panchachuli Base Camp Trek
Time : May/June- Sept/October
Trek Duration : 14 nights and 13 days (includes days of travelling)
Region : Kumaon Hills (Almora)
Max. Altitude : 3500-4000 m
Detailed Itinerary
Panchachuli Base Camp trek goes up the Darma Valley near the borders of Nepal and Tibet situated in Pithoragarh district. It is an area of outstanding beauty and of significance to anthropologists. This area touches the inner zones inhabited by semi-Mongolian people called Bhotias (Bhote – Bod). In Dukut, villagers bury the potatoes and other provisions in the winter and dig them out after the winter season. The people are migratory by nature, and though living in a remote Himalayan valley, are quite literate and far from being primitive. This comfortable trek goes through the remote border villages giving an opportunity to observe the lifestyle, customs and culture of the natives. The area offers panoramic and enchanting beauty. The base camp called Nyulpha, is situated on a small meadow flanked by the Meola and Sona Glaciers with the backdrop of snowcapped peaks of Panchachuli III, IV and V. The Panchachuli massif has five summits (the five cooking pots on which the Pandavas cooked their last meal on their way to heaven). It forms the barrier between the Darma and Gori valleys. The summits are numbers north to south. Peak II at 6904 m is the highest.
Dharchula is an important camp along the Shinla Pass, Kailash Mansarovar, Chhota Kailash and Narayan Ashram routes, Dharchula, is also popular for wool and woollen products.Narayan Ashram established by Narayan Swami in 1936 is a spiritual cum socio-educational centre. The Ashram, has become an important social - educational institution and attracts many scholars and Himalayan wilderness lovers from all over the country. The well-known geographer Pranavanand was closely associated with both Pithoragarh and Narayan Ashram. In this very region, Kandali festival is celebrated once in twelve years.
Trek Itinerary
Day 1
Meet in Delhi Railway station “COMESUM RESTAURANT” at 8.00 p.m. sharp. Train to Kathgodham by Ranikhet Express. Train departure at 10.40 p.m.
Day 2. Arrival at Kathgodam station at 5.45 a.m.
Arrival at Kathgodam station at 5.45 a.m.
Assembly at 7.00 a.m. at station. From Kathgodam we take you to Dharchula (300 km) via Pithogarh/Sheraghat by charted 3x2 non-AC bus / shared taxies. Lunch and tea on the way. Arrive at Dharchula by 2100 hours. Check-in at Hotel. Dinner and overnight at Hotel.
Day 3 . Dharchula - Tawaghat - Sobla - Dhar(2134 Mts/7000 Ft) (35 Kms Drive And 5 Kms Trek)
Wake-up at 0700 hrs. Freshen up. After Breakfast ,onward journey to Sobla/ Dar (~32 km) by charted shared taxis to sobla via Tawaghat and from here trek up to Dhar. Sobla is the entry point to the Darma Valley and is the starting point of our trek. On arrival at Dhar village set out a camp for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 4. Urthing - Nagling (8 Km)
This trek route starts with a short climb upto Sela and from Sela we pass through dense forests of Pine & Fur. We also come across thick bushes of rhododendron, potentilla & other wild flowers. And then comes the major climb of Nagling where we ascend about 1,000 ft. to be at Nagling.Overnight in tents
Day 5 Nagling - Saun (12 km)
Nagling to Baling is a soft trek of about 5 km and at a distance of 3 km from Baling to saun. We get the first glimpse of Panchachuli range. The entire trek from here commands a constant view of the mighty Himalayan peaks. Overnight halt at Saun.
Day 6. Saun - Panchachuli Glacier - Nagling (12 kms.)
This is probably the most enjoyable and memorable day of the trek. We reach close to the snout of Panchachuli glacier from Saun. After spending a few hours at the snow patches, we return to Saun and proceed to Nagling for night halt.
Day 7 : Nagling - Bugyal (Medow) - Urthing (14 kms.)
downhill trek to camp at Urthing for the night
Day 8 : Urthing -Dharchula - Pithoragarh
Day 9 : Pithoragarh - Nainital
Day 10 : Nainital.
Free day at Naintal.
Leave post lunch for Khatgodham to take the Ranikhet express at 20.40hrs.
Day 11.
Arr. Delhi and Disperse
inclusions
- A/C train travel from Delhi to Kathgodham and back.
- .Chartered bus from Kathgodam to Dharchula, further to Sobla/Dar by four wheeler and back to Dharchula and Kathgodam.
- Hotel accommodations at Dharchula before and after the trek.
- Hotel accommodation at Nainital
- All food expenses, other lodging charges, porter charges for carrying your loads, mules/ponies charges, cooks, guide and equipment charges.