Har Ki Dun Trek
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Har Ki Dun Trek — Guide, Dates & Cost
Region: UttarakhandDistrict: Uttarkashi
Duration: 7 Days
Difficulty Level: Easy–Moderate
Highest Altitude: 11,600 ft / 3,536 m
Trekking Distance: 52 Km
Temperature: Summer (April–June): Daytime: 8°C to 15°C, Night: 0°C to 7°C, Winter (Dec–Jan): Daytime: -2°C to 5°C, Night: -12°C to -5°C
Har Ki Dun Trek: The Valley Of Gods
There are valleys in the Garhwal Himalayas that are beautiful. And then there is Har Ki Dun – the Valley of the Gods, a glacially carved cradle at 3,536 metres enclosed by peaks that touch 6,000 metres, inhabited by communities who have lived here for generations, and surrounded by forests and meadows that remain among the most ecologically intact landscapes in the Indian Himalayan range.
Har Ki Dun is not a summit trek and not a pass crossing. It is something rarer and, in its own way, more demanding: a journey into one of the few genuinely pristine high-altitude valleys remaining in Uttarakhand, through the Supin River gorge, across dense forests of oak, rhododendron, and pine, into a landscape that becomes more open and more extraordinary with every day of walking. The valley floor at 3,536 m is surrounded on three sides by peaks, Swargarohini (6,252 m), Bandarpunch (6,316 m), and Black Peak (6,387 m), that provide one of the most complete and dramatic mountain horizons available on an easy–moderate trek in India. In seven days from Dehradun, the Trekkaro team takes you from the road at Taluka into this valley and back out, an experience that is unhurried, deeply beautiful, and unlike anything else we operate.
Overview
Har Ki Dun – meaning 'Valley of the Gods' in the local Garhwali dialect – is a glacially carved hanging valley at 3,536 m (11,600 ft) in the Govind Pashu Vihar National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary, Uttarkashi district, Uttarakhand. The valley is one of the oldest inhabited Himalayan valleys in the Indian subcontinent, with the surrounding Swargarohini massif identified in Hindu tradition as the stairway to heaven used by the Pandavas on their final ascent. The trek follows the Supin River upstream from Taluka through forest villages, gorge sections, open meadows, and alpine terrain before reaching the valley floor.
The Valley Itself
What distinguishes Har Ki Dun from almost every other trek of its grade in India is its completeness. The valley is enclosed on three sides by a mountain wall of extraordinary character: Swargarohini I (6,252 m), the mythological stairway to heaven; Bandarpunch (6,316 m), whose glacier is visible from the valley floor; and Black Peak (6,387 m) on the northern ridge. From the Har Ki Dun valley floor, trekkers have a 270-degree view of this mountain wall, a visual experience that very few moderate treks in India provide without requiring a technically demanding climb. The valley floor is wide, open, and covered in alpine meadow: a landscape that feels generous rather than austere and dramatic rather than intimidating.
The Route – Through the Supin Valley
The approach follows the Supin River upstream from Taluka (1,900 m) through one of the most ecologically rich corridors in Uttarakhand. The trail passes through dense oak and rhododendron forest, across suspension bridges above the roaring river, and through the living village of Osla, where the remarkable Duryadhana Temple, dedicated to the Mahabharata antagonist, provides a cultural dimension absent from most Himalayan trekking routes. The campsites at Puani Garaat and Kalkatiyadhaar are positioned in forest meadow clearings alongside the Supin, providing shelter and the specific quiet that only exists at walking distance from a road.
Who Is This Trek For?
Har Ki Dun is graded Easy–Moderate. It is an excellent first Himalayan trek for trekkers with a reasonable fitness base and equally rewarding for experienced trekkers who prioritise landscape depth over technical challenge. The maximum altitude of 3,536 m is accessible for well-prepared beginners. Daily distances of 8 to 14 km are achievable with consistent cardiovascular fitness. Minimum recommended age: 12 years. Maximum: 65 years (good health). Daily trekking hours: 4 to 7 hours. Season: April to June and September to November.
Key Highlights of the Har Ki Dun Trek
- Har Ki Dun Valley floor (3,536 m / 11,600 ft) - 270-degree panorama of Swargarohini, Bandarpunch, and Black Peak
- Swargarohini (6,252 m) – the mythological Pandava stairway to heaven, visible in full from the valley
- Bandarpunch (6,316 m) glacier visible directly from the valley floor
- Duryadhana Temple at Osla – one of the few temples in India dedicated to the Mahabharata antagonist
- Supin River gorge trail – dense rhododendron and oak forest, roaring river, traditional Garhwali villages
- Govind Pashu Vihar National Park – snow leopard, Himalayan black bear, and Himalayan monal habitat
- Sankri gateway village (1,920 m) – established trek base with Swargarohini range views
- Certified trekkaro trek leader and guides, twice-daily health monitoring, and FTG gear with no rental fee
Best Time to Visit Har Ki Dun
Har Ki Dun has two trekking windows separated by the monsoon: a pre-monsoon spring window from April to June and a post-monsoon autumn window from September to November. The valley is accessible year-round in principle, but the monsoon brings waterlogged forest paths and swollen river crossings that significantly diminish the experience. Winter (December to March) sees the valley and upper trail snowbound.
April to June — Spring Window (Rhododendrons & Snowmelt)
The spring window opens as the lower trail dries after winter and the rhododendron forests between Taluka and Puani Garaat come into full bloom. April and May are the peak rhododendron months, the trail through the oak and rhododendron forest below Osla is carpeted in red and pink blooms at a density that transforms the forest entirely. The Har Ki Dun valley in May still carries residual snowpack at its upper edges, making the valley floor visually dramatic against the bloom of the lower forests. This is an excellent window for trekkers who prioritise wildflower and forest colour.
- Temperatures: Taluka: 10°C to 22°C | Puani Garaat: 5°C to 18°C | Har Ki Dun: 0°C to 12°C
- Trail conditions: Rhododendron bloom. Residual snow at valley edges. Warm days, cool nights.
- Best for: Forest colour, rhododendron photography, and spring snowpack in the valley.
July to August — Monsoon (Not Recommended)
The monsoon brings waterlogged paths, swollen river crossings, and leeches in the lower forest sections. Trekkaro does not operate standard Har Ki Dun batches in July and August. The trail is passable, but the practical difficulties are disproportionate to the experience.
