Introduction
You have been exposed to the phrase “trekking” for quite some time, whether through Bollywood or social media. So, you’ve decided to take the plunge and go on a short journey as a trial run. You go online to research your alternatives but quickly become paralyzed by the sheer volume of information available. The southern population has a plethora of possibilities to choose from. With all the great day hikes in and around Pune and Bangalore, you won’t even need to plan. However, if you live in the North and want to go on a short hiking vacation in the Himalayas, you won’t have many options because the starting point for anything worthwhile will require you to travel to Delhi and back.
Here are five of the many reasons that Nag Tibba is an excellent trek for novices.
- proximity to Delhi, which is increasingly rare in today’s fast-paced world. Therefore, all activities, including shopping, going out, spending time with family, etc., must take place on the weekends. And if you are a Delhi local who has grown tired of the mall and the movies, then a trip to Nag Tibba is a fantastic way to kick off a lifetime of mountain adventures. Pantwari, 90 km from Dehradun, is the starting point for the Nag Tibba trek. If you leave Delhi at 11:00 PM and take a bus, you will be in Dehradun at 5:00 AM; from there, you may take a cab and arrive in Pantwari at 9:00 AM the following morning. You can begin your hike by 9:00 AM on Monday if you leave on Friday night.
The average weekend trek to Nag Tibba’s peak takes between two and three days to complete, depending on how fast you go. Being a novice, you wonder if you will be able to succeed. That’s when you should start your Pantwari-based 3-day trip. You can also begin your two-day trek from Thatyur; however, doing so may not be ideal because it is a very steep uphill climb until Nag Mandir, and by the time the view opens, you will be dead tired and because the water is only available at one place, which is located near your camping location for the day. You will camp in Nag Mandir the night before ascending Naga Parvata and arriving in Patwari by the end of the day if you follow the Thatyur – schedule.
Third, the landscape is mild, with no very steep sections lasting more than five to ten minutes, from Pantwari to the peak of Nag Tibba. This is especially true for novice hikers, who will appreciate the lack of challenging ascents and descents. In contrast to more seasoned hikers, first-timers to Nag Tibba tend to be less patient and eager to see the fruits of their labor. About two to three hours into the journey, you’ll reach Nag Mandir, where you may set up the tent and take in a panoramic view of the higher peaks of the Himalayas. One side of the gorgeous camping area known as Nag Mandir is bordered by Rhododendron forest, while the other side is surrounded by Deodar forest. The sunsets here rival those of any of the more remote camping spots in the Himalayas.
A well-rounded hiking experience, Nag Tibba provides a taste of everything a hiker encounters on a longer walk, including a jungle track, snow, and a breathtaking panorama of the Indian Himalayas (only the duration is short). When you set out from Pantwari, the first day of your trip will take you through a Rhododendron forest. The trail becomes ankle-deep, and sometimes knee-deep, in the snow either after or before Nag Mandir. From the peak, you’ll have a breathtaking view of India’s Bandar Poonch, Nanda Devi, and many more mountains. Most importantly, if you make your way carefully, you can complete a complete circle. Since the terrain is constantly changing when you return, doing a circuit is the best way to enjoy a path and keep your enthusiasm up for the full duration of your hike.
Fifthly, given all the reasons stated thus far, Nag Tibba is an excellent trip for novices, making it possible for nearly anyone to accomplish it. However, when you first set out for the uncharted mountains and are not accustomed to remote locations, questions like “what if I need medical attention?” or “what if I have to travel back to civilization for some emergency at home?” plague your mind. If your plans for Nag Tibba don’t work out, you may always return to Pantwari, even in the dead of night. From Nag Mandir, you can walk to the little huts near the start of the jungle trek in about an hour.
This winter, without apprehension, packs your bags and trek to Nag Tibba; the climb is within your reach in terms of both time and physical capacity.
