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Pindari Glacier

  
October 2011
Pindari Glacier Photos

Himalayas Calling Information  


 

Journey distance and time

The following was our itinerary for our trek. The base is Bageshwar from where one can plan at one’s convenience. The trek times are the time taken by us. While planning, keep in mind that we were moving at a very leisurely pace. We have seen people cutting down the time by 2/3 days and doing this in 5/6 days.

Distance and Time taken on the way to Pindari

Distance and Time taken on the way to Pindari

Gradient Chart

The following is the gradient chart for the trip. All altitudes measured on GPS application of my Android phone, so there may be minor deviations from the actual altitude of the place.

Gradient of the trip to Pindari Glacier

Gradient of the trip to Pindari Glacier

Route Information

Accommodation

  • Loharkhet: PWD
  • Upper Loharkhet: KMVN TRH
  • Dhakuri: KMVN TRH (3 rooms and 1 tent, more rooms being built), PWD, Forest Dept.
  • Khati: KMVN TRH, PWD, Sangam cottage (4 rooms) run by a local villager Tara. More guest houses being built as it is soon expected to be connected by road from Bageshwar. Just before Khati, there is a Anupom Lodge.
  • Dwali: KMVN TRH (3 rooms and 2 tents), PWD
  • Phurkia: KMVN TRH(4 rooms, 1 tent), PWD at Phurkia seemed to be closed and not in a habitable state.

No advance booking option for KMVN TRH or PWD. It’s given on a first come first serve basis.

Hotels in Bageshwar

  • Hotel Siddharth (+91 5963220114)
  • Hotel Gomti (+91 5963220071, +91 9456104855)
  • Hotel Narendra Palace (+91 5963220166, +91 9412045216, +91 9917133317)
  • KMVN
  • and many more

Food

No fancy options. Maggi, paratha or roti sabji for breakfast. Veg or egg meal for lunch or dinner consisting of rice, roti, dal and curry (options are: potato, soyabean, potato, potato, potato…., egg – if you are lucky). Kichdi is also available.

Others

  • Tent is not required unless you are planning to spend the night near zero point. Same can be said for sleeping bags.
  • No pre-booking of cars or hotels is required.
  • Guide is not mandatory as the trail is clear.
  • Phone signal is available upto Khati. BSNL works fine, Airtel occasionally. We were told that other service providers are starting soon in that area. Only BSNL works in Dhakuri – signal is weak. There is a STD facility in Dhakuri.
  • No electricity in this route. All TRH (s) have generator that is switched on for 1-2 hours in the evening. So carry torch, head torch and candles.

Contact numbers

Guide: Roop Singh Danu
Our guide Roop Singh Danu, highly recommended for all treks in that region and also in other areas of the Himalayas. Pindari, Kafni and Sundardunga are near to his village.

  • Cell: +91 9410773399 [Roop Singh and his brother Ballu Singh share the same mobile]. Will not be available when they are on a trek or expedition.
  • Home: +91 5963213118 [This is their home number in Jatoli village]
  • Alternate: If they cannot be reached in any of the above numbers, ring up Hotel Siddharth in Bageshwar and leave a message for Roop Singh. The phone number of Hotel Siddharth is +91 5963220114

Wallet check

Expenses that I incurred.

  1. Indigo flight from Kolkata to New Delhi: Rs 4700
  2. Delhi Terminal 1 to Terminal 3 by bus: Rs 25
  3. Airport Express to New Delhi: Rs 80
  4. New Delhi to Old Delhi by metro: Rs 8
  5. To & fro rickshaw from Old Delhi station to Parathawala gali: Rs 30
  6. Train from NDLS to Haldwani (3AC): 406
  7. Shared car from Haldwani to Almora: Rs 250
  8. Shared car from Almora to Bageshwar: Rs 200
  9. Car from Bageshwar to Saung (reserved): Rs 1000
  10. Food & accommodation during 8 days of trek / person: Rs 3400
  11. Porter charge (sukha or without food) : Rs 400 /day

    12. (though we paid Roop Singh more than this due to various reasons)

