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Photoblog: Trek to Shri Hemkund Sahib Gurudwara

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Photoblog: Trek to Shri Hemkund Sahib – Highest Gurudwara in the world (June 2017)

This is one of the most special places in Himalayas where we have trekked so far. Shri Hemkund Sahib Gurudwara, at the height of 4,633 Meters (15,200 Feets), is the highest Gurudwara in the world and one of the holiest places for Sikhism.

This trip was part of our mega itinerary where we had planned around 7 treks which included 150 Kms of trekking and whopping 6,000 Kms of travel. We moved from lowest altitude of 216 Meters (New Delhi) to the highest altitude of 4,633 Meters. The brief plan of the trip is as given below.

  • Bangalore to New Delhi – Flight
  • New Delhi to Haridwar – Train
  • Haridwar to Rishikesh to Auli – Private Car
  • Auli to Gorsan Top – Trek – 10 Kms (Photoblog)
  • Auli to Govindghat – Car – 30 Kms
  • Govindghat to Ghanghariya – Trek – 11 Kms (One way)
  • Ghanghariya to Hemkund Sahib – Trek – 14 Kms (Two way)
  • Ghanghariya to Valley of Flowers – Trek – 12 Kms (Two way) (Photoblog Coming Soon)
  • Ghanghariya to Govindghat – Trek 11 Kms (One way)
  • Govindghat to Badrinath to Manna Village to Joshimath – Car – 60 Kms (Photoblog Coming Soon)
  • Joshimath to Jumma Village to Dronagiri – Car, 30 Kms + 13 Kms trek (One way)
  • Joshimath to Chopta to Tunganath Temple to Chandrasheela Peak – Car + 10 Kms trek (Photoblog Coming Soon)
  • Return to Dehradun via Rudraprayag and back to Bangalore

This is our second trip the Holi place. This year, we visited in first week of June’17 before the onset of monsoon. Last year, we had visited in mid August during peak monsoon season.

The best months to visit Hemkund Sahib is from May end to Sept. In May and till mid June, the weather is dry but with intermittent showers specially in the afternoon/evenings.

June – Jul – Aug are peak monsoon months and are wet months. However, the flowers in Valley of Flowers and on Hemkund Sahib Marg are on full bloom during these months.

Sept – Oct are dry months and start of winter season. The greenery reduces and the terrain is covered with snow and waterfalls are converted to glaciers.

Hemkund Sahib is inaccessible from October through April because of snow bound paths and glaciers. Sikh pilgrims arrive in May and set to work to repair the damage to the path over the winter, which tradition is called kar seva (“selfless service”), a concept which forms an important tenet of the Sikh faith. Photo taken in Jun’17.




Our trek to Ghanghariya starts from Govindghat. Govindghat is a town in Chamoli district, Uttarakhand, India, located at the confluence of the Alaknanda and Lakshman Ganga rivers. Lakshman Ganga river comes from Valley of Flowers and Haathi Parvat. There are no ATMs in this place. The last ATM is available in Joshimath, which is around 25 kms away. So if you need cash (which you will need in ghaghariya for 3 days), take it out at Joshimath. Keep around 20K to be on the safer side. From Govindghat helicopter service is also available for those who do not want to hike to Ghanghariya. Govindghat to Ghanghariya is around 15 kms. For first 4 kms, you can take a jeep as it is motor-able road.




Lakshman Ganga River runs parallel to the trek route from Govindghat to Ghanghariya. Around 11 kms to hike after first 4 kms of jeep ride. The road is well laid and properly maintained. Beautiful Lakshman Ganga river flows on the right while going up. The descent is gradual and easy for first 7 kms. There are few beautiful waterfalls near by mountains. There are plenty of shops on the route to rest, tea, maggi, parathas etc. Govindghat is at ~1,828 meters above sea level, while Ghanghariya is at 3,049 meters – around 1,200 meter altitude gain in 15 kms. Just relax, walk in a steady pace, take rest when required, drink plenty of water, take lots of photographs. With a steady and relaxing pace, this distance of 11 Kms can be covered in around 5-6 hours. The last 4 kms after the bridge in Bhyunder, the ascent increases and the trek becomes tougher.




