BANJARA CAMP, SANGLA For six months every year, the Himalayan valleys of Kinnaur and Spiti emerge from a thick cloak of snow to reveal a different, secret world to man. Your discovery of the lesser-known Himalayas can begin at the Banjara Camp in the Sangla Valley. At a height of 2,700 Mts the Banjara Camp is surrounded by towering mountains on all sides and is set on the banks of the Baspa River that surges through the valley. Long walks to discover the amazing fauna and flora of the valley, treks to view snow covered Himalayan peaks, angling for trout, experiencing some of the local culture and traditions, River crossing, rock climbing and rappelling are only some of the delights that are on offer. The Camp is an ideal setting for total relaxation with cozy Swiss-style tents that have attached bathrooms, a well-equipped kitchen and evening bonfires that keep the chill away Best time to visit: April- October Temperatures: Temperatures vary with the seasons. May to September have pleasant days (light

woolens) and cold nights while April & October have pleasant days. The night temperature may dip to 5 degrees.

Accommodation: 18 fully furnished tents with attached bath. 24 hrs running hot/cold water

Activities and places to visit around the Retreat Activities: Hiking, River crossing, Burma- bridge, Rappelling, Fishing Chitkul: Last village on the old Hindustan-Tibet trade route. Sangla Meadows: Full day walk to the green pastures. Rakcham: Beautiful 4 hr walk along the Baspa River to Rakcham village. Baspa River: This River flowing along the valley is great for trout fishing. Batseri village: Just across the camp, this village is an excellent example of the great Hill

architecture. The local devta temple here is a must see. Hiking & Sight Seeing Details:

Hike to the glacier point Duration: 3 hrs round trip Level: Between Easy to Medium For people, especially kids, who would love to have afeel of snow, this is a good option. In the bargain onegets to walk through a beautiful Pine forest, cross a fastflowing rivulet with a makeshift bridge and walk throughthe Batseri village. At a slow, leisurely pace it will takean hour and a half to reach this avalanche site. Makingsnow-balls and snow-houses and sliding are activities that both kids as well as grown ups enjoy. The view from thispoint is quite spectacular. Do not forget to take lots ofsun tan lotion, a wide brimmed hat and dark glasses. Day visit to Chitkul

Duration: 20 kms/1hr drive; 8 kms/ 2 hr walk both ways to Nagasthi Level of Difficulty: Medium There is not a better conception of a day picnic than a short drive to Chitkul, walk to Nagasthi and opening the lunch hamper under the pine trees next to a rivulet on green grass looking at the beautiful expanse of the valley.

We start the day around nine after breakfast. It takes 45 minutes to reach Chitkul. The drive is a fascinating one through pine forest that slowly gives way to �Bhojpatra�/Birch trees and then the tree line disappears. The valley opens up and you find yourself facing the snow capped Great Himalayas beyond which lies Tibet. Perched on the one side of the valley, below one of the ridges is the quaint Chitkul village. One look at it and image of �Shangri- La� crosses the mind. Chitkul falls in what once used to be the �Silk Route�. The village is slowly loosing it's charm with construction happening all around in the name of 'development'.

Walk to Sangla Village Duration: 12 kms/ 4 hrs Level: Easy One can set out after a leisurely breakfast around nine and be back in time for hot lunch. The trail runs across Batseri village and a dense Cedar forest. The fisheries farm is an interesting diversion where one can buy some trout, which we will bar-be-cue for you in the evening around the bonfire.

