In the morning all the peaks visible from Loharjung were covered with fresh snow. The plan was to start at 6 but our official permits were not yet ready. A permit fee has to be paid for each person and animal that goes for the trek. Our group comprised of 3 trekkers, 1 guide, I cook, 1 helper, 1 mule minder and 3 mules. All essentials including food, cooking fuel and tents have to be carried along. At the main campsites there are a couple of makeshift shops that offer a few items like tea, biscuits and Maggi.
News has reached us that due to heavy snow the other 2 teams could not even reach Bhagubhasa. We decided to try out luck. It’s a 45 minute drive from Loharjung to Wan. Fortunately it had stopped raining by the time we reached Wan. The trek begins beside the GMVN at Wan. On the left of the GMVN is the LatuDevata temple. By the time we started walking it was 9:30.
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| Funeral Pyre |
It’s a nice leisurely walk until the river crossing. Stopped by the river and picked up a few stones. While crossing the bridge I noticed a bonfire beside the river. I assumed that the villagers were having a fiesta. I turn
ed out to be a funeral pyre!! The steep climb begins beyond the bridge. The route is well laid out with stones. We stopped for lunch at Gandi Patal (2600 Mtrs). While having lunch, we met a group trekkers coming down-hill. They had camped at Bedni Bugyal for 2 days hoping that the weather would improve. They could go no further due to bad weather.
Since morning I had begun suffering from severe diarrhoea. There were many unforeseen breaks to answer natures call. I am indeed blessed that I had numerous opportunities to poop in mesmerising locales watching the majestic Himalayan peaks.
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| Latu Devata Temple |
At 2 PM I reached Bedni Bugyal. Bugyal in local language means meadow. Bedni Bugyal is an open unsheltered sweeping meadow exposed to the elements. This campsite and the ones beyond have been chosen as a source of water is available there. The only permanent structures here are the 3 semi-circular fiberglass sheds built by the government. Since we were the only trekkers, we had Bedni Bugyal to ourselves. The big trekking companies had already sent scout parties to start pitching tents at good locations. Roopkund is among the most popular treks in Uttaranchal. Big trekking companies can bring up to 50 people each day. In peak season there can be up to 500 people at this site. Bedni Bugyal, like all other camp sites, becomes overcrowded, noisy and dirty. Even the trekking path becomes covered with mule droppings. Plan your itinerary to avoid the mad rush.
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After a while we retired into our tent. By 4 PM the wind began to pick up. The strong winds and hail were threating to blow our tents away. Before it was too late, I managed to run out with my belongings. We hurriedly dismantled the tent before it could fly way. By sundown the wind and hail had died down. But my diarrhoea refused to die down. Under a clear sky filled with gazillion stars and the snow-capped mountains lit by moonlight I answered nature’s call- perhaps too many times. I was glad that I had a newspaper in the bag when my toilet paper ran out.
Day 3 : Bedni Bugyal (3520 Mtrs) to Patar Nachuni (3900 Mtrs)
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| Bedni Bugyal |
No trekkers had gone beyond Bedni Bugyal this season. Normally day 3 trek ends at Bhagubhasa. But we decided to stop at Patar Nachuni since we were not sure if the path to Bhagubhasa was clear. We started from Bedni at 8 AM and reached Patar Nachuni by 10:30 AM. This is perhaps the easiest stretch of the entire trek.
Beyond Beni Bugyal within a large walled enclosure is a small temple. The deity in the temple is Nanda Devi. In monsoon time a lake called ‘Bedni Tal’ forms around the temple. During my trek the temple was closed and Bedni Tal was dry. Seeing the horrible weather the previous night, our guide had made an offering to Nanda Devi and requested for fair weather. And today the weather was splendid.
