Bali Pass – A Visual Journey
Bali Pass – A Visual Journey
According to the epic Mahabharata, after successfully defeating the Kauravas in a 40-day war, the Five Pandava brothers-kings attempted to ascend to Heaven from the mighty Swargarohini peak (20,512 feet) (literally translated as path/gateway to heaven), but only one succeeded. Taken from the base camp of Bali Pass at 15,100 feet.
The journey begins as we travel to Sankri, a lovely village with lush step fields against a backdrop of dense forest.
We drive from Dehradun to Mussoorie, then follow the Yamuna River into the Govind Wildlife Sanctuary and along the Tons River. Tons is the Yamuna River's largest tributary, with a greater water flow than the Yamuna itself. The stretch between Mori and Sankri is ideal for kayaking and rafting.
About Bali Pass Trek'
The Bali Pass Trek is a high altitude mountain pass that connects the Har Ki Dun valley to the Yamunotri valley. At 4950 metres, it has one of the best views of the Swargarohini and Banderpuch massifs.
Preparation for the trek-
I was very excited to do this trek because it was my first difficult trek and the altitude was also quite high, around 16,200 feet. Despite my poor performance on the previous two treks (Nag Tibba and Triund), I agreed to do this trek out of sheer excitement. I was sceptical about my decision to join the trek, but I tried not to be distracted and kept my confidence up by focusing on the trek.
Day 1: Drive from Dehradun to Sankri
By 6 a.m., I had arrived at Dehradun ISBT. The meeting was at 7 a.m., so I had an hour to kill. I showered and drank some hot tea. Then Rahul (the trek leader) called, and I finally met my trek companions. Except for me, there were six members in total, and I was the youngest of them all.
After that, we started our mountain drive towards Sankri in the Uttarkashi district. Sankri is a well-known village because it serves as the starting point for many popular treks, including Har ki Dun, Kedarkantha, Ruinsara Tal, Maninda Tal, Borasu Pass, and, of course, Bali Pass. Locals claim that there are approximately 50 treks available. one can do in this region. Only a few are explored as of now. There are several hotels, guest houses and shops available from where one can buy daily need stuff and trekking gear. ATM’s are also available there.
Day 2: Travel to Taluka and then hike to Seema.
We all got ready by 8 a.m. and drove to Taluka village, which is 12 kilometres from Sankri and the last road head. The vehicle was a Bolero camper, and we were accompanied by eight porters who were responsible for transporting trek logistics such as tents, sleeping bags, rations, utensils, and other equipment.
There are two types of treks in India: those where a porter carries the stuff/logistics and those where a mule/horse carries the stuff/logistics. The former is particularly useful on difficult highs.
The former is used on altitude treks where the route is not paved or good enough for mules, whereas the latter is used on all other treks where there is a proper route and the terrain is not too difficult.
Day 3: Trek from Seema Camp to Rainbasera
We began the day with a revitalising yoga session. Mountains, believe me, are the best place to practise yoga. It's time to get away from the crowds and explore a lesser-known trail. We started the trek at 8 a.m. after eating aloo parathas for breakfast and took the trail straight from the village into the densely forested forest. Initially, the trail was a mix of uphill and downhill sections. We had to negotiate a few tricky sections.