pyrodrive

[pyrodrive]

Seychelles on a budget

Seychelles.. The name is synonymous with uber expensive resorts, exotic locations with picture perfect beaches with granite rocky backdrops. Budget and Seychelles doesn't really go hand in hand, and if you are considering this as your next vacay hotspot, anyone would assume you are pretty well off! So can Seychelles be done on a budget? Yes and no, yes it can be done on a relative budget but no, don't expect Thailand esque costs here.

Here is your guide to this group of exotic islands if you don't want to spend a fortune on your holiday.

First, the air tickets- If you are travelling from India, like we did, look for flights to Mahe from Mumbai. Direct flights are rarer, the cheapest flights are on Ethiopian airlines but the catch is they usually have a long layover in Adis Ababa, while it is not a bad thing, you get to explore an African city during transit, it takes out a couple days from your hard earned leaves for the holiday. Air Seychelles runs a direct flight to and from Mumbai and is generally cheap. But it doesn't fly on all days, you need to keep looking at the schedule and book a seat accordingly. We did just that. First thing we did was to book the cheapest flight (direct flight by air Seychelles) on their dates giving us 9 days on the islands and after that booking the hotels n other flights around those dates

Stay- Forget the big resorts unless you want to splurge heavily. Resorts cost can be anywhere from 90k INR a night to 3lacs a night, even seen tariffs close to 6-7 lacs INR per day in secluded island resorts!

Lots of Airbnb stays are available on all the three major islands and most of them are good. Average cost per day ranging from 7-18k INR. Some of these are spectacular, like Terrase sur lazio in praslin where we had the privilege of staying for two nights..simply put, this property in Praslin can compete head on wth the big resorts and even surpass them in terms of views of the ocean and bays.

Dining- Restaurants are expensive,but there are lot of relatively cheap takeaway outlets dotted over all the three islands, you can have a good meal of chicken/fish with chips, sandwiches/burgers, a box of rice and pork/ beef/ chicken/octopus curry- creole style for around 70-90 scr.

If you are staying in a self catering/ Airbnb stay, then visit one of the supermarkets or mini marts and buy your groceries and cook yourself. Bonus is that most of the airbnb stays have a well equipped kitchen with a grill, so go ahead, buy a whole frozen chicken/ pork chops or fish directly from the fishing boats and roast it in the grill while you enjoy one of the local beers( seybrew)

supermarkets are well stocked and you will find just about anything you need but at a slightly higher price then you are used to. Of course, if you stay in a non agricultural island in the middle of the ocean, you need to import near about everything, shooting the price up.

Moving around- The islands of Mahe and Praslin are relatively large and although buses ply the main roads, and are cheap, having a car is very convenient. Taxis are exorbitantly expensive and it is prudent to rent a self drive car- a small self drive like a kia picanto or hyundai i10 costs 50-60 euros per day, fuel extra. You can pick up the car at the airport and return it in the jetty or vice versa. Driving here is easy, roads are narrow but very less traffic, particularly in praslin. Just remember to keep to your left and drive slow and you will be fine.

Narrow and scenic roads of Praslin

In the Island of La Digue, the most popular way to move around is on bicycle. Some people rent tricycles if they don't know how to ride on two wheels. A few taxis are there but again quite expensive. Walking can also get you to most places here.

Lovely roads to pedal on, with the wind in the hair..

bicycle rental is bit pricey at 100scr per day, but having a bike gives you a lot of mobility.

Inter island ferries - There are three categories of berths, the lower AC deck is the cheapest but I tend to get sea sick in fast ferries in closed spaces so I opted for the airy upper deck, this is open and I had no sea sickness whatsoever. Comes at a slight premium over the ac deck. Then of course, there is the business class deck.

Beaches-

Mahe- Best beach in my opinion in mahe is petit anse, but it is occupied by the extravagant four seasons resort, no big deal though, since you can park outside the resort (on the anse solei road), register at the gate and get your wristband and then you can walk through the resort to the petit anse beach. Snorkelling here is also decent, especially near the rocks on your left as you face the sea.

Anse solei is nearby and although not as pretty as petit anse,the snorkelling here is slightly better, with gradually sloping sea bed and good depth.

Beau vallon is a large beach on the other end of the island near the capital Victoria, here you can find a lot of activiy, several food shacks and shops. The sunset from this beach is also very nice.

Anse interdance is another beautiful beach. Other notable beaches are grand anse, anse royale and baie lazare.

Praslin- There are a lot of beaches all over the island but the best are anse georgette ( the best in my opinion) and of course anse lazio.

