Har Ki Dun

You have a long day today. Start with a good breakfast.

The drive

Your journey begins with a drive to Taluka. It is a small village that is 12 km away from the Kotgaon basecamp.

If you’re trekking on your own, you can either hire a jeep (locally) for this, subject to the condition of the road, or walk till Taluka. This is a landslide-prone route and is often closed during the monsoons. The trail to Taluka is almost level, going through 10-11 mountain bends.

Notice the houses you pass by. They are built using a technique called Kath-Khuni architecture that uses a combination of wood, stone, and slate.

Such construction protects against seismic forces and harsh climactic conditions prevalent in the region. Parallel beams of wood with stones firmly placed and stuck together with mud make up the foundation of these homes, providing a solid structure to prevent the deleterious impacts that earthquakes in the region may have.

On the way, there are three big streams, almost submerging sections of the road in water. The hike is scenic, going past a series of wild roses and irises and bamboo, chestnut and cedar (deodar) trees. Just 2 km before Taluka, there is a campsite beside a stream.

You can camp here if there isn’t enough time to go to Puani Garaat i.e if you’re hiking from Kotgaon. There is also a GMVN Guesthouse at Taluka for accommodation. The dhaba food is very basic.

Trekkers with Indiahikes drive from Kotgaon to Taluka (12 km, 1 hour). Taluka is a small village with concrete houses. This is quite a contrast to the architecture in neighbouring villages like Kotgaon, Osla and Gangad, which are close to 300 years old. We start the trek towards Bhida Ka Thach from Taluka.

The trek

Descend to the riverbank of Thumsa on the left. It is a tributary of Yamuna which flows from the upper ranges of Bandarpunch. The river remains on your right. This shepherd’s trail goes along the river on a level walk. During the day, the sands glimmer along the riverbank. Notice numerous gleaming rocks of mica covering the terrain. Around 10 minutes into the hike, spot the first cemented bridge over a small stream.

Within 15 minutes of level walk you reach another bridge, this time, a wooden one. Fill your bottles here.

From here, walk uphill for 15 minutes till you see a small clearing next to the river. You can set up an emergency camp here if need be.

Another 10-15 minutes later, you’ll come across a spot where you can climb down to a tributary of River Thamsa. Look for a wooden bridge to cross this river, which is just below Datmir village. On the other side is a camping ground. From here, facing the inner part of the valley, locate two trails, one moving upwards and another going straight ahead. Take the second route straight ahead.

The trail from here is in bad condition as it is prone to landslides. After 10-15 minutes of level walk, you come across a land cleared by shepherds to set up temporary night shelters.

From here, the trail climbs up, alternating between upward and level walks. 10 minutes into the hike, look out for your first landslide-prone section. You may have to come down the river and cross the section that has caved in due to landslides. 20 minutes on this trail leads you to a wooden bridge to cross over River Thamsa.

Ignore the bridge and proceed ahead.

After 5 minutes, the trail turns steep and crisscrosses upwards. This section will take about 15-20 minutes to cover. During monsoon, expect this trail to be completely covered in mud. The trail will now relax with a series of level walks. Soon you’ll approach a stream coming down the hill on your right, with a wooden bridge over it.

For trekkers trekking by themselves, they can camp at the further campsite of Puani Garaat. The trail picks up a little altitude as you enter the forest again. After 30-40 minutes, look for an old village across the river on your left. This is Gangaad. You stay here for the night.

Gangaad is an ancient hamlet with a primary school and a temple of Someshwar Maharaj. The temple only remains open in a certain season since the residents believe that the Gods move from one temple to another through different seasons. One of the practices they perform has to do with the sacrificial goat. Every time an individual is leaving the village in pursuit of better prospects and opportunities or when a special occasion arises, a goat is sacrificed and cooked, which is then shared among all the villagers.

The mountain on the side of the village is barren and ridged as opposed to the ones across the valley, rife with spruce pines and vegetation. This is owing to variations in soil type from region to region.

