Trekking in Garhwal Himalayas

If you are a die-hard adventure enthusiast and have not explored the Garhwal region, then surely you have missed out something great during your adventures. So just get ready with your bags and head for trekking in Garhwal Himalayas. Going for trekking in this region offers you a wonderful chance of exploring the Himalayan foothills as it provides for one of the best excursions on the mighty mountains.

Popular Treks in Garhwal Himalayas

Trekking in Garhwal Himalayas gives adventure lovers a bountiful of options to trek through some of the best peaks, scenic valleys and lush meadows. Some of the popular treks conducted here are listed below.

• Winter Kuari Pass Trek: Located in the Garhwal region of Uttarakhand, this trek is one of the most picturesque terrains taking you to the mighty Himalayas. Lying to the south of the Tibetan Plateau, this pass is also called Curzon Trail as he was the first person to traverse through it. Originating from Joshimath, this pass takes you to heights from where you can behold the enchanting sights of mountain peaks like Nanda Devi, Trishul, Kamet and Dunagiri.

• Bagini Glacier Trek: Nestled in the Himalayan region, Bagini is undoubtedly a captivating glacier known for its tranquillising beauty. With picturesque landscape and pleasing aromas of the alpine flora, this trek offers you a great opportunity to enjoy an adrenaline rush amid the beautiful nature. Originating from Haridwar, this wonderful trail scales to a height of about 14816 feet, and is full of adventures. In addition to this, the trek also offers you an amazing chance to explore the Nanda Devi National Park, and walk over a large stream of ice.

• Valley of Flowers and Hemkund Sahib Trek: Located at the juncture of the Zanskar and Himalayan ranges, this valley is perched at an altitude of 11000 feet. For ages, this valley has been used as a refuge by the sages and hermits, but due to its altitude and enchanting landscape, it has also grabbed the attention of nature lovers and trekkers. Originating from Joshimath, the trek takes you through a beautiful array of exotic flora and the interspersed network of lush meadows and conifers.

Best Time to Go Trekking in Garhwal Himalayas

• Winter Kuari Pass Trek: Dotted with dense forest cover and tributaries of the Ganges, the beauty of Kuari Pass Trek is accentuated by the snowfall in the winters. Thus, the winter season is the best time to go for excursions on this pass.

• Bagini Glacier Trek: The trek retains its beauty all round the year, but the summer months of April-May and the winter months of mid-October to November are the ideal seasons for trekking.

• Valley of Flowers and Hemkund Sahib Trek: This valley is snow covered for most of the times in a year, and is accessible only in the month of June. The valley looks stunning throughout the year, but still it is advisable to visit it between mid-June to September as during this time, the trek blossoms to its fullest.

Flora and Fauna of Garhwal Himalayas

• Flora: The flora of the Garhwal region can be broadly classified as tropical dry deciduous forests, chir forests, sal forests, oak, deodar, spruce, fir, and alpine pastures. There are over 120 varieties of ferns, and at higher elevations, the landscape is crowded with deodar, Himalayan cypress, blue pine and long leafed pine. A large variety of medicinal plants is also found in the damp ravines of this region. Some of these medicinal herbs are babool, pisu-ghas, bel, kachnar, ashwagandha and brahmi.

• Fauna: The Garhwal region is home to a diverse variety of wildlife, which includes mammals, birds and reptiles. A large number of carnivore species are found in this region, including panther, tiger, civet cat, leopard and jungle cat. Various species of deer like musk deer and barking deer also find their shelter here. Over 400 species of the avifauna can be sighted here.

With its sheer diversity of flora and fauna, trekking in Garhwal gives you an amazing experience.