Bhyunder Village – around 7kms trek mark. This route hosts thousands of tourists and pilgrims visiting holy Hemkund Sahib every year. Many pilgrims take mules to travel in these routes. Mules are also available on Hemkund Sahib trek. With so many mules, there is so much of mule potty (and lots of smell)! You have to be careful not to put your expensive (Quechua) trekking shoes in one of these . Mules also walk in zig zag manner and a group of 3-4 follows a leader. Make sure you do not walk towards the valley side of the road when mules are coming towards you. Apart from that these mules are almost harmless.




Friendly and sweet kids of Bhyundar Village at one of the many shops during the trek route.

The tent site at Ghanghariya. The village of Ghanghariya is just 1 street village. It has few hotels, shops, small restaurants and a Gurudwara. The village is open only during the tourist season which is around April to Oct. Before entrance in the village there is a helipad for tourists who would like to travel by helicopter. The helicopter ride is around Rs 3,000 per person for one way in 2016. Helicopters can be booked by informing your guide or hotel staff. Stay in tents near helipad is also a good experience till it rains. The tents are fitted with private toilets and has power supply. From Helipad, (where we think that we have reached after 10 kms trek), one has to climb another 700-800 meters to reach the hotels. This is one of the toughest climb of the day psychologically.





Helicopter ride from Ghanghariya to Govindghat charges around 3K to 4K depending on season and demand. If you are not interested in trekking 11 kms and do not want to ride pony, this is one good option with amazing views. The ride takes around 3-4 mins only!





After around 5 Kms from Pulna Village, the path splits into two: One route goes to the Ghanghariya Village, the other route goes towards another valley near Haathi Parvat. This is also a lesser known trekking route, ready to be explored! This photo shows Haathi Parvat and the surrounding valley.
The Hemkund Sahib treks after around 1 km from Ghanghariya village. The other route goes to Valley of Flowers. There is a beautiful waterfall next to the start of the trail. The water in this stream comes from Hemkund Sahib and also provides water to Ghanghariya Village.
The entire route is surrounded by towering peaks.
The main Hemkund Sahib trail after the initial patch of jungle and before the glacier. The glacier is prominent in winder months. During Summer and monsoon months, glacier melts.
This photo is taken on 31st May 2017. Post this the glacier starts. So far we had covered around 4 kms of trail and another 3 kms remained. 
The massive glacier originates from the top of the mountains. This photo does not provide the actual magnitude of this glacier. The two pilgrims in the corner provides little idea about the massiveness of the glacier.
The trail post entering the glacier. This glacier is cut manually by Sikh Volunteers with help on BRO (Border Road Organization) in the months of April every year. The route opens from end of April till Mid Oct, depending on the weather each year.
Finally we reached after 4 hours and 7 Kms of tough trek. However the entire trek was refreshing and mesmerising with friendly pilgrims and beautiful views. 
Shri Hemkund Sahib Gurudwara. A truly amazing place. I had pleasure to visit this place 2 times in different weathers. It was equally amazing both the times. In May end, the Hemkund Sahib Kund was totally frozen. However, many pilgrims were brave enough to take a dip in holy kund in the bitter cold.
The view of the Hemkund Sahib trail from Valley of Flowers route. Only the glacier route can be seen if we zoom in the photo towards left corner. 
The entire trip is not  complete without the tasty, nutritious and hot Khichadi Prasad at the Hemkund Sahib Gurudwara.
For more such trek stories, visit our blog.
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Dronagiri Trek – Mystery of Dronagiri – Photo Blog

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Dronagiri Trek – Mystery of Dronagiri – Photo Blog

Exploring the Lesser Known Trails of Uttarakhand- Dronagiri Trek!

