Saptarishi Kund Trek
Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand
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4,421 mhighest point- Max altitude
- 4,421 m
- Days
- 5 days
- Distance
- 24 km
- Difficulty
- Difficult
Above Damini Bugyal there is no marked path: operators describe steep continuous climbs, slippery moraine and a glacier crossing to a lake at about 4,421 m, done as a long 7-8 hour round trip from Yamunotri. A local guide is essential.
The route
Day by day
Day 1
Dehradun → Janki Chatti
640 m → 2,650 m
Day 2
Janki Chatti → Yamunotri Dham
2,650 m → 3,293 m
Day 3 · highest point
Yamunotri Dham → Yamunotri Dham (via Saptarishi Kund)
3,293 m → 4,421 m → 3,293 m
Day 4
Yamunotri Dham → Janki Chatti
3,293 m → 2,650 m
Day 5
Janki Chatti → Dehradun
2,650 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 · Janki Chatti
at 2,650 mLoading forecast…
High point · Saptarishi Kund (approximate position above Yamunotri Dham; no surveyed point published)
at 4,421 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
- Janki Chatti (nearest town: Barkot)
- Nearest railway
- Dehradun (also Haridwar and Rishikesh)
- Nearest airport
- Jolly Grant Airport, Dehradun
- By road
- Dehradun (about 180 km via Mussoorie, Damta and Barkot); Barkot (about 45 km, 1.5 hours)
- 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
₹8,000–15,000
With an operator
₹18,000–26,000
Per person, ex-Dehradun. Only one guided price could be confirmed on a live page in October 2026: escape2explore ₹17,999 (listed down from ₹25,712) for 6 days with Dehradun transport, meals, stays and permits. Himalaya Shelter and eUttaranchal publish the trek but show no price ("price on request"), so the upper end is the escape2explore list price. Self-guided is an estimate: bus or shared jeep Dehradun-Janki Chatti and back, three nights in lodges at Janki Chatti and Yamunotri, and a local guide for the kund day, which is essential because the upper route is unmarked.
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 4,421 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
- Patchy: BSNL and Jio work in Barkot; at Janki Chatti only BSNL is reliable; little or no signal above Yamunotri Dham.
- Last ATM
- Barkot (no ATM at Janki Chatti)
- Nearest hospital
- Basic first aid at Janki Chatti and Yamunotri during the yatra season; Uttarkashi, or Dehradun for serious cases.
- Water
- Water points and tea stalls on the Janki Chatti-Yamunotri path in the yatra season; above Yamunotri only glacial streams. Carry 2 litres and treat all water.
Highlights
- Darshan at Shri Yamunotri Dham, one of the Char Dham, before the climb
- Saptarishi Kund, a glacial lake at about 4,421 m fed by the Champasar Glacier on Kalind Parvat, the source of Maa Yamuna
- Damini Bugyal meadow above the deodar and chir forest, with Brahma Kamal in season
- A rarely trekked route with very few groups, far quieter than the yatra path below
Risks
- Above Damini Bugyal there is no defined path; operators say a local guide is essential to avoid getting lost on scree, moraine and ice.
- The moraine and glacier crossing are slippery after rain; operators advise against July-August, when heavy monsoon rain and landslides make the trail dangerous.
- The lake sits at about 4,421 m reached in a single long day from 3,293 m, so altitude sickness is a real risk; turn back if symptoms appear.
- Late October can be very cold and windy near the lake.
- Char Dham Yatra registration is required for Yamunotri Dham; carry it with photo ID. Any separate forest permission for the upper route could not be confirmed, so check locally.
Know before you go
Questions
Where is Saptarishi Kund and why is it sacred?
Saptarishi Kund is a glacial lake about 7 km above Shri Yamunotri Dham on the Kalind Parvat, fed by the Champasar Glacier. It is the source of Maa Yamuna, and it is named for the Saptarishi, the seven great rishis, whose tapasya at this spot is told in the sacred account of the place. The temple committee records the Champasar Glacier source at 4,421 m, too hard for most pilgrims to reach, which is why the shrine stands lower at Yamunotri.
How long and how difficult is the Saptarishi Kund trek?
Plan 4-6 days from Dehradun. The walk is about 6 km each way between Janki Chatti and Yamunotri, plus a 10-12 km round trip from Yamunotri to the kund. Operators' headline distances vary from 13.5 km to 19 km, often counting only part of the route. All rate it difficult: steep climbs, moraine and a glacier crossing, with no marked path above Damini Bugyal.
What is the best time for the Saptarishi Kund trek?
May-June and September-October. Some operators also suggest April, but Yamunotri Dham only opens on Akshaya Tritiya. Avoid July-August (monsoon rain and landslides), and expect cold, windy days in late October. The Yamunotri route shuts with the temple in winter.
Do I need a guide for Saptarishi Kund?
Yes. Operators say the route beyond Yamunotri is undefined in places and covered in ice and moraine, so trekkers should go only with an experienced local guide.
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
- Basic first aid at Janki Chatti and Yamunotri during the yatra season; Uttarkashi, or Dehradun for serious cases.
- Last ATM
- Barkot (no ATM at Janki Chatti)
- Phone network
- Patchy: BSNL and Jio work in Barkot; at Janki Chatti only BSNL is reliable; little or no signal above Yamunotri Dham.
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 Saptarishi Kund
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Where this comes from
Sources
Last reviewed:
- Yamunotri — Shri Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee (official)
- Saptrishi Kund Trekking Tour Package — eUttaranchal
- Saptarishi Kund Trek - An Offbeat Trek in Garhwal Himalayas — Himalaya Shelter
- Saptarishi Kund Trek with Yamunotri Temple — escape2explore (Himalayan Daredevils)
Photos: Anurag.vq, CC BY-SA 4.0
