Roopkund Trek

Roopkund Trek is most Popular in Uttarakhand Himalayas

The Roopkund Trek is the most popular trek of all if you are trekking in Garhwal Himalayas Uttarakhand India, the most trek in India. Roopkund is a lake at an altitude of 16,156 feet in Uttarakhand, it is also known as “Mystery Lake”

Roopkund Trek is a picturesque tourist destination that is one of the important places for trekking in the Chamoli district, Uttarakhand Himalayas. This is one of the special treks in the world today, Located within cavernous virgin forests, unending beautiful meadows, and magnificent campsites, this trek is a must-do for every trekker. Roopkund has everything from deep dark forests to breathtaking snow-capped mountains to a frozen lake that is a divine sight to one’s eyes. If you have a quest for Adventure this trek is perfect for you, located at a height of 15,696 ft with bewitching ridges, lush forests, and beliefs of finding humans skeleton in the lake, which are said to be from the Paleolithic age and are clearly visible when the snow melts. This thrilling fact also gives the lake its famous name “The mystery lake”. All this said, the roopkund trek will surely fulfill every one of your Adventure’s thirsts.

The Roopkund Trek is a popular trekking destination in the Indian Himalayas. Here are some of the main highlights of the trek:

1. Roopkund Lake: The Roopkund Lake is the main highlight of the trek. The lake is situated at an altitude of 4,800 meters and is surrounded by snow-capped mountains. The lake is also known as the Skeleton Lake because of the human skeletons that can be seen at the bottom of the lake.
2. Stunning Views: The trek offers stunning views of the Himalayan mountain range, including Trishul, Nanda Ghunti, and Chaukhamba peaks. The trek also passes through beautiful meadows, forests, and waterfalls.
3. High Altitude Passes: The trek involves crossing two high altitude passes – the Roopkund Pass and the Junargali Pass. These passes offer breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains and valleys.
4. Cultural Experience: The trek passes through several traditional mountain villages, where trekkers can interact with the locals and learn about their culture and way of life.
5. Flora and Fauna: The trek passes through the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve, which is home to a diverse range of flora and fauna. Trekkers can spot Himalayan musk deer, bharal (blue sheep), and several species of birds and butterflies.
6. Adventure Activities: The trek involves several adventure activities, such as river crossing, rappelling, and rock climbing, making it an exciting and challenging trekking experience.

Overall, the Roopkund Trek offers a unique combination of natural beauty, cultural experience, and adventure activities, making it a must-do trek for any avid trekker.

Roopkund Trek is surrounded by snow-capped mountains and the trails are thrilling

This place is unique and has hidden stories behind it. Glaciers and snow covered mountains surround this precious Lake, you can see snow and ice everywhere and the trail is exhilarating. It takes you through dense forests and fascinating meadows like Bedni Bugyal and Ali Bugyal. Get majestic views of Mt. Trishul along with this catch the

Views of Chaukhamba Range, Kedarnath, Neelkanth and many more peaks are visible from there which makes this place picture perfect.

Sights to Behold

The trail along the Roopkund trek is an enthralling expedition of walking through the splendid oak and rhododendron forests. Throughout the journey you willbe blessed with magnificent views of Mt Trishul and Mt Nanda Ghunti. One can gaze at thebreath-taking views of the two massive alpine meadows of Ali Bugyal and Bedni Bugyal, which almost feels surreal to look at. You can also see the Neel kanth peak, Kedarnath, Chaukhamba range, Kedar Dome and many other gigantic mountains and meadows on your trail to theRoopkund trek. All this beauty makes it one of the most beautiful treks in the country, justifying its popularity.

This divine trek will fill your heart with Adventure, joy, and peace. The lush green forests, along with birds chirping around and with the cold breeze passing through the trees, will calm down your senses and will give you peace like no other. Roopkund is a picturesque, beautiful, and attractive tourist destination in the Himalayas and should be must do for you.

Snow Covered Forests in Roopkund Trek

During your Roopkund trek through undulating meadows and dense forests with abundant trees of Rhododendrons pine forest and Oaks, totally covered in snow and spot some Himalayan animals on the way. Most importantly Roopkund trek is a most popular trek and other Himalayan treks are getting crowded day by day.

