Over the years, I notice that trekkers have developed a deep love for Dayara Bugyal in winter. 

Ever since we first opened it in winter 2017, trekkers have fallen in love with the wintry charm of this trek — the lovely snow-draped oaks and maples, the soft glow of early morning sun on the white meadows, the icy lakes and ponds, the towering Gangotri ranges that accompany trekkers like sentinels from the first day to the last… 

Today, I thought I'd chat with some of our team members on what they love about the Dayara Bugyal trek in winter. They all put forth some compelling reasons to do this trek in winter. Let me take you through them.

Why we love the Dayara Bugyal trek in winter: 

1. The snow-laden forests on Day 1 and Day 2

“The first thing that comes to my mind are the forests of Dayara Bugyal,” begins Dhaval Jajal, a Senior Trek Leader and Filmmaker at Indiahikes, who spent two winters leading the Dayara Bugyal trek in 2019 and 2020. 

“The forests become extremely beautiful in winter. Especially in peak winter months of January and February, the boughs of the trees are heavily laden with snow. Every time you shake a branch, you’ll feel soft powder snow drizzle over you. It’s an incredibly romantic setting,” says Dhaval. 

Peak winter settings in the forests of Dayara Bugyal. Picture by Dhaval Jajal.

“Even if there is no snow in early winter, the angle at which light falls through, especially in the mornings, is extremely charming. Since you’re headed in an easterly direction from Raithal to Gui, you’re directly in the path of the slanting rays of the sun. It lights up the maple and oak leaves around you with tremendous colours,” adds Izzat Yaganagi, Head of Experiential Learning at Indiahikes, who has been to Dayara Bugyal in winter multiple times.

The initial forest walk from Raithal to Gui in the early morning light. Picture by Sudheer Hegde

But that’s not all. “This is not a continuous forest walk like you see at Deoriatal-Chandrashila or Brahmatal. There are multiple openings throughout the forest, which make for nice breaks in scenery. It’s very similar to the celebrated clearings of the Kedarkantha trek. We even camp in these clearings,” adds Dhaval. 

The Indiahikes campsite at Chilapada. Picture by Akshay Aralikatti

Not many treks allow you to experience walking on a frozen lake. Kedarkantha has Juda Ka Talab on the Sankri route, but it’s too crowded in winter, often losing its charm. The Brahmatal trek has Bekaltal and Brahmatal. Bekaltal is rarely frozen, since it lies at a relatively lower altitude. Brahmatal is perhaps the only lake that you get to see in a frozen form. 

On the Dayara Bugyal trek, though, you have two lakes that are frozen — the Gui tal (which you camp very close to) and the Barnala tal, which you come across while trekking from Barnala to Chilapada. 

“Gui is literally like a skating rink in the middle of nowhere. In peak winter months of Jan and Feb, it’s frozen with a thick, almost unbreakable layer of ice. Even though it isn’t very big, it’s a very thrilling experience to walk on it,” shares Izzat. 

When it isn’t frozen, it's like a piece of sky on earth. It’s a cool blue surrounded by snow.

The half-frozen Gui tal in winter. Picture by Sudheer Hedge

Barnala is extremely picturesque too, especially when it is frozen. Trekkers love to spend time by this lake, just reflecting on their experience. “There’s a Nag Devta temple by the bank of the lake, which adds a certain spiritual charm to it,” shares Izzat.

The frozen Barnala tal in winter. Picture by Deep Thakkar

3. The biggest expanse of snow you have seen 

Once you exit the treeline, you come to the much-awaited alpine meadows of Dayara. “I have been to at least 5 different winter treks. But I have never seen such a vast expanse of snow,” shares Dhaval, who has led trekkers to Brahmatal, Kedarkantha and Deoriatal in winter. 

“When I first stepped in the meadows of Dayara in peak winter, I was wowed by the view. It was miles and miles of undulating snow. It looked like a field of vanilla ice cream! There’s not a single tree or a plant or a rock that obstructs the snow. It’s just velvety snow for as far as your eyes can see,” he adds.

Ant-like trekkers in the vast meadows of Dayara Bugyal in winter. Picture by Dhaval Jajal

You’re not likely to see this much snow on any other winter trek. “This is the kind of snow that brings the child in you alive,” adds Izzat. “Every time I have been there, I have made all my team members just close their eyes and fall backwards in the snow. The kind of weightlessness and glee you feel when you sink into soft snow is amazing,” she smiles. 

“The number of snow slides on this trek while descending is a lot! You don’t get to see or experience that many snow slides on any other winter trek, not even on higher altitude treks like Rupin Pass and Buran Ghati,” she adds. “I admit these are not big slides, but just short fun slides that are such a joy!”

