Garhwal or Kumaon Himalayas.....Where to go first ?

maverick13

Hi All,

Like most of you I'm a great lover of Himalaya.
Recently I've been reading a lot about Uttarakhand Himalaya.

What I understand is that there are two geographical regions there - Garhwal and Kumaon. Both seem to be very beautiful and provide panaromic views of Himalaya.

I'm planning about two weeks trip to feel the beauty of Himalaya.
Most likely, the trip would be after monsoon season this year.

Could you folks please elaborate on the peculiarities of both the regions in terms of sheer beauty, Himalayan view and overall experience. I would be eventually covering both the regions after a span of time, but my big question is - which one first ?

Thanks a lot !

capt_mahajan

For the religious, even spiritually inclined, Garhwal first. Starting Haridwar/Rishikesh and going up to Badrinath and the other 'Dhams', though my favourite is Tungnath, and not for religious reasons.

I find the pilgrimage routes too noisy, sometimes dirty and usually full of the kind of people I avoid at home.

Even for, say, skiing enthsiasts, Auli is an attraction.

scenery, the river and the drive along it is unique to Garwhal. And so is the Valley of Flowers.

For mountain views and general peace and quiet, I prefer the smaller places in Kumaon over Garwhal.


What is an excellent idea, if you have the time, is do a circuit (2 weeks is nearly not enough unless it is mainly a driving trip), via Karanprayag, Gwaldham/Baijnath -into Kumaon from Garhwal. Or the other way around.

Browse the forum too, lots of information.

Both are different, and if I was doing both, I would start with either- doesn't really matter. But you do say just after the monsoon, so if VOF is on the list, then early August is a decent time to get there. (though some will say July)

PS I do not know when the pilgrimage season starts.

And two weeks does seem very short, actually, if you want to go way up either in Kumaon or Garhwal- I suspect you will not want to do both.

maverick13

Thanks for the prompt response Captain Mahajan.

FYI, this time I'd be covering only one region.

As suggested by you, Garhwal seems to be appropriate for mixing spiritual and pleasure/nature trips.

I'm kinda spiritual guy, but at the same time don't want to miss on the Himalayan view.

I've heard a lot about Chopta-Tungnath. I think it's really beautiful.

I'll keep analyzing yours and others suggestions.

Thanks !

Dilliwala

Pick a route, any route. Can't go wrong.

Unless you want to do all 4 dhams, Kedarnath-Chopta-Chamoli-Badrinath route is one suggestion.

maverick13

I'm thinking of one of the following two circuits -

1. Rishikesh > Deoprayag (water rafting at Kaudiyala)> Pauri (nearby Khirsu too)> Rudraprayag > Ukhimath > Chopta (Tungnath)> Gopeshwar > Auli > Karanaprayag > Shrinagar > Rishikesh

2. Rishikesh > Chamba Valley > Tehri Dam Lake(Chandrabadni Temple/Peak)> Chamba (nearby treks) > Surkanda Devi Temple/Peak> Dhanaulti > Mussoorie > Dehradun > Haridwar

I've heard that Pauri being centrally located in Uttarakhand, provides a panaromic view of both Garhwal and Kumaon Himalayas.

Also Chamba seems to be a very good option; it has a nice view of Himalayas + bhagirathi river / valley

I'm still exploring the region.
Any suggestions would be highly appreciated.

Thanks a lot !

capt_mahajan

I would go with your first option

better for the 'beauty of the Himalaya'

Dilliwala

Second that.

Quote:

Also Chamba seems to be a very good option; it has a nice view of Himalayas + bhagirathi river / valley

Not really. Views are ok.
And Chamba is not far from the Bhagirathi valley, but not in it.

maverick13

How about Himalayas view from Pauri Garhwal. I heard that it provides a great view of Garhwal/Kumaon Himalaya.

Also, I just came to know that a new road from Pauri to Rudraprayag/Karnaprayag has been built. If so, one doesn't need to go via Shrinagar, rather one can take the hill top roads all the way to Rudraprayag/Karnaprayag > Chopta.

Thanks !

rishabh6296

Pauri would give you the views of Garhwal Himalayas but nothing can match the view from Kumaon eg. Mukteshwar,Ranikhet,Binsar,Kau sani,Chaukori,Munsiayri etc.

spicetrekker

While I have been both to Garhwal and Kumaon but let me admit that I have seen more of Garhwal than Kumaon. For me both are great - Garhwal is more spiritual and has a rustic kind of beuaty to it - Kumaon to me looks more manicured. My fave is Garhwal bcoz

1. More rustic and spiritual
2. More Green and better trekkering routes
3. Kumaon is drier - I was there 2 weeks ago and Kosi outside of Chakrata was almost dry; Garhwal has Ganga and Yamuna and lots of streams all over
   

Kumaon though has typically better facilities for tourists.

rishabh6296

Having seen a lot of Uttarakhand i would disagree, Kumaon is definitely greener forests around corbett, Binsar, Mukteshwar, Ranikhet etc are thickly vegetated.

Dilliwala

Views from Pauri are good. More here:
http://www.indiamike.com/india/uttar...28/#post473654

Quote:

Also, I just came to know that a new road from Pauri to Rudraprayag/Karnaprayag has been built. If so, one doesn't need to go via Shrinagar, rather one can take the hill top roads all the way to Rudraprayag/Karnaprayag > Chopta.

Where did you hear this?
Pauri to Khandah-Bughani-Odla-Devalgarh-Chamdhar (avoiding Shrinagar) and onto Rudraprayag is 70 km. Of which, IN APRIL '06, Bughani to Chamdhar was kachcha (11 km). I've been upto Devalgarh from that side, and on 3 occasions last year the end of the road at Chamdhar (on NH 58)was still visibly kachcha and narrow. I won't be betting on the condition of the rest of the road now.
The other approach via Khirsu, i.e. Pauri-Khirsu-Gwar-Bughani onto Chamdhar and Rudraprayag, is a little shorter, 66 km. However in this case the kachcha part IN APRIL '06 was 21 km, starting near Gwar. You won't enjoy it if it's still the case.
However Pauri-Shrinagar-Rudraprayag is 63 km along good fast roads, all highway (NH119/NH58).

There's another road starting 2 km beyond Khirsu going upto Khankra on NH 58 (before Rudraprayag). IN APRIL '06 it was part kachcha, part pakka, total about 20 km. This wud make Pauri-Khirsu-Khankra 40 km. Compared to Pauri-Shrinagar-Khankra which is exactly 50 km - but I emphasise, along good fast highways.

N&W's map also shows a road starting at Khirsu and ending somewhere near Karnprayag. It's a forest road at Khirsu, and I must state that I have never seen the end of the road near K'prayag. On the map it appears to be a bit shorter in parallel than the road Shrinagar onwards, and since Pauri-Khirsu is 11 km shorter than Pauri-Shrinagar, you might benefit from using it, IF IT EXISTS! Make very sure it does all the way before thinking about taking it.

BTW there's no such thing as a hill-top road, at least not over a distance. Eventually they all dip and dive.

That's a point of view, not a fact.

You're not the first to hold this view, but I think people do that on the basis of seeing mostly Almora and the lower districts. A drive thru upper Bageshwar and upper Pithoragarh, specially in the early monsoon, will rapidly dispel that view. In fact I strongly recommend to one and all the drive Gwaldam-Baijnath-Bageshwar-Chaukori-Munsyari - the journey of a lifetime. Fantasic.

Quote:

- I was there 2 weeks ago and Kosi outside of Chakrata was almost dry....

Surely not?
Maybe you mean Almora.

spicetrekker

May be you are right but my limited opinion suggests otherwise; in any case it is a question of ones preference ;

Having said that this is what the figures state

Garhwal Total Area 32500 sq km; forest area 23000 sq km 70% forest cover

Kumaon total area 21000 sq km; forest area 11300 sq km 54% forest cover

The forests though in Kumaon may be greener thanks to relatively lesser alitutdes than in Garhwal

spicetrekker

First of all apologies - I did mean Almora and not Chakrata. There is a place outside of Almora called Kosi on the way to Katarmal Sun temple

I shall also take up your reco on the drive from Gwaldham

Dilliwala

And not to forget - starting at Karnprayag. The drive along the Pindar is awesome.

In fact, let me amend my earlier statement:
Karnprayag to Munsyari, the journey of a lifetime.