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| Bells of Kallu Vinayak Temple |
My guide decided to go ahead to Bhagubhasa for see if it was possible to camp there. I decided to go along with him. From Patar Nachuni the trail ascends rapidly to the mountain crossing called Kallu Vinayak. Then it’s a gentle climb to Bhagubhasa. We had started at 11:30 and reached Kallu Vinayak by 12:45. At Kallu Vinayak is a small Ganesh temple. There are 5 conch shells in the temple. Blow all 5 conch shells for good luck. But due to the heavy snow we could locate only 3 shells. Immerse yourself in the unimpeded mesmerising views of the Himalayas from Kallu Vinayak.
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| Scouring the mountains for 'Caterpillar Fungus' |
Beyond Kallu Vinayak, the path was covered in snow. We put on our cramp-ons and headed towards Bhagubhasa. After walking for 1.25hrs, at times in knee deep snow, we reached Kallu Vinayak. The entire campsite was covered in snow. We could not even locate the path to Roopkund as it was covered with snow. Even though we were the first trekkers to reach this far, we noticed that a small shop was open. These shops are made of stones stacked one on top of another without cement or mortar. The roof is made of tin sheets and covered with plastic. The shop keeper had come here a few days ago was staying alone cut-off from the outside world. It is not even possible to close the shop front during the fierce snow storms. Without electricity, he was dependent on a wooden fire for warmth and food. The locals who run these shops can put the best fitness freaks to shame. Had a cup of tea there and decided to walk back. Returned to Patar Nachoni by 4:15 PM.
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| Campsite at Patar Nachuni |
While walking down, I saw locals scouring the mountainside. They were looking for a caterpillar called “Keeda jad”
or Ophiocordyceps sinensis (Commonly called as Caterpillar fungus). At Kallu Vinayak one caterpillar costs Rs200. By the time it reaches China it's worth a fortune.This caterpillar is highly sought after in Chinese medicine as an aphrodisiac. Surprisingly, the locals never use it!
At night the wind started blowing again. Patar Nachuni is a sheltered location and the winds are “relatively” calmer than at Bhagubhasa.
Day 4 : Patar Nachuni (3900 Mtrs) to Bhagubhasa (4300 Mtrs) to Bedni Bugyal (3520 Mtrs)
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| Musk Deer |
It snowed for the whole night. The tent was shaking violently due to the strong winds and snow. Couple of times I got up startled thinking the tent had collapsed on me. By early morning the winds had subsided. In these mountains fa
ir weather is to be expected in the mornings. As a rule, the weather deteriorates as the day progresses.
We started our trek by 5:40 AM to get the best weather. Enroute we spotted a large group of musk deer. It’s quite rare to see these animals as they are shy and stay well clear of humans. By 7:15 we were enjoying the scenery at Kallu Vinayak. After a short break we put on cramp-ons and started walking to Bhagubhasa. At 8:20 AM we had reached Bhagubhasa. The snow was deeper than what it was yesterday. Attempting Roopkund would be suicidal.
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| Shop at Bhagubhasa |
Ominous clouds began rolling in. We had a cup of tea and decided to walk back. And then the snow blizzard began! Everything became white, gloomy and bleak. Visibility was so poor that all I could see was the person immediately in front of me. Even the path that we had come in half an hour ago got filled up with snow. After what seemed like an eternity, we reached Kallu Vinayak. I came unprepared for such severe weather. As the wind was blowing from right to left, I had frost bite all over the right ride of my face. In a strange sort of way, the snow blizzard made up for the disappointment of not being able to reach Roopkund. One more ticked off the bucket list.
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| Location of campsite at Bhagubhasa |
I met a group of trekkers who woke up late and had started the ascent to Bhagubhasa from Bedni Bugyal by 11:30 AM. Good luck to that! By 1PM we reached Bedni Bugyal. It rained for most of the time. We were not complaining about the windy damp cold wet rain- at least we were not in the snow blizzard anymore.
Day 5 : Bedni Bugyal (3520 Mtrs)to Ali Bugyal to Didna (2450 Mtrs)
The path from Bedni Bugyal to Ali Bugyal makes for a pleasant leisurely walk. The trail meanders its way along the mountains. We are leaving the snow covered mountains behind us. Shepherds were tending to their sheep in the Bugyal (Bugyal means meadow). This path is more pristine than the route through Wan.
