Destination Cafes- WAKE & BAKE CAFE SHIMLA

Pic source: Wake & Bake Facebook page

Wake & Bake is one of best cafe on hills I have visited so far.

Situated right at the heart of of city. Wake & Bake is on the 2nd floor of a building in front of the Shimla Town Hall on the Mall Road.  

 Beautiful ambience,  bright yellow walls, comfortable wooden benches for sitting, and windows overlooking the Mall Road. it’s a colorful chirpy cafe decorated with amazing art works on the walls. They also have an open air terrace sitting from where you can get a view of the beautiful valley on the other side. 

It serves Italian, French, Lebanese, Mediterranean and Continental delicacies. 

Some of the best pancakes I’ve ever had, great hummus and pita platter and Kashmiri kahwa at a very reasonable price. 

Not only great tasty food but also great service.

Don't forget to visit this place when you are in Shimla. 

If you are lucky, you might witness to a jamming or book reading session at Wake & Bake.

It's great place to hang out and sip your favorite cup of  tea or coffee.

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A trip to Lahaul and Spiti Valley of Himachal Pradesh

A very few places on earth can mark so dramatic a change in landscape. To one side, the lush green head of the Kullu Valley; to the other, an awesome vista of bare, chocolate-colored mountains, hanging glaciers and snowfields that shine in the dazzlingly crisp light, with just flecks of flora deep in the valley to soften the stark image.

Lahaul Spiti has snow fed glaciers and barren mountains. Keylong is the headquarter of Lahaul-Spiti and oasis of green fields.The capital, Keylong, is an easy stop and you can detour to mountain villages and medieval monasteries that remain blissfully untouched by mass tourism.
The two valleys at Lahaul and Spiti have a tenous link over the Kunzam Pass ( 4,520 metres ).

Here is an exclusive travel itinerary along with some exceptionally beautiful photographs shared by our fellow traveler Supratim Pan who visited Lahaul and Spiti Valley recently.

In August I along with my six friends travelled to Lahaul and Spiti Valley to enjoy the mesmerizing beauty of mountains. Me along with this group visited to Ladakh in 2012 and this was our second adventurous trip to the Himalayas.
Here is a brief description of the trip

Day 1 (Friday) – Journey started from Kolkata
We have started our journey from Howrah by Kalka Mail (departure time 7:40 p.m)

Day 2 (Saturday) – in train
In train

Day 3 (Sunday) - Sarahan
- Reached Chandigarh at the early morning (around 4:00 a.m)
- Started our journey by Travera (already booked from Kolkata). This was the only car with us for the whole trip
- Checked in a hotel at Kalka for 2 hours to freshen up and started journey for Sarahan
- Reached Sarahan in the evening via Shimla. Stayed at the guest house inside the very famous Bhima Kali Temple

Day 4 (Monday) - Sangla
- Visit Bhima Kali Temple, Shrikhand View (Palace)
- Bird Sanctuary and Zoo were not visited by us
- Started journey to Sangla
- On the way visited Baspa Dam and had lunch at Narkanda
- Reached Sangla in the evening and stayed at Monal Residency
- Visited Sangla Monastery

Day 5 (Tuesday) - Kalpa
- Started journey for Chitkul. Had breakfast over there
- Went to Kalpa via Reckong Peoh. Had lunch at Reckong Peoh
- Reached Kalpa in the evening and stayed at Hotel Kinnar Villa. We could not see the Kinnaur-Kailash peaks due to cloud :(

Day 6 (Wednesday) - Tabo
- Started journey for Tabo. Had breakfast at Reckong Peoh.
- Visited Nako Lake on the way. Had lunch at Nako
- Reached Tabo in the evening and stayed at Keysang Guest House

Day 7 (Thursday) - Kaza
- Started journey for Kaza
- Visited Dhankar Monastery on the way
- Went to Pin Valley, one of the most beautiful places of our trip.
- Reached Kaza in the afternoon and stayed at Mandalla Guest House

Day 8 (Friday) - Lossar
- Visited Keh Monastery and Kibber Village (last village at China border)
- Came back to Kaza and had lunch over there
- Started journey to Lossar. Reached Lossar in the late evening and stayed at IPS Guest house, booked from DC Office of Kaza
- It was an awesome experience, stayed in the lap of mountains

