Har ki Dun
Har ki Dun
Walk through centuries of culture in the sacred
Valley of Shiva
The Har Ki Dun Trek is one of the most culturally rich and scenic Himalayan treks in Uttarakhand. Hidden deep in the Garhwal Himalayas, this ancient trail takes you into a timeless valley where dramatic mountain landscapes meet centuries-old village traditions. Often called the “Valley of Shiva,
” Har Ki Dun offers a rare chance to experience the Himalayas not just as mountains, but as a living cultural landscape.
What makes the Har Ki Dun Trek unique is its deep connection with history and local culture. Trekkers walk through remote villages like Taluka, Gangad, and Osla, where traditional wooden houses, ancient temples, and old Himalayan customs are still preserved.
Few treks in India offer such a strong blend of natural beauty, mythology, and 500-year-old mountain culture.
Unlike many Himalayan treks where the valley is only a route to reach a pass or summit, Har Ki Dun Valley itself is the highlight. For days you walk inside this spectacular valley, surrounded by forests, rivers, meadows, and timeless villages.
For trekkers looking to experience authentic Himalayan culture along with breathtaking mountain landscapes, the Har Ki Dun Trek remains one of the most rewarding journeys in the IndianHimalayas.
Major Attractions of the Har ki Dun Trek
️ ️The Valley of Shiva
Har Ki Dun literally means “Valley of Lord Shiva.” Untouched
landscapes that create a deeply spiritual and mystical
atmosphere. Many locals believe this sacred valley is home to
mountain gods.
🌄 Ancient Himalayan Villages
- Walking through centuries-old villages like Osla, Gangad, and
Dhatmeer. - Traditional wooden houses 200–300 years old
- Unique Garhwali culture and language
- Ancient temples and village traditions still alive
🌅 Someshwar Devta Temple Why it’s special:
- Spiritual center for 22 surrounding villages
- Ancient carvings and inscriptions on temple walls
- Local festivals and rituals connected to the temple
🧗 Majestic Himalayan Peaks
Spectacular views of Garhwal Himalayan peaks:
- Swargarohini Massif (6252 m) – believed to be the path to
heaven in Mahabharata legends - Bandarpoonch Peak (6316 m) – associated with stories of Lord Hanuman
- Kalanag / Black Peak (6387 m) – the highest peak in the region
Day 1-2 | 01-02 May
Arrive At Dehradun/Haridwar
Mumbai → Haridwar
- Board Train No. 19019/12171 (BDTS–Haridwar Express)
- Departure: 03 April at 12:20 AM from Bandra Terminus (BDTS)
- Arrival: 04 April (Saturday) at 07:50 AM at Haridwar Junction
- Stay: Hostel or pre-booked hotel in Haridwar/Dehraadun
- Plan for the Day: The rest of the day is free to explore Haridwar —
visit Har Ki Pauri, attend the Ganga Aarti, or relax by the ghats - Overnight Stay: Haridwar/Dehradun (not included in package)
Important Note:
- The next day involves a long road journey of approximately 200 km,
which will take around 10 hours to reach Sankri - Please have dinner early and sleep on time
- Be fully packed and ready by 06:00 AM
- Early rest is important to stay fresh for the long travel day
Day 3 | 03 May
Drive from Dehradun to Sankri | 190 kms | 8 HrsRoute: Dehradun → Mussoorie → Naugaon → Purola → Sankri
Scenic drive through pine forests & Tons river valley
- Altitude: Sankri: 6,725 ft.
- Accommodation: Local Guest House
- Meal: Dinner
Day 4 | 04 May
Drive from Sankri to Gangad | Trek to Osla
- Altitude: Osla – 8,270 ft.
- Drive Distance: — km | 1 hr
- Trek Distance: 4-5 km | 2-3hrs.
- Osla village, famous for its ancient wooden architecture and local Garhwali culture.
- Accommodation: Local Guest House
- Meal: BLD
Day 5 | 05 May
Trek from Osla to Kalkatidhar
- Altitude: Kalkatidhar – 10,830 ft.
- Trek Distance: 5-6 km | 3-4 hrs.
- Woden bridges, and scenic mountain ridges along the valley Kalkatiyadhar, a beautiful meadow known for stunning sunset
- Accommodation: Tent stay
- Meal: BLD
Day 6 | 06 May (SUMMIT DAY)
Trek form Kalkatidhar to Har ki Dun & Marinda Tal, return to Boslo
- Altitude: Har ki Dun – 11,600 ft. | Boslo – 10,412 ft.
- Trek Distance: 10.5 km | 6 hrs.
Har Ki Dun valley, surrounded by towering Himalayan peaks - Enjoy spectacular views of the Swargarohini range before
descending to Boslo campsite - Accommodation: Tent stay
- Meal: BLD
Day 7 | 07 May
Trek from Boslo to Devsu Thatch
- Altitude: Devsu Thatch – 9,878 ft
- Trek Distance: 5 km | 5 hrs.
- Alpine meadow surrounded by dense forests and wildflowers.
- Accommodation: Tent stay
- Meal: BLD
Day 8 | 08 May
Trek from Devsu Thatch to Gangad, Drive to Sankri
- Trek Distance: 8 km | 6 hrs.
- Pass traditional villages and retrace the trail back to Gangad
Drive to Sankri and celebrate completing one of the most
scenic Himalayan valley treks. - Accommodation: Local Home Stay
- Meal: BLD
Day 9 | 09 May
Drive back from Sankri to Dehradun | 190 kms | 8 Hrs
- Meal: Breakfast
Day 10-11 | 10-11 May
Dehradun/Haridwar to Mumbai
Board Train No. 19020/12172 (Haridwar–Mumbai Express)
Arrival: Mumbai – 10:00 PM, Monday – 12 April
| Inclusions | Exclusions |
|---|---|
| ✅ Accommodation (as per the itinerary) Guest house in Sankri, on 3/4/5 sharing basis. (Ladies accommodated separately) Camping while on the trek (Triple sharing basis) |
❌ Insurance (mandatory) |
| ✅ Meals (Veg + Egg): All meals while on trek. Day 1 dinner to Day 7 breakfast. |
❌ Stay at Dehradun (Day 2 & 9) |
| ✅ Support: 1 Mountaineering & First aid qualified professional trek Leader. 1 Experienced high altitude chef. Local experienced guides (Number of guides depending on the group size). Enough support staff. |
❌ Train/Flight tickets from your home city |
| ✅ Trek equipment: Sleeping bag, Sleeping liners (if required), Mattress, Utensils. 3 men all season trekker tent (triple sharing), Kitchen & Dining tent, Toilet tent. Gaiters & microspikes (if required) |
❌ Food during the travel |
| ✅ First aid: Medical kit, Stretcher, Oxygen cylinder, Oximeter | ❌ Any kind of personal expenses. |
| ✅ Mules/porters to carry the central luggage. | ❌ Mule or porter to carry personal luggage |
| ✅ All necessary permits and entry fees (for Indian) | ❌ Emergency evacuation, hospitalization charge, etc. |
| ✅ Trip achievement certificate | ❌ Any extra costs incurred due to extension/change of the itinerary due to natural calamities roadblocks, vehicle breakdown, etc. factors beyond our control |
| ❌Transportation (as per the itinerary): Transport Dehradun to Sankri and return. |
How to Book:
Booking Amount ₹ 10,000/- only
(Non-Refundable and Non-Transferrable under any circumstances)
HOW TO PAY:
- Google Pay/Phone Pay: 9309187676
- UPI ID: – 9309187676-1@okbizaxis
- Bank Transfer:
- A/C Name: Dhyas Sahyadri Adventures
- A/C No: 60334863165 (current)
- IFSC: – MAHB0000414
Terms & Conditions:
- 100% payment to be deposited before the trek starts.
- Final Confirmation will be provided on full payment.
- Vehicle provided as per the mentioned trip plan (Point to Point
Basis only) - No Refund or Compensation for any unused services under any
circumstance - Any changes done on trip; applicable charges will be charged
How to Reach & Pick-Up Information:
Trek Start Date: 03 May
It is mandatory for all participants to reach Dehradun by 06:00 AM
on Sunday, 03 May (Day 1).
📍 Pick-Up Location:
Transport – Pickup time: 7:30 am,
Prince Chowk, Near Dehradun Railway Station
Once you reach Dehradun, all further travel will be managed by us.
Recommended Travel Plan (Aligned with Trek Dates)
Day 1 – Thursday | 01 May
Mumbai → Delhi / Haridwar
You can travel from Mumbai using any of the following options:
- Mumbai → Haridwar by Train
(BDTS–Haridwar Express | Train No. 19019 / 12171) - Mumbai → Delhi by Train or Flight, then travel to Dehradun
- Mumbai → Delhi by Train, then take a train or bus to Haridwar
👉 Overnight travel is recommended to save time.
Day 2 – Friday | 04 April
- Delhi / Haridwar → Dehradun
You have two convenient options:
Option A: Morning Travel + Overnight Stay (Recommended)
Train reaches Haridwar around morning
From Haridwar travel to Dehradun
Distance: ~55 km | Travel Time: 1.5–2 hours
• Stay overnight in Dehradun
Option B: Overnight Bus
• From ISBT Kashmere Gate, board an overnight government bus to
Dehradun
• Reach Dehradun early morning on 03 May
👉 Important Recommendation: Prefer government buses over
private buses for better reliability
Alternative: Arrival by Air
You can fly directly to Jolly Grant Airport.
