Dayara Bugyal Trek and Markha Valley Trek

 Whether you are a person who enjoys exotic arid desert landscapes or someone who finds ethereal beauty in the vast sprawling, lush green meadows, here are two excellently interesting, adventurous, and spine-chilling treks to comfort both types of wanderers with completely opposite trekking preferences -

DAYARA BUGYAL TREK -

An esteemed highly admired and drooled-over trek, the Dayara Bugyal Trek is one of Uttarakhand’s most splendid treks of all time. Spread over a whopping 24 sq km of enticing land, the Dayara meadow rises as high as 12,100 ft and remains a gateway to spellbinding as well as arresting views of the Garhwal Himalayas.

With each season, this epitome of beauty transitions from appearing vibrant, lush green, and refreshing during summer, to appearing golden brown with green and snow-covered patches of land during spring, and to snow-smothered, milky white during winter.

Besides the seasonal highlights, there are several other aspects that remain constant throughout the year and attract trekkers from around the world. Mentioned below are three of my favorite reasons that excite me to do the Dayara Bugyal Trek -

1) The fierce mountains towering high in the backdrop -
 From the very beginning, as you hop onto the Dayara Bugyal Trek, you are introduced to fascinating views of the Garhwal Himalayas that tend to get clearer and magnified as you hike uphill. With each day, you reach closer to more exotic, goose-bumps-inducing views of the Himalayas and finally get to observe the ultimate gig on the fourth day of the expedition from the Dayara Top while standing at the highest altitude of 12,100 ft. The Gangotri Range, Bandarpoonch Range, and many notable peaks of the Garhwal Himalayas stand right before you, in all their might as you gasp at their unbelievable beauty. The sight from Dayara Top is truly breathtaking and fully capable of making trekkers weak in their knees.

2) Thickly forested trails — 
 I personally thoroughly enjoy thickly forested trails with tall trees, embellished all around, reaching for the sky. The Dayara Bugyal Trek allows me to dive deep into the remote nooks of the Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand to explore and discover its unfiltered, raw wilderness and that is precisely why I go gaga over it. Most of the trails that ascend to the Dayara Top traverse dense green thickets. You are introduced to the pleasant gurgling of the nearby lying little rivers which are accompanied by the sweet chirping of exotic birds as you trek upwards. The seemingly fresh air, admirable atmosphere, and daunting yet exciting surroundings simply give the Dayara Bugyal trek additional brownie points.

3) Vast sprawling meadows — 
 If you do not find vast sprawling meadows to be excellently soul-stirring, you most probably need help. Meadows are indefinitely one of the most awe-inspiring wonders of the world. The rising and dipping folds in them make them appear astonishingly exquisite. Vast meadows with no foreseeable endpoint especially make me cry in joy. The Dayara Bugyal is one such meadow that appears almost utopian, especially during winters. With knee-deep, fresh, powdery, sparkling snow completely smeared over it, the Dayara Bugyal appears heavenly and makes for an exotic location, ideal for galas.

MARKHA VALLEY TREK -

Nestled in the exotic terrains of Leh and Ladakh, The Markha Valley towers as high as 12,200 ft and allows trekkers to steal transfixing views of the arid desert valleys of Ladakh. More popularly known as the Tea House Trek, the Markha Valley trek offers an enticing and peculiar experience of a lifetime. Kongmaru La Pass remains the highest point of the entire trek which elevates trekkers to a whopping height of 17,100 ft. Dramatic and cinematic in its purest sense, the Markha Valley trek is a must-do for off-beat and rugged-terrains trekking enthusiasts. Mentioned below are three reasons why you can simply not afford to miss out on the engrossing Markha Valley Trek -

1) The exotic Markha and Hankar villages — 
 The Markha and Hankar villages encountered en route during the Markha Valley Trek come as breaths of fresh air. Both these scenic villages besides being remote and lowly inhabited remain lush green with extensively cultivated patches of land all around. Snuggled in the arid deserts valleys of Ladakh, these villages appear fascinating as well as astonishingly refreshing and remain one of the key highlights of the trek.

2) Thrilling waist-deep river crossings -
 Throughout the Markha Valley trek, you will cut paths with the meandering Markha River a couple of times. More often than not you will also have to cross the waist-deep river to reach the other end of the landscape. The experiences of river-crossings on the Markha Valley Trek are extremely electric and highly unmatched. As you step into the deadly cold, gurgling river, holding the hands of your fellow trekkers, you will be bound to feel adrenaline waves surge high in you.

3) Striking views of Kang Yatse and Stok Kangri Peaks -
 On the fifth day of your trek, as you climb uphill from Sara towards Hankar, the robust and fierce peaks of Kang Yatse and Stok Kangri begin to emerge, gradually. With each step ahead, these mountain peaks become more and more apparent. Views of these peaks along with breathtaking views of the Karakoram Ranges and the mighty K2 Peak are witnessed in a way like none other on the last day of the expedition from the Kongmaru La Pass perched at 17,100 ft.