Ultimate Winter Kuari Pass Trek Guide for Beginners

If you are hooked on trekking and want to push your boundaries, you must be looking for something new on your platter. There are a few unique treks in the Himalayas that might be a game changer for your hiking experience. That is to say every single feature of these terrains you visit, the visual transformation is glaring.

Winter Kuari Pass is one such unique Himalayan trek in India. A few factors that make it stand out from the rest are enchanting sceneries, authentic native culture, exotic biodiversity, marvellous terrain, and inviting solitude. The never ending excitement and thrill that you experience by walking its trails is simply unbelievable. As a matter of fact, only after completing this trek would you realize that there isn’t any replacement for the enjoyment it offered you. With changing weather, Winter Kuari Pass trek gets completely transformed and becomes a hotspot for trekkers across the world.

So if you want to retreat to nature and fulfill your adventure needs, the adrenaline-fueled Winter Kuari Pass Trek is waiting to be explored.

Why Should You Choose Winter Kuari Pass Trek?

Tucked away deep in the Himalayan embrace, Winer Kuari Pass is located at an altitude of 12570 feet in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand, India. It lies within the territory of Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve, a wonderful region known for its unique biodiversity. It is a moderate trek that takes you to a journey of some of the finest Himalayan landscapes. This spectacular expedition leaves you stunned with tons of panoramic vistas throughout the trail. It is also known as Curzon Trail, named after Lord Curzon, the British Viceroy who first explored it in 1905.

Here is why you should consider Winter Kuari Pass Trek as your next hiking destination:

1. Incredibly Scenic Landscapes





One of the main features of Winter Kuari Pass is its breathtaking landscapes. With the changing season, these splendid places acquire an upgraded beauty. Winters turn the place into a snowy paradise, summer sunlight profoundly enhances the greenery, while autumns display a stunning interplay of colors. The trail offers a superb blend of dense forests, alluring slopes, and beautiful alpine meadows. The climb for the final summit is a bit challenging, but you will definitely experience an otherworldly peace and tranquility after reaching the top. The winding trails of Kuari Pass take you to iconic campsites from where you can get glimpses of mountain peaks, faraway villages, Himalayan Rivers and streams. Not to forget to highlight the exhilarating experience you get on every ridge-walk.

2. Best View of Famous Mountain Peaks

Winter Kuari Pass is known for incredible views of majestic Himalayan peaks. This trek offers you stunning visuals of as many as 30 different peaks, arguably the most number of mountain summits than any other trek. From different locations on the trek, you will catch a sight of different prominent peaks, including Kamet, Chaukhambha, Dronagiri, Changabang, Kunti bhandar, and Neelkanth. These imposing mountains dominate the scenic backdrop of almost every place.

3. Unique Local Culture

The Winter Kuari Pass also showcases the quintessential Garhwali traditions followed in this region. You can experience these opulent cultural practices at the base camp, Pipalkoti. Here you can interact with villagers at different tea houses and get a wealth of knowledge about the history and backstory of this place. You can also try local dishes and delicacies like Madua Roti (finger millet bread) and Bhang Ki Chutney (hemp seed chutney).

4. Enchanting Dense Forests

Another key attraction of Winter Kuari Pass Trek is its magnificent forests. These lush, dense forests are replete with Oak, Golden Oak, pine, and rhododendron trees. You can also spot white rhododendron flowers in these forests particularly in the spring season. For the most part, the trail dissects dense woods and glides through an ever-standing line of trees. While walking along them, you automatically become a part of a game of light and shadows. During winters, the entire landscape becomes a snowy desert and the visuals of snow-covered trees and branches create a magical environment.

5. Rich Biodiversity

Winter Kuari Pass is not far behind in terms of its fair share of rich biodiversity. As this place is a part of Nanda Devi Sanctuary, there are numerous chances that you spot some exotic animal and bird species. You can get a glance of Himalayan Monal, Himalayan Magpie (or more commonly, Yellow-billed Blue Magpie), Snow Patridge, and Himalayan Griffon. The mammals found in this region include musk deer, Himalayan Tahr, black bear, barking deer and snow leopard (very rarely seen though).

How To Reach Winter Kuari Pass

In order to do the Winter Kuari Pass Trek, you need to first arrive at Rishikesh on the previous evening of the starting day of your trekking. The name of the hotel where you reside is Back Stayz by Lakshman Jhula near SBI Bank Tapovan. The following day, if you have opted for TTH's pick-up service, your pick up will be arranged at 6:00 AM in the morning on Traveller.

