Trekking holiday in the Indian Himalayas
| country: | India |
| location: | Indian Himalayas |
| trip type: | Introductory to moderate, high altitude trekking holidays |
| departures: | 2010: 1 Apr, 16 Sep |
| price: | From £799 (11 days) excluding flights, based on 2 people travelling together |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
read 1 travellers review
the amazing things you'll be doing
This trekking holiday in India over the Kauri Pass (3840m) offers some of the most amazing views of the Greater Himalayan Range. When you reach the pass you are rewarded by an impressive panoramic view. As we look south we see the lower alpine hills rolling away towards the great plains of the Indian Sub-Continent fed by the river Ganges. To the north are the gorges of Trushul, and to the east we see the Garhwal Himalayas with Kedarnath Peak and Kedarnath Dome, almost 7000 metres high.
Our eyes are then drawn westwards then to the sweeping arc created by the incredible line up of giant peaks: Chaukhamba (7140 m), Nilkantha (6597 m), Kamet (07756 m), Gauri Parbat(6727 m), Nanda Devi(7817 m), Bethartoli(6352 m), and Dunagiri (7066 m). En route to the Pass we trek through isolated settlements and wild flower pastures, passing numerous snow fed waterfalls and streams.
We offer holidays of varying levels of physical difficulty. We ask clients for information about their level of fitness at the time of enquiry and then recommend an adventure holiday to suit. Age is not something we generally take into account as often it does not give an accurate indication of fitness. We offer trekking holidays of varying lengths and difficulty and our rafting and wildlife holidays are not physically demanding.
Our eyes are then drawn westwards then to the sweeping arc created by the incredible line up of giant peaks: Chaukhamba (7140 m), Nilkantha (6597 m), Kamet (07756 m), Gauri Parbat(6727 m), Nanda Devi(7817 m), Bethartoli(6352 m), and Dunagiri (7066 m). En route to the Pass we trek through isolated settlements and wild flower pastures, passing numerous snow fed waterfalls and streams.
We offer holidays of varying levels of physical difficulty. We ask clients for information about their level of fitness at the time of enquiry and then recommend an adventure holiday to suit. Age is not something we generally take into account as often it does not give an accurate indication of fitness. We offer trekking holidays of varying lengths and difficulty and our rafting and wildlife holidays are not physically demanding.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Arrive in India. You will be meet at the airport and transferred to the hotel. Spend the afternoon and evening relaxing in your hotel room or taking in the sights of Delhi. Overnight Hotel. |
| Day 2: | Delhi to Rishikesh (330 m): 5/6 hrs. Board the morning train departing New Delhi at 7:00 a.m. Reach Haridwar at 11:30 a.m. Transfer to our river camp on the banks of the Ganges near Rishikesh, a bustling pilgrim township, a popular meditation centre and the Yoga Capital of the world. After lunch, go rafting on the Holy Ganges or explore Rishikesh and attend the aarti (evening prayers) by the banks of the river Ganges. Overnight at beach camp. |
| Day 3: | Drive Rishikesh to Ghat (1330 m): 7/8 hrs. The drive takes one into the rugged country of the Garhwal Himalaya along the Alaknanda river. We travel past a number of holy confluences and then finally into the narrow valley of the Mandakini River. We reach Ghat, the road-head for the trek, in the evening. Overnight camp. |
| Day 4: | Ghat to Ramni/Ghunni (2550 m): 6/7 hrs. First day trekking. For the first half of the day the trail goes along the river. After lunch it starts to climb up away from the river, some parts being quite steep. We camp just above the fairly large village of Ramni in a nice grassy patch and visit the village in the evening. |
| Day 5: | Ghunni to Sem Kharak (2400 m): 5/6 hrs . The trail starts climbing up to the pass and crosses many small tributary rivers and waterfalls including one which offers a great opportunity for a shower! After a steady climb we arrive at the small Ramni Pass (3060 m) which offers views of the Kuari Pass. We descend gradually to the grazing meadows of Sem Kharak. Overnight camp |
