The best thing for me about the trek to Roopkund was how it was planned. We were able to complete the entire trek in 6 days (including our travel to and from Delhi). I never thought I’d be able to push myself as much, but encouragement and motivation from my friends made it possible. It was a fantastic trek, starting with the journey from Delhi itself.
Our idea was to trek on a shoestring budget. For this, we took a bus from ISBT Kashmere Gate(Delhi) to Karnprayag, followed by another one to Tharali. From Tharali, a Sumo was arranged till Wan where our stay for the night was planned at ‘Devadara’ guesthouse, a comfortable log house that took care of all our needs- great food, hot water, and even wi-fi. Our team was to begin trekking the next day.
Day 1 (23rd June 2018)
After a filling breakfast of hot coffee, porridge and sandwiches we started off for the hike. We gained some height within a few hours of walking on the beautiful route to Gharoli Patal. At Ghairoli Patal we had a modest yet sumptuous meal of Maggi, cheese and bread and resumed our trek. Next stop Bedni Bugyal. The view at Bedni Bugyal is a different experience altogether. A vast expanse of grass that stretches as far as you can see, with a seasonal pond (Bedni Kund) in between to add to the beauty. We camped at Bedni Bugyal, tried playing frisbee but the evening winds made it impossible to continue the game. The camps were provided with clean and warm sleeping bags. Over the night tea we got to know each other.
Day 2 (24th June 2018)
We were woken up at the time of sunrise. Having being briefed at breakfast about the day’s hike we headed toward Bhagwabasa, an extensive and equally mesmerizing climb. Somewhere in the middle of the walk we decided to split up into smaller groups.
I walked alone for hours at a stretch, singing my favourite songs to the beat of the walking stick and shoes and didn’t feel tired at all. After regrouping and lunching at Pathar Nachuni, we together trekked to Kalu Vinayak and took blessings from Lord Ganesh and reached Bhagwabasa in time. Any more delay would have caused problems due to cold and darkness.
Bhagwabasa was a place where our team really bonded, not just among the three of us from Delhi, but also with others in the group. We stood around the bonfire till late night chatting, spotted mountain goats on an adjacent hill then retreated to our tents before a snow leopard could come and greet the goats!
Day 3 (25th June 2018)
The last leg of the trek had to be covered at night before the sun could come up and melt considerable amount of snow. We woke up at 3 AM and started towards Roopkund, the mysterious lake, with handheld torches, headlamps, and bright moonlight to show us the way. After navigating our way through dirt tracks, moraine, and the occasional sighting of a few mounds of snow we saw mountains fully covered in snow. Within another hour of careful walking on knife-edge ridges, slippery rocks, and in deep snow, with occasional slips and falls, we reached- !! ROOPKUND !!
Human bones and hair are found around the lake with Trishul and Nanda Ghunti standing tall in the background. This place is speculated to have faced some serious action ages ago. Maybe a deadly fight between local villages or possibly a hailstorm, fierce enough to cause fatal injuries. There are many myths about the bones and skulls at the mysterious lake. After a short while, we trekked up to Junaar Gali to get a better view of Trishul and Nanda Ghunti. At some distance stood Nanda Kot. Nanda Kot was the site where a joint team of mountaineers from IB and CIA planted a nuclear-powered snooping device back in the late 1960s which subsequently got lost. Looking at Trishul parvat makes you think that it is guarding something on the other side. At the same time, it is protecting us. I wondered if we could go beyond Trishul someday?
We witnessed a spectacular sunrise as we started back for Bhagwabasa. We were exhausted when we reached the camp. Reaching ahead of the rest we were able to get 2 hours of deep sleep. At noon we were woken up by our guide who called us for brunch. Almost all other trekkers had already left the camp by the time we had packed up our backpacks. As we hurried back to Bedni, we were caught in a sudden afternoon rain. So we decided to sit at Pathar Nachuni for an hour. Eventually, the clouds parted and the evening sun shone once again on our backs as we made our way back to Bedni.
Day 4 (26th June 2018)
Feeling a little nostalgic about the recent wonderful days spent camping and hiking, we walked back over the meandering trails from Bedni to Ghairoli Patal and further to Wan village.
The feeling of ‘Chala Jaata Hun Kisi ki Dhun Mein’ en route Pathar Nachuni and the blissful silence of Bhagwabasa were the high points of this trek. The rigorous yet beautiful trek to the mysterious lake was nothing but amazing!
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About the Author
 | Rishwa Mathur  Former Secretary and President of Hiking Club, St. Stephen’s College and an MBA from IMT, Rishwa is a keen climber and trekker. When not organising treks or trekking himself, he can be found investing in cryptocurrencies and working as a banker in New Delhi. |
Great to share memorable tracking and beautiful photographs of hills . Got memories of stay at nainbagh though it was a valley yet on the way and occassionally visited tehri