Sari village travel guide will be a perfect for those venturing to this famous Garwhali locale for the first time. Located in the Rudraprayag district near Chopta, Sari has become one of the most sought-after destinations in the region.
Based on my travels to Sari, This blog aims to help fellow travelers with aspects like accommodation, things to do, places to visit, internet connectivity etc. So lets get started.
Sar Village Travel Guide – All You Need To Know
Perched at an altitude of around 2000 m, Sari village acts as the base village of the famous Deoriatal. The attraction of Deoriatal and nearness of Chopta, makes for a perfect experience for travelers looking to escape the more conventional destinations.
Therefore, this handy Sari village travel guide will help those who are traveling here for the first time. I personally have been here twice, once during spring and once during Autumn, just loved my time here. So lets get started.
Also Read – How To Plan A Trip To Chopta
How To Reach Sari village
Sari village is one of the most accessible destinations in the Garwhal region from major cities like Delhi. Whether traveling by your own vehicle or using public transport, you should have no problems whatsoever getting to the village of Sari.
If you are self-driving, just follow navigation apps like google maps and you should have no problems in reaching Sari, The route is pretty straightforward and takes around 12 hours from Delhi.
In case you are relying in public transport, unfortunately there is no direct bus from Delhi. You’ve to break your journey multiple times, but getting there is not so difficult. And here is a brief of how reach Sari using public transport.
- Take A UTC bus till Srinagar/Rudraprayag/Kund from Delhi
- From Srinagar/Rudraprayag/Kund take shared cab/buses going towards Ukhimath
- From Ukhimath, Shared cab or private taxis available for Sari village which is 12 km.
- Direct buses available from Haridwar/Rishikesh to Ukhimath, but the frequency is very less.
- There is an evening Bus to Sari village. But it is not very reliable during Char-Dham Yatra season
- Shared cabs are much more reliable and frequent from Srinagar/Rudraprayag/Kund for Ukhimath and Sari.
I hope this gives you a brief idea about how to reach Sari village from Delhi using public transport.
The UTC and private buses in Uttarakhand are in a sorry state of affairs. They have terrible connectivity to rural areas when compared neighbouring hill-state of Himachal.
So one has to rely on Shared cabs (which only leave until the cab is completely packed to capacity) or pay up a fortune if you are hiring private cabs.
Itinerary for Sari village
Apart from Deoriatal and Chopta, there is nothing much to do around Sari village, except for taking it slow and witnessing the life in the rustic Garwhali locale, but I’m curating this itinerary so that you’ve an idea what to expect.
This itinerary involves a lot more hiking that you would actually require for Deoriatal, but in case you’re fit, you can certainly go ahead.
Also Read – Is One Day Enough For Chopta ?
| Day 1
Arrive at Ukhimath and subsequently to Sari village, check into your accommodation. |
| Day 2
Start early and head towards Deoriatal. In case you like hiking, continue your Journey to Chopta on Foot via Jhandi top. Stay at Chopta for the night. |
| Day 3
Again start early and visit the highest abode of Shiva, Tugnath Mahadev and Hike to Chandrashila. The distance is 12 km both ways, and you can easily make it back early if you start very early. Overnight at Sari. |
| Day 4
Leave from Sari towards your next destination or just head back home. |
Cost for A Trip To Sari
Here is brief detail on average money you would be spending on your trip to Sari.
| Cost for Stay & Food
Around INR 1000 for stay as well as meals in a basic setting. |
| Guide charges
In case you decide to hike from Sari to Chopta, it will cost you around INR 1000 per day for the guide. |
| Total
You would end up spending around INR 3000, in case you decided to stay for a couple of days in Sari and hike. Else it would cost even less. |
Things to Do & Places To Visit In And Around Sari
Here are some things to do and places to visit when traveling to the village of Sari.
Also Read – Rudrarprayag Trip Itinerary
Deoriatal – A Rewarding Hike To The Mystical Lake
The biggest attraction and crowd puller near Sari is the mystical lake of Deoriatal. The lake itself is quite beautiful with interesting folklore revolving around it, but the main USP of Deoriatal is the Himalayan peaks you get to witness from here.
