Nag Tibba: A perfect start for trekking beginners

With life moving supersonic, stealing weekends to stop and enjoy life for a bit can be therapeutic. Weekend getaways are not only relaxing but are equally practical, especially for those with packed professional lives. Nag Tibba is easily one of the best weekend getaway places from Delhi or nearby areas. It can be easily accessed, it offeres a beautiful, serene experience and opens into majestic panoramic views which are otherwise accessed only from really high altitudes. It also remains excluded from the hustle and bustle of fellow travellers and is usually very sparsely crowded by tourists/trekkers offering solitude in abundance. By elevating to a mere height of just 9,915 ft, you are introduced to overwhelmingly, drool-worthy panoramic views of mighty mountains such as Kalanag, Gangotri, Doon Valley and even Kedarnath. The sight is simply surreal and exceptionally electric.

I have always cherished the Nag Tibba trek for its 16 km long trail that traverses through astonishing wilderness and moves you with nature's subtle and inspiring beauty.

Not long ago, the trekker in me itched to dive into the mountains but with a tight work schedule I kept resisting the idea of even a weekend getaway until recently that I finally gave up and decided to go chill at Nag Tibba. I took a bus from Delhi to Dehradun and reached Panthwari very early in the morning. Buses from Delhi to Dehradun are frequent and remain the easiest, cost-effective means of transport between the two cities. Further, sufficient cabs are usually available at the bus stand that ferry passengers to the village of Panthwari.

At Panthwari, I freshened up and bought some packed food to enjoy during the trek. Without delaying I hopped onto the trail and started trekking towards the base camp. The base camp lies at a distance of 4.5 km from Panthwari and can be reached in approximately 5-6 hours by any averagely fit person. The trail isn?t well laid out; it is slightly off beat yet it is indeed interesting and unique. After a lunch break and a couple of rest breaks, I reached the base camp just before sunset and enjoyed a soul-warming, majestic sunset that evening. The sun painted the sky with hues of red, yellow and orange and it appeared surreal as well as truly fascinating. I called off for the day and pitched in my camp to grab some quality sleep for the night. It was a silent, cold night and I found myself spiralling about the vastness of the universe; nature indeed pushes us to think beyond the ordinary.

Next morning, I woke up fresh and relaxed. I munched onto some snacks and hit the trail yet again to restart the remaining trek. At this point, Nag Tibba laid at a mere distance of 3 km and I was more than excited to trek my way to the top. With gradual and steady climbing, I stood at a height of 9,915 ft in approximately one and a half hours. The Nag Tibba summit is alluring and awe-inspiring as it unfolds into beautiful views of mighty mountains such as Kala Nag, Gangotri and even the Himalayan Ranges. I thoroughly enjoyed the views and made good use of the solitude in contemplating and admiring the human-nature relationship. I deliberately soaked in the fresh sunlight, enjoyed nature?s delightful green beauty and relaxed in the vicinity of wilderness for as long as i wanted to. It was therapeutic, pleasant and calming altogether.

After whiling away sufficient time in the serenity of the Tehri Garhwal region of Uttarakhand, I began my journey towards Panthwari to reach back in time. The descent from the Nag Tibba summit to the Panthwari village is equally thrilling and fulfilling. I gazed at the natural beauty of the scenery and gasped at its abundance as I slowly yet steadily trekked downwards. The stretch from Nag Tibba to Panthwari is 8 km long and can be covered easily in approximately 3 hours. I took my time to enjoy and relax as much as possible before having to return to my dreadful metropolitan city.

It was in the month of April that I embarked on this journey, however, Nag Tibba remains accessible for almost all the months of the year and can be enjoyed literally any day. But, the scenery appears more alluring and fascinating during peak seasons when the colours of nature remain more vibrant and fresh. Based on your preferences of temperature and weather conditions, you can choose to trek to Nag Tibba either between the months of April and June or between the months of October and February.