The following are the primary means to reach Rishikesh:

• By Air: If you have to save your time and go to your destination without any hitch, travelling by flight is the best option for you. The nearest airport of Dehradun is Jolly Grant Airport, which is in the outskirts and around 30 km away from the city. Then book a cab/taxi from the airport to Rishikesh. Again, it is important to remind you that you have to catch your flight at least one day earlier than your starting day.
• By Road: Travelling through the road provides you with many options. You can catch a private bus or Volvo bus or Govt. bus from Delhi or Chandigarh and easily reach Dehradun after travelling for 6 or 7 hours. The buses usually take you to ISBT. From there, you can again catch another bus or hire a taxi to Rishikesh.
• By Train: Another convenient option to get to Dehradun is by train. It’s up to you to choose which class you want to book for your comfort. Here also, you will get train options depending upon which region of India you are coming from. Most common trains that run to Dehradun are Shatabdi, Jan Shatabdi, Howrah-Dehradun Special, Vande Bharat Express, and Mussoorie Express.

Detailed Trek Itinerary of Winter Kuari Pass

Day-1: Rishikesh to Pipalkoti

• Altitude: 1,350m/4,400ft.
• Drive Distance: 220 km | 9-10 hours

The day one is basically an indulging road trip from Rishikesh to Pipalkoti (base camp). This is the same route as Badrinath pilgrimage and you will witness truly panoramic and captivating landscapes along the way. Cruising along the banks of river Alaknanda, you will notice scenic valleys down below and towering peaks in the backdrop. This route traverses and covers the absolutely captivating pilgrimage regions, including Devprayag, Rudraprayag, Karnaprayag, and Nandaprayag. After the whole day’s journey and enjoying some beautiful sightseeing, you will reach Peepalkoti at around 5:00 PM, where a cozy accommodation (guest house) will be arranged.

Day-2: Pipalkoti – Gulling Top

• Altitude:

Tugasi village: 2450m/ 8000 ft.

Gulling Top: 2,850 m/ 9,400 ft.

• Drive Distance (Pipalkoti-Tugasi): 45 km | 1.5 - 2 hrs
• Trek Distance: 3km | 2-3 hrs

On the second day of your journey to Kuari Pass, you will leave Pipalkoti to Tugasi village in the morning just after breakfast. It’s a 45 KM drive that takes 2 to 3 hours to complete. You will witness the beautiful and typical winding roads of the Garhwal Himalayas at this stretch. Tugasi is a picturesque mountain village that serves the actual starting base of your expedition. The trail takes you through a few traditional villages that still display their unique culture and customs, the gradual ascents pass along the periphery of agricultural farmlands, while the dense forest covers invite you to enter deep within them. The journey of day 2 ends at Gulling Top – a stunning and serene campsite to enjoy, relax, and have a nice time.

Day-3: Gulling Top to Tali Forest Camp

• Altitude: 3,350m (11,100ft)
• Trek Distance: 5 km | 4-5 hours

On the third day and renewed with profound excitement, the Winter Kuari Trek takes you to an incredibly breathtaking spot – Tali Forest Camp. After breakfast, you’ll cross an even denser forest on your way to your destination, but with more fun. This hike takes around 5 hours to complete and the journey doesn’t need too much physical exertion from you. After walking for half an hour through the trail, you will arrive at a clearing, and from here you will get a nice view of astonishingly towering peaks, including Nanda Devi, Kalanka, Chang Bang, and Hathi Parvat, Gauri Parvat. Moving forward, there are more forest trails in the waiting, but you will definitely be smitten by the overpowering presence of oak, maple, rhododendron, and walnut trees. Finally, the environment of Tali campsite is one with an ideal natural splendor.

Day-4: Tali forest camp to Kuari pass and back via Khullara top

• Altitude:

Khulara Top: 3,650m (12,000 ft)

Kuari Pass: 3,900m (12,750 ft)

• Trek Distance: 10-11 km | 8-9 hours

On day 4, you are going to experience a magical morning and a lot of other things as the day progresses. You will wake up to some amazing visuals of gravity-defying peaks in the backdrop. Just some distance away from Tali Forest is Jhandi Top – a captivating resting place for trekkers who relax here and enjoy sightseeing. You will take the final climb to Kuari Pass Summit, which is a little challenging due to the steeper trail. However, this stretch of the trek is probably one of the best to experience panoramic views and enchanting landscapes of Garhwal region. The final 1 KM section of the trek is daunting and requires some real efforts but also equally rewarding. Then comes the coveted summit of Kuari Pass that greets you with a wide angle of gigantic Himalayan peaks such as Kedarnath Peak, Chaukhamba, Neelkantha, and Nanda Devi.

