Trek to "Deo Tibba Base Camp"

Pre-Preparation:

In last trek to Har Ki Doon, we had decided to trek in Himachal next time. Based on that, I started again searching for trek in Himachal in around Jan 2017. I, Jassi, Rahul were the candidates and inspired by our stories of Himalayan treks, one of my friends, Akshay also joined us. I was looking at the less known trek but soon I came to know that Manali is the base for almost all the treks in Himachal. So after reading few blogs, I decided to trek “Deo Tibba Base” this time. All were waiting for my decision and soon we all agreed on it. I started getting all the information of the trek, route and as a routine I made the bookings for all 4 of us. I and Akshay were supposed to fly from Pune to Delhi where Rahul and Jassi were coming by Train and then to proceed further together.

Day 1: 25^th May 17 (Pune-Delhi-Chadigarh)

Unfortunately, Rahul had to drop the plan at last moment, he wrote, “Dil Toot gaya, Gym Chhot gaya”. So, I cancelled all his bookings. I and Akshay reached to Delhi at 10 AM where Jassi was waiting for us at Jantar-Mantar. We met there, had lunch and boarded in train to Chandigarh at 2:30 PM. It was too hot and Jassi was arranging all to keep the water cool in train (He is our Funsuk Wangdu).

I (Green T-Shirt) and Akshay in Train to Chandigarh, Managing the heat

We reached there by around 7 PM. This was the stay day at Chandigarh as per plan, but in over excitement, we decided to travel in night for Manali. So, after having dinner at sector-43 bus stop, we enquired for the bus to Manali. There were only one bus left at 11:40 PM and we queued up for the ticket. The system there was pathetic and after 2 hours of hard-work, we came to know there is no seat available in that bus. Next bus was at 5 AM in the morning and it was already 12:30 AM, so after losing all hopes and to avoid morning crises, we hired  a cab for Manali and started our journey to Manali at 1:00 AM.

Day 2: 26^th May 17 (Chandigarh-Manali)

Journey to Manali was not so comfortable. We reached there at around 11 AM taking few naps in the cab. So, immediately booked a hotel got freshed and taken lunch. This was first visit of Akshay and Jassi to Manali, so thought to visit few nearby places. I took them to Hadimba Temple and we amazed by the beauty of the surrounding. It is a nice place to visit and relax in the natural beauty.

In the Hadimba Temple Van Vihar

In evening, we did some shopping for the trek, and after dinner, we gone for the much needed rest.

Day 3: 27^th May 17 (Manali – Jagatsukh [7km] | Jagatsukh – Power Project [12KM]) – Chikka (1.5 KM)

After breakfast, we packed our bags and moved to the taxi-stand. When we asked to drop us till the power project, next to Jagatsukh, we were shocked by the taxi rates. It was around 19 KM and people were asking for 2000 INR. So, we decided to trek from Jagatsukh to Power Project that day (12 KM). We hired an auto in 300 INR till Jagatsukh. Here we witnessed the kindness of locals, they are so nice people. As soon as we came out of the auto, we saw an alto going upward on the power project road.  We asked for the lift and he welcomed us for next 4 Kms.  He dropped us after 4 KM and we started our trek, this is so beautiful road though. Soon, we saw another alto coming and again we asked for lift. He was an officer going for the project and welcomed us. He dropped us till the project and given some important info.

At the starting point, Where first ALTO Dropped us.

          Here we realized that taxi drivers asking for 2000 INR was reasonable. Road is in bad condition and it is steep road till the project. We said thanks and bye-bye to the Gentleman and moved ahead. We started the trek from right side of the water stream (Jagatshukh Nala) and soon reached to a bridge to cross it. After crossing it, make it a rule to never ever cross it again till the Seri, will tell you the story of crossing it, later.

First bridge after Hydro Power Project. Never cross the river after this.

From here, trek was little steep and from the dense forest. We were enjoying the beauty and silence of nature (Except the sound of Jagatsukh Nala). It is so beautiful that you cannot capture it in clicks; you just have to be there. Going very slow around 1.5 hours, we witnessed the beauty of first glance of Chikka. The Chikka is just an amazing place, lush green, river flowing from your right, big rocks to sit and just see the beauty and green patches to pitch your tent. A Naag Dev temple is forward side of the place, but we decided to stay before that.

