Less-traversed Bali Pass trek links Har Ki Dun to Yamunotri Valley.

The Bali Pass trek is a very old trek in Uttarakhand. But being a difficult trekking trail in India, it receives lesser footfall than other treks starting from Sankri such as Kedarkantha and Har Ki Dun. The pass is more approachable from the Har Ki Dun valley as the gradient is small and gives good time for the trekkers to acclimatize to the high altitude. Being a trek in the Himalayas that involves crossing a pass, it is best done in the non-monsoon months. The trek has a lot to offer apart from its isolation and a challenging pass climb.

We are surrounded either by the mighty Swargarohini or Bandarpunch ranges at almost all times. We get to see Kalanag (Black Peak) up close. This peak was first summited by Jack Gibson in 1955 and the students of Doon school. We spend a full day beside the glacial Ruinsara Lake, and walk across the two delightfully pretty meadows of Devsu Thatch and Thanga. One of our camps will be beside a waterfall and another one lies above 4,000m.

We stand a chance of spotting some of the wildlife of the Uttarakhand Himalayas — monals, the Himalayan ibex and the endangered brown bear. Towards the end of the trek, we see the source of the Yamunotri river and also pay a visit to the revered Yamunotri Devi temple.

All in all, it is a wholesome adventure that provides trekkers with every element of a Himalayan trek.

Itinerary:-

Day 1: Dehradun to Sankri (1,920 m)

Duration – 7 hrs Type – Drive Distance – 187

Max altitude – 1,920 m

Our journey begins from Dehradun, making it a good option for people looking for treks near Delhi. Driving alongside the Tons river, and passing villages in Uttarakhand like Damta, Purola, Mori, and Netwar, we will reach the base camp Sankri. There is no network in this village, letting us take in the sight of the sun gloriously

setting over the surrounding Greater Himalayan peaks without any distractions. We will be accommodated in hotels or homestays here.

Day 2: Sankri to Seema(1,920 m) via Taluka(2,050 m)

Duration – 6 hrs Type – Drive + Trek

Distance – 14 km(Drive) Max altitude –

After a hearty breakfast, we will be transported to Taluka by car. The motor able road in Govind Pashu National Park ends here. The trek commences on a stony path alongside the gushing river Supin. We also see plantations of the red-coloured Himalayan crop amaranth, locally known as cholai. Under the shade of walnut, pine, deodar and maple trees, the walk is as pleasant as the villagers greeting us on the way.

A few hours and crossing over a few streams later, we see the village of Gangad across the river on the left. We continue our hike and after about an hour, the quaint village of Osla unfolds itself. Osla is a household name among trekkers. Home to about 200 families, it gives us a peek into Garwahli culture. Seema is a tiny settlement opposite to Osla on the other side of the river. We set camp here or stay in a hut with a local family in the village.

Day 3: Seema to Roiltia(1,920 m) or Waterfall camp(2,050 m)

Duration – Type – Distance –

Max altitude – 2,050 m

Leaving the last of human settlements behind, we continue along the true right of the valley beside the river Tons. Tons is the biggest tributary of river Yamuna. An ascend through deodar trees leads us to a beautiful meadow – Devsu Thatch. This 1km expanse of green land is set against the looming Swargarohini ranges. We can also see Kalanag (Black Peak) (6387m) straight ahead. On our left, we can see Har Ki Dun Valley. At its bottom lies the confluence of Har Ki Dun and Ruinsara rivers.

After descending from the meadow, we enter the Ruinsara valley. At the end of our trek, we camp beside the stream close to the waterfall locally known as Roltegad.

Day 4: Waterfall to Ruinsara lake(3,600 m)

Duration – Type – Distance –

Max altitude – 3,600 m

This day involves just a short one-hour long hike. And within this hour itself we notice a stark change in vegetation. Pine and fir trees give way to birch and rhododendron trees. The thick forest we trudge through is frequented by the endangered Himalayan brown bear. If we are very lucky, we might spot this rare and elusive creature.

We then reach one of the highlights of the trek — Ruinsara Tal. We will be left enchanted by this sacred lake in the Uttarakhand Himalayas. It is one of the trio of lakes in the Garhwal region, the other two lakes being Marinda and Maldaru. We will be camping overnight near the lake.

