- Explore
- Broadcast
- Activities
- Wildlife
- Historical Tours
- Cultural Tours
- Local Tours
- Adventure
- Blog
Weekend treks are usually, go climb and come back, but binsar trek sure is a pleasant exception. In weekend treks, there are not many trails in our country that excite trekkers as much as those in the Kumaon Himalayas and Binsar trek will totally live up to your expectations in that way. A mix of both hippy and religious world, it’s trail is a perfect as well as a rare combination of both which will leave you overwhelmed and extremely satisfied at the same time.
Binsar trek would take you through Binsar wildlife Sanctuary from where you will trek to Dhaulchina. An optimal dose for adrenaline junkies, the trail will take you through lovely Kumaon hamlets. From here, you can trek Jageshwar and then drive back to Kathgodam. A perfect opportunity to camp under the stars, the journey will be one of the most satisfying for a weekend trek.
The Binsar valley treats you with a 270 degree Himalayan views which will leave you mesmerised and charmed. If you are a birds enthusiast, then you are in the right place at the right time as Binsar sanctuary would offer you an amazing package of Himalayan flora and fauna, thus giving you an experience of a lifetime.
Day1 :- Kathgodam to Dhaulchina via Binsar sanctuary trek
• Pickup from Kathgodam railway station at 06:00 am
• Drive to Binsar Sanctuary Drive 110 km, 4 hrs
• Trek to Dhaulchina, Gradual descent, 7 km, 3 – 4 hrs
• Altitude 6100 ft (Dhaulchina)
• Packed Lunch
• Reached Dhaulchina by 3 pm
• Network in some area mainly BSNL
• Overnight stay in Home stay/ Eco Camp at Dhaulchina
• Panoramic view of Mighty Himalayas
• Major peaks Nanda Ghunti, Trisul, Mrigathuni, Maiktoli, Nandadevi, Nandadevi East, Chhanguch, Nandakut, Dangthal.
Day2 :- Dhaulchina to Jageshwar and drive to Kathgodam
• 8 km trek, 4 hrs
• Gradual ascent till old Jageshwar temple and 2 hrs descent to main Jageshwar temple
• Packed lunch on the way
• Flora:- Pine, Deodar, Rhododendrons, Oak,
• Drive back to Kathgodam 120 km 4 hrs
• Jageshwar temple is dating 9th to 13th century AD
Detailed Itinerary
Day1 :- Kathgodam to Dhaulchina via Binsar sanctuary trek
Arrive at Kathgodam and drive to Binsar National Park (4 hrs Drive) and trek to Dhulchina. Overnight stay in eco camp/guest house. 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 teashop 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 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 house’s of Jwalabanj. A gradual descent on a well defines track takes you to Dhaulachina .
Day2 :- Dhaulchina to Jageshwar and drive to Kathgodam
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.
How to Reach
The Kathgodam station is one of the main stations in the district and it is an old station. It has good connectivity to many places and these include Lucknow, Delhi, and Howrah. Tickets from Delhi to Kathgodam by train cost around Rs. 180 for a second class sleeper ticket and Rs. 450 for a third A/C sleeper ticket. It is essential to book the tickets at least one month in advance as this route is always in demand.
By Train:-
From Delhi take the Ranikhet Express (5014) Dep. Delhi at 10:40pm arrival Kathgodam at 5:30am (Overnight Journey) or the Uttar sampark kranti (5035) Dep. Delhi at 4:00pm arrival Kathgodam at 10:40pm (6 hrs.40min.Journey).
From Dehardun take the Doon Express (4120) Dep. Dehardun at 10:30 pm arrival Kathgodam at 7:10 pm (8hrs.journey).
By Bus:-
Regular buses ply from ISBT Delhi Anand Vihar station to Kathgodam. Buses that go to Nainital stops at Haldwani which is a twin town of Kathgodham (8 hrs. Journey).
Usually buses drop you at Haldwani bus staiton. From there you have to come to Kathgodham Railway Station which is 4km away.
TTH’s Tata Sumo or similar vehicles will pick-up you from Kathgodham Railway Station. We would suggest you to take only government buses from ISBT Anand Vihar. Private buses ply from outside ISBT and they are not trust worthiness.