Distance from airport to Dehradun city: ~30 km | 45–60 minutes
Drop-Off Information (Trek End Day)
Drop-Off Location: Dehradun
Expected Arrival: Between 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM
🕘 Please plan your onward travel after 10:00 PM.
✈️ Recommendation:
If arriving by flight, reach Dehradun on 02 May and stay overnight to avoid missing the early morning pick-up.
️Keeping a buffer day is strongly recommended in case of weather or road delays. If unused, you can spend the extra time exploring Dehradun.
Cancellation requests are not taken over phone.
The cancellation charges are as under:
- 10% cancellation charges if cancelled before 30 days before the tour.
- 25% cancellation charges if cancelled between 30 – 20 Days before the tour.
- 50% cancellation charges if cancelled between 19 – 10 Days before the tour.
- No refund if cancelled before 10 days of trip start
- No Refund or Compensation on any changes on ongoing trip
Note: If a trek / tour is called off at the last moment due to a natural calamity / unforeseen circumstance (like rains, earthquake, landslides, strike / bandh etc.)
There would be NO REFUND in this case
- Dhyas Sahyadri Adventures reserves the right to change/ cancel the schedule, fully or partly in case of any unforeseen situation.
Cost does not include any expenses caused due to natural calamity, roadblock, accident or any other unforeseen situation.
Final Note
Once you book the trek, please go through the Google Drive documents shared with you carefully.
- Disclaimer Form – This must be filled and submitted on Day 1 during the pickup.
- Trek Insurance – Participants are required to purchase trek insurance online before the trek begins.
- Things to carry If you need any assistance with these documents or the process, feel free to call our support team anytime. We’re happy to help!
You can rent trekking shoes, backpacks, padded jackets, trekking poles, rainwear and headlamps for less than Rs 2000 for the entire duration of your trek.
Here is a list of everything you need for your trek.
- Shoes and a backpack
- Trekking shoes with ankle support.
- 45-55 Ltr Backpack with rain cover.
Warm Layers and Clothes
- 1 fleece
- 1 pair of thermals
- 1 sweater/fleece/thermal
- 1 padded jacket.
- 3 full-sleeved T-shirts (Wear one, carry two)
- 2 quick-dry trek pants (Wear one, carry one)
- Waterproof gloves.
- Balaclava/ Bandana.
- Woollen socks (2 pairs of Dry fit + 1 pair of Woollen).
- High Ankle synthetic/cotton socks (carry based on number of trekking days)
Accessories
- Sunglasses
- Sun cap preferably with flaps
- Headlamp
- Trekking poles
- Rain jacket + pants / poncho
Toiletries:
- Sunscreen
- Light towel
- Lip balm or vaseline
- Toilet paper (Wet wipes are strictly not allowed on our treks)
- Toothbrush
- Toothpaste
- Reusable plastic covers (for used clothes)
Cutlery:
- 1 Steel lunch box
- 1 Spoon
- 1 Coffee mug
- Two water bottles or Hydration Pack
Once you run through this list, It contains tips on what gear to choose, where to get it from and how much to spend on it.
Our only tip: Keep your backpack light. Dhyassyhadri practices low impact sustainable trekking in every aspect of the trek. Carrying your own personal backpack reduces your impact on the mountains by 20%. We expect all our trekkers to carry their own backpacks unless they have a justifiable reason not to.
Nevertheless, we understand that some gears that cannot be rented due to hygiene issues.
Mandatory Documents
These are documents required for legal purposes by Dhyassyhadri and the forest department. Without any of these, you will not be allowed to trek.
- Original and photocopy of government photo identity card: Anything such as a driver’s license, Aadhar Card, or passport will do. Note This is required by the forest department for your identification.
- Treadmill Test: If your age is 58 and above, you’ll need to submit a Treadmill Test (not older than 12 months) within a week of completing your trek registration.
- Disclaimer certificate: You don’t need to print or carry the disclaimer form. Your Trek Leader will give it to you at the base. Just sign and hand it over then and there. However, if you are a minor unaccompanied by your parents, please download this disclaimer, print it, get it signed by your parents/guardian and carry it to the basecamp.
- Medical certificate: The medical certificate needs to be filled out by an MBBS doctor, without which the forest department will not issue permissions for your trek. It is also a requirement by Dhyassyhadri Note: Dhyassyhadri has a panel of doctors who can help you with a medical certificate. They are available for online consultation. They will respond to you within 24 hours. Consultation fee: Rs 350
Personal Medical Kit
Carry these medicines with you, easily accessible at all times. Do not take any medicine unless you have consulted your trek leader.
