- Photo: Biswajit Majumdar · CC BY-SA 3.0
Ruinsara Tal with Har Ki Dun Trek
Nine days out of Sankri that links the Har Ki Dun valley with the glacial lake at Ruinsara, using both arms of the Supin instead of choosing one.
Trip details
This is the two-valley version of the classic Sankri trek. From Taluka you walk up the Supin through the deodar forest and the old villages of Gangad, Datmir and Osla exactly as a Har Ki Dun trekker does, and near Osla you reach the fork that defines the trip: north up the Har Ki Dun arm towards Swargarohini and the Jaundhar glacier, east up the Ruinsara arm towards a glacial lake sitting under Kalanag, Bandarpoonch and Dhumdhar Kandi. Most operators pick one. This itinerary does both, going first to Har Ki Dun with a full day to explore it, then dropping back down the valley and climbing the other arm to Ruinsara Tal before descending via Seema and Taluka. The cost of that ambition is length. Nine days with roughly 70 km on foot means seven walking days averaging around 10 km, several of them descending and re-ascending the same 600 to 800 m, and there is no technical ground anywhere to distract you from it. Nothing here is exposed, nothing is steep enough to be frightening, and the highest camp is around 3,600 m. What it asks for is endurance and a tolerance for repetition, plus an understanding that the Supin is a dead end: the way in is the only way out.
- Both arms of the Supin, walked in turn — this trek is the two valleys most people have to choose between, done as one.
- Gangad, Datmir and Osla, the carved-wood villages of the Har Ki Dun arm.
- Har Ki Dun's valley head under Swargarohini, with the Jaundhar glacier above it.
- Devsu Bugyal, the broad meadow on the way over to the Ruinsara arm.
- Ruinsara Tal at about 3,600 m, a glacial lake sitting under Kala Nag (Black Peak) with Bandarpoonch and Dhumdhar Kandi around it.
- Maninda Tal, a smaller high lake usually taken as a side walk from the Har Ki Dun camp.
- Deodar forest for days on end — this valley system holds some of the oldest and largest deodar stands in Garhwal.
Drink 3 to 4 litres a day and use clear urine output as the crude field check. Avoid alcohol entirely and do not take sleeping tablets, which suppress the breathing drive at altitude. Report a headache when it starts rather than at dinner, and treat the day-4 exploration as optional: if you are not feeling right, the Maninda Tal or Jaundhar extension at roughly 3,800 m is exactly the walk to skip. The rule that matters is unchanged and non-negotiable: if symptoms are not improving, or there is confusion, loss of balance, breathlessness at rest or a wet cough, descend, at night if necessary. The operator should carry a pulse oximeter with twice-daily readings at the higher camps, bottled oxygen with a working regulator and mask, a first aid kit with dexamethasone and nifedipine accessible to a trained guide, a stretcher and a written evacuation plan. This operator's inclusions list a first aid kit, stretcher and oxygen cylinder; ask to see the cylinder and its pressure before leaving Sankri.
- The operator grades this Easy - Moderate; independent sources support Moderate. We list the sourced grade — see the sources below.
- Uttarakhand Forest Department, Govind Pashu Vihar National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary (Supin range) — check post at Sankri, park entry post at Netwar, DFO office at Purola.
- Build for six to eight weeks. A workable target is 5 km of running in about 35 minutes, or a 45-minute brisk walk with 400 m of ascent, done comfortably three times a week, plus at least two sessions a week carrying a 6 to 8 kg pack on stairs or a hill. The specific demand of this trek is cumulative: seven consecutive walking days averaging 10 km, with repeated 600 to 800 m descents, is a different thing from one hard day. Independent sources on the combined Har Ki Dun-Ruinsara route suggest at least four weeks of solid preparation as a floor; six to eight is more realistic for a first-timer. Anyone who cannot climb ten flights of stairs without stopping should postpone.
- This trek is not dangerous in the way Bali Pass is, and the honest framing is that it turns serious slowly rather than suddenly. The three real scenarios are: an ignored altitude illness on the day-4 exploration, where someone with a worsening headache continues to Maninda Tal at 3,800 m and is then two days from a road; a fall on wet stone or old snow on the exposed traverse above the Supin, which turns into a stretcher carry rather than a walk-out; and weather, either an early heavy snowfall that traps a group above Osla or a monsoon landslide that closes the Purola-Mori road behind you. The multiplier on all three is the single-exit geography of the Supin: Himalayan High notes the route has one evacuation path via Taluka and no local hospital.
Nearest railhead: Dehradun (DDN), approximately 190 to 200 km from Sankri by road, 8 to 10 hours via Mussoorie, Purola and Mori. Nearest airport: Jolly Grant, Dehradun (DED), approximately 210 to 225 km from Sankri, 9 to 11 hours by road. Basecamp: Sankri.
