The current hot and humid climate makes you want to escape to a pretty place where there's soft drizzle and a cool breeze blowing. However, the current pandemic has made this a distant dream. Today if someone asks me which is that one place I want to disapparate to, I would name the Dain Kund Trek in Dalhousie without any hesitation. This is the place that is like a tiny slice of heaven and I hope it stays that way. One cannot spend too much time here and it is not a very long or challenging trek, but if you happen to be here at the right time, you will experience bliss.
Today in this Time Turner post, we will look back at those few hours we spent on this trek. The Time-Turner series is my opportunity to pen down the lingering memories and impressions of a place I have visited. It helps me relive the experience a bit and also reflect upon the aspects of the place that stood out the most to me. For more Time-Turner posts, follow this link: The Time-Turner Series.
We did part of this trek during what is considered one of the worst seasons for any trek, monsoon. It is very risky to embark on such an adventure during rains, please take precautions. We did. We wore the right shoes, made sure it wasn't raining and also most of us (all except me) are native Himachalis so trekking is in their blood.
The entrance to the trek is close to a view point near the Dalhousie-> Chamba road. It is next to the IAF station. From there, a short paved path (about a kilometer long) takes you to a concrete canopy where you can rest and take in the views. The hills (at least in monsoon) is lush green and if you are lucky, you will find yourself surrounded by clouds. We did.
However, we were exceptionally lucky because sun was kind of playing hide and seek with us. So while we got some dramatic shots with clouds darting in, we also got some photographs with great natural light. We had started early so there was absolutely no one around. However, by the time we had finished the trek and come back, visitors had started pouring in and we knew it wasn't going to be as peaceful anymore.
However, moving on, after the canopies, the path isn't well paved anymore, but it is smooth and flat enough. There are short spurs of hikes, but it is all mostly manageable, unless you are with elderly or very small children. Our 3 year old niece managed the whole trek on foot, so that should give you some context. The entire trek from the entrance is about 3 kilometres long and that makes the entire walk about 6 kilometres.
All through these 3 kilometres, you are walking amidst forest of tall deodars that often give way to lush green hills. And each turn reveals a completely new view. Sometimes you are looking at snow-clad mountains in the distance and sometimes you can observe ponies grazing on soft grass.
The trek culminates at a simple but rather lovely temple of Pohlani Devi. You can offer prayers there. Have tea and snacks at a shop at the summit and soak in the natural beauty all around you. This is an experience you will never forget if you time it right.
Till today, the memory is as fresh as it was back then. And if I try really hard, I can still smell the fresh grass and wildflowers growing all around. This is definitely an experience I would like to revisit if I had a Time Turner.