Ralam Glacier Trek

Ralam Glacier lies in a valley of its own, tucked away from the better-known Milam route, but the approach shares the same trailhead, beginning with a drive out of Munsiyari that loses height quickly as it winds down through pine forest toward the Gori Ganga. This lower stretch feels almost lush compared to the bare ridges above town, with ferns crowding the roadside cuttings and the occasional monkey troop working through the canopy. The tarred road ends well before Lilam, and the final approach is made on foot down a dusty track that drops steadily to the riverbank, the roar of the Gori Ganga growing louder with every switchback. Lilam functions as the last true supply point before the trek proper begins, a cluster of small shops, a forest checkpost, and mule handlers loading provisions bound for villages deep in the Johar and Ralam valleys alike. Because Ralam sits within the same Inner Line restricted zone as Milam, permit formalities are handled here, and guides spend part of the afternoon squaring away paperwork while the group settles into camp on a river terrace shaded by walnut trees. Local porters point out the twin river systems draining this stretch of Kumaon, explaining how the trail ahead will eventually split away from the main Gori Ganga corridor to follow a smaller, wilder tributary toward Ralam itself. Evening temperatures stay relatively mild at this lower elevation, and dinner is taken with the specific anticipation of a route far less trodden than its more famous neighbour, since Ralam sees only a fraction of the trekking traffic that passes through here toward Milam each season.

The trail out of Lilam commits almost immediately to the gorge, hugging rock faces well above the river and occasionally squeezing through sections narrow enough that packs brush against stone on one side while the drop to the water falls away on the other. Several suspension bridges carry the route across the Gori Ganga at points where the valley pinches tight, each crossing swaying just enough to focus the mind fully on the next handful of steps. Forest cover shifts through the day from chir pine near the bottom to broadleaf oak higher up, with rhododendron thickets adding a welcome patch of shade during the hotter midday stretch. This stretch of gorge is notorious among local guides for its unpredictable rockfall after rain, and the trail shows clear evidence of past slides in the form of raw scree fans crossing the path at intervals. Small seasonal tea stalls occasionally appear near the rare flat pockets of the valley, run by families who trek up each summer specifically to serve the modest trickle of trekkers heading toward Milam or Ralam. Bugdiyar arrives as a welcome widening of the valley, its old stone rest house walls a well-known landmark for anyone who has walked this corridor before. Even though the destination differs from the neighbouring Milam route, this stretch of trail is shared entirely by both treks, and porters here are just as likely to be headed toward one valley as the other. Camp is set on the usual terrace above the river, and the evening cold sets in quickly once the sun drops behind the ridge, prompting an early retreat to warm sleeping bags.