Itinerary -
Day 1: HARIDWAR – JAYALGARH (DRIVE /3-4 HRS & RAFTING & OTHER ACTIVITIES /3-4 HRS)
Arrive at Haridwar in the morning and board the awaiting vehicle and drive to Jayalgarh. The riverside camp at Jayalgarh has a spectacular location with Alaknanda river in the front and a fresh water stream on the right flank. Check in, freshen up and relax for some time in the beautiful environs. Post lunch we will drive up to Srikot/Srinagar and after a briefing on rafting techniques by the instructors we will raft down till the camp. This is a 15 kms long stretch and has class II+ rapids. This is great for beginners and a good warm up run for the more challenging rafting to come later in the trip. En route we will halt at our ‘ACTION BEACH’ in Maletha, surely one of the finest beach and indulge in host of water activities like Duckie rides (Kayaking on inflatable boats), river swimming under watchful eyes of the instructors, body surfing, cliff jumping & cataraft rides. After enjoying the water activities we raft down till the camp. Evening one can do one’s own thing at the camp. Late evening enjoy bonfire & dinner.
Day 2: JAYALGARH – SARI VILLAGE – DEORIATAL – CHOPTA (Drive/ 5 hrs & Trek/ 3 hrs)
Early morning, we board the vehicle and set out on a beautiful drive of about 4 hrs to reach the quaint village at Sari. From Sari a short trek of about 2.5 kms will bring you to the beautiful high altitude lake of Deoriatal. This climb though short is uphill throughout. At the lake there are beautiful views of the Himalayas and the surrounding valleys and the reflection of the Chaukhamba peak in the shimmering waters of the lake is a sight worth seeing!! We spend some time here exploring the beautiful surrounding and have packed lunch before heading back to sari village. From here we again board the vehicle and drive through a spectacular landscape to reach Chopta which is described as the mini-Switzerland of India. This is a short 30 mins drive. We will set up a camp on one of the meadows. This is quite an experience. For people not wanting to camp we can organize some basic rooms in couple of small lodges that exist here. Overnight in tents/rooms.
Day 3: CHOPTA – TUNGNATH (3680 M) – CHANDRASHILA PEAK (4000 M) – CHOPTA – KUND (DRIVE/1 HR & TREK/5-6 HRS BOTH WAYS)
Wake up in the morning to wonderful views of Himalayan peaks. From Chopta, we start the trek by climbing up the slopes of the meadow. The climb is demanding but short and extremely scenic. It will take about a couple of hours to reach Tungnath temple. The golden meadows in this area are very striking so are the views of big mountains and valleys. After a brief stop for refreshments, carry on with your climb to reach the summit of Chandrashilla peak at about 4000 m. The effort is going to be rewarded ten times with views which are surely unparalleled. From the summit you can see big Himalayan peaks (Nanda devi, Trishul, Chaukhamba and many more) and surrounding valleys in all directions. After capturing the views in your camera start walking down to the base camp at Chopta and from there get onto your vehicles and drive down to the lodge in Kund where a refreshing shower and hot dinner awaits you. Overnight in the lodge.
Day 4: KUND – JAYALGARH – HARIDWAR (DRIVE /6 HRS & RAFTING / 3 HRS)
After an early breakfast we will drive down to Jayalgarh at 7:00 am. Upon reaching Jayalgarh we will be briefed again by our trip leader on the sport of rafting and given safety instructions. Today we will raft for about 25 km from the camp till Devprayag. Today’s stretch will have rapids of class II – III. Another interesting aspect of the trip is that you raft through the confluence of Bhagirathi & Alaknanda which meet to form the Ganga at Devprayag. We finish the run, change into fresh clothes (changing tents will be there) & have packed lunch. Later we board the awaiting vehicle and drive back to Haridwar and proceed with our onwards journey.
Trip Ends With Sweet Memories !!!
ESSENTIALS
Below is a list of essentials you would require at the camp:
Small day pack/back pack
T-shirts/Shirts
Shorts
Comfortable fit Jeans/Track Pants/trekking pants
Jacket/Sweater (please see the section on weather)
Windproof jacket ideally with a hood
Floaters
Comfortable trekking shoes
Sneakers or any other low ankle shoes for riding(cycling)
Poncho (rain coat)
Water bottle
Riding gloves
Sunscreen Lotion
Cap
Flashlight
Sunglasses with holding strings
Medicines, if requiring any specific medication
Camera (optional)
LOADS OF ENTHUSIASM!!
