Vyas Valley Guide: Villages, Permits and When to Go

Facts checked November 2026.

If you are going for Adi Kailash, Om Parvat or Kailash Mansarovar by the Lipulekh route, most of your yatra is spent inside the Vyas valley. This guide explains the villages, the Rung people, the Vyas legend, Kalapani, permits and the right months, for families planning their first yatra to this border region.

What and where is the Vyas valley?

The Vyas valley, also called Byans, is the uppermost part of the Kali river valley in Pithoragarh district. It starts above Dharchula and runs north towards the Lipulekh pass on the Tibet border. The Kali forms the border with Nepal here, so the road often runs within sight of Nepali villages across the water.

Two streams meet near Gunji. The Kuthi Yankti comes down the Kuthi valley from the north-west, past Jolingkong lake and Kuti village. The Kalapani stream comes down from the Lipulekh side. Together they become the Kali. Keep this picture in mind: one branch of the road goes to Adi Kailash, the other to Kalapani and Om Parvat.

The name comes from Ved Vyasa. As per tradition, the sage meditated in this valley, which is why local people and pilgrims treat the area as sacred.

Which villages are in the Vyas valley?

The district census lists seven villages on the Indian side. Two more Byans villages, Chhangru and Tinkar, lie across the Kali in Nepal; they went to Nepal after the Treaty of Sugauli (1816) made the Kali the border.

These are small places. District census figures show the five Kuthi valley villages (Gunji, Nabi, Rongkong, Napalchyu, Kuti) together had 968 people, and Budhi and Garbyang together had 1,091. Please treat them as home to families, not as sights. For the main halt, read our Gunji village guide.

Who are the Rung (Rang) people?

The Vyas valley is home to the Rung community, who call themselves Rang. They also live in the nearby Darma and Chaudans valleys of Pithoragarh, and across the border in Darchula district of Nepal.

• Language: In Byans they speak Byansi, one of three closely related Rung languages (with Chaudansi and Darmiya).
• Seasonal life: Families move between upper summer villages and lower winter homes. The high villages empty out in winter, and residents go down towards Dharchula from around November.
• Trade with Tibet: For centuries the people of this valley traded with western Tibet through the Lipulekh pass. This trade stopped after the 1962 war and restarted in the 1990s under government rules.
• Cross-border ties: Rung families on both banks of the Kali keep close family and social ties.

In homestays and villages, ask before photographing people or homes, dress modestly, and follow local customs at village shrines.

What is the Vyas legend and the Vyas Gufa?

The valley carries the name of Ved Vyasa, the sage credited with composing the Mahabharata. Local belief holds that he meditated here. On the Om Parvat road, pilgrims usually stop at Kalapani, where there is a Kali temple and a cave linked with Ved Vyasa, known as Vyas Gufa. The legend is a matter of faith; access to the cave depends on the road and on security rules on the day. This is a different place from the better-known Vyas Gufa at Mana village near Badrinath.

What is Kalapani and why does it matter?

Kalapani lies about 18 km from Gunji (old trail distance) on the road towards Lipulekh. Old records and pilgrim writings describe a group of springs here that is taken as the traditional source of the Kali river. Pilgrims pause here before going on to the Om Parvat viewpoint at Nabhidhang.

Kalapani is also a sensitive border area. India administers it as part of Pithoragarh district. In 2020 Nepal approved a map claiming Kalapani, Lipulekh and Limpiyadhura, which India rejected. For pilgrims this means security checkpoints, possible photography limits near posts, and carrying your permit and ID at all times. For the next stage, see our Om Parvat darshan guide.

How do pilgrims pass through the Vyas valley?

Almost every pilgrim enters by road from Dharchula. A Border Roads Organisation road now runs from Dharchula to Gunji, and on to Jolingkong and Kalapani. Landslides and washed-out bridges are common in the monsoon; in 2026 the Bailey bridge near Kulagad on this road was washed away twice in two weeks.

Plan at least two nights at Gunji, or three for elderly yatris and first-time high-altitude visitors. Anyone with heart or breathing problems should see a doctor before booking. For the full journey from the plains, read how to reach Adi Kailash and our Dharchula guide.

How is the Vyas valley linked to Kailash Mansarovar?

The Uttarakhand route of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, run by the Ministry of External Affairs, crosses into Tibet at the Lipulekh pass at the head of the Vyas valley. Published heights differ: about 17,000 to 17,500 feet (about 5,200 to 5,330 m). Yatris travel from Dharchula, halt at Gunji, then cross Lipulekh. In 2026 the yatra ran from June to August, with 10 batches of 50 yatris planned on the Lipulekh route; the first batch (48 yatris) crossed Lipulekh on 10 July 2026. Selection is by a computerised draw on kmy.gov.in.

Adi Kailash and Om Parvat are separate yatras inside India and do not need the MEA draw. More is in our Lipulekh pass guide.

Do you need a permit for the Vyas valley?

Yes. The valley is a restricted border area, and every visitor needs an Inner Line Permit (ILP), issued through the SDM office in Dharchula. The online process changes by season, but documents are checked locally. Usually needed: original government photo ID with photocopies, passport-size photos, a medical fitness certificate and police verification. Permits are checked at police and ITBP posts along the road.

The administration can pause permits at short notice. In 2026 it stopped ILPs from 2 July for landslide risk and moved the second phase to about 20 September. In 2025, ILPs stopped from 1 December for winter. If you plan to cross the bridge into Nepal at Dharchula, note that the Embassy of India in Kathmandu does not accept Aadhaar; carry an Indian passport or an original voter ID card with photo. For documents step by step, see our Adi Kailash permit guide.

Which months are right for a visit?

In 2026, 70,991 permits were issued between 1 May and 5 November. Plan for May–June or late September–October, and keep one or two spare days for road delays.

How Yatra To Temples can help

Our Dharchula Adi Kailash Om Parvat Yatra goes through the Vyas valley, with homestay halts at Gunji and darshan at Adi Kailash, Om Parvat, Kalapani and Vyas Gufa, plus help with the permit at Dharchula. For dates and any extras, ask us.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Vyas valley the same as Byans?

Yes. Byans is the local and older name, and Vyas valley is the name linked to sage Ved Vyasa. Both refer to the upper Kali valley above Dharchula.

Which is the main village in the Vyas valley for pilgrims?

Gunji. It sits where the Kuthi Yankti and Kalapani streams meet, at about 3,200 to 3,500 m. Most yatris halt here, and the road splits here for Adi Kailash and Om Parvat.

Can I visit the Vyas valley without going to Adi Kailash?

You still need an Inner Line Permit to enter the valley. In practice, most visitors come as part of the Adi Kailash and Om Parvat yatra, since permits and road checks are organised around it.

Can pilgrims see the Vyas Gufa?

Pilgrims on the Om Parvat road usually stop at Kalapani, where the Kali temple and the Vyas Gufa are visited. Access depends on the road and security rules on the day.

Do I need a passport for the Vyas valley?

No passport is needed for Adi Kailash or Om Parvat, which are inside India. Indian photo ID and the Inner Line Permit are needed. The Kailash Mansarovar Yatra into Tibet needs MEA selection and a passport.

When do the Vyas valley villages empty out?

Most Rung families move down to lower winter homes from around November and return in spring. In 2026 some families began moving down after the temple closed on 5 November.

Is the Vyas valley safe for elderly pilgrims?

Many elderly yatris visit now that there is a road. But heights go above 3,200 m at Gunji and above 4,300 m at the darshan points, so get a medical check, travel slowly and rest at Gunji before going higher.