Manali trek with Friends

This trek was the first trek of my life, and honestly, this trip has been the best trip I’ve ever had so far. There was something incredibly special about every day—from travelling with friends to discovering new places, eating amazing food, and finally experiencing the mountains.

Day 1 — Ahmedabad to Delhi

I took the train from Ahmedabad to Vadodara in the evening, where I met up with all my friends. From Vadodara, we took a train directly to Delhi.

The excitement had already started. We were all together, travelling toward a place none of us knew exactly what to expect from. It felt like the beginning of something really memorable.

Day 2 — Exploring Delhi

We spent the day exploring Delhi and enjoying its places and food. We visited Chandni Chowk and the Lotus Temple.

Chandni Chowk was full of life, colours, people, and, of course, amazing food. We enjoyed walking around and experiencing the energy of Delhi.

In the evening, we boarded a luxury bus to Manali. The real mountain adventure was about to begin.

Day 3 — Reaching Manali

We reached Manali in the morning, and the moment I saw the mountains, I was completely mesmerized. Manali was so beautiful—it genuinely felt like love was in the air.

Since we had reached a day before the actual trek, we needed to find a place to stay for the night. The tents arranged by the trekking agency were already full, so we started looking for a hotel.

After searching for almost an hour, we finally found a cute and really warm place to stay. The staff was incredibly welcoming. The place wasn’t very famous, so there wasn’t much crowd, which made it even more peaceful and special.

During the day, we went to the forest sanctuary. It was beautiful in a way that is difficult to put into words. The tall trees seemed to brush against each other, the smell of the rainy forest filled the air, and a river flowed peacefully through it.

We also visited the Hidimba Temple. The calmness of the forest, the sound of the trees, and the peaceful spirit of the temple made the entire experience feel magical. It was one of those moments when you don’t feel the need to do anything—you just want to stand there and take it all in.

Later, we went to the Manali market and had momos and Sindhu. The food was amazing, and we ended up buying a lot of things from the market. On our way back to the hotel, we also tried thukpa, which was another great experience.

 

At night, we played Truth or Dare. It was so much fun, and honestly, I can’t fully explain how good it felt to just be there with my friends, laughing, talking, and enjoying every moment.

Our hotel had a gallery from where we could see the entire mountain range. That evening, we stood there and watched the sunset over the mountains.

It was absolutely beautiful.

For a moment, everything felt perfect—the mountains, the sunset, the cold air, the peaceful surroundings, and, most importantly, being there with my friends.

It was only Day 3, and I already knew this was going to be a trip I would remember for a very, very long time.

 

Day 4 — The Beginning of the Trek

In the morning, we went to the base camp of The Invincible, located in Ghud Daur Village near Maghar Town, the former capital of Manali.

We were introduced to the trekking team and our coaches, who would be guiding us throughout the trek. There was a different kind of excitement that morning—it finally felt like the actual adventure was beginning.

The coaches took us into a beautiful jungle on a small mountain. Surrounded by trees and fresh mountain air, we were given some basic teachings about trekking and the rules we needed to follow. We also participated in several team-building games and activities, which helped everyone get to know each other better and brought the whole group closer.

And then there was Bruzo—a friendly dog who instantly became our little trekking companion. 🐕❤️

He stayed with us throughout the day, following us wherever we went, as if he was also a part of our trekking team. None of us knew it at the time, but Bruzo was going to become one of the sweetest memories of this journey.

It was a simple day, but it was the day when our trek truly began—not just as a journey through the mountains, but as a journey with new people, new friendships, and countless memories waiting to be made.

 

Day 5 — Our First Trek: Jobri Village to Chikka

This was the first actual day of our trek. Our route was from Jobri Village to Chikka.

We started the day with a two-hour drive from the base camp to Jobri Village, where our trek began. From there, we had to trek for around three hours through rocky mountain terrain, gradually making our way toward Chikka at an altitude of approximately 10,000 feet.

The trek was challenging, but the views made every step worth it.

We reached the campsite at Chikka around noon, and the moment I saw the surroundings, I was completely amazed. It was one of the most beautiful landscapes I had ever seen.

On one side, there were lush green lands with foggy mountains disappearing into the clouds. On the other side, the landscape was completely different—snow-covered land and mountains wrapped in fog and snow.

There was a beautiful waterfall nearby, while a few mules peacefully grazed on the grass around the campsite. Above us was a vast blue-and-white sky, and the air felt unbelievably fresh.

There was zero pollution, no traffic, no noise, and no chaos—just mountains, waterfalls, clouds, snow, grass, and the sound of nature.

Standing there, surrounded by all of that beauty, I realized how different life feels when you are away from the noise of the city.

We had only just begun our trek, but Chikka already felt like a little piece of heaven