Roop Kund Trekking

Roopkund is a place in Uttarakhand, India, the location of about three to six hundred skeletons at the edge of a lake—Skeleton Lake in the Himalayas. The location is uninhabited and is located at an altitude of about 5,029 metres. The skeletons were discovered in the 1942 when stumbled upon by a park ranger. At that time it was believed that the people died from an epidemic, landslides or a blizzard. The carbon dating from samples collected at that time in the 1960s vaguely indicated that the people were from the 12th century to the 15th century.

In 2004 a team of Indian and European scientists set off to the location to gain more information on the skeletons. Braving bitter cold weather and thin air, the team uncovered vital clues including jewellery, skulls, bones and a preserved body.

Roopkund is a picturesque and beautiful tourist destination, located near the base of two Himalayan peaks: Trisul (7120 meters) and Nandghungti (6310 meters). This place is famous and well-known among the masses because of the annual Raj Jat yatra. There are no roads to this place yet, so one has to undertake a 3-4 day trek to reach the skeleton lake. The skeleton lake is covered with ice for most of the time during the year. However, the journey to Roopkund is an enjoyable experience. All along the way one is surrounded by mountain ranges from all the sides.

There are different routes for a trek to Roopkund. Generally, trekkers and adventurers travel till Lohajung or Wan by road. From there they climb a hillock at Wan and reach Ran ki Dhar. There is some flat area where trekkers can camp for the night. If the sky is clear one can see Bedni Bugyal and Trisul. The next camping spot is at Bedni Bugyal which is 12-13 kms from Wan. There is a huge grazing ground for mules, horses and sheeps. There are two temples and a small lake that add to the beauty of this place. One can see a lot of Himalayan peaks from Bedni Bugyal. Trekkers then go upto Bhaguwabasa which is 10-11 kms from Bedni Bugyal. The climate at Bhaguwabasa is hostile for most of the time of the year. One gets a closer view of Trisul and other 5000+ meters peaks. Many waterfalls and landslides are visible on the extreme slopes of the surrounding mountains. From Bhaguwabasa trekkers either go to Roopkund and come back or they go to Shila Samundra (Ocean of Mountains) and then proceed with trek upto Homkund.

At Roopkund Trek , one can find a frozen lake during September. Most people get sun burns. One can see the clouds below and a clear sky above. One has to walk through a snow covered, slippery ridge to reach Zohra Gully. An unobstructed view of Trisul and Nand Ghungti awaits you there.