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The first day begins with a 10-hour drive from Dehradun to Sankri. You are expected to reach Dehradun railway station by 6:30 in the morning. To reach on time, you can book an overnight Bus/Train from Delhi to Dehradun ISBT. Sankri is located at a distance of 220 km away from Dehradun and it takes about 10 hrs approximately to cover the distance. You will have an altitude gain of 1950 m. Passing through Mussoorie- the “Queen of the Hills” and the beautiful Kempty Falls onto Uttarkashi district, we will cross Naugaon, Purola, Mori, and Netwar before finally reaching village Sankri- the first stop on the trek. The road is through and through picturesque with pine tree forests starting on both sides of a road that catches up on a parallel to the course of the river Tons. After Mussoorie the scenery changes vividly, the deep gorges are replaced with pine forests that carry the fresh scent of the pinewood in the air. Stopping at a favorable hour, we will have lunch somewhere by the road at an inn. Reaching Purola, you should get done with important calls and internet usage because hereafter, the connection will get fuzzy. BSNL is the only efficient service available in this zone with limited providers. The final stretch to Sankri for about 20 km, the drive becomes extremely scenic. A short way before Sankri, we will cross the Govind National Park checkpoint and at about 6 in the evening, the drive will end at Sankri. Sankri is a beautiful Himalayan village that serves as the base camp for many Himalayan treks. The village offers stunning views of Mt. Swargrohini. If you are doing the trek in the winter months, you can expect snow right from Sankri itself. After freshening up at the guest house, you will get sufficient time to explore the market close by. Trekking essentials, garments, and equipment are available at the bazaar in Sankri, in case you need last-minute shopping for the venture ahead.
On day 2, we start on our drive from Sankri to Taluka at 7 in the morning. It\'s about an hour drive from Sankri and the short drive will take you through gradually thickening forests and streams cutting through the path over boulders will introduce us to the terrain of our trek closely. Reaching Taluka, another village of the same lineage found on this trek, trekkers will be invited to collect refreshments before getting started on the hike. Taluka is a small Himalayan village with a few concrete houses. The first lapse is a descent to the banks of the beautiful Tons and keeping the river on the right, the trail enters a level walkthrough forests of conifers until reaching the first cemented bridge. Around 10 minutes into your walk, you will spot the first cemented bridge over a small mountain stream. Crossing the stream, the trail leads up to another wooden bridge, 15 minutes within the trek, where a gentle slope goes down to the waters. Here you can fill your bottle and move ahead. Crossing the Tons River, you can spot beds of vibrant orchids in the spring and summer and this is also a great location to spot Himalayan Wildlife. The whole way along the river is ideal for photo compositions and provides shade too. We approach the rest point for lunch by the Supin tributary that we crossed before at around 1 in the noon. At a rocky height from the banks of the rivulet is a food shack, one of the many that we are going to find on our trek to the valley. These stores have packaged food and beverages along with delightful hot snacks. In addition to our packed lunch, this will add a different twang of delight to outdoor meals on the move. Progressing ahead, harvest fields of potato, millet, and maize will fall on the way giving the whole stretch a ranch house feel. The lush green step farming of the Himalayan hamlets will amaze you completely. Pauni Garaat, a green clearing on the banks of Supin at its sprightly best, arrived late in the afternoon as the Sun begins to dip—welcome to the first camp!
