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| At the Jogini Waterfalls |
During my last trip to Manali I stayed at Vashisht which is about 3 km from Manali. It is less crowded and has better views of the mountains. But it was only when I had gone to Old Manali that I noticed from far off there is a big waterfall above Vashisht.
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| View of Jogini Waterfalls from Old Manali |
So I decided to go trekking there. The trek to the lower base of the Jogini waterfall is an easy one from the Vashisht temple. Beyond the temple you pass through the narrow lanes of the village and then once you come out of the village the walk is very pleasant among the pine woods and small rivulets.
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| The trek to Jogini falls goes through beautiful Pine forest |
There are a few eating joints also on the way till the Jogini shrine. The shrine and the area are considered holy by the locals. To reach the lower waterfalls there is a slight climb after the shrine.
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| The Jogini shrine near the waterfall |
Majority of the locals and tourists come only to the lower Jogini waterfalls as it is easily approachable.
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| The lower Jogini Waterfall |
At the lower Jogini waterfall I met a gentleman who runs a hotel in Manali who discouraged me to go the upper Jogini waterfall stating that it will take me at least 45 minutes of hard climb to reach the top as I am a city dweller. Fortunately I did not heed to his advice and went up the path.
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| The lower Jogini waterfall as seen from above while climbing higher up |
The trek from the lower waterfall to the upper comes in the category of a moderate climb. On this stretch there are no kiosks and no water till you reach the waterfall so it is advisable to carry your own water and eatables. While climbing one can see the lower waterfall as well as the scenic view of the valley and the Beas River and the snow clad mountains. There are plenty of wild flowers blooming making your trek more pleasant.
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| The upper Jogini Waterfall |
I reached the upper Jogini waterfall in another twenty minutes and was mesmerized by the view. Unlike the lower Jogini waterfall the upper one falls over an overhanging rock and therefore has a free fall.
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| Rainbow at the Jogini waterfall |
As it was the second half of the day the sun created beautiful rainbows on the falls. The spray from the waterfall also cooled me after the climb. I spent about an hour there soaking in nature at its best and then it was time to head back.
