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Odyssey Backpackers, Mumbai (2026)

28/04/2020

2/2) In continuation to our previous post in this series, let’s hear from Vidisha about the rest of her journey-

“A new dawn gave birth to new hopes. While I had resolved that I won’t take up trekking in winter again, I gathered myself and began that day. I gradually got used to the negative temperature. And I began enjoying – the breath-taking view, the spectacular walk through the woods, the lovely meadows and the charming sight of the ‘Sleeping Buddha’ Sandakphu is famous for. That 16 km journey made me realise that life is far more than working at fancy buildings. The feeling amidst those mountains and clouds was inexplicable!

Before I knew it, it was Day 4. 12k ft high. Almost breathless. Freezing cold. Needless to say, I was still the last one. Yet, the icy landscape and lovely mountains helped me steer my way up. Once I reached the summit, everyone applauded for me because although I was the weakest amongst everyone, I had not given up. I felt victorious. After a while, I faced acclimatization issues, but with everyone’s help, I recovered. And we celebrated our 31st, on the top of the world, literally. We partied the whole night and share our stories and experiences with one another. It was delightful.

In the morning, we began descent. The route felt like the ones in Narnia – snowy trees, snowy roads and clouds passing by! Soon, the landscape changed to wild woods. Next day, we were back to the basecamp. We bid adieu. Obviously, I had the longest speech. From almost giving up mid-way to completing the trek with a treasure of experiences, I had come a long way.

Today, when I reminisce the adrenaline-filled journey, I realise that it was an experience I’d want to enjoy all over again, multiple times♥️ (Yes, yes, this is the same Vidisha who decided that she'll never go to treks again).”

In case you have any such experiences you wish to share with our followers, feel free to DM us.

20/04/2020

(1/2) Today, we have with us. Let’s hear from her about her experience of trekking at Sandakphu, the paradise for trekkers - “As rightly said by Vern McLellan, ‘What the new year brings to you will depend a great deal on what you bring to the new year’. So instead of the usual way of welcoming the New Year by partying with friends & alcohol, I decided to do the same with my girl gang by signing up for the New Year 2019 camping event organised by at Prabalgadh. The experience was so mesmerizing that we unanimously decided that we will do this again for 2020, only from the Himalayas instead!!
In no time, December 2019 drew closer. However, forget working out, I couldn’t even get enough sleep due to work. So naturally, on the eve of the trek, my physical & mental unpreparedness for a Himalayan trek & motion sickness got me very anxious. Yet, the excitement was just about enough to conquer my fears and I began my journey of self-discovery
We reached basecamp and spent the day meeting new people, from across the country. Most of them had prior experience of trekking in the Himalayas. As we approached the night, I witnessed one of the most magical things ever – a clear view of the Milky Way. The temperature fell from ~11° in the morning to -4° in the night. I struggled to sleep through the freezing temperature
The next day, we began trekking, full of zeal. But soon, the difficulty caught on and I was the last one. Yet, I kept climbing, supported by Shri, a new friend I made there. Soon, a few trekkers began giving up. One experienced trekker even faced breathing issues. And that’s when I started wondering about what I was even doing there! I didn’t enjoy that day but somehow, I completed it. That night, I felt feverish and felt the excitement wearing off. I felt like giving up too, especially after witnessing that even veterans were giving up. I decided not to trek in winter ever again
[to be continued…]”
So that was part 1 of Vidisha’s visit to Sandakphu
Stay tuned for our next post in this series to find out what happened next 😊

19/04/2020

Beneath the mountains
The state 'Meghalaya' didn't get its name for nothing. It is truly ‘abode of clouds’, with year-round heavy precipitation, rolling mists and pleasant weather. They say food is great, music even greater and nature always at its peak. But what about adventure enthusiasts?

Get this, it's even better for adventure lovers. Here we are talking about some serious adrenaline rush for they have caves! Yes, you got that right, Meghalaya is great for caving enthusiasts. The Jaintia, Khasi and Garo Hills of Meghalaya are home to about 1200 cave locations, out of which about 1000 caves have been fully or partially explored. With a total of 30, 957 m in length, Krem Liat Prah in Jaintia Hills holds the title of the longest cave in both Meghalaya and India. In local ‘Khasi’ dialect a cave is called Krem.

