Ralam Glacier Trek
Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand
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- Max altitude
- 3,900 m
- Days
- 9 days
- Distance
- 80 km
- Difficulty
- Difficult
Operators rate it moderate to difficult and very tough: a remote valley with no lodges beyond the villages, a day gaining about 1,000 m from Lungrani to Killadum, and two 18 km descent days on the way out.
Photos
On the trail
The route
Day by day
Day 1
Kathgodam → Munsiyari
554 m → 2,290 m
Day 2
Munsiyari (drive to Lilam) → Paton village
2,290 m → 1,850 m
Day 3
Paton village → Lungrani
1,850 m → 2,300 m
Day 4
Lungrani → Killadum
2,300 m → 3,290 m
Day 5
Killadum → Ralam village
3,290 m → 3,640 m
Day 6 · highest point
Ralam village → Ralam village (via Ralam Glacier)
3,640 m → 3,900 m → 3,640 m
Day 7
Ralam village → Lungrani
3,640 m → 2,300 m
Day 8
Lungrani → Munsiyari (via Paton and Lilam, drive from Lilam)
2,300 m → 2,290 m
Day 9
Munsiyari → Kathgodam
2,290 m → 554 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 (Munsyari)
at 2,290 mLoading forecast…
High point · Ralam Glacier (map point is Ralam village; the glacier lies about 4-5 km up-valley)
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 (Munsyari)
- Nearest railway
- Kathgodam
- Nearest airport
- Naini Saini Airport, Pithoragarh (about 128 km from Munsiyari)
- By road
- Kathgodam (about 280 km, 10-11 hours by taxi or bus); Nainital (about 262-288 km); Almora (about 200 km)
- Drive
- About 10 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
₹12,000–25,000
With an operator
₹25,000–45,000
Per person, ex-Kathgodam. Estimate only: none of the operators we checked publishes a current per-person price (eUttaranchal lists 'price on request'; Himveer Tour & Trek lists Kathgodam-Kathgodam transport at ₹17,750 per vehicle plus 5% GST as an extra). The guided range is reasoned from 9 days of fully supported camping in a remote valley; self-guided assumes shared taxi or bus to Munsiyari, a local guide and porter or mule, food and tent hire. Ask local Munsiyari operators for a quote.
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 3,900 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 in Munsiyari town; expect little or none beyond Lilam (not confirmed by our sources).
- Last ATM
- Munsiyari (carry enough cash for the whole trek)
- Nearest hospital
- Health centre at Munsiyari for first care; district hospital at Pithoragarh for serious cases
- Water
- The route follows the Ralam Gad stream up the valley, so water is usually close to camp; boil or treat all water.
Highlights
- Snout of the Ralam Glacier at about 3,900 m, where the Kalabaland, Sutela and Yangchar glaciers join it
- Ralam village (3,640 m), the last village of the valley, and Paton village on the way in
- A little-visited side valley of the Gori Ganga in the Johar region of Kumaon
- Views of the high peaks around the upper Ralam valley, including Rajrambha (6,537 m)
Risks
- Remote: no lodges or shops beyond the villages and no road or quick evacuation from the upper valley; go with a local guide.
- The Lungrani to Killadum day gains about 1,000 m; watch for altitude sickness at Ralam village and the glacier.
- Ralam village is snowed in during winter and villagers move down to lower villages, so the valley is not trekked in winter.
- Monsoon (July-August) is outside every operator's season; landslides on the Gori Ganga roads to Munsiyari are common in the rains.
- Permits are arranged in Munsiyari; the valley lies near the international border, so check current rules with the SDM office in Munsiyari before starting.
Know before you go
Questions
Where does the Ralam Glacier trek start?
Munsiyari in Pithoragarh district is the base. Operators drive from Munsiyari to Lilam (or Chilamdhar) and start walking there; the first night is at Paton village.
How long and how high is the Ralam Glacier trek?
Operators quote about 80 km round trip and 9 days from Kathgodam back to Kathgodam (7 walking days), with the glacier at about 3,900 m and Ralam village at about 3,640 m.
When is the best time to go?
Operators give April to June and September to November. Winter brings heavy snow to Ralam village and the monsoon months are avoided.
Is the Ralam Glacier trek the same as the Ralam Dhura Pass trek?
No. The glacier trek turns back at the Ralam Glacier. The Ralam Dhura Pass trek continues over Yangchar Dhura and Ralam Dhura (about 5,630 m) to Dantu in the Darma valley; it takes 12-13 days and is a mountaineering-grade crossing.
Do I need a permit?
Operators say permits are obtained in Munsiyari and include them in their packages. We could not confirm the current official fee, so self-guided trekkers should check with the authorities in Munsiyari.
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
- Health centre at Munsiyari for first care; district hospital at Pithoragarh for serious cases
- Last ATM
- Munsiyari (carry enough cash for the whole trek)
- Phone network
- Mobile signal in Munsiyari town; expect little or none beyond Lilam (not confirmed by our sources).
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 Ralam Glacier
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Where this comes from
Sources
Last reviewed:
- Ralam Glacier Trek — Munsiyari Treks & Tours
- Ralam Dhurra Expedition — Himveer Tour & Trek
- Ralam Dhurra Trekking Expedition Tour Package — eUttaranchal
- Milam Glacier — District administration, Kumaon (kumaon.gov.in) (official)
Photos: Reshmaray, CC BY-SA 4.0; Tabish Raza, CC BY-SA 4.0