- Status: Not recommended. No standard Trekkaro batches in July–August.
September to November — Autumn Window (Most Recommended)
This is Trekkaro's most recommended window for Har Ki Dun. September sees the monsoon clearing and the trail drying. October is the peak month: the oak and maple forests turn amber and gold, the air is crystal clear, the Swargarohini and Bandarpunch peaks stand in hard-edged definition, and the valley floor meadow is green and wide and completely open. Night temperatures at the valley begin dropping below zero in November, but October nights are cold and clear and reward trekkers with proper sleeping bags.
- Temperatures: Taluka: 5°C to 18°C | Puani Garaat: 2°C to 12°C | Har Ki Dun: -3°C to 8°C
- Trail conditions: Dry, well-defined trail. Autumn forest colour. Sharpest mountain visibility.
- Best for: Peak mountain views, autumn colour, crystal air, and the best overall conditions.
Trekkaro Recommendation
For the best mountain clarity and autumn forest colour, book a late September to October batch. For the rhododendron bloom and spring snowpack in the valley, choose April to mid-May. Both windows offer a genuinely extraordinary version of Har Ki Dun – the decision is between the colour of spring and the clarity of autumn.
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A cab will be arranged from Dehradun Railway Station at 06:30 AM to Sankri, the base camp of the trek, at an additional cost of approximately ₹6,500 per vehicle (5–6 seater). This amount is shared among trekkers and needs to be paid directly to the driver.
A cab will be arranged from Sankri at around 06:30 AM to Dehradun Railway Station, with an expected arrival by 05:00 PM. The cost is approximately ₹6,500 per vehicle (5–6 seater), which will be shared among trekkers and paid directly to the driver.
Day 1: Drive from Dehradun to Sankri
Route Details:
Drive: Dehradun → Mussoorie → Purola → Mori → Sankri | Distance: ~200 km | Duration: 8–9 hrs | Altitude: 700 m (Dehradun) → 1,950 m (Sankri)
The drive from Dehradun to Sankri is one of the longer approach journeys in the Trekkaro portfolio, approximately 200 km and 8 to 9 hours, through some of the most scenic and progressively remote terrain in Uttarakhand. The road passes through Mussoorie (2,000 m) before descending into the Yamuna and then Tonnes River valleys, following roads that become narrower and quieter as they penetrate deeper into the Garhwal interior. The Tonnes Valley carries the Tonnes River, the largest tributary of the Yamuna by volume, through a landscape of forested ridges, terraced fields, and small market towns. The drive is a genuine introduction to the region you are entering.
Sankri (1,950 m) is the departure point for several significant Uttarakhand treks, including Kedarkantha and Har Ki Dun. It is a small, well-organised trek gateway with the Swargarohini range visible above the village on clear days. The evening in Sankri is for rest, gear verification, and the trek briefing. Trekkaro's health baseline SpO₂, pulse, and blood pressure for every trekker is recorded here. The trek briefing covers the full route, daily structure, health monitoring protocol, and what to expect on the Supin Valley forest terrain. Sleep well. Day 2 begins early.
What to Expect:
- Drive from Dehradun to Sankri – ~200 km, 8–9 hrs via Mussoorie, Purola, and the Tonnes Valley road
- Tonnes Valley scenery: forested ridges, terraced farms, and progressively remote Garhwal interior
- Sankri (1,950 m): established trek gateway with Swargarohini views on clear days
- FTG gear: Decathlon Quechua shoes, jacket, poles, etc.
- Health baseline: SpO₂, pulse, and BP recorded for every trekker
- Trek briefing: full route overview, daily structure, health protocol
- Overnight: Sankri (1,950 m) – last road town before the trek begins
Day 2: Drive Sankri to Taluka & Trek to Puani Garaat
Route Details:
Drive: Sankri → Taluka (~12 km, ~45 min) | Trek: Taluka (2,107 m) → Puani Garaat (~2,440 m) | Distance: ~10 km | Duration: 6–7 hrs
Day 2 begins with the short morning drive from Sankri to Taluka, the last motorable point on the Har Ki Dun approach road. Taluka (2,107 m) is a small settlement at the point where the jeep track ends and the foot trail begins, marked by a bridge across the Supin River and the visible opening of the forested gorge ahead. From this bridge, on clear days, the snowpeaked wall at the head of the Har Ki Dun valley is visible as a distant white horizon above the forest canopy. You leave the road behind and begin the walk that will carry you 3,536 metres over the next three days.
The trail from Taluka to Puani Garaat follows the right bank of the Supin River upstream through a gorge of exceptional character. The supine at this altitude is fast and loud, constrained between canyon walls that rise steeply on both sides. The forest above the trail is one of the ecological highlights of this route, with dense oak, deodar cedar, and rhododendron in the lower sections, giving way to blue pine and silver fir as altitude increases. In spring, the rhododendron bloom transforms the forest floor and canopy into layers of red and pink. In autumn, the oak and maple canopy turns amber and gold above a trail that remains dry and well-defined.
Puani Garaat is a forest camp in a clearing above the Supin River at approximately 2,440 m, a sheltered, well-watered campsite surrounded by forest and the sound of the river below. This is the first genuine wilderness camp of the route. Beyond Taluka, there are no roads, and the sounds of the trail are the river, the forest, and the wind. The altitude gain from Taluka is modest, approximately 540 m across 10 km, making Day 2 an ideal introduction to the terrain and the specific rhythm of Supin Valley trekking.
What to Expect:
- Morning drive from Sankri to Taluka (~12 km, ~45 min) - last road before the trail begins
- The trail begins at Taluka (2,107 m) across the Supin River bridge – a forest gorge opens ahead
- Supin River gorge: dense oak, deodar, and rhododendron forest alongside the river
- Altitude gain: ~540 m over ~10 km – measured gradient to settle into the route's rhythm
- Puani Garaat camp (~2,440 m) - forest clearing above the Supin, first wilderness camp
- Overnight: Puani Garaat – river sound, forest shelter, first night on the trail
Day 3: Puani Garaat to Kalkatiyadhaar
Route Details:
Altitude: ~2,440 m → ~2,740 m (Kalkatiyadhaar) | Distance: ~10 km | Duration: 5–6 hrs | Terrain: Forest trail, river crossings, Osla village, open meadow approach
Day 3 is the route's richest in cultural and ecological variety. The trail from Puani Garaat continues upstream along the Supin River, passing through the living village of Osla before climbing through progressively higher forest terrain to the meadow camp at Kalkatiyadhaar. Osla is one of the traditional villages of the Supin Valley, a settlement of stone and timber houses built in the distinctive Garhwali style with intricately carved wooden facades and stacked-stone construction that reflects centuries of craft adapted to the high-altitude climate. The village is genuinely inhabited and genuinely connected to an older version of Himalayan life.