Pauni Garaat to Kalkattiyadhar covers a distance of 8 km over 6 hours which we start in the early morning at 6 post breakfast. The trail passes through thickets of towering coniferous forests that continue till the village of Seema. Seema village is a cluster of concrete structures and a forest department guest house set by the banks of the Supin River. Osla village is located on the other side of the river. The Seema Bridge is a hanging bridge running over the Supin River with the background of colossal snow-clad mountains, this is an ideal spot to take some beautiful pictures. The trail crosses 3 “garaat” or hydroelectricity run chaffing units which are used by the villagers for separating husks of millet and maize followed by grounding them to flour. With the idyllic vibe retained in the surroundings, the trek proceeds through harvest lands, cattle grazing, and slant-roofed huts used as granary and storage. You will also spot many Amaranth trees and in the monsoon, the trees attain a reddish hue adding a stark contrast to the scenery. About half an hour into the trek it unfolds a grand view of Mt. Bandarpoonch and Swargarohini group of peaks. Right between the forests of cashew nuts and walnuts lies the serene village of Osla. Osla village has interesting mythology attached to it. It is believed that in ancient times, the Osla village had a clan that was faithful and dedicated towards Duryodhan of the Kaurava’s, they were so loyal to him that they built a temple dedicated to him, and to date, they preach Duryodhan in this village. Well, apart from the stories, the village also has a 2000 years old Someshwar Temple and a few houses. The temple has a unique architecture. The villagers are welcoming here and the villagers also dress a certain way that showcases their cultures and traditions. The village has a king that visits once a month and this is when the main pooja is done. After a small chit-chat with the villagers proceed further on the ascend. From Osla, the trail becomes quite steep and on this incline, you will get fabulous viewpoints to steal glimpses of the Dhauladhar Range out front. Snaky trails to Borasu Pass and Baspa Valley also goes out from here. The high trail winds further down reaching a tabletop green stretch—Kalkattiyadhar. This is the campsite for day 2. Kalkattiyadhar is a beautiful open meadow that presents views of renowned peaks like Bugyal Devsu and Mt. Black Peak. On the left, you will be able to see the Ruinsara Range and the Kedarkantha Summit. Bask in the views, rest well and prepare for the summit the next day.
Today you will start early as compared to other days as it is also the longest day of trekking. We begin the trek right after breakfast. However, as mesmerizing as the views were until today, get ready to encounter something more. The trail will go into the glacier basin having moraines and alpine meadows. Tall pine trees will greet you at every step. The trail starts out with an ascent above the convergence of the Supin River and the River from the Ruinsara Valley. From this point forward you will start getting beautiful mountain views. The trail is mixed of steep and moderate ascend until the Har Ki Dun valley. Just as you rise high you can see snow patches and frozen waterfalls. In Winter these sections are covered with thick snow. The Har Ki Dun Valley is a heavenly place displaying immense beauty in one sight. The huge peaks of Swargarohini, Hata Peak, Black Peak, etc show their marveling glimpses. The valley is an amazing amalgamation of meadows, frozen streams, coniferous forests, glacier moraines, the backdrop of huge peaks. The trail eventually leads to a point of 45-degree incline, while it is not as steep but in the presence of snow it becomes increasingly difficult. The last leg of the trek climbs alongside a river and through dense forests all the way to the Har Ki Doon summit. From the summit point, you can see spellbinding views of Swargarohini I peak, Hata Peak, and Black Peak. Try to engulf everything. After exploring the valley creating memories for a lifetime we return back to our last campsite at Kalkattiyadhar.
From this point on the trek is actually the return journey down. Today we shall retrace the steps through the Osla village to Pauni Garaat. Here is another chance to relive the moments with the peaceful villagers. Say goodbye to them and the stunning sights around you. Wake up early to catch a beautiful sunrise at the Kalkattiyadhar campsite. The morning temperatures are usually on the lower side and in winters it is subzero. Follow the same trail as of earlier and reach the campsite of Pauni Garaat. The journey down is quite easy as it climbs downhill. Descend gradually all the way to Pauni Garaat. Enjoy your last few moments of nightlife in the mountains. Also, since the trek is not very arduous or time taking today, you can explore the village of Osla today. Pay a visit to the Someshwar temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, there are some beautiful detail carvings on the walls of the temple. Spend the night at the Pauni Garaat campsite.
A 5-hour trek to Taluka sets off this morning, climbing down by the familiar trail, stopping at familiar rest points. After breakfast, we begin the descent towards Taluka along the same path. Beware of “bicchu ghas” alongside the trail, even the slightest touch of this plant can make you feel stinging for 25 minutes. The herb is not poisonous though, as a matter of fact, it is cooked by locals. Soon after a couple of hours of walking, you will find yourself next to the Supin River, the final stretch until Taluka goes over a cemented trail. The car waits at the end of the dirt road to drive back base camp-wards. Pay special attention to descending tactic. Though climbing down accounts for lesser exhaustion, stressing out your soles with big steps is inadvisable. We will arrive at Sankri right at the time for tea.
Today we bid adieu to the mountains with lots of memories in our hearts. The journey concludes with the 10-hour drive from Sankri to Dehradun. Breakfast and lunch will be on the way. Reaching time at Dehradun station will be 6 pm, suitable for an overnight journey to Delhi. To be7 on the safer side, arrange your journey from Dehradun Bus Stand by 9 PM. This will help account for delays if any.
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