Harunta Bugyal, Alpine Meadow, Trekking – Uttarkashi

Image Source:  Amit Tiwary

About Harunta Bugyal

In the Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand, there are dozens of beautiful Bugyals that are waiting to be explored. One such bugyal is Harunta Bugyal, which lies at an altitude of 2900 meters in the Ganga-Yamuna valley. Bugyal is also the source of the Indravati River that joins the Bhagrathi at Uttarkashi. 

Every year, villagers from Badgaddi Paati worship the source of the Indravati, signifying its religious importance.

Harunta Bugyal is a high-altitude alpine meadow (bugyal) nestled deep within the middle–upper Himalaya of Uttarakhand, representing a living example of the traditional pastoral landscapes of Garhwal. Unlike well-known bugyals such as Dayara or Bedni, Harunta Bugyal remains largely outside mainstream trekking circuits, retaining its identity as a functional grazing ground shaped by seasonal migration, local ecology, and ancestral usage. For generations, this bugyal has existed not as a tourist destination but as a working landscape, tied closely to shepherding cycles, village economies, and mountain cosmology.

Meaning of “Bugyal” and Local Terminology

In Garhwali, “bugyal” refers to high mountain grasslands used for summer grazing, distinct from permanent pastures. Harunta Bugyal belongs to this ecological category, where grass growth is driven by snowmelt and brief alpine summers. Locally, shepherds distinguish between “naram ghaas” (soft grazing grass) and tougher alpine species, timing their livestock movement accordingly. Harunta is known among pastoral communities for its balanced grass cover rather than sheer size.

Vegetation and Alpine Ecology

The meadow supports a mosaic of alpine grasses, sedges, and seasonal wildflowers, including species that bloom briefly between June and August. During peak summer, Harunta Bugyal transforms into a green expanse dotted with yellow, purple, and white blossoms, attracting pollinators such as alpine bees and butterflies. The surrounding slopes host juniper, dwarf rhododendron, and medicinal herbs, many of which are known locally for traditional uses rather than commercial extraction.

Puranas 

Harunta Bugyal is mentioned in the Skand Purana of Kedarkhand. The surrounding area around Haruna Bugyals is written or known by the name Indrakeel Parvat.

Trek to Harunta Bugyal 

The trek to Haurnta Bugyal starts from a village called Chaurangi that lies on the Kedarnath road and is at a distance of 52 km from Uttarkashi. During the trek, the dense forest of Banj Buransh takes you into a different world where calm sounds of wind and birds flow. During the trek , the first major attraction that falls is Chhota Bugyal Falls at a distance of 1 km. It’s also called Khal Bugyal.  It takes you around 3 to 4 hours to cover a distance of 7 km to reach Harunta Bugyal.

Once you reach the top, the old traditional Chhanis, also called Goth, are found. It’s made of mudstone and wood, where generally animals come to life during the summer and rainy seasons. These cow sheds have been built in forests since ancient times.

Conservation Sensitivity and Threats

Harunta Bugyal is ecologically fragile. Overgrazing, unregulated camping, and climate-driven changes in snowfall patterns pose growing risks. As snowlines shift upward, the grass composition of the bugyal is slowly changing, affecting both wildlife and pastoral livelihoods. Conservation here depends less on fencing and more on reviving traditional usage limits that historically kept the meadow healthy.

Maps and Location