In Osla stands the Duryadhana Temple, one of the most unusual religious sites in Uttarakhand and one of the very few temples in India dedicated to Duryadhana, the primary antagonist of the Mahabharata. The local tradition holds that the Pandavas passed through the Har Ki Dun valley on their ascent to heaven via the Swargarohini peak and that the Kauravas maintained a protective presence over the valley in their absence. The temple is small, stone-built, and decorated in the carved wooden style of the valley. Standing in Osla beside this temple, at the base of the Swargarohini massif, the mythological landscape of the Mahabharata and the physical landscape of the Himalayas briefly become the same thing.
Above Osla, the trail climbs through forest to Kalkatiyadhaar, a meadow camp at approximately 2,740 m where the forest gives way to the more open terrain of the upper Supin Valley. From Kalkatiyadhaar, the higher peaks of the Har Ki Dun enclosure become visible for the first time in their full extent: Swargarohini above and to the north, the Black Peak ridge to the east, and the valley corridor opening ahead toward the floor at 3,536 m. Tomorrow the valley reveals itself completely.
What to Expect:
- Osla village – traditional Garhwali stone and timber architecture, lived-in and remarkable
- Duryadhana Temple – one of the few temples in India dedicated to the Mahabharata antagonist
- Forest trail with gradual gain – oak, deodar, and rhododendron through the upper Supin Valley
- First full views of Swargarohini and the upper valley peaks from Kalkatiyadhaar meadow
- Kalkatiyadhaar camp (~2,740 m) – open meadow at the forest edge, valley opening visible ahead
- Distance: ~10 km | Duration: 5–6 hrs | Altitude gain: ~300 m
- Overnight: Kalkatiyadhaar – the last camp before the valley floor
Day 4: Kalkatiyadhaar to Har Ki Dun Valley & Back to Kalkatiyadhaar
Route Details:
Altitude: 2,740 m → Har Ki Dun (3,536 m / 11,600 ft) → Return to Kalkatiyadhaar (2,740 m) | Distance: ~14 km round trip | Duration: 8–9 hrs | Terrain: Open valley trail, alpine meadow
Day 4 is the centrepiece of the Har Ki Dun trek, the day the entire route has been building toward. The trail from Kalkatiyadhaar to the Har Ki Dun valley floor gains approximately 770 m over 7 km of progressively opening terrain. The forest thins above camp, the valley walls recede on both sides, and the landscape transforms from an enclosed forest gorge to a wide, open, high-altitude basin in a transition that happens gradually enough to absorb but dramatically enough to stop most trekkers mid-stride when the valley fully opens.
The Har Ki Dun valley at 3,536 m (11,600 ft) is an enclosed glacial basin of exceptional spaciousness. The valley floor is wide and flat in the summer and autumn seasons, a broad meadow of alpine grass and wildflowers crossed by the upper Supin River in clean, shallow channels that reflect the peaks above. On all three sides, the mountain wall rises: Swargarohini I (6,252 m) to the north-northwest, its upper snowfields brilliant white above the moraine at its base; Bandarpunch (6,316 m) directly north, its glacier visible as a grey-white river of ice between the rock ridges; and Black Peak (6,387 m) to the northeast. The 270-degree mountain panorama from the Har Ki Dun valley floor is among the most complete available on any moderate-grade trek in India. No pass crossing required. You simply walk into the valley and look up.
The return from the valley floor to Kalkatiyadhaar descends the same 770 m across 7 km in the afternoon. Most trekkers spend 2 to 3 hours in the Har Ki Dun valley, time to walk the valley perimeter, photograph the mountain panorama from different positions, eat lunch at the riverbank, and be fully present with one of the finest valley views accessible on a moderate Himalayan trek. The afternoon light on the return illuminates the peaks and forest sections differently from the morning approach, and the two directions together give you a complete experience of the route's finest terrain.
What to Expect:
- Trek to Har Ki Dun (3,536 m / 11,600 ft) – ~7 km, ~4–5 hrs from Kalkatiyadhaar
- Valley floor panorama: Swargarohini (6,252 m), Bandarpunch (6,316 m), and Black Peak (6,387 m) on three sides
- Wide open alpine meadow with the upper Supin River crossing the valley floor in clean channels
- Bandarpunch glacier visible from the valley floor between the northern ridgelines
- 3–4 hours in the valley: walk the perimeter, photograph, lunch at the river, be present
- Return ~7 km to Kalkatiyadhaar in the afternoon – same trail, different light
- Overnight: Kalkatiyadhaar (2,740 m) - return camp after the valley day
Day 5: Kalkatiyadhaar to Puani Garaat
Route Details:
Altitude: ~2,740 m → ~2,440 m (Puani Garaat) | Distance: ~10 km | Duration: 4–5 hrs | Terrain: Forest descent, Supin Valley trail, Osla village on return
Day 5 reverses the Day 3 ascent: from Kalkatiyadhaar back through the Supin Valley forest to Puani Garaat, passing through Osla and along the riverside trail that carried you upward two days ago. The descent covers 10 km and loses approximately 300 m of altitude across 4 to 5 hours, a gentle, unhurried return through terrain that has become familiar but that reveals itself differently on the way down.
The return through Osla on Day 5 often produces a different experience from the Day 3 passage. Two days in the mountains have settled the group into the rhythm of the route. The urgency of the approach and the goal of reaching the valley ahead have been replaced by the fuller attention that comes after the destination has been reached. The Duryadhana Temple and the traditional wooden architecture of the village are absorbed with a different quality on the return. If time allows, the Trekkaro guide will arrange a brief stop in the village.
