THE BEAUTY OF UTTRAKHAND

 Trekking is a one-of-a-kind experience, that not only brings you close to mother nature but also helps you find your true inner self. Being surrounded by the beauties of the mighty Himalayas is one such experience that in my humble opinion everyone should try at least once. It is always good to take some time off from our hectic schedules and jump on the next forthcoming adventure. I was lucky enough to be able to dive into two such adventures myself. With everything around us being in utter chaos, my friend and I decided to take a break and go around trekking. The first time felt so serene that we decided to go on one such adventure again. Today for you I’ll recount both.

The first trip we indulged ourselves in was to Valley Of Flowers. A UNESCO World Heritage site proved to us that our country is full of wonders that we don’t even dare to explore. The area is home to over 800 species of flowers, and when I say that it is a sight that one should feel blessed to see, I mean it.

We started our journey at Dehradun where we drove to Govindghat, the journey took us about 10 hours. The following day was when the real adventure started, the trek to Ghangaria was about 16 Km and took us nearly 9 hours, the altitude changed to around 10,000 ft at this point. On our way, we passed along beautiful villages. The next day was the most anticipated, as it was today that we hiked up to the valley of flowers Trek. It was after 3 hours of trekking that we reached our most awaited destination. The beauty of the area is one that cannot be compared to anything else in this world. After having our lunch surrounded by the most scenic view we went back to Ghangaria to stay the night. The next day we went up to Hemkund Sahib. According to the holy Granth Sahib, Guru Gobind Singh(10th guru of the Sikh faith) had meditated on the bank of this lake. The scenery of being surrounded by the seven snow-clad mountains and their reflection on the crystal-clear lake is one that can never be conquered. The lake is at an altitude of 14,400 ft, this just adds to its already surmounted beauty. This is one way marked the end of the trip as now we traveled back the same path down to Govindghat and then on we went back to Dehradun marking an end to this mesmerising and picturesque journey.

This journey left my friend and me yearning for more and so we decided to embark on a new adventure. In the month of April, which so happens to be one of the best times to travel to Har Ki Dun Trek, we decided to take the forthcoming challenge. Although it is one trail that is trekked on even during winters. The picturesque views atop the valley are ones to die for.

The journey started at Sankri, on the way we came across the beautiful towns of Mussoorie on to Uttarkashi, Naugaon, Mori, Purola, and Netwar. The next day we drove to Taluka, which was around 12 km. After arriving at Taluka, we started the actual journey, which beings at the descent to the banks of Tons. The trail is filled with agricultural fields of crops such as millet, potato, and maize. During our travel, we also saw villages that were over 300 years old, these were the Village of Sankri, Osla, and Gangad. Following down the trail we were met with the river valley of Thamsa, which soon became a constant for the journey for the day. This day was a bit hectic as we traveled for nearly 6 hours and went up to an altitude of 8,200 ft. We also had the beautiful opportunity to visit the Someshwar temple, which is situated in the village of Osla. On the next day, we started our journey towards Simatara. We had to start early in the morning as although the travel journey was only 7 km it took us nearly 7 hours to complete the same. The trek took us through various harvest lands and 3 hydroelectric run chafing units. As we ascended higher to 9,800 ft, the view started to get more and more scenic. The next day was the reason behind the whole journey, finally, the travel up to Har Ki Dun was here. The journey was filled with the beauty of alpine meadows and glaciers, this alone made every second of the trip fully worth it. The journey up to 11,800 ft, is one that should not be messed with. The ascents and descents made it a bit hectic and tiring, but once we reached the higher ground every ounce of pain left our bodies. The view itself was healing. The valley is everything and much more than you can fathom. The area has meadows and forests and glaciers and Himalayan Peaks all in one, truthfully there is so much to take in. After finishing this trek with the most mesmerizing views one could ever ask for, we began our descent back home.

In all honesty, it may have been a while since I embarked on these adventures, but they still stay embedded in my heart and my mind. These are adventures that only happen once in a lifetime and are something I would highly recommend to anyone who is a beginner and would like to spread out of their comfort zone for once.