My stay in Darma Valley's village Dantu, and the beautiful hike to Panchachuli base camp and zero point. In early October 2024, I hiked the Panchachuli trail, around 9 kilometer trail that is often considered one of the most beautiful hiking trails in Uttarakhand.
I am always on the lookout for remote places untouched by the mechanic hands of modernity. Places which are far away from the fake niceties and meaningless life of the metros.
Located in the easternmost part of Uttarakhand, Darma Valley shares its borders with Tibet and Nepal. The valley has few tribal villages, that provide the homestay options, in the lap of wilderness. The valley never gets the attention that other popular Himalayan valleys get. Very few tourists make it here which has left it untouched and ripe for exploration.
The Panchachuli (पंचाचुली) peaks are a group of five snow-capped Himalayan peaks lying at the end of the eastern Kumaon region, near the Dugtu village in Darma valley. The peaks have altitudes ranging from 6,334 metres (20,781 ft) to 6,904 metres (22,651 ft)~ WikipediaPanchachuli’ is derived from two Hindi words – ‘Pancha’ means Five and ‘Chuli’ means Chimney. The legend is that the 5 peaks represent the five cooking hearths (chuli) of the five Pandav brothers who cooked their last meal on these peaks before proceeding for heaven and hence the name ‘Panchachuli’.
For me, the legend is always metaphorical.
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