Puani Garaat, reached in the mid-afternoon, is the same forest camp as Night 2. But it feels different: warmer on the return and more settled. The Har Ki Dun valley is behind you. Taluka and the road are one day's walking ahead. The route has given you what it came with, and the forest camp on the final descent has a quality of completion that the camp on the ascent could not yet contain.
What to Expect:
- Descent through the Supin Valley forest – same trail as Day 3, reverse direction
- Osla village on return – Duryadhana Temple and traditional architecture, brief stop if schedule allows
- Distance: ~10 km | Duration: 4–5 hrs | Altitude loss: ~300 m
- Supin River alongside the trail throughout – the sound and pace of the descent are shaped by the water
- Puani Garaat camp (~2,440 m) – final wilderness camp before the return to Taluka and the road
- Overnight: Puani Garaat – last camp on the trail
Day 6: Puani Garaat to Taluka & Drive to Sankri
Route Details:
Trek: Puani Garaat (~2,440 m) → Taluka (2,107 m) | Distance: ~8 km | Duration: 3–4 hrs | Then: Drive Taluka → Sankri (~12 km, ~45 min)
The final morning on the trail begins in the Puani Garaat forest camp. The walk back to Taluka is the shortest of the active trekking days, 8 km descending from 2,440 m to 2,107 m over 3 to 4 hours. The trail through the lower Supin Valley gorge on the return carries the same dramatic canyon walls and river sound as the approach, but now the body walking it has completed 38 km through the Garhwal interior and stood in the Har Ki Dun valley at 3,536 m with the Swargarohini range on three sides. The same forest, the same river, the same trail sections — all perceived through a different set of accumulated experience.
The altitude drops steadily through the lower gorge, with the Supin growing louder as additional tributaries join it below the camp. By mid-morning, Taluka appears: the familiar stone buildings at the end of the jeep track, the bridge across the Supin, and the Trekkaro vehicles waiting on the far bank. The drive back to Sankri takes approximately 45 minutes along the jeep track. Sankri is reached in the early afternoon: mobile signal returns, devices can be charged, and the first road-town comforts in five days are available. The trek is not yet over; Dehradun and the city return tomorrow, but the walk is done.
What to Expect:
- Final trail section: ~8 km from Puani Garaat to Taluka through the lower Supin gorge
- Altitude drops ~540 m from Puani Garaat to Taluka – steady, well-defined descent
- Taluka bridge – the trail ends where it began, at the Supin River crossing
- Drive from Taluka to Sankri (~12 km, ~45 min) - Trekkaro vehicles at Taluka for the return
- Sankri: mobile signal, device charging, first road-town facilities after five days
- Trek concludes at the Sankri starting point of the trek. Completion certificates issued.
- Overnight: Sankri (1,950 m) - final night before the Dehradun return drive
Day 7: Drive from Sankri to Dehradun
Route Details:
Drive: Sankri (1,950 m) → Mori → Purola → Mussoorie → Dehradun | Distance: ~200 km | Duration: 8–9 hrs
The morning in Sankri before the return drive has a different quality from the morning six days ago when the village was the assembly point for a trek that had not yet begun. Then, the Swargarohini range visible above the village was a destination. Now, the body and mind that looked up at those peaks have walked to 3,536 m beneath them, stood in the valley at their base, and returned through the Supin River forest over five days of walking. The mountains above Sankri look the same. Everything else is different.
The drive from Sankri to Dehradun retraces the approach road in reverse, back down the Tonnes Valley through Mori and Purola, then via Mussoorie and the Doon Valley. The 8- to 9-hour journey covers the same forested gorge road that the approach drive may have passed through in darkness or in anticipation. By the time Mussoorie appears above the Doon Valley, the transition from the mountain interior back to the city is nearly complete. The Har Ki Dun valley, the Duryadhana Temple, the Supin River gorge, and the mountain panorama from 11,600 feet are now part of the specific, permanent collection of experiences that the Himalayas are uniquely able to provide.
What to Expect:
- Morning in Sankri – final morning tea in the trek gateway village before the return drive
- Drive Sankri to Dehradun – ~200 km, 8–9 hrs via Mori, Purola, and Mussoorie
- Tonnes Valley on return: the forested gorge road in daylight, the approach in reverse
- Same-day flights and trains from Dehradun are achievable with early Sankri departure
- Recommended: one additional night in Dehradun before onwards travel if the schedule allows
How To Reach
Nearest airport: Jolly Grant Airport (DED), about 25 km and 45–60 min from Dehradun city, with direct flights from Delhi and other metros. The cab to Sankri leaves Dehradun Railway Station at 06:30 AM, so book a flight that lands by the evening before.
From Dehradun to Sankri: The 200 km drive takes 8–9 hrs. Trekkaro arranges a cab from Dehradun Railway Station at 06:30 AM at an additional cost of about ₹6,500 per vehicle (5–6 seater), shared among trekkers and paid directly to the driver.
Return: On the last day the cab leaves Sankri at around 06:30 AM and reaches Dehradun Railway Station by about 05:00 PM (about ₹6,500 per vehicle, shared). Mountain roads often run late, so book your flight for the next day.
Nearest railway station: Dehradun Railway Station (DDN) – the pickup point itself, with direct trains from Delhi. For the 06:30 AM cab, take the overnight train or, safer, reach Dehradun a day early; book ahead in peak season and check current timings.
- Nanda Devi Express – overnight from Delhi, arriving early in the morning.
- Dehradun Shatabdi, Jan Shatabdi or Vande Bharat – good choices if you travel the day before and stay the night in Dehradun.
From Dehradun to Sankri: The 200 km drive takes 8–9 hrs. Trekkaro arranges a cab from Dehradun Railway Station at 06:30 AM at an additional cost of about ₹6,500 per vehicle (5–6 seater), shared among trekkers and paid directly to the driver.
Return: On the last day the cab leaves Sankri at around 06:30 AM and reaches Dehradun Railway Station by about 05:00 PM. Book an evening or overnight train with a few hours of margin, or travel the next day – check current timings.
Bus route: Delhi ISBT Kashmere Gate to Dehradun ISBT takes about 6–7 hrs. Uttarakhand Roadways (government) Volvo and ordinary buses run through the night, but with a 06:30 AM pickup, arriving the evening before is safer.
