Ganga Panga!

Where to begin? Four glorious, adrenaline (and alcohol) fuelled days on the stunning Snow Leopard beach camp by the mighty Ganga river. Mountains steeped in dense, lush greenery all around, sand underfoot, and out in front, the hungry, constant flow of the Ganga, yards from our tent. The camp lies on a bend of the river, giving an unparalleled view upstream to your left, (where the hazy mist would roll down the valley at dusk), before the Ganga sweeps past you away to the right at a 'rapid' pace, its strong currents visible from the beach.

Over 50 of us, all ages, all nationalities, thrill-seeking, nature lovers, converged to produce the time of our lives. Merking (English slang for playing practical jokes on each other) took place at every opportunity, the main culprits being those ultimate pranksters, Karan and Hiranya. Nothing was beyond Karan-dunking people in the river, pouring water over unsuspecting heads, waking people up at any hour of the morning, his energy and enthusiasm to make sure the rest of us enjoyed the trip was truly remarkable, thank you Karan!! Hiranya, I loved the fact you flipped in two different boats, and came up smiling both times (Flipchart King!). Or when on the last day your voice had gone and your shouts of ‘Get off the road!’ were strangely hoarse and high-pitched, very unlike the Harinya we were used to!And then came the rapids.I wasn't prepared for the sheer thrill of rafting, the buzz you get in that split-second after paddling as hard as possible towards a raging wall of water, before you realise, 'uh oh, we're not going to make this', and all of a sudden you're submerged under the raft and everything goes eerily silent, only the gurgle of water around you before the life-jacket forces you back up into the swirling chaos and mass of water puling you this way and that, before, 'where's the raft, are they rocks?' goes through your mind then suddenly something's tapping your arm and it's your mate holding out his oar desperately trying to reach out to you and FINALLY, after what seems like forever but what was probably just a few seconds you're back in control, holding onto the overturned raft and shouting and whooping with satisfaction over what just happened!

Yes, we flipped on the 'Rollercoaster', and what a ride!
Add to this, cliff-jumping, gorge-scrambling, kayaking, waterfalls, walking through the forests, volleyball and 'Ganga Panga' on the beach (I really liked that game!), and you only begin to scratch the surface of the action side of the trip. If you loved all things natural, this was the place for you!

Back at the camp throw in a healthy dose of great banter and evenings getting pissed on the beach round a fire talking about the day's events, then maybe throwing a few more people in the water before waking up for an early morning dip (or a bucket of water) feeling refreshed and ready to do it all again, and you begin to get near the feeling in the camp!

The Snow Leopard camp, and all the staff there made for the most perfect venue and occasion for non-stop action and serious amounts of fun. A special mention on how good the guys working there were: led by Asta, our team of raft instructors and water enthusiasts made sure the rafting and other water-related activity was not only thrilling and varied but also safe. Planning and preparation were the key to this, and I’ve never seen someone move so fast as to jump back on the rafts and pull the non-swimmers out of the water-impressive stuff Raju! So thank you for keeping a watchful eye on us on the rapids and in the river by the camp, you have my upmost respect.

In the camp itself it often felt like we were the only people there, and yet behind the scenes there were people cooking three big meals a day, plus snacks and drinks, and others keeping the tents and the washing areas clean and tidy. Then at night, serving and looking after us and keeping the fire going-to everyone there, thanks.To the person who made Ganga Panga possible, Mohit, your powers of organsation amaze me. Every minute detail that ensured the trip was so good had been thought of and taken care of under your watchful eye. It is incredible that you have gone on so many trips yet seeing you in the water or at the camp with a huge smile on your face tells its own tale; your joy was infectious and rubbed off on us all I think!Lastly, the reason I think the trip was so special was down to every single person. When the youngest and the oldest members of the party are two of the most fun you know it's going to be good. So many interesting characters and personalities; such enthusiasm, energy and warmth from genuine people who looked out for one another and were willing to go out of their way to ensure Ganga Panga was such a memorable experience.
Roll on Ganga Panga in December, when the Ganga is meant to be freezing!