Ronti Saddle Trek

The Ronti Saddle trek is a strenuous 12-day, 11-night walk from Lohajung, past Roopkund and over Junargali into the Sheela Samudra valley, then on to Homkund and Ronti Saddle (5,300 m), beneath Trishul and Nanda Ghungti.

Day 1 is the drive from Kathgodam to Lohajung. Then you walk through forest beside the Neel Ganga to Didina, pass the shepherd huts of Tolapani and climb through Ali Bugyal to the camp at Bedni Bugyal. From Bedni the trail is above the tree line, with Trishul, Nanda Ghungti, Chaukhamba and Nilkantha in view, over Ghora Lotani and Pathar Nachauni, then a steep 2-hour climb to Kalu Vinayak and on to Baghuabasa.

Day 5 is the big one: Roopkund, then the hard snow of Junargali (5,150 m), then a sharp descent to Sheela Samudra, a glacier of tarns and boulders below Trishul, where you rest for a day. Next comes the Nandakini upstream to Dodang, and an early start for Homkund and the climb to Ronti Saddle, back to the same camp that night. The way out crosses a river, drops into the forest of Lata Khopri, and ends through Sutol and Sitel to Ghat.

The first four days share the Roopkund trail. After Junargali the valley is quiet: wind, ice breaking off Trishul, and in June a few collectors of Keeda Jadi. We run the trek with pickup at Pantnagar airport or Kathgodam, and the drop is in Rishikesh, near Dehradun airport.

• Days: 12 days, 11 nights, Kathgodam to Rishikesh
• Highest point: Ronti Saddle, 5,300 m
• Grade: strenuous, with long remote camping days
• Season: May and June, then September and October

Private group, usually 2 to 10, with a local team. Where the snow needs it, we provide the traction and ice axes.

• Ronti Saddle, 5,300 m: a saddle between Trishul and Nanda Ghungti, reached on its own day from Dodang by way of Homkund, with a steep snow climb of about 2 hours from the lake.
• Junargali (5,150 m): the pass above Roopkund, a steep wall of hard snow that opens the way into the Sheela Samudra valley.
• Sheela Samudra: the Sea of Rocks, a glacier coming down from Trishul, full of broken tarns and boulders, with a full rest day built in beside it.
• Roopkund on the way: the glacial lake is a stop on day 5, before the trek leaves the usual trail.
• Ali Bugyal and Bedni Bugyal: two big meadows on days 3 and 4, with Trishul and Nanda Ghungti showing as you climb.
• Homkund: a small lake, mostly under snow, at the foot of the climb to the saddle.
• Dodang camp: a boulder shaped like a cave marks the camp at 4,484 m, with Junargali behind you.
• Lata Khopri forest: deep forest of the Nanda Devi Biosphere on the way down, after a river crossing at Chandaniya Ghat.
• Sutol and Sitel: the Nandakini valley villages that end the walk, with a temple, a river bridge and local conversation.

Day 5 of the Ronti Saddle trek is the day that separates it from the Roopkund trek. You leave Baghuabasa (4,300 m), climb to Roopkund, cross Junargali (5,150 m) and sleep at Sheela Samudra (4,000 m). It is a 7 to 8 hour day of about 12 km, and it is a long one.

The climb to Roopkund

The first part follows the usual trail up to the lake. It climbs steadily, with a steep last stretch of about an hour. You will meet other trekkers on this section; the pass is the real work of the day.

The wall of Junargali

The approach to the pass is a steep wall of hard snow. A slip on it would run out on an exposed fall, so we use the gear the snow calls for and follow the guide's line. We provide microspikes or crampons, ice axes, helmets and gaiters where conditions need them, and rope up where needed. You do not have to bring any of it.

From the top you see Trishul from base to summit, and Nanda Ghungti and Ronti Saddle are in view too. The descent on the far side is sharp at first and, with snow on it, needs full attention. We follow the guide's steps. Allow roughly 2 hours of steady descent to the camp, which is sheltered by a large boulder.

How snow changes the day

Early in the season (May and June), the wall and the descent carry more snow. In autumn (late September to October) there is usually less, and the moraine is open. Both seasons work. We decide the timing on the day, and if the pass is not right we say so.

You arrive at Sheela Samudra tired and in the shadow of Trishul, with a rest day waiting. Planning for this pass? Tell us your dates and experience and we will shape the days with you. The same Roopkund and Junargali ground is also part of our Roopkund, Kuari Pass and Pangarchula trek.

Sheela Samudra means sea of rocks, and the name fits. The glacier comes down from Trishul as a huge system of broken tarns and large boulders. The camp at 4,000 m sits beside it, behind a boulder that acts as a wind shield. The trek spends two nights here, with day 6 as a rest day.

Why the rest day sits here

The sleeping heights climb in steps. Didina is at 2,450 m, Bedni Bugyal at 3,600 m and Baghuabasa at 4,300 m. Then comes the longest day so far, over Junargali. Sheela Samudra is lower than Baghuabasa, at 4,000 m, so it is a good place to stop. You rest after the pass and before you climb on to Dodang at 4,484 m and the saddle at 5,300 m. The rest day is built into the itinerary, not added if someone is slow, and it is one reason the trek is run this way.

