Bamsarukhal

Detailed Itinerary

Day 01: Dehradun – Uttarkashi – Kuflon

Start in the morning from Dehradun or Rishikesh to Uttarkashi. The massive Tehri Dam Lake also comes into view as you proceed towards Chilianisaur.

Buy all necessary items from Uttarkashi if you left out on anything. Kuflon is just 10kms from Uttarkashi at an elevation of 1,300mts above sea level. The trek to Mugdha Tal commences from Kuflon, estimated time to reach is 2pm. After reaching Kuflon it’s a brisk hike of 5 to 10 minutes and you will reach our base camp.

 

Day 02: Kuflon – Sangam Chatti – Agoda

Trek – 12kms

Ideally the trek to Dodi Tal starts from Sangam Chatti but we will hike from Kuflon to Sangam Chatti for 4kms which is mainly on road. It takes an hour to cover this 4kms stretch, moreover it acts as a warm up session before the trek begins. The trekking trail begins as soon as you cross the bridge over a small stream. The trail passes through the last village enroute, Agoda. Trekkers who are in a hurry reach Agoda Village on Day 1 itself after doing an evening hike. It takes around 2-3hrs to reach Agoda from Sangam Chatti.

*A new road undergoing construction will allow us to reach Agoda Village on Day 01.

 

Day 03: Agoda – Dodital

Trek – 16kms

Just 2kms into the hike leads us to the beautiful campsite by a stream at Bebra. There are a few huts and shop at Bebra to freshen up. The first four kilometers from Bebra to Dharkot is a steep climb and takes minimum two hours. The gradient of the trail goes through few ups and downs after Dharkot. Dense forest of oak, deodar & rhododendron trees can be seen on the trail along with deep gorges and aerial view of Asi Ganga river. Manjhi is a small seasonal settlement with few shepherd huts, situated 5kms before Dodi Tal. It takes around 2 hours to reach Dodi Tal from Manjhi.

Dodi Tal is a hidden lake nestled amidst dense forest at an altitude of 3,010mts above sea level, The region is ideal for birdwatchers and trekkers alike. There is a Forest Rest House in Dodital along with couple of shacks & basic cottages that provide accommodation. The lake is named after the rare Himalayan Trout which is known as Dodi in regional dialect. A very less heard of temple is located in the premises of Dodi Tal which is considered to be the birthplace of Lord Ganesha.

Day 04: Dodi Tal – Darwa Pass

Trek – 6kms

The climb from Dodi Tal to Darwa Top is quite steep. The initial 2kms of the trail is mainly moraine and stream bed, after you reach a flag point, verge into the left valley. The steep route to Darwa Pass starts here. Darwa Top is more or less 1km further from Darwa Pass. Banderpoonch Massive, Kala Nag, Kedarkantha, Swargarohini & Gangotri ranges are significant peaks visible from the top. Darwa Top is situated at 4150mts above sea level can be kept for acclimatisation ascent in the evening to gaze the golden hour amidst Himalayas.

Climb towards the alpine meadows and sharp ridges while unobstructed views of Banderpunch Peak accompanies you. The amphitheatre of peaks makes it a top of the world campsite hence we kept this laidback day in the itinerary. Spend a calm evening in the high altitude with amazing views while adjusting with the atitude.

Day 05: Darwa Pass – Bingad

Trek – 14kms

Start early in the morning and explore the gorgeous ridge walk extending towards the Bingad Valley. You get to see the aerial view of Dodi Tal while covering this trail. The alpine meadows are carpeted with flowers following sharp ridges on the right. We cover the meadow stretch and start descending down to Bingad through steep descent over meadows and rhodendron bushes.

Once above the Hanuman Ganga, we need to traverse through a few streams and rocky section. Bingad makes a gorgeous campsite with Banderpunch Ridge in the front and the Bamsarukhal valley rising on the right beholding secret views to be saved for next day.

Day 06: Bingad – Bamsarutal

Trek – 4-5kms

There are dense bushes of rhododendrons and other vegetation here specially during post monsoon period and that compliments with the view. From Bingad we hike upwards while staying on the right climbing right after crossing the river.

Brahmakamal can be found in plenty on this trail, some even in the bunch of 4-6 knitted together. From Bamsaru Tal you will see a clear view of Banderpunch I & II and its reflection on the lake is a photographers delight. Around the elevated ridges of Bamsaru Tal there are few good camping grounds available, choose one which is nearest to a water source.

For better acclimatization and a stunning sunset view you can climb up to the ridges beyond Bamsaru Tal. While hiking above you will witness diminishing of meadows with boulders and moraines taking over. The Bamsarukhal route will be on the left incline through a gully, follow the moraines on the right edge of the horizon. From here you will see the back side of Gidara Bugyal spreading far out towards the ridges of Uchlad, Surya Top and way back Dayara Bugyal will also look familiar. Below will be the cliff-hanger meadows and ridges following by the forest line reaching out to Chola Dhuni. Get back to the campsite before it gets dark.

 

Day 07: Bamsaru Tal – Bamsarukhal – Gidara Bugyal
Trek – 14kms

We start from Bamsarukhal early morning to reach the pass with clear weather. The walk on moraines will get tiring as we venture upwards. Soon the steep climb of BAmsarukhal will come into view when the cairns on the top becomes identifiable. It will maximum around 3hours to reach the top and it will immediately pay off with the views this pass was holding on to. The vast ridges of alpine meadows and sharp ridges are breathtaking and we still will be exposed to one third of what Gidara Bugyal has to offer.

The descent is sharp but still a walkable path considering we have traversed the moraines. Fenkamal are found in abundance on the ridges following the path downwards to Gidara Bugyal. Fenkamal are generally rare and are of high medicinal values. They are often found above 4000mts and this is the place where you will find them the most in comparison with any other trek in Uttarakhand, specially during September.

As we navigate the downhill hike crossing multiple beautiful ridges, Gidara Bugyal gets wider and expands to multiple gorgeous valleys. We pick the best spot to get down for lunch, roam the meadow, take pictures and with a heavy heart continue downwards to camp at the end of Gidara Bugyal. This is the most widespread high altitude meadow of Uttarakhand ranging from 3500mts to 4000mts and one of the least explored trails.

Day 08: Gidara Bugyal – Bhangeli

Trek – 16kms

The reason we camped on the far end of Gidara Bugyal is because we will have a long way to reach Bhangeli Village and traversing Gidara Bugyal itself adds a few good kilometers to the itinerary. During this last day of Chhota Vanvaas we will be literally venturing out into the deep forests of Bhojpatra, Rhododendrons and Deodars while crossing the campsites of Thalotya, Dokrani and Rikoda.

We finally complete the trek by reaching Bhangeli village from where you’ll see the aerial view of Gangotri Highway, Bhagirathi River and Gangnani.

Day 09: Bhangeli – Gangnani – Dehradun

Trek: 1km | Drive: 190kms

Trek 1km down to the roadhead and drive to Gangnani. There is a natural thermal spring at Gangnani and a hot bath there to end the journey will be very much required to comfort our body muscles and for final cleansing during this Chhota Vanvaas. We drive comfortably back to Dehradun after that.