I am an avid trekker, and I have been trying to cover most of India’s highest treks for the past years. The Kuari trek was one of the few treks that I hadn’t managed to do, especially since the pandemic and the ensuing lockdown had spoiled all travel plans. Not just for me but for everyone around the world.
Ever since the state borders opened again, I began hunting for trekking packages. I read some positive Thrillophilia reviews on the internet led me to this particular tour. The package seemed to include all of the basic facilities, including transfers, guides and accommodation, and the rates reflected were much lower than those offered by other travel websites and agencies.
I decided to take my trek with the team. It was a 6 days and 5 nights package in total, starting from Haridwar. I had arrived in the city one day early to take a rest and prepare for the long journey the next day.
Our tour started early the next day. A point of rendezvous had been decided between the trek team and I, and I arrived at the designated spot on time to meet the two others who would be traveling with me. We met our driver together at sharp 06.30 in the morning, and began the first leg of our journey towards Joshimath.
Our driver was really friendly, and navigated all the mountain roads pretty well. The drive was somewhat on the longer side, but the absolutely ravishing views that we crossed on the way made the effort quite worth it. We stopped occasionally for a light meal or two. It was quite late by the time we reached Joshimath.
We ate a little at the hotel we were stopping at and had an early night. We started early the next day. It was pretty cold, so we wrapped several layers and left for our drive to Dhak.
Dhak is a lovely little village close to Joshimath. It served as a base camp for the Kuari Pass trek. We met our trek leader at the spot, along with a few others who were to join the trekking group. From Dhak we started our first journey by foot towards Gulling.
The climb was about 5 kilometers long and somewhat steep. The road cuts across several grasslands, and the higher you climb, the better views you get of the peaks that surround you. We stopped frequently to capture some pictures, unwilling to let any of the scenery go by.
It was early evening by the time we arrived at the campsite. We were treated to a freshly prepared hot meal, which helped calm the cold in our bones. The group spent some time outdoors, just conversing and getting to know each other, but were too tired to go on and decided to sleep early anyway.
The next day, we took the second leg of our journey with another 5 kilometer long climb to a higher campsite. The road to camp was steeper than the first half, but also prettier. We traveled through very dense forests of oak and rhododendrons, some of which were flowering and super beautiful. We made some stops on the way, and reached camp in a little less than 6 hours.
Our campsite was in the loveliest areas. It was right in the middle of a forest clearing, and because the weather generally remains clearer during the cold months, we caught absolutely interrupted views of the mountains around. We spent a second night in the camp tents.
The fourth day was the highlight of the experience — the trek to the Kuari Pass. We grabbed a heavy breakfast and prepared for the climb.
The total experience took around 7 hours, but the time really depends on the weather and the speed of the climbers. The first leg of the climb was gradually ascending. We made our way through a snow-clad meadow to the Khullar top. Here, we stopped at the broken bridge landmark, with a frozen stream which is a big attraction in the area.
After stopping for some pictures, we made our way to the much awaited Kuari Pass. The climb to the Kuari Pass was pretty strenuous, and took the best of us. Once we were there, however, the effort was truly worth it.
We caught absolutely beautiful views of some of the tallest peaks, including the Nanda Devi parvat and Kedarnath. After that, the trip back followed pretty much the same route. We spent that night at Camp, then headed down towards Gulling and then Dhak. From Joshimath, we were taken back to Haridwar, where I decided to extend my stay and tour a bit.
I was extremely satisfied by the experience. Check out the Thrillophilia reviews on Trustpilot for more information on Sri Lanka packages. All facilities were well maintained — from the campsite to the food and even the trekking gear. Our trek guide was an absolute joy to be with; he was not only super accommodating to everybody’s needs, but was always ready with an interesting anecdote about the local culture and area. I am definitely looking forward to my next experience with the team. Read Thrillophilia reviews on Tripadvisor of Srilanka packages to know more about this adventure and book a package with us to collect some everlasting memories.