Carry rain cover for your bags
Carry your stuff in a duffel bag, soft shoulder bag or a rucksack. Avoid suitcases, trolleys or any other hard luggage
For Departure Dates just call 7350530009 / 7350540009 / 7350550009
Transport Options (Delhi – Dehradun – Delhi)
For travel to Dehradun 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.
There are frequent Public Transport buses including Volvos available from Delhi to Dehradun . 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
In the period mid Mar – May day time is going to be mildly warm at lower elevations and very pleasant at higher locales. Evenings are going to be mildly cold. Night temperature will be around 12 -20 deg Celsius in Mar - Apr & around 20 - 25 deg Celsius in May. Again keep in mind that Chopta and beyond we might catch lots of snow in March & early April so come prepared with some winter clothing. May also you will need some protection during trekking. In March & April do factor in the wind chill during biking. The water in the rivers for rafting is going to be moderately cold and extremely inviting. So you might end up spending more time off the boat than on it.
In Oct – Nov period night temperature will be around 10 – 15 deg Celsius and you will need some protection from the cold. The water in the rivers during rafting is going to be cold but not freezing cold. A dip in the river is going to initially feel cold but couple of dips and you will start enjoying the water. Wind chill is going to be a factor while biking down from the high altitude meadows of Chopta so factor this in while packing stuff for the trip. Speak to our expert if there is any doubt on packing front
In the period Oct to Dec day time is going to be warm and pleasant if the sun is out, which mostly is around this time. Evenings are going to be moderately cold in Oct & Nov and cold in December. With a bonfire next to you it is going to be an enjoyable experience. December the night temperature can go down to about 3 – 5 deg Celsius so come prepared with some winter clothing. As this is a lodge based trip with no camping you don’t need to bother too much about the cold at night. Do keep in mind that while on the trek to Chandrashilla it is going to be cold with good possibility of snowfall around end December so come equipped accordingly.
Duration: 4 Days
Season: Mar-Jun, Sep-Dec
Grade: Moderate +
Region: Uttarakhand - Garhwal, Uttarakhand
Description
A lot is packed in this 4 days multi sport trip. You get to trek through an absolutely enchanting landscape, raft on a big and beautiful river and indulge in a variety of activities which ensure that excitement levels never go down. All this is done with a backdrop of some awe inspiring landscapes. This trip is set in the Alaknanda & Mandakini valleys in Garhwal region of Uttarakhand and the region is easily approachable from Haridwar/Rishikesh/Dehradun
As part of the trip you experience two beautiful hikes. First hike is to the high altitude lake, Deoriatal. This beautiful lake at an altitude of 2438 m has captivating surroundings with forests & mountains all around. The famous Chaukhamba peak feels like it is an arms length away and the reflection of the mighty peak in the crystal clear waters of the lake creates a beautiful effect. On the second hike we first trek up to Tungnath temple through almost golden meadows and from there climb further to summit Chandrashila peak at about 4000m. Big attraction of this trek is the 180 degrees view of the snow clad peaks and the valleys all around. For this trek we drive to Chopta, popularly referred to as the Mini-Switzerland of India because of its undulating green meadows (carpets of snow in winter!!) and breathtaking view of the majestic Himalayan peaks. Added fun is the camping experience at Chopta where we set up a temporary camp on a beautiful meadow. People not wanting to camp can stay in a basic lodge here
An equally interesting aspect of the trip is the time spent on the river. We will raft twice on the Alaknanda river and also indulge in a variety of other water based activities like duckie rides (inflatable kayaks), bridge slithering, cliff jumping and many more. We will be rafting long stretches so dont worry about not getting enough time on the river
What makes this trip extra special is the Himalayan Eco Lodges & Camps (H.E.L & C) lodge at Kund & the deluxe riverside camp at Jayalgarh. These two H.E.L & C lodges/camps are set in spectacular locations and have good quality facilities which enhance the overall experience on the trip.