Dodital Trek

From Kalyani, either drive or walk a little further to Sangam Chatti (1,350m), the base of the trek. Cross the bridge over the small stream and begin your 6 km trek to Agoda, heading due north. The track climbs steeply, moving through forest. The last bit of climb can feel a little strenuous and the village huts visible at the top seem tantalisingly out of reach. At Agoda you can hear the faint gushing of the Asi Ganga down below. There are no dhabas or hotels at Agoda (2,250m) but the hospitable locals provide (at very nominal cost) food and campsites to pitch tents. Food is usually Pahari staple – brown rice, pahari rajma, delicious thick chapatis and saag pahari aloo. After letting the food to settle down a bit, you can go down to the river in the late afternoon. It’s a good 30-mins zigzag hike along the edges of step fields down to the river. Make sure you do the uphill climb back to Agoda while there is daylight so you can watch the sunset as you pitch tents for the night.

From Agoda, it’s a long winding walk of 16 km due north-north-east to Dodital. The trail is broad, well defined and runs through forests on either side. Since the gradient is not very steep, it’s a fairly moderate walk, except towards the end. On the way you encounter villagers returning with herds of cattle and some Gujjar encampments. There are no villages in between but you can find a few tea stalls for the odd break. Sometimes, you can find pahari women carrying baskets of ripe pears, which you can trade for peanuts. A couple of pears and you’re all set for the next leg.

Now you enter a high country, and walk along grassy hillsides and cliffs with 500 ft drops, into forests of decidous oak, which blend into spruce forests along the ridges. At what was roughly the half-way mark, we came to a picturesque bridge to the right, a good place to stop for lunch. From the bridge, you turn right, cross Manghi and walk through rich forests of oak, deodar and rhododendrons until you go past the final incline to reach Dodital. There are couple of shacks to the left, and after crossing a small bridge, you come to the Forest Rest House set in a clearing. And then you see the lake. Set against a stunning backdrop of hills, from where a mountain stream feeds it, Dodital is crystal clear. You can actually see the famed trout swimming about in large numbers. It is after these trout( dodi in the local language), that the lake is called Dodital. It’s believed that Lord Ganesh was born here. You can find a small unattended temple, dedicated to him, on the left bank of the lake. The cement and tin shelters on the edge of the lake – the government’s gift to tourists – have all the charm of postal department inkblots on a beautiful picture-postcard.

TrailHikers recommends that you should spend a day relaxing, enjoying & exploring at Dodital lake side. You can either camp out or opt for accomodation in the Forest Rest House.

Retrace your steps to Agoda.

Trail back further to Sangam Chatti and if you wish you can return to Uttarkashi via jeep drive on the same evening.

Getting There & Out

FROM UTTARKASHI TO Sangam Chatti (Kalyani), it’s 15 km/ 45 mins by car or 1 1/4 hrs by bus.

Delhi to Haridwar is 203 km/5 hrs by road. It’s 4 1/2 hrs by rail (Shatabdi Exp.)

Haridwar to Uttarkashi is 173 km/6 hrs by taxi or 8 hrs by bus.

RETURN: Take a bus or shared jeep from Sangam Chatti to Uttarkashi from where you get a taxi or bus to Haridwar (which is well connected by road and rail to Delhi).