Ruinsara tal: Complete Guide
Trekkers usually think that when it comes to great treks you can’t beat treks like Rupin Pass or Buran Ghati. And when Har Ki Dun with Ruinsara is talked about they think it is a waste of time. And that’s where they make a big mistake. The Har Ki Dun trek with Ruinsara is one of the best treks that we have ever seen. It has terrific ancient culture, forests, mountain views, grasslands, rivers, meadows, streams and even an alpine lake. This trail is not difficult and even challenging on the legs which makes it just the right adventure especially when compared to other summer treks.
Best Time To Enjoy Har Ki Dun – Ruinsara Tal Trek
One of the bestest things about Har Ki Dun – Ruinsara Tal Trek is that it can be done almost eight months in a year.
It starts in the spring month of March from where you can trek through the summer until June. Then the monsoon arrives for about 3 months.
Thereafter the trekking season resumes in September till mid January next year. The heavy snow weighed down the trail thereafter making it impossible to trek for the rest of the winter until later in Spring.
Weather Conditions On The Har Ki Dun – Ruinsara Tal Trek
First thing to know is that there are 4 different seasons to do this trek. And the weather conditions are different in each and every season.
- Spring (mid-March to mid-April)
During the day the temperatures drift around 12-15° C in March. While at night the mercury drops down to 5° C.
In spring the day time temperatures make it a perfect hike through the valley. While the nights are usually too cold.
- Summer (mid-April to mid-June)
Expect the mercury to fall below 10° C if it’s raining. At night the temperature may expect around 0° C.
As July arrives, the valley memoir around heavy rains making trekking almost impossible. So there are no treks in July and August.
The trekking resumes in September. You can expect the weather conditions to be chronologically the reverse of what it was in spring and summer.
- Autumn (September – November)
In the daytime the temperatures are in the 15-18° C range. The monsoons have turned the whole valley in a lush shade of green. Nights get colder and are around 5-8° C. Month on month one can expect the temperature to drop down by 2-4° C both during the day and night.
- Winter (December)
The nights get too cold starting December and the temperature suddenly falls down by 0° C.
After January, there is a snowfall roughly every couple of weeks due to western disturbances. And there is not enough sun to melt down the snow on the trail. This leads to an enlargement of snow and makes trekking impossible.
Please note that sometimes during the Winter time the higher campsites can become difficult to reach, especially after fresh snow. So both, the route and the trek will change during this time.
How Extreme Is Har Ki Dun – Ruinsara Tal Trek?
Har Ki dun- Ruinsara Tal Trek is a not so hard trek on a difficulty level ranging from easy to difficult.
You can start from Kotgaon which is at an altitude of 6,455 ft. You reach the maximum altitude of 11,811 ft at Ruinsara Tal mostly on day 6 (via Har Ki Dun at 11,700 ft on day 4).
But there are 2 big reasons why the trek is a moderate one. They are:
- The long distance that you cover each and everyday: Expect to hike an average of 10 km a day.
- The lack of multiple exits: There is only one exit. The way into the valley is the only one way out. So this makes coming and going a bit challenging.
4 Reasons Why Har Ki Dun is as Perfect as a Solo Trek in the Himalayas:-
- There is no need for a guide to do the Har Ki Dun trek. The trail is well marked and placed and there is no chance of getting lost. Moreover being a popular trek, you’ll always find a company on the trail to ask for guidance.
- The trail is not dangerous at all or tricky at any section. So you do not require any technical expertise or guidance to do this trek.
- Both food and stay are easy on the Har Ki Dun trek as there are home stay facilities also in the villages on the trail.
- Information on the Har Ki Dun trek is available with no effects including GPX files and details of the route and the local know-how. Use these as your advantage if you’re trekking on your own.
