Har ki dun translates to English as the valley of God. If beauty is referred to as God here, then there is no denying that Har ki Dun offers one of the most beautiful mountain valley views. The mighty Mt Swargarohini (6252m/20512ft) stands tall among the snow-capped mountains visible from the view point. Though not an easy trek, Har Ki Dun is popular for its accessibility. The trail passes through several small villages perched on the mountains. Find the details on this trek below and plan a visit to this beautiful valley.
Basic Information
Highest Altitude: 3645m / 11960ft
Location: Govind Pashu Vihar National Park, Uttarkashi District
State/Country: Uttarakhand / India
Base Village: Sankri (1920m / 6300ft)
Total Distance: 54km
Number of Days: 5 Days
Difficulty Level: Moderate
The Best Time To Trek
The best time to do Har Ki Dun trek would be post monsoon – September to November. The entire valley comes alive during this time. A walk to Jaundhar glacier or just down the valley at Har ki Dun would be a great experience with green grasses growing by the river.
You can also do this trek anytime around March to June. You shall find enough snow in the valley during the months of March and April. Also, there would be fewer people on this trail during this time.
Though July and August aren’t a bad season, you might encounter heavy rainfall that may interrupt your journey.
Do note that the trek is closed between December and March due to heavy snowfall.
Plan your trek
Organisers
Har ki Dun is one of those rare trekking routes which has a forest guesthouse at the end point of the trail. You can therefore try to book this through the forest department and arrange for a guide from the village of Sankri to take you there.
As always, there are many groups that offer this trek. There are plenty of local trekking groups that operate from the village of Sankri. The locals are much more familiar with the route and have good contacts in the villages around. You can customize your trek and stay at some of these villages if you plan a trek with them. Here are few of my suggestions –
Himalayan Hikers (A group local to Sankri)
Prakash Rawat (Local Guide) – 7579486116
Other trekking groups include:
Almost all of these organisers have comparable service. Therefore, compare the price and choose the best deal. Look out for Twin sharing of tents and Inclusion of transport from Dehradun.
Buy or rent the necessary gears
One of the best things about the treks starting from Sankri is that there are several shops in Sankri market that rent out or sell trekking equipment. You can rent trekking poles, poncho, shoes, jackets etc. A trekking pole and a poncho are rented out at Rs 150 each for the entire trek of 5 days. But to prepare yourself, go through my list of things to carry on a trek.
How to reach Dehradun or Mussoorie
Most organisers arrange this trek from Dehradun to Dehradun. Some organisers include the Dehradun to Sankri transportation cost in the package but some do not. However, they will arrange the transport for you. But in both cases, Dehradun railway station is the meeting point for all trekkers.
You can fly to Dehradun, take a train or bus from Delhi or other major towns in India. Dehradun Jolly Grant airport is around 26km from town. Outside the airport, book a cab to the city. It may cost you somewhere from Rs 800-1000. I would recommend to share this ride with other trekkers you will find at the airport or near the taxi booking office.
Alternatively, you can also choose to walk 2.5km to reach the main road and then take a local bus or auto rickshaw to the city.
Since, the route to Sankri passes through Mussoorie, you can also choose to stay at Mussoorie. You can book your taxi directly from Jolly grant airport to Mussoorie. The ride will cost you around Rs2500. It is a drive of about 2 hours.
Stay in Dehradun or Mussoorie
Dehradun - There are several hotels in and around Dehradun railway station. Many are reasonably priced. I also know of one hostel – Nomads Backpacker hostel. It is a descent place and economical. You can get around Dehradun in shared auto rickshaws which cost Rs 10-20 per ride, depending on the distance travelled.
Mussoorie – Mussoorie has several good hostels. However, check the location as some might be far away from the city center. I stayed at GoStops on Library Road. Hostlier and Zostel are other options. A dorm bed can cost you anywhere from Rs 600-1000 per night. Since the pick-up point at Mussoorie would be Library chowk, try to find a hotel or hostel close by.
How to Reach Sankri?