Most houses in villages like Gangaad and Oslo are two or three-storied. Cattle are reared in the lower levels. Cows at the bottom floor, sheep and goats in the middle, and humans live at the top.

This mechanism keeps the homes warm during the winter months since the heat trapped below helps in regulating the temperature above.

Roofs of these houses aren’t made from aluminium sheets. They are made of tile-shaped stone sheets called patalli. These are intricately put together to make angled roofs. The weight of the stone protects from the wind and other harsh weather conditions.

The path from Gangaad to Kalkatiyadhaar is relatively rockier than other sections of the trail.

There are stretches where the trail is overlaid with sizable rocks—it’s easy to sprain your ankle in these sections. In these sections, the trick is to move ahead by using the edge of rocks as a foothold—the edge is the line that juts out at the top. This provides a good grip for your shoe to move forward from without angling the ankle at all. During descents, make sure you land softly on each foot since the impact of walking on such a terrain for hours on end is bound to make your knees hurt—so try lowering the impact as much as possible. Further, walk in a meandering or zigzag fashion to alternate the pressure on each knee—this helps a lot! Moreover, wearing kneecaps may prove to be very useful since it partially absorbs the impact.

Descend from Gangaad and cross a bridge that leads you to the other side of the river. The river, which now falls on the left, is notably wider and more forceful than any other tract you may traverse along during the trek. After a half an hour walk, notice the campsite on the right. This is Chilurgarh. Walk ahead and spot a little sheltered gazebo-like structure by a wooden bridge. Such shelters usually serve as a place where people light up bonfires to warm themselves up. However, Indiahikes does not allow bonfires owing to its environmental repercussions, so refrain from starting one.

After a while, look for a diversion to your right. It takes you to a dhaba by a wooden bridge. Behind the dhaba is a small hut. Go and witness a fascinating process: the locals use the momentum of water (hydroelectricity) to run a mechanical turbine that grinds cereal into flour. Just 25 metres before the wooden bridge, on the right, is Pauni Garaat.

An alternative for the Puani Garaat campsite: Those who want to camp at Osla will have to cross the wooden bridge. Get onto the left side of River Thumsa and trek along the river to reach Osla.

An alternative route from Puani Garaat: To reach Seema, trek straight up on the true right of the river to Seema. There are a few steep ascents, but the trail often relaxes into a gradual walk. The landscape and the terrain will remain so for around 90 minutes.

From Seema, walk towards a bridge over Thumsa to the left side of the valley. Look for a small, cemented bridge, some 60 metres above you. A broken trail leads to this bridge. Walk across and get on the trail leading to Osla on the left.

Along the way, observe a rich foliage of purple poppies and other alpines with motley butterflies fluttering around in clusters of indigo, orange, white, brown, and black. A series of rhododendron trees tinted red, pink, and white, either in bloom or wound up, is a sight of unparalleled beauty. The local tea, called Chora, gets its special aftertaste from red rhododendrons (the white ones are poisonous). At several places, innocent-looking plants like Nettle and Poison Ivy splotch the ground underneath. Nettle leaves, clever in its design, sting the fingertips when touched, and you are left scratching your head looking for the pointy thorn that pricked you. Numerous white wild roses with sappy little leaves on both sides of the trail will be discernable through and through. Admire the tiny offshoots of yellow and purple flowers springing from rocky crevices and clumps of grass on the trail.

Perceive the mountains in view with frozen glaciers cleaving through the upper slopes; notice the stark contrast of glazing whiteness with the dark green overlay surrounding it. Leap from boulder to boulder to cross the pouring waterfalls, which will mellow down at places and make for shallow rivulets submerging only the soles of your boots.

After a considerable ascent, enter the village of Osla. It is a tiny village with vast open spaces. The children here play cricket using a washing bat and a rolled-up ball made by stringing together disparate pieces of cloth. A huge, sheltered place stands beside an open ground by the temple of Someshwar Devata. The ground is where the children play! It is notable that trash lying around near the villages is much more than along the trails, so make sure to collect maximum waste from here.

