Trekking to Satopanth Lake offers a majestic view of the Himalayas

If you are wondering what it feels like to get away from everyday life of noise, chaos, pollution and the intrusive mind-parasite we call the internet, I recommend a trek to the Himalayas. I can assure it is exactly what you imagine it could be like — an absolute mind and soul cleanse. After my family and I trekked for seven days in the glorious mountains of Himalayas, I came back to the city, quite reluctantly, but feeling happier and detoxed.

We named the trek The Satopanth Lake Trek as it was the final destination of this adventurous yet picturesque journey. Also, one must definitely note the Hindu mythological linkage to the path we trekked on.

On the first night, we camped in a small village called Mana. It is believed that Pandavas and their wife, Draupadi, passed through this village on their final walk to heaven. During the trek, we even passed the cave in which Veda Vyasa sat and wrote Mahabharata. There is also a myth that locals strongly believe — if one takes a dip in the holy Satopanth Lake, the person can wash away all their sins as well as break the cycle of rebirth. All this information made the journey to the holy lake even more compelling.

We had the necessary trekking gear to protect against the unpredictable weather in the Himalayas. The travel group that put together the entire trek had provided us with state-of-the-art trekking equipment, delicious food and most importantly, made sure that we had a memorable experience. Every day started with a wholesome breakfast served nice and hot to get us pumped and ready for the tedious walk ahead.

On day 1, we trekked through a beautiful meadow filled with gorgeous flowers of different hues. One wouldn’t even notice the tired legs and aching feet with all the beauty around! The entire time, we had some of the tallest ice-capped mountains, magnificent looking clouds, and river gushing on our side. Even though the river was a few meters away, we knew how freezing cold it was from the icy droplets that hit us occasionally.

On our way, we also got to cross numerous streams, which could be quite dangerous but also a lot of fun. We reached the base-camp in a few hours and most of our sleeping tents were already been pitched by the friendly porters, who reached the spot a few minutes before us. Apart from the small tents, they also set up a bigger tent for us to come together and eat piping hot food, share stories, play a few games and spend some quality time together.

Day 2 started with the regular routine. After a hearty breakfast, we started trekking. It was a steep climb but we helped each other. In a few hours, we reached the top of the hill. The view was mesmerising and it made us forget our aching calves. I realised that views like this deserve the tough climb up.

The entire sight in front of us was truly otherworldly. After a few hours, we stopped for a lunch break. We sat in front of the waterfalls and had our food. Down below, there was a pretty meadow with bright red flowers and thin streams interweaving. It made for a splendid view.

Day 3 was the most arduous and gruelling of all the other days as we had to tread carefully on broken rocks and glaciers that went on for a few kilometers, both uphill and downhill. Also, we got to see the most awaited holy Satopanth Lake. It was an ethereal sight and we couldn’t take our eyes off from the enchanting view. 

The fact that it was hidden from civilisation and getting to it was no easy task completely made sense once we reached the lake point. The lake was undisturbed and the waters were emerald green. The lake was, undoubtedly, the epitome of serenity and tranquillity.

One would immediately feel at peace by just being present there. We took a dip in the freezing cold water which literally knocked the air out of us.

Day 4 wasn’t the toughest but definitely the longest — we decided to go back to the first base-camp, which felt like a long stroll as we got hang of all the terrains and landscapes over the few days. And as we neared village Mana, we realised that none of us was looking forward to leaving beautiful plains and mountains behind.

The Satopanth Lake trek was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Being one with nature and mother earth was definitely something that everyone should experience — it can really change how you think and feel about life or just give you space to breathe and unwind.