Andhudi Utsav
Each August the people of Raithal climb to Dayara for the Butter Festival. Instead of colours, they throw butter, milk and buttermilk, thanking the mountain deities as their cattle return from summer grazing.
After the summit · the almanac
The trek in four numbers
Dayara Bugyal is an easy trek: forest for two days, then a vast open meadow with the Garhwal peaks lined up on the horizon.
3,750m
Height of Dayara Top
1,650m
Climb from Raithal
25km
Walking, over 4 days
16–17Aug
Butter Festival, 2026
💪 Easy❄️ Snow: Dec–Mar⛺ 3 camps🚗 About 190 km from Dehradun
Day by day
Five days, step by step
This is the Raithal loop. Many groups instead start and finish at Barsu, the next village along the valley.
How high you are on each kilometre
- Day 1Dehradun → RaithalDrive via UttarkashiAbout 190 km · 8 h🛏️ Homestay in Raithal · 2,100 m
- Day 2Raithal → GuiForest climb to a small lake6 km · about 4 h🛏️ Tents at Gui · 2,948 m
- Day 3Gui → ChilapadaVia Barnala Tal, out onto the meadows6 km · 5–6 h🛏️ Tents at Chilapada · 3,094 m
- Day 4Chilapada → Dayara Top → NayataAcross the meadow, then down to the forest9 km · about 5.5 h🛏️ Tents at Nayata · 2,697 m
- Day 5Nayata → RaithalShort walk out, then the drive4 km · about 3.5 h🚌 Drive to Dehradun
Stories and nature
A meadow that plays Holi with butter
A summer pasture
Bugyal means a high meadow. Through the summer, villagers graze their herds up here; in winter the same slopes lie under deep snow.
The Garhwal skyline
From the top: Bandarpoonch (6,316 m) and Black Peak (6,387 m) to the north, the Gangotri peaks (Gangotri I, 6,672 m) and Jaonli to the east.
When to go
Two seasons
Winter brings snow from December to the end of March. The rest of the year, the meadows are green.
Dec–Mar
A winter snow trek. Gui lake freezes and the whole meadow is white.
Mid-August
The Butter Festival on the meadow: 16–17 August in 2026, according to Incredible India. Check the date before you plan.
Monsoon
July–September brings rain and slippery forest trails, though the festival falls in this window.
Guided trek
Bikat Adventures charges ₹10,500 + 5% GST, Raithal to Raithal, with one night's stay in the village.
Plan your trip
Getting to Raithal
Raithal is on the road from Uttarkashi toward Gangotri. Everyone reaches it through Uttarkashi.
- Dehradun🚌 Bus to Uttarkashi: state buses leave early morning, private buses hourly
or 🚕 private taxi all the way, usually ₹5,000 and up - Uttarkashi🚕 Shared cab to Raithal or Bhatwari, 30–40 km; buses run but rarely
- Raithal
Bring cash
Draw cash in Dehradun or Uttarkashi before you go up.
Two starts
Raithal and Barsu both lead up to the meadow, each about 10–11 km one way.
Hardest part
Day 4: the climb across the meadow to the top, then about 1,000 m down to Nayata.
Altitude sickness
Headache, sickness or dizziness? Tell your leader, rest, and go down if it gets worse.
Good to know
The small things
Cash, signal, water, permits and help on the way. Checked October 2026; confirm with your operator.
Patchy phone signal
BSNL works best. Airtel and Jio are weak in places. BSNL and Vi work in Raithal and Barsu. Bikat Adventures
Charge in Raithal
Raithal is the last place to charge. Carry a power bank for the camps. Himalayan Dream Treks
Food on the trail
Operators serve three vegetarian meals a day, plus evening tea and snacks. Some days have eggs. Bikat Adventures
Tents, not the meadow
Camping is not allowed on the main meadow. Groups camp lower, at sites like Gui or Barnala Tal. Himalayan Dream Treks
Toilets
Each camp has a dry pit toilet in a tent. Carry your own toilet paper. Himalayan Dream Treks
Weather
From December to March, days are 5 to 15 °C. Nights drop to −5 to −10 °C. Bikat Adventures
Nearest hospital
Basic health centre at Bhatwari, 10–12 km from Raithal. District hospital in Uttarkashi, about an hour's drive. Himalaya Shelter
Offloading
A porter or mule for your bag costs ₹1,500 with Bikat or Himalayan Dream Treks, ₹1,000 with Trekkaro. Bikat Adventures
Shared cab cost
Bikat's cab leaves Dehradun ISBT at 7 a.m. A Sumo for 5–6 people costs ₹6,500 each way. A Tempo for 11–12 costs ₹10,000. Bikat Adventures
Rescue
Rescue is by road from the trailhead. Its cost is not in the trek fee, so get trek insurance. Bikat Adventures
What to pack
Your checklist
Tick items as you pack. Your ticks stay saved on this device. Items with a red price can be rented.
Clothing
Shoes
Gear
Papers and money
Health
List from Himalayan Dream Treks: things to carry for Dayara Bugyal.
Rent or buy
Where to get gear
Many operators lend tents, sleeping bags and spikes. Ask yours before you rent.
Dehradun before you leave
DecathlonBuy · thermals, socks, fleece, gloves, torch, polesPlot 1591, Haridwar Bypass Road · Website
Himalayan Dream TreksRent · shoes, jackets, bags, poles, gaiters, power banks10 B Mothorowala Road, Dharampur · +91 80896 93825 · Website
Raithal at the start of the trek
Himalayan Dream Treks storeRent · whole-trek rates: shoes ₹600, jacket ₹300, bag ₹300, poles ₹150+91 80896 93825 · Website
Shop details are from each shop's own page. Phone to confirm prices and stock.
Who runs it
Choose an operator
We found 10 operators with a Dayara Bugyal page in October 2026. Start points differ (Dehradun, Raithal or Natin), so compare what each price covers.
Prices are base prices from each operator's own page (October 2026); most add 5% GST. Ratings are what each operator shows, not an independent audit. Names marked † show last season's price or one seen only in a search snippet.