from 0 review
7 Nights 8 Days
Specific Tour
30 people
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If you are an adventure lover, then trekking must be one of your favourite activities. And if you are looking for an offbeat trekking destination, then Roopkund Trek is your answer. Roopkund Trek is one of the most challenging and popular treks in India. This trek is unique as it offers a blend of adventure, mystery, and spirituality.
Roopkund Lake, also known as Skeleton Lake, is the main highlight of this trek. Located at an altitude of 15,750 feet in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand, this glacial lake is surrounded by snow-covered peaks. The lake is infamous for the skeletons that are found there. These skeletons are believed to be the remains of several hundred people who died in a storm around 800-900 years ago. The mystery of these skeletons makes Roopkund Trek even more alluring.
Roopkund Trek is an 8-day trek which starts from Lohajung village, in Chamoli district (Uttarakhand).
Roopkund Trek is a difficult trek and is suitable for experienced trekkers only. The trek involves steep climbs, tricky trails, and unpredictable weather conditions. Read more – Fitness preparation for the Himalayan trek.
Roopkund Trek is a summer trek and is best done between May and June and September and November.
The temperature at Lohajung in the daytime is pleasant between 15 to 20 degrees Celsius and at night it goes down to 5 to 10 Degrees Celsius. During the trek, the day temperature will be 5 to 10 degrees and at night it goes down up to -5 degrees.
The total Roopkund Trek duration is 8 days including a road journey from Kathgodam/Rishikesh and the total trek distance is 52 km from Lohajung.
Lohajung base camp is a remote village in Uttarakhand and accommodation options are limited there, so the trekkers will have to share the room on a triple and quad basis. The dormitory will also be there. During the trek, you will be provided with 3 person tent on a twin-sharing basis and 4 person tent on a triple-sharing basis. Female trekkers will share a room/tent with female trekkers only. Solo female trekkers will be provided with a separate tent.
Meals start from day 1 dinner to day 7 dinner. On Day 8 early departure after tea. During the trek, you will be provided healthy hot meals, including breakfast, lunch, evening tea and snacks, hot soup, and dinner with daily desserts. Hot drinking water will be provided daily at the campsite.
The lowest altitude will be 7,611 ft. at Lohajung and the highest at 15,750 ft at Roopkund Summit.
We have fixed departures from Kathgodam/Haldwani/Rishikesh.
By Train
Ranikhet Exp – Train No. 15013 (Best option, runs overnight, Departs from Delhi (DLI)/Old Delhi Junction station at 10:05 pm and arrives at Kathgodam early morning at 5;05 am. ), Uttaranchal Sampark Kranti Express – Train No. 15035 and Anvt Kgm Shatabdi are good trains to consider while travelling to Kathgodam. The distance from Haldwani to Kathgodam is 6 km.
By Bus
Regular buses run from ISBT Delhi Anand Vihar Bus Station to Kathgodam. Delhi to Kathgodam distance by Road is around 300 km.
By Flight
The nearest airport is Pantnagar Airport for departure from Kathgodam and Jolly Grant Airport in Dehradun for departure from Rishikesh, Haridwar and Dehradun. You can take a bus or local cab to reach Dehradun/Rishikesh. It just takes 30-40 min to reach Rishikesh from Dehradun Airport. An alternative option is to reach Delhi airport and then take a train or a bus to reach Dehradun.
Route 1 Via Kathgodam:
The nearest best railway station is Kathgodam/Haldwani. From there 10-12hr road journey takes us to Lohajung (Basecamp of Roopkund Trek) via Bhimtal, Almora, Kausani, Gwaldam and Dewal. Kathgodam to Lohajung distance is around 230 km and the distance from Delhi to Lohajung via Kathgodam is approx. 516 km. The total Trek distance is 52 km from Lohajung.
Route 2 Via Rishikesh
The nearest best railway station is Rishikesh/Haridwar. From there 10-11hr journey takes us to Lohajung via Rishikesh, Devaprayag, Rudraprayag and Karnaprayag, Tharali and Dewal. Rishikesh to Lohajung distance is around 252 km and the distance from Delhi to Lohajung via Rishikesh is approx. 490 km.
