goSTOPS is known to be the coolest, friendliest, most welcoming chain of hostels by most people. But, the ones who have been a part of the adventure know that it is much beyond that. goSTOPS is a community-led initiative striving to make travel easier, more affordable and wholesome.
We, at goSTOPS, have stepped beyond accommodation and tried to perfect the experience further. Apart from the cosy corners, high-energy common areas, and comfortable beds lies an experience of community which is irreplaceable. We wanted to take this up a notch, so we came up with goEXPERIENCES.
goEXPERIENCES is a carefully curated set of adventures to elevate the travelling experience. Every place has a soul, and we must discover it through travel. We wanted to offer something unique and wholesome to our close-knit community of travellers, and goEXPERIENCES seemed like the best way to do it. So far, people have loved it, so we want to keep adding more such experiences for the love of travelling.
Under goEXPERIENCES, we have treks and special experiences. Every experience counts, but some experiences just change your life.
Hampta Pass Trek, Himachal Pradesh
If you are new to the world of people that go on dates with a whole bunch of mountains, this is your place. The hills of Himachal are different from everywhere else. The Hampta Pass is a corridor between the lush green grandeur of Kullu valley and the barren, cold mountains of Chandra Valley in Spiti. A friend recently trekked through the Hampta pass and called it, ‘21 kilometres of pure awe and wonder.’ Staying at camps beside beautiful rivers, waking up to the magnificent mountains and sleeping under the stars – everything is more magical than it sounds. The calmness of the Chandratal lake, the adventure of walking on the loose rocks and glacier deposits, the grand Lahaul and Spiti valley and the beauty of the flora will have you head over heels about these hills.
The Hampta Pass trek can be categorized as an easy to moderate trek. The most impressive thing about this trek is that no one gets over it. Some beginners start with this trek, and some experts can not seem to stop coming back. When I say it will change your life, I mean you will go back home with an experience that will ground you and have you retrospect about life.
The Valley of Flowers Trek, Uttarakhand
The Valley of Flowers trek is easily the most popular, the most legendary trek in India. The beauty of this trek is in how simply people have managed to trek through the splendour of the Valley while immersing in the beauty it has to offer. The trek is an easy to moderate trek, but the Pushpawati River along the thousands of species of flora and fauna, only makes it easier.
While you trek through this beautiful trail of floral luxury, you will come across many remarkable mythological stories connected to the valley. It also lies parallel to the Hemkund Sahib, which holds a lot of historical significance for the Sikhs. It lies within the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve, which is a UNESCO Heritage site.
A June proposal in the valley while the sun shines, the flowing river glitters and the flowers blossom seems like the most perfect way to propose to your significant other. This is a magical trek and I can not recommend it more.
The Kheerganga Trek, Himachal Pradesh
The Kheerganga trek of Kasol is easily the most talked-about experience. It is one of those treks that makes its way to everyone’s Instagram. This 12 kilometers long trek is a relatively easy trek and the most exciting one. You will witness the beauty of snow-capped mountains, a natural hot spring, waterfalls, oak trees and of course, the camping sites.
If you are new to the world of camping, this trek is your gateway. If you are planning a solo trek, this is your chance to feel it all. It takes roughly around 5 hours to complete this trek if you don’t stop to stare for too long.
Har Ki Dun Trek, Uttarakhand
Har means Hari or Lord Krishna, and Dun means valley. Har ki Dun lies in the valley of the Swargarohini peak. Har ki Dun is the trek to explore ancient mythology, culture and brilliant storytelling on the way. It is also called the hanging valley or the ‘Valley of the Gods’. It is a 49-km long trek, which makes it rather difficult for beginners.
The beauty of this trek lies in journeying through the different topographies, terrains and landscapes. You will witness the various majestic peaks like Swargarohini, Bandarpoonch, Kala Nag, Jaundhar Glacier and so on. You will experience the simplicity of Himalayan villages that are still unaffected by the chaos of civilization.
The trek starts at the Sankri village and it takes about 7 days to complete it. The best time to trek to Har ki Dun is either summer (May to June) or Autumn (September to November).
Kedarkantha Trek, Uttarakhand
Kedarkantha trek is the oldest, best winter trek you will come across. It starts in a village called Sankri, which is 8-hours away from Dehradun. The trek is a trail of mythological stories and mesmerizing sceneries that lead you to a 360-degree view of snow-capped mountains. The trek is moderately easy as it is just 21 kilometers long.
It is nestled in clearings and eye-catching campsites. It offers spellbinding views of Swargarohini, Bandarpoonch, Kala Nag, and Draupadi ka Danda peaks as you ascend to the summit. You can witness knee-deep snow in the winter and lush green meadows in the summer. You will be able to witness all the snow-capped peaks while you assent 12,500 ft to reach the summit.
The best time to trek to Kedarkantha Trek is in winter (December to February) when the temperatures drop to 8 degrees during the day and are even lower at night. It is situated in Govind National Park and starts at the Sankri village.
Conclusion
Trekking is a continuous love affair with nature. The more you trek, the deeper it gets. Over the last few years, the state of travel has changed. People who once escaped into the comfort of luxury, now seek humbling experiences like treks. I evaluated these five treks based on the variety of landscapes, accessibility, ease of exploring and of course, their Instagram appeal.
Instagram may be a superfluous metric, but it has helped me in knowing about other people’s experiences. It amazes me how different people walked the same earth, witnessed the same landscapes, and breathed the same air, and yet, each trek could bring out a newer perspective.
I hope you found your trek. Tell us how it goes!