However, you will find no other groups on the trail which passes through dense woods serene and unspoiled. Roopkund trek is best for people looking for treks not crowded.

Most Important point for Roopkund Trek?

Before heading towards the itinerary, it is really essential to perceive the reason behind choosing Roopkund trek.

See firstly, the trekking distance is a total of 62 km which is to be covered into 8 days. Yet, it comes under moderate level of easy to moderate because of the things that this trek has to offers. These are:

See firstly, the trekking distance is a total of by taxi 420 Km and on foot 64 km which is to be covered into 07 nights or 8 days. .

Roopkund trek is a high altitude mountain trek Altitudes is 5087 meter

Need proper gear & clothing for sub-zero temperature?

You got to see so many heavenly bodies at one place like the panoramic view of the Himalayan ranges, meadows, lakes, pine forests, different variety of flora and fauna surpassing through bona fide Garhwali heritage and Kumaon and valleys of Shivalik mountain ranges

During winter season, this fascinating Roopkund trek remains covered in snow and the white sheet of snow makes it look like a magical wide snow-land or lake.

And, in summers, the bedni valley turns totally different and amusing because of meadows, wildflowers and woods blooming in different colors.

Best Time to visit roopkund trek

The Roopkund trek is at its peak beauty during pre-monsoon (summer) and post-monsoon (Autumn) seasons, therefore making May, June, and September, October the best months to witness the beauty of this magnificent trek. However, the weather conditions are different during both these seasons. During the summer months, the weather conditions can be unpredictable, even so,it is less cold during these months, but the winds can be harsh. If you want to witness the lake in its most frozen form with higher camps covered in snow the summertime is best for you, however the trek during this time can be a little difficult but this mostly depends on the weather conditions. But if are one looking for some added adventure and looking forward to discovering some human skeletons, this season is probably not for you as the lake is frozen making it impossible for the skeletons to peek through.

However, the Autumn season is a better match for you with mostly clear weather conditions and the lake being clearly visible one can easily find some skeletons lying around. During the Autumn season the temperatures are on the higher side,but it is overall less windy,and the higher camps are also snow free making the trek level Moderate.Autumn season is the best for those who want to enjoy the beauty of the lush green forests and are fond of the luxuriant unending greenery.

The altitude we are going to cover in Roopkund Trek

Lohajung base – 7,663 feet

Didna Village – 8096 feet

Ali Bugyal – 11,320 feet

Patar Nachauni – 12,818 feet

Bhagwabasa camp – 14,126 feet

Roopkund trek – 15,756 feet

 The difficulty level of  Roopkund trek  ?

Roopkund Trek is a moderate trek, roopkund Trek is a mild climb from Lohajung  to Roopkund summit Top, and when roopkund comes back from the summit, it is a completely downhill trek route

When you go on this trek, you will not even know when you have reached the camp, the beautiful view and beautiful hills all around will keep you happy.

This trek is a bit difficult, but if your fitness is good and you have it in your mind that I want to trek then you can do it absolutely. Where help is needed, our guides will support you, you just have to be strong and capable of the trek. One thing is that all you can do is to have courage and I myself am passionate.

Is it a safe Trek ?

Yes this is safe trek. Set amidst the high altitude ranges, concerns among the beginners regarding Roopkund trek safety are indeed very valid questions. We have all the possible probabilities calculated if anything goes off the schedule. All our professional strive their best to provide trekkers with the best experience possible.

Since this is beginner friendly trek we advise trekkers to wary themselves of the path and high altitude medical conditions before proceeding to this trek.

Weather conditions

Weather conditions depend on the time of the year trekkers are travelling. Months from May to October  experience moderate temperatures during the day with substantially colder nights. Monsoons in these areas are moderate in level with favorable conditions to trek.

