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Har Ki Dun is a cradle shaped valley, such valleys are formed when a small tributary glacier flows into a glacier of larger volume. The surrounding Swargarohini mountains will take your breath away. The pine, deodar and the beautiful Himalayan wildlife will be quite alluring.
The valley is about 3566m /11,700 feet, above mean sea level. You will find waterfalls suddenly coming out of nowhere, bugyals with rare flowers and butterflies, the majestic peak of Swargarohani and Kala Nag towering right in front of you. Jaunadhar glacier lies to the south east of Har Ki Dun. From October till March, snow will be in plenty.

‘Bhojpatra’, leaves of a tree used to write the Vedic manuscript was found by archaeologist. Several beautiful temples lie scattered on rugged mountain tops.
The trek to the valley starts from Taluka village and passes through Gangar,Osla and Seema. A walk through the ancient culture, which is still so cosily intact, is a wonderful experience. The Home stays bring to you the simple and carefree life that is led by the locals, it does make us contemplate, how we have complicated our lives in the cities.

It’s a five-day trek usually done in two stages. The first stage is from Taluka to Seema/Osla, which is 14 kilometres the second stage is from Seema/Osla to Simatra Thach,which is 8 kilometres’ third day is Simatra Thach to Har ki dun and back to Simatra Thach, total of 12km.The fourth day is Simatra Thach to Osla/seema /Panwani/Garat/Chilurgarh,total 9 km. The fifth day is Osla/Seema to Talia, about 14km and trek end, then Taluka to Sankari drive by jeep, total 12 km.
It’s a beautiful walk along a river valley.

Nestled in the dense reserve forest of Govind Pashu Vihar is a perfect tiny village, Dhaula.
It’s not only the base camp for Rupin Pass but also the bump-free and slush-free path to Chanshal. What’s more its open to climb the mighty bugiyal throughout the year. Which I might add, as well, is not the case from other treks as the roads are slippery after the snow freezes like a glassy surface for months to come.

The Rupin River cascading past rocks and boulders provides the perfect mystic setting for the start of an unforgettable journey.

From Dhaula we start with a gentle climb, passing by small village cottages, made of wood and stone, surrounded with ferns of different shades of green. The chirping of the birds will keep you company and if you have a keen eyesight you will behold the tiniest bird in the bush. The apple orchards with red fruits, is a gathering tower, for the wild green gossiping parrots. Silver strings are hung to scare them, but the intelligent birds can’t be fooled for long.

The terrace farms are full of red plants of Chaulae. How delicate and tedious it is to gather the tiny seeds that is made into a sweet light, ladoo, eaten mostly during fasting seasons. Pumpkins as huge as double decker balls, lie up on the roofs.

As we climb higher the bright blue and yellow butterflies will keep you company, the sunlight filters right through their delicate wings adorned with nature’s best designs of colours and schemes.
Silence is the word, that makes us catch a glimpse of the musk deer or a porcupine moving around, looking for food.
At elevations between 3,000 to 5,000 meters, the rarity to see a snow leopard increases, though it’s one of the most elusive of all cats.

The fragrance of the moist grass along with the herbs like Sanjeeveeni Buti, will certainly heighten your sense of smell.

The track is littered with thousands of wildflowers dancing in the sunlight. The
smell and colour of which will daze you completely. Bhram- kamal, the state flower of Uttarakhand, is seen growing on rocky terrain. The tents are pitched right beside the unforgettable campsites with spectacular treks and the breath-taking sky-high meadows. At night, the sky of thousands of Sirius like stars, gaze back at you. It’s a sight we all cherish for years to come.

The next day, with happy feet, a happy heart and loads of memories to take back, we start our return journey downhill with a pledge to return, for the mountains are already calling.

Valley of Flowers is in Bhyunder Valley,within Nanda Devi biosphere reserve. It covers a vast expanse of 88 square Km, in the Western Himalayan region. The locals believe that the region is inhabited by fairies. The famous Valley finds a mention in our Vedic scriptures, too. Lord Hanuman brought the Sanjevani Boti from the Sumera Parvat to heal Lakshman when he was fatally wounded. The best perfumes of the world cannot surpass the sweet fragrance of the beautiful wildflowers, it’s a haven for not only botanist who come to find the rarest of the rare species of flowers growing in the meadows but for people who want a spark of adventure ,it’s a safe and untouched jewel, it was declared a national park in 1982 and is also regarded as a world heritage site.

The river at Bhyundar valley is fed by thousands of rains swollen streams tumbling down from some of the most remote and awe-inspiring corners of the Himalayan region. Dominating the scene, is the Nanda Devi, India’s second highest peak, regarded as a Goddess in her own right she shelters the Bhyundar Valley, one of the most magical places in Uttarakhand. Covered in snow for much of the year the valley is transformed into a dense wild garden. It’s truly blessed to be in a place like this, especially with the amount of deforestation and pollution, it reminds us that we humans are not happy with the materialistic world we are running after, its nature that ultimately gives us contentment.

Every day clouds wash over the meadows coaxing new blooms from the rich glacial soil.
Over 600 plant species have been found here, by the end of July a royal purple flower cloaks the valley. Through the short summer season, the valley is a buzz with activity. The colourful Monals can be seen, along with the small goat antelope, perfectly suited for the life in the rugged grassy hillsides.
The round huts of Van Guggars are the only sign of human inhabitation, they are tall simple people, with a herd of cattle grazing peacefully.

The profusion of meadow flowers provides the local hill people with one of the most treasured harvests, honey! In these remote valleys, virtually everything must be home grown.
Watered by mountain streams and warmed by the late summer sun, the valley of flowers is bursting with new life and who knows, maybe fairies have rightly chosen this as their eternal homeland.