Day1: From Dehradun to Joshimath (1,890M)

The journey begins at Joshimath, a highland town on the way to the Valley of Flowers, Hemkund Sahib, and Badrinath. It is 295 kilometres from Dehradun, the nearest city with an airport. By 7 a.m., everyone has gathered at the meeting spot to begin our lengthy trip up to Joshimath, a mountain city in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli region. Despite the fact that there is nothing more on the itinerary for today save the 10-hour journey, it is best to depart as soon as possible and tonight will be spent in the luxury of a warm bed at a guest home in Joshimath, a sacred mountain city located at an elevation of around 1,890 metres. We’ve gained a lot of altitude in one day, and it’s time to give our bodies a break so they can work properly for the rest of the journey. In the city, cellular service is available.

Day2: From Joshimath to Dhak (2,090M) to Guling (2,857M)

It’s a short day today. So there’s no need to rush out the door in the morning. After a hearty breakfast, we go. Please note that today’s breakfast is not included in the cost, so participants must make their own arrangements. The city of Joshimath serves as a hub for many of the region’s attractions, including the Valley of Flowers, Hemkund Sahib, and even Badrinath’s temple. That is to say, it is a popular tourist destination with plenty of amenities. After breakfast, we put our rucksacks onto a vehicle that will drive us to Dhak, where our walk will begin. Keep your bags light and only bring what you need for the journey – you can leave any surplus luggage at the guest home. Joshimath is around 10 kilometres from Dhak, and the travel takes about 30 minutes. The drive is brief yet beautiful. From the start, you’re in the company of titans. After 20 minutes on the road, you’ll get an uninterrupted view of Nanda Devi, India’s second tallest peak after Kanchenjunga, on your left, and the crown of Pangarchulla on your right, which sits above a lush pine forest. Dhak is roughly a 30-minute drive away. This is where we’ll begin our journey. The first half hour of the hike is on a motorable road up the mountain, following which we abandon the road and go up the mountain on a stone-paved route. The ascent is moderate and steady. While the route is primarily stone-paved, it does get narrow and unstable in parts, necessitating utmost caution. The walk today is very simple, much like a stroll in the garden, under the shade of the plants and the baying of the cattle. Today, we will gain close to 800M in total. So, of course, the stroll around the park includes a modest hill! We begin to put some space between ourselves and any trace of civilization after crossing Upper Tugashi. We enter the forest, which is densely forested with golden and black oak trees, as well as pine and walnut trees. In the winter, ask your local guide to show you the tree whose bark is used to produce butter tea — butter tea is meant to keep the body warm and is a local delicacy – another example of surviving by exploiting nature. The route has a moderate rise – this is the final stretch for today. Guling, you’re getting near to the campground. You should arrive just on time for a hot meal. After your delicious lunch, take a few moments to relax and marvel at the sights that spread before you as the day draws to a close. We go for a brief acclimatisation walk in the evening and return to camp before it gets dark, as we have gained quite a bit of altitude today.

Day3: From Guling to Khulara (3390 M)

Today is a short hike through the oak and pine trees that surrounded our campground the day before. After breakfast, we head into the silence of the woodland to get the day over with as soon as possible. This is critical since the summit push begins the next night, and we need to rest our bodies before venturing out into the cold. By 9 a.m., we’ve left the campground. After spending the night on open grounds, it takes 5 minutes to reach the deep woodland, where you are abruptly in closed quarters. However, the lofty canopy of the forest provides you with spots of sunshine as a gift. The many flowing streams create movement to the otherwise calm woodland, with drooping pine branches bending in as though for a kiss, and the stern oak, the polar opposite. In this forest, you’ll also find Himalayan Birch or Bhojpatra trees, as well as trees used to manufacture butter tea. The only impediments are the big fallen trees that you must climb over on the trail. Today’s terrain offers a gentle rise that isn’t too taxing. From Khulara onwards, the path may be covered in snow during the months of March and April, and you may have to camp in it. Within three hours, you should arrive to Khulara’s campground. It is a vastly open area with a view of the peaks that expands to fit many more summits. The sunsets here are breathtaking — they look like a conversation between the sun and the heavens, with the sun’s modest movement affecting the colour of the skies and mountains. We also spend some time in the evening distributing the essential summit push gear, as well as a brief lesson on how to utilise them properly to help your ascent.

Day4: From Khulara to Pangarchulla (4,590M) and back

The day begins before the sun rises. We get ready and leave our campground around 3 a.m., in the middle of night. There are no water sources along the way, and it will be a long day, so bring plenty of water. It will be the longest and most difficult day of the climb because it is summit day. Before we go for the night, we eat something and fill our bottles. The walk begins by passing Khulara’s broad land before ascending to a rocky environment with a steady elevation. The nights are often quite chilly. As a result, don’t forget to layer appropriately. The previously concealed areas are now entirely accessible, and you can view the whole Garhwal Range from your vantage point. If you’re feeling depleted after this tough trek, the force of the mountains around you has the capacity to re-energize you. Prepare to begin your descent after a little prayer at the top temple. This will take a long time as well, and you may wish to pass the most dangerous areas before the sun makes the snow unstable. Back down the mountain, we retrace our steps. The descent may appear forever due to the amount of work required to descend these nearly blindingly high mountains. At the three-hour mark, expect to reach the conclusion of the boulder section. And then there’s the three-hour drive to Khulara.

Day5: From Khulara to Dhak (2,090M) to Joshimath (1,890M)

Today is a fairly simple day. All we have to do now is retrace our ways back to Joshimath. We complete breakfast by 8 a.m. and plan to depart by 9 a.m., after recovering from the previous day’s exhaustion. We arrive at our first campground an hour and a half into our descent into the woods. We arrive in Dhak an hour and a half later, when we board our car and travel to Joshimath. There’s plenty to see and do in and around this sacred city. The guest house is where we spend the nights.

Day6: From Joshimath to Dehradun (295kms)

 Today is the last day of the trip. Prepare to check out of the guest accommodation and return to Dehradun in your automobiles. By late evening, we should be at Dehradun. If you want to go the same night, book a flight that departs between 11 p.m. and 12 a.m. to accommodate for any unforeseen traffic delays.