 Key Points of Roopkund Trek

Duration: –   07 Nights 08 Days from Kathgodam to Kathgodam

Base camp: – Lohajung village

Summer Temperature: – Day 5°C to 15°C-  Night 2° C to 8° C

Roopkund – Altitude: – 16,156 feet

Best Time: – May , June, Sep, Oct

Trek Level: – Moderate

Trek distance: – On foot 64 Km – By taxi 420 km

Group Size: – Minimum 05 people maximum 20 people

Short Itinerary of Roopkund Trek –

Day-1- Pickup to you from Degradun/ Kathgodam railway station – Drive to Lohajung   – 210 Km (9/10 Hours) (7,663 feet) overnight stay hotel

Day-2: Trek from Lohajung to via Wan to Ghairoli Patal (5.5 km) (4/5 Hours) (10,100 feet)

Day-3: Trek from Ghairoli Patal to Bedni Bugyal via Ali Bugyal (10 km) (5/6 hours) (11,506 feet)

Day-4: Trek from Bedni Bugyal to Patar Nachauni (07 km) (4/5 Hours) (12,818 feet)

Day-5: Trek from Patar Nachauni to Bhagwabhasa (4.5 km) (4/5 Hours) (14,126 feet) via Kalu Vinayak (14,310 feet)

Day-6: Trek from Bhagwabasa to Roopkund (15,756 feet), further Junargali Top (16,156 feet). Return to Patar Nachauni (10 km) (8/9 Hours) (12,700 feet) via Bhagwabasa.

Day-7: Trek from Patthar Nachauni to Lohajung (15 km) (7/8 Hours) (7,663 feet) via Bedni and Wan and back to Lohajung

Day-8: Drive from Lohajung village to Kathgodam (210 km) (8/9 Hours)

How to Reach Roopkund Trek

Roopkund trek is located in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand, the trek starts from Lohajung and the nearest main railway station in the district is the Kathgodam station.

If you are traveling from big metro cities, you can reach Delhi via air, train or bus. The basic route for travel isDehliàKathgodamàLohajung

After Reaching Kathgodam, the Himalayan Hikers team would arrange for transportation from Kathgodam railway station to Lohajung .Our vehicles leave between 6 am to 7 am so make sure to reach by then.

Dehradun is the nearest major city to Roopkund trek. Here are the steps to reach Dehradun for the Roopkund trek:

1. By Air: The nearest airport to Dehradun is the Jolly Grant Airport in Dehradun. It is well-connected to major cities in India like Delhi, Mumbai, and Bangalore. From the airport, you can take a taxi or bus to reach Dehradun.
2. By Train: Dehradun railway station is well-connected to major cities in India. You can take a train to Dehradun from Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, and other major cities in India. From the railway station, you can take a taxi or bus to reach Dehradun.
3. By Road: Dehradun is well-connected to major cities in India by road. You can take a bus or taxi to reach Dehradun from Delhi, Haridwar, Rishikesh, and other nearby cities.

Once you reach Dehradun, you can take a taxi or bus to reach Lohajung, which is the base camp for the Roopkund trek. The distance between Dehradun and Lohajung is around 300 km, and it takes around 10-12 hours to reach by road.

How to reach Kathgodam

By Train: If you are travelling from Delhi, your first option would be to take the Ranikhet Express from Delhi. The train departures at 10.40 pm from Old Delhi Railway Station and reaches Kathgodam at around 5.30 am if you would prefer an overnight journey or you could take the the Uttar sampark Kranti train from Old Delhi that leaves at 4:00pm and would reach Kathgodamby 10:40pm.If you are taking the day train, Uttar sampark Kranti then you would have to stay overnight at Kathgodam.

From Dehardun catch the Doon Express that will departure from Dehradun at 10:30 pm at will arrive at Kathgodam at 7:10 pm.

By Bus: Hop on to an overnight bus from Delhi to Kathgodam, regular buses leave from Anand Bihar ISBT mostly around midnight. You could also find some Volvo buses that leave around 9 pm. Try to reach early at ISBT to get yourself a seat as there are no prior booking or online bookings for Buses to Kathgodam.

(Note: Reach Kathgodam Railway Station between 6:00 am – 7am to catch our team’s pick-up transportation from the station)

Additional Services and Connectivity Availability in Roopkund Trek

Please make sure to carry cash during the start of your Journey from Delhi as there would be no banks or ATMs available during our entire trip. The last ATM would be Kathgodam, but depending on this ATM service would not be advised.

