Help reqrd. for Valley of Flowers (Garhwal) and Rudranath.

somnath

14-Jul-07 -Sat -Start from Kolkata -Doon Exp.
15-Jul-07 -Sun -Train
16-Jul-07 -Mon -Hardwar -Joshimath
17-Jul-07 -Tue -Joshimath -Govindaghat
18-Jul-07 -Wed -Govindaghat -Ghangria
19-Jul-07 -Thu -Ghangria > VOF -Ghangria
20-Jul-07 -Fri -Ghangria -Hemkund
21-Jul-07 -Sat -Hemkund -Govindaghat / Joshimath
22-Jul-07 -Sun -Govindaghat / Joshimath -Helong
23-Jul-07 -Mon -Helong Kalpesware
24-Jul-07 -Tue -Kalpesware -Rudranath / Kalpesware
25-Jul-07 -Wed -Rudranath / Kalpesware Helong / Mandal
26-Jul-07 -Thu -Helong / Mandal -Hardwar
27-Jul-07 -Fri -Train from Hardwar -Doon Exp.
28-Jul-07 -Sat -Train
29-Jul-07 -Sun -Doon Exp. -Kolkata

Hi friends,
I need your help once again. I don’t think I’ll be able to plan for any trip during October unlike every year. So just decided to do Valley of Flowers in July.
And the most important thing is that due to some unknown reason (it is like a miracle) my leave is sanctioned without any obstacle. Hmmmmm…….. strange !!!!
Anyways, I am expecting your valuable comments on the said itinerary. I cannot change start date and end date but if I can get some better suggestion absolutely flexible to change the rout. After visiting Kedarnath and Tunganath (October 2006) now I am really interested to do Rudranath & Kalpesware (two of “Panch Kedar”) which is not far away from my rout. So this is added at the 2nd part of my trip.

I’ll be thankful to you if you can post your valuable comment (change in itinerary / expected temperature / clothing / staying options and anything you suggest) here.

Thank you in advance.

- Somnath

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yuhoo

This thread would be useful for VOF related info

Valley of flowers trip !

Sadanand Kamath

Your plan for Valley of Flowers is ok. About your plan to Kalpeshwar and Rudranath, I have following comments to make:

(i) I will suggest you to stay in Joshimath after completion of your trek to VOF on July 21st as it has more staying options than Govindghat. For further details, you may refer to threads on Valley of Flowers.

(ii)Joshimath to Helang is 14 kms. by Road and Helang to Kalpeshawar is about 9 kms by trek with easy grade. Hence if you start early in the morning from Joshimath, you can easily reach Kalpeshwar by afternoon. Hence you can reach Kalpeshwar on July 22nd. In fact, we completed Gopeshwar-Helang (bus)Helang-Kalpeshwar-Helang (Trek)-Joshimath (bus) in a single day.

(iii) I have no idea about Kalpeshwar-Rudranath trek. But I have been told that it is difficult to complete this trek in a single day. and there are no tea houses enroute. My suggestion to you will be to complete the Helang-Kalpeshwar-Helang in a single day which, in my view is not difficult and try to reach Gopeshwar (44 kms from Helang by a evening bus). The next morning, you start from Gopeshwar at around 6.00 a.m. and reach Sagar (25 kms.) by Jeep which you will have to pre-arrange. From Sagar, it is 22 kms trek. we did this trek in about 9 hours. There is no tea house on the way and all food items has to be carried. During our visit, there was one Nepali Sadhu at Panargufa ( 7 kms before Rudranath) who used to give tea to all visitors. A guide for this trek is a must.

(iv) Sagar-Rudranath trek is easy to moderate grade. This trek comes under the Kedarnath Wildlife sanctuary. The trek passes through dense forest and sometime with chest high bushy land. We were advised to walk together in a group with sticks. We did not come across any wildlife.

(v) Both at Kalpeshwar and Rudranath, the staying options are basics. Although priest of Rudranath temple stays near temple, he did not offer us to stay with him. We stayed in shepered's hut at Rudranath.

(vi) Since you are doing this trek in the peak rainy seasons, I will suggest you to keep at least one extra day for some unforeseen eventuality like landslides etc. The road between Mandal and Gopeshwar is prone to landslides.

If anything more comes to my mind, I will come back.

Wish you a happy trekking.

VSK Sharma

Hi,
I mostly agree with SK.
However, you don't spend night at Hemkund. All return back to Ghanghria.
As for Helang to Kalpeshwar is concerned it is some 11 kms on a good village path, climbing up. Rudranath is 35 kms from Kalpeshwar via Dumak and don't go without guide. You may plan it other way round also with going to Rudranath and from there coming down to Dumak to Kalpeshwar and on to Helang.

somnath

Thank you. Thank you so much for the valuable info. Now, I am really interested for Rudranath but need to discuss with my friends. Because they are not interested to carry food and all this time. So.......

But ... Rudranath sounds great!!!!

OK let me take your suggestion first I'll read those posts first. Thank you once again.