Day 9 (Saturday) - Chandratal
- Started journey for Chandratal
- Reached Chandratal via Kunzum Pass.
- Had to trek for half an hour to reach Chandratal. The altitude was 14,500ft. Road was little up and down. This was the most fascinating place of our trip
- Went to Manali, reached in the late evening and stayed over there

Day 10 (Sunday) - Chandigarh
- Started journey for Chandigarh
- Reached Chandigarh via Kullu in late night and stayed over there
- Release the car (Travera) at Chandigarh


Day 11 (Monday) – Back to Kolkata
- Booked a car for Delhi
- Started in the morning and took evening flight for Kolkata


Road Condition
- Road condition was not so good
- Up to Tabo road was O.K but after that it was almost horrible. Actually there was almost no road.
- Had to cross some dangerous “Nala” (e.g. – Maling Nala) on the way
- But we could not feel the pain due to the overwhelming scenic beauty


Weather
- Weather was not so good
- Most of the time it was cloudy but we have not experienced heavy rain
- Due to the cloudy weather our photos were not so good and most importantly we could not see the Kailash peak at Kalpa :(


Accommodation
- All the guest houses were standard and up to the mark
- Monal Residency was the best among the lot


Food
- All kind of food (Rice, Roti, Chicken, Egg, Vegetables) with good taste were available everywhere
- We have not tried the local foods to keep our stomach O.K :p


Expenses
- As we could arrange all economic guest houses at each place (except Chandigarh) our per head cost for this trip was approx. 20K including air fare and train fare :)


Thank You Supratim Pan for sharing this excellent travel story with us ! :) 

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10 Off-beat Reasons for Circling the Dharamshala Circuit

1. For this sunset at Dalhousie

Before heading to the Kalatop Widlife Sanctuary, spend the previous evening staring at this with a steaming cup of tea cradled in your freezing hands. I swear I could feel every atom in my body  slowing down to keep pace with the setting of the sun.

2. To soar with the eagles at Bir-Billing

You would think that paragliding, being an adventure sport would give you an adrenaline rush. But it was an endless half an hour of gently gliding through the air with an unexpected sense of calmness and oneness with the Universe. I had never ever imagined I would have to look down to watch an eagle/hawk (I am not sure what it was) soar by – surreal! 

Bonus: On the way to Bir and Billing, you will pass by the famous and intricately carved Baijnath.

3. For this Majestic Ruins of Masroor Temples

This is a 8^th century monolithic rock –cut temple complex – about 15 temples are said to be cut out of a single rock. It had been almost destroyed in the 1905 Earthquake that hit the Kangra Valley, and now is being painstakingly restored. 

The ceiling inside have survived though:

4.  To breathe in the solitude and vastness of the Pong Dam

This dam built to store water mainly for hydel power generation attracts hundreds and millions of birds. It is popular amongst bird-watchers, mostly of foreign origins. It falls on the way to the Masroor Temple it is a must-go-to place.

5. To witness the awesomeness of the Norbulinka Tibetan Institute

Established to preserve the Tibetan arts, it is an testimony to the rich cultural heritage of the Tibetans. It provides training, education and employment to the Tibetans in this region while serving as a showcase for the Tibetan culture. Travellers can stay on this campus overnight and even enroll in various workshops such as Thanka painting and Wood Carving.

6. To take in the rustic grandeur of the Chaurasi Temples at Bharmour

Nestled amongst the snowy peaks of the Himalayan Range at an altitude of 7000 ft, the Chaurasi temple complex housing a staggering 84 shrines, built around 1400 years back, in the scenic town of Bharmour. The vibrant reds, oranges and yellows contrast delightfully with the snowy surrounding and the entire area exudes a powerful sense the presence of the Almighty.

7. For an overnight stay at India’s Switzerland - Khajjiar

While most people drive to Khajjiar as a day excursion, waking up to Khajjiar shrouded in mist, is a heavenly feeling in itself. A walk around the path encircling the meadow, in the morning mist, hopefully with freshly fallen snow on the side of the path, is enough to convince even the worst cynic that Khajjiar is indeed a mini Switzerland.

