Auli on December 5th.....Please suggest

pingy

Hi Guys...I am planning a trip to Auli on the 5th of December ...would like to know if this is the right time and if I will be able to see some snow at this time of the year.I would love to be in the snow....would really appreciate if anyone can suggest any place close to rishikesh during that time of the year where I can find a lot of Snow....Thanking you all in advance.

arunchs

If you make it Auli, please let us all know on the snow condition there once you are back.

Thanks.

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pingy

Sure DUDE.... but I will visit only if I am sure that there would be snow around that time of the year ...

shahronakm

One option to find out would be call up GMVNL, Auli & find about the snow situation.

Ronak.

amarshah

that would be of great help as I would be going mid Feb ...

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Amar

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Ashish Agrawal

If skeing, is what you are looking for, than mid feb is the right time.

I am going there in mid of Feb for a skeing course.

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amarshah

it seems Ashish we might meet up there ... would be reaching Auli on 16th as of now ...

amitsankrani

I would advise to make it during the end of december . Temperature will fall extemely during nights ensuring good snowfall. If you wish to go skiing then mid jan is the best suited time. But it will be pack rushed with tourists during then. Try end december time - somewhere after christmas

harkisan

Dear Ashish

We r visiting Auli from Baroda by self driven car. We will stay at GMVN Auli from 20 to 25th Feb (accomodation is allready booked). Our Plant is as under.
17th Feb Sunday Baroda to Jaipur
18th Feb Jaipur to Kudiyala (35 Km from Risikesh )
19th Kudiyala to Birhi (Near Chamoli)
20th Check in to Auli in th morning
25th Check out from Auli.

25 to 3rd March in Kuamon Area open planning.

If you have any idea about road conidtion, snow fall pl let me know.
If y r there in the same dates pl let me know yr program.
My contact No is 9909925809

Harkisan L Parekh

Dilliwala

Harkisan

I hope u are aware that Jaipur to Kaudiyala (via Delhi traffic) is close to 600 km. It's slow going nowadays between Delhi and Haridwar - I'd say u will average around 50 kmph for the whole distance, which works out to 12 hours just driving. Doable, but tough, considering u'll stop for meals.
OTOH, Kaudiyala to Birahi is 170 km, which can be done in under 6 hours. U cud easily throw in another hour's driving that day.
In which case my suggestion is - u cud stop in Rishikesh on the 18th night.

Snow on the road, if any, won't last.

harkisan

Thank y for your valuable suggestion, i will take care in my itenity, if you have any furhter details about snow fall and road condition between Rshikesh to Auli in Mid Feb-08 pl convey

Ashish Agrawal

Hello harikisan

your program for reaching seems perfect. Especially, if you have a passion for driving.

I normally drive down to Delhi, from Surat. Infact, have driven to nanital & Haridwar as well.
Surat to Jaipur - 920 kms
Start at 7.00 am & reach Jaipur by 10.30 pm
includes breaks.

Next day reach by Delhi by early noon.
Delhi onwards, it will be slighlty difficult.
Hopeless roads, no traffic sense, worst is the road isn't divided into two.

My suggestion would be to take a break at Haridwar or Rishikesh & cover the rest of the journey next day.

Though I have plans to visit Auli the same time, but it all depends upon, if I am able to squeeze out time from my business.
Though I am quite positive.
How many of you are going to auli?

harkisan

Dear Ashish / Dilwala
Thank y for yr valuable suggestion.
We are two couples and two kids (4 Year Twins) planning by self drive car (Toyota Corolla)
I enjoy driving, last year I visited Kashmir with my family from Baroda by self drive car. During my return journey we have traveled from Pahelgaon to Jaipur 1300 Km (apporx) without any night halt. This includes Pahlegaon to Jammu 11 hrs 300 km Journey, one traffic jam at Jammu and Delhi crossing.
My rational behind staying at Kaudiyala (Just 1:15 hrs from Rishikesh) is that it is very nice GMVN TRH located at excellent location i.e. on roaring holy river Ganaga. (Kaudiyala is White Water River rafting camp of GMVN).
On a way to Kaudiyala to Birhi , we would like to visit Devprayag, Rudyrapryag and Karnprayag and enjoy to nature on a route.
Birhi TRH is another excellent TRH Located on a Bank of Birhi Ganaga. Tariff in Feb-08 of Birhi is Just Rs 300 /- due to off season (Say Free of cost ?? ) and Tariff at GMVN Auli is Rs 1600 due to peak season.
If we stay at Birhi, we can check in to Auli GMVN at around 11:00 am Latest or may be before that.
After adequate stay at Auli 5 days four Night we have another Five days in the Garhwal and Kumaon with Open Planning.
We are reaching Auli during Full Moon Period, to have excellent panorama even during Night. 21st Feb-08 is Full Moon (Purnima).
I had visited Auli in Spepember-2002 as a day tourist. However it was not a skiing or winter season. This time as we are visiting during winter need some information for better / detail planning of my trip. If anyone can guide me for my following question. (GMVN Ahmedabad, Rishikesh and Dehradun has not bothered to reply these question inspiete of repeated e-mails)
•Can we use our car for travel between Joshimath to Auli?
•By cable car if we Reach 8th Tower (Tower in proximity to chair lift), is it possible to get down with two kids and luggage? How much distance we need to trek to the get chair lift?
•Cable Car and Chair lift are reliably operating to reach GMVN Auli TRH?
•What is minimum Age for Skiing?
•Whether adequate Fresh Milk and Hygienic Drinking water available for Kids?
•Reliability of Electricity at GMVN Auli Resort.
•Medical facility, particularly availability of pediatrician at Joshimath?? ITBP medical facility is available to civilians in case of emergency?? Is there any tie-up for medical facility GMVN has with ITBP or any other such institute / hospital / dispensary.
•Is Gopeshwar to Ukimath (via Chopta) road is available to reach Syalsor from Auli.
•Whether Syalsor TRH is operating during 24 to 27 Feb 2008??
•Whether Joshimath to Govindghat / Pandukeshwar , Tapovan road is available during this season.
•Whether Joshimath to Tapovan Lata, Malari road is available during this season.
•Whether interline permit is required to visit Malari / Niti Route ??

