Kuari Pass: A Scenic Autumn Escape

Autumn is perhaps one of the most captivating times to trek in the Himalayas. If you’re someone who’s enchanted by towering peaks, or who revels in the sight of valleys and meadows painted in shades of yellow and green, this season is for you.

So, with the hope of these autumnal views and a craving for solitude, I set out on the Kuari Pass trek in Uttarakhand in the last week of September 2024. What followed was six days of adventure, introspection, and unforgettable moments. Below is my personal diary from the trek, capturing every detail so that you can journey with me through these remarkable experiences. I hope you enjoy the ride as much as I did.

Happy reading!

Day 1: 29/09/04 | The Long Drive – Rishikesh to Auli

The alarm jolted me awake at 6:30 AM. By 8:00, I was out of the door, ready to begin the adventure. A quick checkout from our hotel in Rishikesh and a short 750-meter walk later, I met the group and our trek leader at the pickup point. This time, I am trekking with 'The Searching Souls' (TSS), a Dehradun based travel startup, for the first time. Let us see how it goes! :)

As we settled in the vehicle (a spacious 12 seater traveler) & the journey kicked off, we got to know about the amazing group that would accompany us on this trek:

1. Nitin Sir and Uma Mam: The sprightly 60-year-old duo and travel enthusiasts. Nitin, a retired engineer from Gujarat, had more treks under his belt than all of us combined. He & his wife now spend four months of every year in the mountains. Talk about living the dream!

2. Arnab: A Kolkata born army doctor specializing in anesthesia. His stories about life in the Indian Army were nothing short of spine-chilling.

3. Aashish: Our super enthusiastic & knowledgeable trek leader

4. And then there were Ishita and I: Two corporate kids trying to navigate the chaos of life

The first day was mostly about the drive—a long, winding 10-hour journey through the rugged Himalayan roads, punctuated by pit stops for breakfast and lunch. Breakfast turned into a fun icebreaker as we bonded over shared excitement and nervous energy.

The sun was relentless that day, the heat adding an extra layer of challenge to the journey. I silently hoped the trekking days wouldn’t feel as scorching, because trudging through mountains in this weather could be a real test of endurance.

We reached Auli around 6 PM and checked into Hotel Manik—a funny coincidence since I had stayed at the same place six years ago. The place hadn’t changed much: still a decent stay with great food and warm hospitality. With the backdrop of snow-capped peaks, we spent some time testing out the pair of binoculars Ishita had brought, getting a closer look at the majestic mountains that awaited us.

By 7:30 PM, we gathered for the trek briefing and filled out our consent forms. With the formalities done, we sat down for a hearty dinner, followed by a leisurely post-dinner stroll. With that, the day ended around 9 PM—a peaceful close to a long first day. Tomorrow, the real adventure begins.

Day 2: 30/09/24 | The Trek Begins – Auli to Gulling via Tugasi

The morning kicked off at 6:30 AM with a cup of warm lemon tea and some hearty aloo parathas—a perfect way to fuel up for the adventure ahead. I savored what I knew would probably be the last hot water bath for the week, feeling refreshed and ready by 8:15 AM. But, as it goes with travel, our pick-up vehicle arrived fashionably late, so we didn’t set off until 9:00.

While waiting, Ishita pulled out her sketchbook and began sketching the mountains in front of us, while I dived into some last-minute reading on Kuari Pass, watching videos to stoke the excitement.

Finally, we were ready to go. Or so we thought. The Uttarakhand government recently introduced a rule requiring all trekkers to pass a medical examination at the Joshimath government hospital. Sounds simple, right? Here’s the twist—just one doctor was tasked with examining hundreds of eager trekkers. This bureaucratic bottleneck stole two precious hours from our day.

And the most interesting part - Both Nitin sir & Arnab were marked unfit for the trek by the doctor. I wondered if there is anyone fitter than these 2. Nevertheless, you can call it illegally, but we decided to continue with the trek as planned. By noon, we were finally cleared to start the real journey and headed towards Tugasi village, about 15 kilometers from Joshimath. After a quick stop to buy some essentials, we arrived and began the trek at 1:00 PM.

Today’s trek covered 4 km from Tugasi to Gulling. The terrain was relatively easy, with a few challenging patches especially as our bodies adjusted to the altitude. We made steady progress, completing the trail in three hours, arriving at the first campsite by 4:00 PM. Along the way, we paused at a tiny maggie point run by a local couple and their three adorable kids. It made me wonder what life must be like in a place so detached from the frenzy of city living—serene, simple, and surrounded by nature.

One of the delights of trekking in Uttarakhand is stumbling upon fresh Rhododendron flowers and sipping on their juice. We indulged in a refreshing glass at a small tea stop on our way.

The Gulling campsite was nothing short of magical, tucked away among oak trees with breathtaking views of Mount Dronagiri and Hanuman Peak. The tranquility of the place, with just our group and no other trekkers around, felt like a luxury. After settling in, unpacking the trek bags, and bundling up in our jackets, I wandered to a nearby hill to watch the sunset. The stillness and beauty of the moment were hard to put into words.

By the way, we were accompanied by Pandu throughout the trek, an adorable black & white mountain dog (name him so since he looked like a Panda). Loved his company, dogs have a positive vi

One thing that really stood out throughout the trip was the incredible food provided by TSS. After reaching the campsite, we were greeted with a delicious meal of dal and rice. Later, at 6:00 PM, we were treated to hot and sour soup to warm up from the inside out. And by 8:00, we were feasting on paneer sabzi, dal, and chapati—a meal we never expected in the mountains.

With the sun set and the stars beginning to sparkle, we found ourselves with some downtime before dinner. What better way to spend it than with games? We played everything from "Ek Machli" to "1-2-Clap" to "20 Questions," laughing and bonding as the night grew colder.

Speaking of the night—it was a no-moon night, and we were blessed with an awe-inspiring view of the Milky Way. No camera could ever do justice to the beauty we witnessed, though we certainly tried. Despite our best efforts and "Pro" mode on our phones, the pictures couldn’t capture the magic of seeing the galaxy with the naked eye.

By 8:30 PM, it was time to retreat to our tents, not just because we had an early start the next morning, but also because the cold was creeping in. Sleeping in a sleeping bag is a whole experience in itself—let’s just say it’s not the most comfortable.

One last note: I brought along my trusty tripod this time, hoping to capture some stunning hyperlapse shots of the mountains. Unfortunately, today's attempt wasn’t very successful, but tomorrow’s another day. Fingers crossed!