No ordinary vacation: Hyderabad's women opting for trekking experience

On regular holidays, people shop a lot, eat out and visit malls. But these things are just routine. Places like the hills, however, are the opposite. And, you cannot experience them any other way than by actually being there,” says Savita Reddy, a fashion designer from Hyderabad.

More women from the city today are opting for a trekking experience over the standard vacation. A long and strenuous trek may be infinitely more difficult than a relaxed vacation, but is also infinitely more rewarding.

Another traveller, Mrudula Alla, a 46-year-old homemaker, shares her recent adventure: “We wanted to see the Valley of Flowers in full bloom. Monsoon is the best time to be there. That said, it was definitely not a cakewalk. We had to do a 13-kilometre trek from Dehradun to the beautiful base camp at Gangariya, and another seven kilometres to reach the beautiful Valley of Flowers. Though monsoon is the best time, the mountains and the meadows are really slippery, and once you reach the Valley, you have to get back on the same day as it starts to drizzle and gets really dark. It can get strenuous,” Mrudula reveals.

Accommodation is a challenge as well. It is often very basic and you have to adjust with whatever you get. However, on reaching the Valley of Flowers, people forget all the pain they’ve been through.

“The place is so beguiling — Gods must be living there. It’s all misty and then it suddenly clears; it’s magical. We danced in the rain. Places like Switzerland are nothing compared to it,” she recalls in awe.

Savita Reddy also feels that such experiences let people give time to themselves. “Both my daughters just left for college, and now that the nest is empty, I plan to do many more treks. Till now, I had to share my time with my kids but now I feel like I have all the time in the world and I am starting my life all over again,” she says. Now at 44, Savita has completed treks to Spiti Valley and the Hampta pass, and is already planning her next trip.

For those gearing up with their cameras and travel bags, Mrudula has a word of advice: “When I planned on travelling to the Valley of Flowers, I started working out in the gym for a month. Trekking can be really hard on your knees and you can get tired really easily. Strength training is really important when you plan to go on such trips.”

— Inputs from Nikhita Gowra and Shweta Watson