Members of a 26 member expedition travelling in nine motorcycles and six SUVs undertook the journey to Nelang Valley in Uttarkashi district along the Indo-Tibet border. The expedition was undertaken to promote the Uttarkashi region.
The expedition was organised jointly by Where Eagles Dare group and the Hotel Association of Uttarkashi. According to the expedition organisers, initially it was planned a motor biking expedition but as the Nelang valley is part of a national park where motorcycling is not allowed to prevent noise pollution, part of the expedition was covered on four wheelers.
The group started from New Delhi on September 20 and reached Dehradun on the same day from where it was flagged off by Cabinet Minister Pritam Singh Panwar.After reaching Uttarkashi, the group was flagged ahead by the District Magistrate on September 21.
The 26 members of the group then offered their prayers at Gangotri temple and reached Bhairon Ghati where they parked all their motorbikes and then reached Nelang post in six SUVs. The group was received by ITBP personnel at the post and escorted by forest ranger Pratap Panwar. On September 22, the group explored the Nelang valley and visited places including Naga, Sonam and Tripani before returning to Nelang post by sunset.
On Tuesday, the group began its return jouney to Uttarkashi where they were welcomed by the district magistrate and Tourism Department. The authorities and the expedition organisers hope that this expedition will publicise that Uttarakhand is now a safe destination for tourists after the June 2013 disaster.