Tag: trekking

Ghost Villages in Uttarakhand

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Migration from the hill areas of Uttarakhand is a concerned issue. Many people especially from far-flung rural areas migrate to nearest towns or cities within or outside the state in search of employment and better educational and health facilities. The continuous migration from some villages have resulted in the absolute desertion of those villages with no inhabiting population left behind. These un-inhabited villages are being termed as Ghost Villages.

As per 2011 Census, there are 1048 villages with zero population and another 44 villages have population less than 10 persons.

Browse the list of ghost villages in Uttarakhand by each districts. Pauri district in Garhwal region and Almora district in Kumaon region contain the most number of ghost villages in Uttarakhand.

DistrictGhost Villages
Almora105
Bageshwar73
Chamoli76
Champawat55
Dehradun17
Hardwar94
Nainital44
Pauri Garhwal331
Pithoragarh103
Rudraprayag35
Tehri Garhwal88
Udham Singh Nagar14
Uttarkashi13

Hira Devi

The film, inspired by Devi’s own life, tells the story of an elderly couple’s love. PITHORAGARH: Hira Devi, 80, is an unlikely film heroine from one of Uttarakhand’s ghost villages, Gadtir, which has several empty houses because of migration. Hira Devi, 80, is an unlikely film heroine from one of Uttarakhand’s ghost villages, Gadtir, which has several empty houses because of migration. The octogenarian, who is illiterate and has lived in the mountain village most of her life, recently got a chance to star in ‘Pyre’, a film inspired by a story similar to her own, which will have its world premiere on Tuesday (Nov 19) at the 28th Tallinn Black Nights International Film Festival in Estonia.

Reasons to consider Darjeeling as your next travel destination

If you
are someone who is an adrenaline junkie but also loves to relax in the perfect
weather with a nice cup of tea then Darjeeling is the tourist destination
you’re looking for. Darjeeling is a beautiful place located in the northern
region of west Bengal and surrounded by the serene views of mount Kanchenjunga.
It is located at an average height of 6709 ft. to reach here, the nearest
airport is in Bagdogra and if you want to enjoy a train journey the nearest
railway is in New Jalpaiguri. It further takes 3 hours from both these
locations by car.

 

5 reasons to visit Darjeeling:- 

 

Not only famous for its steaming hot cup of tea, here are
5 reasons to visit Darjeeling;-

 

1) The views of the Himalayas:- 

 

The rain, the cloudy skies, and the awesome weather during
the monsoon are a major attraction for photographers and people who just want
to get a good picture with nature for their Instagram page. The breathtaking
sunrise and the stunning view of the snow-capped tiger hills is a place you
must visit if you plan of visiting.

 

2) The Tea:- 

 

A trip to the Darjeeling without trying out its
world-famous tea will surely be incomplete. The tea is served black with no
sugar and milk so that you can get a truly authentic taste of the notes of
apricot and toasted nuts present in it. After enjoying the full aroma of the
tea you can even get a tour of the tea factory and its plantations and if you
reach there early in the morning you can get lucky enough to see the tea
pickers in action. Make sure to take a long walk through the tea terraces to
really enjoy the morning weather.

 

3) The food:- 

 

Being a border town has its own advantages for Darjeeling
as it has the cuisine of all the places it shares its borders with. You can
have samba-dosa with coconut chutney while enjoying the views of the mountains.
For people looking for something different, you can have Tibetan thukpa which
is a soup made with meat, broth, and some noodles. Another delicacy to try is
the plump momos which are dumplings filled with meat or vegetables and to end
it all the yak butter tea.

 

4) The Trek:- 

 

Now, for all the trek lovers out there, Darjeeling has
some of the most famous trekking routes in the world. If you are courageous
enough you can cover Kanchenjunga, Lhotse, and Makalu all in a single stretch. For
the people who want to get the experience but want to avoid going on a long
journey, Darjeeling still has a lot of trek routes to offer. On a walk through
the forest, you can see a large variety of trees like oaks, chestnuts, and
ferns. Darjeeling is also known to have over 400 species of birds which is
great news for people who want to bird watching. if you are lucky enough you
might be able to spot a red panda while on the trek.