Day 5: Ruinsara lake – rest and explore

Lying at an elevation of about 3500m, Ruinsara lake it is a good place to acclimatize ourselves for reaching the Bali Pass base camp the next day. Ruinsara Tal’s reputation precedes itself for its beauty. The small and pristine lake lies within a vast meadow, alpine vegetation and surrounding rhododendron bushes. There is innumerable variety of alpine flowers growing around the lake. The river Supin is situated 100 meters below the lake, next to a ridge.

It is the perfect place to play games with our trek mates, read a good book or just sit quietly to soak in nature’s tranquillity.

We can also spend the day exploring nearby places. One can visit the Bandarpunch glacier or Kyarkoti which is the base camp for Kalanag and Dumdar Kandi pass.

We return to the camp in the evening.

Day 6: Ruinsara lake to Odari

Duration – 4 hrs Type – Trek Distance – 4 km

Max altitude – 4,100 m

We start the day early so as to reach our destination before afternoon. We descend down to river Supin, cross over to the opposite bank and continue further into the valley. We pass through another beautiful meadow – Thanga. This meadow also offers awe-inspiring views of the seemingly omnipresent Swargarohini ranges.

Kyarkoti valley lies towards the left.

We soon reach Odari. The word ‘Odari’ means a naturally made cave rock. This place has a mythological story associated with it. It is believed that Bali, Hanuman’s brother, had stayed here for one night. Here too we might find evidence of the rare Himalayan brown bear.

We camp below Bali Pass along a glacial moraine. This is one of the best locations for a camp, with the valley below and the Pass behind us. The temperatures at night tend to go below sub-zero degrees. Camping at this altitude is a unique experience which very few treks offer.

Day 7: Odari to upper Dhamni(4,000 m) via Bali pass(4,900 m)

Duration – 6 hrs Type – Trek Distance – 15 km

Max altitude – 4,900 m

This day of crossing Bali Pass too begins very early. We strive to reach the summit by 8am. The trail heads down south, over a ridge. It is a fairly short but steep climb up to the Pass. A lot of glacial scree will be encountered here. Time taken to reach the top ranges from 45 minutes to one and a half hours.

Once we reach the top, we behold the Yamunotri valley for the first time. The view is breath-taking. We see hints of the Saptrishi Kund, or the Seven Lakes, which are the origin of river Yamuna. We also get to see the Bandarpunch peaks from the top of the Pass. The peaks of Dayara Bugyal, Barua Top and Dokrani Bamak are visible too.

We then descend via a connecting ridge and reach the camping grounds of upper Dhamni.

Day 8: Upper Dhamni to Yamunotri to Janki Chatti (2,400 m)

Duration – 8 hrs Type – Trek Distance – 16 km

Max altitude – 2,400 m

We descend further to a forested trail. This path leads us to the famous shrine of Yamunotri with the glorious Bandarpunch in its background. One of the temples in the Char Dham circuit, it is dedicated to Goddess Yamuna. After paying obeisance to her black marble idol, we make our way down the conventional pilgrim road to Janki Chatti. We stay overnight in one of the guesthouses here. We will get electricity but no phone network.

Day 9: Janki Chatti to Dehradun

Duration – 7 hrs Type – Drive Distance – 180 km Max altitude –

This is the final day of the trip and we drive back to Dehradun. We follow the same route we took to reach Sankri. We can make the most of this jourey by visiting other well-known places that fall on this route such as Kempty waterfalls, Nainbagh and Mussourie.

With equally beautiful memories of an offbeat trek and touristy sight-seeing, we have a cherishable experience.

Inclusions: as per standard package:-

1. Transport from and to Dehradun
2. Guide and cook fees
3. Camping equipment
4. All relevant safety gears and first aid
5. Forest entry charges
6. Porter and mule support to carry camping equipment.

Please note that personal luggage can be carried by mules and/or porters on chargeable basis

• All veg meals with egg preparations starting from day 1 dinner to day last breakfast
• Tented accommodation throughout the trek on Twin Sharing. Guest house accommodation on Day 1 and Day 8 on double Sharing

Exclusions:

1. Insurance @INR 1,050/- per person
2. Buffer day if used will be an additional cost of INR 2,000/- per person
3. Personal Baggage Offload Charges at INR 450 per bag per day weighing upto 12 KG

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