Kedarkantha Trek is one of the most famous winter treks in India. The trek starts from a village called Sankri in the Uttarkashi district and gains the maximum height of 12,500 feet (3,800 m) at the Kedarkantha Peak. There are other routes that can connect you to the Kedarkantha Peak, like an eastern ridge, western ridge, and Phulara ridge. But, the villages connected to these areas are not much explored so most of the trekkers use the Sankri route.
Being a winter trek, the Kedarkantha Trek receives heavy snowfall and is one of the best treks for beginners. It is not a short trek, it takes around 5-6 days to the summit and back (if you are starting from Dehradun). Kedarkantha trek is located in the range of Govind Wildlife Sanctuary in Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand and the best time to visit is from December to April.
As soon as you arrive at Sankri, you start to capture the wonderful views of the mountains and the diverse flora & fauna of the area. With these amazing imagery in mind, you move forward to Juda ka Talab from Sanakri and you see clearings in the middle of the forest, multiple colors, meadow, and sun rays shining down the lovely forest will make you mesmerized and amazed.
A stunning view of snow capped ranges like Har ki dun from Juda ka Talab will make you feel lost in the beauty of nature. In winters, Juda ka Talab is completely frozen due to a minimum temperature of -7 degrees, and this lake is also known as a frozen lake of India.
Finally going from base camp Juda ka Talab to Kedarkantha peak is one of the best feelings in the world. To witness the beauty of the sun rising from the peak can bring joy to your mundane life. This is just magical to see such a splendid view that strikes you at once.
In addition, you can explore more at the Sankri village while we stop there for a few hours. On your way to the Sankri village, you can also visit a village called Lakhamandal. Based on ancient beliefs, this village keeps a mythological history of Mahabharata. According to this belief, the fifth brother of Pandava named Sahadeva visited this place and buried lakhs of Shivling under the range of this village and much more.
In order to reach Kedarkantha trek from Delhi, you need to travel to Dehradun and catch the bus to Sankri from Dehradun Railway Station.
The Kedarkantha Trek starts from Dehradun city. Trekkers are advised to reach Dehradun a day before the pickup date in order to avoid any last minute hassles. On the day of the commencement of the trip you will be picked up at around 8:00 am from Dehradun ISBT.
Once picked up from Dehradun, we will begin our journey to Sankri village which is located at a distance of 230 K.m. from Dehradun and takes around 7-8 hours. It's a long journey but through the beautiful Himalayan mountains. The journey itself is very exciting and thrilling and you will pass through Mussoorie, Purola, Mori to finally reach Sankri. As we reach close to Sankri we will be passing through the Govind National Park which is famous for its flora and fauna which is not found anywhere else in the country.
Be sure to make your important phone calls before Mori because only the BSNL network is available after that with limited connectivity. On reaching Sankri, you will be checked in The Crazy Mountaineers Homestay where you will spend the night & get ready for the Kedarkantha trek which begins tomorrow.
Brief Overview of the Day
After having breakfast, we will start our trek and move towards Sor village. The Kedarkantha trek distance is 18km. After we cross Sor village, we move along a stream that leads us towards Kedarkantha. We would cross some bridges & pass through the dense forest of Maple & Pine. It's an amazing view that leaves the travelers mesmerized . The forest remains calm and you can hear the various streams flowing but they won't be coming into view until we go a bit further.
We will cross various villages and you will be able to see locals working in the area going about their day. Walking through the forest, you might be able to get a glimpse of Himalayan animals. On the way, we will cross a few more streams as the trail climbs into a sharp accent and through the dense Oak forest we will reach Juda Ka Talab. The unique beauty of this place leaves trekkers speechless every time.
Juda Ka Talab is a perfect camping destination. A huge lake on one side and the thick forest on the other makes for a fascinating view. You can explore the area around the camp and take pictures. The night sky at Juda Ka Talab is a different experience all together. On a clear night it this 5-thousand star hotel will make you forget all the 5-star hotels you have stayed in. We will be spending the night here for today.
Brief Overview of the Day
On the third day of Kedarkantha trek we continue our journey and our next stop will be Kedarkantha base which is located at an altitude of 11,250 ft. and about a distance of 4 km. It will take us around 2 and a half hours to reach there.
We will set out for our Kedarkantha base after having breakfast. The trail is pretty much easy and passes through the dense forest of Oak & Pine. If you are trekking in winters you will start to see snow when we hit the 10,400 feet mark. Walking forward you will see nature at its best, and will be able to view the snow capped peaks of Kala Nag, Swargarohini and Bandarpoonch.
