Page 195 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - India

UT T AR PR ADESH & UT T AR AKHAND  193

Tips for Walkers
Be prepared: Acclimatization is
essential for altitudes over 3,000 m
(9,843 ft). See p743 for information
on altitude sickness. For longer
routes, guides are necessary. For
more details on trekking, see p727.
On the trek: Drink plenty of water.
Carry a first aid kit and cooking
fuel. Never burn wood, which is
The Curzon Trail a scarce resource. Put out all fires
The 70-km (43-mile) trail is named after the British viceroy, properly, leaving no burning
who followed this route. From Ghat, it skirts the western embers. Do not litter, and carry
edge of the Nanda Devi Sanctuary, crossing over the Kuari your rubbish back with you.
Pass, with clear views of Nanda Devi. It ends at Tapovan, Permits: In Garhwal, travel permits
12 km (7 miles) northwest of Joshimath. are required for border areas which
Duration: 6 days can be obtained from the District
Altitude: 4,268 m (14,003 ft) Magistrate’s Office in Uttarkashi,
Level of Difficulty: Tough (01374) 222 280 or the GMVN,
Rishikesh, (0135) 243 1793. No
The Valley of Flowers National permits are required for Kumaon.
Park, a 20-km (12-mile) climb For more information, see p734.
Valley of Equipment hire & operators: In
Flowers from Govindghat, has a profusion
of wild flowers (see p191). Garhwal, contact Mount Support
Ghangaria in Uttarkashi, GMVN (0135) 243
Hemkund Duration: 3 days
Altitude: 3,352 m (10,997 ft) Nanda Devi East 1793, in Rishikesh, GMVN (0135)
•Bhiundhar (7,430 m/24,377 ft)
Level of Difficulty: Moderate 274 7898, for trekking assistance;
in Dehra Dun (see p190), contact
Jahnavi Chirbas Gaumukh Govindghat Rishi G anga (7,817 m/25,646 ft) Garhwal Trekking & Mountaineering
Nanda Devi
Division, GMVN (0135) 248 0799. In
Glacier
Nandanvan Joshimath Nanda Devi Pindari Kumaon, Parbat Tours in Nainital,
Bhagirathi Gangotri Tapovan Auli Tapovan Mountaineering Club, (05942) 235
(05942) 235 656, and the Nainital
Sanctuary
Bhagirathi Parvat
Shivling
Harsil Kedar Tal (6,540 m/21,457 ft) (6,860 m/22,507 ft) Phurkiya 051, organize treks. For more
Kedarnath Trishul Dwali details, see p731.
(6,940 m/22,769 ft) Alaknanda Kuari Pass (7,120 m/23,360 ft)
14,003 ft)
Gangotri Kedarnath Chorabari (4,268 m/ Pana Sundardhunga
(6,670 m/21,883 ft) Sanctuary Tal Pipalkoti Jhinji KUMAON Pindari Glacier is a
Bandar Punch Chechni Binayak Khati 50-km (31-mile) trek
(6,316 m/20,722 ft) Mandakini Gohna Pass Loharkhet from Song, through
Tal
Gangnani Ramni Dhakuri dense forests with
Gaurikund fine views of
Chamoli Karmi Trishul Peak.
Dodital Song Duration: 6 days
GARHWAL Nandprayag Ghat Pindar Altitude: 3,650 m
Bekhal
Darwa Top Bhatwari Tal (11,975 ft)
(4,130 m/13,550 ft) Level of Difficulty:
Agoda Tough
Kalyani
Nanda Devi Sanctuary
Asi Ganga
Gegari Uttarkashi The 630-sq km (243-sq mile) Nanda Devi Sanctuary has
three splendid peaks – Nanda Devi, Nanda Devi East and
Nanda Kot, which form a snowy wall in the north. Nanda
Devi (see pp68–9) is India’s second-highest peak at 7,817
m (25,646 ft). Believed to be the birthplace of Shiva’s
consort, Parvati, the mountain is revered as a goddess. Nanda Devi and Nanda Devi East
The area was thought to be impenetrable, until British
mountaineers Eric Shipton and Bill Tilman discovered a route in 1936. A spate of expeditions
followed, to the distress of the local people, who believed this would incur the wrath of the goddess.
In 1976, American mountaineer Willi Unsoeld, along with his 22-year-old daughter Nanda Devi (whom
he had named after the peak), set off for the mountain, but Nanda Devi died tragically during the
expedition. The core area of the sanctuary was closed in 1983 to protect its fragile ecosystem, which
is the habitat of rare fauna such as the snow leopard and the monal pheasant.
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