Har Ki Dun Trek
also Har Ki Doon, Har-ki-Dun Valley
Har Ki Dun is a 7-day trek in Govind Pashu Vihar NP, Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand, topping out at 3,566 m. On TrekBaba's normalized scale — the same formula applied to every trek in this catalogue — it scores 26.3/100, which puts it in the Easy band: a first Himalayan trek is realistic here if you can walk for several hours a day. Operators usually market it as "Easy/Moderate"; the gap between that label and the computed grade is exactly why the grade exists. With a high point of 3,566 m, acute mountain sickness (AMS) is a real possibility on the summit or pass day — ascend steadily and watch for headaches.
Operator says Easy/Moderate — normalized grade: Easy.
Photo: Omkar · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Explore the route
Scrub the trail — satellite view, live altitude. 25.2 km
Approximate route. No surveyed track exists for this trek yet, so the line joins its real waypoint coordinates directly — treat it as a shape, not a trail. Imagery © Esri, Maxar, Earthstar Geographics | Route data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
Har Ki Dun route, point by point
4 recorded points from Sankri to Har Ki Dun meadow over about 25 km. Operators' day splits vary — compare them below.
- Day 1SankriRoadhead · 1,950 m
- Day 2TalukaTrailhead · 2,100 m
- Day 2Seema (Osla)Camp · 2,560 m
- Day 3Har Ki Dun meadowViewpoint · 3,566 m1 peak in view
Why Har Ki Dun is graded Easy
- Max altitude 3,566 m — altitude is weighted 35% and non-linearly, because AMS risk climbs steeply above ~3,500 m.
- Total ascent 1,700 m over 7 days — how much climbing your legs actually do.
- Longest day 13 km (about 7 h) — one brutal day makes a trek harder than the average does.
- Trail type: graded — exposure (snow, scree, ice, pass crossings) is weighted 35%, the same as altitude.
Score 26.3/100. Bands: Easy <40 · Moderate <64 · Difficult <85 · Very Difficult ≥85. How the formula works. Next step up: Phulara Ridge.
What you'll see from Har Ki Dun meadow
From Har Ki Dun meadow, a line-of-sight computation over the terrain model proves Swargarohini III (6,209 m) are actually visible — not merely nearby. The model looks 40 km out, so a famous giant further away (Kangchenjunga from the Singalila ridge, say) is not listed even where it is visible.
Only peaks proven visible by line-of-sight over the terrain — not nearby-but-blocked ones — placed by true bearing and sized by how much they fill the view.
Dawn & dusk from Har Ki Dun meadow
In December, sunrise breaks beside Swargarohini III at 07:07 — from Har Ki Dun meadow.
- Swargarohini III9°
Nothing lines up this month.
Nothing lines up this month.
Nothing lines up this month.
Sun times and azimuths come from the NOAA solar-position equations for this viewpoint's GPS; the peak bearings are our own viewshed moat. Times assume a flat horizon — a ridge to your east delays real first light on the ground, often by 20–60 minutes, while a high summit opposite catches it a few minutes early. The 12° and 35° bands are editorial choices, not physics: a peak 90° from the sun is side-lit, which is often the better photograph.
Best time to do Har Ki Dun
The best months for Har Ki Dun are March–June and September–November. December is shoulder season — doable, with more weather risk. July–August are risky (Jul–Aug: Supin valley trail slippery, river crossings swell, Swargarohini stays in cloud). The route is effectively closed in January–February. Expect snow on the trail in December–March. Reanalysis climate data for the route's own altitude puts the coldest camp night at about -15 °C in January, and the warmest daytime high near 15 °C in July.
Jul–Aug: Supin valley trail slippery, river crossings swell, Swargarohini stays in cloud
What the thermometer actually does up there
Computed from 10 years of Open-Meteo ERA5 reanalysis (2016–2025), with every sample point lapse-rate-downscaled to its true altitude — this is Har Ki Dun meadow at 3,566 m, not the valley town. Temperatures are downscaled to the point; wet and snow days come back at the reanalysis grid scale (~10 km), so read them as weather over the area. A climate estimate, not a forecast.
Har Ki Dun trek cost — operators compared
Har Ki Dun costs ₹8,799–₹26,999 per person with an organised operator (15 of 19 listed operators publish a price; the cheapest captured is Trekup India). That works out to roughly ₹1,428 per trek day. Fees typically cover meals, tents and guides from the base village; transport from the railhead, gear rental and permits vary — see the inclusion grid below. Prices are read from each operator's own page (latest capture 2026-09-22) and link straight to it.