Overnight camping There are many spots in the wilderness one can go to spend a night away from the camp. We carry sleeping bags, carry mats, alpine tents and spend the night in exotic locale. You listen to the darkness and feel the pulse of time passing by. It is a very unique experience. And if you are traveling with a child, you cannot give a better gift than this to your child. Tent pitching, camp breaking, packing and beyond all this realising how little we really need to live/survive. (Though we promise to feed you well ☺). The Sangla Meadows, the forests of Mastrang (between Rackcham and Chitkul), the glacier point above the village are some of the spots where we generally organize the overnight camping. Else, the whole valley is open � For overnight camping, please discuss with the camp manager at least 24 hrs in advance. Please note that this is subject to availability of human resource. Batseri � Rakcham walk Duration: 4-5 hours Level of Difficulty: Medium A signature walk of the valley, this route was once used regularly by the villagers from Batseri to go to Rakcham. It is a fascinating walk through a wide variety of flora. If the trek is done before July, one also gets to cross two tails of glaciers coming from the top to meet the frisky Baspa. We start as early as possible with a light breakfast and carry juice and sandwiches for the mid point break! Arrive back at camp by noon for a hot shower and lunch. A level-cum-gradually climbing path first takes one to Batseri Village across the Baspa River. A �dekko� at the temple and one is quickly out of the village into

Day visit to Kalpa If Kalpa is not in your itinerary, then a day visit ishighly recommended. Once the favourite haunt ofLord Dalhousie, Kalpa is just 56 kms from the campbut it can take over two hours to reach. The drive isthrough Karcham, Powari and Recong Peo, thedistrict headquarters. Besides the amazing close-up view of the Kinnerkailash range, Kalpa also offers a wonderful walk toRogi � just four kms one way. One can also shop here or in Recong Peo for thefamous Kinnauri shawl or dry fruits. The visit alsogives you a chance to tank up with fuel in case youare running short.

Nagasthi is the last border outpost (bordering Tibet) and a short walk from Chitkul. Civilians are not allowed beyond this point. The walk is a level one and slightly going down the path through a pastureland and fields overlooking the freely flowing Baspa. Walk back and open your lunch hamper at an idyllic spot. Back in the camp by late afternoon to rest and relax and be ready for the evening tea.

the forest. After about half an hour the path takes a sharp climb and goes on for thirty minutes where one hits the first �glacier�. That can be the first 'chota' halt. Across the glacier one quickly melts into the forest and here the path goes gradually up. Half an hour and many fascinating views later the path takes a sudden descent and opens out into the valley. Lo and behold! Another small glacier walk (only till early June) and a balance walking across a few streams later one comes to a plain flat ground. This is generally the mid way break point where we stop briefly for refreshments. Resume the walk after a short break. A big tract of Poplar forest welcomes you as you walk on. The path from here takes a gradual ascent and goes on for 30-40 minutes to level in a forest which gives way to the fields of Rackcham village. The Valley opens up here revealing the snow-clad mountains across which lies Uttaranchal and Tibet depending on which direction one is looking at. Here one has the option to either take the vehicle back to the camp or else walk back on the road to the camp (7 kms/1.5 hrs). On this walk, one gets to see most of the tree and plant variety the valley has to offer. For a regular walker it is a 'long walk' and for the uninitiated it can be termed as a �good hike�. So at the end of the walk, one is glad to see the vehicles waiting to drive you back to camp and yet many a 5-6 years old have done this without a whimper of protest. Sangla meadows walk Duration: 5-6 hours to full day Level of Difficulty: Difficult For people who love to walk, Sangla meadows is a perfect place to see the Kinner Kailash massif in its full glory. The locals have their fields in the Sangla meadows (or Sangla Kanda as they call it). As going up and down everyday is inconvenient, so lot of people have made their temporary huts here called 'dogris'. When it starts to get cold in the valley, the shepherds often take their sheep and goat herds across Rupin Pass (visible in the distance) to the meadows near Dehra Dun. The magnificent 180 degree panoramic view of the snow-clad Kinner Kailash range is a just reward for all the huffing and puffing one need to do to reach here. Pack lunch with apple juice chilled in the icy water of the lake is the icing on the cake. One can either walk from the camp all the way and walk back (full day) or else drive up to Sangla and then start the walk. Starting at about 8,400 feet from the Baspa River, it will take about 3 hours to reach a small glacial lake at about 12,000 feet. The ascent is steep in the beginning and so steep in the later part. Early morning walks At the crack of the dawn, if you come out Mother Nature welcomes you with invaluable rewards � more so in the mountains and much more so in the wilderness country - Baspa valley.