The road is long and the climb steep, but no one ever said nirvana was easily reached.
The journey begins sedately, on a train from Delhi to Kathgodam, a timber depot enfolded by the trailing petticoats of the Himalayas in northeastern Uttarakhand state. Sal sleepers gird the railway line through smoke-gauzed grasslands, lush forests and the sprawl of the city of Haldwani before reaching its terminus beside the Guala River.
Catherine MarshallTravel writerCatherine Marshall has worked as a journalist for more than three decades and has received awards for her travel writing and reportage in Australia and abroad. She specialises in emerging destinations, conservation and immersive travel. Connect with Catherine on Twitter.
