Sankri Wildlilfe
¤ Sankri At A Glance
is situated above the confluence of the Oberagaad and Karmanasha
streams that flow from Har-ki-dun. Sankri is the last village one can
drive up to and plies regular roadways bus services to Vikasnagar
(Dehradun) and Uttarkashi.
Sankri is the roadhead to the almost untouched Har-ki-dun (3566m)
with the Swargarohini Peak(6096m) towering above it in the backdrop.
Right above Sankri is the Kedarkanta Peak(3813m) which offers a
magnificent view of the surrounding peaks in the greater Himalayas.
A day’s trek to Kedarkanta would be a good idea. One could reach
Kedarkanta after a steep climb till Judataal (Juda lake), through a
thick coniferous jungle. After this there is a gradual ascent through
a vast meadow that is possibly the best skiing slope in the area in
winter. Both Har-ki-dun and Kedarkanta are worth a visit.
From Sankri, [Sankri-Taluka(1900m)-Osla(2559m)-Har-ki-dun] to
Har-ki-dun would take about seven days. Keep a day free for
Kedarkanta. At Sankri, restaurants that are mainly wooden huts serve
delicious food.
¤ Ton Valley
Tons river, one of the major tributaries of the Yamuna, gets its name
from the confluence of two streams,Rupin and Supin, at Netwar village
(1401m).
The road along the Tons River till Netwar, which is 12km ahead Mori,
is very picturesque. There are small villages across the river with
terraced fields. The sight seems straight out of a fairytale.
Netwar has a small market where thing like eggs and instant noodles
(Maggi) are available.
¤ Govind Wild Life Sanctuary
It is also the entrance to the Govind Wild Life Sanctuary (953 sq km)
which is home to the black panther, snow leopard, the Himalayan brown
and black bear, muntjac or barking deer, musk deer, ghoral, or
mountain goat, bharal, or the Himalayan blue sheep, the Indian fox,
flying squirrel, khaleej and monaal pheasants and a number of species
of exotic Himalayan birds and flowers. There is a forest department
barrier 2km ahead of Netwar where an entry fee of Rs 50/ per foreign
tourist and Rs 20/ per Indian tourist is charged.
The fee for a professional camera is Rs 50/ per camera, per day but an
ordinary camera is allowed in free of cost. Entry fees are subject to
change. The journey till Sankri, the last village you could take a
vehicle up to, through a mixed jungle of oak, pine and rhododendron,
is breathtakingly beautiful. It is also an apple country.
¤ Best Time To Visit
Mid April to June and October to November.
¤ Getting There
State roadways buses ply twice a day from Vikasnagar (Dehradun) and
Nowgaon (Uttarkashi). The round fare is Rs 70/ per person. Several
private jeeps also ply between some destinations throughout the route,
charging not more than Rs 40/- per person. It is easy to hitch a ride
in trucks.
¤ Accommodation
There are rest houses run by Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam and the
Forest Department. For reservations in the Forest Department rest
houses, the D.F.O. of Tons Forest Division, Purola (Uttarkashi), can
be contacted.
There are GMVN rest houses in Sankri, Taluka, Osla and Har-ki-dun.
Rest houses run by the Forest Department are located at Purola,
Mori, Netwar, Sankri, Taluka, Osla, and Har-ki-dun.
There are private hotels at Bernigaad, Nowgaon and Purola.
May and June are packed with tourists from home and abroad and a
night stay becomes a problem sometimes. So it is advisable to carry
along tents, sleeping bags and carry mats.
¤ Itinerary
Day 1 :A drive from
Mussoorie to Bernigaad, lunch en route. Dinner and overnight stay at
Dobhal guest house in Bernigaad.
Day 2 :A drive to Lakhamandal and back to Bernigaad. A drive
to Sankri, lunch en route. Dinner and overnight stay at Sankri.
Day 3 :Trek to Har-ki-dun (seven days) or Kedarkanta(one day)
or both one after another. Food is available at Taluka and Osla at the
local restaurants. However, it is advisable to carry along some
easy-to-cook stuff from Sankri. There is no food available at
Har-ki-dun and Kedarkanta. A drive back to Mussoorie after the trek.
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