Har Ki Dun Ruinsara Tal Trek

We have opened up from October 2020 and have been running treks since then by following our Strict Covid19 Safety Protocols. Till now all of our trekkers and staffs have been safe from Covid and it is a result of following our strict Covid SOP. Uttrakhand Government has opened unrestricted travel within the state for asymptomatic domestic tourists without any quarantine.

• Belonging to the Saraswati range of mountains, this region has about 11 to 12 peaks and over 9 of them are viewable on this trek - namely the twins of Bandarpoonch, Kalanag, the 4 peaks of the Swargarohini massif, Hata and Har Ki Dun peak.
• All of these peaks rise above 6000 meters and go up to 6400 meters and not to mention, all of these are equally beautiful and covered with snow throughout the year. Many of these are climbed, and many still remain unclimbed.
• These peaks create Ice Falls and glaciers which create many lakes and streams, all of which drain their water to the mighty Yamuna River.
• On top of adding water to the Yamuna river, these water bodies also form a major attraction for the trekkers owing to their beauty, tranquillity and picturesqueness.
• Being home to many peaks also means that there are lots of glaciers around. The Jaundhar Glacier, Kalanag Glacier and Bandarpoonch Glacier are the few bigger ones that form the major source of the Ruinsara and Har Ki Dun river. All these are tributaries of Yamuna.
• The dense jungle of conifers gives way to the high altitude alpine zone creating lush green meadows and blooming ground for lots of wildflowers. The Devsu Bugyal, Har Ki Dun and Ruinsara Bugyals are not just beautiful and picturesque, but also support maintaining the diverse biodiversity of this region.
• The rivers originating from these glaciers namely the Har Ki Dun Gad and Ruinsara Gad joins the mighty Supin river just near the village of Sankri, which further joins the gushing Rupin River to be called as Tons thereafter. The Tons river contribute its water to the mighty Yamuna river which is one of the major rivers in our country. It's not just big but is considered very Holy as well. The Yamuna River meets the Ganges in Allahabad or Prayagraj.

Owing to close proximity of the intersection between the Great Himalayas and the Dhauladhar range, this region gets heavy snowfall during the winters. High altitude region above 4000 meters gets snowfall from October, while low altitude regions ranging between 3000 - 4000 meters get snowfall from December till March. In between, even altitudes like that of Sankri 1920 meters and Purola, Mori averaging 1500 meters get snowfall once in a while.

Currently, the weather is holding up good. It snowed a few days back above 3000 meters. This year there has been less snowfall than expected. The higher valleys, which is currently under snow cover, are expected to open up rather earlier than last year. Our first batch has departed last week for the Har Ki Dun Ruinsara Tal trek. We are waiting for fresh photos to arrive from them.

Post Winter or Pre Monsoon: (from March till the end of June )

• During this time the snow just starts to recede opening up the land which was wet and covered with snow till now.
• When the warm sun rays hit the ground, it becomes an absolute fertile ground for a wide variety of colourful and tiny flowers to grow. This makes the trek very colourful.
• Springs is the season for bloom and here Rhododendrons grow in plenty.
• As the snow melts, the far peaks, high passes and valleys become accessible to trekkers.
• The river soars in volume day by day because of melting snow.
• Temperature increases each day but yet it remains within a comfortable range of 2 - 16 degree Celcius.
• As the snow goes off, the meadows look fresh and offer exhilarating views all around

Post Monsoon: (from September mid till End of December mid)

• During this time, snow is almost not available on the trekking route.
• With each passing day, the weather gets colder and drier. Nights start to get predominantly colder and by the time it is November, water starts to freeze during the night in Har Ki Dun and Ruinsara camps.
• The views remain the same, but the meadows slowly start to turn brownish. 
• August and September is the month of Apple Harvest here.
• After October end, occasional light snowfall has high chances.

Winter:(from December mid till February)

• This region gets a lot of snowfall during the winters and although it makes a very beautiful trek, the Forest Department closes down the trek route as it becomes a habitat zone for wild animals. It can only be done till December end or till the time of a heavy snowfall.

• Belonging to the Govind Vihar National Park, this region also boasts of many rare species of wildflowers and herbs.
• Lots of wild animals dwell here - namely the Himalayan Black Bear, leopards including the elusive snow leopard, blue sheep, bharals, musk deers, Himalayan Pika, Wild Boar, Civets, Himalayan Fox, etc. 
• Stories of Leopards killing or injuring shepherd dogs in the jungles, or encountering Black Bear in the jungle are common stories here. 
• The jungles here are abundant in the coniferous and deciduous trees, namely Pine, Deodar, Walnut, Oak and Rhododendrons. Many of these shed their leaves in the winter.
• Colourful rhododendrons namely the Lali Guras or rhododendron arboretum grow here in abundance. Locals make Buras Syrup out of it and is a popular local produce.
• Many wild and rare species of small flowers, herbs and Brahma Kamals grows here too. The spring season, just after the snow recedes, opening up the wet ground to sunshine makes it a perfect time for all these flowers to bloom and make this route a colourful one.

• Accommodation in Sankri will be in a good local homestay while on the trek it will completely be in Camps which will be moved and pitched every day.
• We DO NOT fix our camps as it is very harmful to the ecology. We always use running camps creating minimal impact on nature.
• Our camps are selected keeping acclimatization, comfort and safety in mind.
• We select our campsites based upon the availability of level land, beautiful camping spot with views, walking distance from the starting point, altitude gain, next day's journey, clean water source, safety from rockfall or landslide zone, etc.
• We provide top quality camping equipment for safety and comfort against the harsh and extreme Himalayan Weather.
• Waste management in our campsite is well taken care of and we ensure that we do not harm Mother Nature and the local ecology by burning firewood for fun, defecating in open, littering plastic waste, washing is direct river water, making noise, etc.
• In our camps, we create a dry bio-toilet by digging up a pit in the ground and covering it all around by erecting a strong cabinet tent. This way, the breakdown of biological waste happens very quickly.
• Most importantly, our emphasis on small group size helps in minimising the impact on nature.

• Har Ki Dun with Ruinsara Tal trek is a 7-day trek of moderate level. Every day on the trek, trekkers need to cover an average of 10-12 KMs. However, the trail is not difficult at all or too steep.
• Most of the time, the trail ascends or descends gently and only 10% of the total trek route can be considered as a steep ascend, hence making it easier for lots of trekkers.
• Beginners can also do this trek but not without preparing and training for it. Preparation would mean knowing what you are putting yourself into, carrying proper trek gears and bringing in a well-hydrated body used to exercises and long walks in the mountains.
• The total length of the trek route is about 85 Kilometers and is very remote making it a logistical challenge to evacuate an unfit trekker from the remote regions of this trek.
• Brisk Walking, High-Intensity Interval Training, long cardio exercises like cycling, swimming etc helps a lot. Strength training on core muscles, legs and shoulders are necessary. Note that you need not be a bodybuilder or a marathon champion. Just basic fitness.

The maximum altitude of this trek is about 4200 meters and makes a good altitude to be careful about the altitude sickness. However, since the initial 5 days of this trek are below treeline with natural oxygen, it's not that critical from the AMS perspective. Following proper acclimatization rules and precautions to protect AMS works well on this trek. This means a controlled itinerary, protection against cold, good warm food, hydration, acclimatization walks and staying happy, etc. Historically, we haven't faced any AMS issues on this trek in the last 6 years.

• Trail Safety: Safe. No exposure or fall zone on the trail. The trek route is wide and well maintained. Sometimes during rains, it might get slippery. So do not forget High Ankle trekking shoes.
• Excessive Snowfall: This route is known for heavy snow deposits hence need to be very careful, especially in the months of December till March. The forest department closes down the trek route in January and February due to heavy snowfall. 
• High Altitude and AMS: It is on the safer side of AMS. However, proper precautions against AMS should not be missed.
• Emergency Exit: There is only one exit route off this route, that's through Taluka. Emergency evacuation can be done on horses or porters. Taluka or Sankri does not have any hospital. Hence, for critical situations, we need to drive down to the town of Purola or Nuagaon.
• Water On Trek: Water on this trek route is safe. It is sourced from natural streams and then filtered to be used. You should take precautions as per your own sensitivity and use water purification tablets or UV sterilized bottles like Steripen.
• Women Safety: They will be well respected and take care of. Nothing to worry about on this front at least from the local people. As far as trekking team members are concerned, we filter out unwanted trekkers to join our groups. Also, our trek leader maintains discipline on the trek.

Sankri ad Taluka has an unreliable mobile network on BSNL which works only about 40% of the time. Once you leave Taluka for the trek, there will be no mobile tower on the trek route till you return to Taluka again. No other mobile tower works here.

Sankri these days have just got WiFi internet solution. BSNL here works on 2G network and does not provide internet. Few cafes are offering WiFi at a nominal cost. However, it is to be noted that this usually remains crowded. There is no mobile connectivity and internet connection on the trek route.

• This region has many mountain passes serving as Gateways Of Cultural Exchange by the sidelines of the trade and barter system. The locals here still follow the barter system and exchange their farm produce. 
• Borasu Patti, i.e. the villages of Borasu on this side of the Borasu Pass, served as the trade route between the people of the Baspa Valley and that of the Supin Valley.
• Though the Borasu Pass is crevassed now and is crossed only by experience and strong trekkers. The nearby valley of Rupin Pass also served the same and being in the proximity of Tibet, the society of these villages are shaped by all of these varied factors.
• The architecture of the houses and temples will definitely trigger your imaginations and draw your attention towards deeper details about the people living here.
• With the beauty of the Himalayas comes the difficulties of living in its harsh environment as well, shaping your personality. People here are very hardworking, cheerful and possesses grit. They tame the mountains to grow their farm produce in harsh terrain and climatic conditions. On the other hand, they do the difficult work of mountain guides and porters in the High Himalayan treks.
• Almost all of the houses in these villages are set up high in the mountain very high above the river bed and appears to be hanging when you look from far away. This they did to be safe from the occasional floods in the rivers.
• Belonging to the Jaunsar region of Uttrakhand, everyone here believes in the Hindu Faith. However, they have their own unique rituals and beliefs.
• This belt has its own dialect which is a different version than Jaunsari, which is majorly spoken in this region. They have their unique cultural beliefs, attire and jewellery.
• Domestic animals like Cow give them their dairy and herds of sheep gives them meat and wool for warm clothes.
• The local cuisine here is very tasty. It includes delicacies of, and often is a hybrid version of Garhwali and Kinnauri cuisines. They love their dried meat which serves as a precious gift as well as the best dish for visiting guests. However, rice, potato, rajma and dal are their staple food. We make sure to serve local cuisines in our trek batches.