Dzukou Valley: A place that doesn't need any caption

Dzukou Valley: A place that doesn't need any caption

                   

           Why Nagaland? Have you finished visiting other states? Go somewhere abroad. Those were the usual statements and questions when we told our friends and family that we are going to visit that hidden gemstone in Northeast India. 

                     

                     

        The reason was- this green valley. One look at the picture of this valley and I was enchanted by her beauty. I may sound a little over dramatic but I had dreams...Dreams of that captivating valley…Calling us, whispering to us her wonderful tales, and peeping into our dreams with her enthralling scenery. 

                     

           

     Yes yes! It has mesmerizing views and soothing vibes that make you forget the locations of Yash Chopra’s movies and so much drama with changing weather that Ekta Kapoor and Karan Johar can’t compete. 

                     

                     

           The valley is Majestic. It is Mysterious. It is Magical. It is Magnetic. This mammoth valley is so magnificent and marvelous that with its mightiness it metamorphoses any moody mortal into melodramatic. Just be mindful and move away from mundane materialistic matters masking the maverick person inside you.  

                     

            They say when you visit the valley you keep part of your soul in it. We have. We have left part of our souls there. The place is pure bliss and it is filled with so much positivity that my eyes are pouring while writing these miles and miles away from the valley but its memories are carved in my mind like million years old fossils. 

           Every mysterious turn, every bamboo leaves, every dead tree bark, every small stream, every pebble in that river, and every rolling hill...I was asking all these a quote from Joni Mitchell- “Will you take me as I am?” And the generous valley accepts us as it is. Going to the valley is not easy. It tests your patience, your determination, and your motivation. But when you pass in all, you enter into its divine world. You are in her hills and they are in you. 

                           

             Sitting at the guest house bench and looking far into the valley you will understand the feeling of ‘to be’..' to let it be..’ as if nature has selected this path for us. We are everything to her and she is the only thing we have. In that place without any network, without electricity, with just basic necessities we understand how little we need. How little we are. How little our minds have become and how little try we are doing to rectify it. 

                     

         The reason I was not writing about this valley is I wanted to keep it myself… I know it doesn’t work that way but I wanted to just keep those memories fresh… So I started writing daily a little bit about it and that way I can keep remembering those lush green hillocks, dancing bamboo, that continuous drizzle, a terrifying night with thunderstorms, and that bouncing rivulet. And what can I say about people, our guide Ms. Alesi, our potter Kekhrie, staff at the guest house kitchen and The Boss, owner of guest house and most of all Mr. Ratan, the person who has organized everything meticulously? Their warm smile and their kind hearts. Their deep urge to help us at every step. Their banter with kids and their stupefying stories. We love it, all of it and we miss it. 

                        

                              

Now about the trek: 

• Terrain  Type: Grasslands with dwarf  bamboos all around you
• Trek level: Easy-Moderate 
• Altitude:  8,000 ft
• Distance: appx 25 km ( both ways )

MEANING OF DZUKOU:

         In the Viswema dialect word, “Dzukou” means “Lifeless and dull”. This name was given because ancestors of the Viswema people found this valley enchanting but they count grow any crops there so they concluded that though the valley is beautiful it is soulless hence Dzukou. But according to other beliefs, Dzukou means  "Cold Water" because of the ice-cold streams that run in the valley. Two rivers are running from the valley Dzukou and Japfu, like silver ribbons crossing each other at places and enhancing the beauty of the resplendent valley.   

                             

                     

HOW TO REACH DZUKOU:

      There are two routes to reach the valley from Nagaland. Viswema route and Jakhama route. The Viswema route is a little long and less steep. While the Jakhama route is shorter but steeper. As we were going with kids we choose the Viswema route. And there is the problem of leeches along the Jakhama route as per our guide and tour operator so we obviously selected the first one.  Viswema is appx 24-25 km from Kohima so it is around an hour's drive, while Jakhama is 21 km so it is a 45-50 minutes drive. 

     

                      

            Once you reach Viswema village there is one small right turn, that is the Dzukou valley entry point on Google map.  There is one garage also there just at the starting point of this road, you can ask for a taxi over there. For us, everything was managed by Mr. Ratan so it was not a problem. But if you are planning to start your trek from here then good luck because it is around 8 km motorable road in very bad condition with a gradual uphill climb so it will take at least 2-3 hours, where you will reach the starting point of real Dzukou valley trek.  And if you are going by car you will reach the starting point after 40 minutes of a bumpy ride. 

           Once you reach this point there is a steep climb through dense forest. Though there are stairs made with stones be careful as they might be slippery depending on the weather condition. The trail is very well marked with few dustbins along the way. Dzukou valley is a plastic-free zone so please maintain that along the trail and while in the valley. One thing I forgot to mention is while you are on the road from Viswema there is a check post where you have to do the entry and show your ID cards.  Now that forest trail is appx 2 km as per our guide but at some places, its mentioned of appx 4 km. the appx time to climb this steep section is 60-90 minutes depending on your fitness.  Only at one place, there is a small section with rocks, you might need help crossing this section as it is a little difficult. 