The catch to the spectacular anse georgette is that it is occupied by the lemuria constance resort and you cannot just turn up at the gate and gain entrance, they often need you to call ahead and tell them you are coming to the beach. But again the better option is to take the right turn at the bus stop near the entrance of the resort and continue up the hill on the road to terrace sur lazio. Stop at the last bus stop, then take the trail that starts opposite to the bus stop.

It will take you up the hill, and then down through a well marked trail which ends in anse georgette. There is also a trail which leads to anse lazio from here but this is less well marked.

The trek is not difficult but shade is at a premium and do not forget your sun hat, sunscreen and water bottle. The views are spectacular and when you finally spot anse lazio from the top you are sure to go "wow".

Anse lazio is a beautiful and large beach bordered by lovely rock formations. The snorkelling is great near the rocks on the right side. We did see a lot of fishes, sting rays, eagle rays, hawksbilk turtle and were in general having a great time when out of the blue appeared a large sand tiger shark! Needless to say we froze and then quickly swam out of the water. A sand tiger shark in 8 foot deep water in a bay with a history of shark attacks is definitely not a comforting sight.

La Digue-

A lot of people do La Digue as a day trip, but in my view this is the best island to spend some quality time and enjoy the laid back island life. The three days we spent here were barely enough.

Home to the famous anse source d'Argent. Chances are that you have seen this beach in a wallpaper somewhere before, a very picturesque beach, mainly due to the beautifully patterened rocks. Entry is via the L union estate ( entry fee of 150 scr per person - is valid for the day) . While the beach is truly spectacular, the snorkelling here isnt as great, the sea is too shallow and fishes are less compared to some of the other spots, nevertheless the sea grass meadows gives an enchanted feel. The changing hues of the rocks at sunset are a photographer's delight. The L-union estate has some of the old world charm as you walk or ride through the vanilla plantations, coconut trees and an old colonial villa

Grand anse- This is a large beach accessible by road, also has a restaurant nearby. Strong waves and current makes swimming difficult here.

Petit anse- A short hike from grand anse and you reach this less crowded beach ( accessible only by trekking)

Anse cocos- Another short trek from petit anse will bring you here. The rocks at the far end of the beach encircles an area which is often referred to as the natural swimming pool

Anse caiman- Another trek from anse cocos, small rocky beach with a beach bar. Pristine

Anse songe- a small rocky beach accessible by a short trek from the other side of grand anse

Anse marron- A remote beach accessible only by a difficult trek. A guide is recommended. We missed out on this beach because it rained and we thought the rocky trail will get slippery and risky.

Anse severe and anse patates are small roadside beaches. Snorkelling is decent here. Infact stop your bike almost anywhere on this road and you can enjoy a scenic beach!

Souvenirs and gifts- Nothing is available on a budget, an ideal souvenir for myself is few grains of sand and maybe a sea shell, put a photo on a frame and stick the sand and shell on the frame😊

Activities- There are quite a few treks on all the islands and we did quite a few of those.

In Mahe, the Copolia trail is a short but picturesque hike, affords great views of Victoria and the port area. The entry fee is 100 scr per person but there was nobody to take our money when we did the trek!

Morne blanc trail is another slightly longer trek in Mahe with great views from the top.

In Praslin, in addition to the treks to anse georgette and lazio, the vallee de mai trail is quite popular, largely because of the presence of the rare and exotic palms of coco de mer, some specimens having an uncanny resemblence to the rear part of the human anatomy ! But the entry fee is a bit steep and we skipped this one.

In La Digue, apart from the hikes to the secluded beaches, the Nid' D Aigles or eagles nest trek is a must do trek, it is the highest point of the island and has a bird's eye view of the la passe and reunion areas of La Digue as well as the neighbouring Praslin.

The Nid D'Aigles trek and the copolia trail

Other than the treks and hikes, you can opt for excursions to nearby islands for scuba and snorkelling and also try some sea kayaking. But all these things are quite pricey. Instead, we take our own snorkelling gear with us and head out whenever we feel like.

The flora and fauna of the islands are a joy to watch, including a multitude of song birds, sunbirds and humming birds, tame doves and the elusive paradise flycatcher and rare black parrot. There is a peculiar emerald green gecko which is endemic to La Digue and you can spot a lot of small lizards and skinks everywhere. The giant land tortoises deserve a special mention, these majestic creatures are mostly seen in La Digue, a few run free- a couple can usually be found near the road by the anse severe beach. A whole lot of these are enclosed in the L Union estate, but I would definitely prefer to see them roam free than in an enclosure.

