Kedar Tal Trek
Kedar Tal, also known as Shiva's lake, is a glacial lake situated at an altitude of 4,750 metres (15,600 feet) in the Garhwal region of the Himalayas in India. The lake is fed by the snowfall over Mt Thalay Sagar (6,904m), Meru (6,672m), Mt Bhrigupanth (6,772m) and other surrounding peaks, which are also the source of Kedar Ganga, which in Hindu mythology is considered to be Shiva's contribution to Bhagirathi (a source-stream of the Ganges). The proximity with magnificent peaks and the view this trek offers will make you believe in magic.
Kedar Taal Trek is a difficult glacier trek with highest altitude of 4750 meters. The difficult terrains and steep ascent makes it a challenging expedition. This trek is appropriate for the seasoned trekkers and for those who have done moderate level treks before. For details on trek difficulty level, please read on Bikat Rating Scale
One should have at least 5-7 trek days in the Himalayas in their kitty and have done at least one moderate plus level trek before.
How to use basic mountaineering equipment like gaiters & micro spikes
Ascending & Descending on snow
Basics of Mountain Sickness
Basics of Mountain Hazards
How to cross small water streams
How to cross large water streams
Basic principles of acclimatisation
Jog/Run for 5 Kms in 25-30 mins Or Walk continuously for 10 kms (with 3-4 small breaks) on plain terrain (slight incline is better) Hold your breath for 40 seconds 3 sets of Climbing 30 – 40 steps in one stretch Push Ups – 10 Lunges & Squats – 15 X 2 sets If you are meeting these benchmarks, please use the preparation schedule to improve your fitness till you achieve the above benchmarks.
May - June, September-October.
Click here for text packing list.
The start and end point of Kedar Taal is Uttarkashi. Dehradun is the best point to reach Uttarkashi. Though there are no buses from Dehradun to Uttarkashi, one can hire a shared taxi from Dehradun to Uttarkashi which takes about 5 hours to reach (150 km). Dehradun is easily accessible through road, rail, and air transport. By Road You can take overnight UKRTC buses and Volvos available between Delhi ISBT and Dehradun. You can book your bus tickets online through https://utconline.uk.gov.in/ or any other bus services available. The distance from Delhi to Dehradun is about 247 km. You can also hire a taxi or outstation cab from Delhi to Dehradun. By Rail The nearest railway station to is 187 km away in Dehradun. There are a number of trains running between Delhi and Dehradun like Dehradun Express, Mussoorie Express, Nanda Devi Express. It is advisable to make your train bookings a month in advance. By Air The nearest airport from Uttarkashi is Jolly Grant airport in Dehradun which is 180 km away from Uttarkashi. There are frequent flights between New Delhi and Dehradun. Make sure you have your flights booked well in advance.
BSNL and Airtel have a good connectivity in this region. Network is available at Gangotri. No network can be expected beyond this point.
Uttarkashi is a beautiful tourist point with so many places to see. Visit Vishwanath Temple, the oldest and most sacred temple located on the banks of Bhagirathi River. Kuteti Devi Temple is another highly regarded religious place in town. Manekari Dam is a concrete marvel of Uttarkashi. Experience the village life in Sangem Chhati, a half an hour drive from Uttarkashi district. Nehru Institute of Mountaineering is also located in Uttarkashi. Gangotri is also an ancient town of utmost religious importance to Hindus.
The minimum age limit is 13 years. However, minors aged between 13 to 17 should be accompanied with their parents or guardians. If you are above the age of 60, kindly carry a medical certificate from your doctor that deem you fit for adventure activities like trekking.
When you arrive in Gangotri, your stay will be made at local guest house or homestay. The rooms will be provided on twin or triple sharing basis. You will receive the details of your accommodation through email few days prior the trek.
On day 6 your stay will be made at a local guest house.
On trekking days, all the trekkers will be accommodated in twin or triple sharing tents. Along with this, there will be also be a toilet tent and a dining tent installed at every campsite as we roll.
We provide 4 seasons tents by Gipfel for higher altitudes which can easily withstand heavy snowfall and storms. They are spacious enough to accomodate 3 people at once with a vestibule to place the backpacks. Our sleeping bags are made up of Heatseeker Pro synthetic insulation that can provide you comfort in -10 degrees celsius. We also use additional fleece liners to have thermal efficiency even in the extreme temperatures of -17 degrees Celsius. If you carry your own sleeping bag, you will get a cashback reward provided that you inform us as soon as you have booked your trek.
Toilet tents will be provided to you on the trek.These are portable toilets tents where a deep pit will be dug. A shovel will be provided inside the tent to cover the waste after you have made your business. You can take a toilet roll inside. Make sure you dig used toilet paper along with the waste. Though water is recommended in place of toilet paper. Please refrain from using wet wipes as they are non-biodegradable.
There will be no facility for bathing on the trek. Go through our blog section for tips on how to maintain personal hygiene on treks.
You will be provided with good quality gaiters and microspikes from us depending upon the situation of the snow. Our trek leaders will also be carrying ropes and ice axe.
Vegetarian food will be served throughout the trek. The only non-vegetarian item served on our treks are eggs. Our kitchen staff follows a proper menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner which has been designed in order to fulfil the nutritional requirements of the participants. There will be milk, poha, eggs, muesli/corn flakes, bread and butter served for breakfast. Rice or simple roti sabzi will be packed for lunch. In dinner, you will have dal, egg curry or any other vegetarian dish along with rice, roti, and a dessert item. Packed lunch will be provided to you on the days you are trekking. You are requested to carry your own tiffin box and a mug to consume food. The meals consumed on journey and arrival day are not included in our cost.
You can rent following items from us- Trekking Pole, Trekking Shoes, Fleece Jacket, Rucksack
During the day, the temperature will range from 15-22 degrees celsius. The nights will get cold dropping the temperature to -2 to 5 degrees celsius. Higher the altitude you gain, the colder it gets.
You are likely to experience snow till May, depending on the amount of snowfall received the previous winter. It is difficult to expect snow post monsoon season.
If you want to offload your rucksack, you will have to make a request for offloading a few days prior the trek through an email so that arrangement can be made in advance. You will be charged per day for offloading your rucksack. In case you decide to offload on the spot, you may have to pay a higher price than usual. However offloading your rucksack is not recommended since it is not a safe practice.
A team of participant will be led by a course certified trek leader and a local guide. All participants are requested to abide by what their leader says. There will also be a team of kitchen staff and porters on the trek. We maintain 1:8 ratio of trek leader and participants. All our trek leaders and staff have a certified training in first-aid and rescue operation.
Yes, trekking pole is necessary. If you don’t want to buy one, you can rent it from us on minimal daily basis charges. You can request the renting link from us.
Dehradun has a reasonable size market. However you will have no time in hand for shopping as you have to head to Gangotri.
Gangotri has a small market. It would be difficult to find anything major there. Minor toiletries are available.
It is advisable not to leave anything for last minute buying.
Yes, it is absolutely safe for solo woman to travel in fix departures. Women on the trek will be sharing tent with each other. In case you are the only woman on the trek, you will be given a separate tent.
Yes, e-certificates will be given at the end of each trek provided that you completed it. It will bear your name, the trek, and the maximum altitude you achieved on the trek.
We have one pick-up point: Dehradun ISBT. The dropping point remains the same.
Expect to reach Gangotri late in evening between 17:00-18:00 Hrs, where arrangements for overnight stay will be made. Make sure your bookings from Gangotri are in the morning on the next day.
If you have booked transportation with us, expect to reach Dehradun in the evening. Make your bookings from this point to your destinations in the night, post 22:00 Hrs.
