Roop Kund Trek

Region: Chamoli

• Total Duration – 7 Nights / 8 Days
• Maximum Altitude – 5029 m/ 16590 ft
• Grade – Moderate.
• Best Season – June to October
• Accommodation – Hotel/Guesthouse; Organized Campsite
• Food – On trek – All meals included

Day 1 - Pick up at 7.00am from Kathgodam Railway Station. Drive to Lohajung (7,700 ft); 11 hrs.

Delhi is well connected from all the cities in India. You can fly to Delhi or Pantnagar directly. Many overnight buses run between Delhi and Kathgodam. The day is dedicated for orientation and acclimatization. You can go around sightseeing and have a relaxed day.

Pick up from Kathgodam Railway station at 7.00 am. Drive to Lohajung base camp. Approximate arrival time at Lohajung 6-7 pm.

En-route Lohajung from Kathgodam, you will see enchanting views of what is in store for the next 5 days.

Day 02: Lohajung - Bedni Bugyal - Drive from Lohajung - Wan 1 hr. Wan - Bedini 14kms, 8 hrs 12,200 ft.

After a sumptuous breakfast and packed lunch, we will board our cab to the trekking point. The drive is 8km which will take approximately 1 hour.

Today is a gradual ascent to the first camp. The aroma of the lush pine grooves and the enchanting narrow trail through the Oak & Deodar forest is something to look forward to.The blooming Rhododendrons in pinkish-white and blood red re-iterates the freshness of the mountains. We will find a nice spot and have lunch by afternoon.

You will know you have reached Bedini Bugyal when you see hundreds of bleating sheep herds grazing from one pasture to another. Bedini is the most beautiful meadow which will remind you of the cartoon Heidi we all loved so much. This meadow encloses a lake and a sacred temple. By sunset you will reach your first camp. Take a nice seat on the green carpet and enjoy the red ball of fire go down.

Day 03: BedniBugyal - Pathar Nachauni (12,700 ft.) 8 kms, 7-8 hours, 

As the sun rises, you will be served with hot coffee/tea. We will start to our next camp after breakfast. The trail includes both ascent and descent. We will cross to the other side of the ridge giving way to a whole other magnificent view. Keep your eyes open to witness the beauty on the trail. The never-ending stretch of valleys, the rocky path and the clouds passing through touching your face is something that you will want to remember forever.Legend has it that the fateful King who was on a pilgrimage to Roopkund brought with him dancers to utter vexation of Goddess Nanda. The female dancers were turned to stone by the Goddess as a punishment for not heeding to her laws.The place where the dancers turned to stone is known as Pathar Nachauni. You can see three huge holes where the dancers were buried.

Day 04: Pathar Nachauni - Bhagwabhasa (14,100ft.) 8kms 8 hours 

Once you are properly acclimatized, we will continue our journey to Bhagwabhasa. After walking for an hour and a half, we will reach Kalu Vinayak, a small temple of lord Ganesh. The trail is very well defined and zig zag. In monsoon, it is a pleasant but gradual ascent when there has not been snowfall. In summers the entire area is covered in snow, sometimes knee deep. As you go higher the weather might instantly change, so be well prepared and cautious.

Bhagwabhasa extreme temperature and high wind conditions. It is situated just below the ridge at the base of Roopkund. At times the camp is white as it is covered in fresh snow. Surrounded by mighty mountains, this camp is mesmerizing, you can literally touch the clouds here. The campsite has canteen huts, where you can get maggi, coffee and egg omlette. The land is a bit rocky with boulders and in good weather condition, it is such an amazing view.

Day 05: Bhagwabhasa (14000ft.) - Roopkund (15750ft.) - Junargali - BediniBugyal (16000ft.) - 23 kms 14 hours.

Today is going to be a long day. We will wake up at 2.00 am, have tea and breakfast. We will pack our lunch and depart by 3.00 am, the sooner the better as the weather is unpredictable. Only carry water, lunch, torch and poncho to the summit, we will leave behind the rucksack in the tents. Depending on the snow, the path will be either difficult to follow or visible. When we start the climb, notice the beautiful stars in the sky.

Roopkund trek is one of the places in India where star gazing is recommended. If you pace your walk, you can reach Roopkund for sunrise, the sight of which should not be missed. The last 20 minutes is an extremely steep climb to the lake. At Roopkund, you can see the lake and the left over human skeletons. Junargali is another 20 min, 500 mts above Roopkund. The knife-like edges and steep stretching slopes on either side gets your adrenaline pumping. The view from Junargali has Thrishul, Nandaghunti and Chanyakot mountains staring at you.

After the summit, we will descend to Bhagvabhasa, have hot lunch and walked down to Bedini Bugyal, where we will pitch our last camp.

Day 06: BediniBugyal - Lohajung via Ali Bugyal 14 kms 10 hours

We will start our descent towards Ali Bugyal. The walk is easy and straight. Ali Bugyal is similar to Bedini and is beautiful in its own way. Said to be arguably the largest meadow in India, Ali has often remained forgotten. Retracing our steps to Wan, we will descend in about 8 hours. At Wan there will be a cab waiting to take us back to Lohajung. Thus, ending one of the most difficult treks in India.

Day 07: Lohajung to Kathgodam – 11 hours

On the last day, we will leave after breakfast. The route back to Kathgodam will take you through Gwaldam, Baijnath, Kausani, Almora, Nainital and many more hill stations.

The group will disperse at Kathgodam.

Others Details

ne such mystic entity is a lake at a height of 15,696 ft known as Skeletal Lake or The Mystery Lake. A magical lake where remains of mass scattered human skeletons were found. Multiple theories have been told and retold time and again but a pair of teeth, bones and slippers tell you stories .