  

                            

                 A trekker's point. start of the Dzukou trail

                           

                           

                                          Forest trail

 

              And once this steep climb ends you will be welcomed at the first rest point with an amazing view of the village below. There are two trails from here, the one on the left goes to Mount Tempu in Manipur and the one on the right…. Well, no need to tell you that.  And yes from this point you won’t get any network. So save your phone batteries as you will be needing them to click amazing pictures down in the valley. 

                            

                            

                            Stop at the end of a steep climb

        And when you take the right trail you will get the first glimpse of the mighty Dzukou. We stand there for a while quietly while going down just to have a last look at the valley and treasure her in our minds forever. While going up we were not able to cherish this view as the entire valley was covered with a blanket of fluffy clouds. 

                      

                            

             From here the trail is pretty easy. It is a serpentine trail without any steepness and a quiet narrow path. So if you have a phobia of the narrow trails then please be prepared because it is around 2 hours walk on the same trail. One mistake and you'll be in the valley covered with dwarf bamboos. Here also one small section with rocks is there where you have to be cautious. You will get a few streams along the way.  And a few canopies of the bamboos where your trekking pole will help you immensely. 

                            

                            

BEST TIME TO VISIT DZUKOU:

            You can visit Dzukou all around the year. We have been there only once but what we heard from our fellow travelers is that the valley is different in all seasons and equally beautiful. You can’t compare her in each season.  They say that the best time to visit Dzukou is October to May. As rain can be very harsh in this part of India and in the valley it can be torrential so avoid the monsoon season. Though we went in May we witnessed the thunderstorm and experience it the entire night. But if you want to see the Dzukou Lilies, which are native to this valley only in the entire world, then you have to come in July only. 

      

                            

      Again in the winter, the valley is covered with white frost and you will see that bamboos are draped with a white blanket of frost and snow. We are yet to witness it. Mind the chill also in winter as day temperature is 10 degrees C and night temperature can be below freezing point. 

 

        Even in spring, summer, and monsoon, nights in the valley are always chilly.  

 

      The sunset in the valley is a scene to cherish once in a lifetime so better to plan your trip when the sky is clear and you will see the changing shades of the valley with changing the size of the sun. (We totally missed this and we are definitely going back again just to witness the sunset)

IN THE VALLEY:

      Some people just go up to the guesthouse and come back but please don’t do this mistake. Because the main part of the valley is a 2 km trek from the guesthouse. 

                             

         

          When you start taking the trail from the guesthouse, after a while you will notice a small left upward trail that will take you to the helipad and if you go straight ahead, you will go deeper into the valley. And here you will be welcomed by skeletons of dead trees on either side standing proudly amongst the bamboos as if declaring tales of their bravery during the forest fires. The ecosystem of Dzukou is the fight between the trees and bamboos and mother nature here always blessed bamboos by destroying the trees with occasional forest fires and this allows rapid growth of the wild dwarf bamboos. 

                             

        Follow this trail and after some ascent and descent, on your left side, you will come across a few cliffs overlooking the river, which is bouncing merrily and tumbling rapidly.  Take a few pictures of these cliffs, they are totally instaworthy.

                             

          When you go further ahead in the valley you have to cross the rivulet. There was a bridge here, but unfortunately, the bridge was broken when we visited and people were going with the help of the rope. But we didn’t want to take any chances so we did not go ahead. But if you go further then you can go up to the hill with a cross. 

                             

                                     at the broken bridge

 

          While coming back our guide took us via the trail just beside the river. You have to cross the rivulet stream at one place and you will be passing through some caves with the rocky boulders (it is the same place with cliffs above where you took amazing pictures).  This path is really tricky and please be a little cautious. We had an amazing guide (Ms. Alesi)  with us who took utmost care of the kids and us so we were able to cross it with less difficulty. As it was drizzling continuously it was more challenging for us. 

                                

                                     crossing of the stream

                                

               

                                

                         

GUEST HOUSE:

        And after around 2 hours of walking along the narrow zig-zag path, you will be at the gate of the guest house. 

                              

                      

             The one and the only place to stay in Dzukou. The one and the only place where you can get water and food.  The guest house has two dormitories and a few private rooms. The charge for the private room is 1500 per night, which has an attached basic toilet also. The rooms are very basic but what more can we expect at this remote location? As Sheel says if you want to come to places like this, you cant think of having a luxury. Because once they start to provide splendor stay here, the place won't be the same. So let the valley be desolate and enigmatic as she is now…The guest house kitchen also provides basic food and a few snacks. They provide sleeping bags and blankets also with a charge of 50 rs/piece. 

