Rupin Pass Trek – 30th Bday Celebration Trip

Rupin Pass trek covers the path along the Rupin river starting from where it cruises through the villages to where it originates. The highlight of the trek is the changing picturesque landscapes every day. Expect to see grasslands, meadows, mountains, valleys, glaciers, rivers, pine forests, lush greenery, and huge snowbound patches with zero greenery when you reach the pass.

Sceneries change throughout the walk but what remains consistent is the gushing sound of the Rupin river. Though I would not consider this trek as an easy one, but the key to make the experience enjoyable is to absorb the nature and calm your mind. Different people have different ways to do it. For me it was breathing in the fresh air and soaking in the sound of the river. Those who have not been to Himalayas before will realize how majestic these mountain ranges are. As I say, leave your ego aside and trek like a river that cuts through the mountains. The more humble you are, the easier your trek goes.

This trek was very dear to me since it was a gift to myself for my 30th birthday and I had never done a trek of this magnitude before. In the hindsight, I am so glad I made this trip; it was a life changing experience.

THE LEGEND OF RUPIN

Legends have it that there was a wicked snake by the name of Rupin that sliced the Himalayas with its tongue thereby paving the way for what we know as Rupin river today. It was killed by a God called Poku Devta who would demand sacrifice of a human if one had to get his wish fulfilled. In today’s date the human sacrifices don’t exist, but the locals still sacrifice goats to appease Poku Devta. It is believed that whoever looks at the Devta’s idol will die in few days. Therefore, prayers are offered to Him by the pundits facing their backs to the idol.

DAY 1: CAB RIDE TO DHAULA

We started off with the cab ride from Dehradun to Dhaula, where our base camp was set. A beautiful road journey it was. We covered around 250kms on the road enjoying the view of Kempty Waterfall, pine forests and rivers such as Yamuna, Tons, Rupin & Supin. It was my first experience of seeing white waters from the glaciers and I was thoroughly amused. We took quite a few breaks on the river banks to enjoy the icy cold glacial waters. Rupin & Supin rivers were the only ones that had clear water, so if you are planning refill your bottles, get it done here.

After reaching the campsite (a homestay), we had some refreshments & were briefed about the general dos & don’ts about the trek.