- ₹8,799as of 2026-09-22
- Days
- 7
- They grade it
- —
- ·Transport
- ·Meals
- ·Stay
- ·Permits
- ·Gear
- ₹8,900as of 2026-09-22
- Days
- 7
- They grade it
- —
- ✗Transport
- ·Meals
- ·Stay
- ✓Permits
- ✓Gear
- ₹9,499as of 2026-09-22
- Days
- 7
- They grade it
- —
- ·Transport
- ·Meals
- ·Stay
- ·Permits
- ·Gear
- ₹9,499as of 2026-09-22
- Days
- 7
- They grade it
- Easy to Moderate
- ·Transport
- ·Meals
- ·Stay
- ·Permits
- ·Gear
- ₹9,500as of 2026-09-22
- Days
- 7
- They grade it
- Moderate
- ·Transport
- ·Meals
- ·Stay
- ·Permits
- ·Gear
- ₹9,500as of 2026-09-22
- Days
- 7
- They grade it
- Easy to Moderate
- ·Transport
- ·Meals
- ·Stay
- ✓Permits
- ·Gear
Show 13 more operators
- ₹9,900as of 2026-09-22
- Days
- 7
- They grade it
- Easy to Moderate
- ·Transport
- ·Meals
- ·Stay
- ·Permits
- ·Gear
- ₹9,999as of 2026-09-22
- Days
- 7
- They grade it
- Moderate
- ✓Transport
- ✓Meals
- ✓Stay
- ✓Permits
- ✓Gear
- ₹10,499as of 2026-09-22
- Days
- 7
- They grade it
- —
- ✓Transport
- ✓Meals
- ✓Stay
- ✓Permits
- ·Gear
- ₹10,500as of 2026-09-22
- Days
- 7
- They grade it
- Moderate
- ·Transport
- ·Meals
- ·Stay
- ·Permits
- ·Gear
- ₹12,500as of 2026-09-22
- Days
- 7
- They grade it
- Easy
- ·Transport
- ·Meals
- ·Stay
- ·Permits
- ·Gear
- ₹12,500as of 2026-09-22
- Days
- 7
- They grade it
- Moderate
- ·Transport
- ·Meals
- ·Stay
- ·Permits
- ·Gear
- ₹13,250as of 2026-09-22
- Days
- 7
- They grade it
- —
- ·Transport
- ·Meals
- ·Stay
- ·Permits
- ·Gear
- ₹13,450as of 2026-09-22
- Days
- 7
- They grade it
- —
- ·Transport
- ·Meals
- ·Stay
- ·Permits
- ·Gear
- ₹26,999as of 2026-09-22
- Days
- 9
- They grade it
- —
- ·Transport
- ·Meals
- ·Stay
- ·Permits
- ·Gear
- Days
- 7
- They grade it
- Moderate
- ✓Transport
- ·Meals
- ✓Stay
- ✓Permits
- ·Gear
- Days
- 10
- They grade it
- Moderate
- ·Transport
- ·Meals
- ·Stay
- ·Permits
- ·Gear
- Days
- 9
- They grade it
- Easy
- ·Transport
- ·Meals
- ·Stay
- ·Permits
- ·Gear
- Days
- 7
- They grade it
- Easy
- ·Transport
- ·Meals
- ·Stay
- ·Permits
- ·Gear
Operators self-declare difficulty. TrekBaba grades every trek by one formula — normalized: Easy. We link out to each operator; we never copy their words or photos. Prices were read from each operator's own page on the date shown — confirm with the operator before booking. Where we have read a price more than once, the sparkline is our own dated capture log, not the operator's.
Not affiliated with any operator. Prices are dated facts read from each operator's own page; confirm before paying. See every operator on the operators index.
How to reach Har Ki Dun & staying safe
To reach Har Ki Dun, the nearest railhead is Dehradun and the nearest airport is Dehradun (Jolly Grant). The road ends at Taluka (jeep road from Sankri), near Sankri, which is where the walking starts. Withdraw cash before Purola (carry cash; Sankri unreliable) — it is the last dependable ATM. The last reliable shop is at Sankri.
No dedicated acclimatization day is needed at this altitude, but a steady first day still helps. At its most remote point the route is about 4.7 hours from the nearest drivable road (near Har Ki Dun meadow) — a floor for any evacuation, not a promise. The nearest hospital is CHC Purola / District Hospital Uttarkashi, 55 km from the trailhead. Water: Supin river-fed all the way; streams at Seema and the meadow.
How far you are from a road
Computed against our own route line and the OpenStreetMap drivable road network over Copernicus GLO-30 elevations: hours = (crowfly_km x 1.4) / 4.0 + max(0, elev_point - elev_road) / 600 [terrain factor 1.4, 4 km/h walking, 600 m/h descent]. It is a floor, not a promise — a real evacuation with a casualty is slower, and a crow-fly line ignores what stands between you and the road. Read it as relative remoteness: which part of this trek commits you. Nearest drivable ways: unnamed unclassified, unnamed unclassified.
Estimated, not measured. Remoteness is computed from our own route geometry against the OpenStreetMap drivable road network (motorway-track) and Copernicus GLO-30 elevations; mobile coverage is a terrain line-of-sight estimate, not a carrier guarantee. Treat both as planning aids.
Har Ki Dun permits & restrictions
Permit required: Yes · Govind Pashu Vihar National Park & Wildlife Sanctuary — Uttarakhand Forest Dept (DFO / Wildlife Warden, Purola)
Same official park tariff as Kedarkantha: ₹200 Indian / ₹600 non-Indian for 3 days–2 nights, each extra day ₹50 / ₹250, refundable ₹50/day deposit (gwsandnp.in, read 2026-08-11; not re-verified 2026-09-22)
Same permit, differential tariff — 3× the Indian entry fee and 5× the extra-day rate; no separate permit type or quota
⚠ Inside Govind Pashu Vihar — registered guide mandatory, camping at designated sites; the valley ends at the Jaundhar glacier moraine (no crossing)
Crowding, and where to go instead
When the interest arrives, relative to this trek's own busiest month (May).
A percentile of trailing-12-month English Wikipedia pageviews for Har_Ki_Doon (44 months observed)— measured within TrekBaba's own catalogue, bots excluded. It is a proxy for attention, not headcount.
Same state, within one difficulty band, and at least half the peaks — and quieter: it scores 7/100 against this trek's 74.
Har Ki Dun trek FAQ
How difficult is the Har Ki Dun trek?
Har Ki Dun is graded Easy (26.3/100) on TrekBaba's normalized scale, which weighs max altitude (3,566 m), total ascent (1,700 m), the longest day (13 km) and terrain exposure identically for every trek. Operators label it "Easy/Moderate".
What is the best time to do Har Ki Dun?
March–June and September–November. December is shoulder season — doable, with more weather risk. July–August are risky (Jul–Aug: Supin valley trail slippery, river crossings swell, Swargarohini stays in cloud). The route is effectively closed in January–February. Expect snow on the trail in December–March. Reanalysis climate data for the route's own altitude puts the coldest camp night at about -15 °C in January, and the warmest daytime high near 15 °C in July.
How much does the Har Ki Dun trek cost?
Between ₹8,799 and ₹26,999 per person with an operator, based on 15 published prices captured from operator pages (latest 2026-09-22). The cheapest listed is Trekup India.
How many days does Har Ki Dun take?
7 days is the standard itinerary; operators run it as 7/9/10 days including travel from the base town. The longest walking day is 13 km (~7 h).
What is the maximum altitude of Har Ki Dun?
3,566 m (11,699 ft), which TrekBaba rates as moderate AMS risk.
Is a permit required for Har Ki Dun?
Yes — issued by Govind Pashu Vihar National Park & Wildlife Sanctuary — Uttarakhand Forest Dept (DFO / Wildlife Warden, Purola). Same official park tariff as Kedarkantha: ₹200 Indian / ₹600 non-Indian for 3 days–2 nights, each extra day ₹50 / ₹250, refundable ₹50/day deposit (gwsandnp.in, read 2026-08-11; not re-verified 2026-09-22). Same permit, differential tariff — 3× the Indian entry fee and 5× the extra-day rate; no separate permit type or quota.
Which operators run Har Ki Dun?
Trekup India, Trekveda, Trekhievers, Universal Adventures, Moxtain, Super Trekkers, Thrillophilia, MadTrek, Trekos, Himalayan Hikers, Bikat Adventures, Himalaya Shelter, Trek The Himalayas, Indiahikes, Trek Nomads, Trekmunk, Himalayan High, Danu Adventure, Tour My India list Har Ki Dun. Each is linked to its own trek page above with the captured price, days and inclusions.
How do I reach the Har Ki Dun trailhead?
To reach Har Ki Dun, the nearest railhead is Dehradun and the nearest airport is Dehradun (Jolly Grant). The road ends at Taluka (jeep road from Sankri), near Sankri, which is where the walking starts. Withdraw cash before Purola (carry cash; Sankri unreliable) — it is the last dependable ATM. The last reliable shop is at Sankri.
Is Har Ki Dun suitable for beginners?
Yes. Har Ki Dun is in the Easy band and is a sensible first Himalayan trek, provided you can walk 13 km in a day with a daypack.
Which peaks can you see from Har Ki Dun?
From Har Ki Dun meadow, a line-of-sight computation over the terrain model proves Swargarohini III (6,209 m) are actually visible — not merely nearby. The model looks 40 km out, so a famous giant further away (Kangchenjunga from the Singalila ridge, say) is not listed even where it is visible.
Treks like Har Ki Dun
EasyUttarakhandPhulara Ridge
Govind Pashu Vihar, Uttarkashi
6 days↑ 3,700 mfrom ₹7,300Apr–Jun and Sep–Nov
EasyUttarakhandAli Bedni Bugyal
Roopkund trail, Chamoli
6 days↑ 3,560 mfrom ₹7,500Apr–Jun and Sep–Nov
EasyUttarakhandBrahmatal
Roopkund area, Chamoli
6 days↑ 3,734 mfrom ₹4,762Dec–Mar
EasyUttarakhandDeoriatal–Chandrashila
Kedarnath WLS, Rudraprayag
6 days↑ 3,680 mfrom ₹3,100Mar–May and Oct–Nov
Difficulty grade, peak horizon, per-camp climate, remoteness, sun alignment and the crowding index are all computed — the moats — and every one of them is an estimate, labelled as such where it appears. Found-fact and operator values are public approximations pending field + source verification, not citations. Peaks named on this page: Swargarohini III.