4. An expedition-like summit climb in snow

The climb to Dayara top in winter gives you an almost expedition-like feel. First comes the overwhelming rush of emotions upon seeing the snow-blanketed meadows; then comes the adrenaline surge of climbing to a Himalayan mountain top! 

“From upper Chilapada all the way to the summit is extremely beautiful. I remember, we started our summit climb in the early hours, when it was still dark. We could only see the snow at our feet, under the gleam of our headlamps,” says Lakshmi Selvakumaran, head of the Experience team at Indiahikes, who trekked to Dayara Bugyal in winter 2019.

Trekkers making it to Dayara Top under the light of their headlamps. Picture by Munendra Rana

“At the break of dawn, we started seeing snowflakes glistening like diamonds all around us. As we climbed higher, the vast expanse of snow opened up around us, getting grander and grander every minute. The enormity of the snow covered landscape really hit me when the sun came out fully.

“Added to that, we started seeing the big peaks that Dayara Bugyal is known for. Mt Bandarpoonch was right in front of me, almost at a touching distance. The Gangotri ranges were glowing in the morning light. It felt very surreal to walk in these settings, feeling the warmth of the sun and seeing the alpenglow on the mountains,” shares Lakshmi.

Izzat, here, shares another perspective. “In peak winter, the climb becomes quite a challenge. I remember that we had to use ropes to secure the trail. The technical guides were cutting steps in snow, while we waited to climb with the ropes. It felt like we were climbing Everest, full with a queue at the Hillary Step and everything,” she laughs. 

This is indeed a reality of trekking to Dayara Bugyal in winter. The difficulty becomes a notch higher, and requires you to be fit and agile to deal with high snow.

“Several times, the snow is so deep that you cannot proceed beyond a point. But the good thing with Dayara Bugyal is that even if you just reach the meadows and return, you have a wonderful sense of accomplishment. That doesn’t happen on most other winter treks if you are forced to leave halfway,” he says.

5. The easiest winter trek for beginners 

Despite the winter challenges, we have always maintained that the Dayara Bugyal trek is too rewarding for the least amount of effort put in. That makes it the best trekkers for beginners in winter.

“You hardly cover 5-6 km everyday. The ascents and descents are gentle. The rewards come to you quickly. Yet, you climb to a high point of around 12,000 ft. You experience snow. You see some of the best views reserved for very few people in our country. It spoils trekkers too much, if you ask me,” admits Izzat. 

No other winter trek gives you such views and rewards with such ease.

Dayara Bugyal has always been a favourite at Indiahikes. Be it among beginners, or among the most seasoned team members. Many of us have done the trek multiple times, and still never tire of it. Which is why we even built our own campus at the start of the trek in Raithal. It is our home in the mountains that we always wanted.

True, it has always been a heart-melter in summer. But in a winter setting, you have one of the best snow and mountain experiences in the Himalayas. The snowscapes are unmatched and the trek is truly the biggest expanse of snow in winter. 

So if you’re a beginner looking to trek in January or February, my top recommendation would be Dayara Bugyal.

Dayara Bugyal trek is a delight in winters! Indiahikes experts share 5 insightful reasons why

5 Compelling Reasons To Do the Dayara Bugyal in Winter

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No one tells you this

Lots of trekkers ask us to help them choose trekking gear. 

They ask us “Can you just tell me the brand name and model number? It’ll make it so much easier for me.” 

At many levels, we empathise with them. 

When we look at the number of options in the market today, we're mind-boggled too. 

Within Indiahikes, we have used a few good brands. Yet, we believe even with our exposure we do not have enough knowledge of what is available in our country today . 

So today, we're hoping you can help me with your expertise.  

As a trekker, we're sure you have used trekking gear extensively — trekking shoes, jackets, backpacks, rainwear, trek pants, trekking poles. 

Somehow, trekkers such as you know exactly how a gear performs. You would have experienced bad weather or rough terrain while using them, or perhaps some unusual situations. What you may not realise is that these are the very practical instances that trekkers need to know — how a trek gear functions on a regular trek.

For example, a trekker really wants to know how the NH150 shoes function on a regular Brahmatal trek, especially in winter. 

Which is why this buying guide for trekkers will be particularly useful. It will help them make decisions based on real reviews. 

With collective knowledge from you and a few others, we can come up with a really good buying guide that helps trekkers choose gear wisely. 

All you need to do is share details about the gear you have used and loved.

We have made a simple Google form where you can add this information. 

We’ve looked everywhere, but such comprehensive information on gear doesn’t exist in our country right now. This will be the first, and we hope you can help put it together. 

