The trek to the Kagbhusandi lake starts from Govindghat, which is located nearby to Joshimath. Govindghat is also a base and starting point for many popular treks like the Kuari Pass, Pangarchula Peak, and the Valley of flowers.
The next day, we will start our trek from Govindghat to Bhuyandar village. Beautiful forests of rhododendron would welcome us here. From Bhuyandar, we will continue our trek towards Roopdhungi.
The next day we will trek and pass through areas like Kargil, Simartoli, Bankbara, and Dang Khark. We will camp at Raj Khark for the day. A lot of wild flowers can be seen blooming on this route.
The next day we would trek towards the Kagbhusandi Lake passing through the Kankul Pass.
From here, we would start the descent, covering places like Gouncha Udayar and Painka on the way and finally reaching Govindghat, thereby bringing the trip to an end.
The whole duration of this trek would be of 6 nights and 7 days with some stops in between. We would mostly stay in tents during the full trek. The trekking distance from Govindghat to Kagbhusandi Tal is approximately 35 kilometers one way.
This is a trek in the moderate to difficult category. The area is remote and there are chances of wild animals like bear being seen on the way.
This trekking route has some scenic views and the lake with its emerald waters looks stunning in the backdrop of huge snowcapped mountains.
Location & How to reach:
- The Kagbhusandi Lake is situated at a height of 4730 metres above sea level. The trekking route to this beautiful glacial lake starts from Govindghat, which is located 22 kilometres away from Joshimath.
- Govindghat is around 272 kilometres away from Rishikesh. The nearest railhead is at Rishikesh and the nearest airport is the Jolly Grant Airport at Dehradun.
Itinerary:
Day 01 : Drive Rishikesh to GovindGhat (1828m) via Joshimath; 272 km, 8-9 hours
- On the first day of your trek, we will start our journey from Rishikesh to Govindghat via Joshimath. The drive from Rishikesh to Govindghat is picturesque with the river Ganga flowing by the side of it.
- Beautiful views of the hills and the forests can be seen on the way. The confluence of the rivers Alokananda and Bhagirathi can also be seen. Govindghat is a base for many treks like the Kuari Pass Pangarchula Peak, and the Valley of flowers. We will cover this distance of around 272 kilometres in 9-10 hours. We will stay at Govindghat for the night.
Day 02 : Trek Govindghat to Bhyundar Village to RoopDhungi (1828m); 12 km, 6-7 hours
- We will start our day early and mark our way from Govindghat towards Bhyundar village There is steep terrain initially for the first hour of the trek, but gradually the gradient becomes normal.
- The sounds of water gushing in the river Alokananda can be heard. The trail has rhododendron forests. There are chances of sighting bears on this route who live in these forests. We will continue trekking towards Roopdhungi and stay there overnight in tents.
Day 03 : Trek RoopDhungi to Samartoli to Raj Kharak (3900m); 14 km, 8 hours
- After having a good breakfast, we will start our trek from Roop Dhungi to Simartoli, and trek further to Raj Kharak.
- The entire trail is beautiful. A variety of flowers of different colours can be seen on the way. The snow-clad Himalayan peaks are clearly visible in the background. Passing through Kargil, Simartoli, Bankbara, and Dang Khark. We will camp at Raj Khark for the day.
Day 04 : Trek Raj Kharak to Kagbhusandi Tal (4730m) via Kankul Pass (4960m); 8 km, 5 hours
- Today we would trek to the Kagbhusandi Lake from Raj Khark. The distance to be covered during this trek is of 5 kilometres and would take around 4-5 hours.
- This trail provides contrasting terrains with green valleys and meadows initially changing into terrains full of huge boulders and narrow paths.
- On the way, stunning views of Neelkanth, Hathi Peak, Ghodi Parvat , Chaukhamba and Nar-Narayan Peaks can be witnessed. There is the wide variety of flora and fauna in the valley. Rare flowers like Brahma Kamal, Myriad, Fen Kamal and many more flowers can be seen. Once we reach the lake, we would set up our tents and stay there overnight.
Day 05 : Trek Kagbhusandi to Gounchha Udiyar; 8 km, 3-4 hours
- We will wake up early and continue our journey. Today, we will cover the 8 kilometer distance between Kagbhusandi and Gounchha Udiyar. The trail is covered with sprawling alpine meadows, gushing streams, panoramic views of Himalayan peaks, and lush green dense forests
- After reaching Gouchha Udiyar, we will explore the local villages and interact with the villagers to get a glimpse of simple life of the villagers here. We will stay overnight at Gounchha Udiyar.
Day 06: Trek Gouncha Udiyar to Painka to Govindghat (1828m); 10 km trek, 7 km drive
- We would start our descent from Gouncha Udiyar, heading towards to Painka. Painka is a small quaint village which is very beautiful. We would continue our journey and reach Govindghat from here.
- On reaching Govindghat, we would check into a guest house here where we will rest and stay for the day. Food will be served as well.
Day 07: Drive Govindghat to Rishikesh; 272 km, 8 hours
- Today it is our turn to bid goodbye to everyone and return to our daily routines in life. We will wake up early and have some good breakfast.
- Post this, we will start our journey from Govindghat to Rishikesh. We will also have lunch on the way. This memorable trip comes to end here but we go back with a lot of good memories.
Difficulty Level:
- This trek falls under the moderate to difficulty category. There is steep gradient at some places in the trekking route and might pose challenging at times.
- Having good physical fitness and strong will-power surely helps as the trek requires some good amount of endurance. Prior trekking experience will be helpful. The tough climatic conditions and high altitude might cause difficulties for some people.
- Hiring a guide on this route is advisable.
Weather:
- The best time to do this trek is between June and October.
- The temperature is moderate in summers and may drop to temperatures below zero degrees Celsius in winters.
- The lake remains frozen in the winter months.
Accommodation:
- The trekkers would be spending the nights in the tents and enjoy the camping time.
Meal:
- Simple and healthy tasty meal would be provided to the trekkers. The package includes all breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
- During the trekking expedition, packed food will be given which will be of good quality. There would be no compromise on the quality of the food.
Inclusions:
- Transport required in the trek.
- Highly advanced and certified mountaineering guide.
- Meals on the trek which includes breakfast, lunch and dinner.
- Rent for camping equipment like tent, sleeping mats and gears.
- Forest permit and camping trip charges.
- Tented accommodation throughout the trek
Exclusions:
- Personal trekking equipment like trekking poles or sleeping bag liners.
- Personal insurance and cost if emergency evacuation. Also exclude other expenses like tips, personal medicines, phone calls etc.
- Any transport support during the trek apart from what is included above.
- Purchase for personal use like mineral water, beverage, chocolates and other stuff.
- Anything else not specified in the inclusions and itinerary.
