The Bali Pass trek is where trekking starts to feel like mountaineering. This 8-day crossover links the meadows of Har Ki Dun to the sacred shrine of Yamunotri over a razor-edge pass at 16,207 ft — steep snow slopes, a 2 AM alpine start, and Swargarohini towering over you for days. We rate it Difficult, and we mean it: prior high-altitude experience is mandatory.
What is the Bali Pass trek route?
Days 1-3 follow the classic approach: drive 185 km from Dehradun to Sankri, walk from Taluka through walnut forests to Seema (8,400 ft), then climb into Har Ki Dun at 11,675 ft. Day 4 crosses into the wilder Ruinsara valley to camp at the turquoise Ruinsara Tal (11,590 ft), ringed by rhododendrons under Black Peak.
Day 5 is a short, steep haul to the pass base camp at 13,100 ft near the cave-shelter of Odari — where legend says Bali of the Ramayana spent a night. Day 6 is the crux: a 2 AM start, 11 hours over the 16,207 ft pass with Bandarpoonch filling the horizon, then a steep, technical descent to Lower Dhamni. Day 7 descends via the Yamunotri temple to Janki Chatti, and Day 8 drives back to Dehradun.
When can you cross Bali Pass?
May-June and September-October only. Early summer has more snow on the pass (harder but more spectacular); autumn is drier with more stable weather. The pass is not attempted outside these windows.
Who is this trek for?
This is a Difficult-grade trek with a genuine 11-hour summit-style day at extreme altitude. You need at least one prior high-altitude Himalayan trek — our team verifies this before confirming your booking — plus two to three months of dedicated cardio and loaded-pack training. Ropes and technical gear for the pass are provided and our technical guide team fixes lines where needed.
What is the Bali Pass trek cost?
₹22,999 + 5% GST per person. Included: all meals, expedition tents with -15 degree C sleeping bags, ropes, micro-spikes and technical gear for the pass, trek leader plus technical guide team, forest permits, oxygen backup and twice-daily health checks. Transport to Sankri and from Janki Chatti (shareable cabs) is extra.
How does the crossover logistics work?
The trek starts from Sankri (185 km from Dehradun) and ends at Janki Chatti (175 km back to Dehradun) — one of the joys of a true crossover is that you never retrace a step. Reach Dehradun by train or via Jolly Grant airport the night before departure.
Permits and vetting
Govind Wildlife Sanctuary permits are arranged by us and included. Remember: we verify prior high-altitude experience before confirming any Bali Pass booking — this protects you and the rest of the batch.
Earn the big one
If you have the experience and the appetite, dates are on our Bali Pass page. Few treks in India will change you like this one.
