Located in the hallowed Garhwal Himalayas of Uttarakhand that is India, Har ki Dun Trek takes trekkers right into the very core of Mother Nature’s sheer majesty. It is the sanctuary and park of the wild Govind within them, intimates a perfect blend of the settings of natural beauty, adventure, and being spiritual. The trek begins in Sankri, a village, serving as an entry point to the sacred ecological community. Sankri is accessible via road from Dehradun, a substantial city with a multi-modal link to all other major cities across India. One can enjoy various natural features on the Sankri trail such as forest, tiny settlements, streams and pleasant meadows. As we get close to the snow capped peaks of swargrohini and Bandarpoonch finally the trails will turn to reveal the magnificent views.
The Har ki Dun Trek is an incredible opportunity for both thrill and peace that one can experience from May to October during the summer and autumn months. It is a good time for enthusiastic people to be full of energy for trekking as the sunshines and the air is fresh and cool. The area around months of May and June is immensely decorated with open lush rhododendrons and beautiful meadow blossoms offering even more beauty to the trail. Autumn is a time of color with golden and red foliage, turning our scenery into a spellbinding view. But, the downside is that monsoon season is dangerous because you can landslide and you will slip on the road.
The route has acquired a reputation among the trekking enthusiasts for its moderate level of difficulty, thus, among both novice and experienced hikers. The trail´s measured length is around 35 kilometers in one direction and it is usually done in 6 to 7 days. The trail is rather flat except for the real bone of contention which are the steep ascents and descents in the beginning and end of the trail. Walkers continue, maintain the pace, and drink much water to avoid altitude sickness. Also, they acclimatize themselves properly.
The trail features camp sites, providing an approximate take-you-back-to-the-nature and yet cosy accommodation in the wild. Amongst the top mythological locations in Indian Hindu culture, Har ki Dun can be cited as one. After the Pandavas, believed to be the heroes of the epic Mahabharata, had left this valley in the direction of heaven, this is what the place became to be named. This name, “Har ki Dun” is termed as “Valley of Gods,” meaning that this place is associated with the divine power. As a matter of fact Shiva valley is also thought to be the home of lord Shiva during the times of old. By virtue of the fact that the mythology is the backbone of this route, there is a spiritual scope that is attached to the entire trek that attracts pilgrims and adventure lovers alike.
Cornerstone of the journey is the physical part through the Himalayan wilderness. Incidentally, Har ki Dun Valley is the path of an inner spiritual trip through the ancestral legends, too. It is, as the movies say, a pilgrimage for the soul, and every single step is a homage to its eternal venerability and its subtle allure of the mountains.