The view at the Kedarkantha base is fascinating, the evening sky is beautiful with glowing stars and shining mountain peaks. We will spend the night here as we prepare for the final push towards the Kedarkantha peak.
Brief Overview of the Day
The fourth day of the trek is destined to conquer the Kedarkantha Peak. Today the trekkers need to hike an elevation from 11,250 feet to 12,500 feet. The schedule of the day includes hiking to Kedarkantha peak and then again descending back to Base camp.
Today is a long day but looking at the sun as the first rays hit the Kedarkantha peak will make you forget all your worries and it's totally worth the challenge that lies ahead of us. There are a lot of different trails that we can take on from here but we follow the main trail.
We will once again cross through oak forest but it's an easier trail which gets a bit tricky as we get closer to the peak. At the top of the peak, you will find a small temple dedicated to Lord Shiva and a small shrine of Lord Ganesha. From the peak, you will be able to see an amazing 360 degrees view of the snow-clad Himalayan peaks. It is something which is difficult to put down in words and can only be experienced at a personal level.
After spending some time at the peak we start to descend down to the basecamp Overnight stay at Hargawn Camp through the same trail that we came from. As we reach the base, this will mark the end of the day today as we retire to the tents to have some rest after dinner.
Brief Overview of the Day
Today we start descending down further towards Sankri after having breakfast in the morning. On our way down we will pass through the same Oak forest and small streams that we encountered on the first day. A bit down the trail there is a ridge from where you can catch the view of the Har Ki Dun Valley. Upon reaching Sankri The Crazy Mountaineers Homestay Around 11:00 Am. you will be travelling back to Dehradun to Sankri as today marks the last day of the Kedarkantha Trek. The 200 Km journey will take around 8 hours and you will reach Dehradun by late evening
Brief Overview of the Day
By Air :-
Jolly Grant Airport is the airport serving Dehradun, located about 25 km from the city. There is a daily flight from Delhi to Dehradun
By Train :-
Take the overnight train to Dehradun from Delhi
By Bus:-
There is regular bus service from Delhi to Dehradun, from Delhi?s ISBT Kashmere Gate.
We would suggest you to take only government buses from ISBT Kashmere Gate. Private buses ply from outside ISBT and they are not trust worthiness.
Usually buses drop you at Dehradun ISBT. From there you have to come to Dehradun Railway Station
Inclusions :-
Exclusions :-
Note : Normally THE CRAZY MOUNTAINEERS expect to carry your personal luggage on your own, if you wish to offload your backpack, you can give it to Mule.
Charges of offloading backpack:-
INR 1200/- if you make an online payment, 10 days in advance
INR 1500/- if you inform us after reaching Sankri
The backpack cannot weigh more than 11 kgs. Backpack should have waterproof cover. Suitcases/strolleys/ bags will not be allowed.
| Basics Gear | |
| Back pack & rain cover | (50 - 60 ltr) with comfortable shoulder straps |
| Day pack + rain cover | 20 - 30 ltr (If hire a mule or porter) |
| Walking stick | Advisable (At least one) |
| Head torch | 1 Nos. |
| Water bottle/Hydration pack | 2 bottles of one litre each |
| People who use hydration pack | |
| 1 hydration pack and 1 bottle of one liter | |
| Carry at least one thermos flask | |
| Snacks | Energy bars, dry fruits, electral/ors |
| Personal Medical Kit | Consult your doctor |
| Be comfy at the Kedar Kantha Trek | |
| T-shirts | 2 Full sleeves (Non-cotton) |
| Fleece T-shirts | 1 Nos. |
| Fleece jacket | 1 Nos. (Alternative: a woollen sweater) |
| Down feather / Hollofil jacket | 1 Nos. |
| Wind & waterproof (jacket & pant) | 1 Pair |
| Thermal inners (upper and lower) | 1 Pair |
| Trek pants | 2 Synthetic (avoid shorts, fitting denims, capris) |
| Poncho | 1 Nos. |
| Think about your head | |
| Sun cap | 1 Nos. (One that covers the neck as well) |
| Woolen cap | 1 Nos. |
| Balaclava | 1 Nos. |
| Neck-gaiters | 1 Nos. |
| Sunglasses | Dark with side cover, it should be U/V protected. |
| People who wear spectacles- | |
| (A)- Use contact lenses. (Not for Chadar trek) | |
| (B)- Photo chromatic glasses. | |
| Mind your step | |
| Trekking shoes | 1 Pair (Waterproof, high ankle with good grip) |
| Floaters/flip-flops | 1 Pair (Optional) |
| Cotton socks | 5 pairs |
| Woollen socks | 3 pairs |
| Gaiters | 1 Pair (The Crazy Mountaineers team will notify you if required) |
| Keep these handy | |
| Waterproof gloves | 1 Pair |
| Fleece/woollen gloves | 1 Pair |
| Personal Utilities | |
| Sunscreen cream | Hand sanitizer |
| Moisturiser | Antibacterial powder |
| Toilet Paper & wipes | Toothbrush and toothpaste |
| Lip balm | Quick dry towe |
In the event of cancellation of trek/adventure activity services due to any avoidable / unavoidable reasons we must be notified of the same in writing. Cancellation charges will be effective from the date we receive advice in writing, and cancellation charges would be as follows: -
Cancellations prior to 24 days from the start of the trek
Book any other trek till one year or get 95% refund (Note: If the trek charges are more, the balance needs to be paid by the trekker)
Cancellation between 24 days and 14 days to the start of the trek
Choose to go for the same trek, with any other batch, till year or get 70% refund
Cancellation between 14 days and 10 days to the start of the trek
Choose to go on the same trek, in the same season, with any other batch or get 50% refund.
