When I ditched the beaten path to explore the heart of Kashmir ‘on foot’ #kashmirinphotos

First morning in the mountains after a very chilly night, saw me wrapped up and still shivering.

Walking through the meadows, I let my thumping heart relax for a while

Where is the road? I asked. From where I stood, I could see no trail where I could land my feet.

Walking towards snow land

Navigating through snow and ice-cold water and trying to save my shoes from getting wet at the same time is no easy task

Dumbfound! Each time I blinked, I blinked hard to make myself believe that I was not on the other side of a screen; this was real.

End of a day of walking

After the first night, I didn’t think that a campsite could be any more awe-inspiring. But it was and would continue to be.

I stood and watched the sun disappearing behind the tall mountains. Sunsets high up in the mountains are the most breath-taking experiences, perhaps only sometimes overshadowed by sunrises.

The Sun calling out to the mountainside, gingerly nudging the giant mountains to wake up from the slumber of a very cold night.

The perfectly calm water of Vishnusar Lake, giving away no hint of its depth, reflected the surrounding mountains and the sky

Kishansar Lake just half a kilometre away from its twin, presented itself as a balm for eyes have somehow managed to turn themselves away from Vishnusar.

The valley leading from the twin lakes and towards the Gadsar pass is a delightful walk.

The twin lakes from the top of the ridge are an overwhelming sight. Persistent rains had changed the colour of the lakes, which are otherwise a surreal blue when seen from the Gadsar Pass.

The only way down is to slide

First view of the lakes on the other side

The Yamsar Lake and the blue it flaunted, was nothing like I had seen. A soothing and yet stark shade of turquoise perhaps, the remnants of ice sheets only making it more difficult to turn the eye away.

Approaching the campsite

A lone horse grazing before retiring for the night

Myriad shades

Valley of flowers

Let me take in the view

Numerous small lakes dots the mountain-scape

Mountain streams gushed past, sometimes challenging me to cross the icy cold waters and sometimes just walking alongside me for some distance before taking a turn and disappearing

The fog accompanied me all day

For-covered campsite

That's all I could see

The hike up to Gadsar Lake, hoping to catch a view

And the clouds shrouded the lake. I stood there and waited.

Finally, they did. I could feel warm tears slide down my cold cheeks.

Nothing had prepared me for this moment of overwhelm

Surreal!

I just sat on a hillock wondering about what had just transpired by the lake when I had let my feelings flow down my cheeks. This journey wouldn’t be the same again.

Hot samosas greeted me as i reached the campsite

For close to two hours, I navigated huge rocks, trembling rocks, and deceitful rocks without breaking an ankle.

I stood there knowing that I will not stand there again

My heart cried a little as I stopped to take rest and I looked back at the place where I had just been

But I had to continue walking

Crossing the last glacier

This view too would linger for long

First view of the Gangbal and Nandkol lakes from Jaj pass I was lost for words

In full view

On a clear day, the view is magnificent, but I wasn’t complaining. I liked the dreaminess the clouds lent to nature’s canvas displayed in full glory in front of me.

The long descent on gravel and through narrow mountain path to the final campsite of the trek

This was going to be the last campsite

I perched myself on the bank and stared hard at the lake extending far beyond my eyes could see, bringing back memories of all the evenings gone by in the last one week since I had left home

Bonds that are formed

Walking in sun and shade

Rolling green valley

Nothing beats the feeling of warm green grass, the sun shining in the sky, the trees swaying just so gently and the grey mountains smiling from afar

What a journey this had been