There is no Network reception during the entire trek, so one should be prepared accordingly. You can give your family members our head office contact number in case of some Emergency.

Why to Choose  Himalayan Hikers?

1. Himalayan Hikers is one of the oldest trekking organisations, which is organizing trekking and adventure expedition in Uttarakhand Himalayas from almost 32 years.
2. We are the local people of Uttarakhand who can provide you the best experience here
3. Good and experienced people from more than 20 villages are working with us, who will continue to serve you in your trek and will always be there with you throughout the trek.
4. Himalayan Hikers provide the safety of their trekkers and a good experience throughout the trek as well as share every story related to the mountains with you.
5. Himalayan hikers will feed you with good, healthy, and delicious food every day during the trek

There are several reasons why you might want to consider trekking Roopkund with Himalayan Hikers team:

1. Experienced Team: Himalayan Hikers has an experienced team of trek leaders and guides who have been leading treks in the region for many years. They are well-trained and have the knowledge and expertise to ensure a safe and enjoyable trekking experience.
2. Safety: Safety is a top priority for Himalayan Hikers. They follow all safety guidelines and protocols to ensure that trekkers have a safe and secure trekking experience. They provide high-quality equipment and gear and take all necessary precautions to prevent accidents and mishaps.
3. Well-Organized: Himalayan Hikers is well-organized and takes care of all the logistical details of the trek, including transportation, accommodation, meals, and permits. They have a well-planned itinerary that ensures that trekkers have enough time to acclimatize and enjoy the trek.
4. Local Knowledge: Himalayan Hikers has a team of local guides who have an in-depth knowledge of the region and its culture. They can provide valuable insights into the local customs and traditions and help trekkers better understand the area.
5. Eco-Friendly: Himalayan Hikers is committed to promoting eco-tourism and minimizing the impact of tourism on the environment. They follow a strict policy of leaving no trace and ensure that all waste is disposed of responsibly.

Will there be electricity in Roopkund trek

Let me tell you that there is no electricity in the forest area of roopkund trek . Here we use Stobe Light and or Solar Light, candal light at the nights

If you come on this trek, then you should bring your own head light and your camera with full charge, if possible, it would be good to bring extra battery backup, and also bring the phone after full charge, today people most of the phone use the same

You will get the last electricity only in our home stay at Lohajung base, where you have to charge the battery of your phone and camera at night.

What do we do for safety in Roopkund trek?

First of all, the safety of trekkers is much more for us, if you see in the trek, then there are all the risks, which I do not think about.

Himalayan Hikers worry more about you that no one should ever have any problem in the trek.

What should we and you keep more safety in the trek

1. Whenever you are going for any trek, it is very important that you go completely fit and ready.
2. Roopkund trek is Moderate, if you make your feet and your mind calm and strong, you will find the trek very easy.
3. While trekking, keep in mind that you are walking on the right route or not always with your guide.
4. Most people look somewhere and where they are walking, this can cause twitching in your legs, which can ruin your entire trek.
5. It is important to ask your doctor if you have any medical problems
6. I should always keep my medical kit with me, it is very important.
7. Himalayan Hikers always keep a medical kit with you, such as oxygen cylinders, medicine to be given in emergency on the trek
8. If any trekkers have any more problems, then they are brought back to the base camp by laying them in the stretcher.
9. Our Camp in Roopkund trek is around the 6000 feet to 13,000 feet where you can not have any problem of oxygen, this is tree line area
10. In case of any medical problem, the help of your guide or a well-informed trekkers should be taken
11. If there is major health problems inroopkund trek , then Nearest Hospital is in Chamoli- Karanparyag which is about 98  Kms away from Roopkund trek  last option in dehradun and Rishikesh the distance is 257 kms
12. Remember that when we go on any trek, we go from low altitude to high altitude, it does not cause much problem on us.
13. Our camps also move forward day by day and our bodies also work with the altitudes that are safe for trekkers
14. Along with the trek we keep getting acclimatization