It will be used by thousands of trekkers for years to come. 

Looking forward to seeing your favourite gear.

Can you help us with your expertise on trekking gear you have used and loved?

What Trekking Gear Have You Used And Loved? - A Survey On Trekking Gear

trekking gear survey buying trek gear equipment

What Trekking Gear Have You Used And Loved? - Can You Share Your Expertise?

Trekking is a minimalist sport, requiring bare minimum resources. And renting aligns quite well with a trekker’s minimalist mindset. 

“I’ve always rented as a trekker. Earlier, in the absence of organised trekking, we used to rent camping essentials. Like tents, cooking gear, kerosene stoves. Sometimes even jackets,” shares Arjun Majumdar, CEO-Founder of Indiahikes. 

Over the years, with the growth of organised trekking in our country, trekkers no longer need to worry about these camping essentials (like tents, stoves, sleeping gears). All they need to worry about is their personal clothes, warmers and accessories. 

“But we notice that trekkers are spending a lot on personal gears. They were spending more than the trek fee and the flight fare put together. Spending such an enormous amount of money on a minimalist sport like trekking is not okay. Especially when you are trekking only once or twice a year,” says Sandhya UC, co-founder of Indiahikes. 

Yet, many trekkers continue to buy trekking gear. Why? 

“There is still a lack of awareness when it comes to renting trekking gear in our country. Trekkers are not yet aware that it’s possible, it’s easy and it’s good quality. Many trekkers also do not realise how much cost they can save by simply renting gear,” says Arjun. 

“Personally for me, I get very anguished when I see how much harm we are causing to the environment by just buying trekking gear  — gears that we rarely use. We are just consuming. Renting saves the environment. Everyone must rent.” concluded Arjun

But why rent? Here are 4 compelling reasons:  

1. You spend 1/10th of the buying cost by renting

There is a stunning difference in cost when you compare buying vs renting trekking gear. It is usually 1/10th the cost of buying!

That’s a huge difference. And it makes more sense too because you don’t use trekking gear regularly.

“Realistically, you are not likely to do more than two treks a year. When such is the case, why will you buy trekking gear worth Rs 20,000 and also have the headache of seeing them depreciate?” Sandhya raises a pertinent question. 

2. Renting significantly reduces the impact on the environment

Another big reason why renting makes sense is because it is sustainable. 

To put things in perspective, take one pair of trekking shoes. If you buy it only you use it. That means all the resources that went into manufacturing that one pair of shoes in the end made a difference only to one trekker. 

Shift this scenario to renting. The same pair of trekking shoes — which would otherwise be lying idle for months at home — are used by a minimum of 10 trekkers. 

When you scale it up the numbers are dramatic: Every month, around 300 trekkers rent trekking shoes from Indiahikes. They do so using just 30 pairs of shoes, instead of 300. 

That means resources used to create 3600 pairs of shoes per year are conserved. The impact of this is huge on the environment. 

3. You don't need to worry about equipment maintenance

There’s a third side to it. When trekking gear is not used for a long time, they crumble and become brittle. 

When it comes to shoes, the sole hardens, the water-proofing thins down, the outer layer starts to powder off.  

Similar is the case with padded jackets. When jackets are left packed for too long the inner-filling starts getting lumpy, they lose their potency. When it comes in contact with even a little moisture (as is the case in our humid country), it starts getting musty. Gloves suffer similar consequences as jackets. 

It’s no different with the backpacks. The first to go are the zips. The buckles, too, lose their strength over time. Then the pads and straps become brittle. The stitches become weak. Even if the backpack looks fine from the outside, it has lost its strength from the inside. On your next trek a hard tug can snap a strap — especially the shoulder straps. 

Headlamps are another notorious equipment. Very few trekkers take out the batteries after a trek. They stay inside the headlamp. When the headlamp is not used for long the batteries start to leak. Most often they damage the headlamp permanently. 

All of these happen within a matter of 5-6 months with average quality gear. Higher quality gear last longer, say 1-2 years, but they too wear off with the passage of time. 

The cost of maintaining your trekking gear, tending to their wear and tear on an yearly basis can go up to 20% of the cost of the gear. But if you are renting. This cost is nil. You don’t have to worry at all about maintenance because you are not holding on to the equipment. 

4. The quality of your gear does not get affected by your budget 

The final point, and this is usually the deal-maker for many, is that renting allows you to access good quality equipment at a low cost. 

When you rent you are not renting low quality equipment. Usually these are the same brands that you would have bought if you were buying equipment. For example, shoes from Decathlon, backpacks from Adventure Worx, trek poles from Crosstrek. These are the best that money can buy. 

