Umbrella Peak Expedition

The second day will be a happening and exciting day, where you will begin trekking towards your dream destination. After resting well the previous night, you will wake up to the pleasant rhythm of nature, the sound of birds, flowing water in the nearby streams, and much more. Post freshening up, you will move towards the breakfast counter for a delicious and wholesome breakfast which is important to meet the energy demands which the day shall put forward in the course of time. Soon after, you will begin trekking towards the Durinar Meadow which is a bewitching meadow that also serves as the base camp for many other popular treks and remains a very prominent choice because of its topography, scenic beauty, and convenience. The meadow is situated at a height of 11,650 ft and will require you to ascend up to 2,450 ft from the Sarbal village. It will take approximately 5 hours for an average person to reach the meadow from Sarbal which will be quite a task yet equally exciting. The Durinar Meadow also encloses The Durinar Lake which is an epitome of purity and beauty and which will serve as your campsite for the third day. After reaching the campsite, you will indulge in a tasty lunch and carry on with your personal activities for the rest of the day. Higher altitudes have lower amounts of oxygen and so it is advised to take slow yet steady steps during journeys that vision to reach extremely high altitudes. That is why you will find fewer activities in the first two days of your trip because the first few days play a major role in acclimatization and adaptation. After some silly games and easy activities, you will proceed with the dinner and call off the second day.

The third day will kick start with a warm and mesmerizing sunrise amidst the mountains. After a delicious and soul-filling breakfast, you will trek toward the Durinar Lake which lies further higher at an altitude of 13,690 ft above sea level. It opens into beautiful peaks and breathtaking views. Harbored in giant granite rock, the sea-green lake will absolutely devastate you with its beauty and panoramic views. You will have to ascend to a height of about 2,040 ft to reach the Durinar Lake and it will take a good couple of hours for you to reach the sight since it is quite a steep climb from the Durinar meadow. Sufficient short breaks will be taken to rest, chill and relax in the arms of nature along with a long lunch break which will be taken after reaching the campsite. You can hike to nearby snow-clad areas to make a snowman or do other silly activities that will help acclimatize well after reaching the Lake. Or you may simply steal a few moments to enjoy your company in the silence of nature far away from other trekkers. After spending the third evening in the mountains, you will find yourself in a much comfortable position since your body will have adjusted to the new surroundings by then. After a few group activities and fun games by the side of the Durinar Lake, you will begin your preparations to camp beside the lake for the night stay. Post preparations, you will proceed to have your much-awaited delicious dinner meal. After which, you may unfold your respective blankets to bring the day to an end.

The fourth day is included to religiously allow acclimatization so that you are in the right state both mentally and physically to climb the summit in the coming days. The Umbrella Peak lies in the middle of the Thajiwas range and in close proximity with the Valehad Peak which lies on its other side. The Summit is a part of the Thajiwas Range which offers an extremely refreshing experience altogether and can be reached via the amphitheater Gully. On the fourth day, you will freshen up, have your healthy and rich breakfast, and begin your trek towards the nearby areas for a fun day as well as to acclimatize in the open. The treks to the places nearby will be short yet the rewards at the end of them will surely be heartwarming. After having a gala time around the glacier, you will return to the campsite at Durinar Lake for a delicious dinner and in no time pack up for the day. Mountain sicknesses are real and can even lead to death if not taken seriously so it is very crucial to maintain rest and include acclimatization breaks in treks that demand so. It is also suggested to avoid indulging in too many physical activities at high altitudes to keep mountain sickness at bay. And since it is important to remain hydrated during treks, it is advised to avoid the consumption of alcohol to regulate and maintain your fitness during treks that already demand so much of your energy. Slow and steady is the only mantra or the go-to technique that works for mountaineering, especially for expeditions that aim to reach higher altitudes.

The fifth day will be an interesting one, you will wake up to a beautiful sunrise in the morning and freshen up to kick start your day. After proceeding with a scrumptious and filling breakfast, you will begin your trek towards Valehad Peak. The trek to the Valehad Peak will be a technical one since the topography is rocky and quite offbeat. However, it is a manageable trek for experienced and practiced trekkers and this is primarily why the trek to Umbrella Peak is ideal for practiced trekkers and not really advised for beginners. You will very quickly find yourself before the divine and enticing Barfsar Lake, admiring its wealth in beauty. The view will certainly take you away by its serenity for a few seconds before you regain the momentum of yourself. You may rest along the shoreline of the dark blue lake and indulge in a few leisure activities of your choice. You will be able to spot many known and recognized peaks from this place. The Lake is surrounded by many mighty mountains that add value to its overall beauty and serenity. After spending a good amount of time by the lake, you will resume your trek towards Valehad Peak which is located at a height of 15,125 ft. The trek from the Durinar Lake to the Valehad Peak is usually covered in approximately four hours. You may rest upon reaching the campsite at the Valehad Peak and proceed with the lunch later. The rest of the day can be spent as per your preference, you can either hike to nearby places or rest and energize for the ultimate trek the next day. Post evening, you can proceed with a delicious and scrumptious meal for the dinner and wrap up for the day.

The sixth day will mark the beginning of your trek towards the ultimate destination of the expedition; the Umbrella Peak. After having rested well the previous day, you will wake up relaxed and energized. You may freshen up and stroll around before the breakfast is ready and then quickly move to have your delicious and hot breakfast meal. You will then buckle up to climb uphill and trek towards the Summit that lies at an altitude of 15,712 ft. Soon, you will reach the summit and unravel the fascinating and captivating vastness of the Peak and when you reach the top, you will find a steep drop on the right. Many mountain peaks will also appear very clearly and overwhelm you with their presence. The view will surely leave you spellbound and drooling. You may enjoy your little success and spend as much time as you wish, in the vicinity of the Peak. Once the lunch is ready, you may proceed with a stomach-filling tasty, and wholesome meal. After a good time at the Peak and having to admire from the bottom of your heart, you will pick up on your journey backward. On the same day, you will trace your journey downwards and trek to descend to the Durinar meadow. This day will be a long and tiring one. You will cover a long trek downwards to reach the Durinar meadow; nonetheless, it will still be absolutely worthwhile. This will be your last chance to relive and admire the surrounding areas as much as you wish. Upon reaching the Durinar meadow, you may rest and freshen up. Soon after, you may proceed with the dinner and immediately afterward pack up for the day.

This day will be the last day of your expedition. After opening your eyes to a bright sunny morning and receiving a warm farewell from the sunrise in the morning, you will freshen up and have your tasty breakfast to gather some energy to retrace your journey backward and reach the Sarbal village via the same beautiful landscape views that greeted you on your way up. It will be a long journey and yet a nostalgic and special one, in its own way. The trek from the Durinar meadow to the Sarbal village is quite crisp and short and can easily be covered in an hour. After reaching the Sarbal village, you may relax as you wish and stroll around one last time before hopping onto the vehicles that will drive you back to the airport with lots of happy, emotional, and adventurous memories that will frequently drive you to look back and feel nostalgic about this crazy expedition.