Har Ki Dun Trek

Day 1: Dehradun to Sankri

• Drive: 8-9 Hours

We pick up all the participants from Dehradun Railway Station around 6:00 AM. After a short briefing, the scenic drive to Sankri begins. This amazing road trip gradually transitions from the straight city roads to the zigzag bends of Mussoorie – “Queen of the Hills,” located 32 km from Dehradun City. As we approach Mussoorie, you will witness a beautiful view of the Doon Valley. The astonishing beauty of this small city, surrounded by dense forests and the lower Himalayan range, is hard to describe in words.

We cross popular hill towns like Nainbagh, Damta, Naugaon, Purola (where the Kamal Ganga flows alongside the route), Mori, and Natwar (confluence of Rupin and Supin) on our way to Sankri. After Purola, the drive to Sankri passes through a beautiful stretch of pine forests.

Finally, after the long drive of 9 hours, we will reach Sankri by evening. Nestled at an elevation of 6400 ft, Sankri is a quaint village as well as a small market with a couple of shops. Most of the shops retail warm clothes, trek essentials, and rental gear. Sankri is the base camp for many popular as well as unexplored treks in Govind Pashu Wildlife Sanctuary. This region is a delight for beginners starting their trekking experience and also for professionals looking to boost their endurance with some of the most challenging trails in India.

Today’s accommodation and dinner will be in a guesthouse/homestay in Sankri or Saud. After a short briefing about the next day’s schedule, we head towards our allotted rooms.

Day 2: Sankri to Chilurgad

• Drive: 1 Hour, Trek: 5-6 Hours

Post breakfast, we start today’s journey. We board a local vehicle from Sankri to reach Taluka, the starting point of the Har ki Dun Trek. After a thrilling one-hour ride through the curvy and bumpy roads, the vehicle drops us near the Taluka village.

Taluka is a small village with a few shops and government guest houses. The trek begins here, starting from a narrow rocky path. The fragrance of cedar trees can be felt around Taluka. The trek begins from a well-marked trail along the Supin River on our left. The intense tone and gushing rapids of the river make our journey more fascinating.

During the summer season, one can spot huge farmlands covered with Chaulai, a local crop. The trek stretches with little ascents and descents, making the trail easy as well as a bonus for today. After walking for a distance, we spot a tiny settlement on the ridge, known as Datmer Village. Several paths can be discovered to reach Datmer village. A beautifully sculpted wooden bridge, known as Baranti Pull, often crossed by locals to collect wood stock, can be seen. Trees like walnut, maple, and oak are most common on this trail. One can find walnuts lying on the trail during the autumn season.

As soon as we reach Chilurgad, tents can be seen pitched at a distance. The camping site offers a graceful view of little streams that merge into the Supin River. Enjoy the chilly evening with sips of tea and a view of grand peaks covered with snow.

Day 3: Chilurgad to Seematra

• Trek: 4-5 Hours

Osla village can be seen from the Chilurgad campsite, cradled on the cliff across the roaring Supin River. From Chilurgad, the route to reach Osla village is linked by a neat wooden bridge. Osla is the last village on the route to Har ki Dun and a key attraction for every explorer visiting this valley. The landscape of the alluring village is surrounded by snow-capped peaks and terraced farms. Each season delivers varied complexions about the elegance of the habitat. During the late monsoon, the area blooms with a local crop known as Chaulai. This red crop turns pink with time and adds a magnificent color around the territory. As you move further and walk out of the village territory, you can spot a magnificent waterfall at a distance. The splendid view of the waterfall is a perfect delight to look at. Moving ahead on the trail, a small temple devoted to Kanda Rani can be glimpsed. The climb turns up to a steep slope after we cross the last tea point. Soon we reach a huge camping ground, Kalkatidhar, which was earlier used by the locals as farmland; the treeline cannot be noticed in this part of the wide meadow. Kalkatidhar is large pastureland that offers an eye-catching view during different seasons. This passage of the trek is steep and fatiguing, so it takes a little while to complete. The Himalayan ranges like Bandarpunch and Black Peak are visible from this part of the trek. Leaving the meadows behind as we move forward through the narrow trail, after a half-hour journey, we finally reach Seematra. This camping site is a small clearing area covered up by the treeline all around. Overnight stay will be in tents.

Day 4: Seematra to Har ki Dun and back to Seematra

• Trek: 5-6 Hours

The trail to reach Har ki Dun from Seematra is the easiest compared to other days of the trek. Another stunning and rumbling waterfall is encountered after a gradual ascent, locally named Dorberta. We will cross a small stream with the help of stones after the waterfall. After this, the trail enters a forest covered with bhojpatra trees (Himalayan Birch).

The short uphill trail takes us close to the Har ki Dun Valley, and a sudden change of surroundings can be felt. The majestic glacial mountains deliver a proximate view, and the river also accompanies us. The panoramic landscape of the heavenly scenery leaves first-time visitors awestruck. All the grand peaks are situated in such a way that it creates a scenario to relax and admire the beauty of nature. In the center, Har ki Dun peak stands still with ravishing colors during different seasons, while to its left lies the Hata Peak, and on the right lies the arrangement of the Jaundar glacier and the mighty peak of “Swargarohini.”

Many people are mystified with the name of the river formed at this place; while the locals name this river as Thamsa, many trekking agencies mention it as the Supin River. The Thamsa River forms from the streams flowing from different regions of Jaudhar, Borasu, and Hata Glaciers.

If everything goes as per our schedule, we trek towards Marinda Tal. Marinda Tal is 3 km north of the Har ki Dun valley. This lake is formed by a huge boulder obstructing the stream which flows down from the Borasu Pass. Covering today’s magnificent topography in our senses, we trek back to our respective campsites.

Day 5: Seematra to Chilurgad

• Trek: 3 Hours

Today we use the same route we arrived from. Descending is not as time-consuming as climbing uphill, but you need to be careful while walking on the rocky terrain.

As we reach Kalkatidhar, we spend a few minutes admiring and capturing the view around the place. Moving ahead on the trail, we also spot two streams entering from two different parts of the valley, Har ki Dun Valley, and Ruinsara Valley. The Har ki Dun Valley connects to the Baspa Valley through the Borasu Pass, and the Ruinsara Valley connects the Har ki Dun Valley to the Yamunotri Valley through the Bali Pass. When we reach Osla village, the ordinary lifestyle of Himalayan villages can be observed. You can chat with locals, visit old wood-structured houses, or discover the heritage and culture of the community. Osla has a temple dedicated to Lord Someshwara, which is believed to be another form of Lord Shiva. In late August, a festival is celebrated to worship Lord Shiva, and people from nearby villages reach Osla on foot to celebrate this auspicious festival.

The stares of the locals may be anxious, but if you talk to them, they are very warm-hearted and always welcoming to outsiders. After spending a good time in the village, we head down to the Chilurgad campsite. The night halt will be in Chilurgad.

Day 6: Chilurgad to Sankri

• Trek: 4-5 Hours, Drive: 1 Hour

Today is the last day of the trek. We leave our campsite to start our trek towards Sankri; the journey is mostly on a descending path. You need to be aware of descending tactics to avoid any leg injuries. We walk step by step, admiring the beauty and landscapes of the Valley. Finally, we reach back to Taluka, from where our vehicle takes us back to Sankri. The day ends as we reach back to Sankri.

Day 7: Sankri to Dehradun

• Drive: 8-9 Hours

A memorable journey to Har ki Dun ends as we hit the road to reach Dehradun. We arrive in Dehradun by evening, and all the participants are dropped off at Dehradun Railway Station. With memories full of bags, we bid goodbye to all our teammates.