The Har ki dun valley is one of the most famous trekking destinations in India. Hundreds of trekkers of all ages have roamed in this beautiful saucer or cradle shaped valley. In this same valley lies another gem of a trek to 2 bugyals – Batgoera and Rashi. We trek through a side narrow valley above Dharkot village and after a climb of 4 km reach the beautiful Batgeora Bugyal. Since this is above 3000m the vegetation and landscape are filled with colourful flowers and spruce, fir and birch trees. The lower altitudes are dominated by oak, deodar and pine and while you trek up the forests slowly change to the high-altitude conifers. The trek is very easy and the trail wide and safe. We cross a couple of small streams on the way which adds to the adventure.
To reach the Rashi meadow from Batgoera is a climb of medium difficulty and will take 3-4 hrs depending on one’s fitness. This meadow is as high a Har ki dun and offers a complete 360 view of the hanging glaciers nearby. One can sit here and imagine how 100 years back these would all be full of ice. Today these are devoid of permanent ice but make for excellent grazing meadows for cattle and sheep. We do not camp here as it’s a high-altitude camp and weather, especially wind, can easily affect one’s health at these altitudes. It is recommended to return to the campsite of Batgoera after a day hike to Rashi and enjoy the bugyal in its pristine and serene environs.
Highlights of Rashi Top And Batgoera Bugyal Trek:
Day 1
The trek starts from Dharkot village in the Har ki Dun valley. We reach Dharkot after a drive of about an hour through the Govind National Park. The journey passes through Taluka and Datmir villages and slowly ascends to reach Dharkot. One can also sit on top of the vehicle like a local and enjoy the slow ride through mixed oak and conifer forests of the Govind Pashu Vihar. Once we reach Dharkot we begin our trek to Batgoera Bugyal by following the trail which passes through the village farms and climbs towards the ridge leading into the valley. The initial 30 mins of the trek is along village trails and is refreshing to see the locals working in their farms and going about doing their daily routine. Rajma, wheat and mandua farms are commonly seen. Apple orchards dominate once you cross the village limits. We follow the trail along a small stream which leads to a small pond called the Talab campsite. Shepherds routinely stay here with their herd to rest and graze before taking their sheep to higher grounds. There is very little water in the pond but the flat grounds near the pond make for an ideal campsite if one decides to camp here. We continue to follow the trail through the forest. Even on a sunny day this trail is completely covered by the trees and very comfortable. It is common to see a pair of Himalayan Monals flying away from the forest floor or hear the thrush whistling and the woodpecker pecking on a dry tree bark. Even though majority of the trees are conifers they have huge trunks, and you feel overwhelmed by the greenery. Occasionally the trees clear out to a small opening and it provides an ideal place to click pics and rest to enjoy the surrounding mountains. We cross a small stream and depending on the time of the year the level of water may vary. The vegetation changes from pine and deodar to spruce and fir indicating that we re gaining altitude. Since most of the trek is through a forest, we don’t encounter any wind which is a good while trekking at high altitudes. After trekking for about 3 hours we reach the meadow, locally known as Batgoera. It’s a vast and open bugyal with rolling small slopes. There are plenty of places to camp, but the recommended one is near the stream to access water. One can just relax near the campsite, explore the grassy meadow and photograph flowers and wild grass. In the evening a bonfire can be lit to keep one warm from the cold. One it gets dark the sky is your theatre.
Day 2
We wake up early and post breakfast start the trail towards Rashi Top. We carry packed lunch with us for the day hike. It is important to start early as the weather changes in the mountains in the afternoons and it is better to be back to the campsite by 2pm for hot lunch. Today’s trail is gentle initially but increases in gradient slowly. We cross a stream to reach the ridge which will eventually lead us to Rashi Top meadow. Once we cross the tree line we get the true feel of a high-altitude trek. Open grasslands with huge boulders scattered nearby. It does get tiring and drinking water is recommended. You can see the campsite as you ascend, and it gives you a feel of how high you are getting. Even though its just a 600m climb today it feels more as the gradient is steep. The trail is wide and comfortable so if one has good company, it passes off easily. The final stretch before Rashi Top does get windy. After the final push you cross the spur and see the beautiful meadow of Rashi. It’s a sight to behold and suddenly the snow line looks near, the hanging glaciers look scary, and the peaks look sharp and intimidating. The guide explains that there is a sacred lake – maldaru, lying somewhere between these hanging glaciers. We spend a couple of hours here clicking photos and knowing about the valleys, peaks, flora and the shepherd’s way of life. After eating the packed lunch, we slowly start our descent. It’s easy on the heart and breadth but difficult on the legs. We trace the same route back to the Batgoera campsite and relax enjoying the campsite environs.
Day 3
Post breakfast we pack our bags and help the team pack the tents. This is the easiest day of the trek, and we will trace the path back to Dharkot village.
The above trek progress is just one of ways of doing this wonderful trek. Depending on the number of available days, the trek can be shortened or increased and some camping places added extra or skipped. Also, this trek can be combined with another trek in the Harkidun valley as well.
