After deciding to explore the Himalayas through a trekkers eye we decided to go to Har ki Dun which is in Govind National Park , Garhwal Himalayas. The Garhwal Himalayas are mountain ranges hosted in the state of Uttarakhand, India. Uttarakhand is considered as one of the best place in india for trekking as it hosts snow clad high mountains, calmly flowing rivers , rich flora and fauna, dark forests and deep valleys. Har ki dun is one such trek situated at an elevation of around 3500 meters, surrounded by snow covered peaks and takes you through alpine vegetation, dense forests, glacier basins, ancient villages and gives you some spectacular valley views. The trek passes through some of the most isolated villages Gangaad, Osala, and Seema, which are still unaffected by civilization where locals survive on farming.
Har ki dun is graded as an easy to moderate trek. There are various trekking communities and companies which gives you a complete package for the trek, some starts the trek right from Sankri to the har ki peak which accounts for a circuit of around 77 km while some starts from Taluka which is 11 km from sankri leaving a circuit trek of 27 km in one direction. We booked our package through India Hikes which takes you to Taluka through a cab and from where the trek starts and lasts for 6 days. Though the trek generally ends at har ki dun you can also explore Maninda Taal which is a lake around 3 km from campsite at Har ki Dun and Jamdhar Glacier which is around 10 km from cap site.
How to Reach Sankri:
Sankri is the base camp for Har ki Dun trek which is accessible by road. Sankri is around 200 km from Dehradun which is the nearest Railway station. From Dehradun you can hire a cab to sankri or even take a bus, but the number of buses is too less so it’s better to take a cab. Reaching Sankri to Dehradun will take you around 7-8 hours including the breaks in between. The drive from Dehradun to Sankri is very scenic and you might get tempted to stop in between to click some snaps.
Brief Itinerary
Day 1 :- Drive from Sankri to Taluka – 11 km and trek to Puani Garaat – 13 km
Day 2 :- Puani Garaat to Kalkatiyadhar – 7 km
Day 3 :- Kalkatiyadhar to Har ki Dun – 4 km
Day 4 :-Buffer day and exploring Har ki Dun
Day 5 :- Har ki doon to Puani Garaat – 11 km
Day 6 :- Puani Garaat to Taluka – 13 km and drive back to Sankri
Things to get for Har Ki Dun Trek
Here is a list of recommended things that one should carry which trekking through Har ki Dun
- Poncho or Rain Coat
- Backpack (Min 55 Ltrs) with Rain Cover.
- Floaters or Sandals.
- Trekking Shoes.
- 2 Pairs of Quick Dry Tees and Track Pants.
- 2 Pair of Socks.
- Full Sleeve Sweater or Fleece Jacket.
- One Heavy Jacket (Down Feather preferable).
- Lip Balm, Cold Cream & Sun Screen (SPF 40+).
- Water Bottle 1 Lt
- Torch
- Personal Medicine Kit
- Dark Sunglasses
- Trekking Pole
- Energy Bars and ORS
Har ki dun is a trek which continuous throughout the year apart from the monsoon season, the snow which completely covers the valley in winters gets replaced by grasses during summers. The trek is good for beginners as well who want to try their hands at trekking as it’s not very demanding at the same time it explores the beautiful valleys and forest. Har Ki Doon, some say it is the abode of lord shiv, and some say it’s the abode of all gods. Whatever it may be, it was surely bliss, happiness and sense of fulfillment for us all.
The Itinerant Analyst 
Certainly,HKD is one of the best treks to start with. Great write up.
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