Roopkund Trek is not just a trek, but it is also an opportunity to explore the beauty of the Himalayas and the mystery of Skeleton Lake. The trek is challenging, but the stunning views of the snow-capped peaks, lush green forests, and crystal-clear Roopkund Lake make it worth the effort. So, gear up and get ready for a journey that you will never forget.
The key to staying comfortable while on an active trip is layering. To get maximum comfort with minimum weight, you need versatile layers that mix and match to create the right amount of insulation, ventilation, and weather protection. This gear list has been created to help you choose the proper equipment. Try to bring only what is necessary; this will help you and the field staff.
Arrive early at Kathgodam railway station and drive to Lohajung which will take approximately 9 to 10 hours. Breakfast and Lunch will be on the way at a roadside inn, exclusive of charges. The route passes through many beautiful hill stations like Bhimtal, Almora and Kausani. You drive alongside local rivers and get views of many peaks like Kamet, Nanda Ghunti, Trishul, and Nanda Devi amongst others. Arrive at your base camp, Lohajung by the evening. It is a small town with very basic facilities available. Dinner and overnight stay at Lohajung.
Start your journey from Lohajung; take the trail that takes you to Raun Bagad. It is a fairly marked trail that descends through mixed forests. It is a moderate trek and you would take around 2-2½ hrs to reach the Ruan Bagad, which is an iron bridge across the famous Neel Ganga River. The climb to Didna starts once you cross the bridge. It is a difficult climb and you may get tired pretty soon. With a relatively tough time in the beginning, you would reach Didna in about an hour and a half’s time. Overnight at Didna/Tolpani.
Today from Tolpani, you take a trail that climbs to Tolkaan in the northern direction. The meadow trek goes through a series of switchbacks and grassy oak mountains. From Tolkaan, you take a sharp left towards the south and steer through the ridge to come out of the forest at Ali Bugyal. It takes nearly two and a half hours to reach Ali Bugyal on this route. Overnight stay in tents.
Trek from Khobal Tal to Patharnachuni is an easy trek and follow a straight line ahead of you for about 4 km. On your gradual increase to the slope, the trek brings you to the other side of the ridge. Enjoy the marvellous sight over the ridge. Patharnachuni is a brilliant campsite and offers you great views all around. Overnight at Patharnachuni in tents.
Start your trek through the steep dash to gain altitude and finally trek in the snow line. The day’s snow trek will bring you to an altitude of 14,500 ft from 12,500 ft. It is a high altitude trekking. You would have to start your day early as you would like to reach Bhagwabasa as early to acclimatize to the weather. Continue to climb to Kalu Vinayak, which is a steep and zigzag way to take you up the mountain. Go through this section carefully and slowly. It takes around one and a half hours to reach Kalu Vinayak. The route from Kalu Vinayak to Bhagwabasa is simple and gradually sloping downwards. Bhagwabasa is 2 km away and you can have a view of the Bhagwabasa huts from here. Overnight in the tents at Bhagwabasa.
Start the day as early as 4 AM as the snow is still hard, while later in the day, it would get soft and your feet would start sinking in. Roopkund is a 5 km gradually uphill climb from Bhagwabasa. You will have a steep climb towards the end of the trail to reach Roopkund. It would take about 3 - 3½ hours to reach Roopkund. Once you climb to Roopkund, you must climb up to Junargali. The climb to Junargali is not long. It is around 200 ft and doesn’t take much time. It is hardly a climb of 25 - 30 min. You can start off early to return back to Patar Nachuni via Bhagwabasa.
Enjoy your journey back to Lohajung via Wan. The path is fairly simple and you would not feel any distress throughout. You would cross the oak forest as you go and the scenic beauty is just mesmerizing. You would see the end of the meadows after a few minutes. Get astonished by looking at the Trishul on your way back from Bedni Bugyal to Wan and pass the Rhododendron forest. This will be a steep descent for the Neel Ganga. Faster trekkers reach there in approximately one and a half hours. However, you should take your time and enjoy the beauty as you go by. From the river, it takes about half an hour to climb to the ridge above Wan village. Overall it takes about 6 -7 hours to Wan. Drive back to Lohajung.
Drive from Lohajung to Kathgodam.
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