- Take a government bus – board from inside ISBT Kashmere Gate; avoid private buses that leave from outside the ISBT premises, as they are less reliable.
- Dehradun ISBT to the pickup – take an app cab, an auto rickshaw or a shared three-wheeler to Dehradun Railway Station.
- From Haridwar or Rishikesh – local buses and shared cabs reach Dehradun in about 1.5–2 hrs.
From Dehradun to Sankri: The 200 km drive takes 8–9 hrs. Trekkaro arranges a cab from Dehradun Railway Station at 06:30 AM at an additional cost of about ₹6,500 per vehicle (5–6 seater), shared among trekkers and paid directly to the driver.
Return: On the last day the cab leaves Sankri at around 06:30 AM and reaches Dehradun Railway Station by about 05:00 PM. Book a night bus to Delhi from Dehradun ISBT, leaving time for the transfer and road delays – check current timings.
Things To Carry
Har Ki Dun is a 7-day walk through forest and river valley up to 3,536 m, with cold nights and snow possible on the upper trail early in the season, so pack light but sturdy.
- Backpack – 50–60 L with a rain cover and a padded hip belt.
- Day pack – 20–30 L for water, snacks and a layer on day walks; needed if you offload your main backpack.
- Trekking shoes – Provided free with Trekkaro’s Free Trekking Gear (one refundable deposit of ₹3,000 + ₹200 washing charge covers the whole kit); waterproof with ankle support.
- Trekking pole – Provided free with Trekkaro’s Free Trekking Gear; saves your knees on the long descents.
- Microspikes and gaiters – Provided free with Trekkaro’s Free Trekking Gear when there is snow on the trail.
- Headlamp – with spare batteries, for early starts and camp.
- Water bottles – two 1 L bottles; an insulated one helps on cold mornings.
Plan on 3–4 warm layers, and take 4 in March–April and November, when nights are coldest.
- Padded jacket (-10°C) – Provided free with Trekkaro’s Free Trekking Gear; your outer warm layer at camp.
- Thermal innerwear – 1–2 sets, top and bottom, in wool or a moisture-wicking fabric.
- Fleece or woollen layers – 1–2, for camp and rest stops.
- Trek pants – 2, quick-dry (one to wear, one spare); a warm fleece pair is useful at camp. Avoid jeans.
- Collared T-shirts – 3, quick-dry, full-sleeved to protect against the sun.
- Rain jacket or poncho – for spring and autumn rain on the lower forest trail.
- Spare warm set – one set of warm clothes sealed in a dry bag, kept dry for emergencies.
Mornings and evenings in the upper valley are cold and the sun is strong at altitude, so protect your eyes, skin, head and hands.
- Sunglasses – UV-protected (category 3 or 4); essential if there is snow, to prevent snow blindness.
- Sun cap – wide-brimmed or with a neck flap.
- Woollen cap – covering the ears, for mornings and nights.
- Balaclava or buff – for cold, windy mornings; a balaclava matters most in March–April and November.
- Gloves – 1 fleece or woollen pair plus 1 waterproof outer pair.
- Socks – 4 pairs: 2 cotton or sports pairs for walking and 2 woollen pairs for nights.
- Sunscreen – SPF 50+; reapply through the day.
- Lip balm – with SPF, to prevent chapped lips.
ATMs are few in the hills and there is no charging on the trail, so carry cash and a charged power bank from Dehradun.
- Lunch box – reusable, for packed lunches on the trail.
- Toiletries – toothbrush, toothpaste, biodegradable soap, hand sanitiser and toilet paper; no wet wipes, as they are not biodegradable.
- Quick-dry towel – small and light.
- Plastic or ziploc bags – to keep electronics, documents and clothes dry, and to carry your waste back down; Trekkaro follows a zero-waste policy on the trail.
- Personal medical kit – your regular medicines, blister plasters and ORS; ask your doctor about altitude medicine before the trek.
- Snacks and electrolytes – trail mix, energy bars, dates and electrolyte or ORS sachets.
- Power bank – cold drains batteries fast; keep spares close to your body.
- Camp slippers – light sandals for the tent and camp.
- Cash – withdraw enough in Dehradun, in small notes, for the shared cab fare (paid to the driver) and small expenses; cards are not accepted in the mountains.
- Original government photo ID – Aadhaar card, passport, voter ID or driving licence.
- Photocopy of the same ID – keep it with the original in a waterproof pouch.
- Passport – for international trekkers; needed for forest entry permits and in case of medical evacuation.
- Trekkaro booking confirmation – your e-ticket or tax invoice.
- Medical fitness certificate – signed by a doctor.
- Travel insurance policy – mandatory, with emergency evacuation cover.
- Disclaimer form – with your emergency contact details filled in.
Frequently Asked Questions
Har Ki Dun Trek is a 7-day easy–moderate trek in Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand, reaching 3,536 m (11,600 ft). It covers about 52 km on foot and starts and ends at Sankri. Best time: March to June and October to November. Trekkaro price: ₹10,500 per person + 5% GST, with free trekking gear (Decathlon shoes, -10°C jacket and poles). Next batch: 10 Oct 2026 (48 upcoming batches).
Updated
Terms & Conditions
- Decathlon Gear Quechua Trek 100 shoes, SH 100 (-10°C) jackets, and trekking poles with no rental fee (FTG Initiative: ₹3,000 refundable deposit + ₹200 washing charge)
- All meals on trek: breakfast, lunch, evening snacks, and dinner from Day 1 dinner to Day 6 dinner
- Accommodation: 2 nights in the guesthouse at Sankri and 4 nights camping on the trail at all designated campsites, on a triple-sharing basis.
- High-quality tents (double-wall, rain-rated) and -20°C sleeping bags at all campsites
- Trekking mattresses / sleeping pads at every campsite
- Certified trek leader and guide throughout all 7 days
- Mountain kitchen staff, camp helpers, and mule/porter support for equipment transport
- Govind Pashu Vihar National Park entry permits and forest checkpost fees – fully arranged by Trekkaro
- Daily SpO2, pulse, and blood pressure health monitoring at every campsite (twice daily)
- Portable oxygen cylinder and emergency stretcher – standard on every Trekkaro Har Ki Dun batch
- HF radio communication across the full trek team throughout the route
- Trek completion certificate on successful completion to Tapovan and return to Gangotri
- Food During Transit Meals during travel to and from the base camp
- Transport – Basecamp Transfers Shared taxi transfers from Dehradun to Sankri and from Sankri back to Dehradun upon trek completion are not included in the package. Trekkaro can arrange these transfers on your behalf; the cost is approximately ₹6,500 (one way) per vehicle (5-6 seater, tentative), shared equally among trekkers in the same vehicle.