Dronagiri, 3,658m (12,000ft) – is one of those little and ancient villages with a mere population of 70-80 people and just one satellite phone. Far away from the digital world and its advances, this village is very close to mother nature. Dronagiri is the only peak which has lent its name to a village in the vicinity or in India for a matter of fact. Dronagiri also happens to be the same mountain that Lord Hanuman lifted to save Lord Laxman in the Indian mythology, Ramayana. Interesting facts about the Dronagiri Trek, do not end here.  A popular belief among the locals in Dronagiri is that Lord Hanuman, while taking the Sanjeevani mountain with him, accidentally broke the arm of the local deity there. This is the reason why Lord Hanuman is not worshipped in Dronagiri village.

This village and the mountain range was also in news last year as Uttrakhand Government initiated a project to research possibilities of finding the Mrit Sanjeevani in this region. Sanjeevani Booti Research.
With all these fascinating stories in mind, we started to visit this mythical place during our last visit to Valley of Flowers in June 2017. Click to see details of Valley of Flowers Blog here.

The brief itinerary of the Dronagiri trek is as follows:

  • Bangalore to Delhi by Flight
  • Delhi to Dehradun by train
  • Dehradun to Joshimath by car
  • Joshimath to Jumma by car (Around 44 Kms)
  • Jumma to Rwing (3 Km trek, Easy Difficulty).
  • Rwing to Dronagiri Village (8 Km Trek, Moderate Difficulty)
  • Dronagiri Village to Nandi Kund and back (4 Kms trek – one way – Moderate Difficulty)
  • Dronagiri Village to Langatulli to Bhagini Glacier Base Camp and back (12 Kms Trek – one way – Moderate to Tough Difficulty)

Dronagiri Trek Altitude Map:

  • Joshimath – 6,300 Feets (1,920 Meters)
  • Jumma – 7,500 Feets (2,286 Meters)
  • Rwing – 7,850 Feets (2,393 Meters)
  • Dronagiri Village – 12,000 Feets (3,658 Meters)
  • Nandi Kund – Around 13,000 Feets (3,962 Meters)
  • Bhagini Glacier – 14,814 Feets (4,515 Meters)

 

One of the six main tributories of Alakhnanda River
The Dhauliganga is one of the six source streams of the Ganges river. It meets the Alaknanda River at Vishnuprayag at the base of Joshimath mountain in Uttarakhand.

 

The 82 km long Dhauliganga rises at an altitude of 5,070 m (16,630 ft) in the Niti Pass in Chamoli District of Uttarakhand. At Raini, 25 km (16 mi) from Joshimath, it is joined by the Rishi Ganga river. The Dhauliganga ends at Vishnuprayag when it runs into the Alaknanda River. Tapovan, known for its hot sulfur springs, is situated on the banks of the river.

 

The bridge at Jumma Village Main road. We did not cross this bridge, but a smaller, wobbly bridge at the bottom of this one (not seen in the pic). This place is very windy and dusty. The bridge wobbles due to this and the enormous sound of Dhauliganga River adds to the thrill of crossing the bridge.

 

The bridge after trekking around 1 Km towards Rwing. The trail is easy and they are building a road from Jumma to Rwing, which is likely to get completed by next year. Once this is done, the actual trek will start from Rwing.

 

Snow laden mountain in Dronagiri range. According to the locals, this kind of mountains are called Kuber Bhandar. They believe that Lord of Wealth, Kuber vowed to protect Himalayas wealth in these mountains.
Life on the edge. Himalayan mountains are full of land/rock slides. The huge rocks are just hanging on top of you just by a thin film of mud and smaller rocks. Even a small animal movement can trigger a massive land slide in seconds. This photo shows how lives of people living here are at the mercy of mother nature.

 

The beautiful and muddy Dhauliganga River.

 

Our Trail after Rwing Village. Rwing to Dronagiri is an 8km difficult trek with an altitude gain of around 1,400m. It will take around 3-4 hours for a normal trekker to complete this trek. The trail that this trek follows is excitingly adventurous with valley crosses and landslide prone mountain passes.

 

This route is ecological and has rich diversity in terms of flora and fauna. Halfway through the trek, a house like structure has been built for fellow trekkers to take a break or halt during the night. There is no water resource until you reach around 5-6 kms. While the locals suggest drinking the stream water from the mountains can prove fatal as they also flow through some poisonous plants. It is advisable to carry 2 liters of water each to be on a safer side.

 

The trail from Rwing to Dronagiri. The path after the halfway mark gets difficult as the terrain now gets steeper and the forest converts into a bed of herbs. There are many ups and downs and we had to walk on rocks, mud, loose soil and through a massive land slide zone. The walking becomes difficult as we climb higher. It is advisable to rest at regular intervals and drink lot of water.

 

The landslide area. The last leg of the trek which is a two kilometers stretch is the toughest.  As you would gain around 500-600m altitude, you would require a lot of energy and stamina. The difficulty adds on as this entire stretch is a landslide prone area and you literally feel like you’re at the edge of the mountain. This area is very scary to cross as large rocks are hanging above you and walking is difficult due to lose soil, altitude, and fatigue.

 

The first glimpse of Dronagiri Village from the landslide zone. One side of the mountain has been eroding due to the landslide which occured 7-8 years ago.

 

Once you cross this stretch, that is when you get the first glimpse of the Dronagiri village. But wait you’ve still not reached the village. To reach the village, you will have to finish the final 700 mts, which is quite possibly the toughest part of the trek, once you cross this, you reach the campsite.
The Dronagiri Village.

The only possible accommodation that we could find at Dronagiri was the Govt approved campsites where 4-5 large tents have been put up. The GMVN (Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam) guesthouse was under renovation when we reached there. The tents were quite big and spacious which can easily accommodate 6-8 people. Though we trekked this route during the pre-monsoons, we were greeted with light drizzles and a 5-degree drop in the temperature. 

The campsite and Village on the right. The staff at the campsite was very friendly and caring. The food, black tea, and hot water to drink anytime you ask for should be the highlight alongside very neatly maintained restrooms.
The locals there are warm and friendly and we even got the chance to play a game of cricket with the kids followed by a round of chai and pakoras.

 

Haathi Parvat. Stunning Views from the Dronagiri Village.

 

Beautiful views from Dronagiri Village.

 

The Dronagiri Village. Since we could not visit Nandi Kund or Bhagini Glacier, due to bad weather, we decided to trek around 2-3 kms up to get a better view of the village, valley and nearby mountains.
The trek route to Nandi Kund. Nandi Kund is around 4 Kms tough trek from Dronagiri Village. We could not visit Nandi Kund as it was raining the next day.

 

Some of the peaks that you get a glimpse of from Dronagiri are: Nandikund (4kms) from where you see an array of mountains at arms stretch. Changa Banga, Hardeval, Trishul, Kalanka and many more. One can trek to Lower and Upper Bagini glaciers (13Kms), Garapak (7Kms) and Dronagiri Parvat base.
Local Sheep. These can be local delicacies as well (on request and at 3-4K price tag). However, its advisable not to consume meat at high altitudes. It can create indigestion, diarrhoea and acute mountain sickness due to dehydration.
The surrouding mountains

 

Towards Bhagini Glacier

 

A local shephard

 

Our staff. Really good people.

 

Wild herb in the Himalayas

 

Keeda Jadi. Ophiocordyceps sinensis (formerly known as Cordyceps sinensis and also known as yarsagumba, keera jhar, keeda jadi, keeda ghas or ghaas fafoond in Nepali) is an entomopathogenic fungus (a fungus that grows on insects) found in mountainous regions of Nepal and Tibet. It parasitizes larvae of ghost moths and produces a fruiting body which used to be valued as a herbal remedy.
Another local herb known as “Jamboo Pharan”. This herb is used as a replacement of onions and tomatoes. The herb is dried and coarsely powdered. This powder is used for Dal Tadka, Dry Aloo and any dry curry dish. This exactly tastes like onion and tomatoes! Another wonder of the Himalayas!
There is no other bliss than having hot breakfast in your tent surrounded by mighty mountains.

 

Haathi, Godha Parvat views from Dronagiri Village Campsite.

 

Our trek also featured in Deccan Herald on 27th Of July 2017.

 

Visit here if you wish to join us for the Dronagiri Trek.

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