This Guy's Adventure Filled One Week Trip to Valley of Flowers, Hemkund Sahib, Badrinath and 's Last Village - Mana

(7 nights, 8 days)

Tour Route: – Govind Ghat – Ghangria – Govind Ghat – Mana – Badrinath – Govind Ghat – Rishikesh

Tour Duration: 7 nights, 8 days

Estimate travel dates: August 7-14

Group size: 20 people

********************************************************************************************* Brief Itinerary

August 7: Meet at Rishikesh at 5 am sharp. Leave for Govind Ghat. August 8, Monday: Govind Ghat to Ghangria via Poolna. August 9: Ghangria to Valley of Flowers and back. August 10: Ghangria to Hemkund Sahib and back. August 11: Descend to Poolna. Drive back to Govind Ghat. August 12: Day visit to Mana village and Badrinath. August 13: Govind Ghat to Rishikesh. August 14: After early breakfast, depart for your respective cities. Note: People can arrive at Rishikesh on August 6th night (please note: trippers can make their own arrangements for this night or book your accommodation with us for an extra charge.) or reach directly on August 7th morning any time before 5 am. On August 14th people can leave any time in the morning.

Trek Information:

In the of lies a palette of colours for you to trek and explore. With one side where tall cliffs greet the sky, the other side covered in snow clad mountains and a serene river meandering between the two, we present to you a picture-perfect trek. With approximately 80 species of flowers growing in the valley, the sight is nothing short of a treat for the eyes. While rainfall can be expected during our trip’s dates, July is still considered one of the best months to visit the valley as the monsoon is when the flowers are in full bloom. We will also take the challenging climb to Hemkund Sahib because a gorgeous alpine lake lies at a height of 14,300 ft! Cliffs merged in clouds, Pushpavati river gliding through the valley, a gurudwara situated next to a stunning high-altitude lake and a valley covered with a blanket of flowers, make this a trekkers paradise! DETAILED ITINERARY:

August 7: Early morning: Get to meet your co-trippers and leave for base camp.

Altitude: 6,300 ft; Time taken: 12 hours

On August 7 early morning (5 am), the group will meet at a pre-decided point in Rishikesh and from there we will travel to our base camp, i.e., Govind Ghat. The drive is a long one but there’s river Alaknanda accompanying us along the Badrinath highway, so, let’s play some games, put on some music and sing along to make the drive a highly enjoyable one!

We shall arrive at our base camp (Govind Ghat) by the evening. Govind Ghat is a hamlet where and adventure seekers all unite. It is located at the confluence of Lakshman and Alaknanda rivers. Perched 1800 meters above sea level, Govind Ghat sits surrounded by hills, covered in mist at the time and serves as the starting point for both Valley of Flowers and Hemkund Sahib. If you wish to hire a mule or a porter to carry your luggage for the course of the trek, Govind Ghat is the place to do so. Today, spend time getting to know your fellow trippers, enjoy each other’s company and get rest before starting your trek the next day.

August 8: Drive from Govind Ghat to Poolna. Trek to Ghangria from Poolna.

Altitude: Drive from 6,300 ft to 7,200 ft; Trek from 7,200 ft to 9,600 ft. Time taken: 4 km drive to Poolna. 9km trek over 5-6 hours trek.

Early morning, we drive down to Poolna. This drive has reduced the earlier 13 km trek to Ghangria, to 9km now. From Poolna we commence our trek for the next exciting 4 days to come. Hike through the greenery and meadows with the river in the background whilst soaking in the beauty around you. Sing a song while you trek along; for this is the start to a beautiful trek. Valley of Flowers is one of Uttarakhand’s most popular treks and Hemkund Sahib is a significant point, thus, you will find the trail covered with fellow trekkers and pilgrims alike and all of us shall greet and motivate one another along the way. The stone paved path is a well defined one and lined with dhabbas along the way to feed your bellies! At the mid-point of our day we shall cross the river and go to the other bank. Once we have covered about 5 km of our walk, we will arrive at Bhyundar village. The village is known to offer amazing views for clear Hathi Parvat sights. Take a picture, capture these gorgeous sights in your mind and after that commence your steep ascent. It is noteworthy to mention that despite its great popularity the trail of this trek maintains its cleanliness. The credit for this goes to the volunteers who keenly keep it clean. As we make our way through the gorgeous trek we shall also refrain from littering and help keep it clean and gorgeous.

