kedarkantha trek

Overview

Region :- Sankri Uttarakhand
Duration :- 5 Days
Grade :- Easy
Max Altitude :- 12500 Ft.
Approx Trekking Km :- 19 Kms.

Description

About kedarkantha trek
The Kedarkantha Peak Trek is one of the most sought after snow trekking destinations in India. With falling winter snow it’s a mesmerizing pictorial view and what’s more attractive, is the view of the Mighty Himalayas from the trails right to the top. Nestled at a height of 3810 meters which is about 12,500 feet this is an ideal trekking trail which covers a consolidated distance of 20 kms. The distance is not much and the trekking trail is neither very difficult which enables even the first time trekkers to set on the adventure and enjoy the beauty of nature at its best. With charming and captivating sights of snow clapped Himalayas, the verdant greenery, lush landscapes, myriad collection of flora, frozen ponds, to the sights of mesmerizing peaks, this trek have all the delightful marvels that a trekker wish to experience and view in his journey. Not only for the adventure seekers and trekkers, to enjoy thrilling challenges, the Kedarkantha Trek is an ideal destination for the nature lovers to bask in the beauty of undisturbed nature and enjoy delightful and blissful moments with exhilarating experiences.

Juda Ka Talab, the first campsite, is the picturesque campsite located at an altitude of 9,000 feet. Juda Ka Talab captivates with a beauty so serene that you blink twice to feel if the place really exists. A thicket of mighty oak and tall pine trees with colossal mountains in the background surrounds the glacial lake imparting the look of a protective shield. Juda Ka Talab weather ranges from -12 to -1 in winter months, 3 to 12 degrees in spring and summer months and -8 to 12 degrees in the fall season.

From Juda ka Talab you trek around 4 km through pine and oak trees to reach the open highlands just below the Kedarkantha summit. Just as the forest ends, you reach a wide meadow which is Kedarkantha base camp. Located at an elevation of 11,250 feet, Kedarkantha base camp is the second campsite in the Kedarkantha trekking trail.

Trek starts from Sankri - sour Village which cultures & lifestyles are traditional around of Sour – Sankri which is in the Govind Wildlife Sanctuary national park. Sour village is quite beautiful with snow covered mountains and the sparkling tons river flowing through it. If you visit it once, then no doubt you will definitely visit here again. The charm is the most beautiful thing about this place. the Sankri is a delightful place set apart by the mountains and chilly climate & Weather. Houses made of wood look very beautiful and adorable. In sour village there are various conventions, fairs , and rituals. the people of the village wear traditional costumes and cook traditional food. Folk dances( Naati, raas, and taandi) of the area are a part for amusement and entertainment.

This trek can be seen in the beauty of the Himalayas. The altitude of the Kedarkantha trek is 3800 meters. Kedarkantha is a triangle-shaped mountain. Which makes this trek more exploring with the view 360 mountains and sunrise

Kedarkantha:Get Ready to Travel the Most Popular Winter Snow Trek Sankri Range / Uttrakhand

Fringed with pine trees and decked with the prettiness of snow, Peak is often considered the best snow-trekking destination in india . Kedarkantha is Located at an altitude of 12,500 ft. above sea level, Kedarkantha trek is quite special because it has stunning views and it provides the best views of the entire mountains cape.

If you want to experience nature at its best and enjoy a wonderful trek then this Winter Snow Trek is definitely for you. During the trek, you will pass through mesmerizing picturesque views, rich forests, fields as well as snow tracks.

You need to know that Kedarkantha Summit is nestled in Govind wild life National santuary Park of Sankri Uttrakhand . This beautiful peak is encircled by several scenic river valleys, this valley is also known as Sankri Range in Western garwal,

Kedarkantha is considered as top most winter snow trek in India, beginners can also do this trek in the Himalayas that you need to experience at least once in your life. Best time to do this trek is from the first week of November to the last week of March , you can find a lot of snowfall here.

The campsites of this trek are beautifull all camps are covered with snow after mid november.

Although every trek in the Himalayas is special and known for its own beauty. Trekking often gives you a dose of nature which is not possible in the cities and also offers you the chance to stretch your psychological & physical limits.

This Trek is one of those treks in the Himalayas that induce you to witness the beauty of nature that too in its pure form. Right from snow-capped mountains, green pastures forest, frozen lake to a pleasing divine summit, it offers everything that you wish for as a trekker.

