Kagbhusandi Tal Trek
Chamoli, Uttarakhand
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- Max altitude
- 4,670 m
- Days
- 7 days
- Distance
- 55 km
- Difficulty
- Difficult
Remote route with no shelters, shops or mobile signal: two long days to Raj Kharak at about 3,900 m, then a steep, boulder-strewn crossing of Kankul Pass (about 4,670 m) on an often faint trail, and a long knee-jarring descent to Painka. Operators ask for prior high-altitude experience.
Photos
On the trail
The route
Day by day
Day 1
Dehradun → Govindghat (via Joshimath)
640 m → 1,830 m
Day 2
Govindghat → Roop Dhungi (via Pulna and Bhyundar village)
1,830 m → 2,550 m
Day 3
Roop Dhungi → Raj Kharak (via Samartoli and Dang Kharak)
2,550 m → 3,900 m
Day 4 · highest point
Raj Kharak → Kagbhusandi Tal (via Kankul Pass)
3,900 m → 4,670 m → 4,360 m
Day 5
Kagbhusandi Tal → Gouncha Udiyar
4,360 m → 3,400 m
Day 6
Gouncha Udiyar → Painka road-head (drive to Govindghat)
3,400 m → 1,830 m
Day 7
Govindghat → Dehradun
1,830 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 · Govindghat
at 1,830 mLoading forecast…
High point · Kankul Pass
at 4,670 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
- Govindghat
- Nearest railway
- Yog Nagari Rishikesh (Dehradun is the usual pickup point)
- Nearest airport
- Jolly Grant Airport, Dehradun
- By road
- Dehradun (about 300 km via Rishikesh, Devprayag, Rudraprayag, Chamoli and Joshimath); Joshimath (about 20 km to Govindghat)
- 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
₹14,000–24,000
With an operator
₹21,000–44,625
Per person, ex-Dehradun/Rishikesh, 7 days. Guided prices published in 2026: Danu Adventure from ₹21,000; UK Hike ₹25,500; FirstRek ₹29,500 + 5% GST (ex-Rishikesh, no fixed departures listed); Himalaya Shelter ₹42,000 + 5% GST; Wanderin' Man ₹42,500 + 5% GST. Self-guided is an estimate: bus or shared taxi to Govindghat, a local guide and porters for five trekking days, tent and stove hire, food for the whole route (there are no shops or shelters after Bhyundar) and forest entry/camping charges paid in Joshimath.
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 36
Nights near 4,670 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
- No mobile network beyond the villages; operators report signal only at Govindghat and the base villages.
- Last ATM
- Joshimath (carry cash from there)
- Nearest hospital
- Joshimath for first care; AIIMS Rishikesh for serious cases
- Water
- Streams and rivulets along the Bhyundar valley and the descent to Gouncha Udiyar, and the lake itself; boil or treat all water.
Highlights
- An emerald lake at about 4,360 m below the Hathi Parvat (6,727 m) and Ghori Parvat massif
- Crossing Kankul Pass with views of Chaukhamba, Nar-Narayan, Neelkanth and Hathi Parvat
- The sacred lake of Kakbhushundi ji, the great Ram bhakt of the Ramcharitmanas who narrated the Ram katha to Garud ji
- Alpine meadows at Samartoli, Dang Kharak and Raj Kharak with Brahma Kamal and Phen Kamal in season
- A quiet traverse: in by the Bhyundar valley from Govindghat, out by the Kagbhusand Gad to Painka
Risks
- There are no shelters, tea stalls or pony services after Bhyundar; everything must be carried and the route is hard to find without a local guide.
- Kankul Pass is a steep climb over loose boulders and can hold snow; operators describe the trail as confusing and slippery in bad weather.
- July and August monsoon rain makes the trails slippery and adds landslide and leech risk; in winter the area is snowbound.
- Camps at about 3,900 m and 4,360 m need good acclimatisation; evacuation from the upper camps is slow.
- Floods have washed away sections of the trail in the past, and the forest department has at times been reluctant to issue permission — check the trail's condition in Joshimath before going.
Know before you go
Questions
How high is Kagbhusandi Tal?
The lake is at about 4,360 m (Himalayan Dream Treks gives 4,363 m), and the highest point is Kankul Pass at about 4,650-4,670 m. Some package pages print 5,228-5,230 m for the lake; that figure does not match the terrain data and is a copied error.
What is the best time for the Kagbhusandi Tal trek?
May-June and September-October. In May and June the meadows are in flower; September and October bring the clearest views. July and August are risky because of monsoon rain, and in winter the route is snowbound.
Is the Kagbhusandi trek suitable for beginners?
No. Operators grade it difficult or strenuous: there is no defined trail on the pass, no shelters or shops, and you sleep above 3,900 m. Most ask for previous high-altitude trekking experience.
How many days does it take and where does it start?
Usually 7 days from Dehradun: a drive to Govindghat, five trekking days (Govindghat - Roop Dhungi - Raj Kharak - Kankul Pass and the lake - Gouncha Udiyar - Painka) and the drive back. Operators quote about 52-60 km of walking.
Do I need a permit?
Yes. The route lies in the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve area, and permission is taken from the forest department in Joshimath; operators include the forest and camping charges. We could not confirm the current official fee, so check at the forest office in Joshimath.
Why is Kagbhusandi Tal sacred?
In the Uttar Kand of the Shri Ramcharitmanas, Goswami Tulsidas ji tells how Kakbhushundi ji, the great devotee of Bhagwan Shri Ram who lives in the form of a crow after the shaap of Lomash Rishi, narrated the Ram katha to Garud ji. Local tradition in Chamoli holds this lake to be Kakbhushundi ji's abode, and two rock forms above the lake are revered as the crow and Garud ji in satsang.
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
- Joshimath for first care; AIIMS Rishikesh for serious cases
- Last ATM
- Joshimath (carry cash from there)
- Phone network
- No mobile network beyond the villages; operators report signal only at Govindghat and the base villages.
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 Kagbhusandi Tal
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Where this comes from
Sources
Last reviewed:
- Kagbhusandi Lake — Himalayan Dream Treks
- Kagbhusandi Lake Trek - A Spectacular Spiritual trek of Uttarakhand — Himalaya Shelter
- Kagbhusandi Lake Trek 2026 — FirstRek
- Kagbhusandi Lake Trek: Best Time, Cost, Distance, 7 Days — Danu Adventure
- Kagbhusandi Lake Trek 2026 | Offbeat Trekking Experience — Wanderin' Man
- Kagbhusandi Lake Trek 2026 — UK Hike
- Kagbhushandi Tal Trek 2026 | Kankul & Barmai Pass — Himalayan High
- Kankul Pass (saddle, ele 4651) — OpenStreetMap
- Hidden Jewels Of Uttarakhand: A Trek To Kagbhusandi Tal In Chamoli — Outlook Traveller
Photos: Dinesh Valke from Thane, India, CC BY-SA 2.0; Dinesh Valke from Thane, India, CC BY-SA 2.0
