Route library · Camping · Camping
Delhi to Har Ki Dun
Har Ki Dun — the ‘valley of gods’ — is a cradle valley at about 3,500 m in the upper Tons basin, in Govind Pashu Vihar national park, under the ice pyramid of Swargarohini (the peak the Pandavas are said to have climbed to heaven). The trail passes Osla and Gangad, old villages of stacked-timber houses with their own customs and a Duryodhana temple. This is a ride-and-trek camp: two riding days to Sankri, bikes parked, then a multi-day trek to camp in the valley.
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At a glance
- Round trip
- About 950–1,050 km
- Riding time
- 2 days to Sankri each way; then trek days
- Nights
- 5–6 nights
- Start point
- Delhi (via Saharanpur, Vikasnagar, Mori and Sankri)
- Highest point
- About 3,500 m at Har Ki Dun; the Jaundhar glacier / Marinda Tal options are higher
- Difficulty
- Challenging. Plains and a long Tons-valley hill road to Sankri, then a graded multi-day trek with camps to ~3,500 m.
- Surface
- Sealed to Sankri; the Mori–Sankri road is narrow hill tar, patchy and slide-repaired. Beyond Sankri (Taluka link road then trail) it is a trekking route — the Taluka road is very rough and often walked.
- Best season
- Mid-April to June and mid-September to November. Snow closes the upper valley in winter (it is a popular snow trek in December–March for experienced groups). The monsoon floods the Tons tributaries and slicks the trail.
- Permits
- Entry through Govind Pashu Vihar national park — forest permit and entry fee at Sankri, and camping only at designated sites. Go with a registered guide.
The ride
Delhi → Saharanpur → Vikasnagar → Mori → Sankri over two days — plains, then a long, winding Tons-valley hill road. Base a night at Sankri (~1,950 m), take the forest permit, and secure the bikes.
Trek: Sankri → Taluka (rough road or walk) → Osla / Gangad → Kalkattiyadhaar → Har Ki Dun (camp), following the Supin river. Options from the valley: the Jaundhar glacier snout, Marinda Tal, or the Ruinsara Tal side valley. Registered guide, cook and porters; the bikes wait at Sankri.
Day by day
Delhi to Purola / Mori
Plains to Vikasnagar, then the Tons-valley road to Purola or Mori (9–11 hours). Night here.
To Sankri; permit
Short ride to Sankri, take the forest permit, secure the bikes, organise the trek. Acclimatisation night.
Trek: Sankri/Taluka to Osla
The Taluka link (ride the rough road or walk), then the river trail to Osla / Gangad. Camp near the village.
Trek: Osla to Har Ki Dun
Up the Supin valley to Har Ki Dun; camp under Swargarohini.
Har Ki Dun day
A day walk to the Jaundhar glacier snout or Marinda Tal. Second night in the valley.
Trek out to Sankri
Down the valley over two days, or one long day, to the bikes.
Sankri to Delhi
The long ride home — split it if the group is tired.
Fuel & services
- Fill up at Vikasnagar and again at Purola — treat Purola as your last reliable fuel; Mori and Sankri have no dependable pump.
- From Purola to Sankri and back is roughly 130–160 km of hill riding with no reliable fuel. Fill at Purola and carry 3–5 litres of spare for the group. The bikes are then parked for the trek.
- Sankri has homestays, GMVN and trek-operator lodges; on the trek it is designated tented camps only (park rules), run by the operator. Everything on the trail is carried. Carry cash from Vikasnagar / Purola.
Road & conditions
Plains to Vikasnagar are easy. The Tons-valley road from Vikasnagar through Nowgaon, Purola and Mori to Sankri is long, narrow, winding hill tar — patchy, slide-repaired, with drop-offs and slow local traffic — a full day in itself; ride it in daylight. The Sankri–Taluka link is very rough and frequently just walked. Beyond Taluka there is no road. In the valley, standard weather and lightning discipline; the Supin crossings rise through the day.
Bike, fuel & getting help
- Suggested bike
- Easier with more torque and travel — a 250cc-plus or a small ADV. A confident rider can do it on a commuter.
- Fuel gap
- One long stretch without a pump — fill up before it and top off where you can.
- Spare fuel
- Carry 3–5 litres of spare fuel.
- Emergency & logistics
- District hospital at Uttarkashi and a CHC at Purola; beyond Sankri there is no road, signal or vehicle evacuation — a rescue is a long stretcher carry to Taluka. Camps sit at 2,900–3,500 m in a national park; a registered guide and the Joshiyara/Sankri acclimatisation night are required, and anyone with AMS descends.
Best time to ride
Mid-April to June for green valley and rhododendron with the last snow patches, and mid-September to November for golden meadows, clear Swargarohini and firm ground. Winter (December–March) is a popular but serious snow trek — a different, cold-weather trip. The monsoon floods the Tons tributaries, slicks the trail and brings leeches.
What to add to your kit
Beyond the standard ride kit: full trekking kit and a sub-zero sleeping bag (or the operator's kit), poles, warm layers, a first-aid kit with altitude medication, a satellite messenger or the operator's comms, spare fuel for the Purola–Sankri leg, cash, and the forest-permit paperwork. Respect Osla's customs — ask before photographing the temple or homes.
Ride this with a group
We run Har Ki Dun as a 6–7 day ride-and-trek — two riding days to Sankri, a forest permit, and a multi-day camp in a cradle valley under Swargarohini past the timber village of Osla, with a valley-camp clean-up as the service action. Trek-fit riders only.