The Less Explored Kareri Lake Trek!

A week before my travel, I booked my bus ticket for the coming Friday night journey, from New Delhi to Dharamshala. On the day of my travel, due to heavy traffic, crowded metro station and my bad planning, I did not reach my pickup point ‘Majnu Ka Teela’ on time. And the bus left. Somehow, I coordinated with the bus conductor over the phone and they agreed to wait for me at Karnal Bypass. I paid Rs 150 to the Auto-driver to drive swiftly so that I don’t miss the bus again. In minutes, I was on the bus.

Few Suggestions:

(a) The best way to reach Dharamshala, take the Himachal Pradesh government bus. The fare is cheap and it adheres to its schedule. You can book the tickets online from this link – http://www.hrtchp.com/hrtctickets. Buses range from regular ordinary buses to super comfort Volvos.

(b) If case you don’t get a reservation in the Himachal Pradesh Government bus. Don’t be disheartened, there are a lot of private buses that go to Dharamshala. Booking for private buses can be done through these websites – http://www.paytm.com, http://www.redbus.com, http://www.makemytrip.com, http://www.ibibo.com.

(c) Most buses leave from either Kashmiri Gate or Majnu Ka Teela or a nearby location to these two spots. You can plan your commute accordingly either by metro, auto-rikshaw or by cab.

(d) It’s a 10-hour journey. I would suggest, taking an evening bus from Delhi to Dharamshala.

After few hours of walking up the steep stairs covering the narrow path, I realized that I may not reach Kareri Lake at this pace. I was in constant movement for the last 12 hours. The higher I climbed the more fatigue I felt. At one point, I didn’t want to walk anymore. My exhaustion was not letting me embrace the beauty around me. I was losing focus. I seriously needed some rest. I open my lunch box and started gobbling the parathas. The parathas tasted more appetizing. Now, the only thing I wanted was rest but it was getting darker and I had 5 kilometers of a hike to cover. Everything looked gloomy.

Then something miraculous happened. I heard a few ‘baa’ and ‘meh’ from somewhere close. I stood and walked towards the sound. I saw a bridge and on the other side of it, I saw a herd of sheep. I got thrilled. I crossed the bridge and rushed towards the heard. The presence of few shepherds calmed my anxiety. The were arranging wood for the fire. I asked them if I could use their company for the night. They agreed. I started to set up my tent in proximity to these guys. Late at night, by the campfire, I felt calm and serene and went into my tent to enjoy the slumber in the woods.

I woke up early, the next morning. Got fresh, and sat on a huge rock beside the river and meditated for a while. I experienced this heavy loss of awareness of my physical existence. It felt like I was sleeping, but on the inside, I felt I was sitting upright. The feeling was wondrous. After having a cup of herbal tea as they called it. I started packing my stuff and got ready for the unfinished strenuous walk.

As I was getting close to the beautiful Kareri Lake, I could taste the fresh mountain air and see the snow covered background. Everything seemed majestic – from the stone thatched petit houses to the clearer blue firmament to the vibration of the gentle flow of the Nyund. Energetically, I started to ascend towards the last few steps and there it was the fascinating Kareri Lake.

After setting up my tent, I got this urge to reach the foot of the snow-covered mountain ahead of me. I had enough time, so I started walking. It was getting cold and hard for me to grasp my breath. But, I gradually kept moving and didn’t stop until I reached the white snowfield.

I came down after rejoicing the triumph I felt over this journey. Then, I roamed around for a while. I was famished by all the hike, so I went to the small shop near the Shiva Temple, to get a cup of tea and a plate of Veg. Maggie. And, after watching the beautiful sunset. I got in my tent and slept like a baby.

The next morning, I packed my stuff and headed towards the temple shop to have a light breakfast. I had to cover the complete trek from Kareri Lake to Kareri Village. Once, done with the breakfast. I looked back at the mystic lake and the beautiful mountain range one last time and started my journey back. In 3 hours, I was in Kareri Village.