Care to witness the biggest and most important mountains of the Garhwal range of Himalayas from the most beautiful of surroundings? We suggest you get yourself to Panwali Kantha. The secluded trails of this off-beat trek, which rises to an altitude of 3,400M, are all you need for a quick system reset! Thick forests, massive mountains, open lands, colours of choice, mountain villages, green fields, curious cattle; you name it, Panwali Kantha’s got it and more – all served with a tinge of mythology.
This article discusses the difficulty level of Panwali Kantha Trek, the skills you require to make a successful ascent up its slopes and some of the challenges you are likely to encounter when you embark on this journey which is quite certainly one packed with insurmountable beauty.
Difficulty Level of the Trek:
Panwali Kantha is a level 3 trek on the Bikat Rating Scale.
About the BRS: The Bikat Rating Scale rates the difficulty level of all treks and expeditions in our portfolio after taking into account their geographical and climatic conditions.
According to this scale, if you are a beginner who is unsure of your fitness level and don’t know what to expect on a trek, a trek rated one will be a good place to start.
If you liked your very first trekking experience and are looking to test your limits next, the treks rated 2 or 3 will do the job for you.
A beginner who is sure of their fitness level on the other hand is welcome to skip the first two levels and directly start with one of the treks rated 3.
From 4 onwards, the rules change a little. It is mandatory to have trekking experience of the previous level to participate in the next level.
The Trails of Panwali Kantha:
The path to Panwali Top takes you on some well-marked trails through thick forests of Oak, a carpet of grass (or snow depending on the season you go there), an assortment of wildflowers and rhododendrons of all colours at a comfortable altitude.
It is an ideal trek for beginners who want to get introduced to the exquisite beauty the Himalayas have to offer. It is also the best trek to pick up some of the basic trekking skills which will help you go on some of the bigger treks in the seasons to come.
Although not overly challenging as a trek, it helps to know some of the things you might encounter so as to be prepared for them in advance.
1) Getting to the Trail Head
If you live away from the North of India, travelling to the Himalayas comes with an enormous cost in terms of time and money. Access to Panwali Kantha is an investment in terms of time required to get to its base. The trailhead, Guttu, is not directly accessible by train or air travel. This means it takes an entire day to reach here from the closest city (Dehradun or Rishikesh).
2) Acclimatization
If you are starting your journey from Dehradun, be prepared to gain quite a bit of altitude (640M to 1,635M) on the first day. For the rest of the days, although the ascent in terms of terrain is fairly gradual but the day on day elevation gain is fairly high. Hence, acclimatization is crucial to completion of the trek and a safe return. Although completely manageable, it may help for a beginner to be aware of the risks of altitude. However, the elevation gain on this trek is also a good way to study how your body reacts to different altitudes, constantly changing environment and thinning air so as to plan your future escape into the Himalayas accordingly.
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.
Day-wise elevation gain on ascent:
Be sure to follow all the acclimatization rules as instructed by the trek leader to eliminate all possibility of altitude-related health hazards so as to facilitate your body to get to newer heights with relative ease. Some of the things to remember are:
1. Proper hydration: Keep drinking water, in small doses, throughout the day
2. Layering up: Always have proper clothing best suited for the environment
3. Nutrition: The cold and altitude have a way of killing your appetite. Nonetheless, DO NOT skip any meals!
4. Pace Yourself: This is extremely important and something that you need to measure for yourself. Your body will cooperate best when you go at the pace best suited for you instead of trying to match the pace of others in the team – whether slower or faster.
3) Long Distances
Along with a fair bit of elevation gain each day, each trek day is almost 8 kms long, which may not be a lot at sea level but combined with the thinning air of the altitude, becomes taxing for the body. Although there are no terrain-related difficulties, the long distances each day demand a certain level of physical fitness and endurance for it to be a pleasant experience. Some of the slopes on the trek are steep and continuous. It is, without a doubt, a physically demanding endeavor and hence can only be enjoyed with a certain level of strength. It is best to get on a training regimen at least a month before signing up which would prepare your body adequately for the distances and challenges on the trek.
GEAR REQUIRED FOR PANWALI KANTHA TREK
While we will be providing most of the technical equipment needed for the trek (tents, sleeping bags, etc), there is some basic gear you will need from your end to get through your trek comfortably.
Some of the things you will need are:
1) A sturdy, lightweight backpack: A good backpack which sits comfortably on your back without putting too much pressure on it can be the deciding factor between making it to the summit or not. Good, however, is not a synonym for expensive.
One of our founders, Pankaj, purchased a non-branded pack for INR 1100 in 2010 and the pack continues to work just fine for him even today. In the article linked below, he shares some helpful tips on what to look for when choosing a trekking backpack.
2) Comfortable trekking shoes: Happy feet equal a happy trek. Conventional sports shoes don’t suit trekking trails. We recommend wearing high ankle shoes with sturdy soles. These not only provide better support but also reduce the possibility of injuries while trekking through different kinds of terrain. In case, you need help with a list of deciding factors that make for good trekking shoes, please refer to the article below.
How to choose a good pair of hiking shoes
3) Right Clothing: Any high-altitude trek requires specific kinds of clothing. It should be warm but light weight. It should also be such that it is easily packaged. On high-altitude treks like Panwali Kantha, we usually employ the layering method where you put on multiple layers of clothing instead of one very heavy, thick jacket. This is for two reasons:
- The weather in Himalayan regions is unpredictable and changes very quickly. Layering gives you the freedom to adapt to that accordingly where you are not left feeling too hot or too cold.
- These are easy to carry and are packing-friendly.
4) Right Sunglasses: When you know you are going to be in and around snow or in any high-altitude location where the sun is harsh, you might want to carry a good pair of sunglasses. A lack of these could prove to be fatal. The article below can help you pick out just the right pair.
How to pick high-altitude UV protection glasses?
SKILLS REQUIRED FOR PANWALI KANTHA TREK
Bikat Adventures is primarily an adventure learning organization. This means our key objective is not just to help trekkers complete their treks but also to ensure they pick up some valuable lessons and skills in trekking along the way.
To achieve this, we have created learning modules and paired them to different levels on the Bikat Rating Scale.
These modules are taught real-time on the trails by our trek leaders.
The following are some skills that are likely to come in handy on a trek like Panwali Kantha.
While you will have all the assistance you need on the trek from our capable trek leaders and guides, we suggest browsing through the articles below to get an idea of what is involved.
1) Ascending Descending on Trails
Panwali Kantha has a few steep ascents and descents. A set of simple techniques can help you navigate these slopes with considerable ease while also reducing chances of injuries and stress to specific body parts. The guide linked below shares some useful tips on how to ascend and descend on trails.
Ascending and Descending on Trails
2) Packing Your Rucksack
Given how unpredictable the weather gets in the Himalayas, you are likely to keep changing your layering frequently along the way. Also, due to the vast difference in day temperature and that at night, you most probably will spend a lot of time packing and re-packing your sack.
Accessing your stuff can get a bit messy and confusing during this process.
A sack packed right can facilitate your trekking while incorrect packing can make even an easy trail seem difficult. Worry not, we are here to help. The article linked below shares some useful guidelines you can follow to pack efficiently.
3) How to Pitch a Tent
Our trek leaders will be guiding you on how to pitch a tent during the trek. Nevertheless, we are linking the article below for anyone who might be interested in reading about it.
4) Layering Basics
Layering appropriately to protect you from the cold is essential. The article linked below will give you a fair idea of the winter layers you will need and guide you on how to layer up at campsites and while hiking.
5) Understanding Equipment
Panwali Kantha is not a technical trek so you would not need a lot of equipment. However, because it has a few sharp ascents and descents in an assortment of landscapes, trekking poles might ease the crossing of these sections a fair bit. The article below will help you understand how to use them as well as how they can facilitate your climb.
We hope this article answers all the questions you may have about Panwali Kantha. In case you need further assistance/information with something, please feel free to reach out to us. We are only a phone call away
