Highlights of Ali Bedni Bugyal

Ali Bedni Bugyal is one of those rare treks which gives you so much in exchange for so little. This breezy year-round trek is a cauldron of mesmerizing beauty in the form of its massive expanses, exquisite vantage points giving you an unobstructed view of the horizon on all sides and the many-coloured robes it dons all throughout the year. 

If you are new to trekking, this trek is a perfect introduction to the awe-inspiring splendor of the mighty Himalayas. Although beauty is best when experienced first-hand, and this trek embodies the word to its last letter, we have tried to present it to you as best we can in our words below.  

Highlight 1: The Drive to Lohajung

Lohajung is located in the Chamoli district of the Garhwal Himalayas  and serves as a base village for some of the most popular treks like Roopkund, Brahmatal and of course, Ali Bedni Bugyal. Stationed at the height of 2300 M, this small village has beautiful scenic views and is rich in mountain culture.

The village embodies the small joys of mountain living as you sit on the balcony of your guest house which faces a mountain filled with perfect geometric shapes and shades of green from the fields. You take a sip from your kullhad and the white cloud of smoke from the piping hot tea floats upwards to slowly fuse into the many-shaped clouds in the wide expanse of the sky above – time seems to slow down in this part of the world. While the village itself is a hub of cultural as well as self-indulgence, the drive up to Lohajung from Dehradun is quite a delight as well.

The journey takes you through the Kumaon region into the Himalayan belt of Garhwal. The roads here are smooth with the backdrop of Shivalik ranges painting the horizon and the river keeping you constant company. 

The most exciting bit is that you pass through three of the five iconic confluences of the Alaknanda river (Devprayag, Rudraprayag and Karnaprayag) on the way to Lohajung.

A beautiful showcase of tradition, Devprayag, is the first confluence to appear. It is the converging point of the Bhagirathi and Alaknanda rivers. You can clearly see the turquoise of one merging with the teal of the other in the valley below.

Forty kilometers from this point, you reach the historic town of Srinagar on the banks of Alaknanda; Rudraprayag lies further ahead from here.  It is the confluence of rivers Mandakini and Alaknanda.

About 33 km from Rudraprayag is the third confluence of Karnapraya, the meeting point of the Alaknanda and the Pindari River. Each confluence is unique in its setting and is a sight to behold!

Highlight 2: A Generous Serving of Grand Mountains

Ali Bedni Bugyal offers up a generous serving of the best of Garhwal Himalayas on a silver platter. Mt. Nanda Ghunti and Mt. Trishul wear a stern expression as they stand solid next to each other following you along all throughout the trek. They are quintessential of the (air brackets) (hashtag)constant on this trek – they won’t leave your side (or sight) no matter what! Although they are around the entire time, you get the best views of these beautiful mountains from the very climax of this trek - the Bedni Top at 3,803M. This is when they break down their high walls of smaller mountains which they were hitherto hiding behind and present themselves to you wholly. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself unable to move – these mountains have a way of doing that to you.

While these two are the trek’s star features, there are other mountains of impressive stature from the Chaukhamba range that also appear in this mega blockbuster of a trek.

Highlight 3: Fans of Shiva in the Room?

The entire route of this trek, according to myth and mythology, is part of the route frequented by Shiva and his family to go between Parvati’s home in Kumaon Valley to Shiva and Parvati’s family home in Mansarovar. 

For this story, the region also holds the festival of Nanda Devi Raat Jaag Yatra which happens once every 12 years. Entire villages in the vicinity and from other regions participate in this pilgrimage where they cover this distance barefoot in the celebration and honour of the God of destruction. It is a massive festival attended by lakhs of people from Uttarakhand and lands beyond. 

Remember to ask your local guide to tell you this entire story more in detail when you are on this trek. Their passion for the tale and the festival and their flair of storytelling, I for one, fail to emulate – it is best heard from the horse’s mouth!

