🏔 Altitude: 4,950 m / 16,207 ft
⏳ Duration: 8 Days / 7 Nights
🥾 Difficulty: Moderate-Difficult
🗺 Route: Dehradun → Sankri → Ruinsara Tal → Bali Pass → Yamunotri → Dehradun

About Bali Pass Trek

The Bali Pass Trek is one of the most thrilling high-altitude crossover treks in Uttarakhand. Stretching from the quaint village of Sankri to the sacred Yamunotri Dham, this trail offers a rare mix of raw adventure, mythology, alpine beauty, and ancient Himalayan culture.

Enroute, trekkers explore untouched valleys, dense forests, glacial lakes, high meadows, and finally cross the dramatic Bali Pass at 4,950 m (16,207 ft) with views of Swargarohini I, II, III, Bandarpoonch, Kala Nag, and several 6000+ meter peaks.

The trek also includes a visit to Yamunotri Temple, one of the sacred Char Dham, situated at 3,293 m, adding deep spiritual significance to the journey.

Why Bali Pass?

🥾 Rare crossover trek – Starts in Har Ki Doon valley, ends at Yamunotri
🌄 Mythology + Mountains – Includes Yamunotri Dham + Garhwali heritage
🌅 Ruinsara Tal – A serene, sacred glacial lake surrounded by meadows
🏞️ Govind Pashu Vihar National Park – Rich wildlife & forests
⛰️ Devsu Bugyal / Damini meadows – Vibrant, wildflower-filled alpine meadows
✨ Offbeat & Untouched – One of the few virgin trails of Uttarakhand
🏔️ Massive Himalayan Panorama – Swargarohini, Bandarpoonch & Black Peak
💫 Adventurous Terrain – Steep climbs, ridgelines, narrow traverses.

Is This Trek for You?

❗ Not for beginners
❗ Requires good fitness & high-altitude experience
❄ Sub-zero temperatures → Proper winter gear needed
🎒 Backpack weight limit: 10–12 kg max

If you’re seeking a wild, challenging, offbeat Himalayan adventure, Bali Pass is perfect.

Trek Highlights

🏔 Cross Bali Pass at 4,950 m
🌄 Surreal sunrise views from high-altitude camps
🌲 Forest trails of pine, maple, walnut & oak
🌸 Meadows of Devsu Bugyal and Damini
🕉 Visit Yamunotri Temple – One of the Char Dham
💧 Crystal-blue Ruinsara Tal
🐾 Wildlife of Govind Pashu Vihar
⛺ Raw, alpine, untouched campsites
📸 Perfect for astrophotography

Price Includes – What You Get ✅

• Accommodation (hotel + camps, twin sharing)

• All meals during the trek

• Certified trek guide & support team

• All permits & entry fees

• Transport: Dehradun → Sankri → Trek Points → Dehradun

• First-aid, safety equipment

 

Price Excludes ❌

• Meals during travel

• Personal porter/mule charges

• Offloading & personal gear

• Unscheduled stays due to weather/roadblocks

• Anything not listed in inclusions

 

Trek Itinerary

 

Day 1: Dehradun → Sankri (Base Camp)

Drive: 190 km | 8–9 hours
Altitude: 6,400 ft
Stay: Hotel (Sharing)

Start early from Dehradun at 7:00 AM. Drive through Mussoorie, Kempty Falls, Nainbagh, Purola, Mori, and along the Tons River. Enjoy Himalayan views, pine forests, terraced villages, and winding mountain roads.
Reach Sankri, a serene wooden village inside Govind Pashu Vihar National Park, the starting point for iconic treks like Kedarkantha & Har Ki Doon.
Check into your hotel, explore the market, and attend a briefing before dinner.

