Kedarkantha Trek

The journey begins from the capital city of Dehradun. The vehicles arranged by Bikat Adventures can be boarded at ISBT, Dehradun latest by 7 AM. Sankri is a common starting point for various treks in Uttarakhand like Har Ki Dun, Borasu Pass, Bali Pass, Ruinsara Tal and others. It is located at a distance of 197 km from Dehradun and would take about 9-10 hours to cover, gaining an altitude of 1950 M.

The road trip is beautiful right from the start. It begins witha drive through the spectacular hills of Mussoorie and the majestic Kempty falls tucked in high mountain cliffs. The roads are long and winding letting you absorb every bit of the picturesque beauty around. Swift mountain streams run parallel to the roads in many sections.

After crossing Mussoorie, the road runs along a sparkling Yamuna River for a while. Eventually, the landscape shifts from deep gorges to an enchanting canopy of blue pine forests flanking either side of the road.

The last 22 km to Sankri, however, steals the show as we make our way through the Govind National Park embracing a variety of exotic flora and fauna. The roads can be rough and bumpy in some sections but the breathtaking views of the dense coniferous forests, Tons river valley and scattered apple orchids will more than make up for it.

We will be reaching Sankri at around 5pm. Sankri is a lush-green village hosting some unparalleled views of Mt. Swargarohini, especially during sunset time. During peak winter season, that is December to February, you will encounter snow right from Sankri itself.

The stay today will be in guest houses. After check-in,trekkers can freshen up and explore the surrounding areas.

The trek starts at around 9AM after a fulfilling breakfast. Packed lunches will be provided for the day.

During peak winters, your trek leader will provide you with spikes and gaiters before you start the trek. There will be a short briefing session on how to use them over the snow trail.

The path from Sankri takes you through another village, Saud, before leading you to the trail ofKedarkantha. There will be several bridge crossings along the way. The floor of these forests is thickly carpeted with maple leaves and is surrounded by dense foliage of pines everywhere. You will also be able to hear a stream burbling that you’ll come across later in the trek.

During winters, this very path looks no less than a winter wonderland with soft snow covering the branches and the floor below as a pleasantly warm sun shines above. And if you’re lucky enough, you may even witness snowfall during the trek.

The trail gradually ascends in a zigzag manner through the woods. An hour into the trek, you will come across a wooden bridge on your right. This marks a quarter of the day’s trek. Close ahead, you’ll catch up to the water stream you had been hearing so far. The tree line changes beyond this point to denser Maple and Oak trees.

After another hour or so, you will come across a gigantic fallen trunkresting in a glade right before the forest. At almost 2400 m, you are half way to the campsite for the day.

Continue trekking through the clearing into the Oak-brown forest. You will notice the air here carries the woody scent of the forests. The forest eventually clears up to a meadow with two small huts serving snacks and beverages. We will be halting here to have our packed lunches along with a cup of hot tea.

The trail that leads out of this clearingrapidly climbs through the woods eventually opening up to an exquisite lake, teardrop silver in color and guarded by a thicket of emerald-green Oak and Pine forests on one side.

This is the Juda-ka-Taal, a small high altitude lake on the Kedarkantha trek and our campsite for the day.

The trek gradient today is steeper than yesterday and goes through dense primeval Oak forests. After breakfast, we begin the trek towards the Kedarkantha Base Camp at 9AM.

Follow the trail that runs out of the Judaka Taal campsite. As the trail ascends on to a ridge veering further into the forest, you will notice the lake retreating slowly below.

A brief trudge through asnow-laden path will eventually lead us to glimpses of a tall mountain peak peeping through the woods – this is the Kedarkantha summit.

During late winters and early spring, you are likely to encounter residual snow on the trails from here on. Although the flora on the trek may not be in bloom yet, you will be greeted by semi-grown buds of Rhododendrons all the way. Come April, you will find bright orange and pink coloured Rhododendrons in full bloom and fresh grasslands waking up from their hibernation.

A short trek through umber-brown Oak forests brushed with snow leads to a stunning snowfield enveloped by towering woods on one side and a grand panorama of snow-clad peaks on the other. This is the Kedarkantha Base Camp.

Try spotting the Kedarkantha Peak, Bandarpoonch, Swargarohini andKalanagfrom here.

On clear days, the Milky Way gleams through the sky at night witha sheet of white snow shining all around. Early spring still carries residual snow in some sections of the Base Camp and the summit. The snow melts away by April, however, flushing out spring colors everywhere.

Have an early dinner and prepare to sleep well in time since the trek starts at around 3AM the next day.

The trek to Kedarkantha summit starts at around 3 AM in order to catch the sunrise from the top. Be prepared for trekking through numbingly cold temperatures and icy mountain winds all along. The initial trail is easy with a mild ascent and runs through dense Oak forests for about an hour.

After this, the forests begin to recede and opens up to a clearing out of which two trails run to the summit. The trek leader decides which path to take for the ascent based on the condition of the snow.

This section is steep with an inclination of 45 to 60 degrees. The snow here can sometimes run knee-deep during the winter months. From March onwards, the snow starts to dry and disappears completely by April.

After about half hour, you trek through various switchbacks to finally reach the surreal summit of Kedarkantha at the break of dawn. The summit opens up to a fantastic360 degree view of some renowned mountain peaks and ranges in the region like Gangotri, Yamunotri, Bandarpoonch, Swargarohini and Har Ki Dun amongst others.

There is also a square arrangement of stones at the top, dedicated to Lord Shiva and goddess Parvati, marked by a Trishul pointing to the sky as a shrine.

After spending some time at the summit, we start descending through the alternative route that leads to the clearing below. Expect to reach the Kedarkantha base camp by noon. We will halt at the campsite for a quick lunch. This will be followed by a descent to Hargaon. At an altitude of 2700 m, Hargaon is an open grassland (likely to be covered in snow during winters)encircled by dense forests.

We will be setting up camps here for the night and bask in the star-lit skies past dusk as we mark the end of an exhilarating day.

Although today’s trek is the easiest of all days, it is going to be a long one. We begin early and leave for Sankri post breakfast. The trail is rocky but well-paved and runs alongside steady streams. It gradually evens out to a ridge and opens up to gaping views of the mesmerising Har Ki Dun Valley. After a short break at Sankri, have a final look at the lovely views around as we leave for Dehradun with a lifetime of memories.

Note: We are likely to reach Dehradun by 8-9 PM. If you are planning on traveling to Delhi overnight, please ensure you book Volvos that leave between 11 PM and 12 AM to account for any unexpected delays on the road.