Day-5: Tali Forest Camp - Pipalkoti via Gurson Bugyal (11150 ft) and Auli (9680 ft)

• Altitude:

Tali Lake: 3,550m (11,500ft)

Gursaon Bugyal: 3,400m (11,150ft)

Auli: 2900m (9500ft)

• Trek Distance: 9 km | 6-7 hours
• Drive Distance: 45 km | 1 hr 30 min

This leg of your journey begins from Tali campsite. It solely depends upon the condition of the weather on that day whether you will return from Auli or retracing your route through Tugasi village. If the weather is fine, the next attraction is Tali Lake – a high-altitude, serene, alpine lake. It usually has crystal clear water that freezes in winters. Further along the trail, roughly 3 to 4 KM from this lake, you will walk into a remarkably attractive meadow, Gurson Bugyal. A sprawling landform in this alpine region, Gurson Bugyal is widely known for its expansive greenery and panoramic views in the distance. You will enjoy every bit of this segment of the trek by appreciating nature at the peak of its charm. Finally, after descending on a trail of approximately 4 to 5 KM, you reach the stunning town of Auli. This place is known for its winter sports and an ideal destination for adventure lovers. In the evening, you will end this day’s journey in Pipalkoti.

Day-6: Pipalkoti To Rishikesh

• Drive Distance: 220 km | approx. 9 hours

The last day, i.e., the 6th day of your journey is the day of returning back from this unforgettable experience. With tons of memories and wealth of heart-warming moments, you will retrace the same route and experience the exact same beautiful landscapes you saw on your journey up. After a drive of 9 to 10 hours, you’ll reach Rishikesh between 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm.

Experience the Most Stunning Campsites of Winter Kuari Pass

Where Winter Kuari Pass beats other Himalayan destinations is its phenomenally beautiful campsites. These serene spots in nature are excellent sites for stargazing, relaxing, and hangouts. Not only do these campsites possess incredible beauty, but they also serve as perfect venues for rejuvenating your mind and body.

1. Pipalkoti





Pipalkoti is the base camp for Winter Kuari Pass trek. After undertaking a journey of approximately 10 to 11 hours, you arrive at this magnificent village. You will be moved by the warm hospitality of the local people and a healthy interaction with them is worth trying. You can strike a cordial relationship with them immediately, and they will fill you in with interesting stories and anecdotes. It is also a nice place to shop locally-created goods, handlooms, and souvenirs. Here you can also taste unique local foods and dishes that you will find nowhere else. The Himalayan ranges that are seen from Pipalkoti are: Nanda Devi, Dronagiri, and Chaukhamba. As for your stay, the base camp guest house is very well-managed. It is facilitated with rooms that have attached washrooms with 24-hour running hot water.

After leaving Pipalkoti village, you will take a 45 KM drive. After approximately one and a half hour to two hours, you will reach Tugasi village. This village is the actual place from where you start your hike to Winter Kuari Pass trek. Here, you can have a good interaction with the local people to understand more about them. Also, at the starting point of the trek, you will come across an old, functional water mill (also called Panchakki). Gulling Top is still 25 KM from here and after walking 1 KM from here, you will arrive at a Magi Point. So, this place is perfect for enjoying Magi with a nice view of mountain peaks and chilly winds.

2. Gulling Top

After leaving Tugasi Village and following the beautiful trail towards the Winter Kuari Pass, you reach the first stunning campsite, Gulling Top. This place obtains a diverse set of appearances with changing seasons. As winters proceed, the landscape starts receiving more and more snowfall till a thick blanket completely engulfs the place. In spring and summer, the lush green forest cover is at its enchanting best. These dense forests have mostly oak, maple, pine, and rhododendron trees that give a combined display of magnificence. In addition to these, you will also witness a grand view of Silver Fur trees, a stunning visual of dense forest of Golden Oak, and lush green trees of local walnut.

