ITINERARY

Kedarkantha Trek

The Kedarkantha is known as the queen of winter treks, for good reasons. Winter is undoubtedly the best time to visit the Kedarkantha.

Kedarkantha Trek

Sankri, Uttarakhand

Price

₹9900/person

Duration

6 Days

Difficulty

Moderate

Group Size

16 Quest

Height

12500 ft

Kedarkantha Trek Overview

It is also known as the queen of winter treks, is a popular high-altitude winter trek in the Indian state of Uttarakhand. Kedarkantha trek is a perfect escape to explore the snow-covered landscape of the Himalayas and is a wonderful place to experience snow trekking.

The Kedarkantha trek has easy endurance trails and spellbinding views, making the climb worthy. You can also witness mesmerizing sunset and sunrise views during the trek.

Itinerary

Day 1 – Arrival at Sankri

Altitude: 1,950m / 6,400 ft.

Drive Distance: 220 km | 10 hours approximately

Accommodation: Hotel

Network: Available JIO

Kedarkantha Trek Day 1 Arrival at Sankri

Your journey will commence from Dehradun, we will pick you up at 06:00 AM. You are requested to report at the pickup point by the time. Then we will start our drive from Dehradun to Sankri, which is around 220 kilometers. It might take approximately 10 hours to reach Sankri, through the drive you can enjoy the beautiful views as it is a scenic route.

On your way to Sankri, you will cross many picturesque locations like Mussoorie, Mori, Naitwar, etc. You will drive along the Yamuna and Tons River and the pine trees lining the road. The last stretch of around 22 kilometers is the most picturesque part of the drive, it is when you enter the Govind National Park. The Park is famous for its exotic flora and fauna. On reaching Sankri we will check in our hotel.

After freshening up you can enjoy the evening at the beautiful village Sankri. Sankri village is also popular as the trekker’s hub as it is the base camp for many Himalayan treks, including the famous Har Ki Dun, Phulara Ridge trek. You can head out for an evening stroll through the village and get familiar with your fellow trekker. You can also witness a beautiful sunset from the village with a view of the Himalayas.

At night, you can have dinner at the hotel and rest. We will stay overnight at Sankri in triple, quad, or penta sharing, with separate arrangements for males and females, and begin our trek the following day.

Day 2 – Sankri to Juda-ka-Talab

Altitude: 2800 m / 9100 ft.

Trek Distance: 4-5 km | 5 hours approximately

Accommodation: Tents

Kedarkantha Trek Day 2 Sankri to Juda-ka-Talab

Kedarkantha Trek Day 2 amazing snowy view

Trekking for the Kedarkantha summit begins from Sankri, the base village for the trek. Today you will trek to Juda ka Talab, a beautiful alpine lake. The lake is situated at an altitude of around 9100 ft and the trek distance is about 4-5 kilometers. It would take around 5 hours to reach Juda ka Talab.

We will start our day early, have breakfast and head straight to the Juda ka Talab. As you begin your trek from Sankri village, you will walk into the village extension Saur, and then you will walk along a stream then turn towards the forests of pine, Cedar, Oak trees and maple.

Today, the trail would be broader and ascend gradually for about 2-3 hours. During the winters, the trail is covered in snow, and depending upon the snow conditions you would require proper winter gear for trekking. As you move forward you might spot wildlife like Himalayan Langurs, these animals are usually shy and move quickly from one branch to another, making it difficult to catch a proper glimpse. You might spot many other animals like wild boars, hares, and martens and many more.

After trekking a few more hours you will reach the beautiful campsite for the day Juda ka Talab. It is an extremely scenic lake with cedar, maple and oak forests around. Being near the lake feels surreal, in the lap of mountains and in the middle of cedar and snowy landscapes. During the peak winters, a sheet of ice forms on the lake, and creates a beautiful location for pictures.

We will camp here for the night, putting up our tents. You can take a walk and click beautiful pictures around the lake. At night, you can have dinner, enjoy the night sky, it is extremely beautiful with shining stars, and then rest in your tents.

Day 3 – Juda-ka-Talab to Kedarkantha Base

Altitude: 3100 m / 10,100 ft.

Trek Distance: 4 km | 2.5 hours approximately

Accommodation: Tents

Kedarkantha Trek Day 3 Snow-covered meadow

Kedarkantha Trek Day 3 Snowy forest trail

Kedarkantha Trek Day 3 Juda-ka-Talab to Kedarkantha Base

Today we will again start our day early in the morning. We will first have a warm breakfast with a sunrise view then start our trekking for the day. Today we will trek to Kedarkantha base camp. The campsite is at an altitude of 10100 ft and the distance from Juda ka Talab to Kedarkantha base camp is around 4 kilometers. Even if you walk moderately, you can cover the distance in around 3 hours. The trail is marked well so it is easy to navigate.