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| Ali Bugyal |
The Bugyal stretches as far as the eye can see. Below the Bugyal the tree line begins. Our guide was not sure about the path to Didna beyond Ali Bugyal. We spotted a shepherds house and asked them for directions to Didna. There are two routes from Ali Bugyal to Didna. We took the direct route. This route is very steep and descends about 850 Mts rapidly. The path was slippery as it was blanketed with layers of fallen leaves. Once the trekking season starts in earnest, all these fallen leaves will be gone. Beside Didna is a small stream. Had lunch beside the stream. Picked up a few more stones.
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| Drying shoes during lunch break |
There is an alternate path from Ali Bugyal to Didna through Tol Pani. This route is longer but the gradient is kinder. Our mules used this path to come down. I would recommend the path through Tol Pani for people hiking up from Didna to Ali Bugyal.
Didna is a one shop town. There are a couple of new houses that offer accommodation to trekkers. We got a room in one such recently constructed building. There were a lot of trekkers at Didna waiting to go up. Jarring music is what they had bought with them. I think portable music players should be outlawed on treks. Good luck spotting musk deer with that music.
Dinner was prepared from local produce. Chapatti was made from some locally grown cereal and not wheat. Vegetable consisted of wild vegetables. These agricultural produce cannot be purchased in the city malls. I was told that the people who live in these mountains are healthier and live longer than the people in the plains. It’s not uncommon to see people in 80’s working in their farms. Today I can sleep peacefully without fearing that the tent will collapse on me in the heavy rain.
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| Didna |
Day 6 : Didna (2450 Mtrs)to Loharjung
It had rained for most of the night. The rain in the morning was so heavy that none of the trekkers had left from Didna. The initial plan was to walk to Loharjung. This would have taken about 4 hours. Due to the heavy rains we decided to trek to Kuling and then catch a vehicle to Loharjung. We could start walking only by 9 AM when the rains subsided. Half an hour of intermission and the heavy rains were back. The trail from Didna descents down into the river below and then climbs back up into the next mountain. Two hours later we were in a vehicle going to Loharjung.
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| Isolated Villages enroute |
Walking back to Loharjung with us was a teenager who had developed medical complications at Didna. He had no option but to walk back with us after a day of trekking. Luckily, he managed to find a porter to carry his backpack. There are no medical facilities even at Loharjung. So come prepared.
Day 7 : Loharjung to Rishikesh
All good things have to come to an end. Started the return journey by 4:30 AM to get good weather. Arrived at Rishikesh by 15:30. I’m caught in a traffic jam in Rishikesh; I would rather be in a snow blizzard.
Footnote:
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| Locals going up the mountains for summer pastures |
Once every 12 years a sheep with 4 horns is born in the Village of Nauti in Chameli District. The auspicious event will be prophesised by the astrologers. This divinity of this sheep is attributed to lord Vishnu. When this sheep reaches a certain age, it is carried up the Roopkund trek route. All the small temples on the trail open their doors for this auspicious occasion. There are festivities in all these temples. A lot of tourists and devotees accompany the sheep on its way up the mountain. The sheep is taken beyond Bhagubhasa to Shila Samundar and onwards to Han Kund. The sheep is finally let free in Han Kund. The whole pilgrimage takes a month. The last miracle birth was in 2014. Be there for the next pilgrimage.
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| Arrow marks Roopkund lake |
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| Ali Bugyal |
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| Approaching Bhagwabasa |
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| Ali Bugyal |
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| Trail beyond Kallu Vinayak temple |
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Ali Bugyal
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| Bedni Bugyal |
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| Ali Bugyal |
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| Bhagwabasa |
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| Cultivation near Wan |
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| Approaching Bhagwabasa |
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| Approaching Didna |
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| Bedni Bugyal |
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| Near Patar Nachoni |
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| Collecting water at Bhagwabasa |
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| Didna |
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| Steep descend to Didna |
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