HIKING
SHIVANANDI RIVER LODGE is the perfect place to relax in. The continous flow of the river and the gentle sound of flowing water can hold your mind enchanted for hours... If your body still needs some movement, there are numerable possibilities around the lodge, and a couple of hours drive away. Here you will find a description of some of the possibilities:
Kaudgy to Shivanandi - family walk, Shivanandi Village walk, Devria Tal Lake, Tungnath Temple walk, Kartik Swami Temple walk, Happy Valley
KAUDGY TO SHIVNANDI - FAMILY WALK
1 day outing from SHIVANANDI RIVER LODGE
Alaknanda River looking up-stream
Batwari Village
Kaudgi Village
Bridge over the river at Gholtir
From SHIVANANDI RIVER LODGE drive up stream for 3 km to Gholtir. There you will find a bridge over the Alaknanda and will cross over to the other side of the river. A beautiful walk through Kaudgy and Batwari villages suits the whole family. At the end of the walk you will reach a meadow with enormous Mango and Pipal trees, a gift left by generations of pilgrims. From this meadow, a path will lead you down to the banks of the Alaknanda opposite SHIVANANDI RIVER LODGE. A raft will cross you over the river, back to the lodge.
The bridge over the Alaknanda River
There is an interesting anecdote about Kaudgi village. At the beginning of the 20th century, a famous man-eating leopard was the terror of the district. He had a recorded killing of hundreds of people but the unrecordered record was over 1,000.
Jim Corbet was a famous English hunter who spent years tracking down this leopard. In his book "The Man Eating Leopard of Rudraprayag", he said more people were killed in Kaudgi than in any other village.
Enjoy your walk !
On the walk down back to the river.
You can see the raft waiting to take us safely across.
SHIVANANDI VILLAGE TOUR
10 minute walk away from SHIVANANDI RIVER LODGE
Shivanandi village is a tiny village of around 15 extended families who are all self-sustainable farmers. They have tiny side businesses such as selling milk from their buffaloes and cows, and running small shops on the road. The houses are all closely clustered together and are surrounded by the fields.
Generally there are two crops a year. Wheat in the winter and spring, and rice in the monsoon. Besides these two main crops, pulses, vegetables and fodder for the cows are also grown.
You can go on a beautiful walk in the village and the forest above it.
If you want, a family in the village will be happy to have you over for lunch or tea, village style. Tasty, tasty and fiercely hot!
DEVRIA TAL LAKE
3-5 days excursion from SHIVANANDI RIVER LODGE
Devaria Tal (aka Deoria Tal) is a small lake situated at an altitude of 2,387 meters. The lake is famous for its wide 300° panorama. Mountains like Chaukhamba, Nilkantha, Bandarpunch, Yellow Tooth, Kedar Range, Kalanag, can be seen from the lake. The lake is accessible by foot only. The walk starts at the sleepy village of Sari. The 3 km walk up to the lake is steep but picturesque.
From SHIVANANDI RIVER LODGE drive to Ukhimath following the Mandakini river (60 km, 2 hours). If you’re camping on the lake, you can carry on your drive to Sari village (another 10 km) and walk up to Devaria Tal Lake the same day. If you’re not camping on the lake, you might want to start the walk the next day so that you can spend enough hours on the enchanting lake.
Tungnath Temple is not far from the lake, you can read more on our site in the next paragraph .
TUNGNATH TEMPLE WALK
3-5 days excursion from SHIVANANDI RIVER LODGE
Tungnath is the highest Hindu Temple in the world located at an altitude of 3,680 meters (12,073 feet). Magnificent in it’s architechture and it’s artistic structure, Tungnath temple is considered to be more than 1,000 years old.
From SHIVANANDI RIVER LODGE drive to Chopta (87 km, 2.5 hours). You will spend a night in Chopta and start your pilgrimage up to Tungnath the next day. This highest temple of Lord Shiva is ironically the easiest one to reach. Tungnath Temple can be reached by an easy but steep walk of 4km starting at Chopta (ascending about 1,000 meters in altitude). The walk goes through rocky terrains, green meadows and Rhododendron bushes. Several named and unnamed peaks of the Himalayan range are distinctly visible from Tungnath.
After returning from Tungnath to Chopta, you can return to SHIVANANDI RIVER LODGE on the same day, or if you desire, spend some more time in the area visiting the Devraya Tal Lake and other places.
KARTIK SWAMI TEMPLE WALK
1 day excursion from SHIVANANDI RIVER LODGE
Kartik Swami Temple is located at an altitude of 3,048 meters. The Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva’s son, Kartikeya.
Kanak Chauri, the village the trek begins from is 55 km, 2 - 2 1/2 hours away. The hike is beautiful and very easy going through dense Oak and Rhododendron forest that is in spectacular bloom in spring and early summer. The Temple is on the top of the ridge and has a magnificent view of the mountains from Chaukhamba to Trisul. It takes no more than 5 hours to walk up and back from Kanak Chauri besides 4 hours of driving. In the evening you are back at home in comfortable SHIVANANDI RIVER LODGE.
Kartik Swami temple
Nanda Devi peak seen from Kartik Swami temple
Looking down at Wan village from the GMVN guest house
Just another amazingly beautiful waterfall on the road from Lohajang to Wan
"HAPPY VALLEY" (WAN VALLEY)
3-5 days excursion from SHIVANANDI RIVER LODGE
When Shalabh first returned from the Bedni Bugyal Trek, his face was illuminated. When asked where he had gone, he said, "I went to HAPPY VALLEY. A valley where everybody I met was happy." Since then we call this place, the Happy Valley!
The area Happy Valley is located in is very lucky to be out of the Yatra (Pilgrimage) route. Being out of the heavily visited route has kept it one of the most beautiful, clean and untouched places in the Hilmalayas.
From SHIVANANDI RIVER LODGE, drive to Lohajang (2,350 meters high, 4 hours). Lohajang is located on a pass with a soul opening view of high mountains. you can spend the evening walking around the village. Sleep the night in a family guest house in Lohojang.
The next day, drive 15 km to the end of the road. The road is an unpaved jumpy road, but very picturesque. On the way there are beautiful streams and waterfalls which can make lovely picnic spots.
Wan village is a beautifully untouched village of 400 families, with apple and peach trees, potato and wheat fields, vegetables and a small stone ground local mill. This is also the beginning of the Roopkund and Bedni Bugyal treks.
In Wan there are two sleeping options: Wan GMVN and a forest rest house. Booking in advance is necessary. These two sleeping places have no kitchen so food is to be prepared by yourself. There are many days of walks around Wan village.
If you don't want to prepare your own food, you can stay in Lohajang.
A picture of the fair taken from the Giant Wheel
Shopping in the Himalaya!
GAUCHAR MELA (NOVEMBER)
Half an hour drive from SHIVANANDI RIVER LODGE
Every year, just before the winter sets in,
Gauchar is a host to the Gauchar Mela, a traveling fair which lasts for one week. Village people come from far and wide to buy and to sell at the Mela.
Besides the Giant Wheel, the "Wall of death", the candy floss and endless Chinese plastic toys and clothes, there are some wonderful stores.
Different varieties of local homegrown organic rice, millet, pulses, high altitude honey, squashes and more, home spun wool and clothes knitted out of it, woolen carpets, pashmina wool garments and much much more!
Ear cleaning anyone?
Usually called "The wall of death", where motorbikes and cars drive around in circles leaving the crowd breathless with anticipation for a crash... In the Gauchar Mela there is an enormous sign outside the tent saying:
"Death of Wall"
English lessons needed...