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For the mountain lover, the winters are a great time to be traveling in the Himalayas because of the clear views and sunny days. This winter trek gives you the opportunity to scale a small trekking peak in the Garhwal Himalayas, Chandrashila peak (4000m). On the trek, you pass through undulating grass meadows in summer, but in winters this terrain forms the perfect base for a snow trek with undulating meadows of snow. With the close proximity of this trek to the road head, the trek is ideal for beginners wanting to experience the joys of snow trekking in a safe and relatively comfortable manner.
In the first leg of the trek we hike up to Deoriatal. This is a beautiful lake at an altitude of 2438 m and has captivating surroundings with forests all around. This trail would not have much snow and it forms an easy start for the trek ahead. From Deoriatal, the Chaukhamba peak feels like it is an arms length away and the reflection of the mighty peak in the crystal clear waters of the lake creates a beautiful effect. The story associated with this scenic place is that when the Pandavas were in exile and were hiding from the Kaurava king, Duryodhan, they stopped nearby for a rest. When their mother Kunti felt thirsty, one by one four of her sons went to fetch water from this lake but died, as they could not answer the question put forth to them by the Yaksha Devta who resided here. When the eldest son’s Yudishtra’s turn came, he answered all questions correctly and with the result the dead brothers also came back to life. Chaukhamba Peak View from Deoriatal Here we will camp by the lakeside and enjoy the star spangled sky in the night.
Next on our trail is Chopta, popularly referred to as the Mini-Switzerland of India because of its undulating green meadows (carpets of snow in winter!!) and a breath taking view of the majestic Himalayan peaks. We will start getting into big snows on this trail and once in Chopta would have a lot of snow all around. Depending on the snow conditions, we will either decide to camp or we would stay in some homestays that dot this place. Staying in here is a totally enjoyable experience with the excellent views and beautiful valleys all around. Next day, from here we will trek up to the Tungnath temple, which at an altitude of 3680m is the highest Shiva shrine in the world. There would be thick snow all around and we would have a totally enjoyable experience trekking through this terrain. All along the route one gets wonderful views of the Himalayan giants including Bandarpoonch, Kedar, Chaukhamba peaks and many more. From Tungnath you can trek up a further 1 kms to the summit of Chandrashilla peak at about 4000 m. The 180 degree view of the snow-capped peaks and the underlying valleys all around make this trek well worth it.
Another interesting and beautiful part of this trip is the opportunity to spend time at Himalayan Eco Lodges & Campsite Kund.This lodge overlooks the Mandakini river and is in the shadow of the Kedar peak and is a beautiful base to begin and end the trip.
Meet the group at the designated point in Delhi at 5 PM. After a small briefing session we will our start our overnight journey to Dehradun by Volvo Bus.
Reach Dehradun by 6:00 am. After brekfast we will drive to Sankri via Mussorrie. We will stop for lunch en route. This is an enjoyable drive initially along the Yamuna and towards the latter part along the beautiful Tons river. There are very beautiful pine forest sections along the drive today. Upon reaching Sankri we will check into the scenically located hotel Wild Orchid. Sankri is paradise on earth and we will take an evening stroll in this beautiful hamlet to get our muscles charged for the trek to come. Overnight stay in the hotel.
After a leisurely breakfast we will set out on the hike. Today’s hike is a moderate one and moves through a beautiful forest section for most part. From our hotel we will walk to Saur village and from there we start climbing up. We will reach a small lake/pond called Juda-ka-Talab after a couple of hours. This pond freezes into solid ice during winters. We continue on the trail and the views get really exciting as we start to get a glimpse of the tips of the snow capped peaks of the Himalayas. After hiking for another hour and a half or so we reach a meadow used by shepherds during the summers. We will camp here for the night. At this campsite we have some Gujjar huts for safety back up. Overnight in tents.
Post breakfast we begin the trek towards Kedar Kantha base, our destination for the day. The route is beautiful with vast fields of snow and patches of green in between them. Views are open on all sides and will keep one busy with the camera. It is going to be an exhausting but enjoyable hike today. The Kedar Kantha base campsite is an open snow ground surrounded by trees. This site has been chosen keeping in mind the safety aspect and is a wonderful place to set up a camp. Here too we have a safety back up hut. From nearby we get fabulous views of Swargarohini, Bandarpoonch& Kalanag peaks. Overnight in tents.
The distance to the summit is not long but is reasonably steep and walking on snow makes it more tiring and time consuming. We will, depending upon the snow conditions select the best route leading to the summit. We will start quite early so that we are walk on hard snow while climbing up. It will take anywhere between 4 to 5 hours to get to the top. The views are outstanding from the summit. You get to see all the mountains of the Yumnotri and Gangotri range and also of KinnerKailash range and other ranges in Himachal. Also there are some great views of the underlying valleys. After spending sometime at the top we will start descending and walk all the way down to base camp. You are sure to come back exhilarated. Overnight in tents
Post early breakfast, start descending to Sankri. At Sankri we will check into a very comfortable and scenically located hotel, take a hot shower and change into much needed fresh clothes. Overnight in a hotel
After breakfast board the vehicles and start driving back towards Dehradun. Arrive in Dehradun by around late afternoon. After Dinner Board overnight Bus to Delhi. Our trip ends here.
Accommodation in standard rooms in a hotel in Sankri on single/double occupancy
High-quality camping arrangements – We believe that roughing it out necessarily doesn’t mean sleeping in smelly sleeping bags, compromising on safety by using low-quality equipment and having unappetizing meals. We focus on your safety, basic comforts and the environment while camping. Keeping this is mind, the following equipment is provided on the trek:
