DAY20: TAKLAKOT TO GUNJI (Via Lipulekh pass)
Distance : 53km (19 km by Bus, 34 km by foot)
Time Taken: 8 hours
Today was Our last day in Tibet, in a few hours time WE would be back in India. Not that WE had any complaints about being in Tibet but the excitement and the thought of getting back to our own country and stepping on our own land was overpowering, but, some felt some Divine too which makes emotional and difficult on leaving that Holy Place.
WE left our hotel in Taklakot at 0530 hrs (China Time) and our first stop was at the immigration. Where yatries had to get there hand baggage checked and also collect the big bags which they have deposited the previous night. From there WE proceeded to Lipulekh Pass by bus. Since it is only 19 km it did not take much long to reach the base of the pass and last 6 km before the pass the yatris had to walked.
WE were lucky to get a place in one of the Chinese official jeep. Few yatries got a horse to ride on uptill the Lipulekh pass. This was my only time on the trip that I was on a horse. So while the yatris huffed and puffed the last 1 km as it was made especially difficult because here there were no porters and even the hand bags had to be carried by oneself. Well WE reached to the top of the Lipulekh Pass, first.
The next batch from India was already waiting for us to cross over. Luckily for them today was not even half as bad as what WE faced while crossing over to Tibet. The sun was almost out and it was a dry and not so windy. After greetings and the customary chanting of " Om Namah Shivay Namah Om ” with the next group WE crossed over to The Indian Side, and believe US it was an amazing feeling. The feeling you get when you cross over to your own country on foot is a feeling that you have to experience it yourself to believe it, can't be expressed in words.
It was actually a chaos at the border, the next batch luggage was crossing over from India side to China, Our luggage was coming from China side to India, porters were waiting for their yatries, some porters were bidding their yatries good bye, smuggling of alcohol and cigarettes happening openly and what not, but who cared, WE were home!!
In an excitement of being home WE covered the 9 km from Lipulekh Pass to Nabhidhang in just under 2 hrs. Needless to say WE were the first ones to reach there.
After breakfast it was time yatries have to move forward to Kalapani. Kalapani was another 9 km. Again the journey was smooth and was covered quickly. At Kalapani yatries had a bigger stop due to Lunch and also as WE had to complete the Indian immigration formalities and lastly the Darshan and Blessings of the Goddess Kali.
The last leg of Our journey today was Gunji, which was another 10 km from Kalapani. . At Gunji WE would be resting for the night. After doing all the formalities and a small Puja at Kalapani temple WE started Our walk back towards Gunji. Since WE had traversed this area only a few days back WE knew what to accept, hence the anticipation levels were less but the natural sights were as beautiful as ever.
At Gunji WE had a Divine time in the temple and a lovely dinner and then slept!!!
Pics from Day 20
Our bus journey from Taklakot to Lipulekh
The weather was actually good, the sun was out
The point where WE had to leave the bus and go up on jeep
The last 1 km of to the Lipulekh Pass
About to reach the pass
Our luggage from China
Bye Bye Lipulekh
INDIA finally!!!! Notice the lamp posts that the ITBP has put up
The temple at Nabhidhang, in sight
After Nabhidhang WE walked towards Kalapani
And WE reached Kalapani soon
road works in between Kalapani to Gunji
End of Day 20
Distance : 53km (19 km by Bus, 34 km by foot)
Time Taken: 8 hours
Today was Our last day in Tibet, in a few hours time WE would be back in India. Not that WE had any complaints about being in Tibet but the excitement and the thought of getting back to our own country and stepping on our own land was overpowering, but, some felt some Divine too which makes emotional and difficult on leaving that Holy Place.
WE left our hotel in Taklakot at 0530 hrs (China Time) and our first stop was at the immigration. Where yatries had to get there hand baggage checked and also collect the big bags which they have deposited the previous night. From there WE proceeded to Lipulekh Pass by bus. Since it is only 19 km it did not take much long to reach the base of the pass and last 6 km before the pass the yatris had to walked.
WE were lucky to get a place in one of the Chinese official jeep. Few yatries got a horse to ride on uptill the Lipulekh pass. This was my only time on the trip that I was on a horse. So while the yatris huffed and puffed the last 1 km as it was made especially difficult because here there were no porters and even the hand bags had to be carried by oneself. Well WE reached to the top of the Lipulekh Pass, first.
The next batch from India was already waiting for us to cross over. Luckily for them today was not even half as bad as what WE faced while crossing over to Tibet. The sun was almost out and it was a dry and not so windy. After greetings and the customary chanting of " Om Namah Shivay Namah Om ” with the next group WE crossed over to The Indian Side, and believe US it was an amazing feeling. The feeling you get when you cross over to your own country on foot is a feeling that you have to experience it yourself to believe it, can't be expressed in words.
It was actually a chaos at the border, the next batch luggage was crossing over from India side to China, Our luggage was coming from China side to India, porters were waiting for their yatries, some porters were bidding their yatries good bye, smuggling of alcohol and cigarettes happening openly and what not, but who cared, WE were home!!
In an excitement of being home WE covered the 9 km from Lipulekh Pass to Nabhidhang in just under 2 hrs. Needless to say WE were the first ones to reach there.
After breakfast it was time yatries have to move forward to Kalapani. Kalapani was another 9 km. Again the journey was smooth and was covered quickly. At Kalapani yatries had a bigger stop due to Lunch and also as WE had to complete the Indian immigration formalities and lastly the Darshan and Blessings of the Goddess Kali.
The last leg of Our journey today was Gunji, which was another 10 km from Kalapani. . At Gunji WE would be resting for the night. After doing all the formalities and a small Puja at Kalapani temple WE started Our walk back towards Gunji. Since WE had traversed this area only a few days back WE knew what to accept, hence the anticipation levels were less but the natural sights were as beautiful as ever.
At Gunji WE had a Divine time in the temple and a lovely dinner and then slept!!!
Pics from Day 20
Our bus journey from Taklakot to Lipulekh
The weather was actually good, the sun was out
The point where WE had to leave the bus and go up on jeep
The last 1 km of to the Lipulekh Pass
About to reach the pass
Our luggage from China
Bye Bye Lipulekh
INDIA finally!!!! Notice the lamp posts that the ITBP has put up
The temple at Nabhidhang, in sight
After Nabhidhang WE walked towards Kalapani
And WE reached Kalapani soon
road works in between Kalapani to Gunji
End of Day 20
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