Roopkund Trek

On Day 1, you reach the base camp of Ali Bedni Bugyal Lohajung, a remote village situated in the Eastern Garhwal side of the Himalayas.

OWLS organizes the transport from Dehradun to Lohajung. The taxi leaves the OWLS pick-up point, Inter State Bus Stand, Dehradun (ISBT Dehradun) at 6 AM. The distance of around 293 Kms is covered in 9-10 hours. On the first day of the trek, our participants reach the base camp Lohajung. The drive to Lohajung itself is exhilarating as it traverses through mountain roads and thick forests of pine and deodar along the roads.

Note: Fare for a 5-7 seater cab will be Rs. 6,500 per vehicle and the cost of a 12-seater Tempo Traveller is Rs. 9,500. This amount will be shared by the participants and paid directly to the driver.

You start from the base camp Lohajung on Day 2 of your Roopkund Experience. To reach the first campsite of Didna, you will have to cross patches of some steep ascent on the trail. You will walk along the forest-covered trail with a variety of birds and flora to keep you company. In spring, the trail will be laden with Rhododendron of different shades turning the forest a sight to behold.

The trail is categorized as moderate to difficult today. There are some gradual ascents along with a comfortable walk. The highlight of the day is walking on the soft velvety grass of Ali meadows. You will reach the meadow and experience the vastness of the green carpet while enjoying the towering mountains in front of you. The undulating meadows of Ali Bedni spread over acres with no sight of its end. You cannot help but immerse yourself in the vastness of the mesmerizing meadows of Ali.

Besides meadows, you will enjoy the clear mountain views on the trail. In the winter months, the view of the mountains is crisper. On the trail, you will also witness the grandeur of Mt. Chaukhamba gazing at you from a distance.

​The day starts with a  lovely walk across the meadows followed by a steep ascent for almost an hour till you reach the trail leading to Patar Nachauni from Bedni Bugyal. This is followed by a trail walk of a gradually ascending trail that joins the route joining the trail leading to Roopkund Lake.

On Day 5, the distance covered is less compared to the other days, but there is a considerable height gain which makes you exhausted during this climb. You start from the Patar Nachauni campsite and climb up the steep ascent to Kalu Vinayak (a temple) on the way to Bhagwabasa.

From Kalu Vinayak, the trail descends to Bhagwabasa, which offers a grand view of the mountains and a waterfall flowing from between the rocks.

Day 6 of the trek starts with a gradual climb followed by a steep climb that takes you from Bhagwabasa to Roopkund. Once at the lake, you witness the infamous skeletons which are shrouded in mystery.

Another 45-minute climb takes you to Junargali Pass where you are awestruck by the view of Mt. Trishul which presents itself from bottom to top from here. On the right side is the glacier and on the left side is the sea of boulders called ‘Sheela Samudra’

Day 7 is long as we descend from Patar Nachauni, crossing the Gairoli patal forest to Wan. Gairoli Patal is the last point on the trek.   Mt. Trishul appears magical from this location. The trail is a well-defined man-made trail with a gradual descent to Wan. You will walk through forests of Rhododendron and oak trees.

Post experiencing the Roopkund trek, you will return to Dehradun on Day 8

The Roopkund trek distance is around 40km. The average distance you will cover is 6-8  km per day. You will walk for 4-6 hours every day. The longest day is day 7 of the trek, when you will hike for 9-10 hours. 

We do not recommend it to beginners. The average altitude gain is high and walking hours are long. You will be walking an average of 5- 6 hours every day.  On long days, you will be walking for 8-9 km per day at an altitude above 1ft. For a trek that spreads over 8 days and climbs 16,000ft., this trek is not suitable for beginners. 

Yes, Roopkund is a difficult trek. The trek is 8 days long and traverses through arduous terrain and tricky patches. It is suitable for trekkers with prior experience in high-altitude treks. The trek starts at an altitude of 7545ft. from Lohajung village and climbs to the highest elevation of 16,000ft. when you reach Roopkund. It requires trekkers to be in good physical condition to trek comfortably.  

The day temperature on the Roopkund trek is usually recorded between 5°C and -1°C and at night, the temperature dips down to  -4°C. During the autumn months, the temperature ranges between 6°C and 1°C.  

The day will be dry and sunny. The temperature decreases as you climb to a higher altitude. At night, the temperature drops to sub-zero at higher campsites. 

Find out more about the Roopkund Lake trek temperature here. 

The Roopkund trek is at its best between May to June and during the autumn months. The autumn season starts post-monsoon in September and can be approached till mid-October. 

Read more about the best time for the Roopkund Lake trek here. 

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

The Roopkund trek cost is Rs. 16779/- 

The trek cost covers your experience from basecamp to basecamp. It also covers your accommodation at the base camp and during the trek.

Roopkund is a challenging trek. The trek requires experienced guides to help you navigate the undulated terrain. If you plan to go solo on this trek, hiring a guide is recommended to avoid any unforeseen situation.

Roopkund Lake trek is in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand Gharwal region. The trek starts from Lohajung village in Chamoli district. Lohajung is a famous basecamp village and other famous Himalayan trek also start from here, including Ali Bedni Bugyal and Brahmatal. 

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.