Travelogues

My forearms are still aching from all the hard work we did yesterday. But once we started on the Roghi – Tapri route, we had no choice but to keep going. The only information we had about this route was from the caretaker at the rest house in Roghi. But then, not many people visit this Rest House. The guest register indicated that we were the first to visit this year, and going by the single entry for 2007, we might as well be the only visitors this year.

Our stay at the Roghi rest house was not by prior planning. We had set off from Chitkul, planning to visit Kalpa, Roghi and then proceed as far as time allowed on our way back home. But we reached Kalpa soaking wet after riding in the rains half way from Rekong Peo. After waiting 2 hours for the rains to die down so as to do some photography, we decided to ride ahead and check into the rest house at Roghi and leave photography for the next day on our way back.

I have been to this rest house last year, and though I couldn't spend the night then due to paucity of time, I had promised to treat myself to a night here some day. And the unexpected rains presented an opportunity to do just that. Set high up in the mountains, this is no ordinary rest house when it comes to the location, going by HPPWD or even GMVN rest house standards. Kinner Kailash is just a peek outside the window, and so is the chain of snow covered mountains peaks on either sides of the revered Kinner Kailash Mountain. The close proximity of the rest house to these peaks is what makes it different from other “Snow View” hotels and rest houses. And Roghi being no city or town, there is nothing to distract the view that lies in front of us. Looking down, we have an astounding view of the deep valley, whose floor is not even visible from the high perch that this Rest house is. Settling down on an easy chair at the wooden balcony, sipping tea, we were left spellbound by the view ahead of us, as we caught the last rays of the sun gleaming off the snow from the chain of high mountain peaks.

The Roghi PWD Rest house.

The location

The driveway to the Rest house

Views from the Rest house

The high and the mighty

Glaciers high above

As the sun started to set

At sun set

The rest house has just 2 rooms, with bare minimum amenities, which is understandable, since the rest house practically receives no visitors. And it is no easy task reaching this rest house either, unless you are an expert handling a 4x4 or good with riding a