- Max altitude
- 3,825 m
- Days
- 6 days
- Distance
- 30 km
- Difficulty
- Moderate
Operators grade it easy to easy-moderate, but it climbs about 1,500 m from Lohajung to Bedni Top at 3,825 m over three days, with a steep forest climb on the first day, a short steep pull to Bedni Top and no water on the meadow days.
Photos
On the trail
The route
Day by day
Day 1
Dehradun → Lohajung
640 m → 2,243 m
Day 2
Lohajung (short drive to Kulling) → Tolpani via Neel Ganga and Didna
2,243 m → 2,810 m
Day 3
Tolpani → Abin Kharak (Ali Bugyal)
2,810 m → 3,450 m → 3,300 m
Day 4 · highest point
Abin Kharak → Gehroli Patal via Bedni Bugyal and Bedni Top
3,300 m → 3,825 m → 3,196 m
Day 5
Gehroli Patal → Wan (drive to Lohajung)
3,196 m → 2,243 m
Day 6
Lohajung → Dehradun
2,243 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 · Lohajung
at 2,243 mLoading forecast…
High point · Bedni Top, above Bedni Bugyal
at 3,825 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
- Lohajung
- Nearest railway
- Kathgodam (about 200 km); Rishikesh and Dehradun are the usual starting points
- Nearest airport
- Jolly Grant Airport, Dehradun
- By road
- Dehradun (about 294 km via Devprayag, Rudraprayag and Karnaprayag, 10-12 hours); Rishikesh (about 250-270 km, 10-11 hours; shared jeeps to Karnaprayag, then Dewal and Lohajung); Kathgodam (about 200 km by shared jeep to Dewal via Almora and Gwaldam, then on to Lohajung)
- Drive
- About 11 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
₹6,000–12,000
With an operator
₹9,000–15,000
Per person, ex-Rishikesh/Dehradun. Guided prices published October 2026: Bikat Adventures ₹11,250 + 5% GST ex-Lohajung, plus a shared vehicle from Dehradun at ₹8,000-12,000 per vehicle split among 11-12 trekkers; Himalayan Dream Treks quotes ₹9,000-15,000 depending on itinerary, group size and season, with Rishikesh-Lohajung transport included; Indiahikes charges Rs 1,500 + GST per trekker each way for Rishikesh-Lohajung transport on top of its trek fee. Self-guided is an estimate: shared jeeps to Lohajung and back, guesthouse nights, a local guide and porter, tent and stove hire, and forest entry and camping 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 34
Nights near 3,825 m can drop close to freezing even in summer. Pack one more warm layer than you think.
Tick each item as it goes in the bag.
Know before you go
Good to know
- Mobile network
- Most networks work in Lohajung; signal is intermittent on the trail, and only BSNL is sparsely available higher up.
- Last ATM
- None in Lohajung; withdraw cash in Rishikesh, Dehradun or Kathgodam before the drive.
- Nearest hospital
- Primary health centre at Dewal, about 30 km from Lohajung (basic care only); district hospitals at Gopeshwar (about 120 km) or Rudraprayag for serious cases.
- Water
- Streams in the forest sections and near the campsites, but no water on the open meadow days from Tolpani to Ali Bugyal and over Bedni Top; carry two litres and treat all water.
Highlights
- Ali and Bedni Bugyal, twin alpine meadows often called among the largest in Asia, green in summer and golden in autumn
- Full faces of Mt Trishul and Nanda Ghunti rising straight out of the meadow, with Chaukhamba visible from Bedni Top
- Bedni Kund, the holy pond and Nanda Devi shrine on the Nanda Devi Raj Jat route
- Old oak, cypress and rhododendron forests, with giant trees near the Latu Devta temple at Wan
- Crossing the Neel Ganga stream and walking past Didna and Wan villages on a full loop
Risks
- Overnight stays on the bugyals were banned by the Uttarakhand High Court's order of 21 August 2018. On 20 July 2026 the Supreme Court, on the State's appeal (SLP (C) 24801/2019), set aside directions C, E and L of that order, which lifts the night-stay ban, while the High Court's other environmental directions stay in force (Amar Ujala and ETV Bharat, 28 July 2026). Confirm current camping rules with the forest office before going self-guided.
