When one thinks of the Himalayas, one can’t get over image of the towering white capped snow peaks of the Himalayan range, for those who love the mountains; there can’t be a better draw than having an up close and personal encounter with the Himalayas, the biggest mountain range there is. This winter, GIO’s special Snow trekking trip offers one an opportunity to trek and hike through pristine alpine snowy forests and fields and experience true Himalayan wilderness, and yet come back to the warm and cozy comfort of our Eco Lodge at Kund, with bonfires, barbeques, running hot water & comfortable premium bedding & quilts. Evenings are made even more special with movie screenings, music & sumptuous cuisine with special local delicacies. Enjoy endless sunshine during the day as you rediscover the mountains with its crisp clean air, gurgling rivers, snowy peaks, sunny days and devoid of tourist traffic. Come with us for that True Himalayan Experience!!
DAY 1: HARIDWAR –HIMALAYAN ECO LODGE, KUND
Arrive at our Beautiful Lodge for Lunch, Settle into the camp followed by a briefing, Lunch and introduction to the Region and its infinite beauty. After some rest, choose between a riverside walk and a session of BIRD WATCHING in the forests along the Mandakini with an expert ornithologist. This area is home to a large variety of endemic bird species and in addition you get to see a diverse variety of other flora and fauna. Rest of the evening at leisure; sit at our LOUNGE/LIBRARY to catch up on reading, watch a movie or just catch on the old times. Bonfire and dinner in the night.
DAY 2: SNOW TREK TO CHOPTA, TUNGNATH & CHANDRASHILA
After an early breakfast, set out for Chopta (1 hr) and from here trek to Tungnath (3.5 kms). Tungnath temple is the highest Shiva shrine in the world. To reach Tungnath it will take about 2-3 hrs. On reaching this ancient temple enjoy the breath taking views of some of the Himalayan giants. Have packed lunch here and continue further to the summit of Chandrashilla Peak (1.5 hrs). Late afternoon, head back to Chopta and from there drive back to Eco lodge. Bonfire and dinner in the night.
DAY 3: SNOW TREK TO DEORIYATAL / VISIT TO KALIMATH, NARAYAN KOTI TEMPLES & VILLAGE TREK
Post breakfast, drive to Sari (45 mins) and from here TREK to the high altitude lake, Deoriatal with packed lunch (2 hrs return trek). Once you reach the lake you could explore the surroundings and we would have a number of GAMES on the banks of the lake. Late afternoon, return trek to Sari and drive back to the lodge. Enroute visit the UKHIMATH TEMPLE, which is the seat of the Kedarnath deity in winter when the Kedarnath temple is closed. OR If you are not in the mood for another snow trek, choose to visit some fascinating temples that are steeped in history and mythology set in quaint villages and deep valleys. KALIMATH & NARAYAN KOTI represent the best of the lot and finish your trip at UKHIMATH. You can choose to walk back from UKhimath through the villages before reaching the lodge. In the evening followed by bonfire and dinner in the night.
DAY 4: KUND – JAYALGARH - HARIDWAR
After breakfast, drive down to Jayalgarh (3 hrs). Once at the camp, have lunch and take in the mountains & rivers at our riverside lounge, one last time before heading back to Haridwar and onwards. OR Get ready for a session of RAFTING from camp to Deoprayag (22 kms/3 hrs). This is an exciting run on the river where you would encounter a number of Class II & III rapids and finally ending the run at the confluence of the Alaknanda and Bhagirathi rivers at DEOPRAYAG. From there change and depart for Haridwar and Onwards.
COST INCLUDES
- Accommodation in deluxe rooms at the Himalayan Eco Lodge (Kund) .
- All meals beginning with lunch on Day 01 to breakfast on Day 04.
- Activities as mentioned in the itinerary
- Professional guide (trained from Nehru Institute of Mountaineering, Uttarkashi) would accompany you on the treks
- For all other activities, professional and experienced guides would be leading the trip. On the rafting trip, a safety kayaker would accompany you on the river for additional safety
- State-of-the-art equipment for all activities
- Bonfire in the nights
COST DOES NOT INCLUDE
- Service Tax (@2.575%)
- Transport (including activity transfers)
- Any meals/services not mentioned above
- Any charges for video cameras, still cameras, etc.
- Alcohol, soft drinks, beverages, etc.
- Personal expenses like tips, telephone calls, laundry, etc.
- Any costs arising out of unforeseen circumstances like landslides, road blocks, bad weather, etc.
- Insurance
TRANSPORT OPTIONS
For travel to the lodge/camp, a combination of train/air and road travel is recommended. The closest railway station to the camp is Haridwar and there are a number of trains that connect to Haridwar from all over the country. For train details, you could log on to www.indianrail.gov.in and for online railway ticket bookings you could log on to www.irctc.co.in. For air travel, the closest airport is the Jolly Grant Airport (at Dehradun) and is well connected to Delhi and other parts of the country by Air India, Jet Airways, Kingfisher Airlines, etc.
From Haridwar, we could arrange a vehicle for you that would pick you up, remain with you throughout the trip and drop you back to Haridwar on the last day, which would cost the following:
In case you are using your own vehicle for arriving and departing from the lodge/camp, and travelling between the camp and lodge, for a transport supplement of Rs. 600 per person we could arrange for the activity transfers on Day 2 & 3.
Note
- All transport rates inclusive of driver charges, state taxes and all other applicable taxes
- All transport rates are for the specific itinerary that is listed above including the transfers for activities but do not include any other sightseeing, etc.
- Transport rates are subject to change
PAYMENT TERMS & CONDITIONS
- Full payment to be made in advance at the time of booking the trip
- Payment to be made by Bank Transfer/Cheque/DD in favour of GREAT INDIAN OUTDOORS (P) LTD. payable at New Delhi/Gurgaon
- Payment for this trip will not be adjusted against any future trips
- Cancellation policy
- >30 days: Full refund (after deducting any expenses that have been incurred for hotel bookings, transport, etc.)
- 21-30 days: 75% of trip cost will be refunded (after deducting any expenses that have been incurred for hotel bookings, transport, etc.)
- 14-21 days: 50% of trip cost will be refunded (after deducting any expenses that have been incurred for hotel bookings, transport, etc.)
- <14 days: No refund
LIST OF ESSENTIALS
- Shirts / T-shirts
- Trousers / Track Pants
- Windproof jacket
- Comfortable Walking shoes
- Water bottle
- Cap / Hat
- Walking stick / Trekking pole
- Sunscreen Lotion
- Lip Balm
- Torch / Flashlight (with extra batteries)
- Medicines, if requiring any specific medication
- Camera (with extra film rolls)
- Sunglasses
- Personal toiletries
- Books, if you like reading
Extra clothes during the winter months (Nov-Mar)
- Fleece / Full-sleeve Woollen sweater
- Thermal inner wear (upper & lower)
- Woollen cap
- Mittens (Woollen gloves)
- Scarf
- Woollen socks

























