Har Ki Doon: Reliving my first trek

Come the summer break after first year of college and I was itching to do something new. My batchmates were focusing on applying for internships, but I was not even remotely inclined to working or finding one. After some searching, I knew what I wanted. A proper trek. Not just leisurely strolling in the mountains but doing something more. And on my own. I was longing to explore another side of me as much as the mountains and new people.

So, after a rafting trip with my college friends in Rishikesh, I continued my journey towards Sankri in Uttarakhand while they returned to Delhi. That was where I started the trek. I had joined a group from Youth Hostel India for a trek to Har Ki Doon (HKD). Located at 12,000 feet, it is a stunning valley in the Himalayas located in the state of Uttarakhand with commanding views of the Swargarohini peaks -I, II and III plus the Bandarpooch peak. Swargarohini translates to ‘a path to heaven’ and the majestic mountain makes Har ki Doon a trek that should not be missed

First view of the snow clad Swargarohini in the distance, peeking through the clouds

Thus, started what was to be an epic adventure. I remember the first day I landed in Sankri-the base camp . Imagine a clueless 19-year-old girl first struggling with her suitcase (yes, I knew nothing about backpacks or light packing) to cross a river stream and then climbing over a reasonably high wall because she could not find her way to the basecamp. My entry was quite comical. The camp leader was as amused by it as by the fact that I had come alone. I had to tell him that my parents knew and convince him that I had not run away from home!

There was such a diverse bunch of people in the camp - that included a large group of students from Gujarat (which meant we had an amazing supply of Khakra, fafda and Gujarati snacks at every rest point!), managers, travel enthusiasts, accountants. But all of them were so much more than their day jobs there. I was enthralled by their interests, stories and just super excited to be with such people. It was also great to see that everyone was on similar wavelengths - people were so open, everyone had to wash their messy tins, clean their tents and camps. Their age, status, where they came from just didn’t matter. I loved it.

Over the next few days - waking up to the chirping of birds, finding the motivation to wake up and brush my teeth at 5am with chilling water, trekking through jungles, beside gushing rivers- I felt a new sense of freedom. Not that something was holding me back but I had never been exposed to this before. Just being so close to the mountains, eating whatever was given, surviving on the bare necessities, falling asleep even with people snoring beside you because you were so tired. Everything seemed to be so alive, complete and I realized one didn’t need much to survive - the lesser you carried with you, the better off you were.

Definitely one of the most memorable parts of the trek when the rustling river Thamsa and beautiful mountains kept us company

We used to start trekking at 5.30am in the mornings and would continue till afternoon or later depending on the route. There were occasional breaks to hydrate and get together as a group. As we would wait for the others, we would often joke, munch on Gujarati snacks and Maggi noodles and this would lift the spirits of the ones who were tired.

The rest breaks were a good breather as we joked and had piping hot maggi noodles that vanished within seconds!

The thirst and exhaustion while walking vanished after drinking the sweet and refreshing water from the crystal clear streams that we would use to fill our bottles on the way. One amazing view gave way to another as we made our way through lush green meadows, grasslands with wild horses, quaint 300-year old villages and their dreamy traditional homes with smoking chimneys. Something interesting that I noticed was that almost all the villages we crossed also had old wheat grinders that were run by the force of the flowing river water and were still in use!

300-year old villages that still had beautiful traditional wooden houses

As we got higher and reached Seema camp, we lost phone signals. I didn’t mind at all. Part of me was relieved- there was no need to check my phone, reply to messages or take calls. I enjoyed the time away from my busy life and looked forward to soaking in the mountains and nature without any distractions.

Paddy fields glowing in the sunshine, swayed with the breeze at Seema Camp

Uncomfortable situations often give unimaginable rewards. I remember waking up at 2am on a chilly night to answer nature’s call. We had strict instructions to wake someone up if we had to leave and go with them as wild animals roamed freely at night. Curled up cozily in my sleeping bag, I tried to sleep in and another half an hour passed tossing and turning before I guiltily woke up my team-mate. As I stepped out of the tent, I couldn’t believe my eyes. It was one of the most splendid night skies I have ever seen! So many bright stars lit the sky that it was probably easier to count the few black spots than the stars. For the first time, I saw the milky way so clear and just froze- it was simply breathtaking. I had never thought that I would actually be able to see what I had only seen in movies or professional photos from the National Geographic magazines. I was glad that I woke up, this was too good to be missed!

The next day we left for the Har Ki Doon camp that everyone in our group had been longing to hike to. Thus, ensued the longest hike we had done till then. We had started early in the morning and even by afternoon, there was no sight of the camp. Sometimes there was a light drizzle accompanied by a breeze and the sun kept playing hide and seek.

As we climbed and came to a ridge, I forgot about how much was left to go. It opened up to the majestic views of the mountains and the camp site nestled amongst the mountains. That is why it is called Har ki Doon- which translates into being surrounded by mountains on all sides. The Swargarohini peak stood tall flanked by two other peaks on its side. I was overwhelmed. The campsite looked like it was straight out of a postcard!

The gorgeous Har Ki Doon campsite that boasts of a 360 degree view of snow-capped peaks

After dumping my backpack and grabbing some food, I went to dip my feet in the icy cold water of the Thamsa river that originates from the glaciers at Har Ki Doon. We were advised to use cold water for blisters. Whether it was the scenic campsite, the cold water and breeze or numbness, I didn’t feel any tiredness after a while. Slowly the evening breeze swept away the warmth of the sun and there was a soft pink glow that illuminated the dominating Swargarohini peak.

The trek from Seema camp to Har Ki Doon was long but the landscape was gorgeous. Although I was too excited to be tired, I think it had a lot to do with my fitness which one should definitely invest in before going on a trek. As I had been swimming regularly and increasing my stamina, I could do the trek at a good pace and enjoy it rather than struggling to complete or waiting to reach the next rest point. It was not that the others couldn’t complete it, but it allowed me to indulge in photography and have enough time to reach the campsite, catch beautiful sunsets and the indescribable pink glow that lights up the ridges of the mountains before it became too dark or started to rain. (plus, double servings of the snacks :P)

That evening after we reached Har Ki doon camp, it started raining and it became so cold that it snowed during the night which was quite unusual in the summers. My jacket was wet and I was shivering even after being wrapped in two blankets inside the sleeping bag. Waking up, next morning, to the view of the Swargarohini mountain and a clear, sunny day was out of the world. After that cold night, the sun felt therapeutic. I slowly began regaining sensation in my frozen toes, fingers and nose.

The Swargarohini peak in all its glory as the morning sun rays traced its contours

We trekked further to a lake which was on a glacier. There could be hidden crevasses there, so we were told to do it at our own risk and probe the snow by using our trekking poles. Soon the visibility dropped to zero and it started snowing, the mountains slowly vanished behind a veil of clouds. We had no choice but to return as strong winds whipped the snow on our faces. Next morning, we caught a last glimpse of the mountains and began retracing our path back to Sankri.

There are many versions in which the HKD trek presents itself which never fails to surprise. It is completely covered with snow, a gorgeous white landscape in winters and is green and full of life in the summers.

Chapped skin, sunburnt noses, no bath for 5 days, open toilets, moist socks and wet clothes, spells of incessant rain, but I couldn’t wait to do it again. However rough it was, no one realized how time flew and no one wanted it to end. The group had become a family and everyone was already making plans about doing the next one.

I just went for a different experience but this trek opened up a whole new world for me!

Been to this trek before? Planning to do it soon? Have anything to say? I would love to hear from you, feel free to drop in a comment below!