A Day in a Camp in Kashmir Great Lakes

Me Posing a High Kick in front of Vishansaar Lake

Unlike any other places, a day in a camp starts in the second half of the day and not in the morning.

After a whole day’s trek when you reach the campsite, all tired and exhausted and amidst all the other camps, you look for the particular one setup for your team. Sometimes it’s the nearest one, most of the time it’s the farthest one.

A beautiful dusk in Vishansaar Campsite

Once you reach the camp dragging your feet the first thing you do is throw your sack down and sit down wherever you can. And swear to never come back on a trek ever again.

But once you hydrate yourself and get your strength back suddenly you realize how beautiful the campsite and its surrounding is.

By this time you have totally forgotten all the day’s hard work to reach this place, and the numerous times you have cursed your Trek leader for bringing you on this trail.

Then when the support staff brings juice, snacks, tea one by one with a bright smile and makes an effort to make you smile, you don't even remember that tomorrow is going to be yet another long stretch of walk like a mule with a heavy backpack.

Teasing, Joking, Chit Chatting with the team-mates with evening Chai Pakora

While you are joking around and teasing each other suddenly it starts becoming dark. And by that time you should have already put on your warm layers, a warm hat on your head with ears open, visited the toilet tent a couple of times at-least and have your head torch on your forehead.

8-8:30 usually dinner is served and you hurry into the dining tent sitting very close to each other as temperature outside has dropped quite a lot post sunset.

Campsite getting dark and beautiful

You enjoy your dinner sitting like that helping each other passing down their plates several time, with a simple yet the most delicious warm meal you ever had.

Once you are done with your dinner, you will find yourself inside your tent in no time making your sleeping bag ready as you feel dead tired and sleepy.

Now that you are inside your sleeping bag all cozy and warmed up the first thought that will come up and you will be discussing with your tent mates, that you have to wake up early tomorrow and at the right moment and should able to find a an empty toilet tent or at-least one with very few in the queue, or else you will have to find an empty place behind the boulders in the open in case of emergency.

Mornings in a camp are very short and rush.

From the time you wake up you are always in a hurry to have your breakfast ,pack your sack, empty your tent, take some quick photos and you are ready for today’s journey.

And like everyday your trek leader and guide will say

“आज का ट्रेक इजी है …”!

A Group Picture on the way to Naranag on the last Day