Ali Bedni Bugyal Trek Day 02

CONTINUED FROM  - Ali Bedni Bugyal Trek - Day 01

Day 02 - 12-Oct-2021

Route - Didna village to Ali Bugyal

Distance - 11 KM

It is a wonderful feeling to wake up in the mountains. Have you ever experienced it? It was so peaceful there. There are no vehicles honking, no noise that alters the harmony in nature.  It seemed like the time had come to a still here. There was no hurry, no expectations, no work awaiting me. It is when we come to such places that we realise how complicated we have made our lives in the cities. Most of the things that we feel we need to survive, are nothing but the result of our own inventions.

After having our morning tea, we freshened up and headed for breakfast. We had bread, jam, butter and omelet. Also served was kheer made of wheat, which was very tasty. 

At around 9AM we began our trek for the day. We had a long trail ahead of us. First there was a moderate slope, then a steep climb, then a moderate slope again and then a steep climb to Ali peak and finally a descent to Ali Bugyal camping site. 

The first stretch was in a deep forest filled with pine and oak trees. The sun rays struggled to enter the woods and wherever it did, it created a beautiful mix of light and shadow. 

On our way, we took a couple of breaks to relax. Some of the trekkers from the other group had offloaded their bags to the mule. Though this trek is considered to be that for beginners, I think it should be rated as a moderate trek, as with heavy bags, this can be a difficult trek for beginners. 

After what seemed like a long walk, we finally reached above the tree cover and got the first view of the Himalayan range. It was splendid. Through Raksha’s binoculars, we captured a few images of Mt Neelkanth and Mt Bandarpunch. 

We continued our trek on the meadows for another 2 kilometres and reached Ali Bugyal. It is impressive to see vast flat lands at such heights. Bugyal in Hindi means, Alpine meadows. We had lunch here and relaxed for a bit. 

From here the Himalayan mountain range was clearly visible. Beyond the mountains lay Tibet. 

Dev singh talked about his journey. He was always driven towards the mountains. After finishing his  education he did various jobs in the city but, he did not enjoy it much. Finally, he quit his job and returned to the mountains to become a trek guide. Initially, he said, it was difficult but now life is stable. His wife and kids live in a nearby town due to better education and facilities there. 

After having our packed lunch - Chapati, sabji and boiled aloo (For those who do not eat boiled egg), we relaxed a bit and began our last stretch of the day’s trek. 

At Ali Bugyal, the forest department has two permanent cabins installed, which is used by the trekking staff to cook and serve food. Around it, our tents were already pitched. 

We were given a perfect spot, overlooking Mt. Mrigathuni and a bit of Mt. Trisul. 

In our camping area, we had three tents, shared by 7 of us. Two for six men and one for the lady. There was also another tent pitched slightly far away, which acted as a toilet. Inside the tent, a hole is dug in the ground which acts as the pit. You finish your work and cover it up with the loose mud so that it is ready for the next use. 

We were served pakodas and tea. One thing that I did not miss on this trek was good food. However, I stayed extra careful not to eat too much. 

I walked around to explore Ali Bugyal. Shepherds come up here with their animals - Sheeps, mules, horses and cows. They live here for a couple of months as the animals graze on the meadows. A villager tells me that they stay here on a rotation basis. Villagers form a group and look after each others animals as a community and travel back and forth depending on their need. When snowfall begins, they head back  to the villages.

We climbed a small hill next to our campsite to watch the reflection of the setting sun on Mt. Mrigthuni. Again, Raksha’s binoculars came handy. 

After yet another delicious dinner, we headed back to our tents. Sleeping in a tent is not always easy. Tired that I was, I slept like a baby for few hours, but only till midnight. After that, I struggled to go back to sleep for a few hours. Outside, the night sky was spectacular. It was filled with stars, moons and planets. It was damn cold too to stay there for long. With that great feeling, I found my way back to a sound sleep. 

CONTINUED HERE - Ali Bedni Bugyal Trek Day 03