Gehroli Patal (10100 ft) to Ali Bugiyal (11320 ft) Trek. Approx 8 kms – 6/7 hours trek.

The trail begins to climb steeply into an oak and rhododendron forest. And after half an hour of ascending stoned steps, the trail opens up to a huge meadow. Take the trail to the right that will take you to Ali Bugyal.

The forest starts to thin after about 1½ hrs of climb (make it 2 if you are slow). Suddenly, abruptly, the oak and Rhododendrons fall behind you, and stretched in front of you is the largest, greenest rolling carpet ever laid out for you. You’ve arrived at Ali Bugyal.

All tiredness forgotten, soak in the mesmerising sight of the undulating meadows of Ali Bugyal. You are on the top of a ridge that spreads in every direction – acres and acres of green meadow scooped out of the mountainside.

Clouds drift in from below, glide over the ridge and slide down either side, all in a slow swift motion. You watch countless horses grazing on the bounty of nature. Foals tear themselves across the turf in an uninhibited abandon.

Ali Bugiyal (11320 ft) to Patthar Nachani (12818 ft) Trek via Bedini Bugiyal and Ghora Lotani. Approx 7 kms – 4/5 hours trek.

The trail from Ali Bugiyal to Bedni Bugyal is a gradual ascent surrounded by beatiful Himalayan Peaks. If you are tempted to take off your shoes and allow the feel of the carpet on your toes, just go ahead and do it! Towards the end of Ali Bugyal, there’s a short switchback climb of 20 minutes before the trail levels out to a gentle trail to Bedni Bugyal. It takes about an hour to get to Bedni Bugyal from this point.

The trail from Bedini Bugiyal to Patthar Nachani via Ghora Lotani is a mix of gradual ascent with steep menuovers in beetweens.

The trail to Patar Nachauni climbs out of the Bedni campsite in a gradual, easy meander. From your Bedni campsite, you can follow it with your eye for 3 km before it disappears into a saddle in the mountain. When you cross the saddle, the trek exposes you to the other side of the ridge. The scenery is differently mesmerizing.

It is still meadow country and below you are the meadows of Ghora Lotani, the last stop for the horses. Beyond Ghora Lotani the meadows merge into the mountainside.

Another 1 kms on the trail and you reach the Pathar Nachani campsite where you can witness various shape and sized rocks suddenly protruding from the valley. There is a mythological stody behind it too.

Loss of tree line makes the area exposed to chilly winds and drop in temperature.

Patthar Nachani (12818 ft) to Bhaguwasa (14117 ft) Trek via Kalu Vinayak Temple.                              Approx. 4 kms – 5 hours trek.

The climb to Kalu Vinayak is a steep zig-zag up the mountainside. The distance isn’t much, and the zig-zag trails make you gain height very rapidly. Climb this section very slowly. There is no hurry and even if you are the slowest on the team you can reach Bhagwabasa in a comfortable time. This is a crucial height where most trekkers feel the thinness in the air. You get breathless very soon and sometimes even feel dizzy.

Kalu Vinayak gets its name from the black Ganesh idol enclosed in a stone shrine just as you finish the climb from Patthar Nachani. Lots of temple bells and a large plate for you to donate. Everyone offers a prayer here for a safe pilgrimage to Roopkund.

The trail from Kalu Vinayak to Bhagwabasa is easy and gently sloping downwards. Bhagwabasa is 2 km away and you can see the Bhagwabasa huts if you follow the trail with your eye.

At Bhagwabasa, nights turn extremely cold. Inside the tent, temperatures dip to 1°C. Outside measured at -2°C at 2.30 in the night. These are mid-summer temperatures. In September-October temperature will dip further to -5°C or -6°C. Bhagwabasa is windy too. In the wind chill the -2°C feels like -6°C. You need to put on all your warm clothing and then get inside your sleeping bag to brave the night.

Bhaguwasa (14117 ft) to Roopkund (15696 ft) Lake and Junargali (16156 ft) summit. Back to Bedini Bugiyal Trek. Approx. Approx 15 kms – 12/14 hours trek.

You need to start your push to Roopkund at 2:00 am. You need to climb up to Roopkund while the snow is still hard. In the mid-morning the snow becomes soft and your feet start sinking in. You want to avoid this. There’s plenty of snow even in the middle of summer.

From Bhagwabasa it is a 5 km gradually ascending walk to Roopkund. Towards the end, the trail climbs sharply through a series of switchbacks and a steep climb over a snowy flank to reach Roopkund. The stretch isn’t long, but the entire stretch is on snow patches. At some parts the slope is steep but most parts are easily trekkable. The climb is deliriously exhilarating. The last stretch of climbing over the snowy flank on the left requires the support of all four limbs but is over in 10 mins. Roopkund is right over the edge, two minutes away and yet you can’t see it unless you get there.

Roopkund is a crater on the mountain face, a dip at the cusp of the mountain. It is much bigger than what most internet pictures suggest. All around are snowy flanks of the mountain. You have to climb down 50 ft to reach the edge of the lake.

The Roopkund Mystery: The “Skeleton Lake” has intrigued anthropologists, scientists, historians and the local people ever since. Who were these people? What were they doing in the inhospitable regions of the Garhwal Himalayas? Local folklore has it that in medieval times, King Jasdhawal of Kanauj wanted to celebrate the birth of an heir by undertaking a pilgrimage to the Nanda Devi mountains in the Garhwal Himalaya. However, he disregarded the rules of pilgrimage by boisterous singing and dancing. The entourage earned the wrath of the local deity, Latu. They were caught in a terrible hailstorm and were thrown into the Roopkund lake!

Trekkers must attempt Junargali unless the weather does not permit it. From Roopkund, the sharp ridge line that towers above you is Junargali. It doesn’t take much time to get to Junargali. The route is over snow that gently inclines upwards until it reaches the face of the mountain. After which it is a steep clamber on the mountain face to reach Junargali. The climb isn’t for long; perhaps 250 ft. It gets over in perhaps 15-20 minutes. Care must be taken while you are climbing to Junargali.

Bedini Bugiyal to Wan Trek down.                  Approx 15 kms – 6/7 hours Trek.

Today we bid goodbye to all the beautiful views and descend down to Wan village after a long trek.

Wan to Kathgodam drive. 220 kms – Approx 10/11 hours drive.

Finally we come back to the city life with a bag full of memories to cherish forever.

You will reach Kathgodam by 7 pm. You can arrange your onward journey after 8 pm.