Har ki Dun Trek

Location: Uttarakhand (Garhwal Himalayas), India

Duration: 7 Days/ 6 Nights

Trek gradient: Easy-Moderate

Maximum Altitude: 11,768 feet above sea level

Distance: 65+ km

Pickup/ Drop Point: Sankri, Uttarakhand

Base camp: Sankri

Season: Winter: Late December – Mid February

                       Spring: March – June

                      Autumn: September – November

Temperature: Winter:Day: 8-14°C/ Night: 2-3°C

                Spring: Day: 15 – 20°C/ Night: 1-5°C

                Autumn: Day: 13 – 18°C/ Night: 2-6°C

Customized fees:
Fees based on the final number of participants. Kindly contact +91-9051055011/ +91-8969336262 for the further detail before proceeding for the payment.

Overview of Har ki Dun trek:

• Har ki Dun, a cradle shaped valley is at the base of Fateh Parvat in Govind Pashu Vihar National Park. This watershed area is a major source of River Tons, the largest tributary of Yamuna. River Tamosa (near Osla village) is formed by Har ki Dun & Ruinsara Nallah, which flows beside Taluka & below Sankri to join Supin (near Jakhol). Supin & Rupin confluences at Netwar to form River Tons.

• This region lies in Saraswati range of mountains, with about 11 to 12 peaks. 9 of them can be seen during this trek. All of these peaks rise above 6000 meters in height and it’s interesting to know that many remain unclimbed till date. These peaks’ glaciers (especially Jaundhar Glacier, Kalanag Glacier and Bandarpoonch Glacier) give birth to many lakes and streams (including Ruinsara and Har Ki Dun river), all of which drain into the mighty Yamuna River (after series of course as mentioned above). Yamuna River meets Ganges in Allahabad (now Prayagraj). 

• The trail is along river Tons, from Netwar village, following up the course of river Supin via the ancient villages of Taluka, Gangad and Osla.

• Treks sharing the route with Har ki Dun trek:

• Bali Pass trek

• Borasu Pass trek (to reach Baspa valley, Kinnaur)

• Dhumdhar Kandi Pass

• Maldaru Lake

• Bainya Top

• Back Peak Expedition

• Swargarohini Peak Expedition

• Jaundhar glacier/ Marinda tal trek
  
  

• This the only valley from where Swargarohini (Stairway to Heaven)– I, II, III, Bandarpoonch range, Black peak (Kalanag), Jaundhar Glacier can be seen together.

Note: Swargarohini group of peaks are totally different from Swargarohini glacier which forms Satopanth- Swargarohini trek route from Bardinath. 

• Har ki Dun trek can be done throughout the year except during the monsoon. Trekking during monsoon is not recommended due to the risk of the landslides & route blockage. The landscape dresses up in an entirely different vibe each season.

Why Har ki Dun trek…?

• Mythological connection: The trail is believed to be the route trodden by Pandavas (from Mahabharata) to the heaven.

• Cultural trek: This trek can be categorized as a cultural trek, as the route offers the opportunity to closely experience the culture of the ancient villages (2,000- 3,000 years old) like Gangad, Powani, Osla. You can see the influence of the neighbouring Kinnauri culture of Himachal Pradesh, especially the wooden crafted houses and attire. Most villagers grow Rajma, Potato, Rice for their livelihood. . Osla is a sought-after ancient village on this trail. Here the houses are built out of wood with slate as the roof. Houses are two storied: lower one is used as the cattle shelter and firewood/fodder store. Upper storey is used by the families as their residence. You might notice a few satellite TV dishes on the roof of a few houses still over-all the village lack the basic facilities.  The satellite phones are available to communicate to the outer world but with an unstable connection. The village is settled on the slope of the mountain with a Someshwar temple is the heart of the village.

• Someshwar temple in Osla: Constructed by inhabitants of Saur, this temple in Osla village (13km from Sankri) is a must see. Approximately 5000 year old temple, is beautifully carved out of wood. Although this temple is dedicated to the Lord Shiva, in many literatures it has been referred as ‘Duryodhana temple’ where Duryodhana (one of the Kauravas from Mahabharat) is worshipped here. Every year the villagers hold a festival during monsoon along with a fifteen days of fair, when the idol (Lord Shiva) is taken from one village to another in a ‘doli’ (=Palanquin)

• Flora: The trail is across the different kind of forests: Bhojpatra trees, Blue Pine, Deodar (Himalayan Cedar), Kharsu (Oak), Spruce, Silver Fir, Birch trees, Chestnut, Walnuts trees, Willows and Chinar.

• Wildlife: Black bear, Barasingha, Himalayan Langoors, Blue Sheep and Wild boars are native inhabitants. Golden eagles and Himalayan griffins are found here among the birds. Himalayan Monal, the state bird of Uttarakhand can be seen on the trail. Buntings, Flycatchers and Mountain Fiches are abundant. There are reported sightings of Snow Leopard in this region.

