Hi , I will be doing my first trek to Deoriatal Chandrashila in Nov 2016. 1) Can anyone tell how are the trekking companies ? 2) Are there any bus service / taxi / share taxis to travel between Haridwar Railway station to Sari village? 3) What are the charges they take & how safe is it to travel solo ... Please guide me.
Hello there! Welcome to the forum! The Deoria Tal and Chandrashila trek is an easy to moderate trek suitable for beginners and even experts in trekking. The Deoria Tal is a lake only accessible by a three km trek from Sari and Mastura. The lake is about 2,438 metres above sea level. From the lake, you can have panoramic views of different mountains like Chaukhamba, Nilkantha and Bandarpunch. Its other name is Devarya because it is believed that the Devas bathed here. Chandrashila is about 5 kms from Chopta. During winter though, there's a different route to reach Chandrashila, which is through Deoria Tal and Tungnath. The peak is about 4,000 metres above sea level. From the top, you can view the Himalayas Ranges, especially the Nanda Devi, Trisul and Chaukhamba. Its other name is Moon Rock, as it is believed that the Moon God, Chandra, spent time here in penance. There are different trekking companies providing a trekking tour for tourists for this route, Deoria Tal and Chandrashila. There are many reliable companies, you can rely on word of mouth or reviews online. Here are some of the top-rated tour agencies for this trek: 1. India Hikes - They are primarily a trek documentation organisation. They help explore easier routes that they then share with their members. They also promote the safety of trekkers and has been a pioneer in this area. They started the Hiking Club in 2015, which aims to involve more children in trekking along with their parents. Here's some more information about them: Deoria Tal and Chandrashila Trek - Difficulty level is easy. Trail Type is well-defined with gradual ascent through forests, meadows and rocky trails. Base camp is Sari. Duration is 6 days and rate is Rs. 8,900 per person. Address - Brundavana, 1st Floor, Plot No. 36, 1st Main Road, Dena Bank Colony, Ganga Nagar, Dena Bank Colony, Ganganagar, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560032. Contact Number - +91 8971959977. 2. Thrillophilia - This is probably one of the most well-known tour companies, especially online. They have over 10,000 tours and treks in over 20 countries. If you look at their website, they only provide informative articles about trekking, camping and any topic under travelling. They started from India and have 3,500 operators in about 200 cities of the country. You can look through the reviews and testimonials in their site. Even media had acknowledged their contribution to their field. Deoria Tal and Chandrashila Trek - Difficulty level is easy. Trail Type is well-defined with gradual ascent through forests, meadows and rocky trails. Base camp is Sari. Duration is 5 days and rate is Rs. 8,700 per person. Address - 419, 2nd floor, 27th Main, 1st Sector, HSR Layout, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560102. Contact Number - +91 80 30752676. 3. Dream Mountain - This company was established in 2010 but all its operators and employees have been in the industry for over 30 years already. All treks in their website were through personal experience which makes it more real and believable. Their rates are also lower as compared to other companies. Browse through their website to see what others have to say about them. Deoria Tal and Chandrashila Trek - Difficulty level is easy. Trail Type is well-defined with gradual ascent through forests, meadows and rocky trails. Base camp is Sari. Duration is 65 days and rate is Rs. 6,400 per person. Address - D9-10, Nehru Colony, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India -248001. Contact Number - +91 8449063652. There are no direct buses from Haridwar to Sari Village. You can opt for these alternatives though: 1. Bus from Haridwar to Rudraprayag - The distance between Haridwar and Rudraprayag is about 230 kms. There are buses plying through this route, which starts as early as 2:30 am. However, the frequency of these buses aren't scheduled or constant. From Rudraprayag, you need to reach Ukhimath, which is about 42 kms away. You can do this either by bus or jeep which doesn't have fixed schedules as well. It's best to leave early in the morning to be able to ride these buses. And from Ukhimath, you can ride a taxi or jeep to reach Sari. 2. Bus from Haridwar to Ukhimath - You can ride a bus from Haridwar to Ukhimath, which is about 271 kms away from each other. The first bus leaves as early as 6:30 am. Frequency of buses isn't also fixed for this route so you need to leave early to board them. Then from Ukhimath, you can ride a jeep to reach Sari or a taxi. As for taxis, you can opt to ride one from Haridwar Railway Station although the cost might be higher. But it would be more convenient than constantly changing buses. Here are the charges for the buses: Bus from Haridwar to Rudraprayag - Rs. 130 to Rs. 150 per passenger. Bus from Rudraprayag to Ukhimath - Rs. 80 to Rs. 100 per passenger. Then, for the jeep: Jeep from Ukhimath to Sari Village - Rs. 30 to Rs. 50 For the taxi from Haridwar: Taxi from Haridwar to Sari - Rs. 6,500 and above. I hope this helps.