 

5) The Zoo and Mountaineering Institute:-

 

The Darjeeling zoo is a center for a lot of endangered
Himalayan species and also has international awards for breeding rare species.
The endangered red panda and the snow leopards are the main attractions at this
zoo. The mountaineering institute and the zoo are right next to each other.

 

Best Trekking places in India, for the people who love trekking

Trekking in the nature means to be a part of a thrilling and exciting adventure experience. We are lucky to have many such places in India that can be your dream destination for trekking and camping. So, here are some of the famous and heart stealing destinations in India which are loved and praised by trekking lovers.

1. Valley of flowers trek, Uttarakhand :

 The Valley of Flowers trek is present in Uttarakhand and this track comes in beautiful trekking spots. The Valley of Flowers trek in Uttarakhand takes you to the UNESCO World Heritage Site and the Sikh pilgrimage site of Hemkund Sahib. The distance of this track is 55 kilometers and the height is 3658 meters. During the monsoon season, the entire valley is filled with colorful Himalayan flowers, making the view nothing less than a paradise. People of any age can come here to enjoy trekking. The fun of trekking at this place is from July to September.

2. Roopkund Trek, Uttarakhand :

Roopkund Trek starts from Lohajung at an altitude of 3200 meters and takes you to a lake called Roopkund, which is situated at an altitude of 5029 meters. The lake is popular for the human skeletal remains that were found at its bottom. A distance of 53 km has to be covered in 7 to 9 days. Through the noise of rivers, you pass through lush green forests. There are Hindu temples, Himalayan peaks such as Nanda Devi and Nanda Ghunti, as well as many bird species and lush green flat plains. In order to take full enjoyment of this place one must visit between may and october.

3. Dzongri Trek, Sikkim :


Sikkim’s Dzongri track is one of the most popular tracks in India. The level of this track is easy to moderate level, which you can complete in 5 days. Yuksom is the starting and ending point of this trek. The distance of this track is 21 km, with a maximum altitude of 15,000 feet. If you do not have much time and want to enjoy trekking to the top of the Himalayas, then Dzongri La Peak, and Mount Kangchenjunga are the best treks. In this track, you will go through Sachen, Bakhim, Shokha, Kacchenjunga National Park. The best time to visit here is from April to June and October to December.
4. Harihari Fort Trek, Maharashtra :

If you are a adventure fanatic then this destination is THE best spot for you. You can reach Harihar fort from Nasik (42km) and Trimbakeshwar (22km). You can reach Harihar Fort by trekking 2 km from Harshawadi. The climb of Harihar Fort is somewhere 70 degrees and somewhere 85 degrees straight. This fort is situated at a height of 3674 ft. To reach the top, you have to take 117 steps which have been made by cutting stone. You can climb the stairs monkey style. 

Although Harihar Fort can be visited in any season, but in monsoon the view here is amazing. Hundreds of small and big waterfalls can be seen everywhere and the nature of the greenery is such that some green carpet is laid below.
5. Kumara Parvata Trek, Karnataka :


Kumara Parvatha is one of the most famous trekking locations in Indian. In Kodagu, it is one of the most significant peaks and a number of people from all around the globe come to visit this place. It is one of most hardest treks in the country as well, so you will be provided with professional guidance, while you’re beginning your trek. Even though it is a bit hard, it is still considered to be one of the most beautiful locations to be at, as you will be witnessing picturesque landscapes and lush green lands, that will make the calorie-burning totally worth it. Although the Kumara Parvatha trek can be undertaken anytime, the best time to visit are from October to January and from June to September. The summers in South India are extremely hot and humid and you will not get to experience the beautiful greenery around. The humidity will also sap you off your energy.