• Altitude: 6400 ft - 9100 ft
• Trek Distance: 4 km (5 hr approx.)
• Altitude Gain:- 800m/ 2,700ft
• Trek through dense forests of maple and pine cross a few streams and beautiful meadows.
• Stay in tents, twin sharing

Trekking for the Kedarkantha summit starts at Sankri, our base village for the trek, and today we will trek from here to Juda Ka Talab, a beautiful alpine lake. Start your day early, have your breakfast and head out straight towards Juda Ka Talab. The lake is situated at an altitude of 9100 ft and the trek distance is about 4 km. It will take approximately 5 hours to reach the Lake.

As you begin your trek out of Sankri village, you will venture into the village extension Saur and from here you will walk along a stream, and then we will take a turn towards the forest of pine and maple, climbing sharply. We will cross many suspension bridges and small mountain villages on our way to Juda Ka Talab. 

The trail today is quite broad and ascends gradually for about 2-3 hours. During summers, the trail is full of greenery and you will spot many wildflowers on your way. A carpet of maple and pine leaves covers the trail and opens up to lush green meadows. During winter, the trail is covered in snow, and depending on the snow conditions, you may need gaiters to navigate the path properly. As you trek uphill, you may also spot wildlife in the trail like the Himalayan Languors. While they are quite shy, they move pretty quickly, swinging from branch to branch, so its hard to catch a proper glimpse of them. Apart from this, you may also spot boars, hares, and martens.

The Juda Ka Talab campsite is extremely scenic with an alpine lake on one side and a pine forest on the other, it almost feels surreal here. In the lap of mountains and the middle of pine and snow, the surreal beauty of Juda Ka Talab is simply otherworldly. During peak winters, a sheet of ice forms on the lake, creating a picture-perfect view. The lake also has a natural tunnel that provides water to the villagers nearby.  The locals consider the lake as sacred and believe that Lord Shiva meditated at Kedarkantha and droplets falling from his hair formed the lake. 

We will camp here for the night. You can click some beautiful pictures here and also take nature walks in the area. At night, a bonfire is a great idea to relish your dinner and warm drinks, chatting up with your fellow trekkers. The night sky is simply breathtaking with an assortment of the brightest stars dazzling the sky. Sleep overnight in your tents.

• Altitude: 9,100 ft - 11,250 ft
• Trek Distance: 4 km (2.5 hr approx.)
• Altitude Gain:- 650m/ 2,150ft
• The trail on the ridge under Oak cover and pass through some meadows.
• Peaks Spotted: Bandarpoonch, Swargrohini peaks, Ranglana, and Kala Nag
• Stay in tents, twin sharing

Starting the day early, we will begin our day with a warm breakfast and a glorious sunrise view and begin the trek towards the Kedarkantha Base Camp. The base camp is located at an altitude of 11,250 ft and the distance from Juda Ka Talab to the base camp is 4 kms. Walking moderately, you can reach the base camp in about 3 hrs. The trail is marked quite well so it is quite easy to navigate. The trail is a little steeper than the previous day and it gradually becomes steeper as you get closer to the summit.

Walking through this trail, you will soon enter a forest Pine and Oak which soon opens into expansive meadows. The meadow is lined with shepherd huts and as you move forward you will catch the sight of towering Himalayan peaks Swargrohini peaks, Bandarpoonch, Ranglana, Kala Nag, etc. The splendid views are enough to render you speechless. The peaks appear as if natural jewels adorned by Mother Nature and the views will be forever imprinted in your memory.

The Kedarkantha trail is fairly easy and beginner-friendly and even in the peak winter, it isn’t as strenuous as other treks making it enjoyable for everyone. You can see the trail covered in snow here during the winter months, in summer it is luscious green. Once you reach the campsite, you can rest and refresh yourself and take small walks around the campsite. At night enjoy a nice and hot dinner and observe the beauty of the clear night sky with an abundance of twinkling stars, glowing brightly. 

At such a high altitude, the cold waves can be pretty high, so it is recommended you layer appropriately for protection against cold. Retire in your tents early, to get proper rest for the summit trek the next day.