- Travel to/from Dehradun: flights, trains, buses – arranged independently by trekker
- Accommodation in Dehradun before or after the trek
- Personal trekking gear: clothing, backpack, sunglasses, etc. (shoes, jacket, poles, gaiters and microspikes come with Free Trekking Gear)
- Travel insurance: mandatory for this route. Must include high-altitude cover and helicopter evacuation.
- Personal expenses: tips, calls, laundry, additional snacks
- Backpack Offloading: ₹1,800 + 5% GST for the entire trek (max. 9 kg). No suitcases, trolleys, or duffel bags allowed. Charges may be higher for last-minute offloading requests made at Sankri
- Single Tent Occupancy: ₹2,000 + 5% GST per tent for the entire trek
- Costs from early exit, evacuation, or itinerary change due to weather or medical reasons
- Anything Not Mentioned Under Inclusions
Free rescheduling up to 7 days before · TrekCash voucher · refunds — tap to read
We know that cancelling a trek can be genuinely disappointing. Plans change, life intervenes, and sometimes the mountains have to wait. That is why Trekkaro has designed one of the most trekker-friendly cancellation policies in the industry — to reduce the financial impact on you and give you real options when things do not go as planned.
Important: Bookings made on trekkaro.com are cancelled online from My Bookings. Bookings made offline with our team must be cancelled in writing by e-mail by the person who originally booked the trek. Requests over the phone, via WhatsApp, or through third parties are not accepted.
How to Cancel Your Trek
Booked online on trekkaro.com:
- Log in and open My Bookings.
- Choose Cancel Booking on the trek you want to cancel.
- Pick a refund (as per the charges below) or Get TrekCash Voucher instead — the voucher is issued instantly and appears under My TrekCash Vouchers.
Booked offline with our team:
- Compose an e-mail from the registered e-mail ID used at the time of booking.
- Attach a copy of your tax invoice to the e-mail.
- Send both to info@trekkaro.com.
- Your cancellation is effective from the date Trekkaro receives and acknowledges your e-mail.
How to Reschedule Your Trek (Free)
- Once per booking, to another batch of the same trek, free of charge. A request we decline doesn’t count.
- Up to 7 days before departure — both your current and new batch must be at least 7 days away.
- Subject to seat availability for every trekker on the booking.
- Not available for bookings paid fully or partly with a TrekCash Voucher.
- No fee or price difference; add-ons and the number of trekkers stay as booked.
Booked online: My Bookings → Reschedule free → pick a batch. Our team confirms by e-mail and your booking moves once approved. Booked offline: e-mail info@trekkaro.com.
Cancellation Charges
| Cancellation Timeline | Refund | Details |
|---|---|---|
| 30 days or more before departure | 70% Refund | 30% cancellation charge |
| 15 to 29 days before departure | 50% Refund | 50% cancellation charge |
| Within 14 days / No-Show | No Refund | Free rescheduling (once per booking), transfer of booking, or a TrekCash Voucher (100% value, 1-year validity) — available until 7 days before departure |
Free rescheduling or a 100% voucher instead of a refund. At any time from the date of booking until 7 days before departure, you can reschedule to another batch free of charge (once per booking, subject to seat availability), transfer your booking to another trekker, or take a TrekCash Voucher worth 100% of the amount paid, valid for 1 year — whichever refund slab would otherwise apply. Online bookings take the voucher themselves from My Bookings → Cancel Booking (issued instantly); offline bookings request it by e-mail to info@trekkaro.com.
Cancellation of Voucher-Based Bookings
- The standard cancellation policy applies to voucher-based bookings in the same way it applies to direct bookings.
- Any remaining balance after the applicable cancellation charge has been deducted will be credited back to your Trekkaro account as a new voucher.
- If your voucher has already expired at the time of cancellation, no refund, credit, or extension will be issued under any circumstance.
- If a voucher is set to expire on a Sunday or public holiday, it must be redeemed before the expiry date.
Additional Terms
- Free Rescheduling: Switching to a different batch of the same trek is free of charge once per booking, up to 7 days before departure, subject to seat availability. Not available for bookings paid with a TrekCash Voucher. See “How to Reschedule Your Trek” above.
- Trek Transfers: Transferring your booking to another person is permitted, subject to Trekkaro's eligibility criteria. The new trekker must meet the fitness, age, and documentation requirements for that particular trek.
- No Refund Post-Commencement: Once the trek has commenced from Day 1 of your confirmed itinerary, no refunds or TrekCash Vouchers will be issued for any reason, including early exit, illness, or dissatisfaction with services.
- Policy Changes: Trekkaro reserves the right to amend or withdraw this cancellation policy at any time without prior notice. The version in effect at the time of your booking confirmation governs your booking.
Early Exit or Removal from Trek
A trekker may be required to leave the trek before completion for health concerns (AMS, hypertension, cardiac symptoms, or fitness that poses a safety risk), rule violations (alcohol or non-prescribed drugs on trail, smoking in prohibited zones, reckless behaviour, or misconduct), or by their own decision. In all cases of early exit or removal, no refund, partial refund, or TrekCash Voucher will be provided, and any additional transport or exit expenses are the trekker's responsibility. The trek leader's decision on health and safety grounds is final.
If Trekkaro Cancels Your Trek
In rare circumstances beyond our control — natural disasters (extreme snowfall, avalanche, floods, landslides, earthquakes) or unforeseen civil events (government curfews, lockdowns, political unrest) — Trekkaro will issue a TrekCash Voucher for the full trek fee paid, valid for 12 months on any trek listed on Trekkaro.com. If the new trek costs more, the difference is payable by the trekker. The voucher is sent to your registered e-mail within 10 working days and may be transferred to another person who meets Trekkaro's eligibility requirements.
Refund Processing
Refunds are processed within 10 working days of cancellation approval and credited to the original payment method only (credit card, debit card, net banking, UPI, or wallet). Your bank may take another 3–5 business days. Office hours: Monday to Saturday, 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM IST.