Walking through the trail, you will cross cedar, maple and oak forests, the forests will shortly open into expansive meadows. As you move forward, you will witness the valley of the Himalayan region gradually unfolding in front of your eyes. The Kedarkantha trail is beginner friendly and easy to climb, even during the peak winter the trail is not very tough, making it enjoyable for everyone. During winters you can see snow on the trails while during summers it is lush green.

When you reach the campsite, you can rest for a while, refresh yourself and take a small walk around the campsite. Then at night enjoy a nice hot dinner and soak in the beauty of the clear night sky with an abundance of twinkling stars. Since the campsite is at a high altitude, the cold waves can be high, so we recommend you layer with proper clothing for protection against the cold. Then you can rest in your tents and get proper sleep for the next day’s trek to the summit.

Day 4 – Kedarkantha base to Kedarkantha peak, Descend to Hargaon camp

Altitude:

Kedarkantha Peak: 3,800 m / 12,500 ft.

Hargon: 2,700 m / 8,900 ft.

Trek Distance: 6-7 km | 7 hours approximately

Accommodation: Tents

Kedarkantha Trek Day 4 Trekkers climbing uphill

Kedarkantha Trek Day 4 Snowy mountain trail

Today is the day when you get to see the views from the Kedarkantha summit. The summit is at an altitude of 12500 ft. The trekking schedule for today is, trek from the base camp to the Kedarkantha summit, and descend to the Hargaon camp. The journey to the summit and down to Hargaon is about 6 kilometers and it takes around 7 hours.

Today we will witness sunrise from the Kedarkantha summit, so we will begin early in the morning. You can have a warm breakfast, then we will head towards the summit. For today, the trek is a gradual incline, however it gets steep at the end and might test your skills and fitness. You will begin by crossing a forest of towering Oak and Pine. In winter, the snow is fresh, and you can feel it crunching beneath your feet and while walking you can also hear the gushing sound of streams nearby.

After a while, the forest would open, and you would be much closer to the Kedarantha peak. Now from here the path will get comparatively difficult as a sharp incline lies in front of you. But the views from the summit will compensate for the tough climb.

You will reach the summit at the time of sunrise, and you can witness the sun rising beautifully. As you reach the summit, you will feel like you are at the top of the world and filled with a sense of accomplishment and inner peace. The views around you will rejuvenate you. At the summit, you can also see small temples of Lord Shiva, Goddess Parvati, and Lord Ganesha.

After soaking in the view and taking pictures, we will start descending downhill to the Kedarkantha base camp and have our lunch there. And then after lunch, we will again descend downhill all the way to Hargaon. Descending downhill is comparatively easier and faster, so you will reach Hargaon soon. Reaching Hargaon marks the end of trekking on day four. We will set our camps and rest here for the night.

Day 5 – Hargaon camp to Sankri

Altitude (Sankri): 1950 m / 6400 ft

Trek Distance: 4 km | 3-4 hours approximately

Accommodation: Hotel

Kedarkantha Trek Day 5 Snowy forest trail

Kedarkantha Trek Day 5 Mountain viewpoint hike

Kedarkantha Trek Day 5 Snowy mountain landscape

Today is the final day of trekking. We will descend from Hargaon to Sankri, from an altitude of 8900 ft to 6400 ft. The trekking distance is about 4 kms and might take up to 3-4 hrs to complete the descent.

In the morning, you can rise with the sun and have a delicious breakfast. The sunrise is always beautiful in the Himalayas, especially during the winters. After breakfast we will begin descending towards Sankri. You will trek through the forests. When the forest opens, you can get a good bird’s eye view of the Har Ki Dun valley.

Descending the valley is simply wonderful. Relishing the view, we will descend further and once again cross a dense forest that would finally open at the Sankri village. After reaching Sankri we will check into the hotel again, and you can rest or head out to explore the village.

At Sankri there are few shops, and you can buy souvenirs like wooden handicrafts or decor products. You can interact with the locals and get to know about their livelihoods. While life at Sankri is slow paced, people here have strong religious beliefs. Here, around 120 families live in wooden houses to protect themselves from the cold. At Sankri, they also hold fairs regularly, during which entertainment takes place in the form of singing or dancing to native folk songs.

At night you can have a good dinner with fellow trekkers and rest overnight at the hotel after a tiring yet wonderful journey.

Day 6 – Departure day (Sankri to Dehradun)

Drive Distance: 220 km | 10 hrs approx

Kedarkantha Trek Day 6 Sankri to Dehradun

Today will be the last day of the wonderful trip. Today we will return to Dehradun with beautiful memories. From Sankri a vehicle will be arranged for you to drive back to Dehradun. We will check out from the hotel early in the morning, since it will be a long journey today. The distance from Sankri to Dehradun is 220 kilometers, it might take up to 10 hours. The cost for today’s lunch and dinner are not included in the package.

We will again return from the same scenic route, with a heart full of memories. We will reach Dehradun around 6:30 – 7:30 pm so make your further bookings accordingly.