What the day is like

The walking is short, about 2 hours of exploring round the camp. The valley has its own sounds: wind, ice cracking and falling from Trishul to feed the glacier, and waterfalls that start to run in the afternoon and freeze again by evening. Vultures and other birds are common here. Bring the camera and keep warm clothing for the evening.

A quiet valley

Few people come here. Once you cross Junargali you leave the Roopkund trail behind, and in June you may meet only a few collectors of Keeda Jadi (Yartsa Gumba) from the villages. That quiet is the reason this trek exists.

The next morning the route goes on across the boulders of Sheela Samudra, past the tarns of the once much larger glacier, and follows the Nandakini upstream. Some stretches have no clear trail and are slippery, so we take them slowly.

Day 8 is the goal of the trek: Dodang (4,484 m) to Ronti Saddle (5,300 m) and back to Dodang. It is 10 km and 6 to 8 hours, and it begins early.

Dodang to Homkund

The first part is easy walking. Then the trail meets a sharp ridge that breaks away on the right-hand side, almost like a steep slab of earth. We take the path a little below it on the left, which is safer, and the ridge slowly turns to bring us to Homkund. It is a small lake, mostly under snow, below Nanda Ghungti and the saddle. Most people stop for a moment and offer a prayer here.

Homkund to the saddle

From the lake the climb is steep and strenuous, about 2 hours. It begins with some scrambling and about 2 km over boulders, then zigzags up a snow field to the top. A saddle is a low point between two higher mountains, and here those are Trishul and Nanda Ghungti, close to the Nanda Devi Inner Sanctuary. Time on top depends on the weather, and we keep an eye on it from the start.

Back to Dodang

The descent follows the same route. You are back at the Dodang camp the same day, so you sleep no higher than the night before.

What it asks of you

This is a pass day, not a technical climb. It needs fitness, a steady head on snow and rock, and a willingness to turn when we say. Early in the season (May and June) more of the route is under snow, so we provide microspikes or crampons and ice axes as the conditions need. In autumn it is more open boulder ground. Either way the early start matters.

The Ronti Saddle trek is the next step for a trekker who has done a pass crossing and wants a remote one. Tell us your experience and dates, and we will tell you whether it suits you.

The walk out of the Ronti Saddle trek takes three days and drops from Dodang (4,484 m) to Ghat. It is a varied stretch.

Day 9: Dodang to Lata Khopri

This is a long day of 16 km, 6 to 7 hours. The route goes over Chandaniya Ghat (3,600 m) and includes a river crossing, which is the trickier part of the day. After that it is easier, and the trail runs through the deep forest of the Nanda Devi Biosphere to the camp at Lata Khopri (3,100 m). Views are blocked by the trees, so this is a day for close-up photography. The drop from Dodang is about 1,400 m in one day, so lower ground feels warm and green.

Day 10: Lata Khopri to Sutol

A shorter day, 12 km and 5 to 6 hours, through forest down to Sutol (2,192 m). It is a village with a temple, a shop and a few homes, a bridge over the river, and domestic animals. You will see people and houses again after nine days of mostly empty ground. Some guests take a bath in the river.

Day 11: Sutol to Sitel and Ghat

Another 11 km, 5 to 6 hours of walking. A few shops on the way sell the normal food you may have missed. About 4 hours of walking takes you to the road, where the vehicle is waiting to take you to Ghat. The Nandakini valley is a different side of the mountain from the Roopkund meadows on the way in.

Day 12: the drive to Rishikesh

The last day is a drive of about 220 km, 7 to 8 hours, from Ghat to Rishikesh. Plan onward travel after you reach Rishikesh.

The first days of this route are shared with the Roopkund trek.

The Ronti Saddle trek takes 12 days and 11 nights, from Kathgodam to Rishikesh by road, with a private group, usually 2 to 10, and a local team. We run it as pickup and drop, starting from Pantnagar airport or Kathgodam, and ending in Rishikesh, which is close to Dehradun airport.

The pace

Day 1 is a long drive, 7 to 8 hours and 222 km, from Kathgodam to Lohajung (2,300 m). After that the days climb in stages: Didina, Bedni Bugyal, Baghuabasa, then the pass day and the rest day at Sheela Samudra. Dodang is the highest camp at 4,484 m. The summit day to the saddle goes out and back from there, so you do not sleep higher than Dodang.

What the trek asks

The grade is strenuous. Most days run 5 to 8 hours, and some are longer. Several days are over 4,000 m, the trail is steep in places, and the camps are remote. Evacuation may not be possible from every campsite, so we are careful about who joins and about conditions on the day. Fitness matters: regular cardio, long hill walks and steady stamina. The trek does not need technical skill, but you need confidence on steep snow.

Season

The months are May and June, then September and October. Early on, snow lies over the passes and in the Sheela Samudra valley. In autumn the moraine is open and the skies are clearer. Both work. We do not run the trek in the monsoon.

Snow gear

Where the snow and terrain need it, we provide microspikes or crampons, ice axes, helmets and gaiters, and rope up. You do not need to bring any of it.

Who it suits

It suits a trekker with a good record of high-altitude walking who wants a long, remote route. It does not suit a trek that must be done at speed, or a first Himalayan trek. If you are looking for a shorter first step, try the Kuari Pass trek first.

Tell us your dates, your experience and your pace, and we will shape the days to suit you.