• Altitude: 11,250 ft - 12, 500 ft - 8900 ft
• Trek Distance: 6 km (7 hrs approx.)
• Altitude Loss:- 700m/ 2,350ft
• Spend some time at the summit and descend back to basecamp for lunch.
• Post lunch descend to Hargaon
• Stay in tents, twin sharing

Today we will trek to the Kedarkantha summit reaching an elevation of 12,500 ft. Today’s trekking schedule involves trekking from the base camp to the Kedarkantha summit and descending to the Hargaon campsite. The journey to the summit and down to Hargaon is about 6 km and it takes about 7 hr.

After a pleasant breakfast in the morning, we will set out for the Kedarkantha summit. The trek is a gradual incline, however, it gets pretty steep in the end and might test your skills and fitness a little. Today also your trek will begin by crossing a forest of towering Oaks and Pines. The leaves strewn on the ground, scrunching your feet and you can also hear the faint sounds of streams gushing by.

Soon the forests open up and you are much closer to the peak now and from here the path will begin to get difficult as a sharp incline lies in front of you. But the struggle to reach the top is worth it once you make it to the summit and the marvelous views of the Himalayas await you. You will literally feel like being on top of the world and filled with a sense of accomplishment and inner peace. The astounding views will rejuvenate you after the strenuous journey. There’s also a small temple of Lord Shiva, Goddess Parvati, and Lord Ganesha at the summit.

After enjoying the picturesque views and basking in nature’s abundance, we will start descending and trek downhill to the Kedarkantha base camp where we will have our lunch, and post-lunch we will begin descending downhill, all the way to Hargaon. The descent is quite easier and faster and soon you will reach the campsite at Hargaon, descending to an elevation of 8900 ft. Reaching the Hargaon campsite marks the end of our day, we will set up camps here, enjoy a nice dinner and retire in our tents for the night.

• Altitude: 8,900 ft - 6400 ft 
• Trek Distance: 6 km (7 hrs approx.)
• Altitude Loss:-  750m/ 2,500ft
• Descend through dense pine thickets.
• Stay: in hotel, attached washroom with running hot water

The final leg of the trek involves descending from Hargaon to Sankri. We will descend from an altitude of 8900 ft to 6400 ft and the trek distance is about 6 km. It takes around 4 km to complete the descent. 

Rise with the sun and enjoy a scrumptious breakfast. The sunrise in the Himalayas has a unique splendor, which is quite hypnotizing. After breakfast, we will begin our descent towards Sankri. You will trek through forests and gurgling streams. You can fill your water bottles in the streams. Soon the forest opens up to a ridge from where you get a birds eye view of the Har ki Dun Valley.

The brilliance of the lush green slopes of the Valley is simply wonderful. Relishing the view, we will descend further as the forest grows denser once again and finally opens up at Sankri. At Sankri we will check-in at the hotel once again. You can freshen up and in the evening, you can head out to explore the village.

Although there aren’t many shops at Sankri, you can still buy wooden handicraft items, toys, and home decors as souvenirs of your journey. Interact with the locals and get more ideas about the local lifestyle. Life at Sankri is pretty slow-paced and the religious belief is quite strong here. There are about 120 families in Sankri who live in wooden huts to protect themselves from the cold and the staples are potato rice and apples.

At Sankri they also hold regular fairs or melas where entertainment takes place in the form of singing and dancing to native folk songs. For dinner you can visit the dhabas, they serve some delicious cuisines or you can have dinner at the hotel premises as well. Stay overnight in the hotel after a tiring yet wonderful journey.

• Drive Distance: 220 km (10 hr approx.)
• Drop at Dehradun Station in Tata Sumo or a similar vehicle.
• Breakfast and Lunch are not included in the trek cost.
• You will reach Dehradun by 7:00 pm

 

Note: Distance, Altitude and Trekking hours are approximate and round off.

On the last day of our wonderful trip, today we will head back to Dehradun with so many beautiful memories. Tata Sumo or other similar vehicles will be arranged for you at Sankri to drive you back to Dehradun. Check out from the hotel by 7:00 AM so that we can begin the journey to Dehradun early. We have to cover a distance of 220 km and it will take about 10 hrs so the earlier we start the better.

We will again return through NH 123, enjoying the scenic beauty. Cherish the nature around with picturesque vistas stretching alongside far and wide. We will reach Dehradun by 7:00 PM so make your further bookings accordingly.