The full policy is part of our Terms & Conditions (Section 09).
Gallery
Oxygen, first aid, daily SpO₂ checks, trained leaders — tap to read
Why Trekking With Trekkaro Just Hits Different
Let’s skip the romanticising for a second.
The Himalayas are brutal, beautiful, and brutally expensive. Before you have even laced up for Day 1, you have already bled out on boots that actually grip ice, a jacket that won’t quit at -10°C, and poles that won’t snap on a ridge at 14,000 feet. For most people, the gear bill alone is enough to bury the dream.
We built Trekkaro to kill that excuse.
Our Free Trekking Gear (FTG) initiative is the only one of its kind in the industry. We don’t hand you a dusty rental bag and wish you luck – we kit you out in full, premium Decathlon gear, so the only thing you are spending on the mountain is energy.
1. Premium Gear. Zero Compromise. No Rental Fee.
When you show up to base camp with Trekkaro, you’re showing up equipped:
- ₹6,999 Quechua TREK 100 trekking shoes – built for altitude, not Instagram
- Quechua SH 100 insulated jackets (₹3,299) – rated to -10°C, because “a little chilly” at 13,000 feet is a lie
- Professional-grade trekking poles – the kind that give, not break
This isn’t charity. It’s a safety standard. Cheap gear doesn’t fail gracefully – it fails suddenly, in the cold, far from help. Our high-altitude tents and sleeping bags are rated from -5°C to -20°C, because when the wind is tearing through camp at 3 AM, the difference between good gear and great gear is the difference between sleeping and suffering.
2. Your Health Gets Checked – Every Single Day. No Exceptions.
The mountain doesn’t care about your fitness routine or your iron will. Altitude sickness doesn’t negotiate. It hits the first-timer and the seasoned trekker the same way – quietly, then all at once.
That’s why we don’t wait for symptoms. We track.
- Daily vitals: Pulse and blood oxygen (SpO2) checks for every trekker, every day
- Early detection over emergency reaction: A dip in your SpO2 is caught and addressed before it becomes Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS)
- Guides trained to make hard calls: If you’re not 100%, we don’t push you. We have the medical backup to act on the mountain, not after you’ve come down
Prevention isn’t cautious. It’s what separates a great trek from a dangerous one.
3. Real Safety Infrastructure – Not a Bag of Band-Aids
Most operators carry a first-aid kit. We carry a system.
- Portable oxygen cylinders – moving with the group at all times
- Emergency stretchers – staged at every campsite, not just the base
- Radio communication across all camps – because mobile signal disappears the moment the real terrain begins
Our camps are always in contact. A weather change, a medical flag, a gear issue – our team knows before it becomes a crisis. When you’re with Trekkaro, you’re never truly off-grid where it matters.
4. Technical Muscle on the Hard Sections
Icy ridges. Steep snow slopes. The sections that look straightforward on a map and feel anything but underfoot.
We don’t just warn you and move on. We deploy a dedicated technical team to the sections that demand it — fixing ropes, cutting steps, and physically supporting trekkers through exposed terrain. This isn’t hand-holding. It’s the difference between a team that prepares for the mountain and one that just shows up to it.
A Word Before You Book
We’ll carry the gear and the safety infrastructure. But the mountain still asks something from you.
Start training at least 3 weeks out. Cycling, running, swimming – anything that works your cardiovascular system. At 12,000 feet, your lungs become the limiting factor, not your legs. The trekkers who put in the work before the trek are the ones who arrive at the summit with enough breath left to actually take it in.
The Himalayas are for everyone. But they reward the prepared.
That’s what Trekkaro is built on.
What a day on the trek feels like — tap to read
What to Expect When You Trek with Trekkaro
Most people spend more time researching a laptop purchase than they do choosing who they hand their safety to at 13,000 feet. We think that deserves to change.
When you trek with Trekkaro, you’re not buying a package. You’re entering a relationship with a team that has thought carefully, sometimes obsessively, about every variable between the trailhead and the summit. This section is our honest, specific answer to the question every serious trekker should be asking before they book: what actually happens when I’m up there?
What You Can Expect From Us
1. Safety That Goes Beyond Reassurance
We’ve said it elsewhere on this page, and we’ll say it again here because it bears repeating: safety at altitude is not a vibe. It is a system.
Our guides don’t just “know the mountains". They hold NIM (Nehru Institute of Mountaineering) certification or equivalent accreditation, which means their training covers casualty assessment, high-altitude medical response, rope mechanics and anchor building, and multi-team evacuation coordination specific to the terrain we operate in. They’ve been trained to make difficult calls, including the one no trekker wants to hear: you need to descend now.
On the trail, safety looks like this: twice-daily SpO2 and pulse checks at every camp. Portable oxygen cylinders carried with the group in motion, not staged at basecamp. An emergency stretcher is pre-positioned at every campsite before the trekking group arrives. HF radio contact is maintained between the trek leader, sweep guide, and base operations at all times because mobile signal above 10,000 feet is not a plan.
The calm, professional demeanour you’ll notice in our guides isn’t composure for its own sake. It is the result of training and preparation thorough enough that very few situations on the mountain come as a surprise. That is what you feel. That is what lets you actually enjoy the trek.
2. Personalised Attention – Not Group Management
Trekkaro caps every batch at a maximum of 20 trekkers. This is not a selling point. It is a structural decision that makes everything else on this list possible.
At a 1:8 guide-to-trekker ratio, your trek leader knows your pace by Day 2. They know whether you tend to push too hard on the ascent and fade in the afternoon. They know whether you’re someone who needs encouragement on technical sections or someone who needs to be quietly reined in. They know what you ate at breakfast and whether you filled your water bottle before leaving camp.
Altitude acclimatisation, gear fit, meal timing, and hydration monitoring – these aren’t items on a checklist. They are the continuous, low-key background work of a trekkaro guide throughout every day on the trail. You don’t have to ask for most of it. It simply happens, and you notice its absence only if you’ve ever trekked without it.
3. Guides Who Are Leaders, Not Just Route-Knowers
There’s a version of a trekking guide who walks fast, knows the path, and assumes everyone is keeping up. That is not the Trekkaro guide.