- 3 x quick-dry full-sleeve trekking t-shirts, full sleeve for sun at altitude
- 2 x quick-dry trekking trousers, no denim, no cotton
- 1 x thermal base layer set, merino or synthetic, mid weight around 200 gsm
- 2 x fleece or synthetic mid layers, roughly 200 and 300 weight
- 1 x down or synthetic insulated jacket rated to about -10 C
- 1 x waterproof and windproof shell jacket with a hood and taped seams
- 1 x waterproof overtrousers, worth carrying in any month here
- 1 x insulated beanie covering the ears, plus a sun cap or wide-brim hat
- 1 to 2 x neck gaiter or buff
- 2 pairs of gloves: a thin liner for walking and a waterproof insulated outer for camp
- 5 to 6 pairs of wool or wool-blend trekking socks, plus one thick pair kept dry for sleeping only
- Thermal leggings for camp and sleeping from October onward
- 1 x waterproof high-ankle trekking boots with a lugged sole, broken in over at least 60 km. Ankle support matters because much of the route is uneven stone mule track
- 1 x lightweight closed-toe camp shoes
- Gaiters if there is old snow above the treeline, which is normal in April and from late October
- 50 to 60 litre backpack with a padded hip belt and a rain cover if carrying your own load; 20 to 30 litre daypack if offloading to a mule
- Sleeping bag rated to a comfort temperature of about -10 C for the higher camps. Most operators supply one; confirm the rating rather than assuming
- Sleeping mat with an R-value of 3 or better if supplying your own
- 2 x trekking poles. On a nine-day trek with this much repeated descent they are the single most useful item on the list
- Headlamp with fresh batteries plus a spare set
- Microspikes for April and late-season departures; confirm whether the operator supplies them
- 2 x 1 litre water bottles, at least one insulated or wide-mouth, or a 2 litre bladder plus a hard bottle
- Water purification tablets or a filter. The trail passes inhabited villages and grazing livestock
- UV400 wraparound sunglasses, category 3 or 4
- Power bank of 10,000 mAh or more; there is no charging beyond Sankri and this is a nine-day trip
- Dry bags or heavy bin liners for the sleeping bag and spare clothes
- Toilet paper, a small trowel or zip bags, and a bag for all your own litter
- Original government photo ID plus 2 to 3 photocopies for the forest check post and trail verification
- 2 to 4 passport-size photographs
- Foreign nationals: passport and valid Indian visa plus copies; expect a higher park fee and a separate register, and note that operators commonly add their own foreign-national surcharge on top of the government tariff
- Medical fitness certificate and a signed self-declaration or indemnity
- Trekking insurance policy number and the insurer's emergency contact
- Emergency contact details on paper as well as in a phone
- Blister kit: zinc oxide tape, hydrocolloid dressings, a needle. Over nine days and 70 km, feet are the most likely reason someone leaves the trek early
- Paracetamol; ibuprofen or diclofenac taken with food
- Diamox (acetazolamide) only on the advice of a doctor who knows your history and your sulfa allergy status; do not start it for the first time on the trail
- Anti-emetic such as ondansetron, anti-diarrhoeal such as loperamide, and oral rehydration salts
- Personal prescription medication in original packaging, double the expected quantity, split between two bags
- Antiseptic, crepe bandage, knee support if you are prone to knee pain, and duct tape
- SPF 50+ sunscreen and SPF lip balm
- Personal hygiene items and, for women, enough sanitary supplies plus sealable bags to carry them out
Safety details & FAQ
Is the Ruinsara Tal plus Har Ki Dun combination harder than Har Ki Dun alone?
Yes, meaningfully. It's the same non-technical terrain, but seven consecutive walking days instead of four or five, with several stages of 12-16 km and five or six nights spent between 2,500 m and 3,600 m. Most independent gradings call it Moderate rather than Easy-Moderate — nothing here is dangerous, but someone who prepares for an easy trek and then faces a 14 km descent on day seven will get through it slowly and painfully, and will slow the group.
When's the best time for the Ruinsara Tal and Har Ki Dun combination?
April through June and September-October. April brings the snow line back over the Ruinsara basin without a full winter trek; May-June is warmest and greenest but busiest by June; September gives the clearest post-monsoon views and best lake reflections; October is stable and quiet but cold. Avoid July-August (monsoon, landslide-prone approach road) and December-March (deep winter snow in the Ruinsara basin).
Does a nine-day trek need a different permit from the shorter Har Ki Dun trek?
The same Govind Pashu Vihar entry permit applies, since both arms sit inside the park, but there's a real gap worth knowing about: the permit's reported validity is only about three days, which is shorter than this nine-day trek, and no source explains how it's extended for the full duration. Ask your operator directly how they handle this before you book.
Is the risk of altitude sickness higher on this combined trek than on standalone Har Ki Dun?
Yes, because you stay high for longer. You spend five or six consecutive nights above 2,500 m and three above 3,200 m, rather than the shorter high-altitude exposure of the standalone trek, so mild AMS is common and anyone prone to it typically declares themselves around night three or four at Kalkattiyadhar or Boslo. The nine-day version's Har Ki Dun exploration day doubles as useful acclimatisation before the harder Ruinsara half — ask whether the eighth day is walking or rest, or just another road day.
What's different about packing for nine days versus a standard week-long trek?
Bring one more base layer and one more set of trekking tees than you would for a 7-day trip, since there are seven walking days with no real drying opportunity and at least one wet-and-not-dried cycle should be expected. A larger power bank, around 20,000 mAh, also matters — there's no charging past Sankri for the whole trip, not just a few days.
How do I get to the trailhead for this combined trek?
Fly or train to Dehradun, then it's the same 190-210 km, 8-11 hour road transfer to Sankri as the standalone Har Ki Dun trek. Sankri is the shared start and finish point for both arms of this route, and the only road head on either side of the nine-day loop.
Can I camp at Ruinsara Tal, or is it a day trip from a lower camp?
This is genuinely unresolved and it matters: some operators camp at or near the lake, others day-trip to it from a lower camp because of meadow camping restrictions, and the two versions produce very different day lengths — a relaxed 3-5 hour walk into camp versus an 8-10 hour, 14 km out-and-back. Get this confirmed in writing before paying, since it's the single biggest variable in the itinerary.