8. For the immense Kangra Fort

The Kangra Fort, around 20 Kms from Dharamshala, is the largest Himalayan Fort and the oldest as well. It has been mentioned in the war records of Alexander the Great around 4^th century and was later captured from the Katoch Dynasty by Mohammad bin Tughlaq which subsequently passed onto Jahangir. It houses the intricately carved Laxmi Narayan Temple.

9. For this view near Chamba

The winding paths in the entire journey offer breathtaking views at every turn. But as we were greeted by this view, we made a half an hour  pit stop to take in this majestic view.

10. To drive through this incredible surprise called Jot

Nothing in the morning would have prepared us for the quaint Himalayan village of Jot. Jot literally means ‘crossing a hill from its top’ and even in the month of March was generously covered in a blanket of snow. The entire village affords the most astounding view of the Himalayan range.

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Of Unspoilt Snow, Steep Treks and Surviving Negative Temperatures: A True Manali Trance

By  Parth Yadav ....


Being an adventure lover to the core, I don’t believe in going main stream. So, when in peak summer month of July I planned to go to a place like Jaisalmer, for Manali, it had to be a December! Taking leave from my internship, I called a friend and the next thing I knew, I was packing my rucksack and heading for Kashmiri Gate Inter-state Bus Terminal (New Delhi) to catch an 8:30 PM Volvo to Manali.
Around 3-4 Volvos a day ply to and fro between Manali and Delhi, tickets of which can easily be booked online. Else there are continuous State Roadways buses between the two cities. A night journey in December gives you big time chills, especially if you’re headed to mountains and hence it’s advisable to wear appropriate woolens and carry a blanket in case you’re taking a normal State Roadways bus. It takes around 12-14 hours from Delhi to reach Manali via road. In case of trains, the nearest station to Manali is Chandigarh from where one can take a cab/bus to Manali.
Manali, so named from the Hindu God Manu, who like Noah of the Bible survived a Great flood and is believed to reside here. This area of Kullu Valley is also known as the Valley of the Gods as every village has its own deity. It is popular for skiing and surrounded by lush wooden slopes and majestic snow covered peaks. Manali- also known as Chamonix of India is most favorite mountain destination of tourist from all across India.
Manali is basically a small, close knit, beautiful hill station quite popular amongst the mountain lovers, so finding a place to stay or eat or shop will never be a problem. Author’s Advice: Take a hotel/lodge/guesthouse a little out of the main town, because that will give you a break-free crystal clear view of the Himalayas at a comparatively cheaper cost. Added bonus, isn’t it? I took one at a four kilometers distance from the Manali Bus Stand in Prini Village. Absolutely stunning view from the room’s balcony with all the requisite facilities and within a college going student’s pocket! What else could have I asked for.

Soon after checking in, we took some rest and then met the hotel’s manager. Pretty nice and helpful people, they will help you out in planning your entire trip. Most of the hotels have hired some tourist guides to help you with sightseeing and trekking. There are also bodies and associations which organize various trekking expeditions in and around Manali at various times of the year. We enrolled for one such expedition. First things first, we were asked to buy/rent Gum Boots without which trekking on snow is a BIG NO! Author’s Advice: Take the gum boots with fur inside them and a soft cushion sole and not the plastic, to make walking easier. Alongwith this some basic necessities like paper soap and a tiffin box to pack your lunch and other food stuff is required because up there are hardly any food stalls. All you’ll get at max is a Chai ki Tapri, so better carry your lunch box rather than starve while trekking. Author’s Advice: Do carry some packed snacks and munchings and do not over eat.
Our first trek was to the famous Hidimba Temple. Yes! The one shown in the famous movie Ye Jawani Hai Diwani. It was a 5-6 kilometer trek covered majourly with wet mud and some parts with snow. The Hidimbi Devi temple is built around a cave where Hidimba performed meditation. Hidimbi was supposed to have lived there with her brother Hidimba, and not much is known about their parents. Born into a Rakshas family, Hidimbi vowed to marry one who would defeat her brother Hidimba, who was supposed to be very brave and fearless. During the Pandava's exile, when they visited Manali; Bhima, one of the five Pandavas, killed Hidimba. Thereafter, Hidimbi married Bhima and gave birth to their son Ghatotkacha. The Hidimbi Devi Temple has intricately carved wooden doors and a tall wooden "shikhar" or tower above the sanctuary. An enormous rock occupies the inside of the temple, and only a 3-inch tall brass image representing goddess Hidimbi Devi is there. About seventy metres away from the temple, there is a shrine dedicated to Goddess Hidimbi's son, Ghatotkacha, who was born after she married Bhima.
Authors Advice: Near the Ghatotkacha Temple is a Giant Wheel. Do take a ride in the same for a bird’s eye view of nearby mountains. 

