Dalhousie and the Dhaula Dhar
India, Trek & Walk, 15 days - from $1,645 (land only)
Holiday Itinerary
Day 1: Rendezvous at the group hotel in Amritsar. Amritsar Airport transfers are provided. KE Land Only package services begin with dinner and overnight at the hotel. There is the option of taking a guided evening visit to the fabulous Golden Temple.
Day 2: We spend the day relaxing in Amritsar. As well as visiting the magnificent Golden Temple, sacred to the Sikh religion, we will check out some of the colourful bazaar areas. We spend a second night at our hotel.
Day 3: Today, we have an early start for the long drive through verdant Himalayan foothills to the roadhead, close to the former British Raj hill-station of Dalhousie. We meet our trekking crew and enjoy a short hike to our first campsite on the ridge at Jot.
Day 4: Our first full day of walking on the open ridges of the Dhaula Dhar at elevations approaching 3000 metres. Good views of the parallel range of the Pir Panjal away to the north, as we make a gradual ascent to our camp on the ridge at Kharu.
Day 5: Our route continues along the ridge, then descends through forest and by way of the temporary settlements of the buffalo-herding Gujar people. Climbing again on a rough trail, we cross a second firested ridge, before making a final descent to camp near a riverside lodge at Gharani.
Day 6: Traversing one of the most remote sections of the Dhaula Dhar, we continue to follow a rocky trail through a forest of rhododendron, pine and oak. Beyond a low pass called Rikh Galla, we descend steeply to our overnight camp at Khabru.
Day 7: Descending on a forest path, we can see below us the first of the villages in this valley. Soon, we are walking through the cultivated fields of the Gaddi people and finally reach Boh Village, where we camp beside of Brahl River.
Day 8: The day starts with a steep uphill walk that lasts most of the morning and takes us to Lingru Nag. From here, we descend to the Gaddi tribal village of Kanol and continue to Chanderala, where we camp near the Khauli River.
Day 9: Another ascent this morning, as we climb up to the spectacularly situated lake of Kareri Dal (3200m). The pastures in this area are a traditional stopping place for the Gadi during their seasonal migration. We continue our walk more easily to a camping place at the summer shepherding camp at Bagga Got.
Day 10: Today, we descend through forest to Rawa Village on the banks of the river of the same name. We then climb to Bahl Village, where we set up our camp next to a small stream.
Day 11: It is a long ascent through mixed forest to the pretty meadow at Tiund, with its many tea stalls, where we take lunch. We then trek up to camp at Lakagot, with superb views of the peaks of the Dhauladhar on one side and the Kangra Valley on the other.
Day 12: We have a very early start for the optional hike up to the viewpoint at the Indrahar Pass (4380m) which involves boulder hopping and possibly even snow. Super views of the Pir Pinjal and of Mani Mahesh Kailas (5656m). We descend via the same route to our final camp of the holiday at Triund.
Day 13: It's just a short walk down to our hotel in Mcleodganj. We have the rest of the day free day for a sightseeing tour to Bhagsu Nag Temple, St. John Church, Sunset Point, Dal Lake, the Dalai Lama Temple and the local bazaar. Overnight in Mcleodganj.
Day 14: After an early start, we make the long drive back to Amritsar, arriving after lunch. We have some time to look around the bazaars or relax at the hotel.
Day 15: KE Land Only package services end after an early breakfast. Transfers to Amritsar Airport are provided.
Altitude
This holiday involves going to high altitude. During the course of your trip you will reach altitudes in excess of 3500 metres. This is not something that you should worry about; the human body is quite capable of adapting to a very wide range of altitudes, but it is important that we follow some simple rules in order to acclimatise successfully. Before coming on this holiday you should read the advice on trekking at high altitude.
