We started the day early with a refreshing cup of morning tea around 6 AM. The sky was mostly clear, dotted with patches of clouds. By 7 AM, we were enjoying a breakfast of French toast, which gave us the energy needed for the day ahead. After breakfast, we began unpitching our tents, preparing for a trek that would cover around 6 kilometers and an altitude gain of approximately 500 meters. The day’s journey would take us beyond the treeline and into the welcoming embrace of the meadows.

Today again, I was carrying two bags. We started our trek in the open meadows, following the river upstream. Soon we found ourselves back in the forest. This time, the stretch was not too long. We navigated through boulders in the shade of the trees and ended up in a place where we could hear the river flowing but could not see it. We took a little break there while the rest of the group joined us. This was the point where we saw the treeline fading behind us and a steep climb ahead. As we resumed our trek, the two bags made the ascent a bit challenging for me.

However, reaching the top was incredibly rewarding. We were greeted by breathtaking meadows, with the ground adorned by vibrant, colourful flowers creating a carpet of natural beauty. The mountains were lush and green, covered with delicate grasses. To our surprise, we managed to get some phone network at this spot. I called home and spoke to my family, while everyone else also took the opportunity to use their phones during this brief period.

After about four hours of trekking, we arrived at our campsite around 12:15 PM. After lunch, I spent the rest of the day leisurely exploring the area. The site was a picturesque paradise, filled with beautiful flowers and numerous streams of clear, flowing water. Due to the grasslands, there were many shepherds, along with sheep, horses, and mules. We took a short walk up a nearby mountain to acclimatize, returning after about half an hour. Towards the end of the day, I packed everything into one bag to make it more convenient for the next day.