Har-ki-Dun valley is a cradle-shaped hanging valley in Garhwal Himalayas. The valley is about 3566m (11700ft) above mean sea level. It is said that the path through Har-Ki-Dun valley to the Swargarohini mountain, was the path taken by Pandavas on their way to heaven. The trail of the trek breaks through meadows, glacier basins, pine forests, moraine ridges, and ancient villages. The starting point for this trek is Sankri, a popular town in the district of Uttarkashi.
The post arrived here on the first day, we were briefed by our instructors and enjoyed the rest of the evening listening to stories of the Himalayas. The next morning after a quick breakfast & shower, we drove a good 12kms to Taluka. From here, we began our day’s hike to Pauni Garaat – the base camp. The trail to basecamp surprised us with magnificent green slopes, dotted by forests overflowing with greenery and wildlife. A relatively long but easy trek for 13kms brought us to basecamp, just in time to catch a beautiful sunset. Post a long day of trekking, we were served a most scrumptious dinner, and we spent the night sleeping under the stars. Tired from the previous day, late the next morning we made a move towards Kalkatiya Dhaar – A ridge that serves as your first view of the Har-Ki-Dun valley. In order to get here, we passed through a small settlement called Osla. Trekking a little further, we arrived at our stay, where we set up camp for the night.
Finally, the morning when we reach Har-Ki-Dun valley. Lush green meadows and ever-flowing waterfalls lead us towards the valley, as though welcoming us to the land. It’s a 4km trek to the valley, and once we arrived there we were completely spellbound by its beauty! Words fail to describe this valley of god, we spent some time soaking in the beauty. Greenery surrounded us everywhere, and peaks smiled down at us from above. After spending some time here, we trekked back to Kalkatiya Dhaar and arrive by dinner time, completely satisfied and content. The coming morning, we began our descent back to Pauni Garaat. We spent the rest of the day here, sorting through the media on our cameras and sharing camp stories with each other.
The next day we trekked down to Taluka and we were quickly driven back to Sankri. Truly, this trek was one of the most magical experiences I could ever ask for – thank you team Goalpines for everything! Simply cannot stop coming back
