Uttaranchal Reviews

Food, sight-seeing and shopping
Rafting can be arranged by GMVN or you can arrange by nearby private camps too.Rs. 1800 per raft with 4-5 people between Marine drive to Shivpuri is the tariff for individual trips. My arrangements went haywire as a Minister had arrived at our camp and was to inaugurate the river rafting so GMVN rafting staff was gone with him!! . Only the Manager,gmvn had arranged for a private river guide for us that saved our valuable vacation day .We enjoyed our trip on rapids like three blind mice, Body shopping and others till we reached Shivpuri wet, cold on march day but still excited about our first rafting experience. We drove back to Kaudiyala in an open truck of RIMO rafters after thanking the river guides and taking photographs. Next day we left Kaudiyala and went to Devprayag where we were to witness the Aqua dash event of Rafting Challenge. We climbed down to rocky beach of Bhagirathi river, which is more 'tempestous'. The only thing lacking in the organization of the event was a total disdain for die hard tourist s like us NOT staying with celebrities at Snow leopard or Indian Adventurers camp. No information was dissipated even in local papers or to GMVN offices about exact timetable of each event, its location. Expecting these organizers to be large hearted and focusing NOT only on comfort of foreigners /participants but propagation of this rare event amongst locals lay or rafting guides was to expect too much. While Four Square spent a great deal of money and efforts to propagate this event in print and TV media they failed to have any information web site or kiosks in locations for some body like us who took there live your dreams ad seriously and traveled all the way from Gujarat in March month with 3 children in tow!! In all probability these organizers were self-contained not worrying about spectators at all. They had only one from outside the Devprayag i.e. us!! They missed out to all the youth of Garhwal and Dehradoon who if had exact event and location time table would have loved to witness such a grand event. Another great miss usual to Indian organizers was there were NO local amateur team even as a non competitive participant from 22 rafting camps each having 2/3 Nepali, Garhwali river guides, They could have gained inspirational experience to be with the greater firangi champions and share their experiences. I would have loved to have a large hearted meeting between local garhwali rafters and firangis brought about by grace of Influential Organizers like snow leopard. But under estimating locals and brethrens is the bane of all great Indian sports and event organisers. May large-hearted spirit prevail upon those who decide everything in all sports in India so that we get locals to be at helm not some Delhi socialite whose dreams were lived by organizing such a grand event? May be sponsors who did a great job in PR before the event actually multiply their goodwill to many by local info sharing and participation. But it was a great spectacle as 2 rafters slided down the ropes to reach other side of river flow and meet their other 2 paddlers. They now paddle and pass though gates hung by ropes across the river span. Red gates were for going up against the current. WE enjoyed this and left Devprayag for Chandrabadani 9000 feet temple. Rest of the events we missed as they planned them down stream while we were to travel up. We wanted to see greater Himalayas so we stayed overnight at the temple and saw sunset and rise in the morning with rains, rainbow and biting cold. From here we took Tehri road ,saw the massive dam being built and made our own amateur opinions about its eco challenge and drove on seeing the Bhilangana river meet Bhagirathi at old Tehri. New Tehri is Asias largest rehabilitation project completed but people there want More!!

Activities & things to do
Next two nights we were in Dhanaultee and Mussourie having relaxed holiday of a standard hill station with snow views and water fall bathing at Kempty. After last day at Old hotel Savoy with a large three room suite at most off season rate we drove back to Delhi for a train back home. All the while I was planning how next to explore the four major directions /routes to unparallel beauty i.e. four dhams of yamnotri - gangotri -kedarnath - Badrinath. Each route to be enjoyed in minimum one week seeing every point of Mythology and natural beauty peacefully. Next time ...

Travel tips, How to reach, travel warnings etc.
Rishikesh to Kaudiyala by bus - every half an hour... or even taxi from Rishikesh station.