The reason for this wealth of caves is the large amount of limestone deposits and the climate, which provides lots of acid water to carve out these caves over millions of years.
The great thing about this region is that many caves are still being explored, so the caves are a bit more adventurous. Most of the explored ones too require diving and swimming. This region has the largest caving potential in India. However, if you just want to experience caving in a safe environment, your best bet is to go to one of many guided tours in the area (Krem Mawmluh being one of the popular caves).

Have a look at these awesome Krems in Meghalaya and wish for an adrenaline rush so strong that the best thing you do today is book a trip to Meghalaya for that great caving holiday that your adventurous soul needs. At the end remember that “the cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek”.
@ Mumbai, Maharashtra

16/04/2020

Our next guest for ‘Diary of an Explorer’ is Khyati Pithadia. Let’s read about her trip to Lake Bhrigu
“It was June 2016 when I witnessed the unsullied, pristine beauty of Lake Bhrigu or ‘the Pool of Gods’ as it is otherwise known. Apparently, the lake changes colors every season. Early summer fills the lake with green & blue rings, ultimately painting it green. Whereas, in late summer, it’s lagoon blue.
Our trek to the top was tough, yet beautiful. Endlessly climbing (at times even at ~70°) through both rocky & snowy terrains was difficult. Yet, the gorgeous trails & meadows en-route made all the difficulty worthwhile, particularly the tiny colorful Himalayan flowers, the cute fur babies & the tall pine trees.
The elevation & the weather (which changed every 2-3 hours) were the main challenges. Our journey till the base camp itself allowed us to see both – a temperature as high as 16-17°C and overcast weather joined by winds. In fact, while we were at our final hike, we experienced three different weather conditions, all in a single day. A bright & warm day till noon, post which the meadows disappeared & we found ourselves surrounded by the grand & mighty snow-clad peaks of Pir Panjal Range & Seven Sisters. The 2nd half greeted us with rainfall. And when we reached the final stage, we saw the already white peak getting covered in fresh snow. Yet, it only got petrifying as we took baby steps tired from those extreme weather conditions.Despite the severe weather & despite there being only unicolor (i.e. snow) single landscape, never in my life did I feel more alive. Our last stint - the final & steepest climb got us to the lake. The triumph was real!
During our descent, we felt composure & solitude. It was as if nature endowed us with it even at such an altitude. Few stories claim that Maharishi Bhrigu attempted su***de & upon being unsuccessful, he peacefully meditated to then start a new life. While I’m not sure whether that’s true, the place & the vibe undoubtedly do justice to the story. Perhaps the trip wasn’t about getting lost in the serenity, it was about becoming a part of the serenity.”
Stay tuned for more such content
@ Mumbai, Maharashtra

12/04/2020

Ladakh’s Hidden Treasures: Turtuk & Tso Moriri .
We have chosen to highlight 2 beautiful and peaceful ones in our section Wanderer's Wonders 😍
Turtuk( Slide 2-5):
Turtuk in the Nubra Valley part of Ladakh is the last northernmost village before the POK. It is the only Balti region under Indian administration currently (ofcourse the other part is POK). It was under Pakistan's control from 1947 until when India recaptured it during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971.
For Its history, Turtuk has many stories to tell but this little unknown hamlet is a treat to the eye for its natural and rustic wonders.
It has a pleasant hike up to the Buddhist gompa on hillock which offers fine views, including that of the snow-clad peak of K2. The village is also gateway to the Siachen Glacier.
Tso Moriri 🏔️( Slides 6-10):
Remember 3 Idiots? You were charmed by the beauty of the the lake you saw in the last scene, weren’t you? Oh yes, but that was Tso Pangong. Now what if we tell you there is a Tso (lake) even more enchanting & enthralling than Pangong?
Tso Moriri- Divine serenity lapped in azure blue waters, shaded by lofty behemoths. Nestled in the heart of Ladakh, Tso Moriri, also famous as the ‘Mountain Lake’, is a stunning alpine lake, and home to unmatched beauty.
Decidedly amongst the most popular destinations in Ladakh, the Tso Moriri lake is the highlight of road trips.
Housing several species like the Tibetan wolves, wild asses, geese and yaks, the lake provides blissful possibilities of spiritual transcendence, away from the routine hustle and bustle.
Make sure you add these less known places in your Ladakh trip, next time around. .⛰️🏃😍

