Aancha Top Trek
Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand
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- Max altitude
- 3,810 m
- Days
- 6 days
- Distance
- 24 km
- Difficulty
- Moderate
Operators grade it easy to moderate, but the first day is a long, steep climb of about 670 m, and summit day is an 8 km, 7-hour walk on a narrow, partly exposed ridge with loose rock, followed by a steep descent on unmarked shortcuts.
The route
Day by day
Day 1
Dehradun → Ranachatti
640 m → 2,134 m
Day 2
Ranachatti → Bamsingh
2,134 m → 2,804 m
Day 3
Bamsingh → Dinnala Camp
2,804 m → 3,277 m
Day 4 · highest point
Dinnala Camp → Aancha Camp (via Aancha Top)
3,277 m → 3,810 m → 3,475 m
Day 5
Aancha Camp → Ranachatti
3,475 m → 2,134 m
Day 6
Ranachatti → Dehradun
2,134 m → 640 m
Ups and downs
Altitude profile
Where it is
Map
Trailhead and high point only — not a recorded track. Use it with a proper map.
Weather
Next 5 days on the trail
Live forecast for the trailhead and the high point. Mountain weather changes fast — check again on the morning you start.
Trailhead · Ranachatti (Rana village)
at 2,134 mLoading forecast…
High point · Aancha Top
at 3,810 mLoading forecast…
Each day: high / low °C · rain mm and chance · snow cm · wind km/h
Weather data: Open-Meteo.comModel forecast, not an official warning. For alerts follow IMD and the local administration.
Plan the trip
How to reach
- Trailhead
- Ranachatti (Rana village) (nearest town: Barkot)
- Nearest railway
- Dehradun
- Nearest airport
- Jolly Grant Airport, Dehradun
- By road
- Dehradun (about 160-173 km via Mussoorie, Naugaon and Barkot on the Yamunotri road)
- Drive
- About 7 h from Dehradun
Plan the trip
Permits and fees
We could not confirm the current permit rules and fees from an official source. Check with the local forest department or tourism office before you go.
Plan the trip
Cost
Self-guided
₹5,000–9,000
With an operator
₹10,900–14,000
Per person, ex-Dehradun. Guided prices published October 2026: Trek The Himalayas ₹10,900 + 5% GST for Ranachatti to Ranachatti (Dehradun transport is an add-on); Himalayan Hikers ₹12,000 + 5% GST + ₹240 insurance including Dehradun transport; Indiahikes showed its fee in US dollars ($114.95 + 5% GST, roughly ₹10,000) plus ₹1,300 + GST each way for Dehradun transport. Self-guided is an estimate: bus or shared jeep to Barkot and Ranachatti, two homestay nights, a local guide and porter, tent and stove hire, and forest fees.
Gear
Top picks for this trek
The gear that matters most on this route, chosen from its altitude, season and risks.
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Packing checklist
Matched to this trek: altitude, season, days and the risks on the route.
Packed 0 of 32
Snow on the trail in Dec–Mar: microspikes, gaiters and a warm layer are not optional.
Tick each item as it goes in the bag.
Know before you go
Good to know
- Mobile network
- Airtel and Jio work at Ranachatti; signal drops off quickly on the trail, with limited to no connectivity after the first day.
- Last ATM
- Barkot, about 1 to 1.5 hours' drive from Ranachatti
- Nearest hospital
- Indiahikes names a government hospital at Ranachatti for first care; for serious cases Mussoorie or Dehradun, about 8-9 hours away
- Water
- Several water points and streams on the forest trail to Bamsingh, a large stream at Bamsingh, and Daloti Gad on the way to Dinnala. Boil or treat all water; in winter water may have to be melted from snow.
Highlights
- A long ridge walk to the 3,810 m summit with views of Bandarpoonch, Swargarohini, Black Peak, Srikantha, Jaonli, the Gangotri peaks and Kedarnath
- Three small glacial lakes on Dinnala Bugyal; on a clear day Swargarohini reflects in the largest one
- Oak, rhododendron, pine and birch forest, with shepherd huts (chhanis) along the climb from Ranachatti
- A quiet, new trail in the Yamunotri valley, starting beside the wood-carved Someshwar Mahadev temple at Ranachatti
Risks
- The summit ridge is narrow and exposed in parts, with loose rock that turns slippery in rain or frost; the final push is steep.
- Descents to Aancha Camp and Ranachatti use steep, unmarked shortcut trails, and there is no exit route other than retracing the trail to Ranachatti.
- Heavy snow from December to March can bury the tracks; operators say winter needs snow gear and good preparation.
- July-August monsoon brings heavy rain, slippery trails and landslides on the Yamunotri road; Himalayan Hikers says the trek is generally avoided then.
Know before you go
Questions
How difficult is the Aancha Top trek?
Operators grade it easy to moderate: about 24 km over four trekking days, gaining roughly 1,700 m from Ranachatti (about 2,130 m) to the summit (about 3,810 m). The first climb to Bamsingh is long and steep, and summit day is the hardest, with an exposed ridge and loose rock.
When is the best time to do Aancha Top?
Indiahikes runs it from November to May and Trek The Himalayas lists December to March as a winter snow trek. Himalayan Hikers prefers April-June and September-November. July and August are monsoon months that operators advise against.
How do I reach Ranachatti, the base camp?
Ranachatti is on the Yamunotri road beyond Barkot, about 160-173 km and 6-7 hours by road from Dehradun via Mussoorie and Naugaon. Dehradun has the nearest railway station and Jolly Grant Airport.
Do I need a permit for Aancha Top?
Yes, forest department permission is needed; operators ask for a photo ID and a medical certificate to obtain it and include the fee in the package. We could not find a current official fee, so self-guided trekkers should check with the forest office locally.
Is there mobile network on the trek?
Airtel and Jio work at Ranachatti, but signal fades soon after you start walking. The last ATM is at Barkot, so carry cash.
In an emergency
Save these numbers before you lose signal. Tap to call.
- 112All emergenciesIndia’s single emergency number — works in every state
- 108Ambulance
- 1077District disaster control room
You are in
District: UttarkashiUttarakhand
- Nearest hospital
- Indiahikes names a government hospital at Ranachatti for first care; for serious cases Mussoorie or Dehradun, about 8-9 hours away
- Last ATM
- Barkot, about 1 to 1.5 hours' drive from Ranachatti
- Phone network
- Airtel and Jio work at Ranachatti; signal drops off quickly on the trail, with limited to no connectivity after the first day.
Before you set off
- Tell someone your route and when you will be back.
- Carry a charged phone and a power bank.
- Download an offline map of the route.
- Turn back if the weather turns bad — the mountain will wait.
Questions about Aancha Top
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Where this comes from
Sources
Last reviewed:
- Aancha Top Trek 2026 — Indiahikes
- Aancha Top Trek 2026 - Package, Itinerary & Best Time — Trek The Himalayas
- Aancha Top Trek -2026 Complete Itinerary, Date, Costs, Safety tips — Himalayan Hikers
