Har Ki Dun

DAY 01: DEHRADUN-SANKRI (200 Kms) 7-8hrs drive

From Dehradun we will drive to Sankri via Mussorrie. We will stop for lunch enroute. This is an enjoyable drive initially along the Yamuna and towards the latter part, along the beautiful Tons River. There are very beautiful pine forest sections along the drive today. Upon reaching Sankri we will check into a scenically located hotel. Sankri is paradise on earth and we will take an evening stroll in this beautiful hamlet to get our muscles charged for the trek to come. Over here one can enjoy a glimpse of the setting sun, disappearing behind the greater Himalayan mountain ranges. The peaks of Swargarohini stand tall over the ridges beyond Sankri. The Swargarohini is also of great historic significance, but more on that later.

DAY 02: SANKRI (1950 M) – SEEMA (2560m) DHATMEER DRIVE 1HR 40 MINE & TREK 5-6HRS)

We start the day with a short, scenic & adventurous drive to Dhatmeer, the starting point of our trek. The hike today is through beautiful mixed forest sections and along the Supin River. The forests are rich in wild life and is a veritable paradise for bird watchers and nature lovers. The gradient is moderate throughout with an odd steep patch in between. There are a few sections where there will be steep ascents, but every now and then the trail relaxes, giving certain section of level walks. This region is blessed with a very old & unique culture, which thankfully is still preserved. You will get a very up close & personal experience of it today. On the trail you will meet locals from the nearby villages and get to see the special construction style of the local dwellings. We will cross a few villages enroute to reach Seema, a small market place. We will camp ahead of Seema in beautiful fields by the riverside, overnight in tents.

DAY 03: SEEMA – BOSLO 8-9KM TREK 6-7HRS: 3000M.

After breakfast, we cross over to the other side of the Supin River and negotiate a steep climb to get warmed up for the day’s hike to come. It’s a delightful day where you catch some fabulous views of the Bandarpoonch & Swargarohini peaks. The folklore of Swargarohini is that the Pandava brothers of the “Mahabharata” took the route to enter heaven by climbing this peak. The trail towards Har Ki Dun will gradually gain altitude with few steep sections, but generally leisure level walks. This journey will include a beautiful waterfall, along with many rivulet and streams. You will be able to see a wooden bridge below the valley over Supin River, and if you choose, you may cross the bridge into the meadows of Dev Thach, Ruinsara Taal, and Bali Pass. The landscape is beautiful, eventually leading you to the snowcapped mountain of Kalkotdhar! As you reach this destination, look for the Kalanag (Black Peak) and Bandarpooch ranges (White Peak) looming in the distance. The meadow of Dev Thach is also clearly visible towards your right side across the confluence of the two rivers. We reach Boslo in about 6 hrs moving at a leisurely pace and soaking in the beauty of the valley. Upon reaching our destination,Boslo, it becomes evident as to why this place is considered to be an absolute paradise. This open valley has been blessed with so many natural elements that one is pleasantly surprised by its beauty. There is a network of streams, many meadows carpeted with flowers and big/small mountains spread all over.

DAY 04: BOSLO- HAR KI DUN BACK, 5-6KM: 3350M.

The days trek can be considered to be rather long as we today visit Har Ki Dun and Marinda Tal, a small lake formation due to the obstructing boulder across the river stream, which lies 2 KM further ahead of Har Ki Dun. As we start the trek, at a short distance a hidden and roaring waterfall is encountered with a small tea shop beside the waterfall.

After traversing higher up along the true right of the river, we enter the final stretch which is inside a forest. The forest opens up into the main camping area of Har ki Dun, right beside the gurgling stream. This is a very panoramic spot in Har ki Dun located at the junction of two valleys, one originating from the Jaundhar glacier and the other from beyond the Hata glacier. Higher up towards the North we can spot the Forest Rest House, while the wood crafted GMVN guest house lies further up in the distance. The Har ki Dun peak stands tall right in front of us behind the Forest Rest House. Towards its left, Hata peak which is usually snow-covered can be seen. The minor ridge to our right, lined with a few scattered Himalayan birch trees Bhojpatra separates us from the massive Har Ki Dun valley that goes up all the way to the base of Swargarohini Peak. The paper like bark of these trees was used in ancient times to write religious scriptures.

DAY 05: BOSLO-SEEMA 8-9MK 5-6HRS:2560M

We have a leisurely breakfast today, after which people are free to explore on their own. After that we will hike down to Seema. Depending on the time we reach Seema we can decide to visit the ancient temple at the nearby village of Osla and also get a chance to interact with the locals and get to know more about their tradition & culture. You can find temples dedicated to Someshwar Devta in Osla village. People here depend on farming Rajma, and Potatoes, etc for their survival! Their way of living is quite fascinating due to its simplicity, yet intricacy as well. A series of beautiful double storied houses are constructed using Cider wood rafters, stones and mud, often decorating the doorways with beautiful woodcarvings. The inhabitants here are an ingenuous lot, and the construction of the houses not only looks aesthetic, but are also energy efficient as well as earth quake resistant!

DAY 06: SEEMA –DHATMEER, TREK 6-7HRS:& DRIVE TO SANKRI

Early morning, trek down from Seema to Dhatmeer and from here drive down to Sankri. There will be plenty of opportunities today for a refreshing bath in the super cool waters of the many streams we cross/pass by. Overnight in the hotel.

DAY 07: SANKRI- DEHRADUN 7-8HRS DRIVE.TRIP END HERE!

Post breakfast, depart for Dehradun. You can also have a brief stopover at Mussoorie, one of India’s most popular hill stations. The drive from Mussoorie to Dehradun would take an hour, from where you could continue ahead towards your onward destination