ADVENTURE-PULSE
(The Adventure Management Consultants)

India
Pindari Glacier Trek

Overview

Starting from the beautiful town of Kharkiya, the Pindari Glacier Trek takes you into the heart of the Kumaon Region of Uttarakhand. While on the trek, you’ll get a chance to learn about the local culture of the Kumaon and trek through some of the most inspiring landscapes. The trek borders the outer sanctum on the Nanda Devi National Park, thus providing spectacular views of magnificent Himalayan Peaks.

The Pindari Glacier Trek is easy to moderate. From the glacier itself, you’ll get a chance to witness some of the most majestic peaks of the Indian Himalayas such as Nanda Devi, Nanda Kot, Baljouri and Panwalidwar. The Pindari Glacier Trek is perfect for individuals looking for their first High-Altitude Trek as the maximum altitude is less than 4000 metres and is a relatively short trek as compared to Everest Base Camp. The longest day of the trek is when you trek from Phurkia to Pindari Glacier and back which is close to a 10-hour trek.

What to expect?

The trek is a moderate trek with significant climbs and descends as well as a significant altitude gain. You start at an altitude of 2200 metres and climb up to 3800 metres. Luckily, most of the trail leading up is paved with rocks and stones. The Trail is well marked, and ponies and mules are used to transport bags and equipment.

On average, you will be walking for around 4 to 6 hours a day at a comfortable pace. Your main bags will be put on mules or ponies and will be transported to the next campsite.

From Kharkia, you trek up to Khati which is one of the larger villages on the trail and you’ll get a chance to learn about the rich culture of the Kumaon. The trail up to Khati is through a rich forest with oak trees. The Sturdy oaks add to the watershed of the region as well. From Khati you trek up to Dwali. Dwali is where you’ll hit the famous Rhododendrons, also the state flower. If you trek in the summers, you’ll get a chance to see them in full bloom with reds and purples throughout. From Phurkia the icy peaks of Baljouri, Nanda Kot and Maiktoli will accompany you while you trek.

Where will I be staying?

At Binsar, you’ll be staying in comfortable Swiss Tents. Swiss Tents are tents with a bed, mattress and attached washrooms. The camp is located on the periphery of the Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary and is one of the highlights of Uttarakhand. We’ve added this night to break the hectic road journey from Kathgodam to Kharkia.

While on the trek, Adventure-Pulse will provide comfortable tents on a double sharing basis. These tents will be waterproof and will stay dry from the inside even in the rain. The tents will be lined with a foam mat followed by another sleeping mat where your sleeping bag will be placed. Your sleeping bag will be rated for -5 to 0 C and will be warm enough.

Read more about the trek: Everything You Need to Know About The Pindari Glacier Trek

Quick Facts

Best Time : March - October

Duration : 08 Days

Max. Altitude : 3800 Metres

Commences At : Kathgodam/Pantnagar

Ends At : Kathgodam/Pantnagar

  • Kathgodam/Pantnagar to Binsar
  • Binsar to Kharkiya to Khati (2210 Mts/7293 Ft)
  • Khati to Dwali. (2575 Mts/8498 Ft)
  • Dwali to Phurkia (3206 Mts/14300 Ft)
  • Phurkia To Pindari Glacier (3900 Mts/12870 Ft) To Phurkia.
  • Phurkia to Khati.
  • Khati to Kharkiya to Kathgodam
  • Departure

