Dayara Bugyal is grass land situated in the Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand in India, starting at an altitude of 2600 mtrs and goes upto 3500 mtrs (11482 ft) above sea level. 'Bugyal' literally means a high altitude meadow in the local language of the area. Nature and adventure enthusiasts soon caught wind of this seemingly stunning piece of land and set out to explore.
Among all the treks in Uttrakhand, Dayara Bugyal is considered to be the most beautiful and breathtaking, because of the highland meadows. This trek has a unique charm because of the unmatched beauty of the mighty Himalayas. It has been described as a fairy tale which takes trekkers to panoramic open lands through thick forests, ending to a huge lush green meadow which are snow covered in winters. Daraya is a good destination to experience snow and to master the technicalities of hiking in a snowy terrain.
BRIEF ITINERARY:
- Day 1: Departure to Raithal Village
- Day 2: Explore Raithal
- Day 3: Trek to Gui
- Day 4: Gui to Dayara Top & Back to GUI
- Day 5: Trek Back to Rethal
Detailed Itinerary (5 days)
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1
We are starting the trip in the evening from Delhi/Punjab where we all have to meet at a pre- decided common spot. Wear comfy semi-night wear because the bus seat is your bed this night :) Board the Bus. Enjoy the overnight journey to Raithal Village, Uttarakhand.
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2
Raithal Village falls under the Uttarkashi District of Uttarakhand, untouched by commercial tourism. It is more beautiful because of its remote location and lesser people. We will reach Raithal before sunset and after taking some rest we will get out of our 500 years old home stay and directly head towards Panchpura Bhavan.
Panchpura Bhavan is a true testament to ancient Indian carpentry. This masterpiece is a 500-year-old five storied wooden house which was owned by Rana Ghambhir Singh. This house is made with deodar wood and had withstood five earthquakes. We will meet locals and explore the Garhwali Culture. Here at the end of this tiring day, evening bonfire will be followed by dinner and overnight stay in the 500 years old traditional Garhwali
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3
Start early morning with energized spirit to embark on the actual trek. The trail to Gui is a walk through the jungle. It is filled with silver, gold oak trees. The route to campsite is well marked and the campsite at Gui always remains in line of sight. The trail is ascending gradually.
The camping site is unique in a way that will be surrounded by snow covered trees and mountains. At Gui one can enjoy clear views of Gangotri range and Shrikanth peak. Under the beautiful night sky you can relax and re-energize yourself. Here at the end of this tiring day delicious dinner will be waiting for you underneath the stars and bonfire will be enjoyed along with light music in the moonlit night.
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4
Summit day finally arrived. Today you will go to the highest point and return back to the campsite. With the first few steps under forest, the trail gradually opens up, leading to vast meadows which will be snow covered in the month of December. Hereafter, you will find yourself trudging on Snow.
Walking on such beautiful terrain with stunning views of Bandarpoonch and other peaks, you will fail to notice that you have finally reached closer to the top. The final climb is steep but it is worth the physical strain because you will end up standing in front of the Dodital range. Bandarpoonch seems a touching distance away. Give yourself some time to inculcate the serenity of the landscape and take back your steps to return to the campsite. This day might seem hectic, as we will try to reach campsite Gui before sunset.
As the evening light fades away making its way for a sky full of stars. We will have our dinner while sharing our travel stories and experiences, bonfire to toast you up. Let the fire extinguishers and the sky becomes pitch dark, catch up on your sleep.
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5
Today is the last day of the trekking expedition at Dayara Bugyal. Today the small journey in the mountains comes to an end. Wake up early, gaze at the first rays of the Sun and get all packed up to store the trek memories in permanent storage. Throughout the trail, you can relive the past fond moments by just looking behind.
The trail as you might have guessed is easy descent till Raithal. Around 4 kilometers down from the Raithal village lies incredible structure which actually changes the whole dynamics of the village. There is a 1000-year-old temple in the middle of farms which the villagers refer to as the Shani temple. This Shani temple is a newly constructed one but the structures surrounding this central temple is very old. This site is protected by the Archeological Survey of India (ASI) and the old rusted board only stands testament to this. Do not forget to buy a bottle of fresh and pure Raithal honey from there as this is the best of the best that you can get.
After visiting the temple, Its time to say final good bye to your fellow trekkers, exchange numbers, and lots of memories. Take a wonderful group picture and get into the cab that will ride you back to your designated place from where you have to board your Bus for Sweet Home. This will be a ride, between the mountains, valleys and Bhagirathi river. The river which guided us throughout the trek.
Make sure to take back loads of adventure filled memories and take a pledge to come back to the mountains. Your trip ends here with Happy Memories by Off Road Travellers.
