The pass is probably the best window to view the high Himalayan peaks. The views are simply breathtaking, facing north the vision sweeps from the gorges of Trishul in the east to the peaks of Kedarnath in the west-Kedarnath, Chaukhamba, Nilkantha, Kamet, Gauri Parbat, Hathi Parbat, Nandadevi, Bethartoli, Dunagiri-(all high 6000ers or 7000 m peaks) lined one after the other in a magnificent arc-Southwards the foothills stretch wave upon wave on to the dim haze of the distant plains. Dotted by some remote villages one also gets good insights into the local life.
DAYS 1-3
- Day 1: Delhi – Rishikesh (550 M)
Board the morning Shatabdi Express departing New Delhi at 7am. Reach Haridwar at 11:30 am. Pass Rishikesh, a bustling pilgrim township, a popular meditation centre and the Yoga Capital of the world. Arrive at Camp Aquaterra. Optional raft trip. Campfire dinner and overnight Camp.
- Day 2: Rishikesh – Ghat (1330 M)
The drive takes one into the rugged country of the Garhwal along the Alaknanda river. Going past a few holy confluences and then finally into the narrow valley of Mandakini we reach Ghat, the road head for the trek in the evening.
- Day 3: Ghat – Ghunni (2550 M)
The trail is a gradual uphill along the dirt road with some parts being quite steep. We camp just above the fairly large village of Ramni in a nice grassy patch and visit the village in the evening.
DAYS 4-6
- Day 4: Ghunni – Sem Kharak (2400 M)
The trail starts climbing up to the pass, crosses a lot of small tributary rivers and waterfalls including one which offers a great opportunity for a shower. After a steady climb we arrive a small pass called Ramni pass (3060m) which offers views of Kuari Pass and then we descend gradually to the grazing meadows of Sem Kharak.
- Day 5: Sem Kharak – Pana (2450 M)
From Sem kharak we descend down to the suspension bridge over the Birthi Ganga then climb up again to another prosperous village of Pana.
- Day 6: Pani – Dhakwani (3395 M)
Option of camping at Sartoli (2980m), an hour and a half short of Dhakwani. A few ascends, descends and traverses brings us close to the foot of the Kuari Pass. The trail comes out of the tree line and goes through the grazing grounds in the meadow country to reach Dhakwani.
DAYS 7-9
- Day 7: Dhakwani – Tali (1560 M)
The trail is steep up to the Kuari Pass (3840m) and it takes about 2-3 hours to get there. Once we are up on the pass, the views are simply breathtaking, a wide panorama of high Himalayas – the Chaukhamba range, Nilkanth (6596m), and Abigamin (7355m) extend to the Tibetan border. In the middle foreground, the main Himalayain chain in the vicinity of the Bhyundar valley & Hemkund includes Nilgiri parbat (6474m), Rataban (6166m). We walk down the beautiful ridge heading towards Auli and camp at the small campsite of Tali in the woods.
- Day 8: Tali – Auli – Pipalkoti (1330 M)
The last day of the trek is very different from the rest of the days. We climb out of the woods into the meadowland with wide views of the high mountains right in front. The walk finishes at Auli before going through the wide rolling meadows of Gorson. It’s about 3 hours drive from here to the comforts of the hotel in Pipalkoti.
- Day 9: Pipalkoti – Haridwar
After an early morning breakfast set out for the long 8 hr drive to reach Haridwar in the evening to board the evening Shatabdi Express leaving at 6:10 pm to be back in Delhi by 10:30 pm. Trip ends !
Inclusions:
- Travel from Delhi and back by road / rail (by non-AC / 2 or 3 tier AC coach)
- All transfers in a non-AC vehicle as per the itinerary
- All arrangements for staying and camping while on trip
- Accommodation on twin sharing basis in Tents/Hotel
- All meals as mentioned in itinerary & safe drinking water
- All rafting arrangements with India’s most experienced guiding team, camp staff and cooks
- All common camping and rafting equipment
- Porterage upto 15kg/person
- Peak fee/sanctuary fee/royalty/permits where applicable
Exclusions:
- Sleeping bag
- Flights not included in the above-mentioned cost
- Any transfers or meals outside of itinerary
- Bottled water
- Items of personal clothing
- Expenses of any personal nature (laundry / phone calls / alcohol / cigarettes / insurance / camera fee / etc.)
- Any expense incurred due to force of nature such as landslides, bad weather or reasons beyond our control
- Tips & gratuities (we recommend 5-10% of your trip cost- to be distributed among the team) – personal choice
- Travel & cancellation insurance
FROM PREVIOUS EXPEDITIONS
Take a look at photos & videos from previous journeys. Read testimonials from our new & regular clients.
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WHY GO WITH AQUATERRA ADVENTURES
A question easy to answer, you may wonder, in an age where adventure travel is apparently booming. Varying costs are available and there is no shortage of operators willing to run your trip. This is possibly the most important decision for you to make, after you have chosen to take on an adventure trip.
An Experienced Team
Our team of guides has years of experience of travel throughout the Indian Himalaya, from running rivers to leading treks – from the barren Zanskar to the tropical rainforest of Arunachal Pradesh. They speak English, have completed graduate school, are current with First Aid and CPR certification and form the most experienced guiding team in the country today.
Value for Money
The prices of our trips provide a high value for money returns. They are priced to keep our standards high and your trip, smooth. Cost usually is a deciding factor for many a trip, but for an adventure trip, the deciding factor should be confidence in your operator. We combine high operator confidence with a pricing balanced to give you a trip to remember.
Best Equipment
Equipment on all our adventure travel trips matches worldwide standards. On treks, we use 4 season 2-person tents, which can withstand the harshest weather conditions, and keep you dry and protected from the elements. Outfitter wings accompany all mountain trips for dining under.
Great Food
Our staff is trained in hygienic preparation of meals and offers a great variety of food on an outdoor trip. Good equipment, food and guides is what makes an outdoor trip an experience to savour.
WHAT TRAVELLERS SAY ABOUT US
Uday Bengal
Musician & Lead Band Member – Indus Creed
A bunch of us friends recently got in touch with Aquaterra Adventures to set up a whitewater rafting trip on the Tons River in the north Indian state of Uttarakhand. The Aquaterra team were excellent in every way: they were superbly efficient, highly reassuringly safe and extremely warm, friendly and hospitable.
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Pooja Dhameja
Avid Trekker
There isn’t a more classy example of a team that is so well organised, courteous, warm and welcoming! The arrangements right from the camping sights, food, refreshments and stay were so extremely comfortable, of-course the food and the variety offered just beat everything else.
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Mr. Rajesh
Avid Adventurer
Camp Bagi (near Mori, Uttarakhand) is a beautifully located and professionally maintained wilderness camping site. Operated by Aquaterra, the gold standard in adventure tours in India, it offered us a highly memorable rafting, hiking and camping experience over the 4 days that we stayed there (May 28-31, 2019)
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Geetika
Adventure Enthusiast from Gurgaon
Great job by the team, especially Rana. We went with 2 kids aged 2.5 yrs and 6.5 yrs and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. My elder one loved the trek and the rafting experience was great too! Definitely recommend it for others.
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We strive to create the best trips possible for you, with uncommon professionalism, unsurpassed personal service and a commitment to protect and preserve the cultures and environments through which we travel. Get in touch with us to plan your next holiday