The summit ascent of trek is extremely rewarding and sure to give you amazing memories. All these views are seen from the starting point Sankri base camp till summit.

As you begin your trek in the early hours of the morning and gradually climb up the steep hill, you will experience breathtaking nature views. Kedar Kantha is popular mainly as a winter trek that starts right from a famous village called Sankri. This beautiful village is almost 210km away from Dehradun.

Generally, in the mountains, winter is quite harsh when it comes to weather. When the snowfall begins, the temperature drops down to minus that further blocks several roads, making most areas unreachable.

All these things often make trek exciting and popular because here you can actually experience what winter feels like in the mountains.

The temperature here drops to 10 degrees at night and even less but remember such kind of temperature is bearable only with a bit of carefulness. This is the reason why several tourists head towards the base village of this trek called Sankri, especially in the month of December, January, February, and March each year.

The drive from Dehradun to mussoorie and to sankari is one of the most stunning and charming drive in the Himalayas. So, don’t forget to carry your camera.

On the way, you will come across the paths filled with snow as well as meadows that are going to offer you a mesmerizing glimpse of the Himalayan Peaks. The silent and peaceful streams along with tranquil lakes are sure to treat all your trekking tiredness and give you a tenderness in nature.

You can do ski, if you are good at doing skiing then make sure you try it during the Winter. Skiing will give you the chance to experience an amazing view of the medows of himalyas covered with snow.

Get ready to experience the pleasant view that will definitely soothe your eyes because while trekking you will come across rich forests that are wailed with recent snowfals n month of december. Not only this, but the gentleness and kindness of the Local people will surely impress you.

This Trek is also considered as the place of Shiva, the ancient Hindu Lord, this trek is no less than a paradise. Silence, as well as the peacefulness of this trek, gives you an amazing feeling and even make you fell like you are in heaven.

The paradise sky sight, and sky-knocking mountains, are sure to give you a feeling like you are standing on the edge of the earth. When it comes to this trek, there are several mythological stories behind it.

Kedarkantha Trek Length
*The Kedarkantha trek length is 20 Kms which is covered in the span of 6 days. Kedarkantha Trek is a moderate to difficult grade trek which can be done by beginners or the first-timers also if they have the basic fitness level. The trek from Sankri to Juda ka Talab is of approx 4km from there another 4km trek to the Kedarkantha base camp. The next day you will be trekking 6km in total from basecamp to summit and summit to Hargaon. On your return to Sankri, you will be trekking to a length of 6km from Hargaon.

Kedarkantha Trek Best Time
Kedarkantha is an all-season trek that captivates you with a distinct beauty in each season. Spring and summer boast of clear skies and fresh landscapes that treat your senses with the fragrance of blooming flowers. The fall season offers a unique experience; trekking on the trail bedecked with dried multi-hued leaves is an amazing experience.

However, winter is still considered the best time to visit KEDARKANTHA Peck Trek. The snowy trails lined with tall snow-drifted trees, frozen mountain lakes incandescent in the moonlight and snowy peaks glittering at dawn and dusk in amazing hues of golden and red;

Kedarkantha Summit
The trek is famous for its summit and is rightly so. First is that, this is a proper summit marked by cairn. Of all the 12,500 ft treks in the Himalayas, Kedarkantha is one of the two summit treks. The rest are all mostly passes or high points on a range.
This itself is special. Second, is the route to the summit. As soon as you clear the tree line, the summit is right in front of you. So, right from the beginning of the trek, you know where you are trekking to and it creates an instant aspiration. This builds the challenge of the trek right from the beginning of the summit day.

Itinerary

  • Altitude – 1920m
  • Drive – 198km
  • Time – 7/8 hours
  • Trekkers will be picked up from Dehradun Railway Station
  • Food during transit will be payed by trekkers only, our Meal Plan will start after reaching Sankri.
  • Erratic Jio, BSNL network available at Sankri , Wifi available
  • Trek equipments available at Sankri base camp market
  • Night stay at Hotel, Homestay.
  • Last ATM and Bank available at Purola, do carry cash with you since no online payment facility at Basecamp
  • Route : Dehradun – Mussoorie – Kempty Fall – Naugaon – Purola – Mori – Netwar – Sankri - Himalayasgriffon Hotels

Trekkers will be picked up from Dehradun railway station or Petal Nager at 7 AM. It is going to be a long drive but the entire route is going to offer amazing picturesque views, making you feel excited to reach the destination for trekking. Before 22kms to Sankri, you will enjoy a lot and also go through Govind National Park.
In the evening by 5PM, we will be reaching to Sankri and after freshening up you can explore the Sankri sour village.

