Rishikesh is located at  the foothills of the Himalyas and to reach the base of our trek at Joshimat, we  need to drive for about 10 hours. The roads are steep and tricky at places and  it's necessary that we finish this drive in daylight. Spend the night at a  hotel in Joshimat.

After  breakfast at Joshimat we drive for an hour to reach Auli (2500m), which is a  small settlement which recently has developed into a thriving ski resort and  also supports a sizeable army camp. From Auli we begin our ascent up on foot  and walk for about 3-4 hours, covering a total ascent of 700-1200 m, finally to  halt for the day at a camp location we choose is the best for the day. This trail from Auli lets you appreciate Nanda  Devi at the head of the sanctuary as it heads up the hillside, beyond the ski  lift, before reaching a small Oak and Holly forest.

Today  we walk up to Kauri Pass. This walk is through the forest and then a ridge takes us to wide open meadow and a final  climb to the Kuari pass. The pass is basically a small Col in a grassy ridge.  Looking south from this pass, there are impressive views across the forest  ridges. The initial steep 200 m descent of this trek are the only hard  especially so if it's wet and icy. There is a choice with our trekkers here to  choose if they would like to climb greater heights at this point.
 Once we have had our fill of this wonderful  pass we head back to our camp at Khulara. The staff here is waiting for you  with the tents set up and a hot, fulfilling meal before we retire for the night  in our tents.

Breakfast, yet again is  provided to you before we start our trek up to Pangerchulli peak, which takes a  good 4-5 hours. Frank Smythe, who came this way in 1931 en route to Kamet  (25,443ft/7,757m), the second highest mountain in this region, summed it up  beautifully. "We breasted the slope and halted, silent on the path. No  words would express our delight. The Himalaya was arrayed before us in a  stupendous arc". Some of the mountains seen here are Kamet, Nilkanth  (7,141m/23,425ft), Dunagiri (7,067m/23,182ft) and Changabang (6,864m/22,516ft),  with even Nanda Devi herself visible if you walk along the ridge for a while.  The blinding vision of snow peaks make all the effort worthwhile, for it is  often said that this is one of the greatest mountain views in the world.

A long day of 4 to 5 hours  of walking, mainly downhill as we reach Tapovan. Tapovan at 2000 m is  incidentally also on the way to base camp to Nanda Devi and is a very pleasant  surprise. It is a large meadow complete with bubbling streams and wild flowers  and camp sites set beneath the imposing peak of Shivling (6453m) with the  Bhagirathi peaks also forming a backdrop it is of little wonder that sadhus  choose this spot for extensive meditation. Here you will be greeted by vehicles  waiting in to take you back to Berahi, where you can check into a hotel and  wash away all that fatigue and dirt with a hot shower.

Back to Rishikesh it is,  with lunch given on the way.