First Look of Chikka, a beautiful place to camp

Our Tent, First Day camping at Chikka

The beautiful place, Photo by Akshay.

Now it was time to get dinner ready. We had experimented Daal-Rice cooking in our Shahyadri trek and were pretty confident about it. So, started cooking Daal and after all our hard work, Daal was not ready to be cooked. We are still not sure whether it was Daal or Water which failed us. After two hours of hard work, we get ready with Roti (Yes, it can be called Roti J) and Daal. It was just edible, no commentsJ. As soon as we had dinner before 6 PM, yes, it was raining and we went in our tent for rest of the night.

          Khanol is the place on the route which I had read in many blogs. But, this is very less known place so don’t enquire, you don’t need it. Power project is also known as twelve thousand (Barah Hazar). Buses are running from Manali to Naggar via. Jagatshukh and you can reach there in just 20 INR, trek start point is very near to the bus stop. Stay options are also there in Jagatsukh.

Day 4: 28^th May 17 (Planned Chikka to Seri – 6-7 KM, Mission Failed).

It was a good sleep in night, we woke up and after getting fresh, we cooked breakfast (No dare to cook daal again). We heard from a group at power project that going to base camp is not possible due to heavy snow and extreme weather. So, we were relaxed since this saved our 3 days (Seri to Tenta, Tenta to Base and Retrun, Tenta to Chandratal and Retrun. As per the plan, it had to be done in 3 days, but going beyond Seri was not possible). We were planning to Trek till Panduropa only, which is in between Chikka and Seri. So, at around 11 AM, we could start our trek. We reached to Naag Dev Temple and asked the route to a shepherd and he said, it is very easy, you just follow the trail. After crossing Naag Temple, there was a bridge and route was going to bridge. So, as we instructed, we crossed river and it was the WRONG TURN.

The Wrong Turn.

 After an hour trek, route was getting disappeared and we started feeling that we are on wrong trail. We discussed and Jassi found a Five Star wrapper. Considering it is from a trekker and we are on right trek, we continued the trek. Soon, we saw people coming from the other side of the river and they said you are going on wrong trek. With no options left, we had to return. We reached back to bridge and meet the trekkers coming back. They guided us correctly but since it was 2 PM, we had no options to reach Panduropa and cook our dinner before rain come. So again, we stayed at Chikka and since we had time, again dared to cook Daal. After more than an hour and all our hard work, Daal had no sign to get cooked and we learned the true meaning of “Daal na galna” J.

Jassi's Arrangement to Save us from Rain during
the mission "Daal-Rice"

We left it and cooked just masala rice. Luckily, they cooked well and we could have our dinner. We donated that Daal to a shepherd. It was rain time and we went into Tent for rest.

Day 5: 29^th May 17 (Chikka-Panduropa-Near to Seri – Around 6 Km)

Learning from the last day, we woke up early in the morning and relying on our ready to eat food, we started trek at around 7:30 AM. We were on right trek and looking at the beauty all around, crossing small side water streams, crossing rocky and flowery patches, taking small breaks we went to a small but beautiful flat patch.

In Between Chikka to Panduropa

Since, there is no way to identify the place, we assumed this is the Panduropa (I still believe that our assumption is right.) This was so beautiful, green mountains behind, snow capped mountains and small glaciers at our front, straight rocky hill at our left and everything was beautiful. Here we also observed that trees range is getting over, no trees ahead, we were entering into a different landscape. We took rest, Jassi started fire to warm packed Parathas and then we took our lunch. Today, weather started changing little early as it was only 1 PM. So, we started our trek again and target was Seri.

In one of the Rocky Patch

 After 30-40 minutes, rain came. This was a heavy rain with ice cubes and we wished we could have stopped at Panduropa. No options were left so we continued steep climbing in cold rain keeping sleeping mats at our head. Somehow, we could manage to get into a flat patch and Seri was supposed to be at the next turn of the valley. But, we had no energy and were caught by cold. So, somehow pitched our tent, rain was stopped till then. Luckily, weather got clear suddenly and got much needed sunlight to warm up ourselves. Sleeping mats were all wet, so we pitched tent on sleeping mats keeping them outside our tent. Jassi cooked MTR Upma and soon we went into tent. Night was horrible, I was sleeping but Jassi and Akshay was feeling deep cold in their feet, even after they put 4-5 pairs of shocks on their feet.