| Day 6: | Sem Kharak to Pana (2450 m): 5/6 hrs . From Sem kharak we descend to the suspension bridge over the Birthi Ganga and then climb up again to another prosperous village, Pana. Overnight camp. |
| Day 7: | Pana to Dhakwani (3341 m): 6/7 hrs . A few ascents, descents and traverses bring us close to the foot of the Kuari Pass. The trail comes out above the tree line and goes through grazing grounds into meadow country to reach Dhakwani. |
| Day 8: | Dhakwani to Kuari Pass (3840 m) to Khulara (3180 m): 4/5 hrs . The trail is steep up to the Kuari Pass and it takes about two or three hours to get there. Once up on the pass, the views are simply breathtaking, a wide panorama of high Himalayas - the Chaukhamba Range, Nilkantha (6597 m), and Abigamin (7355 m) extend to the Tibetan border. In the middle foreground, the main Himalayan chain in the vicinity of the Bhyundar and Hemkund Valleys includes Nilgiri Parbat (6474 m) and Rataban (6166 m). |
| Day 9: | Khulara to Tapovan (1850m): 5/6 hrs; Drive to Pipalkoti (1330m): 3hrs. The last day of the trek is all the way down to Tapovan. It's about three hours drive from here to the comforts of the hotel in Pipalkoti. |
| Day 10: | Pipalkoti to Delhi: 13 hrs. After an early morning breakfast we set out for the long eight hour drive to reach Haridwar to board the train leaving at 6:10 p.m. We arrive back in Delhi by 10:30 p.m. Transfer to the Hotel. |
| Day 11: | Depart India. After breakfast depart to the international airport for your flight home. Trip ends. |
travellers' tales
Excellent... Most memorable was seeing a 360 degree view of the Indian Himalaya from the top of a mountain (Chandrashilla). (more)
small group adventure holiday
Typically you will be sharing your experiences with between 4-20 like minded travellers (depending on the trip, operator and how many others are booked on the trip) and you'll have a group leader with you. Whether you are travelling alone or with friends its good value, and a great way to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of privacy. This trip will appeal to travellers of all ages who enjoy meeting new people as well as seeing new places. how this holiday makes a difference
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We are proud supporters of the responsible travel movement. In line with this we have made strong ties with the local communities in the areas in which we operate. We train local people in cooking, guiding, English conversation and First Aid. For instance, we have a special relationship with Malakundi village on the banks of the Ganges River. We employ three guides (Rana, Jay Singh and Gappu), two cooks (Safpal and Ramish), one driver (Camel), and three porters (Beam Singh, Bethal and Neggi Ji) all from Malakundi Village. Their understanding of the country’s flora, fauna, local culture and the many dialects ensure you get a true insight into the Indian way of life.
Employing people in villages like Malakundi has enabled them to install complex irrigation systems for farming and solar panels to power lighting. We take our clients to the local primary school where they can donate books, paper and toys. We also arrange for the school to be painted by our school groups. We encourage our clients to learn about the local culture and to share their culture with the villagers and local people they meet on this trip. We have a strong environmental policy, carrying all non-biodegradable produce off this trip with us and disposing of it in a responsible manner. We bury all organic matter deep in the ground, and this breaks it down over a short period of time. We use eco-friendly toilets or pit toilets on this trip. This is essentially a pit dug in the ground where all waste is covered with a mixture of soil and lime, and no water is used. Furthermore, we source almost all of our drinking and cooking water from fresh water springs. If this is not possible, water from the river is filtered. We have teamed up with an environmental organisation, Climate Care, to help you to repair the impact of your flights on the global climate. Climate Care funds sustainable energy and forest restoration projects in India and all over the world that reduce carbon dioxide on your behalf, by the same amount as your share of the plane’s emissions. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |