Abdullah Alam
9 Nov 2020
Dalhousie is a peaceful little hill-station located in Himachal Pradesh. Although a bit crowded during peak season, there's plenty to do in and around the vicinity that will always let you slip away from the people. Climbing up to Dainkund Peak was the primary purpose of this trip. Since the peak has a not-so-high altitude of about 9000ft, it is a short and easy introduction to the Himalayas.
Our trip was organized by Invincible NGO, who picked us up from Ahmedabad. Usually for trips to the North, flights are a better option, but with a large group like ours, trains are not only much cheaper and efficient, but also a lot of fun. It did, however, take up a substantial amount of time: the journey takes about a day to complete. But the views from the train more than compensate for this.
Fields in Punjab
One simultaneously tiring and enjoyable journey later, we arrived at Pathankot.
Assembly at Pathankot for briefing.
Dalhousie is a three-hour drive from Pathankot. After a brief stop at a restaurant on the way, we finally reached Dalhousie in the late-evening. After spending a night at the hotel, we spent a day just exploring the place.
Dalhousie and the surrounding areas.
This looks like a lucky composition but I actually stood in one place for an embarrasingly long time waiting for a monkey to come to the right spot...
The first day was reserved for acclimatisation. Although a 9,000ft trek is relatively easier compared to just visiting places like Ladakh, it is always a good idea to let your body get used to new altitudes before exerting yourself in any way. And so, we rented a car and drove around to interesting places around the hill station.
Bhadrakali Mandir
The climb up to Bhadrakali Mandir is breathtaking (except for the damn wires that show up wherever you go).
Boating in Dalhousie Lake
After the local sightseeing, we begun our trek to Dainkund. The first leg of the trek is a hike to the Kalatop basecamp. Most of this hike is covered by road, and it is pretty easy to walk the way.
By early evening, we were already at Kalatop. After this moderate increase in altitude, we took another night of rest before heading out towards Dainkund the next day.
The climb is fairly easy and not technically challenging, with scenic views along the entire route.
These animals and birds are frequently found around this region
The only animal we spotted was the Chamba Langur
As is the case with most Himalayan treks, there is a Maggi point along the way. The Maggi point on this trail is near the top, and has a wonderful view!
In this picture: Gaurang Nirmal
In this picture: Mustafa Patel and Shailja Lodhiya
After the short break, we continued our climb to the peak. Here are some pictures from during the climb and the views from the peak...
That's our trekking guide, Akash Singh
All in all, it was a fun trip. Surprisingly affordable thanks to Invincible NGO. If you're looking for an adventurous, challenging trek in complete desolation, you might wanna look elsewhere. But for a fun short getaway that still brings with it the outdoors and views of nature that come with a trek, Dainkund (and Dalhousie) might very well be worth considering.
About The Authors
Abdullah Alam
I like to go places, take pictures, and build things. It doesn't need to be more complicated than that.
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