Almost all trekking groups arrange for a transport from Dehradun. Some offer free transport and others charge a nominal fee. Usually, when shared among trekkers, it amounts up to Rs 1000 per head.
But if you wish to travel by yourself to Sankri, then you can take a bus from ISBT Dehradun. Around 3 to 4 buses run between Sankri and Dehradun every day. They leave ISBT between 6AM and 8AM. The travel time is around 10-11 hours and therefore it can be very tiring and uncomfortable. You can also travel to Purola by private buses and then find another ride to Sankri.
The Trail
Day 01: Taluka (2109m / 6919ft) to Cheludgad (2575m / 8448 ft)
Distance/Time: 13km/ 6H
Har ki Dun trek begins with a long walk on the very first day. You will take a jeep ride till Taluka, which is around 10km from Sankri. The trail begins at Taluka village. This long trail of 13km passes through the jungle, beside rivers and streams. You will pass through the village of Gangad before reaching Cheludgad campsite; often located by the river Supin. This can be a tiring day because of the distance covered, especially if you are carrying your luggage.
Day 02: Cheludgad (2575m / 8448 ft) to Halchai (2978m / 9770ft)
Distance/Time: 6km/ 4H
The trek on the second day is short and easy. It does have some steep climbs, but mostly the trek is easy. You walk past the last village on this trail called Seema and cross the bridge to other side of the valley. Passing through the mustard fields, you climb about a 1000ft to reach Halchai campsite. Halchai campsite offers some great views. At a distance, you can see Black peak and Bandarpoonch. You can also see the Kedarkantha peak from here.
Make the most of this half day at Halchai by absorbing the beautiful views that this location has to offer. Some choose to trek all the way till Har ki Dun on Day 2 and stay at the forest guesthouse.
Day 03: Halchai (2978m / 9770ft) to Har Ki Dun (3645m/ 11960ft) and Back
Distance/Time: 16km/ 8H)
This is the main day of the trek. You will probably not carry your luggage if you are returning back to Halchai. Despite that, this is a tiring trek of 16km with a few steep climbs. But as you get closer to Har ki Dun valley, the views get better and keeps motivating you to reach your destination. As you reach your destination, you are right at the base of Har ki Dun peak and Hata Peak (5280m / 19095ft) next to it. At Har ki dun view point, enjoy your lunch by the stream.
Har ki Dun view point offers a magnificent view of the valley with the highlight being Mt Swargarohini.
You can choose to trek to Manida lake and Jaundhar glacier. But this will take a lot of time (3-4 hours). If you plan to stay at Har ki Dun forest guesthouse, then these two treks can be easily fit in.
Day 04: Halchai (2978 m / 9770 ft) to Cheludgad (2575m / 8448 ft)
Distance/Time: 6km / 3H)
Time to head back! But instead of taking the same route, take a deviation and visit the village of Osla. Walk along the narrow paths of this little village. You can also choose to book a homestay in this village and spend the night there instead of returning to Cheludgad campsite again. The villagers charge around Rs 600 per night.
Day 05: Cheludgad (2575m / 9770ft) to Taluka (2109m / 6919ft)
Distance/Time: 13km/ 4.5H)
The last day of the trek is long again and perhaps a bit boring too. You will follow your footsteps back on the same trail to reach Taluka.
Other Treks around Sankri
Sankri is the base village for several treks. The most popular among them is Kedarkantha winter trek. Ruinsara Tal, Bali pass, Baraadsar lake trek, Phulara ridge trek are other important treks in this region.
My Experience
I did the Har Ki Dun trek in April 2023. The trek was organised by Himalayan Hikers. They had fixed tents in their two campsites and were running back-to-back batches. On the day, me and my two friends went, there was no one else on this trail. That made it special. It was like being almost alone in the mountains – something I had longed for. The views were undoubtedly spectacular. We spent a good amount of time at the Har ki Dun view point on Day 3. The best part of this trek though was my interaction with the villagers and observing there lifestyle as the trail passes through several small villages nestled in the mountains.
My Film on Har Ki Dun Trek
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