- July-August monsoon: Indiahikes does not run the trek in the monsoon, and other operators warn of slippery forest trails, swollen streams, fog on the Ali-Bedni ridge, landslides and cloudbursts.
- Snow near Bedni Top from December to February (sometimes March) can bury the trail, and the narrow ledge between Bedni Bugyal and Gehroli Patal gets slippery when snow-covered.
- There is no water on the open meadow sections, and nights at the upper camps fall below freezing after September.
- The 10-12 hour mountain drive to Lohajung is often slowed by landslides in the rains.
Know before you go
Questions
Is camping on Ali and Bedni Bugyal allowed now?
Yes. The Uttarakhand High Court banned overnight stays on the bugyals in August 2018, which stopped treks that camped on the meadows. On 20 July 2026 the Supreme Court set aside the parts of that order that banned night stays, and on 27 July the Badrinath Forest Division told its range officers to act on the order (Amar Ujala, ETV Bharat). The High Court's other environmental directions still apply, so expect strict waste rules, and check with the forest office if you go on your own.
What is the best time for the Ali Bedni Bugyal trek?
April to June for green meadows and wildflowers, and September to November for the clearest mountain views and golden grass. December to February brings snow. Indiahikes says the trek is open all year except the monsoon, so July and August are best avoided.
How long and how high is the trek?
About 30 km over four trekking days, six days including the drives to and from Lohajung. It climbs from about 2,250 m at Lohajung to about 3,825 m at Bedni Top.
Is Ali Bedni Bugyal good for beginners?
Yes, for fit beginners. Operators grade it easy to easy-moderate and take children from about 8-9 years. Indiahikes asks trekkers to be able to run 5 km in 40 minutes, because the 1,500 m altitude gain is the main challenge.
How do I reach Lohajung, the base village?
Lohajung is about 250-294 km from Rishikesh or Dehradun, a 10-12 hour drive via Devprayag, Rudraprayag and Karnaprayag. Without operator transport, take a bus or shared jeep to Karnaprayag, then shared jeeps to Dewal and Lohajung. From Kathgodam, shared jeeps run to Dewal via Almora and Gwaldam.
Do I need a permit?
Yes, forest permits are needed, and guided packages include them; carry a photo ID. We could not confirm the current official fee, so self-guided trekkers should check at the forest office before starting.
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: ChamoliUttarakhand
- Nearest hospital
- Primary health centre at Dewal, about 30 km from Lohajung (basic care only); district hospitals at Gopeshwar (about 120 km) or Rudraprayag for serious cases.
- Last ATM
- None in Lohajung; withdraw cash in Rishikesh, Dehradun or Kathgodam before the drive.
- Phone network
- Most networks work in Lohajung; signal is intermittent on the trail, and only BSNL is sparsely available higher up.
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 Ali Bedni Bugyal
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Where this comes from
Sources
Last reviewed:
- Ali Bedni Bugyal Trek — Bikat Adventures
- Ali Bedni Bugyal Trek - Cost, Guide, Itinerary & Trekking Route — Himalayan Dream Treks
- Ali Bedni Bugyal Trek 2027 — Indiahikes
- Bedni Bugyal — Wikipedia
- Roopkund Trek Reopens After 8 Years: What The Supreme Court Ruling Means — Indiahikes
- Is the Roopkund Trek Back? What the Supreme Court's Order Really Means — JustWravel
- बड़ी राहत: बुग्यालों में नाइट स्टे पर लगी रोक आठ साल बाद हटी, पर्यटक रूपकुंड की कर सकेंगे ट्रेकिंग — Amar Ujala
- सुप्रीम कोर्ट से सरकार को मिली बड़ी राहत, आठ साल पुराने तीन प्रतिबंध खत्म, वन विभाग ने जारी किए निर्देश — ETV Bharat
Photos: Shaswat Nimesh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Vaibhav Dautkhani, CC BY-SA 4.0; Abhijith Shastry from Bangalore, India, CC BY 2.0; Yash Soorma, CC BY-SA 4.0
