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The beauty of the Garhwal hills is picture-perfect, a fusion
of high mountain valley and lakes. It's a land of many streams and the
birthplace of some of India's greatest rivers. 
Carmine rhododendron blooms and scarlet flame of the forest blossoms are
luminous in jungles of dense green, while the faith of an old people has
kept alive a lifestyle that dates back to several centuries. These are the
playgrounds of the Gods, where legends have the sanctity of history and
where people are warm and hospitable in a manner unknown to modern
metropolises.
Garhwal comprises the districts of Uttarkashi,
Tehri, Pauri, Dehradun and
Chamoli. The Garhwal hills are a veritable
paradise for trekkers. Nature is in her element here, and the trekking
trails are renowned for the great beauty of their views, stunningly
different at almost every turn. There are some superb trekking
opportunities in the vicinity of important pilgrimage sites such as
Badrinath,
Yamunotri ,
Kedarnath,
Gangotri and
Hemkund close to the
Valley of Flowers.
Best Season :
Though Garhwal is a treat throughout the year except the rainy season, it
is advisable to plan any trekking trip to this region during April to
November. Trekking in the Garhwal hills is best between the months of May
and October.
Permits :
Indian nationals need no permission for trekking in any area outside the
inner line. For routes inside the inner line, the local District
Magistrate's permission or that of the central home ministry is necessary
in Advance. For foreigners, crossing the inner line is not permitted.
Treks upto 4,900m need no permission and can be undertaken on tourist
visas. Above 4,900m, treks can also be undertaken with prior permission
from the IMF provided no peak is attempted. Camera permits are also
necessary.
The nearest airport is Jolly Grant in Dehradun.
However, the flights are not very regular. Convenient overnight trains
from Delhi connect
Haridwar, the nearest rail head into Garhwal.
The Shatabdi Express serves Haridwar along with trains from
Mumbai and
Calcutta . For
many of the treks, Rishikesh serves as the
base. Bus services connect Garhwal region with other towns in
North
India .
Tourist / Dak Bungalows along Trek :
The number of beds available at the particular place are indicated.
| Trekking route | Place | Beds | Place | Beds |
| Badrinath Route : | Gauchur | 4 | Joshimath | 126 |
| Karnaprayag | 90 | Govind Ghat | 4 | |
| Nandprayag | 30 | Pandukeshwar | 4 | |
| Chamoli | 10 | Badrinath | 84 | |
| Pipalkoti | 44 | |||
| Kedarnath Route : | Agastmuni | 4 | Rampur | 4 |
| Chandrapuri | 4 | Sonprayag | 47 | |
| Guptkashi | 20 | Gaurikund | 40 | |
| Phata | 4 | Kedarnath | 72 | |
| Valley of Flowers / Hemkund : | Govindghat | 4 | Ghangharia | 38 |
| Kauri Khal (Pass) : | Ghat | 8 | Tapoban | 8 |
| Ramni | 4 | |||
| Roopkund : | Tharali | 2 | Wan | 12 |
| Debal | 4 | Ramni | 4 | |
| Mandoli | 12 | Ghat | 8 | |