JOURNEY TO DEVBHOOMI – HARIDWAR TO JOSHIMATH

The aura and goodness of road trip on Himalayan terrains has never been less the delight. There is no smell of regular but an abstinence from usual – the roads master our mind & soul with its sheer spectacle. There is everything a perfect road trip silently seeks to see, happy faces, satisfied soul & mercurial temptation to explore the landscape.

It was no ordinary journey but travelling to God’s own land – Devbhoomi, Land of God. Having said that, I am talking about emerald green river confluences, Himalayan range transcending foothills & a journey of immense rejoice. Indeed, the journey bestowed me plethora of idyllic view. The 9 hours of road trip was an affair of laughter, awe & eternal happiness. 🙂 🙂

JOURNEY TO DEVBHOOMI 

It all started with the decision to register for a trek to Kuari Pass in Chamoli District of Uttarakhand. The beauty of the state is never enough to be described in word. Uttarakhand is spread amidst the sprawling lap of Himalayas, Ganges and prolific abundance of nature. It is also called as Devbhoomi (Land of Gods) because mythology belief, the place of abode for God and Goddesses.

Most of the places in the state of Uttarakhand hold religious and spiritual parallelism with presence of multiple Hindu pilgrimage spots. Since time immemorial, people from across India & World visit the state to walk into the lanes of deity worship, perform religious practise and seek salvation from unearthly matter.

The mesmerising journey started from Haridwar (Nanda Devi Express is the best train to travel to Haridwar from Delhi, with 3.50 am as expected arrival time). Journey to Devbhoomi started with my fellow trek mates from Haridwar to Joshimath. We had a cab booked from Haridwar and the journey took around 8 to 9 hours (Well! We did stop nearly everywhere that appealed our eye). Joshimath is located in Chamoli district with the ski-destination Auli just few kms away. The trek for Kuari Pass starts from Auli or can also start from Dhak village, ending in Auli.

TRAVEL OPTIONS TO JOSHIMATH

Cabs from Haridwar or Rishikesh – There are plenty of cabs available to Joshimath from either of the places but travelling solo would end up costing you more, unless you are ready to spend it. I had my trek booked for Kuari Pass and shared the cab with four other fellow travellers.

Cab prices from Haridwar to Joshimath – Rs 5500 to 7000, depending on different cab services.

Non-AC regular buses – If you swear by the word budget, buses are great options for you. G.M.O.U Pvt Ltd runs regular buses from Haridwar & Rishikesh to Joshimath. The office for the same is present in both Haridwar and Rishikesh. There are three buses that ply daily from Haridwar at 4.30am, 7.45 am and 8.15am from GMOU bus stand.

By any chance if you miss the direct bus, you have to break the journey into two parts. Take a bus to Rudraprayag or Srinagar and from there board a bus to Joshimath. (All you need to do is pop out your head, feel the air and forget the discomfort part).

ACCOMMODATION

Unless you are travelling during the peak season, don’t book accommodation online (Unless, you want to pay more). The hustle bustle of Badrinath pilgrims shoot up the price of the hotels, guest houses & other accommodation facilities. But, off season the price pampers your stay like no other place. It is recommended that you travel offseason unless your primary motive is to wash off your sins in Badrinath (Laughs!!) Winters are sort of off season and accommodation price dips down to almost 50%. Joshimath has many hotels, guest houses and TRH (Tourist Rest House, which is government owned) with price as low as Rs 500 to 1500/- for large sized deluxe rooms.

INCREDIBLE JOURNEY TO JOSHIMATH 🙂 🙂  

The road journey from Haridwar to Joshimath is extremely eye enticing, Himalayan terrains are unconditionally a rub on soul. Starting from Haridwar, it is a religious place on banks of Holy Ganges. The place never fails to crawl in inspiring thoughts and serenity, beautifully creating peace transcending all havoc.

I guess I am talking too much, whatever and however, how much I talk, no words can define the glory, beatitude and magic of the journey. Let me tell you the perks of this journey.

Confluences

While embarking on the journey, be prepared to feel the triumph of beauty, opening to an arena that leaves back any note of negativity behind. There are four river confluences you witness on the day from Haridwar to Joshimath, with the first and largest being the confluence of Alaknanda and Bhagirathi rivers in Devaprayug. The confluence, not exaggerating, clearly brings two rivers in different hues of green together to form a single water body. It was a temptation to see such wonders of nature. The three other confluences are smaller one as compared to the first one – with Rudraprayag, Karnprayag and Nandprayag.

White washed sand bed

A side of the road had the Himalayas standing tall and broad, the other side bringing the mesmerising view of emerald Green Ganges, below the cliff. The pristine aura of the place was highly captivating. Throughout the journey, many places gave glimpses of white washed sand on the river bed, alongside the Ganges – in its esoteric green hue. Have some time to spare, park the car and take a walk bare foot on the white sand, it is divine.

Ah!! Beautiful Road

The best part of delving into the terrains dominated by the Himalayas is the gorgeous roads that innocuously get addictive. No words, no expression and no babbling are enough to describe how the roads open into insanely beautiful landscapes, one after another. With towering mountains, Ganges swirling along, butter smooth roads, perfect companions, a road trip to Joshimath is a wanderlust paradise. 🙂 🙂

It, so far, has been one of the most memorable and incredible road trips. It is the prolific beauty that engulfs every inch of your sense. The road trip was not only about enchanting Himalayan admiration but perfect friends, moments and endless laughter. I met the best travel mates ever, with not a single second of silence and that’s what added to the charm of the journey.