as if you are sitting in our own private place in Heavens and looking down at mother earth.  Some of the peaks visible from Gorson peak are Nilkanth (6596m), Narayan Parbat (5965m), Mana peak (7272m), Kamet (7756m), Abi Gamin (7355m), Nilgiri Parbat (6474m), Rataban (6166m), Hathi Gora Peak (6727m) and Dronagiri (7066m).

After Gorson there's a sudden descend and in no time you are in a thick forest. After clearing the forest line, we pitched our tents in Talli. It was a tough day and after early dinner and bonfire, we were off to sleep in our sleeping bags. 

View Of Hathi Ghoda Peak From The Tent

DAY-3 - I was sitting and praising the beauty of the place when Dr. Anil took this shot. Once you wake up to these views, it's very difficult to wake up to an alarm clock at home!!

Hathi Ghoda Peak 

Crossing A Ridge To Reach Khullara

Camp at Khullara

After walking the whole day we reached Khullara. It's a beautiful campsite. As soon as we reached and pitched our tents, it started to rain. But after some time the rain stopped and we started to search for dry firewood. By the time we collected the firewood, it was almost dark. Food was served and we tucked ourselves into our sleeping bags. 

View Of Valley From Kuari Pass

Day-4 - We started early morning for Kuari Pass which was a short climb from Khullara. The above photo shows the other side of the valley from Kuari Pass. There were clouds all around and it was extremely windy. 








The rest of the day was spent exploring the place around Kuari Pass and  Pangarchulla Peak. As the day progressed, the clouds gave way to mighty views of the snow clad Himalayas.





The our tents pitched at Khullara and the white lines seen are sheep and mountain goats.




Dr Anil enjoying The Argumentative Indian in the evening. 





Day 5-  This was the last day of the trek. We started early after the breakfast as it was a long walk but mostly downhill. We enjoyed every bit of it. We walked the whole day and reached Tapovan in the evening where our jeep was waiting to take us back to Auli.  Kuari Pass is an easy trek. I will recommend it to anyone who loves to walk and is reasonably fit. 

Trekking Company Used- I must say that I must have been in some kind of  luck when I contacted Vivek Kumar aka VICKY. He owns a adventure company in Auli http://www.xra.asia/  and is a local. He is a professional Skier and a Snow Boarder. He has represented India in various Countries. He accompanied us on the trip and knows every nook and corner of the area. Everything was perfect from day 1. I would strongly recommend him. He has also made few cottages in Auli which are at a beautiful location. 
Contact - XRA (Xtreme Real Adventures)  http://www.xra.asia/  Mobile no - +91 9412018299, +91 8126965636For Cottages- http://xracottage.com/

On way to Tapovan from Khullara

Ranthambore National Park- Land Of The TIGER!!!

It has been more than 2 months since I went to Ranthambore but had not been able to take out time to write and share my experience with you. This time I took train to Sawai Madhopur from Delhi. It's really convenient, just take an overnight train and by the time you wake up you are already in Sawai Madhopur. 

 

 

 Road distance between Delhi/Gurgaon and Ranthambore- 350Kms

 

Road Map between Delhi/Gurgaon and Ranthambore- 

 The road condition is good thru out with small bad patches here and there. 

Kingfisher- Waiting for the Fish!!!

 

 

  

 

Water Snake

 

 

 

 

Spotted Deer- I can be spotted in Plenty!!!

 Ranthambore National Park is hardly 10 kms drive from Sawai Madhopur railway station. It is located at the junction of the Aravalli and Vindhya hill range. I don't even remember how many times I have been to this park!!! I guess it should be close to 12-13 times. It always excites me, gives one the opportunity to connect back with nature. A boon for wildlife lovers. 

 

 

 

 

 

Tree Pie

 

 

Nahargarh Ranthambore

  

 

 

 

Jungle Babbler AKA Saat Bhai in Hindi

 

 It's the Land Of The Tigers!!! Though I was not lucky enough to sight one this time but that's how it is, this uncertainty keeps the interest alive. Here the King is the Tiger, he chooses to see you, you wander around the whole park hoping to be seen!!! It's said that Tigers of Ranthambore are the most camera friendliest Tigers in the world. I personally have sighted them many times  and sometimes for 25-30 mins in one go. Watching Tiger in the wild, in his own territory, is an experience of its own.  I did 4 safaris back to back this time. It is advisable to book your safari tickets well in advance by logging on to http://www.rajasthanwildlife.in/ .  

