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Gidara Bugyal

A trek to the grandest meadows in our bouquet

We have closed Gidara Bugyal.Check out Surya Top

We are finding the campsites on the trek non-conducive, even with a single rainfall. We have explored an excellent alternative for Gidara.Check out Surya Top

TREK DIFFICULTY

Moderate-Difficult

TREK DURATION

8 days

HIGHEST ALTITUDE

13,900 ft

A trek to the grandest meadows in our bouquet

There is simply no comparison between Gidara Bugyal and any other meadow. Gidara Bugyal is the crown jewel of our bouquet of meadow treks. 

Hidden inside the folds of the mountains, the grassland spreads across the valley floor. It takes almost half a day to cross the length of it, so vast are the meadows.  

It is the beauty of the meadows that takes everyone by surprise. The meadows flow far and wide across the valley and rise above the valley walls. The only breaks in the expanse of meadows are the clear, running streams. 

Miles of grassy rolling hills surround the meadows, enveloping them like an amphitheatre. Even our local staff, who have seen their fair share of meadows, are in awe of the beauty of Gidara. According to them, “agar Gidara nahi dekha, toh kuch nahi dekha.” If you haven't seen Gidara, you haven't seen much of anything. 

The jaw-dropping beauty, seclusion, and exclusivity of the Gidara meadows make it a must-do for the discerning trekker.

There is simply no comparison between Gidara Bugyal and any other meadow. Gidara Bugyal is the crown jewel of our bouquet of meadow treks. 

Hidden inside the folds of the mountains, the grassland spreads across the valley floor. It takes almost half a day to cross the length of it, so vast are the meadows.  

Gidara Bugyal - Complete Trek Information

We have always wanted trekkers to be well-informed before they go on a Himalayan trek. Knowledge is the difference between a safe trek and a dangerous one. It’s also the difference between a wholesome experience and a superficial experience.

Use this section to learn about the Gidara Bugyal trek. It has in-depth information about each day of the trek, what to expect, and how you need to prepare for it. Many years of expertise have gone into this content. Trekkers find that extremely useful.

Gidara Bugyal Videos

Watch these videos to prepare for your Gidara Bugyal trek.

Photo Gallery

One of the biggest highlights of the Gidara Bugyal trek is the ridge walk from one end of the meadow to the other. It stretches for almost 3-4 hours, and makes for one of the most pleasurable ridge walks in the country! Photo by Nitesh Kumar

The ridge walk at Gidara Bugyal becomes magical with autumn colours by the end of September. While most trekkers love the summer experience with lush meadows and flower beds, the autumn colours are an experience on their own. Photo by Kush Gala.

It's very easy to mistake the Dokrani meadows for the Gidara Bugyal. With vast grasslands and stunning summit views, it's a high point on its own. But it's only halfway up to Gidara Bugyal. Photo by Nitesh Kumar

Expert Speak

Nitesh Kumar, Senior Trek Leader

Nitesh Kumar, Senior Trek Leader

Nitesh is one of the Senior-most Trek Leaders at Indiahikes. He has done over 27 treks in the Himalayas, and over 70 treks all over India. He is the mastermind behind the design of the Gidara Bugyal itinerary. He introduced the fantastic ridge walk above Gidara Bugyal, which trekkers have now come to love. Read what he has to say about the Gidara Bugyal trek here.

What I Like About the Gidara Bugyal Trek

What I Like About the Gidara Bugyal Trek

Nitesh Kumar, Senior Trek Leader

Nitesh is one of the Senior-most Trek Leaders at Indiahikes. He has done over 27 treks in the Himalayas, and over 70 treks all over India. He is the mastermind behind the design of the Gidara Bugyal itinerary. He introduced the fantastic ridge walk above Gidara Bugyal, which trekkers have now come to love. Read what he has to say about the Gidara Bugyal trek here.

1. The Ridge Walk to Gidara Top

The ridge walk to the Gidara Top is easily one of the best highlights of this trek. If you are lucky and there are no clouds, the view from here is a spellbinding panorama. Right in front of you are the Gangotri ranges – Gangotri I, II, Jaonli, Draupadi Ka Danda. Srikanth stands prominently among them. On your left, you see the indomitable Bandarpoonch etched in the sky. The entire Gidara meadows, right to the very end, can be seen from this ridge!

The ridge walk at Gidara is one of the biggest highlights of the trek. Picture by Nitesh Kumar

2. The forests and their clearings

We can't just focus on the Gidara Bugyal Trek's meadows without highlighting the trek's superb forests. One of the most beautiful and pristine forests you'll see on treks is between Bhangeli and Thiriya. While the forest stays with you for almost two days, there isn't a section that you can take your eyes away from. 

Beautifully dense vegetation, expansive clearings, breathtaking views of the Gangotri range, and a few water bodies here and there will keep you glued to the trail. A light mist drifts between the trees. Monals fly out of the boughs now and then. We have never seen as many monals on our other treks as on the Gidara Bugyal Trek. 

The lovely forest section on the very first day of your trek - fbetween Bhangeli and Munda ka Thattar. Picture by Nitesh Kumar

3. The campsites of Gidara - Dokrani and Thalotya

Gidara Bugyal is a trek blessed with unusual but striking campsites. Thalotya is a vision. It is set in a narrow valley, with a stream gently flowing through. The entire slope of Thalotya is lush, filled with lavender-pink rhododendrons! Then there is Dokrani, a clearing sitting on the slope of a mountain with a view of the Gangotri massif right opposite. The sunset from the Dokrani campsite is magical. The light plays with the Gangotri massif and the valley the camp overlooks.

Our remote campsite in the grasslands of Gidara. Picture by Nitesh Kumar

4. The feeling of seclusion and exclusivity on the trek

Gidara is unusually high for a meadow trek. The entire meadow lies above 12,000 ft and ends just shy of 14,000 ft. It is the highest among our alpine meadows. This rare high-altitude meadow lies deep inside the mountains behind many of its folds. You cross forests, rivers, smaller meadows, and snow bridges to reach this grand meadow. It is why Gidara Bugyal is not a well-trodden trail. The feeling of seclusion and exclusivity, otherwise hard to find in today's well-trekked world, is an excellent reason to do the Gidara Bugyal trek.

Gidara is undoubtedly one of the most secluded meadows of our country. Picture by Nitesh Kumar

Trek Trivia

Things Nobody Tells You About Gidara Bugyal

Did You Know Gidara Bugyal is Connected to Dayara Bugyal?

Gidara Bugyal is not very faraway from Dayara Bugyal. It might just be around 20 km away as the crow flies.

Our team recently explored a route from Barsu, one of the base camps of the Dayara Bugyal trek, all the way to Gidara Bugyal and Bhangeli.

It was a successful exploration, and makes for a terrific trek on its own!

Siyari Bugyal is another meadow hidden near Gidara Bugyal

While trekking the route from Dayara Bugyal to Gidara Bugyal, you come across another splendid meadow called Siyari Bugyal.

Trekking to Siyari is a delight on its own and can be done as a short trek from Raithal or Barsu.

It's a route you can trek on your own and must do as a circuit from Dayara Bugyal. Watch a video of our founder speaking to you from Siyari Bugyal.

A lesser-known hot spring - Gangnani

Very few people know or visit the Gangnani Hot Spring, which is just a stone's throw away from Bhangeli.

These are large pools of refreshingly hot water, that bubble out of the core of the mountains. If you've just ended your trek and have time to visit the hot springs, it's a must-do in the region!

(They have separate baths for men and women, but the maintenance of the place is not the best.)

Leaving Mountains Better

Green Trails is our promise to leave the mountains better. We have removed over 1 lakh kilos of the waste left behind by others on trekking trails. Yet this is a small percentage of what we do. Green Trails dives into reducing the use of resources, reducing our carbon footprint and bringing about a change in the daily practices of our trekkers too.

By signing up to trek with Indiahikes, you also sign up to do your part to ensure that the mountains are left in better condition.

5 Reasons Why Indiahikes

We are India’s safest trekking organisation

When we brought out new trails in Indian trekking, safety came with us. Back in 2012, we were the first to introduce microspikes, and two years later, pulse oximeters became standard thanks to us. Nobody does safe treks like Indiahikes. In the mountains, emergencies don't care who you're with – everyone knows that when trouble hits, you look for the yellow tents of Indiahikes.

We are pioneers of treks in India

We are pioneers in trekking. Since 2007, we have brought out treks that have become India's most famous treks: Roopkund, Rupin Pass, Buran Ghati, Kedarkantha, Kashmir Great Lakes, Tarsar Marsar, Brahmatal, Phulara Ridge—the list goes on. In 2023 alone, we brought out five new treks in Indian trekking. We know treks better than anyone. This comes directly from the reason why Indiahikes was born: to bring out trek information and enable trekkers to trek on their own.

We are India’s largest trekking organisation

More than 25,000 people trek with us every year. We are the largest trekking organisation in India. 24% of our trekkers come back to trek with us every year. Over 4,000 students from the top educational institutions trek with us every year. Aside from this, families with children choose to trek with Indiahikes knowing that our treks are the safest. We have taken over 8000 children trekking so far, and the number continues to grow.

Our treks are transformative

We focus on designing transformative experiences. Our trek leaders conduct thought-provoking exercises that help you reflect and contemplate. This impact stays with you for a long time. Trekkers return feeling energised, more confident, or developing abilities to deal with difficulties. Many have changed careers, rethought their core values, become more humble, shown gratitude to others, or started a new fitness journey.

We are India's most sustainable trekking organisation

Since 2012, we have pioneered sustainable practices that have become standard in trekking. Using eco-bags, our trekkers have cleared over 120 tonnes of litter from the mountains. We do not carry packaged foods; instead, we serve freshly made food. We do not light campfires; we carry coal to light angethis to keep you warm. Our bio-toilets not only keep our toilets odour-free but also enrich the soil. When you trek with us, you leave mountains better.

Indiahikes Features

You’re guarded with our trek again philosophy

If you are unable to complete a trek, or if you love a trek, you can repeat it with us anytime. You don’t have to pay us for it. See our thoughts behind this here.

Get expert guidance even before you start the trek

Get personalised support from our expert Experience Coordinators. From registration to departure, they'll prepare you every step of the way.

Join any group, they are all women-friendly groups 

With around 30% of our trekkers being women, all women, including those travelling solo are comfortable to join any of our groups.

Meet like-minded trekkers

Indiahikes carries with it a strong spirit of trekking, one that comes with fitness, minimalism, mindfulness and a deep love for nature.

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