Avoid
Roopkund in April
Uttarakhand, India
April starts melting the lower sections of the Roopkund trail. Bedni Bugyal (3,354m) begins showing patches of green through retreating snow. The upper route â Bhagwabasa to Roopkund â remains snow-covered and dangerous. Some trekking companies begin taking bookings for May-June. The approach village of Wan becomes accessible. This is planning and preparation month, not trekking month.
The April story
April is final prep month. The approach road from Rishikesh to Lohajung (220km, 10 hours) opens fully. Wan village (the actual trailhead) is accessible. Early-season reconnaissance treks to Bedni Bugyal are possible for acclimatization, but the full Roopkund route remains snow-blocked above 4,500m. This is when you finalize gear: layering system (base layer, insulation, windproof shell), trekking poles, microspikes, sleeping bag rated to -10°C. The operators ship most heavy gear but you carry your daypack. Physical readiness checkpoint: can you climb 1,000 vertical metres in 4 hours? If not, you have one more month to get there.
Why April scores 1/5
Weather
Snow melting at lower elevations 5-14°C. Bedni Bugyal still under snow. Trek not viable yet. Lohajung accessible.
Roads & Access
self drive: Possible to Lohajung â high clearance needed. Then 8-day trek. road condition: Rough mountain road to Lohajung via Karnaprayag. Last 50km very bad. Then multi-day trek. public transport: Buses to Karnaprayag from Rishikesh. Shared taxi to Lohajung. Then trek only. from nearest city: Lohajung (trek base) then 8-day trek. Rishikesh â 260km to Lohajung, 10hr. last km difficulty: extreme
Safety & Emergency
Safety: 1/5. rescue: SDRF helicopter â weather dependent. Trek operator responsible for group safety. helpline: 1077 (UK disaster). ambulance: Not available on trek. Helicopter evacuation only (weather dependent). police station: Lohajung outpost â basic. nearest hospital: No medical facility for 3+ days on trek. Lohajung PHC first aid only. District Hospital Chamoli â 100km
Network
VI: No, JIO: No, BSNL: No, NOTE: Yes, AIRTEL: No. NO mobile signal for entire 8-day trek. Weak BSNL at Lohajung only. Completely off-grid
Kids
Not ideal for kids â Once-in-a-lifetime experience for very fit older teens
Elevation
5,029m â High altitude, acclimatisation needed
Who should go
- âExperienced trekkers / adventurers
- âReconnaissance trekkers checking lower trail to Bedni Bugyal
- âFitness-ready trekkers doing final acclimatization hikes
- âGear shoppers making final equipment purchases
Who should think twice
- âFirst-time travelers
- âAnyone with health conditions
- âTrekkers wanting the full Roopkund route â upper section still snowed in
- âThose without 6+ weeks of cardiovascular training
- âAnyone expecting a casual trek â Roopkund demands serious fitness
All 12 Months
| Month | Score | Note |
|---|---|---|
| January | 0/5 | Deep snow at 5,000m. Trail buried. Skeleton Lake frozen under meters of ice. No access until May. Extreme conditions. |
| February | 0/5 | Snowbound. Trail completely impassable. Village bases like Lohajung accessible but trek impossible. Extreme winter. |
| March | 0/5 | Snow still deep above 3,500m. Lower approach clearing but summit route months from opening. Not trekking season. |
| Aprilviewing | 1/5 | Snow melting at lower elevations 5-14°C. Bedni Bugyal still under snow. Trek not viable yet. Lohajung accessible. |
| May | 4/5 | Trek season opens. Bedni and Ali Bugyal melting. 8-18°C at camps. Snow still at lake. Acclimatization essential. |
| June | 5/5 | Best month 8-18°C. Ali and Bedni bugyals carpeted in alpine wildflowers. Skeleton Lake snow-free. Clear summit views. |
| July | 2/5 | Monsoon. Dangerous trail conditions. Slippery rock, zero visibility. Skeleton Lake hidden in cloud. Leeches. Avoid. |
| August | 1/5 | Peak monsoon. Trail extremely dangerous. Landslides common. Cloud cover total. Multiple trekker rescues yearly. Avoid. |
| September | 3/5 | Post-monsoon window 4-14°C. Trail clearing. Bugyals golden. Lake emerging from cloud. Brief September window works. |
| October | 4/5 | Late season 0-10°C. Golden autumn bugyals. Skeleton Lake visible. Cold nights. Snow approaching summit. Last window. |
| November | 1/5 | Winter closing in -5 to 5°C. Snow at summit. Lower camps accessible but lake trek dangerous. Season ending. |
| December | 0/5 | Snowbound. Trail buried. Skeleton Lake frozen. Lohajung base accessible but no trekking possible. 5-month closure. |
Practical Details
How to reach
Lohajung (trek base) then 8-day trek. Rishikesh â 260km to Lohajung, 10hr. Roads: Rough mountain road to Lohajung via Karnaprayag. Last 50km very bad. Then multi-day trek. Self-drive: Possible to Lohajung â high clearance needed. Then 8-day trek. Public transport: Buses to Karnaprayag from Rishikesh. Shared taxi to Lohajung. Then trek only. Last stretch: extreme
Elevation
5,029m
Difficulty
hard
Budget tier
budget
Nearby in Uttarakhand scoring high in April
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