Dharchula, Lohajung & Sankri: Three Remote Himalayan Trek Bases

# Dharchula, Lohajung & Sankri: Uttarakhand's Remote Trek Hubs

Most visitors to Uttarakhand cluster around the Char Dham highway or the Nainital lake circuit. But the mountains beyond — the valleys of Johar, Wan and Govind — hold treks of a completely different order: longer, wilder, less commercialised, and in many cases more visually spectacular. Three small towns serve as the gateways to this deeper Himalaya. Each is a world unto itself.

Dharchula: The Border Town on the Kali

The Setting

Dharchula sits at 915 metres on the banks of the Kali river — the river that forms the international border between India and Nepal at this point. The town is in Pithoragarh district, pressed between steep hillsides and the roaring river, with Nepal literally across the water. Nepali traders cross daily on a suspension bridge; the market sells goods from both countries. The atmosphere is genuinely frontier.

The town's strategic position has given it a significant Indian Army presence. The surrounding district is designated a restricted zone and entry beyond Dharchula to certain valleys requires an Inner Line Permit (ILP), obtainable from the District Magistrate's office in Dharchula (processing typically takes 1 day; bring passport photos and ID).

Milam Glacier Trek (52 km)

The most celebrated trek from Dharchula heads up the Johar valley to the Milam glacier, once one of the most-visited glaciers in Kumaon but closed to foreigners for decades and restricted even for Indian citizens until the 1990s. The glacier sits at 3,870 metres; the trek passes through the historic villages of Munsiyari (via a separate road), Lilam, Bogudiyar and Rilkot, with the abandoned village of Milam — once a major trading post on the Uttarakhand–Tibet salt route — near the glacier snout.

The full Milam glacier trek takes 8–10 days return from Munsiyari (the practical base for the upper section, connected to Dharchula by road). Key details:

• Permit: ILP required; obtain from Munsiyari or Pithoragarh

• Best season: May–June and September–October

• Difficulty: Moderate; no technical climbing required

• Altitude: Maximum approximately 3,870 m at glacier

Ralam Glacier and Other Valleys

The Johar valley also provides access to the Ralam glacier — a less-visited alternative that branches off the main valley. The landscape is rawer and the trail less defined; a guide is essential.

Adi Kailash and Om Parvat

Perhaps Dharchula's most significant pilgrimage access is to Adi Kailash (also called Chota Kailash), a peak whose shape mirrors the great Mount Kailash in Tibet, and Om Parvat, a mountain whose natural snow formation creates a visible Om symbol on its face. Both are approached via Dharchula → Tawaghat → Gunji → Kalapani, a route that also passes the site of the Kali river's origin at Kalapani. This is restricted territory requiring ILP; a government-organised yatra runs each season.

From Dharchula, views of the Nepal Himalaya — including Nampa Peak (6,755 m) and Api peak — are visible on clear days from the ridge above town.

Lohajung: Meadows and a Mystery Lake

The Setting

Lohajung (2,350 metres) is a small village in Chamoli district, accessible from Tharali on the Karnali river highway. It is the base for some of the finest high-altitude trekking in Uttarakhand. The village has a handful of guesthouses and teahouses; apple orchards surround the lower slopes. The surrounding district — the Wan valley — is one of the least-visited in the Kumaon-Garhwal borderland.

Roopkund Trek (35 km return)

The Roopkund trek is Uttarakhand's most famous mystery trek. At 5,029 metres, the skeletal lake (frozen for most of the year) holds hundreds of human skeletons, first discovered by a forest ranger in 1942. DNA analysis in 2019 revealed that the bones belong to three distinct populations from different centuries — including a group of Mediterranean origin — making Roopkund one of the most archaeologically puzzling sites in the Himalaya.

The full trek from Lohajung takes 7–8 days return, passing through the Bedni Bugyal (3,354 m) and Ali Bugyal meadows. These two bugyals (high-altitude meadows) are often described as the finest in Uttarakhand: vast, gently rolling, carpeted in wildflowers in summer and snow in winter, with the high peaks of Trishul (7,120 m) and Nanda Ghunti (6,309 m) as a backdrop.

• Best season: May–June (flowers) and September–October (clear skies)

• Difficulty: Moderate-to-strenuous (high altitude)

• Maximum altitude: 5,029 m

• Route: Lohajung → Didna → Bedni Bugyal → Ali Bugyal → Patar Nachauni → Bhagwabasa → Roopkund

Brahmatal Trek (22 km return)

Brahmatal is Uttarakhand's finest winter trek — accessible December through March when most other high-altitude routes are completely closed. The frozen lake at 3,500 metres, surrounded by snow-heavy pine and oak forests, with Trishul and Mt. Kamet (7,756 m) visible on clear days, produces some of the most striking winter photography in the Himalaya.

The trek from Lohajung takes 5–6 days and involves significantly lower altitudes than Roopkund, making it more accessible. Several trekking agencies now run organised Brahmatal expeditions; solo trekking in winter is not advisable.

Sankri: Gateway to Govind

The Setting

Sankri (1,950 metres) is a village in the Rawain valley of Uttarkashi district — a region with a distinct cultural identity and a strong tradition of traditional Jaunsari and Garhwali textile craft. The village is surrounded by deodar forests and overlooked by ridges that connect to the Govind Wildlife Sanctuary, a protected area of high-altitude meadows, glaciers and dense conifer forest.

Sankri is 90 km from Uttarkashi, the district headquarters on the Bhagirathi river. The drive from Uttarkashi takes approximately 4 hours on a winding mountain road.

Kedarkantha Trek (22 km return)

Kedarkantha is India's most popular winter summit trek — and for good reason. The peak (3,810 m) is not technically challenging, the views from the summit take in a panorama of Gangotri peaks, Swargarohini, Bandarpoonch and Black Peak, and the trail passes through snow-covered deodar forests that are among the most beautiful in the western Himalaya. The trek takes 4–6 days from Sankri.

In the winter months (December–March), Kedarkantha receives heavy snowfall; crampons and gaiters are typically required. In summer (April–June), the trek is a meadow walk — still beautiful but without the dramatic snow scenery.

Har Ki Dun Trek (35 km)

Har Ki Dun — the Valley of Gods — is one of the most celebrated valley treks in Uttarakhand. The valley is a hanging glacial formation at 3,566 metres, accessible via the Supin river gorge. The trek passes through traditional Rawain valley villages (Osla, Seema) whose wooden temples and architecture reflect pre-medieval traditions. The Har Ki Dun valley is also the access route to the Ruinsara lake (4,150 m) and beyond to the Bali Pass (5,860 m) — a challenging high-altitude crossing into the Govind sanctuary.

The full Har Ki Dun trek takes 7–8 days from Sankri and is among the most culturally rich treks in the Himalaya.

Getting to These Three Bases

Dharchula: Pithoragarh → Dharchula (91 km, 4 hours). Pithoragarh reached from Kathgodam (230 km) or Haldwani.

Lohajung: Rishikesh → Karnali → Tharali → Lohajung (approximately 250 km, 8–10 hours). Buses run from Rishikesh to Tharali; jeep from Tharali to Lohajung (30 km).

Sankri: Dehradun → Mori → Purola → Sankri (approximately 200 km, 7–8 hours). Buses and shared jeeps available from Dehradun's Mussoorie bus stand.

Seasonal Guide

These three towns serve entirely different valleys and different ranges. But they share a quality that becomes apparent only after arrival: the sense that the crowds and commerce of mainstream Uttarakhand tourism have not yet reached here, and that what remains is mountain travel in something closer to its original form.