Regards.

Dilliwala

Hi Harkisan

"During my return journey we have traveled from Pahelgaon to Jaipur 1300 Km (apporx) without any night halt. This includes Pahlegaon to Jammu 11 hrs 300 km Journey, one traffic jam at Jammu and Delhi crossing."
Phew!! That's a 2-and-half day drive for me. At least.
But u are the best judge of your capabilities/stamina - if u feel comfortable with your original plan and prefer Kaudiyala and Birahi as night-stops for the reasons mentioned, then it's not for me to talk u out of it.

"Birhi TRH is another excellent TRH Located on a Bank of Birhi Ganaga. Tariff in Feb-08 of Birhi is Just Rs 300 /- due to off season (Say Free of cost ?? ) and Tariff at GMVN Auli is Rs 1600 due to peak season."
As it happens, I stayed overnight at Birahi on 1st Nov, on my way to Badrinath (more details at the end). Altho I had made a booking thru GMVN Nandprayag an hour earlier, I got a better deal at Tapovan Resort across the road from GMVN, so cancelled the booking. GMVN's latest rate (cheapest rooms) are Rs. 450, with geyser and TV. Since the geyser wasn't working then, they offered me the room for Rs. 360 (hot water in bucket).
These rates are valid till 30-4-08.

•Can we use our car for travel between Joshimath to Auli?
•By cable car if we Reach 8th Tower (Tower in proximity to chair lift), is it possible to get down with two kids and luggage? How much distance we need to trek to the get chair lift?
Yes.
In view of this, it's a waste of time and money taking the rope-way from Joshimath to Auli before checking in to GMVN (if that's what u mean). If u want to try it for the experience, I suggest u do it on a day-trip to J'math and back.

•Cable Car and Chair lift are reliably operating to reach GMVN Auli TRH?
In another thread someone said it's under maintenance, but it shud be running again soon. Feb being peak-season, it's sure to run.

•What is minimum Age for Skiing?
•Whether adequate Fresh Milk and Hygienic Drinking water available for Kids?
•Reliability of Electricity at GMVN Auli Resort.
No idea on the first.
Drinking water shud be available in bottles (Bisleri, etc). Milk? I believe I did order it for brekker, and received it too (April 05). Check with nyraghu, he was there recently (send him a PM if necess, directing his attn to this thread).
The electricity is as reliable as predicting snowfall on a fixed date - hard to say.
In any case, I wud buy bottled water and Amul milk cartons for the period of stay from Joshimath, if there's any doubt re supply. So I recommend u clear this along with the age question directly by calling GMVN Auli - 01389-223208.
If no luck, call the main TRH at Joshimath, they will know - 01389-222226.
It'll be a waste of time emailing again.

•Medical facility, particularly availability of pediatrician at Joshimath??
ITBP medical facility is available to civilians in case of emergency?? Is there any tie-up for medical facility GMVN has with ITBP or any other such institute / hospital / dispensary.
Yes.
ITBP is not available officially, but I doubt they wud refuse if someone's critical. The Army's med facilities are also not far, at the start of the Auli road. U'll see it when u drive up.
Re GMVN's tie-up - ask them directly.

•Is Gopeshwar to Ukimath (via Chopta) road is available to reach Syalsor from Auli.
•Whether Syalsor TRH is operating during 24 to 27 Feb 2008??
Yes, but the higher parts of the road cud be under snow. In any case this is the longer way to get to Syalsaur, but I guess u want to drive it for the scenery. The shorter way is via Karnprayag/Rudraprayag/Agastyamuni.
Yes, the TRH is open all year round.

•Whether Joshimath to Govindghat / Pandukeshwar , Tapovan road is available during this season.
•Whether Joshimath to Tapovan Lata, Malari road is available during this season.
•Whether interline permit is required to visit Malari / Niti Route ??
U're in luck - as it happens, I visited these areas in early Nov, and have posted all the above info in this thread. I shud warn u though, that beyond Jumma (19 km after Lata, 19 km before Malari) the road is generally closed in winter due to snow. I was given this info by a forest-guard of NDBR from Suraithota (he's a resident of Malari).
So all talk of going to Malari and Niti in Feb and permits required is purely academic.

If u need any more info, let me know.