Chainsheel Bugyal Trek
Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand
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3,550 mhighest point- Max altitude
- 3,550 m
- Days
- 7 days
- Distance
- 40 km
- Difficulty
- Moderate
No technical sections, but the first day climbs about 1,250 m (4,000 ft) through steep forest from Balawat, and the next day is a long 14 km ridge walk over rolling bugyals with narrow, exposed rocky stretches; days run 5-8 hours or more.
The route
Day by day
Day 1
Dehradun → Balawat
640 m → 1,915 m
Day 2
Balawat → Sunaooti Thach
1,915 m → 3,170 m
Day 3 · highest point
Sunaooti Thach → Samta Thach
3,170 m → 3,550 m
Day 4 · highest point
Samta Thach → Samta Thach (rest and exploration day)
3,550 m → 3,550 m
Day 5
Samta Thach → Tikula Thach (via Sarutal)
3,550 m → 3,110 m
Day 6
Tikula Thach → Dagaan Moriyaach
3,110 m → 2,870 m
Day 7
Dagaan Moriyaach → Chinwa (drive to Dehradun)
2,870 m → 1,950 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 · Balawat
at 1,915 mLoading forecast…
High point · Samta Thach
at 3,550 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
- Balawat (nearest town: Arakot)
- Nearest railway
- Dehradun
- Nearest airport
- Jolly Grant Airport, Dehradun
- By road
- Dehradun (about 200-230 km via Naugaon, Purola, Mori, Tyuni, Arakot and Tikochi); Dehradun via Chakrata, Tyuni, Arakot and Tikochi
- Drive
- About 10 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
₹8,000–14,000
With an operator
₹15,000–16,000
Per person, ex-Dehradun. Guided price published October 2026: Himalaya Shelter ₹15,000 + 5% GST + ₹180 trek insurance for the 7-day trek from Dehradun; we found no second operator currently publishing a price (eUttaranchal lists it as 'price on request'). Self-guided is an estimate: shared jeep or bus to Arakot/Tikochi and back, a local guide and porter or mules for six trekking days, tent and stove hire, food and forest fees, split in a group of four.
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 33
Nights near 3,550 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 signal is rare beyond the village settlements; expect no network on the bugyals.
- Last ATM
- Not confirmed for this route; carry enough cash from Dehradun or Purola.
- Nearest hospital
- No medical help on the trail; Purola for first care and Dehradun for serious cases (not confirmed for this route).
- Water
- Small streams and waterfalls (chhads) along the range, a natural water source at Sunaooti Thach, and lakes at Sarutal and Tikula Taal. Boil or treat all water.
Highlights
- Days of walking on open, little-visited bugyals along a crescent-shaped range on the Uttarakhand-Himachal border
- Samta Thach, a wide, almost flat meadow full of wildflowers, and Sunaooti Thach ringed by kharsu oak
- Camping by the twin lakes of Sarutal and the small Tikula Taal
- Views of Bandarpoonch and other snow peaks from the ridges
- Wooden carved houses, apple orchards and Pavasi Devta temples in the Bangan villages of the Kotigad valley
Risks
- Remote area with almost no mobile signal and no medical help; operators advise against trekking solo.
- The climb out of Balawat and the long ridge day after it are harder than 'bugyal' suggests: an Indiahikes trekker reported 10 hours on day one and reaching camp at 7 pm on day two.
- July-August monsoon brings heavy rain, landslide risk, slippery trails, leeches and poor visibility; Himalaya Shelter does not recommend those months.
- Afternoon thunderstorms and hail are common even in summer; nights near 0 °C in autumn and snow possible from late October.
Know before you go
Questions
How long is the Chainsheel Bugyal trek and how many days does it take?
Himalaya Shelter runs it as a 7-day trip from Dehradun covering about 40 km, with a rest day at Samta Thach. The 2017 Uttarakhand Trek of the Year itinerary did the same loop in 6 days without the rest day.
When is the best time to do Chainsheel Bugyal?
May-June for wildflowers and September-November for clear mountain views. July and August are monsoon months that operators advise against, and some snow patches are possible in early May and late October.
Is Chainsheel Bugyal suitable for beginners?
Fit beginners can do it with a guided group; operators rate it moderate. Himalaya Shelter does not advise it for children under 12 or elderly trekkers, and first-time trekkers have found the first two days long and steep.
Do I need a permit for Chainsheel Bugyal?
A forest entry permit may be needed; guided groups include forest charges for Indian trekkers. We could not confirm a current official fee, so self-guided trekkers should check with the forest office at Mori or Purola.
Where does the trek start and how do I get there?
It starts at Balawat village (about 1,915 m) in Mori block, Uttarkashi, 200-230 km from Dehradun - a 9-10 hour drive via Purola, Mori, Tyuni and Arakot, or via Chakrata and Tyuni. The loop ends at Chinwa, next to Balawat.
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
- No medical help on the trail; Purola for first care and Dehradun for serious cases (not confirmed for this route).
- Last ATM
- Not confirmed for this route; carry enough cash from Dehradun or Purola.
- Phone network
- Mobile signal is rare beyond the village settlements; expect no network on the bugyals.
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 Chainsheel Bugyal
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Where this comes from
Sources
Last reviewed:
- Uttarakhand Trek of the Year 2017 - Chaainsheel (itinerary) — Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board (Trek of the Year) (official)
- Chaainsheel - About the Trek — Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board (Trek of the Year) (official)
- Chaainsheel Bugyal Trek — Himalaya Shelter
- Chaainsheel Bugyal Trekking Tour — eUttaranchal
- This Trekker Put Aside All Physical Limitations To Conquer Her First Himalayan Trek — Indiahikes
- Chainsheel Batches Open For September & October — Indiahikes
- Indiahikes and Uttarakhand Tourism Department open the Chainsheel Trek — Indiahikes
Photos: Vaibhav78545, CC BY-SA 4.0
