Hike to wadi shab , Oman
Watch our hike on YouTube
Please tread with caution as there is little to keep you from slipping. If you feel it is too slippery, just keep a vigil and balance your body using hands, simply get low and walk crouching down for that part. This is easily the most beautiful part of the hike as you wind through right on top of the clear blue/green water. This is a great area to stop for photos if you want to capture the narrow gorge from above.
The hike can be a little difficult to follow at this point, so keep your eyes open for arrows painted on the rocks that show you the direction you need to go. You won’t get lost as if you keep going up the middle of the canyon you will eventually come upon the swimming area, but the arrows show you the easiest path.
Please wear proper footwear during the hike and take flip flops with you for the swimming portion!
If you are planning a trip to Oman during the summer, we can’t even imagine how wonderful the water will feel then.
Best Time To Go To Wadi Shab
Kinnaur Journey
You can take a circuit tour of Shimla - Kinnaur - Spiti - Lahaul - Manali which may require atleast 10-14 days and a per person cost starting Rs 30k to 40k , assuming government bus travel and booking cheap hostels or camps.
Personally i feel Kinnaur has a challening landscape and lot to offer and explore and it should not be clubbed with any other destination.
In this video , we take journey from Kalpa, Roghi towards Reckong Peo and then enter the Sangla Valley, before moving to our final destination , Chitkul, the last India village near India Tibet border. Chitkul in Kinnaur Valley of Himachal Pradesh is a dream destination of every nomad! A perfect spot for adventure enthusiasts, Chitkul is a picturesque village sitting at an elevation of about 11400 ft on the banks of the Baspa River. You’ll be stunned with its unparalleled beauty with Kinner Kailash and the mighty Himalayas in the background.
For those who don’t know, Chitkul is the last hamlet on the old Hindustan-Tibet trade route and the last point in the country people can travel to without a permit. Beyond Chitkul, all civilian movement is restricted.
Chitkul is some 585 km from Delhi and the nearest community in the Sangla Valley is 28 km away. The village of Rakcham is halfway between Chitkul and the Sangla valley and driving between these two destinations could be one of the best decisions you ever made. You can enjoy the impressive view that will leave you speechless. The village is all about apple orchards and snow-covered natural beauty. Another prominent place to visit here is the popular Hindustan Ka Akhri Dhaba where travellers can relish a hearty meal. This incredible eatery in Chitkul guarantees a wonderful dining experience by serving delicious food.
The lower part of Kinnaur Valley is also very much visited by many people during summertime due to ease of accessibility from Shimla/Delhi/Chandigarh and less crowded or offbeat location.
By lower Kinnaur, I mean that I will be covering Kalpa, Sangla Valley and Chitkul in this travel guide and maybe upper parts like Nako, Chango, Ropa, Hangrang can be covered in time to come, if required. innaur Valley is one of the 12 districts in Himachal Pradesh which is known for its apple orchards, beautiful small hamlets, beautiful meadows surrounded with thick dense woods and not to forget the ever-adventurous roads. One of the roads to Sangla Valley was also got popularly featured by the name Ledge in History Channel as Deadliest Roads in the World 🙂 This adds just the right charm of adventure on the trip. In winters, the presence of snow makes it just a jaw-dropping experience to be in Kinnaur Valley, where the major attraction is the breathtaking view of Kinner Kailash, a mountain sacred to Hindus, close to the Tibetan border.
The beautiful meadows in Sangla or Baspa Valley and Chitkul which is considered the last village in India where one can reach from Kinnaur side, are also covered commonly on a trip to this part of Himalayas.
Kinnaur Valley is located in the Northeast corner of Himachal Pradesh, about 235 KMs from the state capital, Shimla. The distance of Delhi to Kinnaur Valley is about 570 km considering Reckong Peo. It makes Kinnaur Valley not so far from civilization yet so raw and offbeat. elow is the most general route to Kinnaur Valley from Delhi that most people usually follow. You can reach Kinnaur on the second day with an overnight halt at Narkanda or anywhere away from Shimla or Chail.
However, if you are visiting Manali, then you can travel to Kinnaur Valley from Manali as well via Jalori Pass or the longer Spiti Valley route. Delhi – Shimla (360 KMs) – Narkanda (420 KMs) – Rampur (488 KMs) – Karcham (566 KMs) – Reckong Peo (587 KMs) – Kalpa (595 KMs) At Karcham, the road bifurcates towards Sangla Valley and Chitkul as per below distance between these places. Delhi – Shimla (360 KMs) – Narkanda (420 KMs) – Rampur (488 KMs) – Karcham (566 KMs) – Sangla (582 KMs) – Rakcham (596 KMs) – Chitkul (610 KMs) You will reach Kalpa or Sangla on this road trip to Kinnaur Valley in a minimum of 2 days from Delhi.
Mostly, Narkanda or somewhere near Shimla / Chail – Narkanda is an ideal overnight halt to distribute the journey evenly. If you are starting from Chandigarh, you can consider taking an overnight halt at Sarahan as well. The road to Sarahan bifurcates from Jeori which is 23 km from Rampur. The distance from Jeori to Sarahan is 12 km only.
My Schengen Visa Experience
One advantage of the Schengen visa is that you need only one visa to visit 27 countries from the Schengen Area. Countries like United Kingdom, Ireland etc. however are not part of the Schengen Area even though they are part of the European Union and you need a separate Europe tourist visa to visit these countries.
Anyone who has applied for the Schengen visa would know that it is a highly-stressful and highly-frustrating activity. To top that, there is a high likelihood of being rejected. Even if someone is given the visa, the waiting time is too long. In the meantime, what can an applicant do?
Visa fees -
Above 12 years : 80 Euros
6 to 11 years: 40 Euros
Children under 6 years: Free of charge
ü I applied for a Schengen visa on 28th August 2023 and decision on my application was taken on 20th September 2023 and I finally received an approved multilateral visa for duration of 45 days.
ü It is mandatory to schedule an appointment with BLS international Spain visa application center for filing a Spain Business Visa/ visitor visa/ tourist/any other
BLS International Service Charge – INR 1487
My appointment was scheduled at Chandigarh (Very non-cooperative staff)
My Take -
The only difference between tourism and Business visa being –
For business meetings
Original invitation letter from the Spain-based company/companies. Written in Spanish, the letter should refer to the purpose of the visit and, the existing commercial relationship with the applicant. His/her name, passport number and envisaged travel dates should also be mentioned.
For participation in conferences, business fairs or sports events
Original letter of invitation from the organizers. The letter must clearly mention the name and passport number of the applicant, duration of the event, whether the expenses of the travel and accommodation shall be paid by the applicant or by the organizers, and involvement of the applicant in the event.
In case of corporate participation, also a cover letter of the applicants’ company. The letter should mention the names of its employees travelling to Spain.
ü
I had an invitation from an organisation for a forum in Spain. I attached all email invitation and correspondence photocopies and day wise program schedule.
List of documents attached –
1) Visa application form
One photograph not older than 6 months of the applicant, 35-45 mm and on a white background, should be affixed on the application form.
2) Passport of the applicant with at least two blank pages, valid for at least three months after the duration of the anticipated stay and issued in the last ten (10) years. Old passports can also be included. If there is any visa refusal in the latest 2 years, please provide the refusal notice or a written explanation about the reasons.
I had japan visa rejection just a month ago and I explained them that rejection was due to shortcomings in the application documents. I had forgotten to book hotels for 7 days in Japan (thinking & assuming, I will manage hotel booking on my arrival in Japan). Also, flight dates and itinerary was mismatching.
3) One copy of the pages of the passport with biographic data (in the case of an Indian passport, at the beginning and the end).
