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Hillhacks

Travel

Here are several routes for travelling to hillhacks. You can also refer to Wikvoyage Dharamshala to get more details. **Feel free to edit or add to the information below**.

Usual way is:

  • Reach Delhi, Chandigarh or Pathankot (latter will be by train)
     * Take a bus to Dharamshala.
     * Take a bus to Fatehpur or Sidhpur and walk up from there to the venue (1.5 kms)
     * Or take a cab from Dharamsala straight to [[venue.maps|the Venue]]

Getting to Dharamsala

By Plane

  • Fly to Gaggal Airport (DHM), then hire a cab.
  • Fly to Chandigarh Airport (IXC), then take a bus to Dharamshala (~6hrs)
  • Fly to Amritsar (ATQ), then take a bus to Dharamshala (~7hrs)
  • Fly to New Delhi Airport (DEL), then take a bus to Dharamsala (see details below) (~11hrs)

By Train

By Bus

  • Private busses:
    • From Delhi Majnu ka Tilla tibetan colony to McLeodGanj or Dharamshala (more busses). Either reach busstand via yellow line and take an auto for the last mile, or take auto from the city center (Mark that bus station spot on your smartphone, its not easy to find!)
    • All Start around 5-6PM, reach McLeod/Dharamshala 10/11 hrs later.
    • Book via redbus.in
  • State busses:
    • From Delhi Kashmere Gate Metro station (general ISBT stand) to Dharamshala Bus stand (more busses going) (₹500-1200).
    • Buses going at various timings, but mainly in the (late) evening and reach McLeod/Dharamshala 10/11 hrs later.
    • Various types available. The non-AC one is just fine.
    • Book via: hrtc.gov.in

Shared rides from DEL

  • Book a seat in a mini bus via rideshare.co for INR 2000 (Return Trip)
  • Book a seat in Innova via Rideshare.co for INR 2500 (Return Trip)
  • Arrangements can be made in the same mini bus / innova to commute inside dharamshala at an extra cost.
  • Please send an email to Aditi to know more or make a booking (adyteegupta at gmail dot com) The faster you book, the better price the company would offer.

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Last-Mile: Getting to Ghoomakad (the Venue)

Telephone Number for directions, queries etc: 9818489610

  • Train connectivity Travel by train to Pathankot/Chakki Bank or New Delhi. From there take a bus to Dharamsala.

* Bus Connectivity There are buses available from Chandigarh (5 hrs), Pathankot (3 hrs), Delhi (11 hrs), Dehradun (11 hrs), Palampur (1 hr), Manali (8 hrs) and other places of Himachal.

  • By air There is Gaggal airport, 14 kms from Ghoomakad. You can take a flight from Delhi to Gaggal. From Gaggal you can either take a bus to get to Shiela Chowk (4 kms before Dharamsala bus stop). From Sheila Chowk, take a bus to Sidhpur/Fathehpur and walk up 1.5kms to the venue. This will cost you around 30 bucks and ~1 hour of your life. The ride is beautiful
    Alternatively, taxi from Gaggal to Ghoomakad will cost you Rs. 600 and 30 minutes of your life. You can use one of the taxi number mentioned below.

General directions from Dharamsala (walking or cab/auto)

If coming from Gaggal direction (Gaggal is on the way if coming from airport or via train to Pathankot), get down at Sheila Chowk and take bus to Fatehpur.

If coming from Palampur/Baijnath/Mandi/Manali/Shimla get down at Tapowan turn and walk up 1.5 kms to reach Ghoomakad, near school ground, village Rakkar.

If coming from Dharamsala bus stop or town (if you have come via bus), take a bus to Fatehpur, and walk up 1.5 kms or straight cab to venue.

From Fatehpur, walk up 1.5 kms to reach Ghoomakad, near school groumd, village Rakkar.

