Alpine Wanderers

Detailed Itinerary

We meet with the group at Kathgodam, a small town in the mountainous state of Uttarakhand, easily accessible by train or one can take an overnight Volvo bus. After a quick introduction and briefing, we make our way to Loharjung through the region of Kumaon. The narrow roadhead and unrelenting curves offer spectacular views of deep valleys as the lush green beauty travels along. This thrilling 7-hour drive will keep you on the edge of your seats as we gain considerable height on our journey. We spend the night at a guest house or pitch tents.

After breakfast, we begin the first leg of our trek. A fairly marked trail with a slight ascent through mixed forests will take us to Kulling, which is located at a distance of around 6km form Lohajung. A serene hamlet offering with fresh, crisp air, Kulling is a perfect place to take a break. The trail from here cuts through houses and fields and takes you to Ruan Bagad, which is an iron bridge across the famous Neel Ganga River. Hereafter, starts a steep climb to the Didina village. The trail offers evergreen alpine forests and huge trees. The view from the top of the ridge is spectacular. We cover a total distance covered of approximately 10kms today. Night stay in guest house/tents.

Located at an altitude of 3400 mt. or 11000 ft. the village of Ali Bugyal is one of the highest inhabited locations in the country. On the way, a settlements of local shepherds known as Tolpani and their herds of sheep are a site to behold. Oak, birch and rhododendron trees are the only trees that grow in these areas, and are magnificent and huge in size. After reaching the mountain top, the tree line gradually recedes, and the plain grasslands start. . The trail to Tolpani moves away from the general direction of Ali Bugyal. At Tolpani it continues briefly in a northerly direction, and then climbs a ridge through a series of switchbacks, topping of at Tolkaan. At Tolkaan, the trail takes a sharp left, veers south and rides the top of the ridge to emerge out of the forest and at Ali Bugyal. On a clear weather, it is easy to spot the magnificent peaks of Trishul and Mrighthuni.

The trek from Ali Bugyal to Ghora Latoni, a perfect camping spot, is fairly easy. You would follow a straight line ahead of you for about 3 km. On your gradual increase to the slope, the trek brings you to the other side of the ridge. The view from this point is absolutely marvellous. Ghora Lotani is a brilliant campsite and offers great views all around. It is an easy day and you will get time to relax and acclimatize to the weather conditions and a steep altitude gain from around 12,500 f.t to 14,500 ft., before beginning a very crucial and exciting leg of your journey to Bhagwabasa.

After an early breakfast, we push off for the most challenging day of our trek as we finally touch the snow line. The steep, uneven path takes a climb to the Kalu Vinayak temple, gaining an altitude of around 200 ft. This centuries-old temple is traditional in design and construction, and is carved out of stones with ultimate precision and perfection. The route from Kalu Vinayak to Bhagwabasa is fairly simple and gradually sloping downwards. Bhagwabasa is approximately 2 km away and you can have a view of the Bhagwabasa huts from here. The trail towards Bhagwabasa goes through snow patches and though you currently stand at a very high altitude of about 14000 ft. and the terrain seems to look rough, you would enjoy the journey.

We start the day as early as 5 AM, as it is easier to walk till the snow is hard, while later in the day, it would get soft and your feet would start sinking in. Roopkund is a gradual 5 km up-hill climb from Bhagwabasa. At an altitude of more than 16000 ft., Roopkund is surely the highest point on the trek. Also known as the ‘Mystery Lake’, even archaeologists and scientists haven’t able to find out till date how there are so many skeletons on the bed of the lake. There are theories and fables which state that once a king and his fellowmen were going to Nanda Devi, and, unfortunately, a severe hailstorm led to their deaths. If you are extremely lucky, then from the edge of the lake you can clearly see somewhere around 300 human skeletons. This view in itself is breathtaking. A climb up to Junargali pass which stands at 16,700 ft. is a must visit unless the weather is very harsh and does not permit you. After spending some time there, we make our way back to Ghora Lautani and further down to Bedni Bughyal amidst lush green meadows.

It is a great journey back to Loharjung via Wan. The path is fairly simple and you would not feel any distress throughout. We continue our journey till we reach the banks of the river of Neel Ganga. Once there, your journey continues, till you reach the Wan village called Ran ka Dhar. The scenic beauty of the pristine oak and rhododendron forests is just mesmerizing. You would see the end of meadows after a few minutes. It takes an hour from Wan to reach Lohargunj. The road taken by car is rocky. Overnight stay at Loharjung in guesthouse/tents.

We bid farewell to the place and make our way back to Kathgodam by road after breakfast and take back with us unforgettable memories.

Our Services end here.

1. Trek fee inclusive of permit fees and camping charges.

2. Accommodation in tent/camps during trek.

3. Vegetarian meal during the trek

4. First aid kit and oxygen cylinder.

5. Sleeping bags , tents, mattress, kitchen and dining tents.

6. Porters and Cooks.

7. Services of an Qualified and experienced Trek Leader to guide over the entire tour.

8. Two night stay in guest house / Home stay in Loharjung

9. Transportation from Kathgodam to loharjung and back.

1. Food/Meal in while travelling to Loharjung and back to Kathgodam.

2. Personal expenses and tips.

3. Personal winter and trek requirements like Shoes, clothing, jackets, sun glasses, gloves, and trekking poles

4. Anything not specifically mentioned under the included list.

1- Difficulty of Trek = Intermediate

2- Temperature can vary between 0 to 10 Degree

3- We expect you to carry your own luggage, if you don’t wish to carry your luggage then you can give it to porter. The charges will be Rs 250 per bag(12 Kg)