Most of the natural wonders, pilgrimage wonders, and adventure of India are situated in the northern state of Uttarakhand. Surprisingly, Tourism of Uttrakhand uses the slogan ‘Devnagari- The Land of Gods’ and it is because of all the reasons. Har ki Dun and nearby sites are one of the contributors to make this slogan more relevant. Situated in Garhwal Himalaya of Uttrakhand, it is a cradle shaped valley. This valley is famous for the mass of trekkers gathering around in most parts of the year.
Places to see nearby
- Osla Village
As many trekkers are enthusiastic to trek in Har ki Dun valley, they must not miss the small village that comes across their trail.
Hiking and trekking can be tiresome, meeting the locals and catching a breath will lighten up the spirit of trekkers.
It makes the least experienced trekkers easy to rest and start hiking again the next day.
Osla gives a unique but somewhere similar image of any other village of India. One may find domesticated cattle and homegrown vegetables.
Many tourists have found it interesting how the locals live and their unique culture that makes the trek more interesting.
- Govind Pashu vihar wildlife sanctuary and National park
Home to various species of flora fauna, one can rest here in Forest rest house. When here, one may find many different trekkers crossing paths as this place is the center of many other tourist destinations in Uttarakhand.
Har ki Dun is located at the heart of this wildlife sanctuary. Many other treks like the Kedarnath trek, the Ruinsara trek, the Swargarohini trek, and many others are easily accessible from here.
What makes the national park a must-visit is the snow leopard and its habitats that are protected here.
- Zipline in Sankri Range
The Sankri village is the last road spot of the sanctuary and this village offers breathtaking views of the valley.
Zipline can be another activity that can give the thrill vibes.
The length of the Ziplines is 700 meters which passes through the saur village of Sankri range.
- Taluka village
On the way to Har ki dun, this small hamlet is just 12 km from Sanskri. Many trekkers also start hiking from here as it is not so tough to reach here.
Surrounded by scenic beauty, this small village is very picturesque. The villagers are very welcoming and friendly. Bird watching, camping, hiking, and cultural interactions are some of the things that can only be experienced.
- Swargarohini Peak
“The way to heaven”, is another base camp for starting the har ki dun trek. About the name, the reason comes back to the time of Mahabharata. It is believed that the eldest of Pandavas i.e Yudhistra found the ascent to heaven from these peaks.
Apart from the mythological aspect, these are four peaks that are accessible for har ki dun.
- Yamunotri temple
The important river of India, Yamuna has its tributaries crossing the region through Uttrakhand. After this river only, one of the important places to visit in the western region of Garhwal Himalayas is this temple.
Dedicated to Goddess Yamuna, this temple is at an altitude of 3,291 meters in the Uttarakhand district. Trekkers may also find many pilgrimages traveling from other main cities of Uttrakhand.
- Bandarpunch
Another mountain range in the Garhwal Himalayas, known for the mythological idol of Hanuman and his tail which was set on fire by the Lankan king and ended up burning the kingdom.
Popularly known as ‘Tail of the monkey’ highlights this story.
Many daredevils climb this peak from the southeast route which found to be the easiest one.
Covered in glacier Bandarpunch is known as a big contributor to the Yamuna river.
- Bali Pass
Another trek in the Garhwal Himalayan ranges is the Bali pass. The starting point is the Sankri village and the ending point is Janki Chatti.
When visiting the Yamunotri temple and when under the Govind National park this pass mostly considered by trekkers.
The pass is advisable for better-trained trekkers as the elevation is close to 5000 meters.
This pass is the easiest approach to Har ki dun as it is the shortest and gives more time to trekkers to enjoy the altitude.
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