The Binsar Forest Trail (7 days)

about

Our walk takes place within Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary, established in 1988 to conserve and protect pristine oak and rhododendron forests and the inhabitants within it. Binsar was once the summer capital of Kumaon and is now home to over 200 species of birds, wildlife, trees, and tiny hamlets. This beautiful mountain nature reserve is set against the awesome backdrop of the mighty Himalayan peaks.

Without compromising on comfort, privacy, and safety, this is a holiday that does not disturb the traditional and economic aspects of the community here. 

Binsar lies at the heart of the Kumaon hills, in the state of Uttarakhand, about 20 km from the district capital of Almora. It sits at an altitude of 1,500 to 2,500 m and is named after the Bineshwar temple. The narrow valleys are a vision of forests, picturesque villages, and small temples. Look up, and you’ll catch the great peaks of Nanda Devi, Trishul, and the Panchachulis.

Over the course of a week, walk with knowledgeable guides from village to village within the sanctuary while enjoying the hospitality of your hosts. Each village consists of only 3 to 10 households, and together, they run and manage comfortable guesthouses and feed you delicious local food straight from their wood fires and farms.

Rest up, eat well, unwind on beautiful porches, and engage the locals in discussions that we promise will give you a new perspective on pahadi culture. The community is friendly, good-humoured, and excited to welcome you to their corner of the world.

Scroll down to catch a glimpse of the beauty that awaits you.

lodging and stay

Each village has a guesthouse owned and managed by the village committee. This encourages ownership – and with it comes the kind of care and attention that you just won’t find in a hotel.

Stay in wood and stone homes built in the local style by community craftsmen and retire in rooms kept warm in winter by mud-plastered walls. Each house has a common dining room with a small terrace from which to soak in the sublime scenery.

There are 3 bedrooms in every guesthouse with two beds each. Sleep on soft mattresses and clean sheets, with thick blankets to comfort you at night.

All the guesthouses are equipped with a combination of shared and common washrooms with hot water and spick-and-span western commodes.

gonap

The village of Gonap has small terraced farms that grow chillies, onions, garlic, turmeric, and cucumbers. Walk through a canopy of delicate bamboo and you will arrive at your home for the evening.

The farmhouses of Gonap are set on a hillside among vegetable gardens, with open views of richly forested slopes. 

The forests and village here transform in the early sunset. Don’t be surprised if you’re invited to have a cup of tea at the home of a Gonap resident. Take a walk up to the local Golu Devi temple to see a 200-degree panoramic view of the Himalayan mountains and the snow-capped peaks of western Nepal.

satri

This is the smallest and most secluded of all the villages with just 3 homes.

It is the farthest village from Khali Estate, on a high ridge surrounded by uninterrupted views of the peaks.

Just one family currently live in Satri, and the villagers believed that they would have to abandon their village, to let their homes and fields be overtaken by the forest. Thanks to visitors like you, Satri continues to be able to grow. The welcome here will be no different from that in any of the other villages.

khali estate

You will start and end your adventure at Khali Estate, a colonial estate built by Sir Henry Ramsay, the Commissioner of Kumaon in the mid-1800s. On the last evening of your walking holiday, you’ll reach the estate and stay in stone rondavel cabins, all facing the peaks. It’s a breathtaking sight.

Have a hot bath before coming for a decadent meal in the dining area. Spend the evening by the fireplace and end the journey in the historical common room, once frequented by Mahatma Gandhi and Vijay Lakshmi Pandit. 

There’s something in here for everyone, no matter what your area of interest. If you want to stay and enjoy village hospitality, there will be no pressure from anyone to overexert yourself – you can rest and relax in the safety of the guesthouse until you move to the next village.

Build a deeper appreciation for montane forest ecology – here is a wealth of knowledge on the secrets of the forest. Your guides can identify all the birds here by bird call (seriously) and will show you how to identify leopard prints, wake up to the call of the barking deer, and understand the difference between epiphytes, lichen, and moss. 

If you’re curious about traditional food, you will find that there’s a lot to learn about authentic Kumaoni cuisine.

Birders and wildlife enthusiasts are obviously in for an absolute treat. Keep an eye out for the crimson sunbird, scarlet minivets, Himalayan griffons, woodpeckers, bulbuls, Eurasian jays, and magpies. During spring, many varieties of butterflies come out and play amongst bright rhododendron blooms. 

Walking, which is a highly recommended form of exercise for anyone, is starkly different from urban sidewalks. You’re breathing clean air, the scent of pine needles, and mountain soil. This walk is graded as easy to moderate and requires an average to above-average level of fitness; it’s the ideal alternative to walking in the city. If you have hiking experience but don’t find the idea of camping appealing, this is perfect because you will come back to a warm bed to sleep in at night.

If you already have some experience with hiking or are looking for a slightly more challenging experience, we invite you to consider joining us on Sweet Valley Crossing.

The Himalayan ecosystem is experiencing the extreme effects of global warming, and sudden seasonal shifts are seen vividly. As a result, we believe it is our responsibility to curate journeys that are mindful of this reality. We’ve conceptualised a holiday that focusses on the preservation of the forest, and the communities within it. This is why we encourage small groups of no more than 6 guests at a time.

We practice the Leave No Trace principles. We discourage guests from picking up anything from the forest such as pinecones, flowers, feathers, rocks, etc. Apart from being the collective stakeholders of the guesthouses, our village communities employ low-usage water systems in order to conserve water. All the water comes from natural springs that are boiled and filtered. We do not provide single use plastic bottles.

Our partners encourage gender equality and the representation of minority castes on the committees that manage the guesthouses. All our guesthouses are built using local materials by resident craftsmen. Employment is strictly local starting from the guides to the drivers.

“Moving from one village to another each day, and staying in new homes every day reminded me that the only thing constant in life is flux. You learn to adapt and enjoy what you have in that moment. You learn to stop comparing to be able to savour what you have currently – homes, people food, warmth, landscapes.” – Nagashree

“Really enjoyed the balance of activity and rest, on the whole, I found the week incredibly calming and peaceful. I loved that this hike also made a positive contribution made to the local community. Felt very welcomed and surrounded by warmth and care. Would do pretty much anything you guys organise and will definitely be recommending this to friends and family (already have done!). Thank you to everyone who made this happen.” – Kiri