• Beginner’s trek: Looking for a trek where you can take your kid along? This trail is perfect for the beginners specially the families who want to introduce their children to trekking. It can be easily done by the children aged more than 8 years of age who are interested in outdoor activities.

Spring landscape during Har ki Dun trek:

• Spring (March-April) is the best season to trek on this trail if you love snow. However don’t expect to experience a snow trek as the snow is only the residual (the amount depends on the snowfall during winter) before they start melting by

Summer landscape during Har ki Dun trek:

• During summer (May- June), the valley turns lush green and the sky remains clear devoid of fog, making it a perfect season for the view of the snow-capped Himalayan peaks.

• The tributaries of Tons river become turbulent as the glaciers melt, pouring water rapidly in them.

• Day times are warm to pleasant whereas the nights are cooler, making this season favorable for the ones who prefer avoiding chilly nights in the camp.

Autumn landscape during Har ki Dun trek:

• September- November

• The landscape gradually turns from lush green to the shades from orange to golden yellow as the deciduous tree (like Maple, Chestnut, Walnut trees) and the grass prepare for the fall.

• As the late Autumn approaches, the chances of snowfall increases. The trekkers should keep this in mind if selecting this season for the trek.

Winter landscape during Har ki Dun trek:

• As this region is close to the intersection between the Great Himalayas and the Dhauladhar range, it gets heavy snowfall during the winters.

• Altitude above 4000 meters gets snowfall from October whereas the low altitude between 3000-4000 meters get snowfall from December till March.

• In between, even altitsudes like that of Sankri 1920 meters and Purola, Mori averaging 1500 meters get snowfall once in a while.

Forms:

• Enrolment form
• Medical form
• Self-declaration form

Booking terms:

Confirmation policy

• Email on booking@meandmountain.com or WhatsApp on +91-9051055011 the following details: Name of the participant(s), Name of the event, Date of the event, Email address (Note: This is not the Enrolment form) and proceed with the online payment either via the payment link shared via WhatsApp or the payment section on the website.
• Mode of payment: only online
• The participants will receive the Confirmation email and Ticket via email within 48 hours.
• Ater the confirmation, you will need to send the dully filled, signed and scanned forms (Enrolment, Medical & Self-declaration) to booking@meandmountain.com, before commencement of the expedition.
• The forms can be downloaded from the links below or ‘FORMS’ section in the home page.
• It is mandatory for all the participants to submit all 3 forms before the expedition, in absence of which Me and Mountain shall have a full right to deny the entry of that participant to the particular expedition.

Cancellation policy

• Cancellation done any time after the booking of the event shall be adjusted in any event later with ‘Me And Mountain Global Adventures Pvt Ltd’ only via Adjustment voucher. The Adjustment voucher will be valid for 1 year from the date of the event cancelled.
• Refer the section on Cancellation/Refund Policy for the detail cancellation policy.

Discontinuation policy

• In an event of a participant deciding on discontinuing the event mid-way due to any circumstance other than medical condition requiring emergency evacuation, he/she will require to do so by signing the ‘Discontinuation form’ after which he/she is set to go on own. In such situation the participant will neither be eligible for the Refund or the Adjustment voucher.

Fitness training:

• Cardiovascular training
• Jogging/ running
• Free hand stretching
• Walk daily at least 2-3km

Diet recommendation:

• Consume less spicy diet at least 7 days prior to the trek.

Things to carry:

Clothing:

• 3 dry-fit T-shirts
• 2-3 pairs of trek pants
• 1 good insulated jacket- down or synthetic padded to withstand sub-zero temperature
• 1 wind + waterproof jacket
• 1 fleece jacket
• 1 set of body warmer (polyester….avoid cotton fabric)
• Rain jacket/ poncho
• 4-5 pairs of socks
• Insulated gloves
• Woollen cap/ balaclava
• Tip: Carry three layers irrespective of the season you select for trekking.

Base layer: Dry- fit T-shirt (additional body warmer for campsite during winters)

Middle layer: Fleece jacket &/or Insulated jacket

Outer layer: Waterproof/ Windproof jacket

Footwear:

• Medium range trekking shoes with ankle support
• Slippers/floaters for the campsite

Gears:

• Backpack- 50-60 litre with rain cover
• Daypack- 20-30 litre with rain cover
• Sunglasses with UV protection
• Cap/ hat
• Quick dry towel
• Trekking poles (preferably a pair)
• Headlamp
• Water bottle (preferably of 1 litre capacity)

Other essential items:

• Toilet kit
• Personal medical kit
• Snacks for personal consumption
• Ladies: Menstrual hygiene products with zip lock bags to carry back waste for disposal. Menstrual cups are recommended over tampons /sanitary napkins.