Satopanth Lake Trek

According to Hindu legends and mythology, Tridev(Supreme Gods), Brahma, Vishnu, and Mahesh (Lord Shiva) had meditated at the three corners of this lake. In Hindu belief, it is auspicious to take a bath in the Saptopanth lake on the 11th day (Ekadashi) of the Sun and Moon Paksha. People believe that the Trimurti takes a holy dip in the Satopanth lake’s waters during every Ekadashi. Locals believe that some unique birds around the Satopanth lake keep this lake clean, and these birds are sacred Gandharvas who keep the lake away from all dirt and evils.

According to the Mahabharata, Pandavas went to heaven from the Swargarohini(Stairway to Heaven). Only Yudhishthira had succeeded in going to heaven through Swargarohini. People believe that Pandavas went on a journey to heaven from this path only.

The ‘Satopanth’ consists of two words: ‘Sato’ (meaning: Truth) + ‘Panth’ (meaning: Way/Path). which combined meaning is “Path of truth”!

The location of Satopanth Lake is in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand, near Mana Village.

The nearest bus stop and taxi stand are in Badrinath. You can reach Badrinath from Rishikesh, Haridwar, and Dehradun via public transport, private vehicles, and taxies. You can reach Rishikesh, Haridwar, and Dehradun via trains and buses from other states. There is also an airport in Jollygrand Dehradun, which connects with the metro cities of India.

Months of May-June and September-October are the best to visit Satopanth Lake Trek.

Yes! You must have some experience above the 3000m trek. You need to be physically fit before attempting the Satopanth Lake trek.

We have placed the Satopanth Lake trek at a difficulty level of 2. In this trek, one has to cross many landslides, boulders, and small glaciers. Apart from this, the high altitude and low oxygen level make this trek difficult.

The total trek length of the Satopanth Lake Trek is between 40-50 km. It varies accordingly with the trekking points you cover. If you trek only up to Satopanth Lake, then it will be around 40km trek. If you go beyond the lake, it will be up to 50 km or 50+ km trek.

You need 4-5 days to complete Satopanth Lake Trek from Badrinath to Badrinath.

Absolutely can be. Badrinath, our base camp, has an altitude of more than 3100 meters above sea level. While going to an elevation of more than 3000 meters increases the chances of getting AMS. As we proceed towards Satopanth lake, the altitude reaches up to 4400 meters. Therefore high chances of occurring of AMS.

Acclimatization is the process in which an individual organism adjusts to a change in its environment, allowing it to maintain performance across a range of environmental conditions. Acclimatization occurs in a short period and within the organism’s lifetime. Wikipedia

We can observe acclimatization when traveling to high-altitude locations, such as tall mountains. For instance, if an individual hikes to 3,000 meters above sea level and stays there for 1-3 days, they become acclimatized to 3,000 meters. If the same person hikes to 4000 meters in altitude, their body has to acclimatize once again. Some of the changes that take place during acclimatization to high altitudes involve:

• Increased production of Red blood cells.
• Increased pressure in pulmonary arteries – thereby forcing blood into sections of the lungs that are usually not used during normal breathing at lower altitudes.
• Increased depth of respiration.
• Increased depth (volume) of breath.

Source: Byjus.

In some cases, individuals suffer from Acute Mountain Sickness when ascending to elevations of over 3,000 meters from sea level. However, it is a common and mild condition. If the body gets enough time, then it can be overcome. It happens due to reduced air pressure at high altitudes as well as lower oxygen levels. One of the more severe forms of mountain sickness is called High Altitude Cerebral Edema, where fluid builds up in the brain. It is a life-threatening situation and requires immediate medical attention.