Kedarkantha Trek

The trip starts in the capital city of Dehradun, where the vehicles arranged by HOT. Adventures can be boarded at ISBT, Dehradun no later than 7 AM. Sankri is a common starting point for various treks in Uttarakhand, including Har Ki Dun, Borasu Pass, Bali Pass, Ruinsara Tal, and others. It is located 197 km from Dehradun and would take about 9-10 hours to cover, gaining an altitude of 1950 M. The road trip is breathtaking from the beginning, starting with a drive through the breathtaking hills of Mussoorie and the magnificent Kempty falls nestled in high mountain cliffs. The roads are long and winding, allowing you to take in every bit of the picturesque surroundings. The road passes swiftly alongside mountain streams in many places.
After passing through Mussoorie, it follows the Yamuna River for a while before changing into an enchanting canopy of blue pine forests flanking both sides of the road. The final 22 km to Sankri, however, is the most spectacular as it passes through the Govind National Park, which is home to a variety of exotic flora and fauna. The roads can be a little uneven in places, but they are more than compensated for by the stunning views of the dense coniferous forests, Tons river valley, and sporadic apple orchids.
We will arrive in Sankri around 5 p.m. Sankri is a verdant village with some of the best views of Mt. Swargarohini, especially at sunset. From December to February, when winter is at its worst, snow can be seen right from Sankri. Accommodations will be in guest houses today. Once checked in, hikers can shower and explore the neighborhood.

Following a hearty breakfast, the trek begins at approximately 9 AM. Lunches will be packed for the day. In the case of extreme winters, your trek leader will provide you with gaiters and spikes prior to the trek, and you will receive a brief instruction on how to use them on the snow trail. The path from Sankri passes through another village called Saud and then leads to the Kedarkantha trail, with multiple bridge crossings an route. The forest floor is heavily covered in maple leaves, with dense pine foliage encircling the entire area. During the trek, you will hear the sound of a burbling stream.
An hour into the hike, you will come across a wooden bridge on your right, marking a quarter of the day's trek. Close ahead, you will 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. 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 are lucky enough, you may even witness snowfall during the hike.

About an hour later, you will see a massive fallen trunkresting in a glade just before the forest. This marks your halfway point to the campsite for the day. Proceed through the clearing into the Oak-brown forest, where the air is thick with the woodsy aroma. Eventually, the forest opens up into a meadow where two small huts are providing snacks and drinks. This is where we will stop for our packed lunches and a cup of hot tea.
This clearing leads to the Juda-ka-Taal, our campsite for the day and a small high altitude lake on the Kedarkantha trek. The trail leads quickly up through the woods and eventually opens up to an exquisite lake, teardrop silver in color and guarded by a thicket of emerald-green Oak and Pine forests on one side.

After breakfast, we start our journey towards the Kedarkantha Base Camp at 9 AM. We follow the trail that leads from the Judaka Taal campsite, and as it climbs onto a ridge that veers further into the forest, you will notice the lake slowly retreating below. After a short walk through a path covered in snow, we eventually catch glimpses of a tall mountain peak peeking through the woods. This is the Kedarkantha summit. The trek gradient today is steeper than it was yesterday and passes through dense primeval oak forests.
From this point on, the trails will probably still have snow from the previous winter. You will likely see semi-grown rhododendron buds along the way, even though the trek's flora may not be in bloom yet. In April, however, the rhododendrons will be in full bloom, with vibrant orange and pink hues, and the fresh grasslands will be waking up from their hibernation. The Kedarkantha Base Camp is a breathtaking snowfield surrounded on one side by towering woods and a sweeping view of snow-capped peaks on the other.
Have an early dinner and get ready to sleep well in time because the trek starts at around 3AM the following day. On clear days, the Milky Way gleams through the sky at night with a 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.

The journey to the top of Kedarkantha begins at 3 a.m. in order to witness the sunrise. Be ready to hike through bitterly cold temperatures and freezing mountain winds the entire way. The first trail is easy and has a gentle ascent; it passes through dense oak forests for about an hour before the forests start to recede and open up to a clearing from which two trails lead to the summit. Depending on the snow conditions, the trek leader chooses which path to take on the ascent.
A half-hour later, you trek through a series of switchbacks to reach the surreal summit of Kedarkantha at the crack of dawn. The summit offers up a fantastic 360-degree view of some of the famous mountain peaks and ranges in the region, including Gangotri, Yamunotri, Bandarpoonch, Swargarohini, and Har Ki Dun. This section is steep, with an inclination of 45 to 60 degrees. During the winter months, the snow here can occasionally run knee-deep.
After spending some time at the summit, we begin our descent through the alternate route that descends to the clearing below. We should arrive at Kedarkantha base camp by noon. After stopping at the campsite for a quick lunch, we descend to Hargaon, which is a densely forested open grassland at an elevation of 2700 meters. Here, we will set up camp for the night and enjoy the starry skies past dusk as we mark the end of an exciting adventure. Additionally, there is a square arrangement of stones at the top that is dedicated to Lord Shiva and goddess Parvati; this shrine is marked by a Trishul pointing to the sky.

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 mesmerizing 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. Although this adventure is the easiest of all, it will be a long one. We start early and leave for Sankri post breakfast.
Note: If you are wanting to drive to Delhi overnight, please make sure you book Volvos that leave between 11 PM and 12 AM to account for any unforeseen delays on the road. We should get in Dehradun by 8 or 9 PM.