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                                                    Harkidun Valley Trek
 

About Har Ki Dun Valley

Har ki Dun, is a valley that is situated in Govind Wildlife sanctuary, Uttarkashi district in north-west Uttarakhand. It was a cradle shaped valley that can only be reached by trekking to the valley. The distance to the Har ki Dun valley is 25 KM from the road head. Thus the total trek distance is 50 KM. It takes 2 to 3 days to reach the valley and return in another 2 days. In 1937, Doon school master Jack Gibson along with Tenzing Norgay and his colleague John Martyn climbed Bandarpunch peak. Jack Gibson made several expeditions in the region and trained young Indian mountaineers. The flora, fauna and Garhwali culture of Har ki Dun region thus became known to the outside world. The name "Har Ki Dun" is interpreted in two different ways. First is the literal translation, i.e. Valley of Gods - Har is the name for Shiva, one of the trinity gods as per Hinduism. Dun means a valley. The other name has more resemblance with the local culture and traditions. The second translation is "The sound of Shiva or the Sound of God". Every year to welcome Lord Someshwara (a form of Shiva) a festival is held in the valley, where a Dhaki (drummer) plays the drum. It is said that ages ago a Dhaki had disappeared in the Valley above and every year during the festival month one can still occasionally hear the Dhaki playing drums far up in the valley in the early hours of the day. Many village elders mention of several accounts throughout their lives about hearing these drums.




Har Ki Dun Trek Route

  • Sankri village acts as a base camp for Har Ki Dun. It is located 190 KM from Dehradun and the drive goes via Mussoorie, Kempty Falls, Naugaon, where the route to Yamunotri & Sankri diverge. Purola, Mori are two important towns ahead of Naugaon. From Mori expect little to no netowork coverage and bumpy road as we enter Govind Wildlife Sanctuary.
  • The Har Ki Dun trek starts with a drive from Sankri to Taluka, from where we trek to the Har Ki Dun valley. It is situated approximately 25 KM further ahead of Taluka. The entire trek is 50 km and additional 2.5 km to the Marinda Lake.
  • The trek is along the Supin river and goes through Garhwali villages of Taluka, Gangad and Osla. The trekking route is densely forested till Osla, the last village. In Har Ki Dun one Forest Guest House & one Garhwal Mandal guest house (GMVN) are situated. Camping in the Har Ki Dun valley is prohibited since Uttarakhand high court ban on camping in meadows in 2018.
  • From Har ki Dun one can see the entire North Face of Swargarohini I (6,252 m) peak. This face drops to about 2,000 m in less than 2 km distance and is yet to be climbed. Some associate it the path to heaven that was followed by Pandavas of the epic Mahabharata. However, the story is actually associated with the Swargarohini steps seen from Satopanth Lake, which lies ahead of Badrinath.
  • The beautiful Marinda Tal formed by a huge boulder obstructing the river, can be trekked in an hour from Har Ki Dun, at a distance of 2.5 KM. We can explore the Hata Valley to the north of Har ki Dun. The hike to Jaundhar Glacier view point that takes us to the Swargarohini Base is not feasible owing to long distance.
  • There are many passes in this region and a few of them cross over into Kinnaur, Himachal, such as Rupin Pass & Borasu Pass. Those towards Yamunotri & Gangotri, such as Bali Pass, Fachu Kandi & Dhumdhar Kandi, which goes to Gangotri valley.

Which month is best for Har ki Dun trek?

Har Ki Dun trek can be done in at least 7 Months through the year. The trek can be done in different weathers and in all seasons except during the Monsoon month when rain can make the trek very challenging.

Har Ki Dun in March & April months (Spring)

Har Ki Dun stays closed during the peak winter months of December to early March. By late March, generally the last week on the month, the trek reopens. The trail will be slightly difficult to navigate as verglass (ice layers) is very common on the trail right after trek reopens and up to at least first week of April. This makes the trail very slippery and thus it is important to use micro-spikes during your trek. The grasslands gradually start changing hue from brown to green and by mid April the flora is in significant bloom. During these months the nearby peaks such as Hata peak, Swargarohini and other higher reaches stay covered in a lot of snow. This offers a very contrasting and beautiful landscape. Expect the weather to be very cold in the nights. Snow can still be found at Har Ki Dun and Marinda Tal. By late April the day's are very pleasant while the evening still quite cold.

Har Ki Dun in Summer Months of May & June

Summers are undoubtedly the best time to trek to Har Ki Dun. The weather is really pleasant with warm days during the day and relatively pleasant evenings. Summer showers melt the snow in lower reaches, marking way for floral bloom. While the peaks will still be covered in snow. This makes the landscape breathtaking.   Afternoon showers become common in summers during the Har ki Dun trek, but the weather is generally clear and will continue to remain so until last week of June.   By June end the monsoon arrives in the valley and the wildlife sanctuary closes. For the adventure seekers August can still be a unique time to consider the trek, accounting the risk associated. The vibrant Har Ki Dun festival celebrated by the locals to welcome lord Someshwara is celebrated in the start of August and can be a unique time to explore the trek or at least the villages of Har Ki Dun valley. The trek in general resumes in the month of September.  

Har Ki Dun in Autumn, September & October

The September month has the maximum floral bloom among the months that the trek stays open, owing to the preceding monsoon rains. However, the snow even from the higher reaches melts away. September can be a good time to plan for Har Ki Dun trek as often the rains are very minimum in general. By October the autumn colors of take a sway. The Har Ki Dun valley looks like a world covered in a cobbler crust of brown sugar and cinnamon.   The evenings can be very chilly in October month. While the snow would have to wait till mid November, October rains can bring some snow in the valley, especially by October end. November marks the arrival of winters and snow would begin to envelope the valley.


How difficult is Har Ki Dun trek?

Har Ki Dun can be categorized as an easy to moderate trek in terms of difficulty. The trek follows a well laid trail all the way up to the Har Ki Dun valley. This trail is very old and has been used by the native people of this valley. The total distance to the last village of the Har Ki Dun valley, Osla is 14 KM from trek start point. There are minor sections that can be considered steep. Only the final stretch of around .5 KM is very steep. During the first trekking day we only cover around 10 KM & the steep section is left for the second trekking day.   Overall the trail is gradual, all the way to the valley. The distance from the last village to the Har Ki Dun valley is another 11 KM. Thus the total 25 KM distance is covered in 3 days time. On the third day however, we go further to Marinda Tal, 2.5 km ahead of Har Ki Dun. Day wise approximate walking distances are as follows -
  • Day 1: 10 KM
  • Day 2: 10 KM
  • Day 3: 15 to 17 KM, depending on whether we visit Marinda Lake or Hata Valley
  • Day 4: 10 KM
  • Day 5: 10 KM
Further 2 days of Driving to Sankri and back to Dehradun make the entire journey of 7 Days.   If you are someone who can walk long distances, you can easily trek to Har Ki Dun without worrying much. Children aged 9 or above have been able to easily complete this trek with us.  

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Har Ki Dun Trek Itinerary