 

Following are the park timings according to seasons :-

Oct 1-Oct 31:      6.30am-10.00am & 2.30pm-6.00pm

Nov 1-Jan 31:     7.00am-10.30am & 2.00pm-5.30pm

Feb 1-Mar 31:      6.30am-10.00am & 2.30pm-6.00pm

Apr 1-May 15:     6.00am- 9.30am & 3.00pm-6.30pm

May 16-Jun 30:    6.00am- 9.30am & 3.30pm-7.00pm

   July 1 – Sep 30:     Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve CLOSED

 

According to me, the best time to go to the park is between April and June. This is the time when it gets really hot and the animals come out to quench their thirst at one of the three big lakes in the Park. These three big lakes are Padam Talab, Malik Talab and Raj Bagh. The park lies in Sawai Madhopur distt of Rajasthan covering a total are of 392 square Kms. The park is divided into 8 zones. You are alloted zone randomly right at the counter while they allot you the vehicle number. Zone 3 and 4 are my personal favoutires because of the 3 lakes they cover.  The presence of the these large water bodies gives us good chance to see number of birds in these zones. The most important birds in Ranthambore include Graylag Goose, Woodpeckers, Indian Gray Hornbills, Common Kingfishers, Bee Eaters, Cuckoos, Parakeets, Asian Palm Swift, Owl, Nightjars, Pigeon, Dove, Crakes, Snipes, Sandpipers, Gulls, Terns, Great Crested Grebe, Eagles, Darters, Cormorants, Egrets, Herons, Bitterns, Flamingos, Ibis, Pelicans, Storks, Pittas, Shrikes, Treepies, Crows, Orioles, Cuckoo-Shrikes, Minivets, Drongos, Flycatchers, Ioras, Wood Shrikes, Pipits, Bayas, Sparrows, Finches, Wagtails, Munias, Bulbul, Mynas, Falcons etc. Talking about animals, one can see Tigers, Leopards, Striped Hyenas, Sambar deer, Chital, Nilgai, Common or Hanuman langurs, Macaques, Jackals, Jungle cats, Caracals, Sloth bears, Black bucks, Rufoustailed Hare, Indian Wild Boar, Chinkara, Common Palm Civets or Toddy cat, Coomon Yellow Bats, Desert Cats, Fivestriped Palm Squirels, Indian False Vampires, Indian Flying Foxes, Indian Foxes, Indian Gerbilles, Indian Mole Rats, Indian Porcupines, Longeared Hedgehogs, Ratels, Small Indian Mongoose, Small Indian Civets and Common mongoose.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Green-headed Duck - Anas platyrhynchos Mallard

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Samber Deer- Tiger's Favourite Food

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Male Spotted Deer

 

 

 

 

 

Baby Crocodile

 

 

 

 

 

 

Crocodile by the Lake

 

 

 

 

 

Parakeet

 

 

 

 

 

Brown Fish Owl

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Black Headed Heron

 

 

 

 

Black headed ibis

 

 

 

 

  

 

Kingfisher- Sitting in the Shade

 

 

 

  

 

Jungle Babbler- Angry Birds!!!!

There are plenty of options available to stay around the park. Right from The Oberoi VanyaVillas charging close to 25000\- a night for a luxury tent to Hotel Dev Palace charging close to 1500\- a night. Mr Sanju of Dev Palace helped me with Safari Bookings as well as getting me a train ticket back to Delhi. For me, he is one stop solution for any of my needs in Ranthambore. The guy is a local and really helpful. His contact no is +91 9983053968

 

Recommended Places to stay  in Ranthambore:-

1. Oberoi Vanyavilas ( Expensive but an amazing place to stay) Contact no- +91 7462 22 3999

2. Vivanta by Taj- Ranthambore Lodge   Contact no +91 7462 22 0541

3. Hotel Sanctuary Resort ( Decent place, value for money) Contact no-  07462-224890, +91- 9414780956

4. Tiger Moon Resort (One of the oldest resorts in Ranthambore, right at the edge of the park) Contact no- 07462 - 252284

5. Castle Jhoomar Baori ( Govt run Hotel, Excellent location but lacks in service) Website- http://www.rtdc.in/jhoomarbaori.htm

6. The Ranthambore Bagh ( Excellent hotel, very nice staff, great service. Top Recomemded- The Owner Adtiya Singh is a passionate wildlife photographer and runs the property exceptionally well) Contact no- +91 8239166777 ) 

7. Hotel Dev Palace ( Value for money, for budget travellers) Contact no-+91 9983053968

 

8. Nahargarh Ranthambore ( Tariff is bit on the higher side but I would say you get what you pay for!! Recommended ) Contact no- +91 7462 252281, 252282, 252283

  

In Nutshell, Ranthambore National park is a wildlife enthusiast and photographer's dream.