Bamsaru Khal Trek
Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand
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- Max altitude
- 4,600 m
- Days
- 9 days
- Distance
- 75 km
- Difficulty
- Difficult
A remote, unmarked traverse with two high crossings (Darwa Top at about 4,150 m and Bamsaru Khal at 4,600 m), 9-12 km days of 5-6 hours, loose scree below the pass, a steep descent on the far side and sub-zero nights; operators say it needs prior high-altitude experience.
Photos
On the trail
The route
Day by day
Day 1
Dehradun → Uttarkashi
640 m → 1,150 m
Day 2
Sangam Chatti (drive from Uttarkashi) → Manjhi (via Agoda and Bebra)
1,350 m → 2,950 m
Day 3
Manjhi → Dodital
2,950 m → 3,040 m
Day 4
Dodital → Bingad (via Darwa Top)
3,040 m → 4,150 m → 4,000 m
Day 5
Bingad → Kanatal (via Deodamini meadow)
4,000 m → 4,100 m
Day 6 · highest point
Kanatal → Bamsaru base (over Bamsaru Khal)
4,100 m → 4,600 m → 4,000 m
Day 7
Bamsaru base → Songad (via Chupkatidhar)
4,000 m → 2,830 m
Day 8
Songad → Sukhi (drive to Harsil)
2,830 m → 2,600 m
Day 9
Harsil → Dehradun
2,600 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 · Sangam Chatti
at 1,350 mLoading forecast…
High point · Bamsaru Khal (pass)
at 4,600 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
- Sangam Chatti (nearest town: Uttarkashi)
- Nearest railway
- Dehradun
- Nearest airport
- Jolly Grant Airport, Dehradun
- By road
- Dehradun to Uttarkashi (about 145 km via Chamba and Tehri), then 15 km to Sangam Chatti; Exit: Sukhi to Harsil by road, then Harsil to Dehradun (about 217 km via Uttarkashi)
- 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
₹15,000–25,000
With an operator
₹30,000–41,000
Per person, ex-Dehradun. Guided prices published October 2026: Himalayan Hikers ₹30,000 + 5% GST Dehradun to Dehradun; Himalayan Daredevils ₹41,000 (listed down from ₹47,150); eUttaranchal ₹38,000 + 5% GST for an 11-day circuit ex-Sangam Chatti without transport. Self-guided is an estimate: shared jeeps Dehradun-Uttarkashi-Sangam Chatti and Sukhi-Harsil-Dehradun, a hired local guide who knows the unmarked route, porters or mules, tent and stove hire, and forest fees. Very few people attempt this route without a guide.
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 4,600 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
- Mobile networks work in Uttarkashi and along the Bhagirathi road; trip reports describe no mobile signal on the high trail between Dodital and the far side of the pass.
- Last ATM
- Uttarkashi
- Nearest hospital
- District Hospital Uttarkashi for first care; AIIMS Rishikesh for serious cases
- Water
- Streams on the forest stages and at Dodital; above the tree line camps are set beside glacial tarns and streams, and some ridge stretches have no water, so fill bottles at every stream. Boil or treat all water.
Highlights
- Crossing the 4,600 m Bamsaru Khal on the old high route between the Yamuna and Bhagirathi valleys, with views of the Gangotri group of peaks, Srikanta and Jaonli
- Dodital, the forest lake revered as the birthplace of Shri Ganesh, with its Shri Ganesh temple on the shore
- A 360° view of Bandarpunch, Swargarohini and Kala Nag from Darwa Top
- Following the Bingad and upper Hanuman Ganga valleys at the base of the Bandarpunch massif
- The vast Chhaya Gidara meadows on the Bhagirathi side of the pass
Risks
- The route above Darwa Top is unmarked and rarely walked; go only with a guide who has crossed Bamsaru Khal before.
- Loose scree and boulders below the pass and a steep descent on the far side; fresh snow makes both slippery, and trip reports describe turning back below the pass in bad weather.
- Night temperatures fall below 0 °C at the high camps even in season, and altitude sickness has forced porters and trekkers down on this route.
- July-August monsoon rain brings landslides, poor visibility, slippery trails and leeches, and the Rishikesh-Uttarkashi road is often blocked; operators advise against trekking then.
- From mid-October to April cold and heavy snow block the high trail, according to Himalaya Shelter; finish the crossing before mid-October.
Know before you go
Questions
How high is Bamsaru Khal?
Most operators give the pass at about 4,600 m (15,091 ft). A 2008 trip report measured about 4,700 m. The highest camps are at roughly 4,000-4,300 m.
How many days does the Bamsaru Khal trek take?
The usual itinerary is 9 days from Dehradun to Dehradun: about 7 trekking days from Sangam Chatti over Dodital, Darwa Top and Bamsaru Khal to Sukhi near Harsil, covering about 75 km. Longer 10-11 day versions return over Gidara and Dayara Bugyal.
What is the best time for Bamsaru Khal?
May-June and September to mid-October, when the weather is most stable and the meadows are green. Avoid the July-August monsoon, and expect snow to block the high trail from mid-October to April.
Is Bamsaru Khal suitable for beginners?
No. Operators rate it moderate to difficult and say it needs good fitness and prior high-altitude trekking experience: days are 5-8 hours on uneven, partly unmarked terrain, and the pass is at 4,600 m.
Where does the trek start and end?
Most itineraries start at Sangam Chatti, about 15 km from Uttarkashi, and end at Sukhi on the Gangotri road, from where you drive to Harsil.
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
- District Hospital Uttarkashi for first care; AIIMS Rishikesh for serious cases
- Last ATM
- Uttarkashi
- Phone network
- Mobile networks work in Uttarkashi and along the Bhagirathi road; trip reports describe no mobile signal on the high trail between Dodital and the far side of the pass.
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 Bamsaru Khal
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Where this comes from
Sources
Last reviewed:
- Bamsaru Khal Trek — Himalaya Shelter
- Bamsaru Khal Trek — Himalayan Daredevils
- Bamsaru Khal Trek | A virgin trek in Himalayas of Uttarakhand — Himalayan Hikers
- Bamsaru Khal Trek Uttarakhand - Information About Bamsaru Trek Uttarkashi Travel Guide — Dev Dham Yatra
- BamsaruKhal Trek with Dodital - Gidara and Dayara Bugyal Circuit Trekking Package — eUttaranchal
- Footloose in Virgin Valleys - The Bamsarukhal Trek — Snowscapes of The Himalayas (trip report)
- Bamsaru Khal Trek — Ghumakkar (trip report)
Photos: Himalayan Dream Treks, CC BY-SA 4.0; Sumita Roy Dutta, CC BY-SA 4.0; Vaibhav78545, CC BY-SA 4.0