Contact

The first day of the Pindari Glacier Trek. The nearest airport to the trek is Pantnagar and the nearest train station is Kathgodam. There are regular flights and trains from Delhi. As you arrive, an Adventure-Pulse representative will be there to receive you and they’ll drive you to Binsar. The first night of the trek will be spent in swiss tents at the Binsar Adventure Camp, where you’ll get a chance to learn about Kumaon culture. The camp is on the periphery of the Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary.
After a hearty breakfast at Binsar, we’ll start our journey to Kharkiya. Kharkiya is a 6-hour drive through mountainous roads from Binsar. Once we reach Kharkiya, we’ll have a quick lunch at a local homestay and start our journey to Khati. It’s a 5 km trek today that takes you down into the bottom of the valley where we’ll see the conjunction of the Sunderdhunga and Pindari rivers. From the confluence, we’ll hike back up to Khati. The trail is well defined and paved with stones.
The trekking distance today is 11 km (5-6 hrs) with the roar of the Pinder Ganga not too far off. Along the way, there are many waterfalls and suspension bridges to be crossed. This day’s trek is one of the harder days as it involves a long trek. On the way, you’ll get a chance to marvel at the awesome views of the Pindari valley. We should reach Dwali at around 4-5 pm. Our camp will be setup on the banks of the river.
A short 5 km trek takes you to Phurkia. The barren icy peaks seem to be your only companions for the day. The trek crosses beautiful rhododendron forests that will be in bloom from March to early June. Keep your cameras ready as you'll get a chance to witness a meadow, a glacial formation and a few Himalayan Ibex grazing nearby all in the same frame. Dinner and overnight stay in tent/rest house.
Today is an early start as it is a 7 km trek each way. We’ll reach zero point from where the Pindari glacier can be viewed in all its magnificence at the break of dawn. The Pindari Glacier is a 5km long glacier. The Pinder valley is also prominent with its patches of lush greenery over the stark white landscape. Return to Phurkia. Dinner and overnight stay in tents.
Today's 17 km trek will take 4-5 hrs. We’ll follow the same route. At Khati you can try some of the local cuisine and learn about the way of life in the mountains. Dinner and overnight stay in tents/rest house.
Today is the last day of trekking. We begin with a 5 km trek (2 hrs) to Kharkiya followed by a long drive to Kathgodam where you'll stay at a comfortable hotel.
Adventure-Pulse representatives will escort you to the nearest Train station or Airport

Package Details

TRIP COST INCLUDES

  1. Accommodation.
    • 1 Night in Swiss Tents at Binsar Adventure Camp
    • 5 nights camping on the trail
    • 1 Night at a Comfortable Hotel in Kathgodam
  2. All meals in Binsar Adventure Camp, during the trek and in Kathgodam.
  3. Transportation: Group pickup and drop from Kathgodam/Pantnagar (Individual Pick up/Drop will be on actuals). 
  4. Trekking permits and forest camping charges.
  5. Trekking Gears: (Tents, Sleeping bags, Mattress)
  6. Services of an expert Adventure Pulse trek leader. (*For a group of 8 and above)
  7. Services of an expert trek team. (guides, cooks, helpers)
  8. Porters to carry your personal luggage.
  9. Basic first aid kit and medical assistance.

TRIP COST EXCLUDES

  1. International or domestic flights.
  2. Food during the transit/drive. (To and from the base camp)
  3. Personal clothing and equipment.
  4. Any items/services not specifically mentioned under inclusions.
  5. Travel insurance.
  6. Any medical costs incurred by you or costs associated with a medical incident, evacuation charges and damage of any nature.
  7. Optional trips or excursions. Personal expenses of any kind.
  8. Tips for local staff and guides.
  9. Costs arising out of unforeseen circumstances such as bad weather, landslides, road conditions and any other circumstances beyond our control.
Extreme temperature variations, high altitude, snow glare & proximity to sun are certain factors which necessitate the need to for proper mountaineering and trekking equipment. In order to enjoy your experience in the mountains, we have recommended that you carry the following with you.

Apparels

  1. Trekking Boots / Shoes (preferably up to ankle length & water-resistant)
  2. Multiple pairs of Cotton and woollen socks (at least 3-4 pairs of each)
  3. Track Pants for comfortable trekking, Denims to be avoided. (At least 2/3)
  4. Thermal inners and sweater/warm sweatshirt (1 each)
  5. Cotton T-shirts (3 to 4 minimum)
  6. Rain gear. Either a raincoat and trousers or a rain poncho.
  7. Warm thermal fleece jacket.
  8. 01 Peak Cap + at least 01 Woolen Cap
  9. 01 pair of warm gloves with wind proof outer layer.
  10. 01 pair floaters.

