Beauty in solitude

The wide vistas of the Shivalik Mountains and the Yamuna gurgling down below greeted me, as the vehicle swerved a bend on the steep road.

I was heading to Sankri, a nondescript town in the lap of the mountains in Uttarakhand. This was the take-off point for a trek to the valley of Har Ki Doon. Rated as one of the moderately tough, but mesmerisingly beautiful walks in the Himalayas, I had chosen to venture here not only to bask in its beauty, but to escape the heat and dust of the plains.

Travelling along the river through a forest of pines, I reached Sankri by evening. During my two-day stay at Sankri, I learned about the village and its inhabitants, and underwent rock climbing and rappelling exercises to prepare for the trek. Devoid of basic facilities, the locals here eke out a living from agriculture. Their homes are sparse and are built using flat slate rock and wood from deodar trees.

A memorable trek

Embarking on a brief jeep ride to the roadhead, the real trek took off. The initial path went along the left bank of meandering Rupin river, gushing down rapidly with chilling waters from the glacier. Walking under the shade of trees with the heady aroma of pines, it took me two hours to cover the distance of 8 km to reach a resting point for lunch. The camp at Seema took me another hour and half.

The next day, I trudged along the slopes, and soon reached the village of Seema. Here, a huge hanging bridge spans across the Rupin, leading to the steep trail beyond. Here, I was rewarded with the stunning beauty of forested valley, with a pretty waterfall and a blue sky. Savouring the breathtaking sight, I walked with renewed vigour. As I scrambled up the sun-scorched open slopes, the snow-covered peaks of Kalanag and its ranges came into view. Colourful flowers like blue poppies and primroses lined the path and the call of birds provided a background score. The forest teeming with so much life has been demarcated as Govind Pashu Vihar National Park.

After a gentle climb and crossing a log bridge on the river, I arrived at the valley of Har Ki Doon. With a lovely river flowing relentlessly along the green grassy meadow, pines and cedars all around, and snowy peaks soaring to the sky, the scenic beauty here was simply out of the world. A vast green pasture was located down below, with the towering peak of Swargarohini in the east. With an orange glow from the setting sun, the mountain looked like a staircase to heaven. Interestingly, according to a popular legend in these parts, Yudhishtira, the eldest of the Pandavas, reached heavens from this very mountain. It is also believed that Lord Shiva as a child played and wandered around this valley, which is why it got the name Har Ki Doon.

With a day to spare, I could have either headed to Jamdhar Glacier at the foothills of Swargarohini or climbed up a snow trail to reach the pristine lake of Morinda in the west. I chose the latter. At 13,500 feet, this emerald green glacial lake is like a jewel amidst the snow-covered slopes. And the view from here was worth the long trek.

As a white-capped redstart watched me from a rock, I reluctantly walked back, enjoying the beauty in solitude.

FACT FILE

Getting there

By air: Jolly Grant Airport at Dehra Dun (190 km from Sankri) is the nearest airport, connected with flights from other cities.

By train or road: Dehra Dun is well connected with trains & buses from major cities.
The trek involves walking up 38 km one way from Sankri to Har Ki Doon over three to four days.

Best time to go

April to June and September to November.

Permit

 Entry permit to be obtained at check post before Sankri.