Roopkund-Homkund-Ronti Saddle in September

Hi guys, finally our next trek finalized . We, about 15 trekkers starting from Kolkata on 25th September 09 for Roopkund trek. Some will return back from Roopkund and some will proceed further towards Homkund -> Ronti Saddle. Itinerary are as follows:

Day 1: 25th Sep: Board Upasana Exp. from Howrah
Day 2: 26th Sep: Reach Haridwar -> Hrishikesh (Night Stay)
Day 3: 27th Sep: Catch early Bus from Hrishikesh -> Reach Lohajung Pass (Night Stay)
Day 4: 28th Sep: Drive upto 6km from Lohajung -> trek to Didna (Night Stay)
Day 5: 29th Sep: Didna -> Ali Bugiyal -> Bedini Bugiyal (Night Stay)
Day 6: 30th Sep: Bedini Bugiyal (Acclim. & exploration day) (Night Stay)
Day 7: 1st Oct: Bedini -> Patharnachuni -> Kailu Binayak -> Bhaguabasa (Night Stay)
Day 8: 2nd Oct: Bhaguabasa -> Roopkund (team departs from here) -> Bedini (Night Stay)
Day 9: 3rd Oct: Bedini -> Ali -> Didna -> Lohajung (Night Stay)
Day10: 4th Oct: Lohajung -> Hrishikesh -> Haridwar (Night Stay)
Day11: 5th Oct: Board Doon Express from Haridwar
Day12: 6th Oct: On train
Day13: 7th Oct: Reach Howrah

Members proceeding towards Ronti Saddle
-------------------------------------------------
Day 8: 2nd Oct: Bhaguabasa -> Roopkund (team departs from here) -> Junar Gali -> Shaila Samudra (Night Stay)
Day 9: 3rd Oct: Shaila Samudra -> Dodang (Night Stay)
Day10: 4th Oct: Dodang -> Homkund -> Ronti Saddle -> Dodang (Night Stay)
Day11: 6th Oct: (Reserved day for second attempt)
Day12 & 13: 6th & 7th Oct: Dodang -> Sutol -> Sitel -> Ghat (Night Stay)
Day14: 8th Oct: Ghat -> Nandprayag -> Karnprayag -> Rudraprayag (Night Stay)
Day15: 9th Oct: Rudraprayag -> Hrishikesh -> Haridwar -> Board Doon Exp.
Day16: 10th Oct: On train
Day17: 11th Oct: Reach Howrah

Taking 9-10 porters and a guide with the team, some porters & guide will continue with the Ronti Saddle team, rest will return back.

Any changes, suggestions, advices plz.

Looks a good plan..you have kept good reserve days also..
My Best wishes..we planed the same trek last year,same time but unable to complete because of heavy snowfall , route from Bagguwasa to Roopkund was heavy snow ..

Now you should only pray that weather should be good ..from last two years we are seeing sudden change in weather in Sep month.

Which guide r u taking ?

Travelogue:
http://sumitphoto.blogspot.com/
http://www.trekearth.com/trip.php?tid=1953&display=full
Pics:
http://www.trekearth.com/gallery/Asi.../Ronti_Saddle/
http://picasaweb.google.com/rajamukh...ontiPeak6023m#

On the Saddle
http://www.trekearth.com/workshops/6...photo95192.htm

Yah, I know, for last few years September month playing a big role in Himalayan trekking. If weather permits, if route and snow condition permits and if physical level permits then only we will proceed towards Ronti.

We are taking guide Dev Singh of Lohajung.

"--Day 8: 2nd Oct: Bhaguabasa -> Roopkund (team departs from here) -> Junar Gali -> Shaila Samudra (Night Stay)--"

this day is going to be .............
any one have any idea about the distance have to cover for this day..Shaila Samudra is 3000ft down to roopkund..

Bagguwasa-Roopkund (6 KM)
Roopkund- Jorawar Guli (1 Km) - Shilasamudra (7Km down trek)

Some queries:

1. What is the approx bus fare from Hrishikesh to Lohajung??

2. Can we purchase ration and kerosene from Lohajung? Is these available??

3. What is approx dormitory charges in Lohajung?

4. How frequent is the return transport to Hrishikesh from Lohajung? Do we need to break the journey??

5. What is the average guide and porter charge per day?

Plz. help. Thanks in advance.

If you wish to avoid the same route while coming back to Lohajung, you can trek down to Wan from Bedni and then catch a bus or jeep from there for Lohajung.Have heard a road has been built connecting Wan to Lohajung, you may check it out.
When we did this trek some 07 years back there was no road, so we trekked down to Lohajung.

Why dont you book your own vechile Bolero since you are so many people; that can save time as well as you can stop at your own will.
Kathgodam to Wan is possible in 1 day ; we couldn;t do because of rains and landslide but my friend has done with their own vechile booked.

Ration you can take from Loharjung/Wan/Mundoli/ , their are shops,but I will recommend you buy from Calcutta or some town; It has hassle of carrying but on the same side you get your kind of stuff.

Two year back we paid guide 250 and porter 150 and we provided them food as well.

Dorm charges should be less than 100 per head

If you plan to take Kathgodam route, then instead of staying at Lohajung, come down to Debal. Next day take a Sumo or Bolero..as chits has suggested.. and drive to Haldwani.
You may reach Haldwani by evening or even earlier, take an overnight bus to Delhi.
We took this route and reached Delhi somewhere around 1 O'clock in the night.

roy supratim,

1.I doubt whether there is a direct bus service from Rishikesh to Lohajung. You may have to change the bus at Gwaldam/Debal. From Debal you get the share jeeps to Lohajung.

2. We purchased ration and kerosene from Debal and one or two items at Lohajung. But enquire at Gwaldam/Debal about the road condition between Debal and Lohajung as this will decide whether you get the required ration/kerosene at Lohajung. You can get some provisions in Wan also. Last year we purchased eggs from Wan.

3. To get the bus connection to Rishikesh, you may have to take a share jeep from Lohajung to Debal/Gwaldam and then take a bus to Rishikesh. I don't remember to have seen any bus service going from Debal to Lohajung last year. Gwaldam-Debal road was damaged last year. Hence, we had to take Gwaldam-Tharali-Debal route.

Sadanand

There is a direct bus service from Delhi to Lohajung pass. The bus passes via Kathgodam and you can take it from there.

Last year one team from Kolkata went to Ronti and they told us that there is a bus from Hrishikesh at 5:30 am departs from Yatri Bus Stand, it takes about 12 hours to reach Lohajung. But you guys saying that there may not be any direct bus, now I'm getting confused a bit .

Can you suggest a convenient route to reach Lohajung??

Also pls. suggest a convenient return route Wan/Debal/Lohajung, what to do ???

About ration, I think we should take all the necessary rations from either Haridwar/Hrishikesh or Gowaldam.

As you are saying 5:30 AM ..try that bus ..if you get it thats good
if not then have some secondary plans..

For return i will say come via Wan-Debal and the Debal- Haridwar.
reason for this is Wan driver will not take you all the way upto Haridwar , he has a Jeep and can take you to Debal.

Enquire for Shahji of Debal ( I will give you his number soon), take his Tata Sumo he will take you to Haridwar .Last time we did this.Even Shahji driver pick us from Kathgodam to Debal..His charges was 3K .

Hi Supartim,

Check the details of Taxi/Guide/Check-list/ration list .
Day by Day itinerary on http://users2.nofeehost.com/trekhear.../roopkund.html

We have used (couldn't complete because of bad weather)

You can use this as a refrence.