Overview

Saru Tal is an alpine lake situated at an altitude of 13,615 feet (4,150 meters). It is situated at the base of a towering mountain ridge that runs in the west to east direction in Govind Wildlife Sanctuary, intersected by a southward ridge line, creating a cirque which collects rainwater and snow melt, forming this beautiful lake.

The lake setting is similar to that of Bhrigu Lake, as the tree line ends well before the lake and alpine flowers dot the landscape around the lake, with its crystal blue water. The lake stays frozen from December to April, after which the snow recedes and flowers begin to bloom by the mid of May month.

Saru Tal trek is a great trek that combines unique landscape and incorporates the beautiful Phulara Ridge trek, all within 7 days. Phulara Ridge has become recently popular in the trekking community and trekkers love the unique ridge walking experience, making it a rare find in the Indian Himalayas. Saru Tal trek increases the trek duration by just one day and you are able to explore the alpine lake for a more vivid trekking experience.

8 Nights 9 Days Available on request Har ki Doon, Uttarakhand
Highlights
What makes this tour special
  • Panoramic views of the Himalayan peaks are the main attractions of Saru Tal trek.
  • The trek passes through verdant forests extremely rich in flora and fauna.
  • Captivating views of some prominent peaks namely Kedarkantha, Swargarohini, and others.
Dates and Rates
date & duration price
  • Sorry no more departures available. You could get in touch with us at bookings@mountainfit.in if you'd like to make a booking.
  • Itinerary

    Day 1 – Delhi to Dehradun

    • Reporting at New Delhi railway station at 02.00 pm and proceed to Dehradun by train.
    • Reach Dehradun by 09.00 pm and check in at Hotel.
    • Overnight stay at Hotel near railway station in Dehradun.

    Day 2 - Dehradun to Sankri: 187 km in 8-10 hours

    The journey of 8-10 hours by road will not feel tiresome, with the River Tons singing you a lullaby for most of the part, and you pass the bustle of touristy hill stations. Allow quaint little towns of the Uttarkashi district like Purola to calm you down. Ultimately, give in to the mountains and one of its quiet, network-less settlements – Sankri. Sankri is a homely and welcoming village, the windows of which open to the Swargarohini ranges. The sunrise and sunset here are a sight to behold. Overnight stay in Sankri.

    Day 3 - Sankri to Sikolta: 11 km trek in 5 hours

    The trek commences with a slight ascent through a dense forest of towering pine trees. It is tempting to play hide-and-seek among them, but leaves crunching below your feet give you away! The forest makes way for an enchanting clearing where you will encounter the only dhaba on this trek. If you are lucky, you will find a villager welcoming you with his melodious flute.
    On reaching Sikolta, set your bags down and take an excursion to Juda ka Talab, a well-known lake among the trekking community.

    Day 4 - Sikolta to Bhoj Gadi: 10 km trek in 5-6 hours 

    The day begins with an ascent through a forest, again. This time, it leads to a wooden bridge. Cross this bridge with a cascading brook flowing underneath it, conquer a short patch of steep ascent and you will be rewarded with the picturesque opening of Karsu thatch. You will also find a wooden house – like abandoned but intriguing structures.
    The walk through islands of rhododendrons opens to a meadow of plain green grass of Bhoj Gadi set against a backdrop of purple-grey hued and snow-capped mountains. This is one of the most beautiful campsites on any Himalayan trail you will witness. You can roam around the area, pose with a fascinating arrangement of stones and a log, or just sit and let serenity and meditativeness wash over you.

