Stunning crossover hike from Pathar Nachauni to Bhagwabhasa (Roopkund Trek – Day 5)

On Day 5, the trek begins from Pathar Nachauni and continues to Bhagwabhasa through the 14550-foot-high Kalu Vinayak Temple. Even though Roopkund is another day’s walk away, you can see it from here. It’s a 3 to 4-hour vertical zig-zag ascent to Kalu Vinayak temple, followed by a 2-hour moderate descent to Bhagwabhasa.

Himalayan Trek - Roopkund Trail via Kalu Vinayak temple
Trail from Kalu Vinayak temple to Bhagwabhasa

On the previous days of Roopkund Trek

If you have not gone thru’ my previous 4 days of trekking at Roopkund, then check out these links:

Day 1 – Jeep Ride to Lohajung

??‍♂️Day 2 – Lohajung to Didina village

??‍♂️Day 3 – Didina to Bedni Bugyal

??‍♂️Day 4 – Bedni Bugyal to Pathar Nachauni

Ravindra Joisa on the way to Roopkund

On this day, you will travel fewer miles but rise over 1400 feet in height till you reach the Kalu Vinayak temple, followed by a fall the rest of the way. The zig-zag route goes all the way up to Kalu Vinayak, which is 14200 feet above sea level.

Small patches of snow will be visible on this side of the hill, and you will need to cross these patches of snow in certain locations. The terrain is very steep and can be exhausting. Take your time and don’t rush to attain your peak. Take a break every now and again, perhaps after each zig-zag. You gain a lot of height in this location and begin to feel out of breath. Take your time today because you’ll be covering less ground.

Pathar Nachauni

Looking around and seeing the gorgeous environment, snow-patched hills, you can even see the meadows that you had traversed the previous days as you travel up the slopes is one method to keep yourself relaxed. Remember not to rush and to take your time climbing; even if you are a rapid climber, it is recommended that you slow down so that you can acclimate to the altitude rise.

Kalu Vinayak temple

Take a break and enjoy the sight once you’ve reached the top. This is the location of the Kalu Vinayak temple. On Google Maps, the tents appear as little dots. Because of rain, snow, hailstorm, or cloud cover, visibility may be compromised. The bell at Kalu Vinayak temple is what allows us to get here in poor weather. Continue your journey and pray for your safe return. Few may become ill or experience extreme altitude sickness as a result of the hike.

View from Kalu Vinayak temple

The hill on the other side is completely covered with snow. On a clear day, you can view the lovely snow-covered Mt. Trishul from Kalu Vinayak temple, and the Roopkund lies just below Mt Trishul. It’s difficult to pinpoint Roopkund’s exact position from here.

Hike downhill to Bhagwabhasa

From the Kalu Vinayak temple, one side of the mountain is completely dry or snow-covered, while the other side (towards Bhagwabhasa) is completely covered with snow. These mountain slopes are enormous and tremendous. Continue your descent all the way to Bhagwabhasa. It’s a steady drop where you’ll uncover the ruins of stone cottages. During the summer, there may be no snow in this area, and the man-made road all the way to Roopkund is simple to discover.

Waterfall at Bhagwabhasa

Investigate the Bhagwabhasa campground. On one side, you can view the mountain slopes, and in the center, you can see Roopkund. On snow-covered hills, tiny avalanches are prevalent, with a little waterfall and valley on the other side. From here, you can see the orange flag of Kalu Vinayak temple.

The deep valley is lovely, and it’s a great location to spend an evening with a cup of hot tea. Here are some nice time-lapse photos/videos. Some trekkers choose to remain near the bottom of the slope, where there are a few shelters. Have a good time walking about the campsite in the evening.

Weather at Bhagwabhasa

The weather in the Bhagwabhasa campground can quickly change. This location is prone to hail storms and snowfall. The temperature at night may dip below zero, and it has done so during our walk. In addition to the drop in temperature, there is too much wind, which might make you feel colder than your thermometer indicates. Other than our campground, it’s difficult to locate flat land.

When I got there in early June, our tents were on top of a thick sheet of ice. Due to the very cold weather, almost all of us had difficulty sleeping overnight, and the temperature had plummeted to approximately zero. We had to go to bed from 8:30 to 9:00 p.m. since we were advised to get up at 4:00 a.m. to continue our trip and get to Roopkund before daylight.

Here’s a YouTube video of days 4 and 5 from Bedni Bugyal to Bhagwabhasa, which we did in one day instead of two. I would strongly advise trekking in this region over two days rather than one, as here is where people become ill from altitude sickness.

The next day we hiked from Pathar Nachauni to Bhagwabhasa via Kalu Vinayak temple. If you find this blog post interesting then you can buy me a coffee to support my work. Also, consider subscribing to my YouTube channel for more and you may join my friendzone.

Share to support:

3 Replies to “Stunning crossover hike from Pathar Nachauni to Bhagwabhasa (Roopkund Trek – Day 5)

  1. manjulika pramod says:

    I am inspired though not sure if I will be able to do.

  2. You can do it. Honestly, it is not that hard. If you can do the daily walk of 8000 steps and a bit of jogging then you can comfortably do it. Even without this, you can still do it but it is just that you make take more time to complete. Just give it a try. 🙂

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *