Dayara Bugyal Trek

An ideal Himalayan trek for beginners and families

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TREK DIFFICULTY

Easy-Moderate

TREK DURATION

6 days

HIGHEST ALTITUDE

11,830 ft

An ideal Himalayan trek for beginners and families

The Dayara Bugyal trek is a favourite among our beginner and seasoned trekkers alike at Indiahikes. “This trek is superbly rewarding at any time of the year. The forests are splendid in spring, the meadows are an unbeatable green in summer, and they turn orange in autumn, with striking mountain views. The snowscape in winter is a world on its own. You can go any time, and you’ll not be let down,” shares Sandhya UC, co-founder of Indiahikes.

On this trek, we have a soft spot for the meadows, which is perfect. "The meadows are so meticulously landscaped that there isn't a single rock or tree out of place." "With the majestic Gangotri mountain range in the background, the rewards are massively disproportionate to the effort you put in," Sandhya says. It's no surprise that it's popular with beginners as well.

Dayara Bugyal is close to heart for many of us at Indiahikes. Watch this video to know why.

The reason Dayara Bugyal is so breathtakingly beautiful is because of its location. The meadow is at an elevation of over 10,000 feet. From Dayara, you can see the Greater Himalayan range in all its beauty. The majestic summits of the Gangotri range, including Bandarpunch, Kala Nag, Srikanth, Jaonli, and Draupadi Ka Danda, are so close that you can almost touch them. Trekkers spend hours just watching the sunset over these mountains.

The meadow is famous for its alpine flowers, which bloom in a riot of colours during the summer. The most common flowers include Himalayan blue poppies, daisies, and primroses.

The oak and rhododendron forests that surround the meadow are a beautiful contrast to the snow-covered mountains. The trek is home to several species of birds, including the Himalayan monal, the state bird of Uttarakhand.

Dayara Bugyal is close to heart for many of us at Indiahikes. Watch this video to know why.

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Hear from our trekkers themselves!

Dayara Bugyal - Complete Trek Information

We have always wanted trekkers to be well-informed before they go on a Himalayan trek. Knowledge is the difference between a safe trek and a dangerous one. It’s also the difference between a wholesome experience and a superficial experience.

Use this section to learn about the Dayara Bugyal trek. It has in-depth information about each day of the trek, what to expect, and how you need to prepare for it. Many years of expertise have gone into this content. Trekkers find that extremely useful.

Photo Gallery

Expert Speak

Arjun Majumdar, Founder, CEO

Arjun Majumdar, the Founder of Indiahikes, first went on this trek almost a decade ago. Since then, he has explored the Dayara Bugyal trek from several routes in several seasons. Here, he shares his candid thoughts about the Dayara Bugyal trek.

What I Like and Don’t Like About Dayara Bugyal Trek

What I Like About the Dayara Bugyal Trek

Arjun Majumdar, Founder, CEO

1. The big mountains hanging above the meadows of Dayara

I remember it was early evening when I set out to explore the meadows. The golden-green grass undulated over mounds of hillocks. It was just meadows everywhere. Fluffy white sheep grazed peacefully in small clusters in the nooks of the meadows.

Mt Bandarpoonch, with its shimmering snowy flanks, stood over the meadows like a guardian angel. It was omnipresent. The big massif with Mt Kalanag followed me everywhere.

You always hear of how stunning mountain views are when they jut out of the meadows. But, on Dayara Bugyal it grabs you by the scruff of the neck. Because behind me, in the direction I had climbed up was the entire stretch of greater Himalayas of the Gangotri extension.

I don't think I can say I was stunned. It was more than that. I had to sit down on a rocky outcrop to steady myself at what I was seeing.

I think people have got it all wrong about the views. They talk only about the meadows. It is the mountain views from Dayara that are the stunner.

The mountains glow in the evening light from the meadows of Dayara. Picture by Lay Naik

2. The vastness of the meadows

I was taken aback at how vast the meadows were. I could not find an end anywhere. Curiosity got the better of me. I had to know where the meadows ended.

I climbed the second and third hillocks. The only thing that I got to see was more endless views of the meadows. I traversed my way towards Bakhariya top, the highest point of the meadows. It was many hills away.

Halfway, I climbed to a ridge that led to a hilltop. From the summit of the hilltop I could see the great deep valley many thousands of feet below me. On one side was the deep valley with the fading rolling hills, on the other were these great mountain ranges. In front was Mt Bandarpoonch. And below me were these endless carpets of green rolling meadows.

Where was I? This couldn’t be earth!

The meadows of Dayara stretch as far as your eyes can see. Picture by Dhaval Jajal

3. The forested trails and the biodiversity

I have trekked to Dayara from multiple routes — what strikes me is how shady the trail is. Right from the base camp until you breakout of the forests into the meadows, the trail is in good shade with lovely forest cover. The biodiversity is high. Which is why you’ll hear a lot of bird calls. While we talk about the meadows, don’t miss out on the forest. Dayara Bugyal is one of the Best Himalayan treks for Bird Watching. See birds spotted on the Dayara Bugyal trek here.