Our Camp before Seri

PC: Akshay Kalway. Place, Seri base camp

FOR MORE PHOTOS, Click HERE


Day 6: 30^th May 17 (Camp-Seri-Camp – around 3 km total)

After a horrible night, this was the best day of our trek. Weather was clear and after having some breakfast, we started to Seri keeping our entire luggage in Tent. So, without weight, speed was good and in an hour we reached to Seri.

On the way to Seri, from our camp. Just Amazing.

              Waaaoooo.. this was the beauty we were waiting for since a year. Destination was so satisfying that we forget the pain of last night. Seri is a flat ground, looks like a stadium but of huge size, may be 2-3 standard stadiums combined together. At left side, we saw a great “Deo Tibba Mountain” and at right we had Jagatsukh peak.. Jagatsukh Nala start from here. A small water stream was flowing with the corner of the ground at its best beauty. We spent 2-3 hours there and headed back to our camp.

SERI

When we looked back, from SERI.

Deo Tibba is at Left

Jassi, in deep meditation

In return, we saw “Thar” hanging on the rocks and taken few snaps. This was the first wildlife we saw, other than birds. We came back to our tent and ohh yes, it was the Rain Time again. In an hour, rain stopped and we came out of our tent. Few other trekkers were also pitched their tent near to our tent. Akshay started talking to them and soon joined them in photo-session. Don’t know if they smelled our need, but they offered us hot PULAO. Wao, what else we needed at this moment and we started our dinner like never before, of course in closed tentJ. Akshay also made them to offer us Soup. That was the best soup of our life.. can never forget. Thanks to that group, especially Manager and Cook, they are so nice people like most of the locals.

Day 7: 31^st May 17 (Camp to Chikka – Around 6 KM)

This was the day to back trek leaving the beauty slowly. When we were starting our trek back, they again gave us packed Rice-Daal for our lunch on the way. We could not wait and just after 10 minutes, opened up the pack keeping us behind the rocks (So that they couldn’t see us) and had our hot-lunch. Rest of the route was well known to us so keeping our talk and taking mind-images of the trek, we came to Chikka before 3 PM. Rest of the evening we spent on a rock outside our tent and had MTR poha again.

FOR MORE PHOTOS, Click HERE

Day 8: 01^st Jun 17 (Chikka – Jagatsukh)

This was the last day of our successful trek. We looked back to the beauty of Chikka last time and started our back trek in the morning at around 9 AM. Soon we reached to the Hydro Power Project as it was hardly 1.5 KM distance. Jassi was not feeling well so he stayed to wait for the taxi or lift till Jagatsukh. I and Akshay had a great desire to trek back, so we started down trek. It was a well route (For trek) and our speed was good. In around two hours, we covered more than 8 km when Jassi came on a Chhota Haathi (Mini Truck) and offered us lift. We reached to Jagatsukh and headed back to Manali on Local bus.

FOR MORE PHOTOS, Click HERE

Day 9-10-11:  2^nd , 3^rd and 4^th Jun 17 (Manali-Delhi-Pune)

Jassi left Manali on 2^nd June as he got train ticket from Delhi. I and Akshay had booked flight on 3^rd June so, we stayed in Manali and Visited Rohtang Pass on 2^nd June. As usual, return journey is always a pain when you come back from the heaven like place. On 3^rd June, we left Manali and reached Delhi by Bus on 4^th June and same day we reached Pune.

Additional Information for fellow trekkers: This is not a beginner trek for sure. At every step, you have to climb, you will rarely find a flat patches. 3 - 4 KM is a max distance a normal trekker can cover in a day, more than that is a stress (With Potters, you can cover little more). If you wish to go till base camp, you have to be ready to stay and trek on heavy snow in May-June. I did not go in September, but September end is the best time, if you wish to go to Tenta-Deo Tibba Base and Chandratal. There is not a single village or civilization on the route after power project, so we ready with your own food arrangements. To go to Tenta and then Deo Tibba base, you have to climb from left side water stream at SERI.

PLEASE DO NOT POLLUTE THE PLACE, IT IS BEAUTIFUL AND LET IT BE BEAUTIFUL. PLEASE, PLEASE TAKE BACK YOUR PLASTIC WRAPPERS BACK TO MANALI, DO NOT LITTER PLASTIC THERE.

Deo Tibba Base- PHOTOLOG