The twin meadows of Ali and Bedni lie on the famed Roopkund trek route. The Bedni Bugyal trek has everything going for it. Deep virgin forests, gurgling brooks, breath-taking campsites, miles of undulating meadows and Mt Trishul and Mt Nanda Ghunti towering over them.

Your trek starts at Lohajung (8,300 ft), a tiny pass, in the heart of the greater Himalayan range, 85 kms from Karanprayag. From Lohajung, a well marked descending trail through mixed forests brings you to an iron bridge across the Neel Ganga river.

The trail starts to climb right after you cross the river. It is a switch back climb to Didina - a quaint tiny village and your destination for the day. At Didina, behind you through the oak forest, high above is your destination for tomorrow -- the twin meadows of Ali and Bedni Bugyal.

The steep switchback climb through the dense oak forest is seductive. Sun beams light up the moss laden bark of the tress. A brown carpet of leaves marks the trail. The air is cool enough to make your sweat cold. Around you are dense foliage of green, and as you climb the sweet smell of moist earth lingers around.

The forest starts to thin 2 hrs into the climb (2½ hrs if you are slow). Abruptly, the oak falls behind you and stretched in front of you is a largest, greenest rolling carpet ever laid out. You've arrived at Ali Bugyal.

All tiredness forgotten, soak in the mesmerising sight of the undulating meadows of Ali Bugyal. You are on the top of a ridge that spreads in every direction -- acres and acres of green meadow scooped out of the mountainside.

The worst of the climb is behind you.

Leisurely walk your way to Bedni Bugyal, 5 kms away and a mildly descending trail initially. If you are tempted to take off your shoes and allow the feel of the carpet on your toes, just go ahead and do it!
 

Kedarkantha:

 A quiet, quick trek in the Eastern most fringes of Uttarakhand, three things stand out about the Kedarkantha summit trek. The first is the pristine, almost virgin forest that a trekker walks through on the first two days of the trek -- the magnificent forest of Pines, Cyprus, Fir, intermingled with Maples, Rhododendrons and Oak is a bio diversity rarely seen.
 
Just when a trekker has settled down to walking in the shades of 80 feet tall trees, the second thing about the trek stands out: the trail breaks out to an open meadow that pales everything into comparison. All around, in every visible direction, are the great Himalayan snow capped peaks. The splendor of the view is so breathtaking that camping on the top is not an option but a foregone conclusion. In the night when millions of stars light up the snow peaks heaven indeed comes to earth.
 

 

The third fascinating thing about the Kedarkantha trek is not in the trek but in the drive to the base of the trek. The journey through lush green landscape and pine forests from Nowgaon to Sankri is perhaps the best Himalayas can offer. It is a journey that will remain etched forever in your mind.

Dayara Bugyal:

Dayara Bugyal is perhaps one of the most beautiful alpine meadows in India. The meadows stretch out far and wide and all around the meadows are the many towering snow peaks. The trek showcases some of the best scenery the Himalayas have to offer. The Bugyals and the sky around with their every changing hue can show you new scenery at every season of the year.

The trek starts from the tiny village of Barsu tucked away on the Haridwar – Gangothri road 32 kms away the town of UttarKashi. The trail heads out of Barsu to enter a mixed forest of Oak, Pine and Maple. A 4 hour climb brings you to a clearing in the forest to a flat with Shepherd huts. Turn around and you will be suprised to see the panaroma of peaks in the sky behind. Half an hour more, brings you to Barnala - the first meadow with a pond and your camp for day one.



From Barnala, the trek climbs steeply through the dense Oaks. 3 -4 hours and the forest ends opening up to the Dayara meadows. The meadows stretch ahead and on either sides. Climb a little higher to see the sky behind you having a more than a semi cirlce of mountains. The meadows are so huge you can spend a whole day exploring and getting to the highest point. Thats the agenda for the rest of the day before you head back to Barsu on day 3.