An epic Himalayan pilgrimage passing through Roopkund where a four-horned ram leads the procession carrying Goddess Nanda Devi's symbolic journey to her husband's home.
Why it mattersreligious
Skip to content
Naksh.iq
ISSUE Nº 47 · MAY 2026
Festival · UTTARAKHAND
Nanda Devi Raj Jat Yatra.
August–September (once every 12 years; annual shorter version) · Roopkund
Going for this? Roopkund in August
NakshIQ score
1/10
Skip
August is peak monsoon — Roopkund is closed for all practical purposes. Rainfall batters the trail, streams become torrents, and the high-altitude sections are shrouded in cloud. Landslides on the Lohajung road are common. The few trekkers who attempt it face dangerous conditions. The skeleton lake itself is rain-lashed and often snow-covered again from fresh precipitation.
Getting there
Elevation
5029 m
Nearest airport
Jolly Grant, Dehradun — 230km to Lohajung
Nearest railway
Rishikesh — 210km to Lohajung
Live in Roopkund
Where to stay in Roopkund
Lohajung Homestays
₹500-1,000/nighthomestay · Lohajung villageMultiple homestays in the Roopkund trek gateway village. Warm quilts, home-cooked Kumaoni food, and hosts who've seen trekkers come and go for decades. Best acclimatization base.
Lohajung Valley Stay
Rs 1000-2000/nighthomestay · Village Bank, near Lohajung, ChamoliCozy retreat surrounded by forests in a tranquil mountain setting, perfect base for Roopkund trek
Raftaar Adventure Homestay
Rs 800-1500/nighthomestay · Lohajung Village, Chamoli DistrictSituated at the base camp of Roopkund, Brahmatal, and Ali Bugyal treks with affordable rooms and home-cooked meals
Where to eat
Hotel Hema Lohajung Restaurant
Lohajung · ₹SignatureAloo paratha with curd
Year-round operation — useful for Dec-Feb Kedarkantha-via-Lohajung trekkers when most other dhabas are shut.
Bedni Camp Kitchen (seasonal)
Bedni Bugyal base · ₹₹SignatureTrek-camp dal-rice plate
Not a venue you can show up at — must be on a booked Ali-Bedni Bugyal trek itinerary. The camp shuts in winter.
Hotel Devi Bhavan Wan
Wan · ₹SignatureMandua roti + dal
Mandua roti is dark, dense and slightly bitter — local Garhwali staple, asks for ghee or jaggery to balance. Wan is one of the few places to taste it freshly made.
Mountain Shepherds Lohajung Dining
Lohajung · ₹₹SignatureCommunity-trek thali
Ask about Niti Valley rajma — distinctive flat black-spotted variety grown at 3000m+, sold by the kilo if you're heading back to the plains.
What else to see in Roopkund
Roopkund (Skeleton Lake)
Mysterious glacial lake at 16,500 ft with hundreds of ancient human skeletons visible when ice melts.
lake4-5 days trek
Other festivals in Roopkund
Other festivals in August, elsewhere
ALSO ON NAKSHIQ
Eight more rooms in the magazine.
Guides
Visa, scams, food, packing.
Everything the guidebook won't tell you — written for India in 2026.
Blog
Field notes from the road.
Long-form reads on regions, festivals, and the offbeat circuit.
Road trips
Curated multi-day routes.
Driving itineraries with day-by-day stops, distance, and difficulty.
Collections
Themed reading lists.
Wettest places. Sacred lakes. Solo-female-safe. Curated cuts.
NakshIQ 100
The 100 best destination-months.
India's highest-scoring places, ranked across all 12 months.
The Window
Our weekly newsletter, archived.
One honest spread, every Sunday. The full back catalogue.
Skip list
What we'd skip — and what we'd do instead.
Overhyped places with honest alternatives.
First trip
Planning your first time in India.
Safety, scams, what to wear, food survival, solo female travel.