"Mountains are like an addiction, the one who has tasted its ‘high’ cannot stay away for long"
As the temperature soars to record high in most parts of India, let us take you to an escape to the Himalayas. In our 3 days tight-packed itinerary you will read about our overnight stay at Uttarkashi, the trek to the Bugyal, and the kind shepherds who shared their bed and bread with us after the thundering showers spoiled our plans to pitch the tent.
Date: June 2017
Means: Royal Enfield 500cc
Destination: Dayara Bugyal (Uttarakhand)
Distance: About 175km
Route: Dehradun-Mussoorie-Uttarkashi-Barsu
Road condition: Smooth, scenic and motorcycle friendly
Itinerary: Day 1 – Halt at Uttarkashi, Day 2 – Trek and halt at Dayara Bugyal, Day 3 - Return
Day 1
Uttarkashi
It takes about five hours to reach Uttarkashi from Dehradun. The route is simply amazing. The toll which excessive tourism and construction activity have taken on Mussoorie road is thankfully missing on Dhanaulti road. This side is serene, relatively untouched and lesser traffic. Very much like a place where one would like to sip her evening tea, watching the horizon over the deodars.
Located on the bank of river Bhagirathi , Uttarkashi is a small but crowded town like any other holy places of India. The town is also called Shivanagari and has a temple, Kashi Vishwanath temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva. Being home to Yamunotri and Gangotri, the origin of rivers Yamuna and Ganga, respectively, Uttarkashi has immense religious importance. A favorite destination for nature lovers because of various adventure activities it offers and also a home to the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering (NIM), where we were going to spend the first night.
NIM, a premier mountaineering institutes of India, is situated at some height from where one gets a bird-eye view of the town. The guest house with its teak wood furnishing and lush lawns is a perfect place to spend the night in luxury. Depending upon the availability one can get the guest-house booking done here, a special preference is given to defense personnel.
Day 2:
Dayara Bugyal
Early morning we left for Barsu (about 38km from Uttarkashi). After crossing the hustle bustle of Uttarkashi, the charm of Bhagirathi was magnificent. The river was raging like a wild woman, dancing and gurgling in its natural contours.
There was almost no traffic on the route even in the peak season. For Barsu there is a diversion from Bhatwari.
One can start the treks to Dayara and Gidara Bugyals either from Barsu or Raithal. While from Raithal, the climb is gentle, from Barsu it is a bit steep. We chose the sleepy hamlet Barsu as the base camp. It is well connected by road. There are a couple of motels and a GMVN guest house. The idea of home-stays is slowly catching up here but not much commercial activity is seen presently.
After leaving our motorbike and gears with the GMVN caretaker, we began our trek around Noon.
The Trek
Barsu – Barnala Bugyal (4km, altitude 8,530ft ) – Dayara Bugyal (5km, altitude 10,000-12,000ft) - Bakaria top (3km)
Temperature: -4 C(min) to 25 C (max)
Difficulty level – Easy to Moderate
The paved trail takes one to the first camping site –Barnala, which offers the first view of the lush green prairies. Many travelers opt to camp at this site, near a water source, and next day head for Dayara Bugyal, while some prefer to reach the latter on the same day itself.
Taking a cue from our previous adventures, Malang, my husband, had calculated to reach the first campsite in about two hours. But even after three hours, the campsite was a distant dream.
Walk fast, pull up, pull up’ ‘No water till you reach that tree’
At one point I was almost sure that I am going to die of exhaustion. The 15 kg on my back and the poor fitness from last 3-4 months were acting cervical. True to his military drill, Malang first boosted me, then pressurized and when nothing worked then barked orders. So all the time wondering why I married this tyrant, I somehow managed to reach the first campsite. A lesson learned for future -- husbands are neither good driving assistant nor adventure partners ;)
Barring few seasonal shepherds’ huts there is nothing at the campsites, not even a shop or a rain shelter. Heavy clouds were ruling out the option of cooking any meal in open. At last a kind shepherd woman, who was picking tender twigs for her cattle, took pity and offered to cook for us. Her husband also joined them to help with the cooking.
By this time it had started to drizzle outside and the kind couple offered us to spend the night in the hut itself but we had a tight-itinerary. After paying our hosts, which the simpletons agreed to reluctantly, we started off. It was hardly fifty meters of the trek when the heavy downpour started. As there was no rain cover or a tree cover within a reach, we decided to resume the trek. Water had seeped into the raincoat and even clogged the branded trekking shoes. But this time, we had come prepared wisely, unlike our past experience in the Valley of Flowers when the drizzle had seeped into the branded rain-covers. Thus, we had double wrapped the extra clothing in the normal polythene bags, which proved successful.
