Your holiday starts at the hotel in Delhi. Delhi Airport transfers are provided. After lunch at the centrally-located hotel there will be a city tour to include the busy bazaars of Chandni Chowk, and the Moghul Red Fort. We will also see New Delhi's imposing avenues and the Lutyen's designed Government Houses. Returning to the hotel, your guide will take dinner with you and will provide an informal briefing about the days ahead.

After an early breakfast, we go to the railway station and board the train for the 4 hour journey to Haldwani (Kathgodam). It is said that the journey is half the experience and certainly this is true here. Any journey on Indian Railways is a fascinating affair from the crowds and chaos of Delhi station platforms to the rustic scenes of life in the countryside as we pass through. Arriving in Haldwani before midday, we take a break for lunch before continuing our journey by road to Kausani. Located on a ridge top in the foothills of the Indian Himalaya Kausani (1890m) is a very picturesque hill station offering a sensational 300 kilometre wide panorama on the Himalaya including the ranges of Nanda Devi and the Panch Chulis. Overnight in a siimple but comfortable hotel

After breakfast, we leave the Khali Estate Resort and make another scenic 3-hour drive via Bhageswar to the roadhead at the village of Munar. Here, our crew will be waiting with our lunch. After lunch, we set off on the first stage of our trek, alongside the Saryu River. Starting out at an altitude of 1500 metres, we trek for 2 hours, climbing some 500 metres through the village of Talai to the pretty settlement of Supi. This afternoon walk, partly on a jeep road, gets us into the swing of things, nicely. The altitude at our camp beside the school is approximately 1930 metres.

Passing through a mixture of rhododendron, oak and pine forest, the well made path zig-zags up the steep mountainside, before contouring high above the river, through several small farming hamlets. Even on our first full day of trekking, we gain a rare insight into the way of life of the inhabitants of the foothills of the Indian Himalayas - inquisitive children playing in the villages, farmers ploughing the fields and mule trains ferrying supplies between villages. The path hugs the 2000 metre contour for approximately 2 hours, before dropping to the river, to a bridge by the Badra Tunga Temple, where there are several chortens. Crossing the bridge, the path climbs steeply through a village. We stay on the main path on the south side of the valley, opposite the village of Mikila. Our camp lies in a clearing in the forest at an altitude of 2300 metres.

We are given a packed lunch for today’s excellent walk. The trail continues along the south side of the valley, climbing steeply through more forest and passing several small kharkas (meadows) which are used by the local Gujjar shepherds to graze their animals. Climbing through rhododendron forest we emerge onto open hillside and are treated to views of Nanda Devi, Nanda Devi East and Nanda Kot. After 3 to 4 hours we turn north on a high path just below a ridge crest at around 3300 metres. Finally, we drop down on a small trail which is loose in places, to reach the Madari Pass (3032m). The mules and our cook crew will have taken a more direct path to this point and anyone who does not wish to make the climb to the ridge can trek this lower path with the crew. We then descend steeply through more beautiful forest to an idyllic campsite in a forest clearing, known as Raj Kharka (2520m).

One of the features of this almost perfect campsite is that it faces east and is warmed by the early morning sun at around 6 am - breakfast alfresco, weather permitting. During the morning’s walk, there are splendid views of our route ahead over the next few days and of the high peaks of Kumaon, including Nanda Kot (6860m), the dominant peak at the head of the valley. Passing through the sprawling village of Gogina, we join a path which contours around the valley’s northern slopes, eventually dropping down to the banks of the Ram Ganga at an altitude of 1800 metres. We cross the river to its east bank on an old rickety bridge, taking a long lunch break in the sunshine, before beginning the steep climb to the Village of Namik (2250m). We camp just above Namik in yet another superb campsite overlooking the Ram Ganga.

Leaving camp, we soon pick up a wonderful path, which will take us all the way to the Sudam Khal Pass. This is an ancient trail, certainly centuries old, and yet it remains in excellent condition. Constructed out of stone, the original engineers made use of drainage ditches to prevent the monsoon rains from washing it away and employed sections of steps to overcome any steep ground. The path is still used today, by shepherds taking their flocks to higher pastures during the summer months. The path is a joy to walk on, as it gently climbs through beautiful forest with several clearings offering superb views back toward Nanda Kot. Just before the Susungri Pass (3150m), which we reach after 3 to 4 hours, there is an obvious junction in the path. We follow the left fork, heading towards the west and descending slightly at first. We pass through meadow to the foot of a short but steep climb to a notch in the ridge marked by a large white stone. Immediately beyond the ridge is a basic hut where we have lunch and make camp at the place known as Thaltak (3400m).

A longish day today, but a truly spectacular walk, as we traverse the ridge, heading northwards. Leaving the relative luxury of the trekker’s hut just after dawn, we climb 700 metres in around 2 hours to reach the crest of the ridge at Ranthon. Here, the views of the Panch Chuli peaks are particularly stunning, with the magnificent, pointed summit of Panch Chuli II, dominating the group. To the west, we can see Nanda Devi, and Nanda Devi East rising above the interceding ridges of the Kumaon. The trail continues along the ridge, sometimes along the crest and sometimes contouring across its western slopes until we reach the Sudam Khal Pass (3950m) after 5 hours. A new mountain vista opens up as we look across to the Kaguri Bhel Pass (4800m). We return to our camp beside the hut by mid afternoon.

After yesterday’s big day we have a relatively easy walk today. Following a leisurely breakfast, we descend in an hour to the trail junction at the Susungri Pass which we encountered 2 days ago. From here, we continue descending in half an hour to a small stream, then enjoy an undulating walk through a lovely forest, with a lunch stop in a clearing. Beyond the Jhangu River, we climb to the camping place known as Baicham (2650m).

We start the day with a long and steady ascent through forest and meadow to the Ruddhahkhan Pass (3450m). If the weather is clear, we will have more stunning views of the 5 peaks of Panch Chuli, and of the Gauri Ganga Valley. These are some of the finest views of the trip. Dropping down from the pass, we reach a shepherd’s hut in an open area, which affords more great mountain views, especially at sunset. This is a super campsite.

The trail now descends, before contouring across the hillside in the direction of Munsiari. It is a very pleasant walk with ever-changing panoramas, as we descend through the forest and traverse open slopes. The view of Munsiari is saved for the very end as we turn a corner and suddenly we are above the small town. We take lunch here, with great views of the Panch Chuli peaks. It is a strange feeling to reach the road and civilisation, having seen no one for the last 10 days. We arrive at Munsiari in the early afternoon and set up our final camp of the holiday. In the afternoon, we can visit the local market.

We say goodbye to our trek crew and begin the journey to Kathgodam. This is a long but spectacular road journey through the foothills to reach the Indian plain which we have staged over 2 days. Driving through the forested hills, there are brilliant views of Nanda Devi, Panch Chuli, Nanda Kot and the western Nepal peaks of Saipal and Api. We stay overnight at hotel in Binsar, just before Almora. 6 hours driving.

We continue our journey through the foothills of the Himalaya. The road climbs over passes with spectacular views of the distant mountains, down into river valleys, through forests and villages until the last hill is crested and we roll down onto the vast North Indian plains. We arrive in Haldwani (Kathgodam) after a 3-hour drive, in plenty of time to catch the mid afternoon train back to Delhi. We finally arrive at our Delhi hotel in the evening.

Your holiday ends after breakfast. Transfers to Delhi Airport are provided. To extend your holiday in India, why not pre-book a visit to Dharamsala (home of the Dalai Lama), to the Taj Mahal or a longer excursion taking in the whole of India's classic Golden Triangle. Contact our office for details.