YHAI Sar Pass - Trekking Tips

YHAI has been doing a great job organizing treks all over India. You can find a list of their trekking programmes here. The Sar Pass trek is one their most popular ones and is held in the month of May. Its a 11 day affair, including 8 days of trekking. As of 2008, the base camp was in Kasol, a cozy little town on the banks of river Parvati - 42kms from Kullu.

The entire trek is a feast for the mind, body, eyes and soul. The pictures of Sar Pass will definitely blow your socks off! You can find them here. Here are a few things that we learnt from our trek.

1. The YHAI Sar Pass page is your bible. Follow it to the last word.
2. A good pair of hunter shoes is a must, since you will be trekking on ice. Normal rubber cannot take the brutal cold. If you are in Bangalore, you can find a fine bargain at this army surplus stores opposite Russel's market in Shivajinagar. It should cost you about Rs.650.
   
3. YHAI provides you with a decent ruck sack. So unless you plan to take up trekking as your religion, you need not invest in one.
4. Thermal wear is a must. It costs around Rs.700 is really worth investing into.
5. Goggles and sun screen lotion are a must. You'll end up with red swollen eyes if you don't bother to carry goggles. The pretty and non-pretty females of our group did carry sun screen and got off easy. We guys came back tanned and sun burnt looking like Nigerians.
   
6. In addition to the hunter shoes, make sure you take a pair of slippers/floaters along during the trek, even if it means a little extra weight. At the end of each day's trek your shoes will be all wet and soggy. So if you don't have an additional pair of footwear to walk around the campsite once you dry up, its one big pain.
7. Be prepared for a staple of Parle-G biscuits and tea. Breakfast and lunch are no doubt served - but you'll soon find out that these two will be staple food. Food in the higher camps ranges anywhere from decent to good - which is very ironical given the fact that the food in the base camp, well, sucks.
8. You can carry just a little snacks, as its relieving to nibble on something once in while when you get bored of the local food. Unless you are very choosy, you need not carry much food. Some dry fruits and a packets or two of snacks will suffice.
   
9. It pays to heed the words of the instructor and reduce you backpack weight to the bare minimum. You will not be bathing except on the last day, so you wont be need more than an extra pair of pants and a couple of shirts. You hardly sweat given the low temperature and so its not as gross as it sounds.
   
10. Hygiene will be more or less nonexistent. Be prepared to use open air toilets and answering natures calls, well, with nature! Don't take plastic plates or boxes as far as possible as they are difficult to wash and degrease. Tissues will sure come in really handy. [And don't forget the toilet papers!!]
11. Surprisingly, you'll have network coverage almost along the entire route, though intermittently. The only problem being that you will not have power to recharge you cells. So be sure to carry you cell phones; and use it wisely.
12. Drink as much fluids as you can over the course of the trip. As you will told over and again, its very important that you remain hydrated and that your blood retain its normal consistency. The tea, soup, juice and daliya that you will be given will provide ample opportunity for this.
    
13. Be sure to explore the area around each campsite. All places, including lunch points have been tastefully chosen. So let the shutter bug in you loose, and at the same time don't forget to sit back and savour the vigour and beauty of the Himalayas!
14. Even to this day, when I listen to Floyd's Division Bell, the panoramic visions come rushing back. The experience of listening to psychedelic/Indian classical music in a place like that is just indescribable. You are in a world of your own. Bliss! [In fact you will find lots of weed growing out there. But you won't need to use it]
    
15. You'll find lots of interesting people from all walks of life. Get to know each other. You're bound to find a lot of like minded folks and make some long lasting friends in the course of the 10days.

To conclude, just get there and enjoy maadi. If there is anything more that you'd want to know, drop me a comment. A mail would be just as good. Cheers!