Once you start seeing tabular land you will know that you are close to Ghangria. We will reach Gangharia before nightfall, attaining an altitude of 9,600 ft. The cozy little Ghangria is a single street village lined with restaurants, hotels and a gurudwara that opens its doors to all. Ghangria shall be our home for the next 3 nights so take your time and take lazy strolls around it. Tonight, lets enjoy our day’s work with some scrumptious dhabba food, with each other’s stories and conversations in these stunning surroundings. August 9: Ghangria to Valley of Flowers and back

Altitude: 9,600 ft to 11,500 ft and back Time taken: 3.7 km each way covered over a total of 6-7 hours

This is the day you’ve been waiting for, the highlight of our trip – the valley of flowers. We will start early morning and walk through dense forests to reach our destination. Once we cross the forest check point, we arrive at Laxman waterfall. After this waterfall we again stop at a rustic wooden bridge standing above the gushing Pushpavati river. Did someone say photo opp?!

After this we reach the valley. Prepare to be spellbound by the varieties of flowers you will see. With approximately 80 species of flowers growing here, some of the native popularly known species are Blue Poppy, Meadow Geranium, Himalayan Rose, Dog Flower, White Leaf Hog Foot, Hooked Stick Seed, Snake Foil. Let’s get lost in a riot of colours!

Walk around and see all the different kinds of flowers blooming all around. Try to name as many as possible or more importantly if you can’t name them just let your eyes be mesmerized by their beauty. They say that flowers in this valley aren’t just a delightful sight but also offer unknown scents that engulf your senses.

The mountains that surround you are covered with trees at the bottom and snow capped at the top with the stream flowing through the course of the valley. Keep moving around till you reach a point from where a glacier is visible at a distance. This sounds like a dreamy set up straight out of a movie, so, in true filmy style let’s break out into a dance and have our own magical moment!

Spend your day between the different flowers, buds of all sizes, leaves of all shapes and dip your feet into the icy water. There’s a scenery to see everywhere you turn. We will head back to Ghangria by the afternoon. August 10: Trek to Hemkund Sahib and back.

Altitude: 9,600 ft to 14,107 ft and back Time taken: 6 km each way covered for a total of 9-10 hours We start early in the morning as the trail today is a long and steep one. As we wake up in the wee hours the gurudwara in Ghangria is already active with bhajans. Sip your chai and get ready for the day as today is the toughest yet most exhilarating part of our trip! We will cross a waterfall on our way as we make the ascent to Hemkund Sahib. We will head up with periodic breaks so as to avoid altitude sickness. Hemkunt Sahib is dedicated to the tenth Sikh guru, Guru Gobind Sikh. As the trek gets tougher remind yourself that you are headed to one of the world’s highest gurudwaras, standing proudly at 14,107 ft!

Once we reach the top, we will warm ourselves within the gurudwara. Enjoy the food served at the langar here and let the tranquility of the place take over you.

We will then head out to the lake. It is a mirror like glacial lake and when the sky is clear you can see astounding reflections in the water. The view is simply breathtaking! The lake remains frozen for about six months in a year. If you are lucky, you’ll see the Himalayan flower, Brahmakamal blooming here. Rarely spotted this flower is a fascinating sight as it only grows at an altitude between 10,000 to 15,000 ft.

After spending sometime at the lake, we start our descent. We then retire to our accommodation at Ghangria.

