Itinerary -
Day 1: Haridwar – Auli (2450 m) Drive/280 kms/8-9 hrs
You will be met by our representative in Haridwar and from here drive to Auli. This is a beautiful drive through the holy towns of Haridwar and Rishikesh and later through the four of Panch Prayags (5 river confluences) of Deoprayag, Rudraparayag, Karnprayag and Nandprayag. The drive would be along the Ganges at first and later along the Alaknanda river. Arrive in the lodge towards evening and soak in the magnificent views of the mighty snow-clad peaks of the Himalayas in front of the lodge. You could take a short walk in the apple orchards that the lodge is set in and soak in the natural splendors of this place. Late evening there will be a trip orientation by the trip leader. Overnight in the lodge
Day 02: Auli – Parsari village – Auli (Trek/ 4-5 hrs )
After breakfast at the lodge, we set off on our snow hike for the day. We will start from the lodge and walk up to Parsari village getting fabulous views of Nanda Ghunti and Trishul peaks. From here we climb through a steep forest section to reach the higher grounds of Auli region and reach the ITBP camp. Once at the top we get an great view of India’s most revered mountain, Nanda Devi. After a hot cup of tea and lunch we continue our hike and now walk mostly downhill through an absolutely wonderful jungle section to get back to our lodge. During today’s trek you will get awe inspiring views of the big Himalayan giants, including Nanda Devi (India’s second highest peak), Nanda Ghunti, Trishul & Hathi Godi and sweeping views of the ski slopes of Auli, Joshimath town and the Alaknanda valley with the Alaknanda river meandering through it. In evening sit back and relax at the lodge. Overnight at the lodge.
Day 03: Auli – Gurson (3350m) – Auli (2450)(Trek/ 5-6 hrs)
Today we will drive to upper parts of Auli and from here enjoy the thrill of riding on chair lift to reach the starting point of our trek. From here we start our trek to Gurson top. It’s a superb experience of trekking on beautiful & inviting snow covered meadows and having a balcony view of some of the biggest mountains in the world right in front of you. Highlight of today’s walk has to be the up close & very personal views of Nanda Devi & Doonagiri peaks that one gets along the trail. We spend some time in this serene setting and return to the lodge towards late afternoon. On arrival relax with a hot cup of masala tea and a bowl of hot pakodas. Overnight at the lodge.
Day 04: Auli Skiing (Skiing/3-5 hrs)
Having completed the trekking part of the trip it is time to increase the excitement level as we move to the sport of snow skiing. After breakfast we will have a briefing session on the skiing techniques by our lead guide (one of the finest skiers our country has produced) and get acquainted with the equipment. Our guides will initiate you step by step into this exciting winter sport. First few hours will be used to just moving and sliding with the equipment. Slowly and slowly you will start doing short runs. Today we will ski for good 4-5 hours with lots of breaks in between. All this will be done under the supervision of expert guides. Evening relax at the lodge and get to know more about skiing by getting in conversation with expert guides. Overnight at the lodge
Day 05: Auli Skiing (Skiing/ 4-5 hrs)
With a lot of excitement we hit the skiing slopes again. This day we enhance our skiing skills and enjoy gliding down snow slopes. We will ski the whole day with lots of breaks in between. By the end of the day almost everyone would have become comfortable in doing short runs. Evening will be at leisure. Overnight at the lodge
Day 06: Auli – Jayalgarh (Skiing /3 hrs & Drive/4-5 hrs)
This day we continue with skiing sessions and enjoy the sport for the first half of the day. Break for Lunch and pack. Post lunch we drive to our beautiful riverside deluxe camp at Jayalgarh. On arrival check into the luxury tents and relax by the riverside. In the night bonfire and dinner by the riverside.Overnight in the camp at Jayalgarh.
Day 07: Jayalgarh – Devprayag – Haridwar (Rafting/ 2-3hrs / Drive/2-3hrs )
Having had a great time in the mountains it’s time to explore the joys offered by a big Himalayan river, Alaknanda. After breakfast, we attend a briefing on rafting techniques & safety instructions. We set off on an exciting RAFTING trip down the Alaknanda from the camp to Deoprayag. Today we raft for 24 kms through exciting Class II & III rapids and get a lot of time to swim & take short rides on duckies (inflatable kayaks). We end the trip at Deoprayag (the confluence of the Alaknanda & Bhagirathi rivers which meet to form the holy Ganga) . We change into dry clothes, have lunch and then drive down to Haridwar. We expect to reach Haridwar by 5 - 6 p.m.
Trip Ends With Sweet Memories !!!
ESSENTIALS
Mountain/adventure travel requires one to be adequately equipped with the right kind of personal gear. Since one is travelling in the wilderness there will be hardly any opportunity to buy anything once you hit the trail so we urge you to carefully pack everything into your bags. Also please keep in mind you can rent out or purchase equipment from our Gear Store, if required.
