Solo trip to the Northeast
Day 5:
The day starts in leisure as i have just finished the Japfu peak yesterday. Today the destination is my dream valley, The Dzouku valley.
The route is via two ways from Nagaland side and one way from Manipur. The two ways from Nagaland are from Viswema and Zakhama. The way through Viswema is a long but flat of 25 km. It has a steep climb of 1km. From Zakhama it's only 9 km, but steep climb of 5 km.
I took the Zakhama as the ongoing route and Viswema as the return route. The route was very tiresome climb. The jungle was very dense and beautiful. There is a stretch where you can get a Avatar type feeling with flying seeds flying through out. With the twittering of birds and soothing sound of stream, the tiredness gets healed. It was a breathtaking climb through the forest.
As your energy gets drained out, you will suddenly enter the valley after the pass. It is like you are in heaven. Sailing with the Gods. And finally reach the trekkers hut at 12:30. Here there are lot of tourists, though throughout my trek it was totally solo. I didn't meet any one. Most of the tourist come through Viswama.
Though i left Dawn homestay at 8:30, having some traditional Naga breakfast, i was hungry like nothing. Ordered some heavy lunch. He gave me fried rice with soup. It was awesome. Can't resist from exploring the dream world. Quickly kept my luggage of some 15 kg in my private tent and moved on.
It was more like sailing through the clouds and dwarf bamboos. It is a area of a dead volcano. The sun light peeping through the clouds and moving through the vast stretch of the valley is like a dream. You just sit and enjoy. There is a stream flowing through the middle of the valley and the sound of the water is mesmerizing.
However, it started raining. Though i had a poncho with me, it was of no use. It rained heavily with gust of wind. I ran through the valley to the trekkers hut and was totally drenched.
The caretaker , Mr. Kheyto, was a very tricky guy and he kept on scolding me for not pronouncing his name properly. Later on we became friends and he allowed me in his restricted warm kitchen. Had a excellent stomach filled dinner and tossed off quickly into the cozy tent.
The night was very stormy and I had a perfect sleep ..... a dream come true.
Day: 6
Had a nice sleep. Woke up early in the morning. Planned to complete yesterday's unfinished exploring, due rain. It was a bright morning. Places to explore are the caves, the cross on the other side of the valley, the stream bifurcating the valley and what not.
Kheyto, the caretaker assured me that there are no leeches at this time of the year. When i asked, if i could get lost. His clear answer was if you are stupid you will get lost. I laughed. He also joined me. Very tricky.
It was a 90 min of walk through the valley to the cross. On the way i had to cross the stream twice. Water was not much and stones were layed to cross it. Initially there use to be a wooden bridge to cross the stream. Didn't had the proper gears to take bath, otherwise i wouldn't had missed the chance. At some places it was deep to 4ft and the water is crystal clear.
There are caves at the side of the ridge. It's nearly 1 km. I tried a some hundred feet and as because i was alone, i didn't had the courage to cover the whole. What an experience. I should have scheduled my stay for another day in this heaven.
Had some traditional breakfast again. I have to do a long way now. Some 25 km to Viswema. It was a heavy breakfast with hot rice, dal and omlet.
Started the journey at 9:50. It was a 5km walk by the valley and before the start of descent, the village Viswema could be seen. It's the thrid largest village of Asia. One can see pipe line from here . The water from here serves the whole of Viswema. Reached on the main road, at Viswema, at 13:30 hrs.
Plan is to catch a vehicle and move on to Mau, Manipur. Is is said that the bhut jhaluka, the hottest chilly in the world, grows here. Hitch hiking is very common in this part of India. Got a lift and dropped me at Mau. Mau is a small village and there is only one lodge. It is below basic. A tin shaded, some six ft by ten ft room and the common toilet needs no mention further. The lodge guy felt pity on me. Don't stay in Mau. You will not get any vehicle to Imphal tomorrow. Tomorrow is Sunday . It's a total lockdown on Sundays and Mau also follows the Nagaland rules.
It's already 15:30, it will be very difficult to get any vehicle to Imphal. But try. If you don't get return back to us. The words which i heard from the guy felt like it's my heart speaking.
Immediately I ran to the stand. The hired taxi charge is exorbitant. Luckily got a running vehicle from Dimapur. Nominal charge of 500₹ for more than 100km to Imphal. In Imphal, spend a relaxed night.
