More than a year ago, I started my journey of finding myself on a 40-day solo trip around India. The plan was simple: to thrive and survive.
I included all the places I wanted to visit or were too unique to my taste. The first place, which was closest to Maharashtra (my home) was Mount Abu. However, reaching here wasn’t easy. So I booked a train to Udaipur and then a bus to Mount Abu.
I reached Udaipur at 4 in the morning and waited at the railway station for 3 hours before my bus to Mount Abu.
I had a mix of feelings. My mom had come to see me off at the Vasai Road station. Bidding goodbye was the toughest part. I remember looking at her through the glass window of my three tier ac train and the train moved as she stood on the platform. I started weeping after she left and the co-passengers just looked at me.
Later an elderly woman asked, “Are you going for studies or a job?” I said, “I’m going on a solo trip around India. Mount Abu is my first stop. I’m going alone.” She gave me blessings and that’s how my journey started.
I remember having crying sessions every now and then not because I felt lonely but because I was carrying a baggage from my past which I wished to erase completely.
Reaching early morning at 4 in Udaipur wasn’t that smooth. It was still pitch dark, the station was empty but I chose to wait there, on a black bench for three hours. I nibbled on Hide & Seek and yearned for tea. Unfortunately the canteen opened at 8 am so I couldn’t have my morning tea. I rushed for a private bus stop and hopped on in my bus, the semi-luxury bus was hopeless with its torn seats and rusty interiors. My journey to Mount Abu started...
The reason I’d picked Mount Abu was merely due to curiosity. For some reason, since childhood, I always assumed Mount Abu was some sort of a desert with treasure chests burrowed beneath the sand. Where characters from Arabian Nights appear magically...
The walk from my hotel to the Nakki Lake was quite a challenge because the road was frequented by drunk men in groups and I was walking alone, pretending to be Salman Khan or some ‘bhai’ of that area with my chest pumped up and arms stretched out. Perhaps my only weapon was the fact that I knew to speak Marwari, thanks to my Rajasthani neighbours.
By using Google Maps, I reached the lake and with my boat rider, I rowed for 30 mins. The experience resembled to Nainital’s Naini Lake. Post boating, I tried climbing the Toad Rock but neither my guts nor my stamina allowed me to. I planned on going back to the hotel before it turned dark.
Post dinner, I slept but was woken again as my periods had started! Just the 2nd day of the trip, and the ‘crimson wave’ had hit me. The next day was going to be the busiest. I had plans of sightseeing Mount Abu followed by an overnight sleeper-bus journey to Jaipur. I myself know how I pulled it off. I popped a pill to avoid the pain and the blood flow was reduced too due to it. But my strength had weakened completely. I was exhausted! I reached Jaipur the next day at 5 am.
HOW TO REACH MOUNT ABU
The best way to reach Mount Abu is by getting down at any major city such as Jaipur or Udaipur and then take a bus to Mount Abu. You can book a bus via Redbus. After reaching the bus depot in Mount Abu, hire a cab to your hotel. The minimum cab fare is Rs 100.
WHERE TO STAY IN MOUNT ABU FOR A SOLO FEMALE TRAVELLER
Mount Abu is a hill station that lies near the border of Gujarat, an India state where the sale of alcohol is prohibited. So when the residents want to party, they drive down to Mount Abu. The chances are high you spot men around the restaurants and on roads who are there for nothing but consuming a lot of alcohol.
And when I had been to Mount Abu, I came across a very few families; I saw groups of men the most. And though that does not always mean you're unsafe, risking life is not advisable. I recommend going for a family-friendly resort, preferably a 3-starred resort for ensuring maximum safety. These resorts also have tie-ups with decent cabbies and the experience of touring the place will be safer and better. And although this means shelling out Rs 1300-2000 a night, it will be worth it in the end.
Where to stay in Mount Abu? I had stayed at Hotel Aravali, which I recommend a hundred percent for its hospitality, rooms, staff, food, and an extremely jolly owner, whom I met personally during my stay. In case the resort is overbooked, then go for any good resort (not a lodge, not a shady place) as close to the Nakki Lake as possible. Hotel Aravali is quite close and I had walked down until the lake.
THINGS TO DO IN MOUNT ABU FOR A SOLO FEMALE TRAVELLER / MOUNT ABU ITINERARY
Day 1
Two days are enough in Mount Abu, especially if you're alone and seeking a break from your everyday schedule. I would suggest leaving the hotel a bit early, around 3pm and heading to the Nakki Lake (try to get a hotel near to the lake so that you can walk instead of paying Rs 100, which is the minimum cab fare). Near the market outside the lake, try dal bati or any local dish.
Post your meal, go boat riding at Nakki Lake followed by a climb on the Toad Rock. Again, there will be groups of males but you might come across females too (not solo, of course). So when climbing, just be prepared for men, especially if you don't know the local language.
I suggest getting down from Toad Rock before it turns dark as the forest could get lonely and not safe considering it's a hill station and you're a solo female traveller in Mount Abu. Head straight to your hotel before it is dark.
Take a nice shower and have dinner at the hotel.
Day 2
For the second day, book a day-cab from the hotel or from the local taxi union the previous day. Usually the package includes Shankar Math, Honeymoon Point, Nakki Lake Selfie Point, Lover's Point, Trevor's Tank, Shree Somnath Mahadev Temple, and Guru Shikhar Hill Point. All the places are touristy honestly but there's nothing else you can expect from a commercial hill station. While the Trevor's Tank is a place located between forest, where you can sit for hours and contemplate, the Guru Shikhar point is the highest peak of Mount Abu, something you should not miss, especially for the view.
For a solo female traveller in Mount Abu, the best way to truly enjoy the place is to relax and rewind at your resort (which is additionally why you should go for a nice property) and enjoy the boat ride at Nakki Lake. For food, apart from local cuisine, there's also Domino's near the lake in case you're looking for hygiene standards during the COVID times.