Clearly, rental gear is no longer how it used to be earlier. It is not substandard or unhygienic. The gears are branded, clean and well-maintained.

If you are trekking with Indiahikes, you have the option of renting shoes, backpack, jacket, trekking pole, headlamp and rain poncho. Here Nandana Kamasani, Head of Experience Coordination at Indiahikes explains the simple steps to follow of renting trekking gears. 

Even if you are not trekking with Indiahikes, renting is still a convenient option. India has seen a rise in the number of trekking gear rentals that drop and collect the rented gears from your doorstep. One such company is Sharepal. 

Coming to the final thoughts. “Accessible and affordable gear directly impacts how trekking can grow in our country. With renting, trekking no longer remains an expensive sport. Anyone and everyone can trek, whether they’re students who are tight on budgets, or whether they are families who want to trek in large groups. Or even individuals who want to trek more often. It is the way forward for our country,” Arjun says.  

So if you are scheduled to go for a trek and do not have the gears yet, we strongly recommend you rent trekking gear.

Make the right choice!

4 Big Reasons Why Renting is Smarter than Buying

Based on our analysis and expert opinion from locals and IH trek leaders who have led many Kilimanjaro expeditions, Machame route is definitely recommended as the best option with a highest success rate. It’s a budget friendly route as the expenses incurred is less in comparison to all other routes including Lemosho. 

7 Routes lead to the summit of Kilimanjaro

The summit of Kilimanjaro is called the Uhuru peak. And you can take seven different routes to reach here. 

Two routes start from the northern side of the mountain, two start from the western side and the remaining three come from the southern side.  

Each route has its distinct characteristic based on how it helps trekkers acclimatise, the views, success rate and crowd on the trail. Choosing the right route involves jotting down your expectations with respect to all these parameters. 

To get a clearer picture, let’s take a closer look at all the routes:

We believe this is the best route for the Kilimanjaro trek. It is allows ample time for acclimatization and can be covered in six days.

The route starts at the Machame gate and traverses through lush, fertile rain forests. Flora and fauna across this route cannot be missed. The route moves towards the Shira plateau and you will see the tall trees being replaced by short shrubs. The route is approximately 62 km with an elevation gain of 16,000 feet.

Nearing the Stella Point on Machame Route. Photo by Huzeifa Morbiwalla

Trekkers with minimum experience in high-altitude trekking do opt for this route as it definitely has a good acclimatization profile.

This route is the longest route and is from the northern side of the mountain. It requires around 9 – 12 days to reach the summit through this route. The route takes the ascent towards Lemosho on the western side moving up to the Shira plateau and moving in the north direction that joins the Rongai route. This provides a complete 360-degree view of Kilimanjaro for trekkers.

As it’s a long route, it is not frequented by many trekkers. However, trekkers who wish to explore the mountain at length before reaching the summit could opt for this route.

This is a route that is quite popular with the trekkers as it provides ample time for acclimatization and can be covered within 8-10 days. This route starts from the western side of the mountain.

The views are spectacular with lush, fertile rain forests through the initial part of the journey to the summit and has proper campsites throughout the route.

Lemosho route is frequented by trekkers who have experience in trekking and hiking and have decent physical fitness.

From the western side of the mountain, this route is almost identical to Lemosho but it starts at a higher altitude of 3600m straight and then takes the same route upto Shira plateau and moves towards Barafu.

While it takes a similar amount of time to traverse through this route as Lemosho, the high-altitude start is sometimes not considered ideal as it gives less time for trekkers to acclimatize. Therefore, this route is not frequented by trekkers with no/negligible experience of high-altitude trekking.

This route has a flatter terrain than other routes and does not provide an opportunity for trekkers to climb high and sleep low. It is definitely one of the few routes where you can start seeing wildlife from day one.

This route is one of the quietest in terms of busyness and is opted by trekkers who have experience in high altitude trekking.

This is the only route that offers dormitory-style huts to sleep overnight. It is the oldest route but is not considered as the best route as it is less scenic and does not provide much opportunity to acclimatize.

This is the shortest route but definitely the hardest route as the ascent is extremely steep and requires direct climb.This route approaches the summit from the South direction. This route is recommended only for trekkers who are confident to be able to acclimatize quickly. 

The trek to Kilimanjaro attracts trekkers from all over the world. This popularity nudged trekkers to explore various routes to the summit. And today, there's a route for every kind of trekker, provided you are clear what you expect from the trek. Do go through these routes and tell us which one do you think would suit you best?

Seven routes lead to Kilimanjaro and out of all of them, we strongly recommend the Machame route

Which is the Best Route to Climb Kilimanjaro

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