Valley of flower and Homkund trek.

Trek to Hemkund and valley of Flower,  visit Auli,Tapavan & Taptakund

Duration : 7^th September to 21^st September,2012

Team members

1. Arati De (leader)
2. Mita Dhar
3. Kajal Biswas

Details of trek.

7.9.12

We started from Howrah by Doon Express.
9.9.12

Haridwar Railway Station

Reached Hardwar at 5-40 AM. After refreshing ourselves, we caught the bus at 8-45 AM for Rudraprayag. At about 12 noon we reached at Tindhara and break our journey for the lunch. After Tindhara, we reached Devaprayag (the confluence of Alkananda and Bhagirathi). Here, we forced to stop for half an hour due to landslide. At about 3-30 pm we reached Rudraprayag covering a distance of 141 Km. We had no problem to get a room with attached bath for Rs 200/- at Yatri Niwas. It is just near the bus stand and beside the river Mandakini. After having some rest we decided to go for local sight seeing. We hired a car to visit the Uma Naaarayan Temple, Kotiswar (which was 5 km ahead of Rudraprayag). It is famous for cave temple of Lord Shiva where a core of Shivling form through the inter action (water erosion) of rock and waves of river Mandakini. The blue colorful Mandakini river is flowing beautifully. If any one is interested to see this place, he or she has to walk down more than 100 steps from the road head. Then we visited the Sangam, the enchanting place which attracts the visitors, the confluence of river Mandakini and Alkananda. We observed Ganga arati at evening. There is a temple of Lord Shiva and Annapurna.

10.9.12

Last night we got the information that we will get the bus for Badrinath. According to that we came to the bus stand at 5-30 AM. But we did not find any bus except the bus which was carrying postal documents. So, we had to get in to the bus without wasting our time. But it was a very bad experience for us as they are collecting the posts from different places, it took much more time than the schedule time. We crossed Karnaprayag – Nandaprayag – Mayapur – Piplekoti – Joshimath – Bishnuprayag and then reached Govindaghat (1920 m) at 1-25 pm, which was our destination. We decided to stay at Gurdwara for the night.

11.9.12

Due to heavy showering, we could not sleep properly last night. We planned to start early but we could not. The heavy down poured delayed our journey. We started at 9 pm. Today, we had to trek for 15 Km. We crossed Lakhshman Ganga through the bridge and walking slowly and steadily. After 3 km trek, we found the village Pulna where we stopped for the drink. Then again started walking steadily and reached Bhuinder village (2439 m). From here two ways have bifurcated. One has gone to the Ghangaria and other has gone to the Kakbhusandi Tal through Simartoli. Enchanting scenic beauty forced us to forget our tiredness. We found Fern, Orchid, beautiful mountain and blue clear sky which attracts the trekkers and force them to visit again and again. We reached Ghangaria at 4 pm. On the way you will get plenty of tea shops, drinking water and refreshment. No need to carry food and ration. Kajal fixed a hotel (just opposite of Gurdwara) for Rs 300/- per day. A room with 3 beds with attached bath. No hot water facility was there. But they arranged hot water @ Rs 50/- per bucket,if you need. We stayed here for 3 nights.

12.9.12

The rain was not leaving us. Again heavy shower delayed our plan. We decided to move in the rain. At about 7 AM we started for Hemkund. ‘Hemkund’ is  derived from the sanskrit word. ‘Hem’ means snow and ‘Kund’ means ‘bowl’. It is situated at the height of 4632m (15,200 ft) and surrounded by 7 peaks in Chamoli district, Uttarakhand. The road from Ghangaria to Hemkund is 6 km steep climbing. The day was special for them. Many of them were coming from Govindaghat and returning in a same day. After 3 km we stopped at Dhaba for breakfast. The rain was continuing we used this as a shelter too. After rain stopped, we started again. Walking after a few minutes, we found snow



 bridge in between the mountains. The water is flowing heavily under this bridge. We found a great mighty flower Brahmmakamal, the state flower of Uttarakhand, Himalayan lily, blue Popis, unknown yellow flowers and so on. After a while, we found the valley of Brahmmakamal. A great numbers of Brahmmakamal is growing on that valley. Only at that time the weather was quite clear but within a few minutes, the weather deteriorated. So we could not take clear snap of Brahmmakamal. It only remained in our heart. We reached Hemkund at 10 Am. Before reaching Gurdwara you will find two ways --- one is shorter which leads 1300 steps to reach the Gurdwara along with Lake and the other through which pony can go easily. It is longer but easy to walk. This glacial lake consisted with green crystal water and most of the time it covered by the snow. The pilgrimage  were taking bath even in this cold. They called it as ’Punnya Snan’.

‘Wahe Guru’  is the word inspired them to get strength. They use this word very frequently. We too spelled with them for getting strength. We then visited the Lakhsman temple from where the source of Lakhsman Ganga started. Inside the Gurdwara, there was a big prayer hall. It was full of ladies, gents & children but a pin drop silence was maintaining. We spent 1 hour and 45 minutes and then started coming down. Having snaps of different flowers on the way delayed our journey. Before reaching the snow bridge, again rain started. We ran towards the Dhaba to save our cameras. After rain  stopped we started to climb down and reached Ghangaria at 4 pm.



13.9.12

Our destination was valley of flowers. To visit the valley of flowers came into my mind in the year 1978 when I went to NIM, Uttarkashi for Advance Mountaineering Course. I found a book in the library which was written by Frank Smyth. Frank Smyth and R L Holdsworth discovered this valley in the year 1931 while they were returning from Kamet Expedition.

This valley is spread with the area of 87.5 sq km and declared as Nandadevi National Park in the year 1982. It came in the world heritage list in the year 1988. it is not only famous for the alpine flowers but also for the endangered animals, some species of butterfly, musk deer, Himalayan bear, Himalayan birds and snow leopard. 

 

For entering this valley, one has to buy the tickets for Rs 150/- each and for the foreigners, it is Rs 600/-, charges for cameras are separate. But one can visit the valley for 3 days with the same ticket. After getting the tickets, we entered into the main valley.Started walking through the forest. The valley is surrounded by the high mountains from north to south. In the north there is Nilgiri Parvat (6479 m) and Gouri Parvat(6590 m), Mt Sapta Sringa in the south, in the east there is Mt. Rataban and in the west there is Mt Kuntkhal (4430 m). We were walking slowly and slowly, enjoying fully the nature. We found a small number of potential, primula, corydalis, Aster, Gymnadenia orchids, Erigeron






multiradius, Anemone tetrasepala, Lilyum oxypetelum, Rosa Macrophylla Himalayan blue poppy and many others. Most of the flowers have medicinal values. About 500 species of wild flowers blooms here in natural way. We trekked about 5 km but we could not find that much of colourful flowers as we expected. Later we came to know that the flowers have spoiled due to excessive rain this year. We spent sometimes and return to Ghangria at 4 pm. We did not get rain today. It was a very pleasant trek.

14.9.12

We started from Ghangaria at 6 AM. Our destination was Govindaghat. After 3 km walk we had our breakfast and arranged a pony for Kajal as she was unable to walk further. From Ghangaria to Govindaghat ----- downward movement which needs strength on the knee. While we started there was no rain but after a while rain started. There was no alternative than to walk in the rain. I was little slower than Mita. I told her to go ahead. Because there is plenty of pilgrimage walking towards Givindaghat.






I
was walking in my own speed. Heavy rain made our walk slower than the normal speed. I reached Govindaghat at 4-15 pm. Mita reached earlier. Kajal reached before Mita and hired a room for us. We were extremely tired and hungry too.

 
Govindaghat is the place situated at the height of 1849 m in between Joshimath and Badrinath. Joshimath is 20 km and Badrinath is 22 km from here. The river Alkananda and the river Bhuinder met this place.

Those who are unable to walk, they can get pony, Dandi and porter easily. Though the rate fixed by the Govt. but no body follow the same. They demand their own.

15.9.12

Today our destination was Badri, only 22 km ahead of Govindaghat. We left Govindaghat at 9 am and reached Badri at about 11-30 am. We offered puja in the evening after having a bath in the hot spring, spent long time at the temple and then arranged a car for next visiting places and returned to the hotel.

16.9.12

We left Badri at 8-30 am and went to Mana village. It is 3 km ahead of Badri, situated at the height of 3122 m. Indo-Mongolian people stay here. It is the last Indian village on the way to Tibet, famous for Basudev temple, Ganesh cave, Bhimpul and Keshavprayag where river Alkananda and river Saraswati met. After visiting this place we started for Joshimath. Rain started. Our journey obstructed for land slide and we had to wait for three hours due to road block. After three hours the road open and we reached Joshimath, visited Narsinghadev temple. Then we had our lunch and went to visit



Auli. It is 5 km from joshimath. It has a longest rope way (4 km) in Asia and 2^nd longest in World. Auli is an important ski destination in the Himalayan mountains of Uttarakhand. It is also known as ‘bugyal’ in the regional language which means meadow, famous for the panoramic view of the important peaks like Nandadevi, Bethartoli, Dunagiri, Nilkantha, Mana, Hati and others. We purchased tickets for Rs 200/- per head. The ropeway is placed from 8000 ft to 10,200 ft. we spent half an hour and then return to Joshimath.

 

17.9.12

We visited Tapovan 58 km ahead of Joshimath on the way to maleri and Tapta kund, 3 km ahead of Tapovan. We returned to Joshimath and picked up our luggage within a very short period. Pawan(our car owner) left us at the taxi stand and helped us to board in taxi for further journey. The road was block in different places so we decided to stay Karnaprayag (confluence of river Alkananda and Pinder).

 

18.9.12

Today our destination was Hardwar, 194 km from Karnaprayag. So we started early. But it did not work. Because the passengers were less due to off season. So we had to wait for 3 hours until taxi was full of passangers. Then we got road block as usual which delayed us to reach 8 at night. We took the hotel near the railway station.

19.9.12

We visited Manasa Mandir and other and boarded in the train at night.

21.9.12

We reached Kolkata.

*Note: August is the best time to visit Valley of Flower.

 By Arati De