After three tiresome hours, when we slipped on the slushy trail n-number of times, we reached Dayara, smeared in a mixture of dirt, sweat and rain. But cleaning was the last thing on our mind. All we wanted was a steaming hot cup of Chai, as numbness had began to reach inside our wet clothes. (Another myth broken here: Trekking might be a couple activity but not all a shade of romance. With all the dirt and sweat stink, kissing or cuddling is the last thing on anyone's mind ;) )
This time again a shepherd boy came to our rescue, who guided us to the one and only tea-shop there.
There was a small cluster of shepherds’ huts just at the foot of the Bugyal. And in one of these huts, Shivaya along with his nine-year-old younger brother runs a small shop with arrangements for Maggie, tea, and rice-dal. The boys informed us about the forecast of heavy rains and offered their customers to spend the night with them instead of pitching a tent. This was logical too because in such wet condition one will be confined to the tent and it will be difficult to cook as well.
And the opportunity to spend a night with shepherds was a different experience all-together, which we travelers took readily. (For video, check the bottom of the post)
The hut was a rough structure, crudely built by putting one stone over another and a tarpaulin sheet for the roof. The hut, varying in height from five to seven feet, was divided into two sections, the outer one where dry wood was stocked and a steel trunk for storing important items was kept. The inner section was the kitchen cum sleeping area and considered sacred. It was plastered with the paste of cow dung and earth. There was a mud stove in one corner. Shoes were not allowed in this section.
Still shivering in their rain-drenched clothes, we quickly changed into the dry set of clothes in one corner of the hut in whatever privacy it could offer. The boys were playing perfect hosts, treating us more like one of the families than a customer. The younger one quickly spread a sleeping bag next to the stove, taking extra care to add more layers to it so that the guests are comfortable.
‘You can sleep here,’ the boy said sheepishly
‘But what about you,’ I asked him looking around the kitchen space
‘Oh we will squeeze in the other corner, as such in such cold we won’t be taking so much of space,’ the elder one giggled.
The hut lacked any ventilation and thus the constant burning of wood was producing smoke which was hanging like a heavy blanket.
At dinnertime, the boys were joined by their grandmother who began the preparations for the meal after touching the mud stove in reverence. And while chatting candidly with her guests, the old woman, politely refusing any offers of help from them, prepared expertly the local delicacies of Bhatt ki Dal, rice, and buttermilk.
The Shepherds’ way of life
Geeta Devi, along with her two sons, two daughters-in-law, three grandchildren and eight cattle – two cows, four goats, two buffaloes – lives in village Netala. For four month in a year, when the snow at bugyals melts and soft grass sprouts, the old woman along with her two sons moves up to the Bugyal along with the cattle stock. The huts are then repaired, wood stocked in one corner, roof covered with tarpaulin sheet and twigs. The cattle graze in the meadows, feasting over the soft grass and yielding rich milk for the household. The daughters-in-law meanwhile look after the house and schooling of the children.
Day 3
Return
The morning sun warmly welcomed our travelers. And after a quick cup of milky tea, they headed for a walk in the lush green Bugyal with Shivay as an eager guide.
And as if this was not enough, there is one snow peak after another, surrounding the Bugyal like some majestic land. No doubt, Dayara Bugyal is considered one of the most breathtaking treks.
Bakaria top, further 3km up (at 12,000ft), is the highest point of this Bughyal. In winters these meadows, spread over 28 sq km, attract skiing enthusiasts. Dayara is also famous for annual Butter Festival (Anduri Festival) organized by Angha Mountain organization and Hotel Association of Uttarkashi in the month of August.
For those who do not believe in magic, they should have been in the moment with us. Like, two kids, we were quite spellbound by this fairyland. And while Shivay plucked some wild-grass for food, singing tunelessly a popular Bollywood number, we sat down on the grass and watched the animals grazing the meadows without any worries of the modern times.
Other nearby attractions and activities
Because of time constraint, we were forced to cut-short our treks. Otherwise, one can trek further up to Bakaria top (3km) from Dayara, and from there trek down to Pichkiya (8km), finally reaching Barsu (5km). Ideally, 4-5 days are required to cover this 29km of the trek.
If one is having enough time, then there are lots of things to do in Uttarkashi itself. One can visit Dodital Lake, Nachiketa Lake, and many small treks.
In winter season the Bugyal is covered with snow and becomes an excellent destination for snow-treks and skiing.
Video links of this journey:
Motorcycle ride from Dehradun to Uttarkashi:
Stay with Shepherds: