Darma Valley: Picturesque treks and pristine beauty
Uttarakhand is dotted with off-beat places where nature mesmerizes the soul. One such place is located in Pithoragarh district and is adjacent to Nepal and Tibet. Although there are many valleys in this region, but Darma Valley is rapidly making its place on the tourism map.
Pithoragarh also known as ‘Mini Kashmir’ is about 500 km away from Delhi and Dharchula is 100 km further away. Although Dharchula is located deep in the Himalayan mountains and is also very close to Tibet, but its height is only 940 meters above sea level, hence it is a warm place. In summer, fans are required here. Dharchula is situated on the banks of the Kali River. On the other side of Kali is Nepal and there is a town called Darchula. A suspension bridge is also built to connect both India and Nepal.
The route to Kailash Mansarovar and Adi Kailash goes from Dharchula only. Formalities like permit etc. have to be completed in Dharchula itself. Till some time ago, a permit was also required to visit Darma Valley, which has now been removed. Now any tourist can visit Darma Valley without any restriction.
Tawaghat is 18 km ahead of Dharchula. From here one route goes towards Kailash Mansarovar and another route goes to Darma Valley. There is a confluence of Darma river and Kali river in Tawaghat itself.
The valley, shaped by the Darma river, boasts 12 villages where tourists are welcome with open arms to experience a slice of local life in quaint homestays. The difficulty level of the Darma Valley trek is difficult to moderate but is equally rewarding. Pretty waterfalls, picturesque sites and the calm of the mountains are enchanting. You begin the trek from Sobla and make your way through the Dar village and make your way to the villages named Duktu and Dantu.
A village named Dugtu is situated 50 km away from Tawaghat, which is the main village of Darma Valley. The altitude of this village is 3100 meters above sea level, hence the weather is quite cool even in summer. There is a lot of snow here in winter. Life becomes difficult, so in winter the residents of this village move to lower areas. After the snow melts in March, everyone comes back to their villages. Agriculture and animal husbandry are the main occupation in this area.
Panchchuli Basecamp Track
The biggest attraction of Darma Valley is the track of Panchchuli Basecamp. The distance from Dugtu village to Panchchuli Basecamp is about 5 km and this entire route is full of extremely spectacular views. Initially the path passes through Bhojpatra forests. Then as the altitude increases, the forests disappear and are replaced by grasslands i.e. Bugyal. Innumerable types of flowers are in bloom in the Bugyals and beyond them the snowy peaks of Panchchuli are visible.
The base camp is situated at an altitude of about 3800 m. From here the glacier descending from the Panchchuli peaks looks very attractive. Trekkers can also stay the night by putting camping here. They will either have to bring the tent with them, otherwise it will be available on rent in Dugtu also.
If you are fond of trekking, then apart from Panchchuli Basecamp, Darma Valley has a lot to offer you. You can also reach Adi Kailash by crossing the 5,500 meter high Sin La Pass.
Where to stay?
There are no hotels in Dugtu, but there are a few homestays. These homestays have basic amenities. You will easily get all the camping arrangements in Dugtu. Good hotels can be found at Dharchula, 70 km away.
How to reach?
The nearest airport is Pantnagar (400 km). The nearest railway stations are Tanakpur (300 km) and Kathgodam (340 km). Buses and shared taxis are available from both Tanakpur and Kathgodam places to Pithoragarh and Dharchula. Only shared taxis will be available from Dharchula to Dugtu. You can also take your private taxi from Kathgodam, Tanakpur, Pithoragarh and Dharchula.
