Informative

Highlights of Panwali Kantha Trek

Neeti Singhal

Last updated: 13-06-2023

Panwali Kantha is one of those rare treks which gives you a zoomed in view of the entire Gangotri, Yamunotri, Badrinath and Kedarnath ranges. This trail which is part of a larger route previously used by pilgrims to get to Kedarnath from Gangotri is like a pleasant walk in jungles overflowing with rhododendrons of burning colours which are perfect to balance the chill of the clear air at the altitude. Being a shepherd trail, the entire path is dotted with elegant-looking shepherd huts. An off-beat trek, the route is uncrowded - the only beings you are likely to come across are curious, four-legged and often times unaware of the concept of personal space! The landscape offers its views only to the very few who make it to this exquisite trail. 

If you are new to trekking, Panwali Kantha is a perfect introduction to the awe-inspiring splendor of the mighty Himalayas. The trek is teeming with exceptional beauty which is best experienced first-hand but here are a few of the trek’s highlights if you need convincing that, whether you are a beginner or not, you have to get yourself here at least once.

 

Highlight 1: A Bouquet of high Himalayan peaks

When it comes to grand views, you are likely to run out of fingers when trying to count and name the prominent peaks visible throughout the trail. No principal peak of the Garhwal Range of Himalayas remains hidden from the trail of this haven of colours. Surrounded on all sides by walls of big mountains from the Gangotri, Yamunotri, Badrinath and Kedarnath ranges, their blurred ridges keep getting sharper as you climb higher. The daunting glacial slopes of prominent peaks like Meru, Kedar Dome, Nilkanth, Chaukhamba, Thalay Sagar and much more are giants you can look forward to making an acquaintance with on this trek.

Panwali Kantha is a crash course in the high-rise forms of the Garhwal Himalayas and all its mountainous splendor. The high ranges are at their best-adorned self from Panwali Top early in the morning when the skies are clear and all these peaks in the sky, come fully into view as the sun hits its first ray of light on the highest of the mountains leaving a deep golden crown over their heads. The massive meadows we cross to get to the top are nothing short of magical. Each side presents a different set of high peaks, each equally splendid. You can spend hours trying to name each one of them accurately and studying their many forms - their crags, ridges and slopes, each one so distinct, it is hard not to see that each peak has a unique personality.

 

Highlights of Panwali Kantha Trek

 

Highlight 2: Silent companions

Being an off-beat trek which sees only a few travelers scattered across all its many seasons and slopes, it is easy to feel like this is an uninhabited part of the world where no one wanders. As peaceful as it might be, the wide expanses with no sign of life get a bit much at times. 

The scattered shepherd huts in the form of silent structures in stone stippled across the trail in plenty puff a sense of life into the landscape otherwise empty of human existence. These cold stone structures otherwise vacant especially in cold seasons are a source of warmth – from the cold outside as well as from the silence of the lonely valley. They are like silent companions that lie vacant waiting to welcome strangers as well as familiar faces and are plentiful all along the trail to give you a sense of home by the way of providing a hint of life in the valley. And their strong and local structure of course elevates the overall personality of this handsome trek.

 

Highlights of Panwali Kantha Trek

 

Highlight 3: A sensory experience  

If this shepherd trail had to be described in one word, it would most definitely be ‘abundance’ since there is ‘a lot’ of everything on this trek. A lot of colour, an expansive landscape, a lot of mountains, a lot of flora, a lot of snow, a lot of grass, a lot of sheep on a lot of unsullied land and all for relatively low effort. 

Its rich terrain, in a short 32 kms of its entire stretch, ranges from a dense canopy of Oak trees, to all-colored flowering herbs, to the royalty that thick forests of rhododendrons tend to add, to a region, to vast spaces of open land fresh with a carpet of green, to an abundance of white in the winters. Panwali Kantha’s got a full palette jam-packed in a short span of 5 days.

 

Highlights of Panwali Kantha Trek

 

Highlight 4: Off the beaten path

Although the trek is packed with highlights, our favourite part about this high-altitude land is that it lies barely explored. A stunning mix of varied landscapes, this ancient pilgrimage route now unused, gives you big views with little to no crowds.

 

Highlights of Panwali Kantha Trek

 

Highlight 5: An all-season trek

Panwali Kantha is an exceptionally beautiful trail which is accessible all year round. You can choose your season based on the kind of terrain you’d like to experience on this trail. Autumn brings clear skies whereas the snow in winters makes it a tad bit more challenging and in spring the trail is blazing with all kinds of bright colours. It is one of those less-frequented treks where a different shade of beautiful dominates the landscape of its vast meadows in each season.

 

Highlights of Panwali Kantha Trek

 

Highlight 6: A fine introduction to the Himalayas

Firsts are always special. If you are just starting out on your trekking journey, believe us, you want this to be your first! The trek to Panwali Kantha is a beginner-friendly trek for its humble altitude, friendly terrain and welcoming weather. This cauldron of unsurpassed beauty has some of the best offerings you could ask for in the Himalayas all packed in 5 days of moderately easy trekking. Thick forests, massive mountains, open lands, colours of choice, mountain villages, green fields, curious cattle; you name it, Panwali Kantha’s got it.

With its wide expanses, a carpet of green in summers and a thick rug of white in winters, its dense canopy of Oak and a rich bloom of flowering herbs and rhododendrons, this is one trek which welcomes you with all its heart no matter what time of the year you choose to pay it a visit.

 

Highlights of Panwali Kantha Trek

 

Highlight 7: Testing Waters in the World of Trekking?

Not only its views, but its gain in elevation, are favourable for beginners. While the long distances and gain in elevation could be a challenge, this trek provides for the best opportunity to learn how your body reacts to different heights, constantly changing environment and thinning air so as to plan your future escape into the Himalayas accordingly.

Since there is no set standard to measure acclimatization because it is subjective to your body, treks like these are helpful as a means of measuring your personal baseline and standard of your body’s functioning in high-altitude. 

Having said that, it also serves well to remember that this elevation gain may prove to be a bit more demanding in winters due to extreme temperatures even on the lower reaches of the trek. However, it is a good trek to begin your journey into winter trekking as well.

 

Highlights of Panwali Kantha Trek

 

If you are looking for a quick system reset, Panwali Kantha is your answer!

Neeti Singhal

A psychologist, a developmental researcher, and a constant seeker of stories, Neeti is usually found Read more

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