From Osla, trek for an hour or more. A large meadow thriving with crops of millet will come into view. With a backdrop of green hills, people rearing cattle, and travellers lazing around on rocks and the two wooden beams making an “L” beside a quirky dhaba makes for an appropriate resting place and a darling treat to the eye. Lie back and observe the endless peaks, valleys, and rivers harmonise in a beautiful, dreamy view. Explore the crops, the rocks, and bask in the afternoon sunshine or the shadow of the passing clouds, depending on the weather.

Moving on from here, after a few twists and turns and a bridge and another dhaba (drink Chora tea from here), begin your ascent to your first campsite, Kalkatiyadhar. The splendid views from the campsite involve sights of our two surreal valleys—Har ki Dun. The entirety of Hatta peaks dominates the skies, along with the Black peak (Kalanaag), Bandarpunch 1, and Bandarpunch 2. Devsu Thach, our last campsite, is also visible from here.

Sprawled all over the campsite will be tents and mats and farms and flocks of sheep chasing one another. Cows and dogs will moo and bark at one another while you are highly encouraged to stupidly bleat at the sheep who will respond with judgemental stares and look around confusedly. As much as you might love animals, do not separate any lamb from its peers (even for a selfie)—the poor thing gets very anxious.

It’s the most exciting day of the trek!

The itinerary for the day involves trekking from Kalkatiyadhar to Har ki Dun via Boslo. The road to Boslo begins with a gentle ascent of 40–45 minutes, after which follows a flat trail. Notice the Bhojpatra trees on either side of the trail, the trunks of which will seem misshapen compared to the tall, vertical pines. The peeling nature of the trunk adds to its gnarly composition. They only grow above a certain elevation, i.e., above 10,000 ft.

Look for a magnificent waterfall which you may either cross by stepping on big boulders or by walking on thin wooden beams in a wobbly balancing act. Right by it is a dhaba big enough to accommodate 20 people. Even though it’s tempting to stop and drink chai at every stop, it’s important keep in mind that the fuel source used is not too efficient. At places where gas cylinders are not readily available, wood is the main source of fuel which is highly toxic for the environment.

Behind the dhaba is a wooden bridge, after which follows a gradual ascent till a lightning-struck tree, followed by a soothing descent of an hour or more. The walk is pleasant and relieving after all the burn your quads have endured. After the descent, turn right. Our next campsite will emerge in view.

Even though every campsite has its unique features which makes it supreme in its own way, Boslo is undoubtedly the best if one was forced to pick a “favourite”. The campsite consists of a soft, damp ground underneath which the river tends to pass—making it a natural waterbed. The expanse of the campsite is a limitless stretch from one side where the four peaks of Hatta rise along with Har ki Dun, to another side that goes towards —Ruinsara. The campsite is long and wide on all sides and consists of huge boulders to sit and ponder, scattered across the landscape. The river rushes down at an energetic pace, circumventing the rocks and boulderstones in its way which are thrust into the ground with a determined firmness. The formidable mounts ahead are very still and intimidating, making it all one of the most humbling experiences, culminating in the realisation of human fragility.

The mornings at Boslo makes the place the very archetype of Paradise on Earth when the sun floods the village with bright golden light and the birds call and respond to one another with their constant twitters.

Since it’s the summit day, everyone will carry day packs. From Boslo, the summit is attempted through a considerable ascent of 1.5–2 hours, throughout which you will meet a lot of trekkers returning from the summit and wishing you luck on the way. The surroundings are thriving with birch trees. After a while, look for a thach ahead of you. You may rest and snack on nuts to keep up the energy. Once you reach a flat expanse at the end of your ascent, notice Thumsa on your right, as clear as day and shallow enough for you to cross to the other end.

