Roopkund Lake
Roopkund is a glacial high-altitude lake in the Indian state of Uttarakhand. It is located in the mountain lap of Trishul. The region around the lake is unused in the Himalayas, at around 16,470 feet above sea level, and is bordered with snow-covered mountains and rock glaciers. Inland region of the Chamoli district Uttarakhand, Roopkund was a mystic lake cocooned. In the lap of the Trishul Massif sits Uttarakhand’s high glacier lake. Roopkund Lake is located at 16,499 feet above sea level at a height of 5,029 metres. Roopkund is one of Uttarakhand’s most popular treks, since it provides beautiful alpine views.The best time to trek Roopkund is from May end to October.
Uttarakhand is a region full of surprises and the Trishul Massif is wonderfully located amidst these surprises, ROOPKUND. The pathway is full of scenic components, ranging from calming, lush wetlands across the Alpine trees to fascinating snow, eventually. Every Trekker’s to-go book should be this trip.” Nestled in the snow and around two metres deep, Roopkund Lake is notorious for the sightings of skeletons along its edge during the ice melt. At the centre of this tour, the Skeleton Lake contains a narrative that beguiles every traveller and therefore lends a mystical element to the route. The lake is surrounded by a cliff, named North Junargali and East Chandania Kot. This is a communal view, a vision a tourist never fails to overpower the heart.
The Trek starts from the base camp and continues to GhairoliPatal and BedniBugyal where you may reach PatarNachauni for about four hours. Finally, you reach Roopkund through Bhagwabasa after a long trek to Kalu Vinayak.
Freeze up your calendars and have a taste of the wilderness!
Roopkund is the gorgeous tourist resort and one of the most significant hiking spots in Himalayan Chamoli, near the base of two Himalayan summits: Trisul (7,120 m) and Nanda Ghunti (7,120 m) (6,310 m). The lake is surrounded by the Junargali rock face to the north and by the Chandania Kot mountain to the east. In the alpine meadow of Bedni Bugyal a religious celebration is organised each fall, with the participation of neighbouring towns. A bigger festival, the Nanda Devi Raj Jat, takes held once on the 12th anniversary of Roopkund. The lake is mostly covered with ice and is the greatest time to walk in the autumn (mid-September to October).
Roopkund Lake is located in the Uttarakhand district of Chamoli in the Garhwal mountains. This lake is very important in history and religion. It was also named the Mystery or Skeleton Lake when it was uncovered by a forest officer in 1942 with a huge quantity of human skeletons. A lot of scientists have visited the lake to figure out why the skeletons are here, and it has been decided that the corpses are of pilgrims unconscious of the hailstorm that has been caught.
The pilgrims perished owing to damage to their heads because of enormous pieces of ice that arrived with the hailstorm. This tale was broadcast by national and international media and has become a famous tourist destination in Roopkund Lake.
The Roopkund Lake Trek shows the greatest scenery in the Himalayas. This hike starts in Lohajung, 3200 metres high and lasts around five days until you reach the 5000-meter altitude lake. You’ll pass through the gorgeous towns, woods, rivers and buggies for the first several days.
When you rise and reach altitude, the air will get thinner and thinner. So when you’re on this trip, it is really crucial that you’re in good health and fitness. Higher energy levels enable you to better adapt and take use of the region’s vistas. Your team leader will also provide you guidance on how to manage with shifting atmospheric levels.
During the roopkund, the trekkking track overlaps with the pilgrimage path of Raj Jay Yatra. The event was organised by Nanda Devi, the goddess and the inhabitants of the adjacent hamlet, dressed in a traditional costume.
Best Time to Visit
Best Season: August – October
Difficulty Level: Difficult
Max. Elevation: 5020 m
May Last Week-June and September-October. Would you want to walk on the snow in early May. Indeed, in May occasionally owing to more snow, you may not be able to reach Roopkund. Avoid rainy season of July and August. Again September and October is a wonderful season to travel here. In general, after October, treking alone due to the harsh cold is not suggested. Expect considerable snow in the region after November.
Hot to Reach:
To reach Roopkund, it takes 3 hours and half to trek upwards from Bhagwabasa. When you reach Roopkund, you may enjoy a wonderful view of the glacier lake and ascend to Junargali if the weather is nice. You’ll reach Junargali in only 30 minutes.
Location: It is a fully isolated area with no permanent human settlements in the surrounding at an altitude of 4750 metres or 15800 ft approx. location in a remote part of Uttarakhand district of Chamoli (some reports says 5029 meters, 16500 feet approx). It is surrounded by snow glaciers near the foundation of two Trishul and Nanda Gunti Himalayan peaks. It is usually inaccessible six months a year due to its high altitude and persistent snow, despite its growing appeal.
Roopkund is not entirely connected to a motorway. It takes a walk around 23 kilometres beyond Wan Village, the final moving point, to reach Roopkund Lake. So two sections of this trip to Roopkund are basically: Motorable part and trekking section
BY CAR
Being in a distant place, it takes a lot of work to come here save for a rental car or a private automobile. After at least 24 hours’ trip from Delhi, the Wan Village requires a mixture of trains, coaches and common jeeps. Wisely, it is around 530 kilometres from Delhi through Haldwani, Almora and around 505 km through Rishikesh, Karnaprayag, from Delhi.
These two different routes have their own advantages and disadvantages:
(i) Via Haridwar: Delhi-Haridwar-Rishikesh-Sri Nagar-Karnaprayag-Tharali-Dewal-Lohajung-Wan Village (Total, 505 kms, not less than 20 hours in continuous journey)
(ii) Via Haldwani: Delhi-Haldwani-Kathgodam-Almora-Gwaldam-Tharali-Dewal-Lohajung-Wan Village (Total, 529 kms, not less than 20 hours in continuous journey)