Shirts/T-shirts – 3/4
Warm shirt/light micro fleece pullover/full sleeve T shirt
Trekking Pants (water resistant/repellent & having inside lining for extra warmth) - 2
Windproof/water resistant outer shell (Jacket) of good quality (no flimsy wind cheaters please!) with a proper hood
Down Jacket (with min 600 fill power rating)
Thick Fleece / Full-sleeve Woollen sweater
Thermal inner wear (upper & lower)
Woollen cap (Balaclava)
Inner fleece gloves
Outer waterproof gloves
Thick woollen socks & regular socks (4-5 pairs)
Scarf/muffler (optional)
Comfortable waterproof Trekking/Hiking shoes (shoes with a thick sole and high ankles are recommended)
Camp shoes (these can be easy to slip in sneakers/sport shoes)
Gaiters
Small light weight towel
Insulated water bottle & hydration pack (optional)
Cap / floppy hat to keep the strong sun away from your face
Sun glasses with UV protection and ability to cut the glare (imp when traversing through snow)
Sturdy walking stick / Trekking pole
Sunscreen Lotion
Lip Balm
Torch / Flashlight (with extra batteries)
Medicines, if requiring any specific medication
Personal toiletries
Book, if you like reading
Day pack/small bag which you will carry on your back every day and keep your essentials in it
Carry rain cover for your bags
Keep a few poly bags or waterproof bags in your bag in which if required you can put your belongings in case of heavy rain
Camera if you like (with fully charged batteries)
…LOADS OF ENTHUSIASM!! AND A PLEDGE TO LEAVE NO TRACE
Carry your stuff in a duffel bag, soft shoulder bag or a rucksack. Avoid suitcases, trolleys or any other hard luggage. As you will be walking long distances carrying a rucksack, avoid bringing unnecessary items on the trek. Please avoid carrying expensive watches, jewellery and electronic items on the trek.
For Departure Dates just call 7350530009 / 7350540009 / 7350550009
Transport Options (Delhi – Haridwar – Delhi)
For travel to Haridwar and back one can choose between air, rail & road. 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 & Spice Jet. Train travel is highly recommended with enough options being there. 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 .
There are frequent Public Transport buses including Volvos available from Delhi to Haridwar that cost about Rs. 200-700 per person. These buses depart from Delhi ISBT every 30 mins. or so and take about 7 hrs to cover the distance. The same is also applicable on the return journey. A private vehicle could also be arranged for if you require the same.
Weather Details
This multi sport trip with lots of snow activities is organized between end Dec & Mar when the region has had good snowfall. Contrary to popular belief, winters are a good time to be in the mountains if one is equipped properly. Most locals inhabiting higher reaches of the mountains don’t mind the problems associated with snowfall and seem to have a good time during these months. Also there are lots of local festivals in these months. In these months weather is generally clear most of the days. Day time is pleasantly warm with one getting to enjoy sitting out in the sun and temperatures would be around 12-17 °C. Evenings are quite cold and one would need to be inside a tent/room or sitting outside next to fire with proper winter clothes. The evening temperatures will be around 0 to 5 °C. Nights can be very cold with temperatures in the range of -5 to 0 °C.
Please keep in mind that the above information is not exact and does not account for sudden changes. Whatever the temperatures and conditions rest assured we will be prepared to handle it with ease as we use equipment of very high specifications
Duration: 7 Days
Season: Jan-Mar
Grade: Moderate
Region: Garhwal (Uttarakhand)
Description
This exceptional multi-sports trip is designed with a lot of action and incredible snow fun in India, all packed up in a week. Snow trek lovers look upon this trip as an exciting idea to get closer to nature. This vacation gives a mesmerising snow trekking experience on the beautiful snow clad Auli Slopes. Surrounded by slopes and countryside, this snow Auli Trek is quite a treat to the eyes. Auli snow skiing trails are some of the most adventurous skiing slopes across Uttarakhand. Auli has gained its popularity as a beautiful destination for winter and summer seasons due to the fun sport of skiing, and many other skiing activities that one can indulge in. One of the highest mountains in the world, the most revered Nanda Devi Peak, can also be seen from the meadows while trekking to Gurson.
Many international quality skiers work towards developing a quality skiing team. Some of the prominent names are Padma Shri Mr Mohan Singh, who has been recognised as one of the finest skiers in the country. Mr Mohan Singh and his team ensure safety of the treks.
The rafting on Ganga in the river Alaknanda gives a strong quotient of excitement and momentum. To make sure that you experience all the excitement of white water rafting, our camping sites at Jayalgarh is perfectly located along the riverside, offering a lush view as well. The river trip comes with an extra dose of excitement and it will not be wrong to say that this is a once in a life time experience to go through the confluence of Alaknanda & Bhagirathi, which meet at a point namely Devprayag to live up to the religious significance of Ganga.
Auli Snow Trip is for everyone who loves to bask under the sun of the mountain skies and loves adventure. To join the trip you will need to reach Haridwar which is very well connected from all parts of the country by rail, road and air transport.