Nanda Devi East Base Camp Trek
Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand
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- Max altitude
- 3,900 m
- Days
- 10 days
- Distance
- 109 km
- Difficulty
- Difficult
About 108 km on foot over ten days, with several 12-20 km days through the remote Gori Ganga gorge and Johar valley, little rescue support, and a camp at about 3,900 m; operators ask for prior Himalayan trekking experience.
Photos
On the trail
The route
Day by day
Day 1
Kathgodam → Munsiyari
554 m → 2,290 m
Day 2
Munsiyari → Lilam
2,290 m → 2,000 m
Day 3
Lilam → Bugdiyar
2,000 m → 2,700 m
Day 4
Bugdiyar → Rilkot
2,700 m → 3,200 m
Day 5
Rilkot → Ghangar (via Martoli)
3,200 m → 3,300 m
Day 6 · highest point
Ghangar → Nanda Devi East Base Camp
3,300 m → 3,900 m
Day 7 · highest point
Nanda Devi East Base Camp → Nanda Devi East Base Camp (rest and exploration)
3,900 m → 3,900 m
Day 8
Nanda Devi East Base Camp → Rilkot
3,900 m → 3,200 m
Day 9
Rilkot → Bugdiyar
3,200 m → 2,700 m
Day 10
Bugdiyar → Munsiyari
2,700 m → 2,290 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 · Munsiyari
at 2,290 mLoading forecast…
High point · Nanda Devi East Base Camp
at 3,900 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
- Munsiyari
- Nearest railway
- Kathgodam
- Nearest airport
- Pantnagar Airport (Naini Saini, Pithoragarh, has less frequent flights)
- By road
- Kathgodam (about 275-300 km via Almora and Bageshwar); Haldwani (shared taxis and buses to Munsiyari; break the journey at Almora or Pithoragarh if needed)
- Drive
- About 9 h from Kathgodam
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
₹20,000–35,000
With an operator
₹16,700–35,400
Per person, ex-Kathgodam/Haldwani. Guided prices published for 2025-26: BMC Adventures about ₹16,667 including GST, ex-Kathgodam; Bikat Adventures ₹29,900 + 5% GST ex-Munsiyari plus ₹4,000 for Haldwani transport (about ₹35,400 ex-Haldwani). Aquaterra's 16-day premium version with the Brij Ganga Pass crossing costs ₹1,03,125 + GST and is a different, longer route. Self-guided is an estimate: bus or shared taxi Haldwani-Munsiyari both ways, a local guide and porter or mule for about nine trekking days, tent and stove hire, food, and the Inner Line and forest permits.
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 35
Snow on the trail in May: 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
- Patchy 3G/4G in Munsiyari only; operators report no reliable signal beyond Munsiyari, with BSNL catching occasionally on higher ground.
- Last ATM
- Munsiyari (carry enough cash for the whole trek)
- Nearest hospital
- Basic care at Munsiyari; district hospital at Pithoragarh for serious cases
- Water
- The Gori Ganga and side streams run beside the whole route, and the camps sit near streams. Boil or treat all water; streams fed by glacier melt are silty in the afternoon.
Highlights
- Darshan at the Maa Nanda Devi temple near Munsiyari before setting out towards her eastern peak
- The Gori Ganga gorge below Lilam and Bugdiyar, cut deep between sheer rock walls
- The stone villages of the Johar valley at Rilkot and Martoli, on the old trade route to Tibet
- Camping at about 3,900 m beneath the east face of Nanda Devi East, with the Pachu Glacier close by
Risks
- Rockfall and landslides in the Gori Ganga gorge between Lilam and Rilkot, especially after rain; a Border Roads road is being cut up this valley, so expect blasting, debris and diversions.
- July to mid-September monsoon brings heavy rain, landslides and fog; operators advise against trekking then.
- Himalaya Shelter says the trek is closed in winter because of heavy snowfall; we found no second source, so November to April is treated as a high risk, not a formal closure.
- Remote route with no mobile signal beyond Munsiyari and long evacuation distances; altitude sickness is possible at the 3,900 m base camp.
Know before you go
Questions
Is the Nanda Devi base camp trek allowed? I heard the Nanda Devi Sanctuary is closed.
The inner Nanda Devi Sanctuary on the west side (Rishi Ganga gorge) has been closed to trekkers since 1983. This trek is different: it goes up the Johar valley from Munsiyari on the east side to the base camp of Nanda Devi East. Operators run it every season; you need an Inner Line Permit and forest permission, which guided groups arrange.
How many days does the Nanda Devi East base camp trek take?
About 10 days from Munsiyari and back, covering roughly 109 km on foot (Bikat Adventures). Add one travel day each way from Kathgodam or Haldwani, so most packages run 11-12 days.
What is the best time for the Nanda Devi East base camp trek?
May-June and September-October. Expect snow in May and June; September and October have clearer skies and little snow. Avoid July to mid-September, when monsoon rain brings landslides on the gorge trail.
Do I need a permit?
Yes. The route runs towards the Tibet border, so an Inner Line Permit (two photos and ID proof) is needed, plus forest permission for the Nanda Devi Biosphere area. We could not confirm the current official fee; self-guided trekkers should ask at the SDM office in Munsiyari.
How difficult is it, and do I need experience?
It is long and remote rather than technical: several days are 12-20 km on a gorge trail with rockfall risk. Bikat Adventures asks for prior Himalayan trekking experience and a fitness test such as jogging 5 km in 25-30 minutes.
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: PithoragarhUttarakhand
- Nearest hospital
- Basic care at Munsiyari; district hospital at Pithoragarh for serious cases
- Last ATM
- Munsiyari (carry enough cash for the whole trek)
- Phone network
- Patchy 3G/4G in Munsiyari only; operators report no reliable signal beyond Munsiyari, with BSNL catching occasionally on higher ground.
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 Nanda Devi East Base Camp
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Where this comes from
Sources
Last reviewed:
- Nanda Devi Base Camp Trek — Bikat Adventures
- Nanda Devi East Base Camp Trek — Himalayan High
- Nandadevi Basecamp Trek — Himalaya Shelter
- Nanda Devi Base Camp Trek (Himalayas) — BMC Adventures
- Nanda Devi East Base Camp — Aquaterra Adventures
- Nanda Devi East — Wikipedia
- Milam Glacier — Wikipedia (Milam Glacier)
Photos: Unknown author (First Polish Himalayan Expedition, 1939), Public domain; Unknown author (First Polish Himalayan Expedition, 1939), Public domain