- Somnath

VSK Sharma

Hi,
In that case if you have not done Madayhmeshwar you can do that since there you will not have to carry food or camping equipment.

tasuray

Dear Somnath,
When everything is there,why Tunganath will be set aside?If Tunganath is there then why not Chandrashila also?
Happy trekking.

sabuj

dear somnath
i think if u guys start from joshimath after an early breakfast, u can easily reach ghangharia on d sameday.u first reach govindghat by sumo\jeep at 9or 9:30 and then start uor trek,so no need to stay at govindghat on 17th.in that way u can save 1day.
i am also leaving kolkata on 3rdjuly for vof nd hemkund shahib.wll share my experience later.

jyotipg

Agree with SK and VSK.

KAlpeshwar to Rudranath takes 2 days. This is supposed to be a tough trek. Personally I haven met anyone who has done thsi stretch. Would check up with my guide in Uttaranchal and let you know abt it.. currently he is off on trek to kalindi pass.

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somnath

Hi,
Jyotipg,
Thank you Jyoti. That’ll be a great help. And if possible plz PM me his no. I can try to contact him from Hardwar / Joshimath.

Sabuj,
Welcome to Indiamike. Thanks for pointing out that extra day at the beginning. I was considering the late running of Doon Exp. My experience with that train is really bitter. If we are going to reach Hardwar around afternoon then I don’t think we’ll be able to reach Joshimath. So I am keeping that extra day in hand. BTW, you are also going to the same trail - this is great news, Sabuj!!!! I would like to request you to keep in touch. I’ll send you a privet message with my mobile no. Hope I’ll get latest info from you.

Tasuray,
I thought you are my friend !!!! come on plz don’t provoke me. ha ha ha…… actually I went to Tunganath last October. And Chandrashila ….. well I really want to do it but this is not the right time. I dislike rain during my trip but cannot avoid this time.

Sharma jee,
You are right, no need to stay at Hemkund. Though I am not sure if it is a nice spot for sunrise …. But I think if the weather is clear we’ll be able to get a good view of sunrise. Moreover we’ve enough time to spend a night over there. BTW, could you please suggest something so that Madayhmeshwar can be done instead of Kalpeswar?

Sadanand jee,
Thanks for your detailed post. And thanks for your suggestion – I’ll be back to Joshimath instead of Govindaghat. Yeah that’ll be much better.
One extra day………. Actually VoF and Hemkund is our high priority destination and if we find we need to accommodate we’ll just drop Kalpeswar part.

Any idea about temperature? I mean expected specially at Ghangria and Hemkund (we are planning to stay at night).

Thank you, once again to all of you for such valuable information.

- Somnath

Sadanand Kamath

You can drop Kalpeshwar if there is a paucity of time.

At Ghangaria,( around 10000 ft.) it will be very cold in the evening and nights. At Hemkund, the cold will be more severe than Ghangaria because of high altitude (around 14500 ft.)

We used to occupy a bench nearest to the fire place of the tea shop in Ghangaria on our return from VOF/Hemkund in the afternoon and order assorted pokodas alternated with jilebies and tea to justify our occupation of the bench until evening .

Sadanand

Bhaswaran

Somnath,

Best wishes for your forthcoming trek. Do upload the information and pictures after you have completed it.

regards,

Bhaswaran

spicetrekker

My thoughts are as foll:
1. Haridwar to Joshimath may be a stretch in one day uless your train reaches Haridwar early morning
2. Joshimath to Govindghat and then onto Ghangaria can be done in one day provided you start the trek latest by 10 am which is doable
3. I am not sure you can stay at Hem Kund unless you have your own tents (would be happy to be corrected here by other members)
4. You can either stay at Joshimath or Helong. There is a small lodge in Helong
5. Helong to Kalpeshwar - very short and doable. In fact last year when I went they were building a road till Urgam. In Urgam you can contact RS Negi (09411359450) who can arrange for guide/porter for Rudranath. The trek will take you two days - first day to Dumak (or some name like that) and then Rudranath.
6. Suggest while returning instead of coming to Kalpeshwar go down to Mandal via Panar and Anusya Devi Mandir.
7. If you have time Mandal to Chopta is a short drive. Chopta-Tungnath-chandrashila very doable in one day - though it is preferable to stay at Tungnath and then go to Chnadrashila early morning

VSK Sharma

Hi,
I agree with the plan from Kalpeshwar to Rudranath. But it seems to be a tough trail as has been told to me. As for Madhyameshwar you start the trek from Okhimath and reach Ransi village for night halt. Next day leave early and reach Gaundhar for B/fast and then the 9 km climb to the temple starts. Stay a day there or early morning visit Buda madh for closeup view of Chaukhamba and start back and stay as per your movement. Again pics of the trail are at the site.

somnath

Sadanand jee,
Pakora and tea at 10000 ft and if it is really chilly weather………. that’s the flavor of the trip!!!! Ha ha ha….. thank you, Sir.

Bhaswaran,
Thank you. just talk to your boss, if you can come with us – nothing like it!!!! Ohhh…. Come on, tell him that you are not taking leave around October. Hmmm….?

BTW, I am worried about my camera - expecting heavy rain there.

Spicetrekker,
Thank you this is really helpful info. Chopta - Tunganath is a nice place but I had been there. Well, didn’t get time to visit Chandrashila but do you think I should go there during monsoon? I am forced to drop the idea of Rudranath this time…… but the contact info is really helpful to me. thank you once again.

Sharma jee,
Madmaheswar is very interesting. Specially Buda Math. But again I don’t think the chance is very high to get a clear view during this part of the year. Or you think it can be done?


Cheers,
Somnath