                           

WHAT TO PACK

• - The weather in the valley is highly unpredictable so always carry a poncho or raincoat with you.
• - Temperature at night drops significantly so please keep your warm layers. Mr. Ratan, if you are reading this, you have persistently told me that the temperature can go up to 5 degrees at night, but I was overconfident, so I took layers for the kids but neglected mine. Thanks to Ms. Alesi we found a few blankets otherwise I don’t know how l could have managed. 
• - The food at the guest house is very basic with limited options so if you want specific food, carry it with you. We Gujaratis don’t travel without Thepla, so they were our best companions for a rainy night. 
• - We took anti–Leeches socks with us but if you are traveling from the Viswema side, leeches are not a big problem. 
• - Please wear shoes with proper grip as the initial forest trail can be slippery and muddy in monsoon. 
• - Take 3 pairs of socks with you as they provide comfort at night and might get wet during your time in the valley while crossing the stream. 

                            

POINT TO KEEP IN MY MIND

• - People tend to go onto the valley on the same day when they come. But if you are planning to stay the night, visit the valley in the morning. It is more enchanting in the morning sun.  And please stay for the night. The experience is thrilling. 
• - I am mentioning this again but don’t skip visiting the valley, because the heart of the Dzukou is deep in the valley, not at the guest house. 
• - This can be done as a DIY trail, but it is always better to keep a guide with you if you are traveling with kids. They know the terrain better. They know every turn and every rock, every steam, and every slippery path. Even they can have their ways in the kitchen because they know each and every staff there and provide you quick food as and when required. When we went it was raining like cats and dogs with a cold wind, but our kids were comfortable beside the fireplace in the cozy kitchen most of the time. Thanks to Ms. Alesi and Kekhrie. 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

        So Dzukou, Nagaland, we will be forever in the debt to you. You have shown us the beautiful path, path of adventure, path of self-satisfaction. The journey can be difficult but the end results always shine. 

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PS: When we reached at the valley it was entirely covered with clouds. We couldn't see anything just ahead of us, forget about the valley. We were so disheartened. and it was raining continuously with not a single view of the valley from anywhere. We called it a night at 5:30 in the evening and anyways, sunset on the Northeast side is always early. The night was horrifying with continuous downpour and thunder. We were sure that we will be going back as it is. In the morning also up till 9'o clock (our time to head back), there was constant drizzle with clouds all around but thanks to Alesi and the staff at the guest house kitchen, they encouraged us to go into the valley. And as we started going down the atmosphere changes suddenly, as if clouds were waiting for us to move ahead... so now it was my turn of being dramatic “Kehte hain agar kisi cheez ko dil se chaho … to poori kainath use tumse milane ki koshish mein lag jaati hai” - I know, I know...

Thank you all.

This was my longest post.

See you next week with another adventure. 

Attaching the link of our tour organizer: https://experiencedestination.com/

Thanks, Ratan. 

 

Trekking with kids: how to start?

Trekking with kids: how to start? 

               It was not like we were a hiking family just before a year. And it is not like that now also. But one thing is common between us - love for nature and love for the outdoors. What we really needed was getting out of that digital bubble and getting out of the routine week life. We need to take them out because during the lockdown and COVID waves kids were (and me also) getting used to virtual entertainment. 

           That one TV show 

           That one movie 

           That one Netflix series 

           That one new game 

     All these were making us crippled in a way that can be changed only by going close to Mother Nature. So we felt that it is imperative to develop a new routine - create an un-routinely routine - which was our Sunday mornings or evenings. 

  

                   

        In the back of our minds, the idea was to train them for Himalayan treks. But for that, we have to start somewhere. And I am going to share where to start and how? 

               

1) Consistency is the key: 

                 What our kids love is routine. They fear the unknown while they flourish in their comfort zone. Change is very important and valuable for the learning process but they adapt to routine well. I have a pile of books on parenting (I haven't read all of them and got depressed after reading most of them). But one thing I had learned from all those books was - consistency. So if you are planning to train them for the trek, you have to follow it in that also. They may get bored, they may get tired but the end result will be fulfilling for them and for you.  For us, now they are adapted to Sunday mornings. If we are not going for some reason they want to compensate it somehow. Come rain or shine we will go is their motive now. 

