Bamsaru Khal Trek

Bamsaru Khal remains one of the more genuinely obscure high passes within the Govind Wildlife Sanctuary, and this seven-day crossing begins with a short drive from Sankri, the well-known base village for several more famous treks in this valley, to Taluka, the roadhead where the Supin river trail properly begins. From Taluka the path follows the river closely through dense deodar and pine forest, part of the protected Govind National Park that gives this entire region its rich biodiversity, and the walk offers an early chance to spot Himalayan birdlife including the occasional monal, its iridescent plumage flashing briefly among the undergrowth before it vanishes back into cover. The trail rises and falls gently along the valley wall, crossing several wooden bridges over side streams, and the overall gradient stays forgiving for most of the day, making this a reasonable introduction to a trek that grows considerably more demanding in its second half. Osla, the day's destination, is one of the most architecturally distinctive villages in this part of Uttarakhand, its tightly packed wooden houses stacked almost on top of one another up a steep hillside, and the village temple dedicated to Duryodhana, a notably unusual devotional choice given the Mahabharata's traditional villain status elsewhere in India, reflects a local mythology in which the Pandavas are viewed less favourably than in most of the country. Guides here are often happy to explain the specific local legends behind this reversed reverence, adding real cultural depth to what might otherwise be simply a scenic overnight stop. A guesthouse room in Osla offers proper comfort before the trek moves into more remote, camping-only terrain from tomorrow onward, and the evening's relatively low altitude allows for a genuinely relaxed first night despite the seven demanding days that lie ahead.

The climb toward Har Ki Dun today follows one of Garhwal's most celebrated valley approaches, the trail leaving Osla's terraced fields behind and climbing steadily through mixed forest before opening onto increasingly wide alpine meadow as the valley itself comes into view. Har Ki Dun, meaning valley of gods in local tradition, has drawn trekkers for decades given its combination of accessible beauty and genuine high-altitude drama, the meadow floor ringed by peaks including the striking, twin-summited Swargarohini rising directly at the valley's head. Unlike the far quieter terrain awaiting beyond Bamsaru Khal in the coming days, this stretch sees regular trekking traffic, and the well-established path, while still demanding in its overall elevation gain, offers a comparatively gentle warm-up before the trek's more serious, unmarked sections begin. Streams braid gently across the valley floor as the trail nears its destination, and shepherd flocks belonging to families from Osla and Gangad graze freely across the wide pasture through the summer months. Camp is pitched on a grassy shelf with unobstructed views toward Swargarohini's ice-streaked ridgeline, and the relatively early arrival allows time for a leisurely exploration of the immediate area, including a short walk toward Jaundhar glacier's lower reaches visible at the valley's upper end. Guides use the evening to explain how tomorrow's route toward Bamsaru Khal Base Camp departs from the standard Har Ki Dun trekking circuit entirely, leaving behind the established path and established campsites in favour of considerably rougher, less frequented terrain. The scale and beauty of tonight's camp, among the most photographed in all of Garhwal, provides a memorable final night of relative comfort before the trek's genuinely remote stages begin in earnest tomorrow.