August 11: Descend to Poolna, drive down to Govind Ghat; O/N Govind Ghat

Altitude: Trek from 9,600 ft to 7,200 ft, Drive from 7,200 ft to 6,300 ft Time taken: 4 hours, 9 km + 4 km drive

Today we start back for our base camp, Govind Ghat. We shall trek from Ghangria to Poolna. The trail is down the same path from which we began our trek. It won’t make you breathless, but it will require some effort. But what’s a trek without a challenge, right? Not to worry we are there to help with the descent. After this we will go back to Govind Ghat in vehicles and spend our night there. Before we head back to the city life, take your time, connect with the mountains. August 12: Day visit to Mana village and Badrinath; O/N Govind Ghat After having finished our trek, today we are out to do some exploring. So, guess what? Today we are headed to Mana, the last village of India! How cool is that?! I mean how many people can say that they went to the very end of our borders? Well, after today you sure can

Lying on the banks of Saraswati river, this beautiful hamlet is 24kms from the Indo-China border and thus regarded as the last village. Note: Some pictures are from Google

It is believed that when the made their final journey to heaven they passed through this village. You can also walk up to Bheema Pul, a stone bridge which locals believe to have been made by Bheema himself in order for the Pandavas to cross over. Doused in mythology and mystery, this day you get to “check in to the last village of India!”

Lastly, we will head to Badrinath to pay our respects in the nationwide famous temple.

Note: Some pictures are from Google

It is one of the four temples. It is the only one located in the north and surrounded by snowclad peaks. The temple sees pilgrims visiting it in great numbers.

Enjoy your day exploring more in the district of Chamoli. Enjoy the clouds playing around with you. Enjoy the drive as you go around with your new friends.

More fun and games to follow at night.

August 13: Drive back to Rishikesh; O/N Rishikesh

Wake up comfortably today. After breakfast, we start our drive back to Rishikesh. We will reach Rishikesh by late evening. Let’s hit the hippie cafes in and around the streets of Laxman Jhula, let’s huddle together and remember moments from our trek, lets have a laugh and make our last night a memorable one!

August 14: Depart for your respective cities

After our exciting and adventurous trek, we hope you feel rested from your stay in Rishikesh. Post an early breakfast we will all depart for our respective cities. The tour ends today, sadly.

The hotel check-out would be at 10 am. But if you wish to leave your luggage in the hotel reception (as a personal choice) and head out to try some adventure sports you can do that too. Rishikesh offers the chance to give a shot at bungee jumping, river rafting, etc! What's included?

● Accommodation in a 3-star hotel in Rishikesh on August 14th night ● Accommodation in lodges through the course of the trek ● All meals during from August 8 - 11 ● All breakfasts ● Trek fees including Valley of flowers entry fees ● Transportation from to Govind Ghat and back ● Transportation from Govind Ghat to Poolna and back ● Transportation for visit to Mana village and Badrinath ● Local guide throughout the trek ● Trip leader

Exclusions ● Lunches and dinners that are not specified in the Inclusions. ● Any personal expenses, or anything not mentioned under Inclusions, Flights/trains/buses to and from Rishikesh.

Total Cost

Rs 19,000 if booked on or before July 10 Rs 20,000 if booked post July 10 Terms and Conditions: ● This is a moderate level trek. While it does not require prior trekking experience, it does require one to be physically active. Should you choose to participate in this trek it is advisable for you to start running/jogging on a daily basis in order to prepare for the same. Your participation in this trip including the trek is with your own volition and understanding of your general health and fitness. ● Landslides or issues of a similar nature can occur in areas so if our leaders find that your safety is in risk due to weather conditions/landslides/road blockages and/or any such issues/concerns, we shall skip such areas. ● Monsoons can lead to weathered roads which may cause delays or issues of a similar nature. We will to the best of our ability try to rectify this, however, given the nature of our surroundings you are forewarned about the same so as to ensure your kind cooperation and patience in such circumstances. ● Please note that all our arrangements are paid for on a prior basis and any such re-routing and/or delay as per aforementioned or other circumstances can thus not result in refunds. ● Your booking this trip on the basis of this itinerary amounts to an acceptance of the terms and conditions herein stated.

Flight/train/bus tickets:

August 7: Please arrive at Rishikesh before 5 am. You can also opt to reach Rishikesh on August 6th, (arrangements for accommodation for this night can be made through us). We meet at a pre-decided point in Rishikesh on 7th at 5 am. August 14: Fly/depart back from Rishikesh anytime in the morning.

Cancellation Policy:

45 days before the trip start date: full refund Between 45 and 30 days of trip start date: 50% refund Between 30 and 14 days of trip start date: 25% refund Less than 14 days of trip start date: No refund

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