Some taxi numbers from Rakkar
  • Sanju 9736156453
  • Phinnu 9882817429
  • Rajesh 9882400414

Stay / Accommodation

Accommodation at Ghoomakad will be a few shared rooms and tents. It is very simple and basic; all we can provide is a mattress and a blanket / sleeping bag. Bathrooms will be shared, and some of them will be outside, as the tents are. We do have ladies-only room, tent and bathroom. **Please bring your own camping gear, if you have any!**

Places nearby

If you prefer to stay in your own room / have your own bathroom / anything else beside a bed in a room or tent, please contact us and let us know what you are willing to spend on that, so that we can watch out accordingly and give you recommendations on what to book. There are some hotels/homestays around and also village homes. .

Food

Breakfast, lunch and dinner will be made by our kitchen team on site. Breakfast is served at 9:00, lunch at 12:30 and dinner at 21:00. Participants lodging elsewhere will join us for lunch and dinner. Tea is also there sometimes. Everyone is doing his/her own dishes.

The menu will be simple vegetarian Indian meals (rice/roti, dal, sabji), cooked by our team, and enjoyed in the “food corner” spread out on the ground and at tables. In the peak time some of us will be supporting the kitchen team with chores. Please let us know if you would like to be part of the kitchen team, too!

Other food options are 15 minute walk away up to Dharamkot, Bhagsu or down to McLeod.

Water Purifier

1. Turn it on (power button). All 3 lights glow 2. Wait for 60 seconds. Turn on the “water button” 2 lights glow (Red+Green) 3. Collect water in the lower container 4. Fill your bottle/cup from the lower container

  • Important**: Turn off the water button before turning it off. This way, it doesn't accidentally turn on and flow.

Please fill empty water bottles whenever you can. If you can't drink the Indian way, carry your own bottle with you.

Internet

As of April 2016, Ghoomakad has 3 ISPS with a total bandwidth of 16mbps (10 AirJaldi, 5 Vayudoot, 1 Pacenet)

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Climate

Temperature

During the day (when the sun is out) it'll be warm enough to wear a t-shirt, in the evenings you might want to wear a sweater/hoody or two, and maybe even socks and a cap.

In general it will be around 25°C during the day, and around 15°C at nights. But be aware! We are on 2000 meters altitude, it can get down to 10°C and on the other hand side it can rise up to 30°C. As we have sometimes some rain which is very unusual, its also colder than usual :(

Get details on temperature and weather on the pages of the McLeodGanj Weathergeek or at Forecast.io.

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Weather

The annual monsoon begins in late June. Here's what McLeodGanj Weathergeek has to say about the weather around the time of our event:

“There can be raucous periods of thunderstorms during that period, but normally they are short-lived, with a return to sunshine not far away. The warmest temperatures of the entire year are concentrated during that time frame – especially between mid-May and mid-June.”

May is one of the driest months of the year, better then October: hillhacks 2014 was in October, and we had only two times some short rain. But: We are in the mountains, we are always prepared to handle some rain - and so should you!

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What to Bring

It's up to you, but you might consider packing:

  • Sleeping bag, mattress (almost must have)
  • Water bottle (must have)
  • Plate, spoon, bowl, glass (if you prefer not to wait for an empty plate for food or a glass for tea)
  • Warm jacket. Preferably wind resistant.
  • Trekking shoes
  • Hat or cap to cover the head from the summer sun (Helps tremendously in preserving the energy)
  • Computer/Technical gear to use and share
  • Torches (for you) and lamps (for your place)
  • Supplies and materials for your projects
  • Musical instrument, if you play one
  • HDDs (full and empty)
  • Extension cords, multiple power plugs, additional chargers (USB etc)
  • Powerbanks / external Batteries
  • More clothes (you can always take them off at the river or…)
  • More blankets/shawls (you can always share them, or create cozy seating space)
  • First Aid Kit
  • Lots and lots of love, high awareness and sense of responsibility
  • Awareness of sorroundings
  • (please add what you find important!)

Dont forget to **label things with your name/handle** - especially gear like multiple power plugs, chargers, torches, that can easily be taken by mistake… .

For any queries

 Contact 9818489610 

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