Trek to a nearby village, simply breathe in the fresh mountain air or plan a ski trip in the next few months. Auli is a place that can be anything you want it to be

It was not exactly easy to snuggle my hand out of the warm blanket to reach the phone and check the time. But unlike the winters in Delhi where the 5 am alarm doesn’t always bring out the best in people (many nods , are such a reassurance ever for a morning person like me, I tell you!), I was actually up before the alarm rang and believe me, I was anything but grumpy. After all it’s not every day that you wake up in Auli and know that in some minutes, you would view the mysterious Nanda Devi peak. Sense the city stress ebb out of as you view the glory and dig into the philosophical side of life. Or just sip the morning tea as you let the nippy wind charge that adventurous spirit of yours.

Your reasons to be in Auli could be as varied as a day in this lovely place can be. And anyone who told you that Auli is only a skiing paradise obviously didn’t spend enough time exploring the place. At an elevation of 2500 to 3050 meters above sea level, the 270 degree of the views from Auli is enough to make you come back for more. Mana, Kamet, Nanda Devi and a panoramic view of the Himalayas — just what you need to get the larger picture of life in place.

September is a lovely time to be in Auli, also known as “Auli bugyal”; (bugyal means meadow in the local Garhwali language). The grass is a brilliant shade of green having been bathed with all the mountain rains. Sling your camera, slip into comfy walking shoes and take in the serenity of the place. The wind is chilly in the evenings and mornings but some lucky days get just the kind of sun to get you in the right sprit. For a day in this place and you are sure to know why legend has it that Lord Hanuman decided to take a break here while on his way to search for Sanjeevani herb that was to save an injured Laxman.

You can make Auli a destination or also use it as a base to do soft one-day treks. You could do Gorson- Tali (about 6km), Auli-Gorson (around 7km), Khulara-Tapovan (around 9km), Tali-Kuari Pass around (about 11km) or brave the rewarding Kuari Pass-Khulara (about 12km). Either way, you will love coming back to the comforting views of Auli.

A relatively small place, you have a few options to stay here. I settled for Devi Darshan Lodge, a hill house converted into a lodge run by Mountain Shepherds, a community-owned-and-operated ecotourism company. That I was brave enough to be driven in a Santro that had done its bit of running in Mumbai and Pune roads and landed me in this beautiful hill lodge was enough to make me smile. Black smoke from a fire somewhere lost itself in the gathering evening clouds that still hadn’t lost their rosiness from the sunset. Picture-perfect, I thought.

And what do you need after an exhausting drive? Some home-style delicious local food served with love in a living room that could easily pass off for a friend’s beautiful cottage in the hills. What makes this living area-cum-dining room perched on top of a row of rooms special is that it has glass windows almost the size of doors. While the moon makes an alluring image of the night outside, the morning views are glorious. The lodge is done up with an informal warmness in bright colours with local knick-knacks put up tastefully. Don’t forget to sip on some herbal tea such as local nettle and chamomile available at the lodge.

If you feel like a break, go and see what is called the world’s highest man-made lake. Right next to a private hotel, the government developed this in view of creating artificial snow on the new ski slopes in case there is low snow fall. The water from this lake is to be used to feed the snow guns stationed along the ski slopes and help extend the ski season.

While you are out, don’t miss the small joints just below the slopes of Auli that dole out Indianised maggi served with a generous sprinkling of green chillies, fresh coriander and onion. Have heart and dig into a bun omelette accompanied with adrak chai and you are sure to recall it as a one-of-the-best-omelette-I-had moment.

And no we are not saying don’t do the obvious in Auli. If you do go there in September and miss the skiing season (which is on from December to February), you always have time to do a recce for your skiing trip. Auli boasts of Asia’s longest —four km — cable car (Gondola). It also has a chair lift and a ski-lift and the slopes are considered great for amateurs as well as seasoned skiers. You could enrol for certificate or non-certificate courses that last from four to 14 days.

Go on, do it all in Auli!