Day 2: Sankri → Taluka → Dharkot/Gangad → Cheludgad

Drive: 26 km (Taluka)
Trek: 3.5 km | 2–3 hours
Altitude: 8,158 ft
Stay: Camp

After breakfast, drive to Taluka, a small village with traditional wooden architecture. From here, begin trekking along the Thamsa River.
Cross wooden bridges, walk alongside fields, and pass ancient Garhwali homes of Gangad village.
Continue to Cheludgad, a peaceful campsite beside the river.
Relax, enjoy tea, and watch the sunset over pine-covered slopes.

Day 3: Cheludgad → Devsu Bugyal

Trek: 6 km | 4–5 hours
Altitude: 9,795 ft
Stay: Camp

Today’s trail climbs through dense pine, walnut, maple, and chestnut forests.
As you ascend, the forest suddenly opens into the massive meadows of Devsu Bugyal, considered one of the most beautiful meadows in Uttarakhand.
Marvel at Swargarohini and Black Peak (Kala Nag).
Evening leisure at the grasslands — perfect for photography and stargazing.

Day 4: Devsu Bugyal → Ruinsara Tal

Trek: 10 km | 5–6 hours
Altitude: 11,720 ft
Stay: Camp

The trail today takes you deeper into the alpine region.
Walk through mixed forests and riverside paths until the trail opens into the sacred glacial lake Ruinsara Tal, surrounded by birch trees and snow-covered peaks.
Ruinsara is deeply spiritual for the locals and offers a magnificent view of Swargarohini I, II, III.
Settle into camp near the lake with stunning reflections all around.

Day 5: Ruinsara Tal → Odari Camp (via Thaga)

Trek: 3 km | 3 hours
Altitude: 13,120 ft
Stay: Camp

Today is a short yet high-altitude ascent day.
Trek via Thaga, gradually moving into rocky terrain and moraine-covered landscapes.
The air gets thinner, and the vegetation fades.
Reach Odari Camp, located at the base of towering Himalayan walls.
The name “Odari” means cave, referencing a legendary rock shelter linked to the Pandavas.
Spend the evening acclimatizing and enjoying dramatic sunset views.

Day 6: Odari → Bali Odari Base Camp

Trek: 6 km | 4–5 hours
Altitude: 15,125 ft
Stay: Camp

Today’s trek brings you into the true high-altitude zone.
The climb is steady and involves boulder sections, steep ascents, and moraine patches.
Views expand to include Kala Nag, Bandarpoonch, and the Swargarohini peaks.
Reach Bali Odari Base Camp, your final high camp before the summit.
Expect cold winds, clear skies, and incredible night skies for astrophotography.

Day 7: Bali Odari Base Camp → Bali Pass Summit → Lower Damni

Trek: 14 km | 8–9 hours
Summit Altitude: 16,207 ft (4,950 m)
Stay: Camp (Lower Damni)

This is the big day of the trek — the summit day.

Early Ascent

Start the climb between 3:00–4:00 AM.
The approach is steep, icy, and exposed, requiring focus and stamina.
Reach the Bali Pass Summit, one of the most dramatic viewpoints in the Garhwal Himalayas.

Views from the Summit

• Swargarohini (I, II, III)

• Bandarpoonch

• Kalanaag (Black Peak)

• Ruinsara Valley

• Yamunotri Valley

• Endless snow ridges

Spend time at the top before descending on the Yamunotri side — a steep technical descent.

Reach Lower Damni Camp, located among forests and meadows.

Day 8: Lower Damni → Yamunotri Temple → Janki Chatti → Dehradun

Trek: 6 km | 2–3 hours
Drive: 175 km
Stay: Trip ends in Dehradun

Descend to Yamunotri Temple (3,293 m) — one of the revered Char Dham shrines.
Take blessings of Goddess Yamuna, explore nearby hot springs, and enjoy the spiritual energy of the place.
After darshan, take a vehicle from Janki Chatti and drive back to Dehradun via Barkot, Yamuna Bridge, and Kempty.

Reach Dehradun by evening with a heart full of adventure.