So if you don't go with organisers, swimming,snorkelling and trekking wont cost a thing, and except anse source d argent, other beaches have free entry. Many of the treks are free too and if you restrict restaurant visits and stick to takeaways and self catering, yes Seychelles can be enjoyed on a budget and as they say, the best things in life are free.

Bon voyage!

[pyrodrive]

Kashmir great lakes, August 2022.

This had been in the bucket list for quite sometime now, as they say the real beauty of Kashmir lies in the hidden valleys and meadows and not in the tourist towns. We went with trekmunk for the trek as they had smaller group size and the reviews were good. We did not ask any of our friends to join us, prefering to meet new people and make new friends. So it was just us as a couple.

Day 1- Campsite at shitkadi near Sonamarg. Distance covered- Few meters from the road. Altitude-11500 ft

We had arrived in Delhi the day before and met an old friend at his home, and we did party till almost 2 am, got back to our hotel and got some sleep. Today morning we took a flight and reached Shrinagar at 12.30 ,from the airport we took a cab to Sonamarg. Here we met our fellow trekkers and found them all to be decent folks, from different background and professions but with real enthusiasm for travel and trekking.

After an early dinner and some chitchat, we turned in for the night

Campsite at Shitkadi

Day2:

Shitkadi to Nichnai tabletop hill.

Time taken-7.5 hours

We woke up at 5.30, breakfast was ready by 6.20am, and after a bit of warm up and stretches, we were off on the trek!

The initial climb of the day was a few hundred feet but it took our breath away..literally! It was the altitude more than anything else that was tiring us easily. However the secret is to push on using small steps. So push on we did and as we climbed higher, the more breathtaking the views became, we were climbing on rolling meadows now and could see the sleepy town of Sonamarg below us bathed in the morning sunrays

Sonamarg in the distance

The gradual climb over the meadows, and some wildflowers dotting the grass

There was an army checkpost here and after verifying our documents we were on our way to the first stop of the day..maggi point.

It was located on top of a hill and it took us 4 hrs to reach here. After a refreshing cup of kehwa and of course, maggi, we were on the way again, we left the valley with the sonamarg view behind and entered another new valley. We filled our water bottles with water from the numerous meltwater streams that were cascading down the rocks.

The next valley

Lunch stop near the stream and waterfall, and a much needed rest.

Goat traffic

Finally we reached the day's campsite, on the Nichnai table top hill. Nice location on flat ground with the stream nearby, but quite windy. Over tea and bread omlettes, we regained our energy and explored the place and was surprised that daylight stayed on till almost 7.30 when it was dinner time. At night the night sky was a sight to see, with a million stars.

Million star hotel 😇, campsite on day2

Day3- Nichnai campsite to Vishnusar lake via Nichnai pass.

Distance approx 14 kms. Time 7-8 hrs.

Altitude 13000 ft.

We woke up at 5 am to the sound of our guide Murad bhai clanging the kettle (with black tea)

Similar routine with breakfast of roti sabji, warm up and stretches and hit the trail by 7. The climb up to Nichnai can be arduous but the scenery on route makes up for it. With frequent breaks..to admire the view.., we made it up the pass and into the next valley

The climb to Nichnai pass.

After the descent from the pass, the terrain eased to the easy rolling meadows again with the gushing stream in between..

We walked across all of this and finally reached the day's campsite near a stream which originates from the vishnusar lake which was just half a km away. After tea, most of us trudged on to see the lake.

Refreshing view of the blue waters and the emerald mosses and crystal clear streams pouring into the lake.

The campsite by the stream.

There was an army camp nearby and just as we tucked into our sleeping bags at night, we heard two shots fired. But we had been told this was normal and so did not bother much. Only worry was that it had rained a bit during the day and dark clouds were gathering on the horizon. The next day was supposed to be the most difficult with Gadsar pass to cross and we had been told it might not be possible to cross the pass in case of further rains, because the trail becomes slippery and dangerous both for humans and the mules who carry the tents and equipment.

Day 4- We woke up to a light drizzle and there was tension in the air as the pony and mule guys said it was too risky to cross Gadsar, and the trek guides from different groups were at a loss as to what can be done. If it wasn't possible to go ahead, it would mean we use the buffer day there itself and/or even turn back without competing the trek. But kudos to our guide, Murad bhai, experienced guy that he was, suddenly called out that the clouds are shifting and we start in 5 minutes! So off we went, and emboldened by our move, the other groups nearby also hurried to pack their tents n move out.

The first climb of the day was from the campsite across a rain sodden field and up the sides of Vishnusar lake and on towards Krishnasar lake.

After Krishnasar lake the trail became very steep and narrow. Now the actual climb to Gadsar pass had started. The trail was slippery and very steep, and without the trekking poles I am sure I would have fallen at least once.

Finally after a few hours of very strenuous climbing we reached a point where both the lakes were visible. There was a slight drizzle and strong winds.

The descent frm Gadsar was even more difficult..it was all muddy and slushy, and quite slippery again. Many of us had falls but thankfully no injuries.

Finally the terrain eased up as we approached Gadsar lake. This is one of the prettiest lakes here. There were an abundance of wildflowers, bumblebees, small lizards etc around it giving a magical feel. We had our lunch stop by the lake and enjoyed the serenity.

Then there was a walk among the valleys filled with wildflowers for another 3 hours and finally we could spot the days camp at the distance..

The campsite in the valley ahead meant we could rest and take in the fleeting sunshine. How fast the weather changes up here!

As we got to the campsite, the storm clouds had gathered again. High winds, open valley and storm clouds sure gives a surreal feel.

Then there was a shower and then suddenly it cleared up and a rainbow appeared 🌈

Day 5 -

This was supposed to be one of the easier days but alas, constant rain all day made it the most difficult and miserable day for us.

After 5-6 hours of walking through the rain,water finally started to enter our boots by way of soaked pants and socks, and fingers were numb with cold. After hours and hours we pulled into camp wet, cold and miserable. Everything was wet, tents wer pitched over wet ground, the foam " mattress" was wet as well. The rain stopped at around 5 and all of us frantically tried to dry our gear in the wind..without much success, I should add. In the end we had to place our rain ponchos over the foam and place our sleeping bags on top of that to prevent those getting wet. That night we slept wearing our jackets. Not many pics of satsar lakes too since fingers were too numb wth the wet and cold

Day6- The weather lifted and so did our spirits, enjoyed breakfast with a trekker's appetite and after the routine warm ups and stretches, we started the day's walk. Wet boots was the problem but nothing a little jugaad can't solve- we wore polythene packets over our socks to keep our feet relatively dry!

The day started with a difficult ascent over fields of boulders, some of the trekkers had a tough time navigating through these

But the views at the top were rewarding..

Then there was a long ascent up to Zaj pass, which took us 3-4 hours but the views from the top were out of this world.. The twin lakes of Gangbal and Nandkol were ahead shimmering in the sunlight with the rolling fields between them, mount Harmukh with its glacier in the background.

Over the next few hours we descended into the valley and over the meadows which were vibrant with a multitude of yellow flowers, we were finally at the Gangbal lake.

The refreshingly cool water of the lake reinvigorated our polythene clad tired feet!

After spending an hour here, we crossed the hill over to the other lake, Nandkol. Our campsite was located on the banks of the stream flowing out of Nandkol.

Day 7- This was going to be a long day, as most of it was continous descent , some over rocky terrain which can be hard on the knees. Two of our guys were really struggling with knee pain already. The last day is where you lose most of the altitude, from above the tree line we descended into the majestic firs, then the pines started few hundred feet lower. There was an Assam rifles army checkpost where the Id's and bags were checked , and we were greeted in Assamese by the jawans, they even offered tea and snacks to us and one of the guys turned out to be from our hometown. Pleasant experience for us. Army guys really work hard for our safety. Kudos to them. Finally we reached Naranang and set foot on paved roads after a full week. Mixed feelings, since we were at the end of such an amazing trek, happy that we could complete it without too much difficulty and also the thought of a hot bath and proper non veg food were equally appealing.

We reached Shrinagar at 5.30 and 6 of us checked into the same hotel, one more guy joined us in the evening and we had a grand party at the hotel lawns and some much needed indulgence on the food and drinks aspect of life!

To sum up the trek-

It is one of the most beautiful treks in our country. Each day there is a new alpine lake to look forward to. The meadows, valleys and wildflowers are extraordinarily beautiful.

It is not an easy trek. Long distances are to be covered daily without a break for one full week. Can leave one breathless after hours of continous uphill climbs at 13000+ feet. To prepare for the trek it is best to do long walks and also run/ jog at least 5-6 kms most days of the week, few weeks in advance.

Warm ups and stretches both at start and end of each days trekking is recommended,to avoid cramps and muscle soreness.