Har Ki Dun Trek

We leave Dehradun early and drive to Sankri. On the way, Purola is the last big stop where you can find a bustling market. It's a good idea for trekkers to buy anything they need here because it's the last place with good mobile reception. After Purola, the drive takes us through a lovely pine forest, with views of the Kedarkantha peak along the route. We arrive in Sankri by early evening. It's a small village with a market and some shops, surrounded by apple orchards. On clear days, you can see the Swargarohini peak from here. We spend the night either in a guest house or camping.

From Sankri to Puani Garat, enjoy seeing lots of wild plants on the journey. We start early in the morning because it's a long trip. After breakfast, we ride in an SUV on a rough forest road, crossing one or two streams. In about an hour, we reach Taluka, a small village with a few shops and two government guest houses. Then, the trek begins on a rocky path surrounded by the scent of cedar trees near Taluka. We walk alongside the Supin River, being careful of "scorpion grass," a plant that can sting if touched. It's also used for cooking. After several hours, passing villages like Datmer and Gangad, we continue until we reach our campsite at Puani Garat. We'll camp there for the night.

Today, we're heading up to Osla village, which sits about a hundred meters above the Supin River. The first part of the path to Osla is the steepest and takes around 30-40 minutes.
Osla is surrounded by farms on terraced land and is the last village before Har ki Dun.
From Osla, the path gradually goes up, passing through fields with the river below. Along the way, we'll see a temple and various flowers like orchids, fleece flowers, and sunflowers.
Today's journey is short, giving us time to adjust to the high altitude and get ready for tomorrow.
At the lovely campsite of Kalkatidhar, we can relax in the sun.
The rule against camping at Har Ki Dun has been good for the trek. It makes things more comfortable and helps preserve the area's natural beauty.

Today's trek is quite long as we head to Har Ki Dun and Marinda Tal, a small lake formed by a boulder blocking the river, about 2 kilometers past Har Ki Dun.
Starting our journey, we soon come across a hidden waterfall and a small tea shop nearby. We then reach the point where the Supin and Ruinsara rivers meet, offering breathtaking views of snow-covered peaks, including the Black Peak, the tallest in the area.
Moving higher along the river's right side, we enter a forest before emerging into a beautiful spot at Har Ki Dun, where two valleys meet, one from the Jaundhar glacier and the other from beyond the Hata glacier. A ridge to our right, with scattered Himalayan birch trees, separates us from the vast Har Ki Dun valley leading to the Swargarohini Peak's base.
After taking in the scenery, we relax briefly before continuing to Marinda Tal, around 2-3 kilometers ahead. The trail gradually ascends until we reach the lake, formed by a large boulder blocking the river from Borasu Pass's base.
After we visit Marinda Tal, we return to Kalkatidhar along the same path, now downhill, making the journey easier. We arrive back at the campsite by early evening to rest.

After a filling breakfast, we head back to Osla, which is an easy walk. Along the way, we enjoy views of the trail leading to Osla and see the valley slope down towards Taluka. Near where the two streams from Har Ki Dun and Ruinsara meet, we catch a glimpse of a trail on the left leading to Ruinsara Lake, but it's not often used.
In Osla, we can explore the village, chat with locals, and learn about Garhwali culture. Then, we continue to our previous campsite at Puani Garat, where we can relax in the sun. We spend the night there.

Early in the morning, after breakfast, we leave our lovely spot and start walking along the same path we took on Day 1, heading towards Taluka.
The scenery looks different as we're now going downhill.
The walk is quicker and more fun.
We walk on the left side of the Supin River until we reach Taluka, where a vehicle picks us up and takes us back to Sankri.
We spend the night camping by the river or staying in a guest house in Sankri.

Today marks the end of our trek to Har ki Dun. After breakfast, we say goodbye to Sankri.
The drive to Mori is still delightful, passing through lesser-explored areas. However, the beauty of the journey is slightly affected by a new hydel project, posing a risk to the environment in this region.
We pass through towns and eventually reach Kempty-Mussoorie before making our way to Dehradun by late afternoon or early evening.