  • Altitude – 6300ft to 9200 ft
  • Trek Distance – 4km
  • Time – 4/5 hours
  • Camping - Stay in tents
  • No network
  • Trek will start From Sankri base camp ( Himalayasgriffon hotels)
  • Route : sankri -Sour Village -jenola camps & - juda-ka-talab

We start the trekking from Sankri to Juda-Ka-Talab which is almost 4km. Juda-Ka-Talab is located at an altitude of 9,100ft, offering you breathtaking views of nature. During the trek, you will go through dense forest and carpet of pine & maple leaves which will definitely amaze you. 
After crossing a few streams and oaks forests, you will reach a stunningly picturesque place known as Juda Ka Talab which will offer you eye-catchy views of nature. The overnight stay in tents will make you feel like resting in the laps of nature. 

  • Altitude – 9200 ft to 11300 ft
  • Trek Distance – 3 km
  • Time – 4 hours
  • Stay in tents

In the early morning, we will start the trek to Kedarkantha base which is located at a height of 11,250ft. You will go through the dense forest of Pine and Oak forest which will later open into beautiful meadows. You can also have a jaw-dropping view of popular Himalayan peaks like Kala Nag, Bandarpoonch, and Swargarohini. 
The night stray will be scheduled in tents which will give you the opportunity to enjoy a perfect view of shining stars.

  • Altitude – 11300ft to 12500ft and return to 9200ft
  • Trek distance – 11 km (4km ascend takes 4 hours and 7km descend takes 4 hours)
  • Trek starts at around 3AM so you can reach at Summit/Peak by Sunrise, enjoy the best Sunrise view of your life ever, what better than sky light up in a colourful cornucopia whilst illuminating one of the most beautiful place on earth.
  • Today wear your gaiters and microspikes to climb the summit
  • While you descend enjoy the snow sliding under the guidance of your trek guide
  • Night stay in tents juda Taal

On day 4 trek will start around 2AM in the morning so you can enjoy the sunrise at Kedarkantha peak , After having a light healthy breakfast we will start our trekking for Kedarkantha Summit which is located at a height of 12500ft. During the trek hydrate your body after every 15 min., while get ready to experience cold weather at the peak because of winds. This will be the most difficult day as the temperature will goes down as we climb up the summit. The temperature will fall up to -15 degree.
You will get the 360-degree sight of Himalayan peaks. After reaching the Kedarkantha peak, you enjoy spectacular and paranormal prettiness of nature. After spending 30min we will descend back to juda ka talaab via hargaon and in between you will enjoy snow sliding.

  • Altitude – 9200ft to 6300ft.
  • Trek distance – 4 km
  • Time taken - 2 hours
  • Drive – 198km aprrox 8 hours
  • Reach Dehradun by 9 PM
  • You will be dropped at railway station.

After having breakfast you will start your trek back to Sankri. This is the last day of the trek and we will be returning back from Juda-ka-talaab to Sankri , the trek will take about 2-3 hours to descend back to sankri. while on the trek in between you will see beautiful view of sankri valley on your way back to sankri. The forest surrounding the path grows denser, before finally opening up to reveal the sankri.
Say goodbye to an amazing trekking trip as you will be returning back with some lifelong reminiscences. However, you will be dropped at Dehradun railway station by 9 PM.

The last day of the trip is the departure day where the trekkers need to travel back to Dehradun. Tata Sumo or a similar make car will be provided for a travel back of 220 kms to the city. Start the day early by enjoying the morning sun once again from Sankri and then enjoy a healthy and relishing breakfast at the hotel.

The best part of the trip, is that the trip is well balanced and smartly packaged so that travellers get ample rest and relaxation and enjoy the beauty at every stop without hurrying at any place. It is a trip well designed to take care of the comfort and facilities of the travellers.

The trip back to Dehradun reaches around 7 o clock evening time. From here they can plan the next journey by booking a travel well after 8 pm. For all those who wish to stay in Dehradun and enjoy the place for a day or more can book a hotel in the city and spend some more lovely days in midst the beautiful Himalayan.

