There are dozens of beautiful bugyals (velvety meadows) in the Ganga-Yamuna valley of Uttarkashi district, which attract tourists. One such meadow is Harunta Bugyal, located at an altitude of about 2900 meters above sea level. Its beauty is truly captivating. Harunta Bugyal is also the origin of the Indravati River, which flows to Uttarkashi and merges with the Bhagirathi River. It takes a maximum of 3 to 4 hours to reach Harunta, but upon arrival, one experiences immense joy and satisfaction.

 

The trekking route to Harunta Bugyal starts from the tourist spot Chaurangikhal, located on the Kedarnath road, 29 kilometers from the Uttarkashi district headquarters. This 7-kilometer trek is extremely thrilling. Along the way, one passes through a dense forest of oak (Banj), rhododendron (Buransh), Thuner, Moru, and Rai trees. The silence is broken only by the chirping of birds and the sounds of wild animals. The first small bugyal on this trail comes at a distance of 1 kilometer and is known as Saud Bugyal. This is where the villagers seasonal shelters (chhanis) begin. These are traditional cowsheds and forest homes that have existed for generations.

 

Every year, the villagers of the Badgaddi region come here to perform religious rituals, at the very spot in the middle of the bugyal where the Indravati River originates.

The villagers of Dhanpur have their seasonal shelters in Harunta Bugyal. Here, tourists can easily find food items, milk, curd, ghee, butter, etc. About 1 kilometer ahead of Harunta, there is another bugyal where the villagers of Kishanpur have their chhanis (temporary summer shelters).