01-03 Khati
Kumaon Hi-Altitude Villages Trek (K-Trek)
A 10-day, 100+ KM trek to some high-altitude Villages of Eastern Kumaon. Route: Loharkhet - Dhakuri - Khati - Mikila - Kimu - Namik - Thal~Kharik - Chupoo~Pass and finally the trail ending on the road to Munsiary (32KM), between Bala & Birthi Falls
13th Dec 2008 Day-1 : Bageshwar to Loharkhet - At 9:00AM we left the KMVN-TRC at Bageshwar. Debu (my regular Kumaon Trek Guide) had met me at KMVN yesterday and we had discussed and agreed to the 10-day trek from Loharkhet to Munsiary (via Khati to pick up all rations and his cooking-trek assistant Balwant).
As usual, Debu first went to the Bageshwar Temple, at the junction of Saryu and Gomti rivers and rang the bell on the entry portal of the temple, joined his palm in a brief prayer, standing right there on the lane. Then turned and started to walk towards the jeep-stand. Kailash (his 12-year old son) and me did likewise an dfollowed him.
After going some 100m, I realised, I forgot to take a picture there and so stopped, looked back at the temple and took a picture to mark the kick-off for this Trek The first jeep took us to Bharari (10-11:30am) and then a wait for passengers to fill the Jeep to Saung (12:30-1:30pm) and at Saung another wait and lunch before the final jeep ride on the katcha road to Loharkhet KMVN (at 1925M) from 2:30-3:00PM. At Loharkhet I was surprised to see a huge 2- story annexe, being built behind the existing GH.
Bageshwar to Loharkhet
Looking back at Bageshwar temple
View from Dhakuri-top
Kailash at Loharkhet
14th Dec 2008 Day-2 : Loharkhet to Dhakuri 9 KM - This is the 3rd time, I am doing this stretch. This big climb felt a lot easier to me this time. We left at 7:30am and reached Dhakuri-top at 12:30pm and got absolutely clear views of the Himalayas - Maiktoli and Panwali Dwar. We walked down into Dhakuri KMVN by 1:00pm and had lunch there and rested whole afternoon. It became quite cold in the evening and so there was huge bonfire lit by the guides and porters behind the PWD resthouse.
Morning sun rays fall on Maiktoli - seen from Dhakuri KMVN
View from Loharkhet KMVN
15th Dec 2008 Day-3 : Dhakuri to Khati - 8KM In the morning at 7:00AM had a grand view of Maiktoli and Panwali Dwar bathed in orange sunrays (above). After Breakfast of aloo paratha's at Raju's tea shop we started the easy trek to Khati at 8:30AM. Today we walk 8Km in a sloping downward journey to Khati on Pindar river. We passed Bhagdanu and Umla villages and arrived at the newly constructed Sangam GH in a isolated spot by the side of the trail, before even entering Khati at 11:30AM. Nice GH and good rooms. Took some pictures form this GH portico.
A group 5 students from Delhi on way to Dhakuri; headed for Pindari
Morning View from Dhakuri
Khati Village & Temple (red) .... and Nanda Kot peak at head of valley as seen from the trail at Sangam-GH, as we enter Khati
School Kids at Bhagdanu Village
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Khati (2275M)
View from Khati's Sangam GH