4) Proof of travel insurance with a minimum coverage of 30,000 Euros to cover any expense which might arise in connection with repatriation for medical reasons, urgent medical attention and/or emergency hospital treatment. The insurance must be valid throughout the territory of the Schengen States and during the entire period of stay
I bought a travel insurance for around INR 500 (from Tata AIG) for my duration and made sure it had coverage for missed flight (cancellation or delay)
sworn declaration for travel insurance has to be signed and submitted by the applicant – this particular declaration was returned by BLS, so not required
5) Details of the trip
· Cover letter (account of the purpose of the visit).
Here’s my cover letter (Take printout in a single page and there can be few mistakes as i forgot to save a soft copy) – Click here
· Flight bookings (roundtrip). It is advisable not to buy the air ticket until the visa has been granted.
This is the most challenging part, I have made a video on YouTube channel “CountrysideTravels”.
I booked dummy ticket for $5. There are various websites online where you can buy. But there is a catch, most of the dummy flight tickets have validity ranging from 1 to 14 days and visa decision usually takes around 14 days or more (sometimes can be early). So the risk always remain.
Basically the embassy just wants to make sure the flight schedule (flight you are planning to book) and your planned itinerary are in sync. Thereby do not buy an original ticket but a dummy ticket will do (though it may expire before your visa application decision)
· Hotel accommodation for the duration of the stay.
I booked hotels through expedia (all pay at hotel and cancellable bookings)
6) Evidence of economic means o Original, stamped and signed bank statements of the applicant and sponsor (if any) of the last six months. Original, signed letter by the sponsor detailing the concepts/amount to be covered and proof of the relationship of the sponsor with the applicant must be submitted, if relevant. o Income tax returns (ITR-V or Form 16) for the last two years and PAN card copy of the applicant and sponsor, if applicable. o Salary slips for last three months, when available. o Title of property in Spain, pension slips or proof of deposits, if relevant.
I attached last 2 year ITR Form.
You need to submit 3 months of bank statements. Online bank statements are not accepted and you need to get this from your bank with the proper authorization seal and signature.
How much bank funds required?
No particular figure can suffice and it is at sole discretion of the embassy. At times, a solid bank balance application has been rejected and application with minimal fund approved.
Rule of thumb is to have a consistent minimum bank balance for Schengen visa of Rs 1,00,000 (On an average of 60-90 Euros per day) over the past 3 months. Just an advice, ensure you have atleast 3-4 lakhs standing fund (liquid or fixed deposits). *Amount invested in Insurance may not be taken into this figure.
e.g. Finland government on its website says:
“The applicant must have proof of sufficient financial means to cover the duration and purpose of the stay and the cost of living in the country. In Finland a minimum of EUR 30 a day is required.”
Also, income cash flow should be consistent and uniform, last minute money transfers are looked down on. For employees, In addition, 6 months’ salary slips, 3 years Income tax returns, a copy of PAN card also need to be submitted.
Therefore please make sure documents are as per standards and requirements.
BIOMETRICS COLLECTION
All Schengen visa applicants in India have to appear in person in order to provide biometric data (fingerprints and digital photography).
The photograph can be digitally taken at the time of the application or scanned from a recent one, if conform to ICAO standards 3.
For subsequent applications (within 5 years), the fingerprints can be copied from the previous application file.
WHICH MEMBER STATE IS COMPETENT FOR EXAMINING AND DECIDING ON MY VISA
APPLICATION?
The Schengen Member State competent for examining and deciding on an application for a uniform visa shall be:
(a) the Schengen Member State whose territory constitutes the sole destination of the visit(s).
(b) if the visit includes more than one destination, or if there are several separate visits within 2
months, the Member State whose territory constitutes the main destination of the visit(s) in
terms of the length or purpose of stay.
(c) if no main destination can be determined, the Schengen Member State whose external
border the applicant intends to cross first in order to enter the territory of the Member States.
For more information regarding the competent consulate of the Schengen Member State (if thereare more than one) and information regarding possible commercial intermediates and external service providers, please visit the web pages of the Schengen Member States indicated at the end of this document.