  12. Mule charge : Rs 500 /day
  13. Car from Upper Loharkhet to Bageshwar (reserved): Rs 1500
  14. Shared car from Bageshwar to Haldwani: Rs 250
  15. Bus from Haldwani to Lalkuan: Rs 10
  16. Train from Lalkuan to Lucknow (SL): Rs 193
  17. Rickshaw from Aishbagh to Charbagh: Rs 15
  18. Shared auto from Charbagh to Lucknow Airport: Rs 15
  19. Flight from Lucknow to Kolkata: Rs 2028

 

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Pindari Glacier Photos

Himalayas Calling Information


15 Comments

  1. Indranil said:

    Excellent sir! Quick q:

    Food & accommodation during 8 days of trek / person: Rs 3400 – how many of you shared? :)

    Posted on November 11th, 2011 at 6:26 am

  2. admin said:

    Three persons :-)

    Posted on November 11th, 2011 at 6:30 am

  3. somnath biswas said:

    Excellent blog Kaushiks. Photographs are equally good.

    Posted on November 11th, 2011 at 1:10 pm

  4. Suparna Das said:

    Excellent write up , Kaushik.I could visualize every moment of the trekking days.

    Posted on November 11th, 2011 at 4:59 pm

  5. Kasturi & Navojit said:

    Very Very informative.Very much helpful for future trekkers. Photos by which camera ?Write up & Photo durdanto. What are the guide & mule charges per day ?

    Posted on November 13th, 2011 at 1:40 pm

  6. admin said:

    Thank you Somnath-da. Hope you enjoyed it and it will help in your next years planning.

    Posted on November 14th, 2011 at 5:56 pm

  7. Sudipa said:

    Am I missing the guide charges? Same question as in # 5 above…

    Posted on November 14th, 2011 at 8:47 pm

  8. Kausik Saha said:

    Kasturi & Navojit,

    Thank you. My camera is Canon 7D with Canon lenses 24-70 and 70-300 IS.
    I missed the porter and mule charges in the post and have updated the same. Standard charges for porter is Rs 400/day (sukha, i.e. food not included) and for mule Rs 500/day. Bargaining happens and you can get at somewhat lower rates also.

    However, we paid Roop Singh much more than Rs 400/day because of two reasons. First, because of his excellent service – the way he took care of Raddur was exceptional and it needed to be acknowledged. Second, my friend through whom I had contacted Roop had requested me to pay more than the standard porter charges to Roop, as Roop should not be treated at par with other porters. They have a long history of association and respect for Roop.

    Posted on November 15th, 2011 at 4:20 am

  9. Kausik Saha said:

    Suparna,
    So should we start planning for the next one?

    Posted on November 15th, 2011 at 4:21 am

  10. Kausik Saha said:

    Sudipa,
    Yes, I missed the guide charges. Have updated the same in the post and also in comment #8.

    Posted on November 15th, 2011 at 4:22 am

  11. Shaan singh said:

    Hello guys plz dont mind .i’m searching someone last 4 years name suprna das so i just confirm it. R u suprna das from renusagar ?

    Posted on January 5th, 2012 at 8:34 pm

  12. Khadija said:

    Boss, This was a sccptaeular visual presentation of Jabalpur.Done professionally and painstakingly with passion. Feeling great to be resident of it. Vivek Naidu

    Posted on February 3rd, 2012 at 5:27 pm

  13. Rahul Das said:

    How to contact Roop Sing Dhanu for any program?

    Posted on March 2nd, 2012 at 7:01 pm

  14. Nayan said:

    A very nice and informative write up. By the way when was this trip done? I had been in the region during Sept. 1988 with Balwant Singh – Ballu as you have mentioned (Roop’s brother as Roop was out with an expedition team during the phase). Ballu was great too and I in person shall remain ever grateful to him as he saved me twice from fatal falls in the Sunderdinga belt during our trip.

    Have intentions to take my family sometime (wife and 2 daughters of 12 & 6 yrs.) to share my feeling which I had during my hay days. Is it possible for some interactive mails on my mail ID regarding the latest developments of the region and other aspects?

    I have coincidentally managed to get Ballu’s ph no. and am posting it here in case someone might benifit from it (9410773399). Rahul up there may try this to reach Roop.

    Posted on May 7th, 2012 at 9:14 am

  15. Nayan said:

    Saw the second page today, fantastic details……great to know of the 1~2hrs. of electricity we had seen torm out wiring and 1 bulb dangling at Upper Loharkhet in 1988, ofcourse without any supply.

    Posted on May 8th, 2012 at 8:30 am

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