Bali Pass Trek

You will start from Dehradun at 6 am to reach the basecamp, Sankri village. The journey today traverses through meandering mountain roads. The route will be refreshing and pass through beautiful pine forests. You will reach Sankri late in the evening around 6 to 7 PM.

An adventurous ride to Taluka and then the trail involves crossing streams and hiking through forests and villages. There are several points along the way where it is possible to camp, and the trail can be challenging due to landslides and steep inclines. The route passes through Taluka, Supin, Datmir, and Osla, and offers scenic views of wild roses, irises, bamboo, and other trees.

Start early in the morning by taking the trail ahead from leave the campsite early and after 20 minutes of trekking, you will reach Seema and and Forest guest houses. The trail goes down and pass streams and landslide zones as the trail gradually ascends.

After an hour on the trail, you will enter Ruinsara forest and ascend sharply over boulders. Another hour of level walking will bring you to the meadows of Devsu Thach. After walking on the meadow, taking in views of the Har Ki Dun Valley, you will reach the Devsu Thatch.

Day 4 hike involves a steep descent to a wooden bridge, followed by a series of level and gradual ascents over boulders and pasture land. The trail then deteriorates and after a waterfall, the trail ascends sharply and goes through meadows with glacial snow and scree.

The hike ends at a campsite near a river crossing and a makeshift bridge, from which a 45-minute hike to Ruinsara Lake can be taken through a birch forest and boulder zone. The lake is surrounded by meadows and is not visible from the campsite.

The day begins with a hike down to the riverbed, where you will cross the icy cold water by forming a human chain. After a short rest to warm up, you will embark on a steep ascent that takes about 40-50 minutes. At the top, you can take a break and enjoy the view of the surrounding mountains and the gushing river below.

The campsite is another hour’s hike away, and once you arrive, you can spend the rest of the day relaxing and preparing for the next two challenging days of the trek.

Today’s trek involves a climb through a maze of boulders and crossing a tributary of the Ruinsara river. The route then takes you through snow-covered meadows and a steep ascent through the snow line, where microspikes may be necessary.

The trek continues to the Bali Base Camp, a level ice field with small glacial ponds. From there, it is possible to proceed to the Advance Base Camp, which is located on a snow ridge a few hours away. ​

It is a steep mountain climb that may require an expert guide to find the route. It can take anywhere from 45 minutes to 1.5 hours to reach the top and enjoy a 360-degree view of the surrounding area. The descent from the Bali Pass is challenging and involves sliding down snowfields, and navigating through a maze of boulders and snow. The trek continues down to the lower Damini camping spot, located next to a stream.

You wil start descending on a steep slope for 30 minutes and then trail connects with cemented trail to Janaki Chatti. You will reach in couple of hours and then leave for Dehradun. Dehradun is around a 10 to 11 hrs drive away from here.

In case we use the buffer day, our Outdoor Leader will collect INR 2500/- inclusive of all taxes for the buffer day expenses.

The total distance of the Bali Pass trek is around 50km. The average distance you will cover is 6-8  km per day. 

Bali Pass is a challenging trek. We do not recommend it to beginners. The average altitude gain is high along with long walking hours. For a trek that spreads over 8 days and climbs 16,000ft. this trek is not for beginners. 

Bali Pass is a difficult trek. The trek is 8 days long and traverses challenging terrain and tricky patches. It is a demanding trek suitable for trekkers with prior experience of high altitude treks. 

Bali Pass temperature ranges between 12°C and 17°C during the day, and the night temperature dips to  0°C. During the autumn months, the temperature ranges between 10°C and 14°C.  

Read more about Bali Pass Temperature here.

The best time to visit Bali Pass trek is from May to June. The trek is also accessible during the autumn season.  

Read more about the best time to visit Bali Pass here. 

Yes! You will find the remains of the snow at higher altitudes. However, there will be no fresh snow on the trek. 

The Bali Pass trek cost is Rs. 19550/- The trek cost covers your experience from basecamp to basecamp. 

Bali Pass connects Yamunotri with the Har ki Dun Valley. The trek is located in the Uttarkashi district of Uttrakhand. The trek is inside the Govind Wildlife Sanctuary. 

The Bali Pass trek is at an altitude of 16, 420 ft. The trek starts from Sankri, situated at an altitude of  6,400ft. 

Bali Pass is a 9-day long trek, including travel to and from the base camp. 

Yes, it is a challenging trek. And you need to have a prior experience with at least one high-altitude trek.

The trek has two starting points. Kotgaon or Sankri villages are two functional basecamps of the Bali Pass trek.

The most important thing to do on a trek to avoid AMS is to drink water, more than your daily intake. Water is an excellent way to avoid AMS. Along with this, you should also have all the nutritious meals we provide on the trek. If you still are sceptical about getting AMS, we would advise you to carry Diamox tablets with you. However, according to the situation your Outdoor leader will advise whether or not you should take it.

We encourage everyone to trek, even if or not they have a medical condition. We have an in-house doctor at OWLS with whom you can discuss your medical condition and accordingly, we can help you better prepare you for the trek.

Please keep the following documents ready before filling out this form

1. ID proof
2. Health form (for all participants of Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh treks) and (for all participants <15 and > 60 years of age)
3. RTPCR for children <15 years/Vaccination certificate for adults (for Nepal treks)

Although we provide filling breakfast, lunch, and dinner along with morning tea and evening snacks, you can carry some light snacks for munching on the trail. You can carry protein bars, dry fruits, and homemade snacks like Shakkarpara to help you give that extra energy on the trek. 

All our Outdoor Leaders are trained and experienced leaders. They have completed basic Mountaineering Course, and are equipped with basic first-aid knowledge. Our leaders are certified Wilderness First Responder course

You don’t need to carry your medical kit. If you have your prescribed medications, you need to carry them on the trek

The accommodation will be on twin sharing basis. One tent will be shared by two trekkers. 

Yes. Communicate your requirement to the trek leaders beforehand, as it will be difficult to arrange to offload at the last minute. The offloading charges will be Rs 350 per bag, and your bag should not weigh more than 9 kg. 

Note: At OWLs, we suggest our participants carry their backpacks and avoid offloading. However, in case of pressing circumstances, you can opt for offloading.

Yes, you can leave the extra luggage at the base camp. However, do not leave valuables like laptops, jewellery, or any other expensive items in the base camp. 

The OWLS team will set up a toilet tent near the campsites. The toilets will be dry toilets and you will have to use toilet paper. There will be a pit dug by the team and you will have to cover your nature’s call with dry soil. Avoid using wet wipes, as they are not biodegradable. At OWLS, we thrive to leave no trace in the mountains. 

At the base camp, you will have regular concrete toilets.

The food offered will be as per the nutritional requirements. As you will be walking every day for 4-6 hours, you will be burning a good amount of calories. The team makes sure that the food you will be offered is healthy and helps you sustain through the day. The regular meal comprises eggs, locally grown vegetables, rice, roti, and pulses. The menu changes from day to day. 

You will have access to most of the mobile networks at the base camp in Lohajung. We suggest our participants make important calls while at the base camp. There will be no signals throughout the trek.