Har Ki Dun, also known as Har Ki Doon, is unquestionably one of the most beautiful valleys in the Garhwal Himalayas. It is also known as God’s Valley (Dun) or Shiva Valley (Har).
It is also the most remote valley in Uttarakhand; the villages in this valley still lack road connectivity, and as a result, they continue to follow their traditions and cultures without being influenced by others, making the journey to Har Ki Dun even more enthralling.
Har Ki Dun, also known as Har Ki Doon, is unquestionably one of the most beautiful valleys in the Garhwal Himalayas. It is also known as God’s Valley (Dun) or Shiva Valley (Har).
It is also the most remote valley in Uttarakhand; the villages in this valley still lack road connectivity, and as a result, they continue to follow their traditions and cultures without being influenced by others, making the journey to Har Ki Dun even more enthralling.
Har ki Dun trek is one of the most popular treks among trekkers and nature enthusiasts, nestled cosily on the hinges of the Gharwal Himalayas. Because of its cradle-shaped mountains, this thrilling trek is also known as a hanging valley.
It is also known as the winter-wonderland because the trails are completely covered in snow during the winter and the sun shines through the clouds. The Har ki Dun trek is surrounded by soothing sights of deodar trees, which will definitely enchant your soul with the pine smell.
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Best time to visit:
Har ki Doon valley is best visited during the summer months of April-June and the spring months of late September and November due to its remote location. The long trekking route may cause problems during monsoon months, July-August-September, though many trekkers enjoy challenging themselves during monsoon because the route is not difficult.
Distance of Har Ki Dun Trek:
The Har Ki Dun trek is nearly 47 kilometers long and takes a week to complete. Leaving aside the long distance, this trek takes you to the bounties of nature, where you can relax your body and enjoy the paradisiacal displays. You can stroll through the meadows or take a leisurely stroll through the orchid trails on the route. The Har Ki Dun trek is one of the best trekking expeditions that one should experience while on vacation.
Temperature:
The Har Ki Dun trek is nearly 47 kilometers long and takes a week to complete. Leaving aside the long distance, this trek takes you to the bounties of nature, where you can relax your body and enjoy the paradisiacal displays. You can stroll through the meadows or take a leisurely stroll through the orchid trails on the route. The Har Ki Dun trek is one of the best trekking expeditions that one should experience while on vacation.
Weather:
Temperatures will undoubtedly drop during the night if you are trekking to a high altitude. It is recommended that you wear at least three layers of clothing to keep warm. The days are mostly warm, and the views of the mountains are spectacular if you do this trek in the summer.
Religious:
It is believed that this valley has religious significance for Hindus and has a connection to the Mahabharata period. According to legend, the Pandavas’ eldest brother, Yudhishthira, climbed the Himalayan peak ‘Swargarohini’ on his way to heaven.
Height:
Har ki Dun’s highest point is 11,657 feet above sea level. The trek begins at an elevation of about 1,950 m in the tiny village of Sankri and gradually ascends.
After Lord Krishna’s death, the sage Vyasa advises the Pandavas to retire and renounce their kingdom. The Pandavas gave Hastinapur to King Parakshit, made Kripacharya his Guru and Yuyutsu his regent, and left Hastinapur for their journey to heaven. As the Pandavas leave, a dog befriends them and they take him with them.
They travelled through the Har Ki Dun valley to reach Swargarohini peak. According to Hindu mythology, Swargarohini is the only door to heaven on Earth. Draupadi was the first to die as a result of her strong preference for Arjuna over others.
Next, Sahadeva dies on the way because he was overly proud of his wisdom and believed no one could compete with him. Nakula came next because he was arrogant about his good looks.
Then Arjuna dies because he believed he was the most skilled and powerful archer in the world and was always jealous of other archers. Bheema was the last to die because he was a glutton who ate excessively without regard for others’ hunger.
Yudhishtra and the dog made it to the end of the journey. Yudhishtra was the only human who went to heaven with his body, according to Hindu mythology. Because he never lied to anyone (he spoke one half lie about which I will talk in next blog).
The months of April to March and September to November are ideal for visiting Har Ki Dun Valley. The Har Ki Dun trek is classified as easy to moderate due to the trail’s gradual ascent and descent.
The trail passes through some ancient villages where you can see people practising centuries-old culture and life is much slower than slow; once there, you will feel as if you are in a different world where people are unaware of basic things like electricity, internet, vehicles, and so on.
Osla
In Osla village, there is a temple dedicated to Duryodhana, which is the only Duryodhana temple in the world. It is believed that a clan loyal to Duryodhana lived there in ancient times and built his temple. People continue to pray in that temple. The people of Osla have their own government and a king who visits the village once a year during a large festival.
In Osla village, there is a temple dedicated to Duryodhana, which is the only Duryodhana temple in the world. It is believed that a clan loyal to Duryodhana lived there in ancient times and built his temple. People continue to pray in that temple. The people of Osla have their own government and a king who visits the village once a year during a large festival.
Our Jouney
Twelve of us from our office team began planning for the trip. Margank, an experienced trekker on our team, began gathering leads and contacting old contacts. We decided to do the Har Ki Dun trek and then go to Rishikesh. It was a nine-day trip. We scheduled the trek for the third week of May and immediately purchased onward and return flights to Dehradun.
After purchasing plane tickets, one of our team members, who had previously visited Har Ki Dun, contacted his previous trek guide and informed him of the dates. During the trek, trek guides handle all logistics.
It includes booking Sankri accommodation, booking Forest/GMVN guest houses, or making arrangements for tents and sleeping bags, food, and luggage transport (on Mules) during the trek.
You can inform trek guides if your group has any food restrictions. Individual food customization, on the other hand, will be impossible. Morning tea, breakfast, lunch, high tea, and dinner prepared. The food will be simple and nutritious. For us, the food was excellent on all of the trek days, far exceeding our expectations! However, it is best to keep expectations to a bare minimum.
Also See: Kashmir Great Lakes Trek
Fitness Required:
This journey necessitates endurance. We all began preparing a few months before the actual trek. To improve stamina, some members of our team began going to the gym and performing cardio exercises (jogging, climbing stairs, etc.). As a warm-up exercise, some team members went on a one-day trek to Madhugiri hill near Bangalore about a month before the actual trek.
I experienced severe knee joint pain near the end of the third day of the trek. And that day we hiked nearly 20 kilometres! I’d never hiked so far in one day before. Walking on the road is one thing, but trekking downhill is quite another! The downhill trek will put your knees to the test. However, with more practise, it will be easy to manage and will not be a major issue.
Another important factor to consider is the reduced air pressure. And, as a result, the reduced oxygen availability at 3500 m above MSL. The average oxygen percentage in the air at MSL is 20.9, and the effective oxygen percentage at 3500 m is 13.5, a reduction of 35%!!
Although, for the average youngster (unless one is a couch potato! ) because the body will naturally adjust as the journey progresses. Some people may experience strange feelings as you begin the final climb before reaching Har Ki Dun. As a result, if you truly want to enjoy the trek, you must work on your stamina. A half-hour jog or 1-1.5 hours of walking can be very beneficial in avoiding altitude sickness.