Amenities

Inclusions :-

1. Transport from Dehradun to Sankari and Return.
2. Microspikes and Gaitors for saftey of our trekkers
3. All the needed entry fees along with permits
4. First aid medical kits, oxygen cylinder as well as stretcher.
5. Meals during the trek (vegetarian).
6. During the trek, charges of accommodation in the guest house, homestay, and camping
7. Porters/mules in order to carry vital equipment
8. Hiking skilled and proficient trek leader, cook, guide, and support staff
9. Trek Up India Staff Insurance.
10. All the trek equipment will be included like a sleeping bag, kitchen & dining tent, utensils, mattress, tent, toilet tent, and crampon (if needed).

Exclusions :-

1. The food at the time of transit
2. All kinds of personal expenditures
3. Anything that we have not mentioned beforehand
4. Mules or porter to carry private baggage
5. Any kind of emergency evacuation charges

Cancellation Policy

  • The cancellation policy is based on the original booking time and original start date of the trek.
  • Cancel before 30 days of trek start date and get full refund after deduction of 1.99% payment processing fee.
  • Cancel before 15 days of trek start date and get refund after deduction of 20% of total trek fee.
  • Cancel before 10 days of trek start date and get refund after deduction of 40% of total trek fee.
  • Cancel before 5 days of trek start date and get refund after deduction of 60% of total trek fee.
  • Trek fee is non-refundable if you cancel within 4 days before trek start date.

Things To Carry

• Backpack & Rain Cover (40-60 Litres) • Trekking Shoes
• LED Torch
• One Water Bottle (one litre)
• Basic Medications (or prescribed if any) Clothes
• Trekking Jacket
• Three (Five in winter) Warm Layers
• Two trek pants (one Wear and one carry)
• Two collared t-shirts
• Thermals
• Extra Pair of Clothes
• woolen sweater
Accessories
• Sunglasses
• Sunscreeen Lotion (SPF 50/70)
• Lip Balm (SPF 30)
• Sun cap
• Normal Cap
• Synthetic hand gloves
• Three pair of Socks
• Raincoat/Ponchos
• Plastic cover (for wet clothes)
Mandatory Documents
• Original and photocopy of government photo identity card- (Passport, Aadhaar Card, Driving license or voters ID) etc

Safety of Kedarkantha — Altitude wise

In this trek, you are climbing around 6,300 ft in the first three days and reaching a maximum altitude of 12,500 ft. Naturally, you can get hit with AMS.

Few aspects of the trek that helps mitigate AMS:

The campsites are placed well within a normal altitude gain for each day. With a steady pace, the chances of getting AMS is less.
The second day is shorter in length and altitude gain. This gives you ample opportunity to rest and acclimatize before the long summit day.
The third day, you lose a lot of height. This helps recover from most AMS symptoms that might occur on the summit day.
However, there are still chances of getting hit by AMS.
In this trek, the symptoms can start right from day 1. Most trekkers present with the starting symptoms of AMS – usually headache or tiredness mixed with perhaps lack of appetite or sleep. The immediate step to take would be to start on a curative course of Diamox which is 250 mg, every 12 hours followed by ample rest.
The earlier you treat these symptoms, the higher the chances of recovering and completing the trek.

How to reach

Take a flight to Jolly Grant Airport Dehradun, Hire a cab to reach Dehradun City as the airport is 29 km away.

The Dehradun railway station is located in the centre of the city which is well connected to all the major cities of the country.

Dehradun is easily accessible from major cities of the country as it has an excellent road connectivity with other major cities and towns of North India. There are state-run and private buses that offer a regular service.

Temperature And Weather

This snow trek is operates between Dec to mid-April when the region has had good snowfall. Contrary to the popular belief winters is a good time to be in the mountains if one is equipped properly. Most locals inhabiting higher reaches of the mountains don’t mind the problems associated with snowfall and seem to have a good time during these months. Also there are lots of local festivals in these months. In these months weather is generally clear most of the days. Day time is normally pleasantly warm with one getting to enjoy sitting out in the sun. Temperature would be around 12-17 °C. Evenings are quite cold and one would need to be inside a tent/room or sitting outside next to fire with proper winter clothes. The evening temperatures will be around – 3 to 5 °C. Nights can be very cold with temperatures in the range of – 7 to 0 °C. Please keep in mind that the above information is not exact and does not account for sudden changes. Whatever the temperatures and conditions rest assured we will be prepared to handle it with ease as we use equipment of very high specifications

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