A series of patchy lightning-struck trees on the right of the river loom ominously. On your left will rise sturdy mountains, unclimbable through normal means. Right ahead, marking the summit is a small temple of Lord Shiva, encasing a huge Shivling, and a GMVH rest house just beside it. Massive boulders are scattered across the landscapes underneath which notice the trekkers warming themselves up. After a certain distance, cross a wooden bridge and begin your final ascent to reach the summit. You can either go up to the temple and take a right or traverse the grassy area without any marked trails to directly reach at the top.

A beautiful world unravels itself. On the right, get a glimpse of Swargarohini 1, 2, & 3 (4 is on the other side of the valley, and hence, not visible). Behold the Hatta peaks along with a splendid view of the Jaundhar glacier and Maninda Tal, from where Thumsa originates. It’s a sheer impossibility to comprehend the sublimity of the prospects before you. A panoramic view of the most renowned peaks contouring the skyline puts you in a trance where all you are aware of is the senses perceiving the landscape and the awareness of the self becomes an intangibility—your consciousness is an aspect wholly devoted to discerning the vistas and everything else dissolves into oblivion.

Descending to Boslo is a reward on its own, since, after a long day, you need a place like this to hold you.

The route from Boslo to Devsu Thatch is a cakewalk compared to what you have accomplished. It’s mostly a levelled trail where trekking will feel more like a stroll. Initially, there’s a beautiful forest stretch which you must experience by staying mindful and engaging your senses. Pay attention to the smells and how they change throughout the stretch. Listen to the birds chirruping to one another. If the air is cold, let the chill and the goosebumps overwhelm you. Notice the wandering butterflies and observe the rocks you step on. This flourishing extent will have so much to give so take it all in.

Towards the end of the forest, observe the snow-capped mountains reflecting a blinding whiteness under the sun. On your left is Swargarohini along with other peaks. The legend in the region tells of the impossibility of climbing Swargarohini—the mountain through which the Pandavas achieved their ascent to heaven. It says that whoever attempted to climb the magnificent peak has had to return owing to some snowstorm or rainsquall, however, no-one has ever met their demise during the climb.

The trail to Devsu Thach mostly consists of a levelled trail with a few descents and ascents on the way. There is a forest stretch after which, ascend to a bridge across the Kyarakoti river and attempt the steepest ascent of the trek. The ascent will take around half an hour and one will require multiple halts in between. Make sure you make good use of the trekking pole/s to partially take off the burden off your legs. It is a meandering ascent with large vein-like roots protruding out of the ground—they make for good footholds. There is a short, levelled trail in between where you may catch your breath.

After the ascent, vast meadows with trees and shrubs and boulders pockmarking the scene will greet you and relieve you of the anticipation for an opportunity to plump yourselves down with exhaustion as you reach the campsite. Devsu Thach is a great expanse with tall conifer trees at the beginning followed by a plain grassland near the slopes, overlooking the mountains on the other side. Look for the mules and cows grazing and loafing around with the herdsmen scattered all over. The campsite at Kalkatiyadhar along with the meadow on the top is clearly visible from here. The campsite is ideal for a night trek!

The trail will take you back in time. From here, trace the former trail across the valley till Gangaad. The campsites and villages you have passed will flit across your memory when you recognise them with their little landmarks and quirks. You may also chance upon a deranged man living in a dilapidated house. claiming to once have been a Prime Minister and having worked with other political leaders of the country—talk to him, believe his fantastical stories, and move on with a strange memory. A little ahead is a dhaba. Rest up, rehydrate yourselves, and eat (try omelettes and egg bhurjis). Moving ahead, Gangaad will soon emerge in view.

From Gangaad, take the trail that goes to the left. It's an ascent through the lovely secluded forest section. In no time, you will reach Dhatmer - your stay for the night.

It's a 3 km t down the Dhatmer until you reach the road head. From here take the Jeep to Kotgaon.

Clear your rentals and merchandise and drive back to Dehradun to

The Jeeps will take you back to Kotgaon. Since this is your last day as a team, talk and express gratitude towards one another. Stay up and weep at the fond memories you have created together.