In
the southern Himalayas, located at the heart of Kumaon hills, the
Pindar valley in Uttarakhand is known for its three glaciers: Pindar,
Kafni and Sunderdhunga.
The
river Pindari gets its name from the Pindar valley. It originates from
the Pindar glacier which is another popular spot for trekkers and
tourists. The trek to all three glaciers shares a common route up to
Khati.
- Maktoli Range, part of the Kumaon Hills
The
Sunderdhunga glacier proves to be an excellent retreat for trekkers and
nature-lovers alike. Situated on the right side of Pindar valley, it is
one of the lesser known glaciers of the Bageshwar region. Teeming with
mountain flora and fauna, it is
This
trek finds oneself navigating through rocky terrain, with stones and
boulders of various sizes all around, which is actually where the valley
got its name "Sunderdhunga" from. “Sunderdhunga” literally translates
to “beautiful stones”.
Indeed
the stones and slippery tracks of hardened ice add a bit of challenge
to the trek, and paired with the distance, this journey is one for
seasoned trekkers.
Although
the climb can be a bit challenging, being surrounded by snow-capped
peaks of tall Himalayan Mountains, the view is nothing short of
breathtaking. The pristine snow on gigantic monolithic mountains
provides a picture-perfect scene, invigorating your body right to your
very bones. The peace and calm of the valley resonates with your very
soul.
Tharkot
(6100M), Mrigthuni (6856m), Maikotli (6804m) and Pawali Dwar (6663m)
are the main mountain peaks in the area that one ought to keep an eye
out for.
- Sunderdhunga Valley
TREK ROUTE
The trek starts at Bageshwar, from the base camp at Song.
From
Song, one travels to Kharkiya via Loharkhet. (The newly built road that
connects the two eliminates the tiring climb to Dhakuri.) from where a
short 5km hike leads up to Khati village. While walking from Khati to
Jatoli, one crosses the Pindar Bridge. This landmark bridge overlooks
the Sunderdhunga river joining the Pindar River as it flows towards
Garhwal. The trail then progresses to Kathaliya through a rocky path and
one has to face challenging terrain.”Kathali” in local dialect means
“mountain goat” and as one reaches Kathaliya it becomes evident why it
was named so, because huge herds of goats swarm over the meadows, a
patchwork of brown over the underlying green. Moving on to the Maktoli
base camp, one encounters lush green meadows from where the Baluni peak
is visible.Navigating through the glacial gorges and walking through
loose mud zones, one heads for Baluni top which overlooks other peaks
like Maiktoli and Tent peak. The return trek follows the same route
taken while ascending.
- Baluni top as seen from Kathaliya valley
ACCESSIBILITY
Proper
roads connect Bageshwar to all other major cities of Uttarakhand. The
nearest train station is Kathgodam (180km) while the nearest airport
would be at Pant Nagar (206 km)
Comments
Post a Comment