Accessories

  1. Air bag / Duffel bag (No Suitcases). Preferably waterproof/water-resistant.
  2. Day Back with rain proof cover. (25 to 35 ltrs)
  3. Drinking Water Bottle 1 Litre
  4. Torch + Batteries
  5. Camera + Batteries
  6. Knee / Ankle / Wrist Guards (if required)
  7. Nail Cutter / Pocket / Pen Knife
  8. Cold cream
  9. Hand sanitiser
  10. Chap-stick / Vaseline
  11. Personal toiletries (Tooth Paste / Toilet Paper / Wet Wipes or Baby Wipes etc.)
  12. Medical kit (With basic medicines for headache, upset Stomach, sour throat, water purification tablets/drops, band aids, painkillers & Moov/ Iodex , Vics Vaporub , D-Cold)
  13. Any personal medication (Individual specific)
  14. High energy snacks like Dry fruits, Bars of chocolate, Tang, Glucose etc.
  15. Good Quality Sun shades.
  16. Sun block. (SPF40+)
The Pindari glacier Trek can be steep & strenuous at some places, even though it does not require that you have any previous mountaineering experience in Particular, It’s important that you be in good physical condition and be able to hike at a comfortable pace for 5-6 hours over hilly terrain with a light day pack. Good cardio-vascular conditioning and muscles that are used to hiking will make your trip much more enjoyable. We recommend the following schedule to the participants:
We recommend the following schedule to the participants
  1. Week One/Two: The participants should be develop the habit of being able to get up in the morning and run / brisk walk  for a minimum of 3-4 Km at least 4-5 days a week. This would represent at least 20-25 minutes of cardio exercise. Though difficult at first, keep at it. You can stop and take breaks as well.  During the day, you should get into the habit of avoiding elevators and taking the steps. You should be able to climb at least 4/5 flights of steps daily. (Avoid going down steps too fast as this could result in some knee injuries). If you Don’t enjoy running and are into some other sport like cycling or swimming, spend about 45 mins cycling or about 600 – 800 mts of swimming for at least 4 days a week.
  2. Week Three/Four: Assuming you have successfully survived week one and two, are consistent with your exercise, you can take up the pace a notch. Increase your distance to 5/6 kms per day and 5 times a week, you can additionally go to a gym. Avoid heavy weight training. Focus more on a core workout. These are your muscle groups that run along the length of your body and helps maintain your posture and sustains you during your long hours of working.
  3. Week Five/Six: In addition to the week 3&4 exercises, one additional feature you should add in Week three is walking for half an hour during the evenings with a backpack on carrying 3-4 kgs. This could be 2lts of water, some snacks, a jacket etc. This will help strengthen your back and shoulders thus preparing you for the long hours of trekking. If you don’t want to just simply walk, also try increasing your time on climbing flight of steps. As compared to week one, you should aim to be able to climb 10-12 flight of stairs comfortably.
  4. Week Seven: Sustenance. Keep up the tempo, sustain the workout. Try avoiding doing anything very rigorous but be consistent with morning and evening walks/runs and climbing flight of stairs.

Please remember, consistency is the Key here. Do not do anything to exert yourself or something that will increase chances of Injury. Running / brisk walking 4-5 kms for 5 days in a week is far better than running a 20 km on one day of the week and injuring your Knee/Ligaments in the process. If you can be consistent with above mentioned schedule, The Pindari Glacier Trek, though physically challenging, will become a pleasant and enjoyable experience for you. Feel free to call us or mail us in case you want more details on how to prepare for this trek!

Contact: [email protected]

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