Dodital - A Hidden Paradise

Dodital Trek is one of the beautiful treks in Uttarakhand. Dodital is an emerald lake nestled amidst high mountains at an altitude of 3310 mts above sea level. With its serene setting and tranquil environs, Dodi Tal is also birth place of lord Ganesha and arguably one of the most beautiful high altitude lakes of North India. 

Dodital trek is sweet trail to delight you year-round. Be it summer, winter or even monsoon, this trek is easy to access. Dodital at an altitude ~ 3310 m/10170 ft (Geo Coordinate (30.8913359 N,78.5176831 E), is a medium to large freshwater lake in Uttarkashi district, Uttarakhand. The emerald green lake is nestled inside thick Oak, pine, cedar and rhododendron forest. It has formed due to accumulation of  natural streams coming down from the surrounding mountains. An outward stream from this lake keeps the balance of the water level and referred to as Assi Ganga.

According to the mythology, this is the birthplace of Lord Ganesha. The name originated from Dhundi-Tal meaning lake of Ganesh. You will locate a neat small temple beside lake on your left, once you reach. Dodital lake is also one of the habitats of introduced Brown Trout species widespread in Indian Himalayas. In summer or fall, it provides a near perfect set up for rest and recreational activities like angling, boating and bird-watching. In winter, it becomes a fairyland, with snow covered conifer forests and snow-capped ridges on the horizon. Camping beside this idyllic and quite setup is surely a delight.

Reaching Dodital

Ganesh temple

Camping on snow

Perfect place to sit and relax

The easy walk along the trail to Dodital, through dense forest, grasslands on the mountain slope, by the river gorges and remote hamlets, reaches the climax at the Darwa Top. From this top you can see both the Gangotri and Yamunotri side with peaks unfolding on both valleys. On our way we will cross villages of Dhandakla, Agoda, Bhebra and the summer-monsoon settlement (locally called Chhani) at Manjhi. This wide valley is formed by Assi Ganga/Dodital Ganga River and you can locate villages and settlements on the other side as well.

For the beginners, the trek is an ideal one, in these 4 days, you can get the essence of a proper Himalayan trek. Walking amidst dense forest, trading narrow trail by deep river gorge, crossing streams, camping in wilderness, negotiating steep climb and finally trading knee-deep snow in winter all of these experiences staying within 10000 ft is rare. Though the trail is steep at places, but the altitude being not so high, with ample amount of oxygen in the air, anyone can savour the beauty of this trek.

Itinerary