Located at around 2500 m, Deoriatal is great vantage point to witness peaks like. Post monsoon and winters are a great to time for clear view of peaks. The lake is at around 2.5 km from the village accessible on foot by a well-marked path from Sari.
Hike To Chopta – The Land of Rolling Meadows
Although most people end their hike at Deoriatal from Sari, but did you know that there is exists a beautiful trail from Deoriatal to Chopta passing through Surreal Oak, Rhododendron forests, rolling meadows ?
Yes Chopta is at a distance of around 20 km from Sari via Deoriatal on foot via Jhandi Top. The ascent till Jhandi top could be a bit challenging, but from there the hike is just gradual ascent or descent all the way till the roadhead.
Of course, complete beginners might struggle but with decent fitness this is doable. Make sure to hire a guide, as trail could get confusing in the forest beyond Jhandi Top even though it is well-marked.
Pay Homage At The Picturesque Abode of Shiva – Tungnath
Apart from Deoriatal, The highest Shiva temple in the world and third Kedar, Tungnath Mahadev is popular attraction near Sari. Located at 3680 m, the hike to Tungnath starts from the main Chopta which is just km by road or 20 km on foot
The distance of Tungnath from main Chopta market is around 4 km one way and is a very gradual trail, which will take on average around couple of hours.
The abode of Shiva is quite picturesque and is certainly worth the climb. Just a request, this is pilgrimage place. So ensure that you maintain the sanctity of this wonderful abode of Shiva.
One Of The Most Accessible Peak In The Himalayas – Chandrashila
Just 1.5 km from Tugnath, lies a vantage with panoramic views of the Himalayas, called Chandrashila which offers 360 degree sweeping views of valley.
Although, the distance is less but the climb is quite steep from Tugnath and requires around 45 minutes to an hour to reach the peak.
Post monsoon and late Autumn can have surreal views of lofty Himalayan peaks like Chaukhamba, Trishul, Bandarpuch, Nanda Devi to name a few. Prolonged dry weather can result in hazy views and peaks might not be visible clearly,
Witness The Eccentric Festivals Of Garwhal
The eccentric festivals of Himalayas are always a sight to behold. From local festival and fairs of deities to opening ceremonies of Kedarnath, Tugnath, Madhmaheswar, places around Sari have plenty.
During the time of Janamansthami, there is fair organized at Deoriatal. Although I’ve not been able to attend it, I was able to see video related to the fair on Youtube.
Another popular festival is Pandav Nritya which usually takes places across several villages near Ukhimath like Fapanj during the month of November and December. These villages are not very far away from Sari village
Where to Stay in Sari village and What To Eat
Thanks to a lot of tourist footfall, there is no dearth of accommodation options from budget homestays, to luxury stays, to luxury camps at Deoriatal, Sari has got it all.
So finding accommodation should not be a problem. Most of the homestays in Sari are kind of guesthouses with family staying nearby.
In case, you want to stay where I stayed, contact Manish (+91 9627445746), who is the local from Sari village and also organizes treks and hikes, But again, you should have no trouble finding accommodation. there are plenty of them as per your budget.
Homestay with meals included will cost you at around INR 1000. You could get it for cheaper rates but also could higher than that.
When it comes to food, don’t expect cafes like you find at tourist resorts like Manali or Kasol, but there are decent eateries in Sari, In most of the cases, the homestay host will provide you simple but delicious home-cooked food.
On my second visit, I had my meals at Fauji homestay. There were kind of enough of to provide meals even though I wasn’t staying at their place. The food was delicious with a lot of local dishes and priced at a nominal rate of INR 120 for thali.
Internet Connectivity In Sari village
One of the best things I like about Sari is the internet connectivity, both Jio 4g and Airtel 4g have their towers in the village itself, which results in no problem whatsoever when browsing, streaming, working on colloboration apps like Teams, Zoom.
All in All, Sari is perfect place for those who want to work remotely while experiencing the life in the rustic garwhali village with easy accessibility.
To conclude, I hope this Sari village travel guide will great of use to folks traveling to Sari for the first. In case you’ve any further questions on Sari village travel guide please drop them in the comments below and I’ll make sure to help you out.