There is no better way to feel life in its purest form than trekking to the mountains.

The sweat, the pumping hearts, the icy headwinds, the frozen boots and the pain that shatters your ego, you feel it all. You are nothing against the force of nature, against the mighty Himalayas.

I missed it badly throughout the lockdown. And so to quench my wanderlust I  recently trekked to Kedarkantha peak with 24 other adventure seekers.

The trek starts from a small village Sankri which is about 186 km from Dehradun and 432 km from Delhi. It is one of the best winter treks in the Indian Himalayas as you get a lot of snow and 360 degree view of the surrounding peaks from the summit. It is a four day long trek.

You witness the beauty of snow laden pine trees ,a mesmerizing frozen lake by the name of “Juda Ka Talab” and the breathtaking beauty of Himalayas from the peak which is at an altitude of 3800 meters. The summit push in the early morning at about 3 am in the dark is the most thrilling part of the trek.

It becomes tricky near the summit as you walk on a narrow ridge with the slopes downhill on either sides. These slopes remain fully covered with snow throughout the winters. The howling gales try to push you and any wrong step can make you fall straight down the hill, sliding through the snow.

In spite of all such ordeals you are rewarded with the breathtaking view of sun rise from behind the snow laden Himalayan peaks.

The 360 degree view of the nearby peaks from the summit makes it more special . When you reach the summit you find yourself among the surrounding peaks which are no longer above you but beside you. You are continuously hit by the icy winds and you struggle to capture the moments with your bare hands. It is a kind of adventure your soul desperately craves for !

These mountains are waiting for you, waiting for you to come out of urban chaos and find your true self in the wilderness of nature.

There is nothing in this world that can challenge the magnificence of nature. No human is above it, it will always survive the jolts of pandemic we struggle to face. It was there before our existence and will continue to thrive after we perish. Respecting it can only help us to exist a little bit longer.