[ Bengia Ajum ]
In October 2021, along with a group of friends and family members, I went on a trekking expedition to Dibang Valley district to trek the famous 7 Lakes situated in the Idu Mishmi Hills. Before the trek, we were told that it was going to be a very difficult trekking expedition due to harsh terrain and extremely unpredictable weather in the mountains. I was terrified and had self-doubt whether I could complete the trek. Till the last moment I kept asking myself: Can I do it?
Despite the self-doubt, I decided to go ahead with the trek. As warned by our guide, the trek was indeed tough. On the first day itself, many of our team members started to struggle. One of the members gave up on the second day and went back to Anini. As the fellow trekkers started to struggle, strangely, I started to find strength day by day. The stunning beauty of the Idu Mishmi Hills kind of gave me a big push to continue the trek. Out of the total 18 members in the team, only eight completed the trek of all the 7 lakes. Some could not go beyond Lake Number 4 and preferred to stay back in the camps.
The weather was very harsh and the terrain equally harsh. The 7 Lakes trekking itself was an experience of a lifetime. Trekking for eight days at heights of 13,000 to 14,000 feet above sea level was challenging. With no internet or phone connection with the rest of the world, especially for people like us, who are so used to a fast-track city lifestyle, it was tough.
I had travelled to Anini, the headquarters of Dibang Valley, in 2011 with the then governor JJ Singh. However, it was a chopper ride and I did not get the opportunity to explore the district in the true sense. The trekking expedition to the stunningly beautiful 7 Lakes was once-in-a-lifetime experience. This trek massively boosted my self-confidence. I always had self-doubts about my capability to trek in the mountains. It was indeed a life changing experience for me, and since then I have not looked back. Sometimes, one needs to challenge oneself to test one’s own capabilities.
These lakes are located at high altitudes and are increasingly becoming a major destination for trekking enthusiasts. The trekking route was discovered by a bunch of youths of Dibang Valley, and they organised the trek under the banner of Emudu Trekkers. The boys are very professional and hardworking too. On the fifth day of the trek, one of the members started to develop serious health issues due to high altitude sickness.
Much to our surprise, two boys of the organising team carried our member on their backs and took him back to Anini. We were struggling to carry our own weight also, and here they were carrying one grownup man on their back at heights of 13,000 to 14,000 feet above sea level. The 7 Lake trek should be on the top of the bucket list of those who love hardcore trekking.
The 7 Lakes trekking season starts in June and ends by October. During winter, it remains closed due to heavy snowfall. All the seven lakes are stunningly beautiful. I wish to someday go back to the Mishmi Hills and revisit the enchanting 7 Lakes again.