Our guides understand that a group of twelve people at 12,000 feet are experiencing twelve different physiological experiences simultaneously. One trekker is managing a blister they haven’t mentioned. Another is slightly dehydrated and doesn’t know it yet. A third is having the single best day of their life and just needs to be left in it. A guide who can read all three of those simultaneously and respond to each of them differently is the difference between a trek that is merely completed and one that is genuinely unforgettable.
Our guides are trained motivators, yes. But more fundamentally, they are trained observers. The moment your stride changes, the moment your breathing pattern shifts, the moment you start answering questions with fewer words than usual, they notice. That attentiveness is what keeps you safe. It also, incidentally, makes for extraordinary mountain companionship.
4. An Itinerary Built Around How the Body Actually Works at Altitude
There is a temptation in trek design to maximise distance, minimise days, and push the daily elevation gain as high as the trail allows. The result is an itinerary that looks efficient on paper and feels brutal in practice.
Trekkaro itineraries are built around the golden rule of altitude acclimatisation: climb high, sleep low, and give the body time to adapt before demanding more of it. The daily elevation gains on our routes are calibrated to physiological reality, not to route efficiency. Rest and acclimatisation time is built into the schedule as a non-negotiable, not as padding that gets cut when groups run late.
Campsite selection is similarly intentional. We choose sites for their drainage, their shelter from prevailing winds, their proximity to clean water sources, and, where possible, views that make the effort of getting there feel immediate and earned. Some campsites will simply take your breath away, and not because of the altitude.
5. Real Value – Which Means Transparency, Not Discounts
We are not the cheapest trekking company in India. We’re also not trying to be. What we are is genuinely transparent about what your money funds.
The cost of a Trekkaro trek covers all meals on trail (breakfast, lunch, snacks, and dinner, planned for both caloric density and palatability at altitude), accommodation at all campsites, -20°C rated sleeping bags, NIM-certified leadership, medical infrastructure including portable oxygen and emergency stretchers, HF radio communication, forest permits, and the full Free Trekking Gear initiative – a premium Decathlon kit with no rental fee (₹3,000 refundable deposit + ₹200 washing charge).
We do not charge separately for things that should be standard. We do not add line items after booking. And we do not cut corners on the things that determine whether your trek is safe and memorable. The value in trekking with Trekkaro is not in paying less. It is in knowing exactly what you are getting and getting all of it.
What We Expect From You
Trekkaro will prepare you, equip you, monitor you, and carry the weight of your safety across every metre of trail. But the Himalayas are not a theme park, and a trek is not a performance staged for your benefit. You are a participant in something genuinely serious and genuinely extraordinary, and your contribution matters.
1. Show Up With a Willing Attitude
The Himalayas will not always cooperate. A weather window will close. A campsite will be windier than expected. A stream crossing will be colder than the photographs suggested. A summit morning will begin in darkness at temperatures that test every layer in your pack.
None of this is failure. All of it is the trek. The trekkers who look back on their Har Ki Dun Trek experience as transformative are almost always the ones who met discomfort with curiosity rather than resistance. They leaned into the hard morning. They asked questions at camp. They were present for the difficult parts as well as the spectacular ones and discovered reliably that the difficult parts often become the stories they tell most.
Bring flexibility. Bring patience with yourself and with the group. Bring the version of yourself that is willing to be surprised.
2. Prepare Your Body Honestly
You do not need to be an athlete to trek with Trekkaro. You do need to be honest with yourself about your current fitness level and put in the preparation that brings you to the trailhead in a condition to enjoy the experience, not merely endure it.
The single most important thing you can do is cardiovascular training over a sustained period, not a crash fitness programme in the final two weeks. Start six weeks out. Run, cycle, swim, or hike – any sustained aerobic activity that elevates your heart rate for 45 minutes or more, four to five days per week. Add stair climbing and uphill walking in the final three weeks. Introduce strength work for your quads and ankles, which will carry the real load on the descent.
Arrive in Dehradun at least one day before your batch departs. Sleep well, hydrate properly, and avoid alcohol the night before Day 1. You are not starting a holiday. You are beginning an acclimatisation process, and the first 24 hours set its trajectory.
3. Trust Your Guide’s Judgement – Including the Decisions You Don’t Want to Hear
Our guides make decisions based on complete information: your health readings, current weather data from base operations, the condition of the trail ahead, and five or more years of specific mountain experience. You make decisions based on how you feel and how badly you want to reach the summit.
These two information sets will occasionally conflict. When they do, the guide’s judgement takes precedence, not because we are authoritarian, but because the mountain has no interest in how determined you are.
If your guide adjusts the departure time, changes the route, slows the group’s pace, or recommends you descend rather than continue, it is because something in their complete picture warrants it. Pushing through that recommendation does not make you brave. It makes the situation harder for everyone, including the trekkers who are depending on the group moving as a coordinated unit.
Trust is not passive on a Trekkaro trek. It is an active choice you make every morning when you lace up your boots, and it is the foundation on which everything else – the safety, the experience, the memories – is built.
We are genuinely excited to be on the trail with you. The mountains will do the rest.
Last ATM and phone network on the route — tap to read
Important Pre-Trek Information
- Last ATM - Purola
Purola is the last reliable ATM stop before reaching Sankri (basecamp). Be sure to withdraw cash here, as you may not find any ATMs working after this point.
- Mobile Network - Sankri
Sankri is the last place with a stable mobile signal, and only Jio works consistently. Please make all important calls and inform your family about the poor or no connectivity during the trek. After leaving Sankri, there is no mobile signal.
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Why Trekkaro?
Leaders in providing Free Trekking Gear for 8+ years — redefining the way everyone must trek.
World's first free trekking gear company — Decathlon shoes, jackets, poles, gaiters & microspikes. All included, zero cost.
Up to 7 days before departure, reschedule to another batch for free or take a TrekCash Voucher worth 100% of your amount — valid for 1 year on any future trek.
Rated 4.9/5 on Facebook & 4.7/5 on Google — India's most trusted trekking company by thousands of happy trekkers.
We keep you safe from the moment you book to the moment you head home — certified leaders, first aid & emergency support.
Well-planned itineraries balanced with the freedom to make the experience your own — no matter the trek difficulty.
Every decision we make is guided by our commitment to making trekking a force for good — for people and the planet.
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