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Nanda Devi East Base Camp Trek Itinerary — Day by Day Route & Camps
A 10-day immersive expedition traversing diverse Himalayan landscapes and alpine altitudes.
Standard RouteThis is the standard mountain pacing for this trek. Specific operators may add an acclimatization day or alter the starting point. Check individual operator schedules for their exact logistics.
Duration
10 Days
Total Distance
103 KM
Max Altitude
13,615 FT
Trek Type
linear
Permits Required Before You Go
Permit Cost
Where to Get
SDM Office Munsiyari
Documents
Aadhar Card, 2 Passport Photos, Medical Auto-declaration
Foreign Nationals
Extremely difficult. Requires MHA clearance out of Delhi. Denials are common if border relations are tense.
Foreigner Process
Highly complex. Requires inner-line clearance filed months in advance.
Nearest Embassy Hub
New Delhi
Day by Day Breakdown
Camp Alt
7,200 ft
Day Gain
+5,700 ft
Arrive in Munsiyari
An exceptionally long, steep drive from the plains via Almora to Munsiyari. This day is reserved for travel and completing the intricate Inner Line Permit paperwork at the SDM office.
Key Landmarks
Staying At
The motorable road navigates deeper into the mountain river corridor, where the landscape transitions from lower foothills into the steep, dense forested valleys.
Camp Alt
6,100 ft
Day Gain
-1,100 ft
Drive to Dhapa & Trek to Lilam
A short drive to the roadhead at Dhapa/Chilamdar. The trek starts with a steep, hot descent into the Gori Ganga valley to reach the village of Lilam. The climate here is surprisingly tropical.
Key Landmarks
Staying At
The high-altitude settlement transitions immediately into a deep, humid and heavily forested river gorge.
Camp Alt
8,200 ft
Day Gain
+2,100 ft
Reach Bugdiyar
The valley narrows violently. You walk on narrow rock-cut sections above the Gori Ganga. Reach Bugdiyar and register at your first high-altitude ITBP camp.
Key Landmarks
Staying At
The trail follows the mountain river corridor through a narrow, forested gorge, moving past traditional settlements into increasingly dense dense forested valleys.
Field Notes
Use Trekking Poles
Trekking poles are highly recommended to save your knees on the descent.
INFOSlower Progress
Progress will be significantly slower and more taxing on your ankles than trail distance suggests.
Camp Alt
11,200 ft
Day Gain
+3,000 ft
Reach Martoli
A uphill day breaking through the gorge. The trees vanish entirely into alpine desert. Martoli is an incredibly atmospheric, partially abandoned historic trading village on a high plateau. The first distant peaks of Nanda Devi become visible.
Key Landmarks
Staying At
The narrow river gorge emerges onto a broad, arid high-altitude plateau.
Camp Alt
10,800 ft
Day Gain
-400 ft
Reach Ganghar
Leave the main Milam route and branch into the Lawan valley towards Nanda Devi. The trail descends slightly through beautiful alpine meadows. Ganghar is a tiny, ancient settlement facing the massive peaks.
Key Landmarks
Staying At
The arid plateau narrows into high alpine pastures bordering glacial streams.
Camp Alt
13,615 ft
Day Gain
+2,815 ft
Today's Objective
🏕 Establish Nanda Devi East Base Camp
The apex day. Ascend a steady, oxygen-deprived trail winding up the moraine. You suddenly arrive at the Pachhu meadows directly beneath the staggering, vertical 24,000 ft eastern wall of Nanda Devi. The scale of the east face dominates the entire upper valley.
Key Landmarks
Staying At
The alpine meadows terminate at the glaciated walls and debris of the Nanda Devi basin.
Field Notes
Use Trekking Poles
Trekking poles are highly recommended to save your knees on the descent.
INFOSlower Progress
Progress will be significantly slower and more taxing on your ankles than trail distance suggests.
Camp Alt
10,800 ft
Day Gain
-2,815 ft
Explore Base Camp & Return to Ganghar / Martoli
Wake at 4:30 AM to watch the first light ignite the ice walls of Nanda Devi. After breakfast, pack up and begin the long process of retracing your route back down the valley to Ganghar.
Key Landmarks
Staying At
The barren ice and moraine of the upper basin transition quickly back into alpine scrub and alpine meadow basin as the route loses elevation.
Field Notes
Use Trekking Poles
Trekking poles are highly recommended to save your knees on the descent.
INFOSlower Progress
Progress will be significantly slower and more taxing on your ankles than trail distance suggests.
Camp Alt
8,200 ft
Day Gain
-2,600 ft
Reach Bugdiyar
A massive descent knocking out two previous days of hiking in one. You drop steeply off the high plateau back into the claustrophobic Gori Ganga rock gorge.
Key Landmarks
Staying At
The arid high-altitude plateau descends abruptly back into the sheer-walled river gorge.
Field Notes
KEY ACTIONRiver Crossings
Plan to cross early in the day before snowmelt swells the water levels. Unclip backpack waist belts before crossing.
Use Trekking Poles
Trekking poles are highly recommended to save your knees on the descent.
INFOSlower Progress
Progress will be significantly slower and more taxing on your ankles than trail distance suggests.
Camp Alt
7,200 ft
Day Gain
-1,000 ft
Trek to Dhapa & Drive to Munsiyari
Follow the raging river back down to Lilam, climb out of the valley basin to the roadhead at Dhapa, and take your waiting jeeps the final stretch back up to Munsiyari for a hot shower.
Key Landmarks
Staying At
The route navigates the final stretch of the river gorge before ascending back to the Munsiyari settlement.
Field Notes
KEY ACTIONRiver Crossings
Plan to cross early in the day before snowmelt swells the water levels. Unclip backpack waist belts before crossing.
Camp Alt
1,500 ft
Day Gain
-5,700 ft
Drive to Kathgodam
The final driving day, navigating 280km of winding roads back to the railhead in the plains, concluding the 10-day expedition.
Key Landmarks
The mountain valley topography transitions back into the lower foothill river plains.
Trek Extensions & Add-ons
Milam Glacier Intercept
+2 DaysAt Martoli, continue straight up the main valley to visit the massive Milam Glacier before returning and turning toward base camp.
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