Offbeat trek to Dasrath Ka Danda

✈ UTTARAKHAND · AN OFFBEAT HIMALAYAN TREK
Dasrath Ka Danda

Dasrath Ka Danda sits at an altitude of 4,750ft above sea level, accessible from Devprayag and Shivpuri, Rishikesh. Trekkers pass the confluence of the holy rivers Bhagirathi and Alaknanda, the ancient Lord Rama temple at Devprayag, and villages threading through thick rhododendron, alpine, pine, and oak forest — with wild animals along the way. The trek offers a majestic view of snow-covered Himalayan peaks — Bandarpunchh, Chaukhamba, Trisul, Nanda Devi — and a night in camp that's genuinely unforgettable.

The place gets its name from a myth: King Dasrath's arrow accidentally struck and killed Sarvan Kumar, the devoted, blind-parent-caring servant, right here. The spot has been known as Dasrath Ka Danda ever since.
Cost
₹17,000 including everything
Train cost
₹4,500 return (Pune) · +₹4,000 more (Mumbai)
Region
Devprayag & Tehri District, Uttarakhand
Duration
4 nights / 5 days
Grade
Easy
Altitude
2,200m / 7,250ft
Best time
Accessible all months of the year
Temperature
5–20°C
Trekking distance
24km
Nearest village
Devprayag
Nearest railhead
Rishikesh / Haridwar / Dehradun
Porters are available if needed — ₹250 per day, per bag.

Things to carry

  • Sunscreen lotion (Lotus SPF 50)
  • Full-sleeve T-shirts
  • Bandana
  • Hat/cap, woolen cap/balaclava
  • Woolen gloves (not mandatory)
  • Fleece sweatshirt
  • Windproof jacket (1)
  • Leggings/track pants, shorts
  • Sturdy sports shoes, rubber sole
  • Cotton socks, woolen socks, spare shoelaces
  • Raincoat/poncho (1)
  • Full body towel (1)
  • Torch with spare batteries
  • Toiletries
  • Doctor-specified medicines
  • Water bottle and purifier
  • Floaters (for camp use)
  • Camera, camera charger, mobile charger
  • Blankets

Getting there

From Borivli (E) railway station, we booked the Garib Rath Express to Hazrat Nizamuddin (New Delhi). Reached New Delhi at 9am the next day, stored our luggage in the station's paid, compulsory-lock luggage room, with our next train not until night.

We spent the day around the capital — auto to Chandni Chowk for lunch at Gali Paranthe Wali, famous for its 36 varieties of parathas, with sweet and namkeen lassis to wash it down. Metro to Rajiv Chowk to see Connaught Place (CP), reportedly the world's 7th costliest office destination. Watched a movie at Rivoli PVR, shopped at Khadi Gramodyog Bhavan, caught street performances near Oxford Bookstore, and passed Chawri Bazar — a wholesale market for brass, copper, and paper products. Grabbed our luggage back from the station in the evening, cabbed to Old Delhi, and caught the 10pm Mussoorie Express.

Day 1 — Haridwar to Rishikesh

Reached Haridwar around 9am, road-tripped to Rishikesh. First stay: Paradise Huts — tents fitting three, proper bedding, table fans, a river nearby. This was our base camp. Booked adventure sports slots with Jumpin' Heights — grouped for bungee jumping, supervised by experienced jumpers and experts from New Zealand.

Day 2 — Devprayag to Chaund Village (6km, 4–5 hours)

Walked to Devprayag early to see the confluence of the Ganga's tributaries, Alaknanda and Bhagirathi — welcomed warmly with dhol music by Shri Dr. Prabhakar Joshi. "Devaprayaga" means "Godly Confluence" in Sanskrit. Devprayag is also home to the Nakshatra Vedh Shala, an observatory established in 1946 by the late Acharya Pt. Chakradhar Joshi (a scholar of astronomy and astrology), on a mountain called Dashrathanchal. It holds two telescopes and around 3,000 manuscripts dating from 1677 AD, alongside ancient instruments like the Surya Ghati and Dhruv Ghati — markers of India's history in astronomy.

Beyond the Sangam and Raghunath Ji Temple in Devprayag, nearby sacred sites include Mata Bhuvneshwari Temple (Pundal village), Dhaneshwar Mahadev Temple, Danda Nagaraja (Lord of Snakes) Temple, and Chandrabadni Temple. Mythology also ties a fourth river, Saraswati (originating from Mana village, Badrinath), to this confluence, said to emerge from the feet of Shri Raghunath Ji in the temple. Lord Rama's footprints are said to exist at "Ram Kund." Lord Shiva is worshipped here as Tondeshwar Mahadev (just in front of the Sangam) and Dhaneshwar Mahadev.

Day 3 — Chaund Village to Dasrath Ka Danda (8km, 5 hours)

Trekked to Dasrath Ka Danda, stopping at Khetu Tappad, where the myth holds that King Dasrath heard the sound of water and shot the fateful arrow. Pitched tents near Khetu Tappad with just sleeping bags and thin mattresses for the night. Noli Dhara nearby is often visited by leopards and deer coming to drink. By the end of the day, we were completely exhausted.

Day 4 — Dasrath Ka Danda to Shivpuri, via Pawati Devi Temple (10km trek, 6 hours)

Porters carried the heavy luggage on the trek back down to Chaund village. From there, a hired car took us back to Rishikesh and Paradise Huts.

Day 5 — Rafting and the Ganga Aarti

After lunch, headed to the rafting area, deposited luggage at one of the rafting centres, and rafted from under Ram Jhula and Laxman Jhula. In the evening: refreshing bel ka juice and Maggi noodles. At 6:30pm, attended the Ganga Aarti, then headed back to Mumbai carrying the river Ganga's blessings.