                 

2) Make trek fun:

                  No kid wants to climb a mountain or walk endlessly. It is intimidating, so they have to have some fun elements in them. The same was happening with our kiddos. The initial time of trek or climb is easy, their excitement and curiosity will take them automatically. But sometimes those won't be enough.  We collect the twigs, spot the insects, and hug the trees on the trail. So we, ok Sheel, have found a way to keep them engaging at the first sign of tiredness - tell them stories, stories about our childhood, our parent's childhood, or anyone. And when we were in short of those stories we started telling stories of series and cartoons of our time (because definitely that gain their attention immediately) - Street Hawk to Vikram Betaal, Bakor Patel to Chacha Chaudhary, our kids have known all these characters during our treks only. Their recent attraction is stories of old cricket matches. We just need to tell all about the exciting innings of Sachin Tendulkar or Anil Kumble and we will reach the destination in no time.  And let them be a storyteller also. Our younger one likes to have turns. So we also know much about Marvel and Disney stories now but end up getting mixed up all characters in the end. See, isn't it the great time for bonding with our kids. We can get them to ourselves with no friends calling them for outdoor play and no pending homework eating their sorry our heads. 

                     

3) Start with as simple as it can be:

              Don't overwhelm them with a mountain climb directly. Take baby steps. Start with small. A stroll along the farms and fields. Walk on the beach. Make it a fun learning process for you as well as for them. Without telling them that they are getting trained, let them enjoy their progress. We used to do the same. We park our car on the highway and start walking whenever we feel that the place is looking great for a walk. 

                

4) Rewards Rewards Rewards:

                 Kids thrive for them. We always encourage them with" Yes! few more steps", " We are almost there", and " Count your steps, after 50 steps we are taking a break." These are the regular phrases you will hear if you are doing a trek with us. Many of our family members and friends felt that we are trying hard. But it is ok. They got irritated in the heat of Narmada parikrama, and they also felt tired during the hike of Tungai Hills. But they completed it eventually and they felt accomplished. And to do that keep some rewards handy, for the trek in your backpack. That Skittles or Mentos which you are not allowing them regularly. Their favorite chips packets motivate them to go ahead. and keep those things as a surprise for them. If Shaurya knows what's there in our backpack from the beginning he will ask it from the moment we start our trek.  So we always keep them as a surprise. 

             

5) Get them involved:

                    Right from choosing a destination to packing their bags, keep them involved in all. Once or twice it has happened with us that we couldn't decide where to go even when we sat in the car at 4'o clock in the morning. We had 2-3 options and because all of us wanted to explore different places, we had finalized at the last moment when Sheel needed to choose the turn. Watch vlogs and youtube videos of the destinations with them. Our Triund trek was finalized by vlogs only. Shaurya was so fascinated watching vlogs on Ttriund and Thatharna that he wanted to do any one of them. Ask them about what food they want to eat when you reach the destination, sandwiches or thepla, wraps or muffins. And the most important of all is make let them lead. Encourage them to go ahead and find a trail for you. They love being a leader, it gives them immense satisfaction that you are following them. 

 

                     

6) Don't try too hard. 

          They have a lot more energy than us and their stamina is always more still take it with pinch of salt because what they lack is concentration and consistent energy. Their energy is like shooting stars, always in bursts. If they are tired and cranky and if you have to come from half of the hike, then also it's okay. Don't try too hard. There is always next time. But it should not be at such a point that they start hating it.  Make them understand the value of the environment and mother nature. But we have observed that these things they understand themselves. We don't have to make them understand certain things once we start going regularly. Mother nature takes care of that and imbibes them with these values. 

               

7) Breaks and more breaks 

                   One mantra we have learned in the last year is if you want to have a successful hike, take as many breaks as they want. Just keep them short. Small water break. Small find a bug break. Small photo break. Small pat a dog break. Let them have all. They will notice more during these breaks only. Let them talk with fellow trekkers. We have noticed that they have become good conversation starters. They initiate it more confidently after each and every trek. and most of them happen during such breaks. And Satva wants to have a pic with each one of them. 

                    

8) Guides are invaluable:

            DIY treks are fun but when we are with kids and family safety is our main concern. So always take guides with you whenever possible. Your guides can be 10-year-old kids also. But if he is knowing the trail and he is going on that trail regularly he will be more confident than you. Our kids always enjoy the company of guides. They always want to hike with them only. In Surwani waterfall trail and Tungai hills, our guides were local school kids and they enjoyed walking ahead with them, climbing on tree branches, and skipping on stones. During Triund and Dzukou Valley treks our guides were college students and they enjoyed immensely with them also. 

                

        

 So, this is it. These are our tested and tried tricks since last year and a half. I hope they will be useful to you too. 

We have observed that we and our kids have changed significantly after each and every trek as an individual and as a family.  We have learned some invaluable lessons during our treks. So as they say, 

              

       "When life gives you a mountain, 

     put on your boots and hike. "

   

We started with small trails near to Vadodara and in the last 6 months we have done 3 well known treks: 

- Triund , Mcleaoganj 

- Dzukou valley , Nagaland (blog is coming soon) 

- Dayara Bugyal, Uttarakhand (just finished yesterday) 

So if we can do it, you all can. 

That’s it. 

See you next week.