Pashatuks Recommends- Romancing Rishikesh, Uttarakhand

Pashatuks is sitting atop a big boulder, with legs dangling in the ice cold  goosebumps creating waters,  of the hurtling Ganges from the Himalayas to the plains below, and can be excused for the emotional tone of this piece.
Very few people are aware that the upper reaches of the Ganges as it comes hurtling down to the plains, there are these pristine white sandy beaches on either side of the river,many of them unapproachable by road.

We are sitting at a very exclusive adventure camp on the pristine white beach of the Ganges, completely cut off from civilization and any sort of road connectivity. To reach this camp, we had to park our car on the highway on the opposite bank and be ferried across on rafts through the rapids. The adrenalin rush starts the moment one steps out of the car and realises that its quite a journey down to the raft and a certain level of physical fitness is required.

Our day started in the wee hours as we hit for Rishikesh. Pashatuks never rushes through any journey. Our journey was complete with breaks for sugarcane juice and  fresh fruit salad that are available in plentiful throughout the journey. Rishikesh is not an unfamiliar destination, as Pashatuks keeps rushing uphill the moment the urge for a mountain and river combo takes place.

There is something about the place that pulls us back here ever so often. Maybe the force of the river hurtling through the mountains. Or maybe the cultural melting pot of the yogis,the hippies, the devout and the adventure seekers.  Maybe the fact that the Ganges is clean till this place after which it becomes a polluted apology due to human degradation.

Pashatuks likes to explore the right bank of the river too, going towards Neelkanth, the holy seat of Lord Shiva. There are some good places to take a dip in the chilled water of the river fed by the melting glaciers. Its paradoxical how you feel the chill cutting into your senses  as you go deeper into the water holding onto the chains that are available at selected points to prevent getting swept away by the massive underwater currents, with the scorching sun beating down on your head. Not at all  a recommended activity for people prone to sunstrokes. But so very invigorating for the the others.

A dip into the Ganges here and you are ready to take on the world no matter how tired you are.

Drying up post a dip, stretched on one of the many boulders does make you feel a bit like a wet towel put to dry, but then even that is an experience to remember.

This trip we had planned to do something different- stay at an adventure camp on one of the many beaches upstream Ganges.
Shivpuri, Byasa and beyond the river has many beautiful sandy beaches on the banks and enterprising individuals set up camps for the adventure seeking traveller.
Pashatuks has many friends and our local friend there,Mahesh arranged for our stay at The Great Himalaya camp.
There are plenty of camps to choose from, but our friend knew our penchant for the different.

So here we are in the lap of nature, using the many boulders dotted on the river banks as tables and chairs, conducting our meetings.Meetings on how to reach out to more like minded travellers to enjoy the absolute harmony with nature. Dense forests home to many wild animals behind the camp does not deter us, for Pashatuks knows that even animals don't attack unless hungry or provoked. There are leopards in the jungles,but leopards don't attack humans. They are scared of humans.

About the camps itself- absolutely eco friendly, they don't even have electricity.Just solar powered lamps which don't last for very long, but enough to illuminate lives.

The camp Kitchen at the back shielded by green cloth

Tents pitched randomly on the beaches, each unit having 2 camp cots,blankets(it can get cold even on summer nights), mosquito repellents, a small table to keep the bare necessities.

The entire evening we spent indulging in activities like getting a natural pedicure as the waves crash on the legs,playing volleyball,sitting around the bonfire munching the endless supply of snacks(both veg and non veg) as we downed the beer chilled  naturally in the flowing river , as we waited for dinner to be cooked. Or even walking barefoot and enjoying the feel of the soft sand on the feet. Or staring at the clear dark sky,lying on the sandy beach and trying to identify the different stars.Some life this.

For people who enjoy their tipple, please carry your own alcohol as the local stuff available would probably not go down your gullet. The beer we purchased was called Godfather beer and was strong as hell and full of glycerine. The staff ,on additional payment also arranges for musicians to play live music of the hills for you.

Normally any package to these camps are of either 1N/2D or 2N/3D and includes food( and believe me the food is royal,  inversely proportion to the simple living), white water rafting in the morning, all the way down to Rishikesh through the rapids.
Sleeping in the tents is one hell of an experience- the camp cots dont do much to reassure you of a night on the bed- but then even if they crumble under the human weight the soft sand below would not cause any injury. Pashatuks was amused to see the way to lock the tents- zippers- the same ones you get in trousers.

However it is better to be realistic about one thing- the toilets. Very basic functional toilets, both Indian and Western. Clean with no shortage of water, but very basic. Its as good as going out into the jungles to relieve oneself, only difference is that this has some privacy. Carry your own soap and handwash as these are not provided.

It is important to remember that as there is no electricity, mobiles cannot be charged on the camp and it is advisable to carry power back ups. There is full  mobile internet connectivity.

But the complete experience of being back to nature more than adequately makes up for this trivia. Whichever package one chooses, one is in a state of a dreamlike haze while on camp location and the soul recharged till the next such trip.

This experience doesn't work heavy on anyone's wallet either and Pashatuks strongly recommends this as a must do in everyone's bucket list.

Not as serene as it looks

To reach the Camp- one has to reach Rishikesh which can be done by Raad or rail. The nearest airport is Jolly Grant in Dehradoon. Not  a comfortable option for most.
From Rishikesh, these camps are around 24 Kms uphill and most of the camps have their own transport.