The Caretaker of Askot Forest Rest House looked with puzzlemet at my arrival. ”Askot Sanctuary?” he scratched his head, ”that’s the forest behind us”, he said, pointing to a mountain path disappearing into a clump of trees below. The mountain range and the dark deep valley ahead showed no sign of habitation. ”It’s supposed to be a musk deer sanctuary, but no one has seen any in the area, ” he added dismissively. ”There is only mining”.
Some 54 Km from Pithoragarh, the district’s busy commercial centre in the Soar Valley, Askot is located on the Goriganga Kali river divide and falls on the way to Dharchula, the starting point for the annual Kailash Manssarovar pilgrimage. Historically , the area fell under the Chand rulers who were ousted from here in the 18th Century by Gorkhas from Nepal, who ruled over the region till the British defeated and pushed them back in 1815. A moment in history that kept Uttarakhand a part of India. The region bears the imprints of its multi-ethnicity- Van Rawats in and around Dharchula and Didihat, Bhotias near Narayan Swamy Ashram and Gorkhas and Kumaonis along the eastern flank of the district.
The ridge on which the timy town of Askot sits, skirts surviving forests and tribal habitation, a part of which has – at least on paper- designated as the Askot Musk Deer Sanctuary. But not all is well with this remote part of Uttarakhand. Indiscriminate mining and large hydroelectric projects on the river kali have not only displaced surviving pockets of hill tribes, they have also chnaged the character of the mountain habitat that once was home to snow leopard, musk deer and many other creatures and vegetation that constitutes its unique bio-system. Which for the traveller means that Askot can not provide any real wildlife experience. Yet despite these problems , this region of Uttarakhand is stunningly beautiful. The Himalayan ranges that unfolds before the visitors,the cascading waterfalls that playfully descends the slopes, the frothy ferociousness of the river Kali rushing to meet the Goriganga – all make for an unforgettable sensation of being reduced to a mere pebble in the vast and mighty kingdom of nature. And Askot makes a good alternate base for from the grotty district headquarters to explore this remote region, otherwise only visited by few pilgrims who go to Kailash Manasarovar every year.
Things to See and Do
The best way to explore the region around the Askot – Dharchula belt is to set base at Askot or its nearby town, Didihat( approx 28 km from Askot). Both these tiny towns offer comfortable and accessible forest rest houses. The region is not geared for tourists( definitely not a place to come with kids or elders), so be prepared for any eventuality. That apart, the magnificence of the multi-varied terrain, the hardiness it expects from its visitors and the beauty of sun playing hide and seek among the snow capped mountains, is definitely worth the effort of getting here.
Along the Road to Kailash
Around 19 Km from Askot in the Narrow valley where the Gorganga and Kali rivers meet, lies Jauljibi, a place venerated for the merging of the two mighty mountain rivers. From here the road forks, left for Munsiyari, right for the Dharchula and Narayan Swamy Ashram.
How to reach Askot
- By Air. Nearest Airport – is Naina Sani in Pithoragrah (60 kms).
- By Rail. Nearest railhead – Nearest railway station is Tanakpur (204 kms).
- By Road. The park is accessible by road through Pithoragarh at a distance of 55 kms from Tanakpur – Pithoragarh, or through Haldwani – Almora at a distance of 150(approx.)
