Kedarkantha Trek – Winter Trek In Uttarakhand

Whenever you talk about winter treks, the name that comes up most often is Kedarkantha trek in Uttarakhand, India. This trek has been loved and braved by many. The pristine landscapes, virgin snow and the beauty of the peaks that surround this trek make it an experience that people often end up remembering for their lifetime.

Kedarkantha Trek – Winter Trek In Uttarakhand, India

Getting lost in the Right Direction on Kedarkantha

Kedarkantha trek will astonish you in many ways. Not only the trail of this trek, but the entire journey of the trek is something to cherish.

The Kedarkantha trek is a 6-day trek that starts at an altitude of 5,600ft at Gaichawan Gaon and climbs up to 12,500 feet to Kedarkantha peak. There is an altitude gain of around 6,50 feet during the first three days of the trek and on the ascent towards the peak. The approximate distance that is covered during the trek is 20 kilometres.

You don’t always need many reasons to take up a trek, but in case you are wondering what makes this trek so uncommon, here are a few things worth a special mention.

The 360 Degree View

As soon as you enter the base camp of the trek, a breathing taking view captivates your senses. All around you are snow-covered peaks, standing majestically and waiting for you to scale them.

The Untouched Snow!

The winter snow sets in by the beginning of December and lasts till the middle of April. As soon as you cross the 10,000ft mark on the trek, you are most likely to find snow. The beauty of the landscapes only intensifies with the clear snow shining like diamonds scattered all over the ground. The pine trees almost look Christmas-ready!

The Drive

Most of the journeys towards a base camp can be exhausting as well as very testing, but when on the way to the base camp of Kedarkantha trek, this statement simply proves to be false. The drive is said to be one of the most exuberant drives in the Himalayas. One drives through Mussoorie, Nowgaon, Purola, and Mori before finally reaching the base camp.

The above-mentioned things will just mark the beginning of the amazing trail that awaits you.

Here’s a sneak peek!

The Base Camp – Gaichawan Gaon ( 5,600 ft)

After an 8 – 9 hour drive from Dehradun, taking you through beautiful valleys and forest, you reach the base camp of the trek.

Gaichawan Gaon is a remote village that echoes with the sounds of the Rupin River. A stroll around the quaint bylanes of this village relax your sense and make you all ready for the task that lies ahead of you.

Gaichawan Gaon to Julota (5,600 feet to 8,950 feet)

A trek of around 5 hours that involves an ascent, which finally leads you to the destination. The trek offers a walk through apple orchards and farms of the village called Altwar.  From this little village, the trek leads into a lightly forested area. As you walk through the forest, you come across a stream that has to be crossed. The final destination, Julota gives you a cozy and warm welcome among its pine and oak trees.

Julota to Pukhrola (8,950 feet to 11,037 feet)

A short trek of around 4 hours leads you to the Kedarkantha base called Pukhrola. The trek takes you through denser forests and meadows. Once you reach Pukhrola, you can enjoy the picturesque setting that you arrive at. One gets to sleep under the stars and gear up for the next day here.

Pukhrola to Kedarkantha Peak ( 11,037 feet to 12,500 feet)

This is the final leg of the trek towards the peak. The trek is roughly 7 – 8 hours long and more testing than any other day before. The trek here is quite steep. You see the Dhauladhar range, Chansil Pass, Rupin valley and Har ki Dun valley during the course of the trek.  Swargarohini also comes into view along with Bandarpoonch and Kalanag.

Soon you reach your peak and enjoy the fruits of your toil and hard work. After spending some time on the top, you make your way back to Pukhrola.

Pukhrola to Gaichwan Gaon ( 11,037 feet to 5,600 feet )

A gradual descent of around 3 – 4 hours leads you back to where you started your magnificent journey from.

Drive to Dehradun

The bittersweet memories play like a flashback scene of a movie in your mind while you make your way back to Dehradun, marking an end to the 5 days spent in the company of the mountains.

The beauty and the trek are sure to leave you baffled, and you should be proud of yourself for scaling the mighty mountains.

Finally, when you sit in your cosy bed and have a look at the pictures, you are sure to miss the days, miss your friends and companions of the little adventure.

Image Source: Bikat Adventures

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