When it comes to weekends, a few treks offer the perfect blend of adrenaline rushes for the adventurer in you and a relaxed itinerary to let you go back to work on a Monday. Binsar Sanctuary to Jageshwar Trek in the Kumaon region of Himalayas ensures that you make the most of your weekend. Starting at the picturesque Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary, the trek includes walks through pine forests accompanied by the music of tiny rivulets of clear water, spotting a few rare flora and fauna and camping amidst thick deodars to reminisce about (literally and factually) the breathtaking Himalayas. Besides the natural beauty, Kumaon invites you to enjoy the local culture and traditions. Their ancient temples and splendid architecture leave you in a state of amazement. The itinerary begins at Delhi, where Ranikhet Express leads you to Kathgodam at the dawn and then a drive through the twirling roads drops you at Almora. Frankly, if you are not too tired of the rail and road journey, you can begin the trek right here. At approximately 2500 meters, the Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary is home to barking deer, Himalayan black bear, leopard, serow, sambhar and a few rare species. For the tree lovers, the sanctuary is lined with oaks, rhododendrons, and cedars among others. The best time to visit Binsar is from October to March as the clear weather lets you soak in the beauty of snow clad peaks like Nanda Devi, Trishul, Nandaghunti, Panchachuli massif and the entire Kumaon Himalayas range. On a human front, the locals are warm and welcoming. An elaborately detailed chat gives you a window into their lives, cultures, and customs. And if they really like you, they open a treasure of ancient stories cherished over generations.
What is included in the tour
- Accommodation (Camping)
- Meals while on trek (Veg)
- Transport from Kathgodam to Binsar and return
- Trekking and forest permits
- Trek equipment (Tent, sleeping bag, mattress, kitchen & dining tent, toilet tent and utensils)
- First aid medical kits
- Mountaineering qualified trek leader and support staff
What is NOT included in the tour
- Meals during the transit
- Any personal expenses
- Anything not specifically mentioned under the head "inclusions"
- Insurance
Day 1: Departure from Delhi and take an overnight train to Kathgodam.
By rail: Board a train from Delhi to reach Kathgodam the next morning. By road: Kathgodam is 284 km from Delhi by road. A drive down the road takes approximately 6 hours.
Day 2: Arrive at Kathgodam
Arrive at Kathgodam and drive to Binsar National Park (7 hrs Drive) and trek to Jawa bank. Overnight camping. At 960 metres, Kathgodam gives you an opportunity to stock up your basic provisions. Post that, a drive of around 4 hours leads you to Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary. Take the path on your right, heading to the old Sapteshwar Mahadev Temple. There is a tea shop by the stream where you can stop for a break after visiting the temple. The walk from Deora should have taken no longer than 1- 1.5 hours. From the teashop backtrack to the point where you turned off on the path to the right. Now head north for a few minutes and then take a left into the valley heading to the north-west. It is more convenient to walk on the cemented walls of the irrigation channel, but do this only if you have a head for heights. Otherwise, descend to the valley floor and walk up north-west, crossing the stream over a pucca bridge. The path ascends gently for about an hour to the small hamlet of a village and then goes level, still heading north-west for a short while through pine forests, before dropping down to a small shallow stream. The path skirts along the hill and to your right and below is bowl hamlets. After about an hour, you will come to a lone mud-hut, a tea shop that is a good place for a break. From here the road turns gently to the north-east, ascending slowly through thick oak and rhododendron forests. It offers great Himalayan views to your right. After about 2-3hrs, when you find the road turning east again, look up to about one o’clock (North-west). On the top of the hill, you will be able to see the glinting white houses of Jwalabanj. A gradual descent on a well defines track takes you to Dhaulachina and Jawalabanj.
Day 3: Jwalabanj to main Jageshwar temple and drive to Kathgodam via Nainital. (4 hrs trek)
Overnight train to Delhi. Wake early at dawn the next morning, head to the rock garden and look to the north-east. You will get a spectacular view of the Central Himalayas, right from Neelkanth in Garhwal to the Nampa in Nepal. If you have the energy you can climb the hill behind the guest house for the 360-degree views. The climb up will take about 30 min to 1hr, so factor that in when planning the day. The track has a couple of points where enormous boulders provide perfect picnic spots, so if you don’t like early breakfasts you could pack rotis and have a picnic on the rocks. The track soon curves back to meet the road, onto which you descend gently to Vridh Jageshwar. As you step on the tarred hill road which culminates into a pony trail, you pass by several Kumaoni habitations. The dense temperate jungles are the first signs of being in the vicinity of Vridh Jageshwar. After spending enough time observing the craftsmanship of the temples, you drive to Kathgodam via Nainital. And return to Delhi by road or rail.
