Baraadsar Lake

Baraadsar Lake — The Forgotten Alpine Lake of the Tons Valley

Baraadsar Lake at 15,800 ft (4,815 m) is one of the wildest, least-visited high-altitude destinations in Uttarakhand. The eight-day trek from Sankri in the Tons valley climbs through old-growth pine forest, sweeping high-altitude meadows, and a windswept ridge campsite to a glacial lake set in a remote cirque ringed by the unnamed satellite peaks of the Black Peak (Kalanag, 20,955 ft) and Bandarpoonch (20,720 ft) massif. Where Sankri's other treks — Kedarkantha, Har Ki Dun, Phulara Ridge, Bali Pass — see hundreds of trekkers each season, Baraadsar typically sees no more than a handful of groups in a year. The trail does not appear in most operator catalogues, the campsites are unmarked, and the lake is approached on a route that the Garhwali porters of Sankri still call by its old shepherd-route name rather than any tourist designation.

Why this trek is different

Three things set Baraadsar apart from the standard Sankri-region treks. First, solitude — the route is genuinely empty. The combination of the long approach, the high altitude, and its absence from the standard catalogue means that on most batches you will not cross another trekking group from Day 2 through Day 7. Second, route variety — unlike the meadow-focussed Phulara Ridge or the village-focussed Har Ki Dun, Baraadsar runs through five distinct ecosystems in eight days: pine forest, oak-and-rhododendron forest, silver birch zone, alpine meadow, and high glacial moraine. Third, the lake itself — Baraadsar is a true glacial cirque lake fed by snowmelt from a small unnamed glacier above; in early summer the surface is broken by floating ice slabs, and from October the lake freezes solid for seven months.

The route from Sankri

The trek begins at Sankri (6,400 ft), the small Garhwali village inside Govind Pashu Vihar Wildlife Sanctuary. Day 2 climbs through dense chir pine and oak to a quiet meadow campsite at Saur (8,800 ft). Day 3 ascends through silver birch and rhododendron to Pavni Bugyal (10,800 ft), a wide grassy meadow used by Gaddi shepherds. Day 4 climbs above the treeline to Sukhi Top (13,000 ft), a windswept ridge campsite with the first views of Black Peak's western face. Day 5 is summit day: a steep moraine climb to Baraadsar Lake (15,800 ft) for photography and a brief halt, then descent back to Pavni Bugyal. Days 6-8 retrace the descent through Saur to Sankri and the long drive to Dehradun.

What you'll see at the lake

Baraadsar lake sits in a cirque at the head of a small unnamed side-valley of the Supin drainage, ringed on three sides by the rock-and-snow walls of the Saraswati group of peaks. The lake is small — perhaps 200 metres across — and its colour shifts through the day from clear glacial green at sunrise to reflective steel-blue at midday to copper at sunset. To the southeast rises Black Peak (Kalanag, 20,955 ft), a Grade-II expedition peak; to the northeast, Bandarpoonch I (20,720 ft) and the adjoining Saraswati peaks (18,000-19,000 ft). The high cirque is also a known habitat for the Himalayan brown bear — fresh tracks are often visible in the moraine after fresh snow.

Best season and conditions

Baraadsar has two reliable windows. Mid-May to late June brings clear post-winter skies, snow-melt streams, and the first wildflowers in the lower meadows. Mid-September to mid-October is the post-monsoon golden window — the meadows turn gold, the air is at its clearest, and the lake reflects the snow walls perfectly. The monsoon (July-August) is closed due to leech infestation and clouded views. November onwards the upper sections snow over and the lake becomes inaccessible.

Camping and infrastructure

HeyHikers operates designated forest-department-permitted campsites at Saur, Pavni Bugyal, and Sukhi Top with four-season tents, sleeping bags rated to -10°C, kitchen tents, and pit toilets. Mules carry group gear from Sankri to Pavni Bugyal; above that the load is portered. There are no permanent shepherd huts above Pavni — the campsites are entirely self-supported. The Forest Department permit is included in the trek price. Mobile network ends at Sankri.

Difficulty and prerequisites

Baraadsar is graded difficult. Daily walking is 8-12 km on mixed forest, meadow, and moraine terrain. The summit-day altitude (15,800 ft) is high enough that we require prior experience of one trek above 14,000 ft (Hampta Pass, Roopkund, or Bhrigu Lake minimum) and cardiovascular fitness equivalent to running 5 km in 30 minutes. The Sukhi Top campsite is exposed and windy; sleeping at 13,000 ft after the rapid Day 4 climb is the trek's most demanding altitude moment. Anyone with a history of pulmonary issues, untreated hypertension, or knee instability should not attempt this trek. The remoteness is the additional factor — there is no medical evacuation closer than Sankri.

Cultural and ecological context

The Baraadsar trail is older than the modern trekking circuit — it was used by Gaddi shepherds from Himachal's Bara Bhangal valley to graze flocks on the upper Sankri-side meadows in summer. The shepherds still walk the lower sections each May and September, and you may encounter their flocks of 200-300 sheep at Pavni Bugyal. The forest below Saur is also one of the last refuges of the Himalayan brown bear in the western Garhwal. The Govind Pashu Vihar sanctuary was created in 1955 to protect the snow leopard, the Himalayan tahr, and the bharal (blue sheep); all three are present in this catchment though seldom seen.

Reach Dehradun. Our shared transport departs at 6:30 AM on Day 1 and reaches Sankri in 9-10 hours via the Mussoorie–Purola–Mori route.

Cancellations must be requested in writing.

- More than 30 days before the trek start date: 90% refund. - 21–30 days before: 50% refund. - 11–20 days before: 25% refund. - 10 days or fewer: no refund, but you may transfer your slot to another trekker or to any future batch within 12 months at no extra charge.

Refunds are processed to the original payment method within 7-10 working days. Trip cancellations triggered by us (weather, force majeure, government restrictions) are refunded in full or moved to an alternate batch at your option.