@ Mumbai, Maharashtra

04/04/2020

“हम चले बहारो मे
गुनगूनाती राहो मे
धङकने भी तेझ है
अब क्या करे!”
What we can do in these tough COVID 19 times is reminisce , and plan for our outings post the unwanted break.Cometh the monsoon, one such scenic getaway many of us could explore is in fact just a few hours away from Mumbai,“The Kaas Plateau”
Located 25 Km west to the quaint town of Satara, this UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site is a biodiversity hotspot in the Western Ghats. Amazingly covering almost 70% of the flora in Maharashtra, this small plateau is called the Valley of Flowers too (Bigger one being in Uttarakhand).Housing about 850 species of beautiful wildflowers, the place is now a reserved forest to preserve the virgin charms of the location. Also limiting the number of visitors to only 3000 per day, the local authorities know how not to overcrowd, unlike our fellow world-mates amidst a lockdown😛 The months beginning from August to October witness the Kaas Valley transforming into a blooming beauty of endemic flowers such as Anjani, Paner, Sonki, Kondal, Deepkadee and Kaasa. The many blossoms of the valley stand in stark contrast to the azure of the sky with numerous delicate butterflies fluttering their way through this kaleidoscopic maze.
Adding another shimmering dimension to the beauty of the Kaas Plateau is the Kaas Lake, which is situated quite close to the valley itself. Underwater flora is quite abundant here as well, which makes the Kaas Lake a delightful expedition for both amateur and professional botanists. Vajrai waterfall, Vasota fort, Bamnoli boat club, Thoseghar waterfall are other few attractions near the Kaas Plateau.The entry charge is a modest INR.100/- for the perks of treks, photography & sight seeing. Quite a steal isn’t it?Needless to say, not just the anthophiles, but nature lovers too are going to have a jaw-dropping experience guaranteed.
“Let your life lightly dance on the edges of time like dew on the tip of a leaf” -Rabindranath Tagore
So long as we are, enjoying to the fullest and cherishing the times you’ve spent with us, is a promise!
Tag your friends along with whom you would want to undertake the "Trek to the Flowerland" @ Mumbai, Maharashtra

01/04/2020

First up is CA Raj Doshi, a recent IIM-A grad, who’s been kind enough to let us share one of his plenty travel tales.

“In 2014, I read an online article about Roopkund, the ‘mystery’ lake. Ice melts in its glacial tarn, releasing 100s of corpses afloat, thus exposing a mystery dating to ~60 years. Reading more about it got me firm about my next destination.

16 strangers, each from a different background, including few foreigners. Yet we spoke our hearts out, shared stories about our lives on the way to the Lohajung Base Camp.

With the sun above us, we walked through the woods, crossed a river, ascended ~3k ft. to be greeted by the beautiful Mt. Trishul, our 1st campsite. We set up the camp & a bonfire to wind up for the day.

Next day, we ascended ~1k ft & crossed the treeline to enter the long green meadows – ‘Bugyals’. Our 2nd camp site was Bedni Bugyal. Beautiful landscapes, snow clad mountains & green grasslands - a fitting reward for making it up there. Looking at the sky, we witnessed spectacular- bright stars in the dark sky. To top it, we saw a shooting star; & then another. We returned to our tents with some unimaginable gifts & lots of excitement for what lied ahead.

2 more days of ascendance got us to 14.2k ft at Kalu Vinayak temple & Bhagwabasa. This campsite’s experience was starkly different. We could sense the wind hum & the clouds wrestle & play.

Next day, we ascended to the top, Roopkund & Junargali. Temp. below -5°C, we began at 4 AM with torches, blood almost frozen & our toes, fingers oh-so-numb. Baby steps got us to the top at 10 AM . That sense of triumph to stand there at 16.5k ft, above the clouds, eating aloo parathas in freezing cold weather - inexplicable!

Our journey could only be counted in the friends & long-lasting memories we made. The sense of oneness with the nature as well as each other made us feel like Roopkund is home & we’re all a family. This is a must-do trek for all nature lovers!

The mountains promise us something peculiar, a higher place of spirit that soars. So, we climb. Yet, it is more than a metaphor, it is a means of discovery.”

For more such content, stay tuned to our page.

@ Mumbai, Maharashtra

Odyssey Backpackers

28/04/2020

20/04/2020

19/04/2020

16/04/2020

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