Days 8 and 9: Saturday, June 12, 2010 and Sunday, June 13, 2010
Location: Krishna Mountview, Kausani
Kausani to Munsiyari was the longest single stretch of our journey. The total distance is approx 200 kms by the normal route. Our driver however decided to take a shortcut that shaved roughly 40 kms off from the journey.
However, the shortcut road was not of the best quality. After taking the bypass, we asked the driver of a jeep coming from the opposite side if this was the right road. He answered in the affirmative, but then (un)helpfully added that the car will need to be pushed at one place. This had us slightly worried, but we continued nevertheless. I was seating on the front seat besides the driver for this part of the journey, since I suffer from motion sickness and it is slightly more comfortable while being seated at the front. We soon reached a really bad patch, where there was a steep incline and inside of a tar road there were loose stones that made it difficult for the tyres to get a grip on the road. The first attempt to cross the stretch was unsuccessful, and we had to go in reverse for about 100 metres to try again. The second attempt was with more momentum, but with the car shaking violently, the gear loosened itself from first to neutral. Back to base for the third attempt, and the driver asked me to keep the gear pressed forward to first firmly, while he maneuvered the steering with both hands. Finally, we succeeded in crossing the stretch!
It took us 6 hours to reach Kausani. We had booked a “Luxury” room in Krishna Mountview. Apart from Naukuchiatal, this was our only stay in a hotel (as opposed to separate cottages in resorts); and the difference was stark. The room felt cramped, and the view directly from the room was not great. You had to go to the terrace of the hotel to get a better view of the Himalayas. The other mistake we did was in paying extra upfront for an API (all meals inclusive package). At Rs. 750 per person per head, this too was very expensive. The food was standard oily North Indian fare, and the service was decent, but could have been much better.
Kausani offers a brilliant view of the Himalayas, especially the Panchachuli range. It is so called because of the 5 peaks which are in very close proximity to each other. We managed to get an absolutely amazing view of the Panchachuli on our second morning- will try and upload it separately. 5 am is no time to get up when you are on a holiday, but the view in the mornings absolutely makes it worth it.
Kausani isn’t a place where there is a lot to do. There is a tea factory a few kms from Kausani, but it was closed when we went there (it being a Sunday). We went for a few treks in and around Kausani, and encountered a huge number of monkeys on the way, constantly screeching and fighting all the time. I meant the monkeys, not us.
Verdict: After the serene environment at most other places, the hotel room experience wasn’t really something that we enjoyed. No fault of Krishna (except that they are overpriced, but they only charge what people are willing to pay); but people will be better off staying in resorts. The flip side is that cable TV is available in hotels, but not in most of the cottages – so you need to take a call on what you really want out of your vacation. We also found Kausanias a place quite congested, with too many concrete structures for our liking.
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