Our next day trek leads us to one Klath Hot Water Springs. Again some 5.30 kilometers trek. This trek basically happens along the Beas River. Absolutely clear water flowing over stones and boulders is a sight to take a halt-stay-and watch! 

The Hot Water Springs have been taken up by private agencies which have built various swimming pools (both private and public) and bathrooms. There are pipelines leading to these areas which bring in the hot sulphur water. It is said Sulphur water is good for curing various skin diseases. Even if we don’t care for that, the hot water bath at the pool for an hour or two is like a session at the spa, so effective, you feel so light as if years of your tiredness had gone in a jiffy! 

Back from Klath, we still had time and hence planned to visit the local Manali market. A perfect place for shopaholics with varieties of clothes and interior décor stuff and equally amazing for foodies like me! ‘N’ number of cafes serving local as well as other cuisines. Do hog on some chicken momos and the must have Thupka! Couple it with some beer, and your day is made! Author’s Advice: If you’re fond of drinking do try the local production of Apple Cider Wine. It’s really good in taste and comes at just Rs. 60/- a pint!

The third day was the most challenging! It was a trek towards the Sar Pass. Sar, in local dialect, means a lake. While trekking, across the path from Tila Lotni to Biskeri Ridge, one has to pass by a small, (normally) frozen lake (Sar) and hence the name Sar Pass. The feeling of being around 13,000 feet above sea level, with unspoilt milky white snow all around, cold winds blowing across your ears, Himalayas at their best, peace and calmness everywhere is a sight that settles deep down within your mind. 

But as they say, beautiful things doesn’t come easy, you have to pay the requisite prize. This one was one of the most difficult treks till now. The trek is completely covered with 5-6 feet deep snow which may lead to 8-10 feet as you move to higher altitudes. This trek wasn’t just about walking with a stick. It included walking, jumping and yes! Rolling down a 40-50 feet snow covered cliff!! Yes, you read it right, I did say rolling. But as I said earlier, the destination all these difficulties lead to, does makeup for them and how! Out of all the adventures I have done till date, this one does top the list!

Finally, the next day we took a Volvo back to Delhi thus ending this journey as a memory which walks with you to your grave!

Few other tit bits:

1. Don’t carry huge rucksacks en-route your treks. There a steep cliffs, small paths less than a feet in width, thorny bushes, etc. which will make trekking with a rucksack almost impossible. Take a small bag and keep the rest of the luggage back in your hotel.

2. Must have’s: Thermals, gloves, shades, towel, requisite medicines, paper soaps, pen knives, tissue roll, etc.

3. Love to booze? Then Manali is your perfect holiday destination. All kinds of booze is easily available in Manali at moderate rates. With temperatures shooting as low as a minus 15 to minus 18, an Old Monk by your bedside will definitely be a great companion! Author’s Advice: ‘Lugdi’ a kind of crude beer made from fermented rice or barley is a must have. But yes! All this while in your hotel/tent. Drinking while trekking is not advisable. You might land yourself in trouble and if nothing else, for sure, you’ll not be able to appreciate the natural beauty!

This beautiful travelogue  is written by our guest author Parth Yadav. :)

About Parth:
Currently pursuing his bachelors from National Law University, Lucknow is a bibliophile and an avid fiction lover. Travelling is not just his hobby but his passion. He likes to explore the unexplored and does things which aren't mainstream. Mountains, "supposedly" haunted destinations and bike trips are what attracts him the most. A certified trekker by the Youth Hostel Association of India, he dreams to cover the Himalayas on his bike someday!

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