Dayara Bugyal trek is a birder's paradise. Picture by Madhav Anand

4. The camps in the clearings

Be it Gui, Chilapada, Nayata or even Barnala. Enclosed by forest but in grassy clearings, with commanding views of mountain tops, I think I could fall in love with these camps.

They are secluded, plenty of space to stretch your legs, walk about, take a peek in the forests, yet, you can just sit in one corner taking in the views. I have done lots of trek and have loved lots of camps, but if you ask me about Dayara, then I think it has some of the better campsites.

The Gui campsite is a clearing with many hidden surprises. Lovely mountain views greet you when you turn right and behind a mound lies this secret pond. Photo: Sudheer Hegde

What I Don't Like About the Dayara Bugyal Trek

1. The Campsite near Barnala

I didn’t like the new Barnala campsite. We have had to move down from the upper Barnala camp to the lower Barnala camp, near the forest huts. The lower camp is somewhat cramped with very few views.

It is marshy at one end. I am waiting for when we can go back to the higher Barnala camp. In any case, we don’t camp at Barnala these days. The wonderful new campsite of Nayata is a hop-step-and a jump away. Trekkers simply love Nayata.

The pond near Barnala, beside which the campsite is located. Picture by Sudheer Hegde

Why Dayara Bugyal Is A Great Trek For Families

At Indiahikes, we have always been on the lookout for a good trek where a family can trek together with children. Very few Himalayan treks are suitable for this, given the long distances, altitudes and tough terrains. But Dayara Bugyal creates the perfect atmosphere for families. Here is a small photostory:

The trek has beautiful forests where children can connect with nature. Picture by Vishnu Sivanandan

We have always believed that nothing brings a family together like trekking can. This trek allows enough leisure time where families can spend quality time and create stronger bonds.

One of the biggest benefits of exclusive family treks is that children bond with other children. (Here are the benefits.) The campsite settings at Dayara allow children to safely step outside and engage with other children. Picture by Vishnu Sivanandan

3D Trail: Dayara Bugyal Trek Distance

Trek Trivia

Things Nobody Tells You About Dayara Bugyal

Did you know Dayara Bugyal is connected to two other alpine meadows?

If you have a bit of adventure in your heart, you can explore two more alpine meadows from Dayara Bugyal -- Siyari Bugyal and further ahead, Gidara Bugyal.

Siyari Bugyal is a lot easier to access, via Devkund, a ridge that leads to Siyari from Dayara.

Gidara Bugyal is a lot more difficult to access and requires good fitness levels.

5 Reasons Why Indiahikes

We are India’s safest trekking organisation

When we brought out new trails in Indian trekking, safety came with us. Back in 2012, we were the first to introduce microspikes, and two years later, pulse oximeters became standard thanks to us. Nobody does safe treks like Indiahikes. In the mountains, emergencies don't care who you're with – everyone knows that when trouble hits, you look for the yellow tents of Indiahikes.

We are pioneers of treks in India

We are pioneers in trekking. Since 2007, we have brought out treks that have become India's most famous treks: Roopkund, Rupin Pass, Buran Ghati, Kedarkantha, Kashmir Great Lakes, Tarsar Marsar, Brahmatal, Phulara Ridge—the list goes on. In 2023 alone, we brought out five new treks in Indian trekking. We know treks better than anyone. This comes directly from the reason why Indiahikes was born: to bring out trek information and enable trekkers to trek on their own.

We are India’s largest trekking organisation

More than 25,000 people trek with us every year. We are the largest trekking organisation in India. 24% of our trekkers come back to trek with us every year. Over 4,000 students from the top educational institutions trek with us every year. Aside from this, families with children choose to trek with Indiahikes knowing that our treks are the safest. We have taken over 8000 children trekking so far, and the number continues to grow.

Our treks are transformative

We focus on designing transformative experiences. Our trek leaders conduct thought-provoking exercises that help you reflect and contemplate. This impact stays with you for a long time. Trekkers return feeling energised, more confident, or developing abilities to deal with difficulties. Many have changed careers, rethought their core values, become more humble, shown gratitude to others, or started a new fitness journey.

We are India's most sustainable trekking organisation

Since 2012, we have pioneered sustainable practices that have become standard in trekking. Using eco-bags, our trekkers have cleared over 120 tonnes of litter from the mountains. We do not carry packaged foods; instead, we serve freshly made food. We do not light campfires; we carry coal to light angethis to keep you warm. Our bio-toilets not only keep our toilets odour-free but also enrich the soil. When you trek with us, you leave mountains better.