Highlight 4: A Fine Introduction to the Himalayas

Firsts are always special. If you are just starting out on your trekking journey, believe you us, you want this to be your first! The trek to Ali and Bedni bugyals is a beginner friendly trek for its humble altitude, friendly terrain and welcoming weather. This beginner-friendly trek has some of the best offerings you could ask for in the Himalayas all packed in 5 days of easy trekking. Thick forests, massive mountains, open lands, colours of choice, water streams, mountain villages, green fields, curious cattle; you name it, Ali Bedni Bugyal’s got it.

With its wide expanses, a carpet of green in summers and a thick rug of white in winters, its dense canopy of alpine trees and a rich bloom of wild flowers and rhododendrons, this is one trek which welcomes you with all its heart no matter what time of the year you choose to pay it a visit

Highlight 5: The Enchanting Forests of Tolpani

The very first day of actual trekking sets the standard for the rest of the days by introducing you to the enchanting woods of Tolpani. The trail takes you through thick forests of Oak with the light filtering in from the little gaps in the canopy above. The winds rustle through the trees as loud as the rustle from the dry leaves on the forest floor under your feet. 

A word of caution: the play of light and shadow in these woods can get very trippy, very quick!

Highlight 6: The Fascinating Story of Keeda Jadi (Caterpillar Fungus)

Caterpillar Fungus and how it is formed is such a vivid illustration of the violence in nature. This fungus which is mainly found in meadows over 3,500M, is one of the illegal sources of income for the people in this region. How it is formed is, the fungus parasitizes the larva of a certain kind of moth found at these elevations. It germinates the living larva, kills it and them mummifies it. A brown branch like body emerges from this corpse which is a few centimeters long and goes by the name of Keeda Jadi in Garhwal. This Keeda Jadi apparently has great medicinal value and sells for large sums in the illegal market. 

However, it is a rare find and entire families in the villages on these slopes spend months and cold months hunch-backed looking through the overgrown grass and foliage high up on the mountains to chance upon these tiny, camouflaged stub-like creatures to bring home, pack up and sell in secrecy. 

This is only one intriguing tale of the labours and fruits of high-altitude living where nothing goes to waste – not even a tiny creature invaded, conquered and eaten-alive by another tinier creature.

We dare you to Google the images of this living horror!

Highlight 7: Testing Waters in the World of Trekking?

Not only its views, but also its gradually rising altitude, are favourable for beginners. While the gain in elevation could be a challenge, given how slowly you gain that altitude on this trek provides for the best opportunity to learn how your body reacts to different heights, constantly changing environment and thinning air so as to plan your future escape into the Himalayas accordingly.

Since there is no set standard to measure acclimatization because it is subjective to your body, treks like these are helpful as a means of measuring your personal baseline and standard of your body’s functioning in high-altitude. 

Having said that, it also serves well to remember that this elevation gain may prove to be a bit more demanding in winters due to extreme temperatures even on the lower reaches of the trek. However, it is a good trek to begin your journey into winter trekking as well.

Day-wise elevation gain on ascent:

Highlight 8: A True Year-Round Trek

These twin meadows – Ali and Bedni have multiple personalities, changing at the turn of each season which truly makes it a year round trek. What season looks best on these handsome meadows, you ask? Well, they wear all the colours of each season with a lot of grace. The white of winter makes these bugyals (meaning ‘meadows’) shine whereas the bloom of wildflowers in the monsoons makes them beam with happiness. They wear the yellow of pre-winters with some rugged pride while in the summers they are a picture of warmth and abundance.

Highlight 9: Wait, Did We Forget to Mention the Bugyals?

While all the other points above are great and everything but the best part about this trek is, of course, the endless meadows (bugyals). If a ‘land of meadows’ had to have a name, it would be Ali Bedni Bugyal for their massive expanse, majestic views and some of the best vantage points on an easy terrain, friendly altitude and an overall welcoming ambience all year around. The abundance of life (two legged or four or the kind that remains stationed) thriving on these wide open spaces in this fold of the earth are such a delight to witness.

If you are looking for something refreshing, Ali Bedni Bugyal is your answer!