One of the most refreshing attributes of Gulling Top is it offers a majestic view of prominent Himalayan peaks, including Mt. Dronagiri, Mt. Hanuman, Mt. Rishikot, and a nice glimpse of Hathi-Gauri peaks. Being an incredible looking meadow, Gulling Top allows you to take a good view of Bugyal Koti and Pangarchula villages in the distance. Also, the sight of Karchi village and Ringi Gaon (village) is mesmerizing. Further, a quick visit to Ringi Gaon provides you an opportunity to see BhavishyaBadri Statue along with a delightful view of Alakhnanda River that flows nearby. In these villages, you can also experience the beauty of traditional summer homes of local people known as “Chhani”.

3. Khullara Top





Khullara Top is another chief campsite spot on your way to Winter Kuari Pass. The hike from Gulling Top to Khullara Top is not only easily manageable but enjoyable as well. When you leave Gulling campsite, you start walking in a meadow right away. As you walk across it, you are greeted by an enchanting dense forest of Golden Oak and pine trees. The surrounding is overwhelmed by soothing sounds of bird songs and running water from water streams flowing in the adjacent areas. As you move forward on the trail, there is a gradual ascent in the first half of the journey, while the trek becomes a bit steeper just before reaching Khullara campsite.

The Khullara Top has a platter full of spectacular views to offer. A breathtaking clearing in the midst of nature, this campsite allows you to experience stunning vistas for which your efforts will be worthwhile. From here, you will get a clear view of famous peaks, including Dronagiri, Trishuli, Garud, Hathi-Gauri, Mt. Hanuman, Rishikot, and Mt. Kamet. It also offers a rare glimpse of Kalanka Peak. Some of these summits appear in the opposite direction of Winter Kuari pass trek. Khullara campsite is also known for its breathtaking views of sunrise and sunsets. You will also get a surprisingly nice view of Bugyal Koti, which is famous in the region for its rich local herbs.

4. Tali Forest Camp

Tali Forest Camp is an enthralling campsite resting inside a forest having mainly oak and rhododendron trees. It is basically a big clearing in the middle of the terrain and whose shore is replete with Golden Oak trees. You will visit this campsite while coming back from the Kuari Pass summit, that is, while you are on your way back to the base camp. The first spot during your descent is a place called Jhandi Top, which is the second highest spot on this trek after the summit. This is the perfect resting point to sit back and experience an epic 360-degree view of various peaks including, Kedarnath, Chaukhamba, Nilgiri, Neelkanth, Mt. Kamet, Narayan Parvat, Hathi-Gauri peaks, Dronagiri, and a little pretty glimpse of Nanda Devi and Kuari Pass, too.

Tali Campsite is reached after crossing a vast meadow called Chitrakantha. This mesmerizing landscape looks extremely beautiful in every season. It is normally green sprinkled with attractive wildflowers, while completely covered with a snow blanket in winter. Due to its vastness and the continuous snow cover, locals call it a snow desert.

5. Kuari Pass Summit





Finally, the Winter Kuari Pass summit is a long awaited spot for panoramic views and breathtaking vistas. It’s an expansive lush green meadow that concludes your expedition in an extremely satisfying manner. The summit offers you a 270-degree view of popular Himalayan peaks, including Nanda Devi, Dronagiri, Chaukhamba, Kamet, and Hathi Ghoda Parvat. It also allows you to glance at some of the picturesque villages of Roopkund Valley. It is also famous for witnessing most mountain summits that are above 6000 meters in altitude. This place offers a view of more than a whopping 30 prominent peaks.

Note: It’s important here to highlight the fact that after reaching Tali campsite back from the Kuari Pass summit, you will return the base camp via two beautiful spots, Gurson Bugyal and Auli – a very famous hill station of Uttarakhand, known for skiing and ice skating conducted at a national level scale. However, this route is allowed only and only if weather conditions are conducive to travel. For instance, during the rainy season and heavy snowfall, this route is closed and avoided.

Nonetheless, after walking 1 KM from the Tali campsite on this new route, there is a lake called Tali Lake. This natural water body is an alpine lake with cold, clear, and mesmerizing water. Just after that, you need to walk a narrow path that will take you across forests and meadows. From this place, you can have a wide view of Tugasi village, Karchi village, and Karcho village.

Conclusion

Winter Kuari Pass is an incredible Himalayan destination that is considered as a trekkers' paradise. This magnificent trek encompasses an extensive treasure of landscapes that make it truly unique among many other treks. Winter Kuari Pass Trek is specially known for its breathtaking campsites, which are amazing spots in the lap of nature and thoroughly enjoyed by trekkers. These campsites are perfect resting places and offer you superb glimpses of mountain peaks, mesmerizing villages, lush forests, and enchanting valleys.