Har Ki Doon Valley is a cradle-shaped hanging valley in the Garhwal Himalayas. It is surrounded by snow-capped peaks and alpine vegetation. It is connected to the Baspa Valley by the Borasu Pass. This valley is at an altitude of about 3500 m above mean sea level and is covered with snow during October to March. Ghati is about 25 km away from the taluka. The actual trek to the valley starts from the taluka village and passes through Gangad, Osala and Seema.
It is a two day trek which is usually done in two phases. The first phase is from Taluka to Seema/Osla, and the second phase is from Seema/Osla to Har Ki Doon. The way back is the same.
Day 1: Dehradun To Sankri (Via Mussoorie)
220 km drive to Sankri via Mussoorie. Visit Kempty Falls,15 km from Mussoorie. Continue the drive towards Purola, which is situated at an altitude of 1,524 metres. Situated in thickets of rich forest cover and wildlife, especially the endangered snow leopard. It is also known as ‘Get to Har Ki Doon’. Overnight stay in a rest house/tent.
Day 2:Trek From Sankri To Pauni Garaat Via Taluka
Sankari has wonderful and spectacular views of forest land and valley. Begin the trek along the Rupin River till Pauni Garat. Puni Garat, a small village situated at an altitude of 7,000 feet, is dotted with intoxicating wild roses, lush deodar and rich flora. Night stay will be in a rest house/tent, there is also provision of sacks.
Day 3: Trek From Pauni Garaat To Kalkattiyadhaar
The road from Pauni Garat to Calcutta is great, with interesting ups and downs and climbs, eventually straightening to the left of the valley, merging into some beautiful forested area. Enjoy the poetic chestnut, willow and walnut trees till Gangar village. Proceed to Kalkatiyadhar Campsite Overnight stay in a rest house/tent.
Day 4: Trek From Kalkattiyadhaar To Har Ki Dun And Back To Kalkattiyadhaar
From Kalkatiyadhar, proceed towards the valley, crossing a hanging bridge over the Rupin River. Afterwards, climb through illustrated fields, lush coniferous plants and beautiful meadows until you reach Har Ki Dun. A ridge that will give a vantage point to view Har Ki Doon, you will have to cross picturesque streams, meadows and serene valleys to reach the basecamp at Har Ki Doon. While heading towards the campsite, one can expect an initial gradual climb with a steep stretch in between Staying overnight in the camp on the bank of the stream.
Day 5:Trek From Kalkattiyadhaar To Pauni Garaat Via Osla Village
The 4 to 5 hour journey back through Osla village to reach Kalkatiyadhar, the village where Duryodhana of Mahabharata was worshiped.
Camping and overnight stay at Kalkatiyadhar.
Day 6:Trek From Pauni Garaat To Sankri Via Taluka
Start trekking back to Sankri Basti. Enjoy the stunning views and untouched beauty of nature on your course and reach Sankri. Overnight will be at a local hotel.
Day 7: Drive From Sankri To Dehradun
The amazing trekking at Har Ki Doon comes and ends on Day 7.After breakfast drive back to Dehradun Explore Dehradun on your own.
Sankri To Pauni Garaat Via Taluka
There is a four wheel drive road that connects Sankri to the taluka. Trekkers with treks and trails drive from Sankari to the Taluka. Since the excursion is long, we start the first part of the day as ahead of time as possible. After breakfast we board an SUV and drive through a forest road. Driving is very hard. The vehicle crosses two streams in transit. We reach the taluka in around 60 minutes. The taluka is a small parish consisting of concrete houses, two shops and two Government Visitor House.
This is quite different from the design fashion in nearby villages like Sankri, Osla and Gangad, which is about 300 years old. This is where the actual trek begins on a gravel-strewn path. The climb is outstanding, passing a progression of wild roses, irises,and bamboo, chestnut,and pine trees.
The aroma of deodar trees can be felt about the taluka. Sometimes during winters, or especially during times of heavy rains, may be enroute to the taluka. Extremely dangerous for vehicles, as the currents collide in the street and thus a distance of about 8 km may need to be covered to the taluka, although this only happens in the event of heavy rainfall. We walk along the Supin River through rapids. This place is conducive to refilling your bottles. It is quite pleasant to walk under the shade of pecan, pine and pine trees.In pre-winter we can often find pecans lying around. Should avoid touching For vegetation along the edges, there are stinging nettle plants originally known as ‘scorpion grass’ which means ‘scorpion grass’.
The slightest touch can give a stinging sensation that lasts for about twenty to thirty minutes. This grass is used as a spice and is also cooked and eaten as a vegetable. Up top left, we have the opportunity to see the city of Datmiri. This step is lined up by the arrangement of the wrenches. Fields develop a brilliant red amaranth from late thunderstorms to early fall.
The trail crosses some streams that join with the Supin River. After some hiking, the settlement of Gangad can be seen on the upper left side of the Supin river. The yellow-throated marten can be seen in the backwoods of this area. We can also find edible Fruits of sea buckthorn. They are orange in color and spread in packs. Likewise, the delicious and tangy organic buds, known as ‘leh berries’, are a rich source of vitamin C. We continue our trek and soon we reach a secluded camp in Pune Garat.