Aancha Top Trek

The trail begins with an ascent through the village, weaving past terraced farmlands. You move in and out of small forest patches nestled between the fields. Along the way, there are multiple water points and chhanis (shepherd huts). After the second chhani, around the 1.5 km mark, the trail turns steep and rocky. To your left, Bandarpoonch peeks over the horizon.

A 300-meter climb over this rocky terrain leads to a small flat resting spot. This is a good place to pause. Bandarpoonch becomes more prominent, and the Yamuna River stretches below. From here, the trail gains elevation again, cutting through a patch of old oak trees. After about 200 meters, the trees thin out, revealing a clearing. You have already reached Ganga Ram Ji’s Chhani, the half-way point of today’s trek.

Past the chhani, the incline eases as the trail enters a dense forest. You cover 600 meters on mostly flat terrain, with gentle ups and downs, before reaching the Coin Tree. This marks the first clear sight of Dinnala Bugyal, with Aancha Top to the left and Jhandi Top to the right. Beyond the coin tree, the climb steepens once more.

A steep 200-meter push takes you up the side of a spur. After this, the gradient relaxes, and you walk on the sides of the spur, through a forest of old oaks. In 100 meters, a small clearing opens up. There are no towering peaks in sight yet, just the rising slopes of Dinnala ahead. The forest then grows denser again.

Following the marked trail in the forest for 30-40 minutes, you reach another large open clearing. A big water source flows nearby, making it an ideal campsite. This is Bamsingh— your campsite for the day.

Enjoy a hot lunch and unwind in this secluded clearing, surrounded by thick forests.

The day starts with a 150-meter descent from Bamsingh into a re-entrant, or valley. In monsoon, this section may have water. From here, the trail climbs gradually through dense forests. At the 1.1 km mark, you reach a small clearing before the forest thickens again.

200 meters ahead of this clearing, a large fallen tree blocks the path. Step over it and continue. Just beyond, a clearing appears straight ahead, but that trail does not lead to Dinnala. Take a right turn, instead, and descend through the forest to a stream. This is Daloti Gad, which eventually flows down straight into the Yamuna River.

Cross the stream and brace for a steep climb through the forest. This section takes about an hour. After 1 km, the incline eases into a flat walk. A short distance later, you cross a small water stream and arrive at the big clearing of Sannodi. This is the halfway point for the day. Take a break here. You are still within the treeline, but you can see that the forests have started thinning.

Big mountains now appear on the horizon. Bandarpoonch comes back into view. The Swargarohini massif starts revealing its pointed summits. Further to your left, Kedarkantha Peak and Phulara Ridge also come into sight.

From Sannodi, a gradual ascent continues for another kilometer. The tree line fades, and the meadows appear. You have reached Dinnala Bugyal. The Swargarohini peaks now stand clearer behind Bandarpoonch. The entire skyline stretches into a serrated ridge of Garhwal’s lesser-known summits.

Within 500 meters, you reach a chhani. You can camp here or continue further. Multiple water sources allow flexible camping spots across Dinnala Bugyal.

This is a place to rest and soak in the mountains. As the sun sets, magical orange hues light up the peaks. Take in the views, unwind and prepare for the long summit day that lies ahead.

At Dinnala campsite, wake up to towering mountains all around. The day starts with a gradual ascent through open meadows. There are no big trees now, only patches of rhododendron shrubs lining the trail. As you climb, Bandarpoonch dominates the skyline. Swargarohini slowly gains prominence, with more and more of its tips gradually coming into view.

After 600 meters, you ascend a rocky gully and turn right. At the 1.5 km mark, you arrive at the first lake on Dinnala Bugyal. This is the largest of the three glacial lakes you will see today. On a clear day, Swargarohini’s iconic crown reflects perfectly in its still water.

From here, turn left and walk another kilometer. Two more glacial lakes appear, nestled in the vast open meadows. These lakes look stunning in every season as the meadows take on different colors—pristine white in winter, lush green in summer, and reddish-orange hues in autumn. Spend some time exploring the lakes and the meadows before returning to the first lake.

This is where the real highlight of the trek begins.

Instead of turning left, now take the rightward trail. A steep 200-meter climb leads onto a ridge. Up here, even rhododendrons disappear. You stand amidst magical views of the Gangotri and Yamunotri ranges.

As soon as you step onto the ridge, the mountains on your right, which were hidden so far, suddenly come into view—Gangotri III, Jogin, Kedarnath, and the vast meadows of Dayara and Gidara. To your left, Bandarpoonch and Swargarohini dominate the horizon. The trail now follows the ridge, and you walk amidst these grand views for hours.

A 2 km gradual ascent along the ridge leads to Aancha Top. At the summit, Bandarpoonch feels close enough to touch. New peaks emerge—Srikantha, Gangotri I, and Jaonli now stand in full view. You are completely surrounded by the incredible panorama of the Garhwal Himalayas. Spend time here, absorbing the vastness of the landscape.

After taking in the summit views, descend slowly towards Aancha Camp. Retrace your steps along the ridge, then navigate a steep descent back to the lakes. Walk across the expansive meadows of Dinnala Bugyal towards the other end of the meadows.

Negotiate gradual ascents until you reach the farthest edge from where you camped in the morning. This end of Dinala Bugyal is marked by another small stream, the Jajar Gad, which also flows past into the Yamuna.

After crossing over to the other side of Jajar Gad, you reach the Aancha Camp. The Bandarpoonch massif and Gangotri peaks are now hidden from sight. Only a glimpse of Swargarohini remains. As the sun sets, it glows in magical orange hues.

Take in the magic of Dinala Bugyal and settle in for rest after a long, demanding day.

Start your descent from Aancha camp gradually through open meadows. As you lose altitude, rhododendrons begin to reappear. The big mountains that dominated the skyline start to slip away behind you. But for a while, Bandarpoonch II still peeks from the horizon, along with a tiny glimpse of Swargarohini.  

As the trail descends further, the gradient steepens and you re-enter the treeline. Pines and birches take over the open landscape. Slowly, the forest gets denser and the descent becomes sharp. At the 1.5 km mark, you reach a small clearing. Behind you, the big mountains have completely disappeared. 

Now, only the vast expanse of Dinnala Bugyal dominates the horizon. Aancha Top and Jhandi Top stands out at the two ends of the meadows. Beyond the clearing, you enter the forest again. As you navigate a steep descent, oaks begin to appear in the mix. After about a kilometre, you step into a large clearing called Pokhari Thathar. As soon as you enter, Bandarpoonch massif opens up in full view again.  Rest awhile and take in the views.  

Past Pokhari Thathar, the forests continue. Mountain peaks play hide and seek. Descend steeply for 2 more kilometers to arrive at Ganga Ji Ka Chhani again. The forests end here. You step amidst the step-cut agricultural fields appear again. Continue along the same trail that you had climbed on Day 2. Descend sharply for 2 km through a mosaic of forest and cultivated land to reach Ranachatti.

Bandarpoonch stays in full view throughout this entire descent beyond Ganga ji ki Chhani until you reach Ranachatti. After reaching Ranachatti, have lunch and retire for the day at the village. Rest overnight before the long drive to Dehradun the next morning.