- Diamox (1 Strip): Be on a course of a half tablet of Diamox starting from Delhi every 12 hours (125 mg). Carry on the medication until you descend to Kotgaon. Being on a preventive course of Diamox greatly reduces the chances of Acute Mountain Sickness on the Har Ki Dun trek.
- Dolo 650 (5 tablets): This is a paracetamol. It helps to tackle fever, mild pain
- Avomine (4 tablets): Carry this especially if you are prone to motion sickness. Pop one-half hour before the start of your road journey.
- Combiflam (5 tablets): Take a combiflam if you get a sudden twist of the leg or a muscle strain. It is a pain reliever. It also contains paracetamol.
- Digene (4 tablets): Take it if you feel the food that you’ve taken is undigested. Alert your trek leader immediately. It could be a sign of AMS.
- ORS (6 packs): Consume a pack of ORS water at least once a day, usually mid-day when you are in the middle of your trek. It replenishes essential salts lost while trekking. Tip: It also makes cold water easier to drink.
- Knee Brace (optional): Carry this if you are prone to knee injury or have known issues of knee pain.
Our trek leaders carry a high altitude medical kit with them which also consist of Life Saving Drugs. If there is an emergency our trek leaders know how to tackle it. Meanwhile, contact your trek leader before consuming any of these medicines listed here.
Pro Tip: We find that these medicines by trekkers are rarely used. But you cannot do away with them. At the end of the trek please donate unused medicines to your trek leader. Some of these medicines get distributed to villages on the trek and some are added to the Dhyassyhadri medical kit.
Most people don’t realise this until it’s too late: there’s no such thing as a difficult or easy trek. A trek is difficult if you aren’t fit. It’s easy if you’re fit.
On a trek, your lungs and legs do the real work. You need to build your stamina and endurance. You need to train your core, calves, glutes, quadriceps, and hamstrings.
Walking, jogging or running is the best routine for this.
It works on the same muscles you use while trekking—your calves, glutes, quads and hamstrings. It also mimics your foot movement so you are better prepared for sudden twists and turns they may go through on uneven terrain.
Here’s Why Running is the Best Exercise To Get Fit for a Trek
Fitness Target
To do the Har Ki Dun Trek comfortably, you must be able to walk, jog or run 5 km in under 45 minutes. This is the minimum recommended fitness level that you must aim for.
To reach any fitness target, there are two things you must work on:
- Cardiovascular Endurance
- Muscle Strength
If you are looking for guidance, we’ve put together a comprehensive training programme for you. This has been designed by two of Dhyasshyadri’ most senior team members — Prathima Chhabria and Gautam Singh. Between them, they’ve run close to 10,000 km over the last two decades.
They have compiled years of hard-earned experience into this one downloadable document. Follow this, and you’ll be trek-ready in 6 weeks.
Click here to Download our Free 6-Week Training Plan
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Why get fit before your trek?
If you’re not fit, you won’t enjoy your trek. Simple as that. You’ll struggle. You’ll fall behind. And you’ll miss out on the transformative experience we’ve designed for you.
But here’s what most people don’t think about — when you lag behind, you pull your entire team back. Your Trek Leader has to slow everyone down. The trekkers who trained hard and showed up prepared won’t take this lightly. Nobody wants to miss a summit or a breathtaking viewpoint because someone didn’t train.
Here’s What Happens When you Don’t Get Fit Before Your Trek
2. What is the fitness approval process at Dhyasshyadri?
- Track your runs on Strava, Nike Run Club, or any similar fitness app.
- Take 3 screenshots of your runs and upload them to your Dhyasshyadri Dashboard.
- Make sure you upload these screenshots 15 to 20 days before your trek date. We want to see that you are being consistent in your preparation.
- Your screenshots must demonstrate that you are meeting the fitness criteria for your trek.
Here’s What the Fitness Approval Process at Dhyasshyadri Looks Like
3. When can your fitness records get rejected?
Your fitness records will be rejected for one of two reasons:
- You haven’t uploaded your 3 screenshots to your dashboard.
- Your runs don’t meet your trek’s fitness criteria at least 3 times in the past month.
Check both before you submit. It’ll save you the back and forth.
4. What happens if your fitness records get rejected?
You can still trek. But your Trek Leader and Slope Manager will be informed about your fitness levels in advance. If you fall behind the group by 45 minutes and are visibly struggling, your Trek Leader may send you back. That’s a call none of us want to make. But it is essential for your and the entire team’s safety.
5. Do children need fitness approvals before a trek?
Children below 14 years are not required to submit fitness records. However, parents must ensure that children remain physically active and prepared for the trek.
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