    Day 5 - Bhoj Gadi to Pushtara via Phulara Ridge: 6 km trek in 4 hours 

    This day is the highlight of the trek. About an hour from Bhoj Gadi, we descend to the iconic ridge – the Phulara Ridge. A ridge is a chain of mountains that form a continuous crest for some distance. Its narrow edges drop into valleys on either side. This grants you an unobstructed view of some of the most majestic Garhwal Himalayan mountain ranges – including Swargarohini and Bandarpoonch in 3 directions. You would be awestruck, to say the least.
    Once the ridge ends, you descend into the vast, undulating Pushtara bugyal i.e. Pushtara meadows. Post the exhilaration of the ridge walk, you feel a sense of liberation as you marvel at the expanse around you.
    To add to the range of emotions, is the charm of the countless variety of flowers, including the brahmakamal and fankamal that bloom during summer. The ridge has been named “Phulara” for good reason. Also feel the excitement at spotting the rare monal pheasant, the state bird of Uttarakhand. There is a greater probability of spotting them on today’s trail.

    Day 6 -  Pushtra to Saru Tal (4,150 m) & return to Pushtara: 16 km trek

    We start the day early and start ascending towards the ridge line via the last stretch of the forest that surrounds the meadows on the eastward side. The ridge trail lies to our south. After 1.5 km, the forest ends and the alpine meadows surround the trail all the way to the Saru Tal lake.
    It takes around 4 hours to cover the 8 km trek to the Saru Tal. With an altitude gain of 550 meters, the trail is rather gradual. After spending an hour at the lake, we descend back to Pushtara.

    Day 7: : Pushtara to Taluka: 5 km trek in 3 hours, 10 km drive to Sankri

    A full day of descent to civilization. We continuously descend along the trail today, as you make your way towards Taluka. After crossing the grasslands we enter the dense untouched forests and continue across them for rest of the trail. As you descend towards Taluka, you will find increasing number of trees. You will be greeted by little yellow flowers, which to some extent help you ease the sadness of reaching the end, and make you realize the worth of the treasure you have gathered in the last few days. Descending through the dense forest, you will observe bands of langoors on trees. We start to come across scattered settlements, eventually reaching the quaint village where you will be greeted by curious and warm villagers. You will appreciate the architecture and smile at the simple domesticity of village life in the remote Himalayas. A vehicle will take you to Sankri from Taluka. We take a vehicle back to Sankri for the hour long drive.

    Day 8: Sankri to Dehradun: 187 km drive in 8 to 9 hours

    We start the journey back to Dehradun and arrive by late afternoon or early evening. Trekkers can choose to journey further to Rishikesh or Tapovan to conclude the journey in a more astounding way.

    Day 9: Time to Say Good Bye and cherish unforgettable memories of trek 

    • Departure for Delhi by 05.00 am by train and reach New Delhi railway station by approx.12.30 pm.
    • You can book your onward journey anytime after 3.00 pm on this day.
    • There is an option to book flight directly from Jolly Grant Airport located near Dehradun and fly back home.
    Inclusions/Exclusions

    What is included in the tour

    • Transportation from Delhi to Delhi.
    • Stay is included from Day 1 to Day 7 (Dehradun to Dehradun). You will be staying in a Hotel/guest house at the base camp. The rest of the days will be camping when on the trek.
    • Vegetarian meals along the trek route from the Base Camp to Base Camp.
    • Sleeping bag, mattress, tents, kitchen tent, toilet tent, utensils and crampon (if required).
    • Professional outdoor experts, guide, cook and support staff.
    • All trekking permits and forest camping charges are included.
    • First aid medical kit.

    What is NOT included in the tour

    • Personal luggage with mass not exceeding 12 kg per bag per person can be carried by porters/mules @ Rs 400 per day per bag (Total Rs. 2000/-).
    • Meals during transit from Pune to Base Camp and back.
    • Medical expenses (apart from first aid).
    • Any kind of shopping, mineral water, optional sight-seeing, and any other expenses of personal nature.
    • Any expenses arising out of unforeseen circumstances like flight delay / cancellation / hike in fare, strike or any other natural calamities or any emergency evacuation expenses.
    • Clothing of personal nature like trek shoes, kit bags, day packs, down jackets and other special clothing etc. (You can rent out from us)
    • Any other item not mentioned in the cost include section.
    Pickup point
    Directions.
    5C2H+6JG Har Ki Doon Trek, Har ki Doon, Osala, Uttarakhand 249128, India View on Map