ALI BEDNI BUGYAL TREK

Arrive in Dehradun early in the morning and join our vehicles for the drive to Lohajung, the Roopkund trek's starting point. Dehradun pick-up time is 7 a.m. The road winds its way through the scenic Kumaon valley. We travel through the towns of Almora and Kausani. You'll get some stunning views of peaks like Kamet and Panchachuli along the way. By the evening, we'll arrive in Lohajung and check into a guesthouse for the night. At 2300 metres, the town of Lohajung (also the starting point for many other well-known treks) also has a small mountain pass that connects the Gwaldam and Wan sides of the mountain. Spend some time in the evening at Lohajung's small market, which closes very early, or take in a lovely sunset from the balcony of your guest house. Eat breakfast and head to bed early for a restful night's sleep. * We can also pick you up from Rishiksh. Natraj Chauk is the pick-up location in Rishikesh, and the pick-up time is 8 a.m.

We start our trek after a warm-up and briefing. Following the Neel Ganga river, we trek through the jungle. The first part of the hike is downhill before we reach the water. The trail snakes upwards after we cross the river on the metal bridge. We arrive in Didina after a 2 hour long hike. Tolpani is a gradual 1 km climb from Didina. Many points along the trail have views of Ali Bugyal, the ridge's top. As the trek progresses, we settle in and begin navigating the climb towards Tolpani, our first campsite of the day. We arrive in Tolpani late in the afternoon and set up camp.

We'll get off early today to take advantage of the best views. There is a short ascent to the Ali Bugyal Ridge. The trek is relatively straightforward until we cross the ridge, with long stretches of flat walking or incremental climb. We'll walk across the Ali Bugyal, with mountains on all sides and far behind. On the hike, you'll see that these meadows are among the best in the world. Nanga Ghunti and Trishuli are prominently visible in the east as you pass across the Ali Bugyal. We're taking it easy today, stopping sometimes. You'll have plenty of opportunities to take photos today, so take advantage of them. The forest section between Ali and Bedni Bugyal is where we'll be camping for the day. It's also known as Khobal Tal or Abin Kharak.

Today will be a laid-back day. There isn't much of a rise. We make our way to the Bedni Bugyal. For two bugyals, there is no definite line of demarcation. The Bedni Bugyal, on the other hand, has a small pond known as Bedni Kund. This is where we'll take a break for lunch. We hike to the top of Bedni after lunch to get one of the better views of our surroundings. The Roopkund Lake can be reached by ascending the trail from this location. The trek to Roopkund Lake is currently closed due to a ban on camping in Bugyals imposed by the Uttrakhand High Court. We descend to Ghairoli Patal, another campsite in the middle of thick forest, after a brief stop at the top.

Board the vehicle for the return trip to Haldwani in the morning. Arrive in Haldwani in the evening. It is recommended that you book your return flight from Kathgodam/Haldwani after 9 p.m. to ensure that you have enough time in case of road delays.

Load the vehicle for the return journey to Dehradun/Rishikesh in the morning. Arrive in Dehradun in the late evening. The time difference between Rishikesh and Dehradun is approximately one hour. We'll stop in Rishikesh first, then Dehradun. It is recommended that you book your return flight from Dehradun/Rishikesh after 9 p.m. to ensure that you have enough time in case of road delays.