Cancellation less than 10 days to the start of the trek
Transfer your trek (same trek, same batch) to your friend. No cash refund.
Note:-
A rough map of Kedarkantha Trek Route, not to scale.
Q1. What is the distance of the KedarKantha trek from Sankri?
A1. The total distance from Sankri to Kedarkantha Peak & back is 23 Km.
Q2. Is there any Temple on the summit of the trek?
A2. Kedarkantha trek should not be confused with Kedarnath trek. There is no temple at the peak but you will find a small shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva.
Q3. What is the nearest ATM from Sankri?
A3. The last ATM on the way to Sankri is located in Mori, but sometimes due to network or cash problems, the withdrawal becomes difficult. Before Mori, you will also find an ATM in Purola. To avoid any last minute hassles and unnecessary problems, it is advised to withdraw cash from any ATM in Dehradun.
Q4. What is the snowfall time in Kedarkantha?
A4. You can expect to see good snow in Kedarkantha if you plan your trip from mid December to early April.
Q5. What is the altitude of KedarKantha?
A5. The maximum altitude of the Kedarkantha trek at the peak is 12,500 ft. (3,800m) above sea level.
Q6. Can visit Kedarkantha in summer?
A6. Yes, ofcourse, the Kedarkantha trek is a 12-month trek and you can visit here at any point of time.
Month: end of Jan or MID/END of Feb
Good explaination of the trek
Month: 12/21
Kedarkantha tracking most amazing in tracking in uttarakhand.
Month: February
The trek was awesome had an amazing experience. The hospitality, food, homestay was great. Everything was just perfect. Planning the next trek with crazy mountaineers for sure. #SubhashbhaiOP
Month: December
The trek was amazing, the treatment they provide, the food, the hospitality, everything was amazing. Would definitely plan the next one with the crazy mountaineers.
Month: February
First of all I thank to our guide Debashish bhaiya and Rohit bhaiya for grt hospitality hai support. The food was like our home . They told us everything about the nature, weather and place. It was a grt experience ????????
Month: February
Kedarkantha trek was an amazing experience with The Crazy Mountaineers. The hospitality was heart warming and the guide was very supportive. Overall, it was a beautiful journey with lots of memories. ????????
Month: February
Did a Kedarkanta Trek with The Crazy Mountaineers in 2nd week of February 2021. Since it was my 1st trek with them; i was bit concerned about the quality of service, trek guide, homestay, etc. However; my interactions with Auro & Rajani in their office and trekking the Kedarkanta with HariMohan removed all doubts. Our stay in Sankri with Rohit's family was very pleasant and "ghar wali feeling" . Harimohan - our young trek guide is friendly, able & a expert. He was very patient with me & always motivating us during the trek. Our camps at Juda ka Talab and Kedarkanta base was very comfortable and we were given tasty but nutritious breakfast, lunch & dinner. They provide you with basic equipments - gaiters, spikes & walking stick. You can also rent other gear like trekking shoes, headlamps, trekking pants , gloves etc. This saves the headache of carrying heavy gear from your hometown. The jeep ride with Rohit back to Dehradun was very pleasant and he was very informative throughout the journey. It was a very pleasant experience with Mountain Trekkers and would recommend them for personalized and professional services. Also a big shout out to my fellow trekkers - Kaushik & Smit, the base camp assistant - Bijay, Harimohan, Rohit, and Rohit parents - who took good care of us at homestay. #suhaskatti
Month: Jan 2021
This is my second trek with The Crazy Mountaineers when I was visited the first time, I wasn't too confident with this company but the hospitality and trek experience I got with them on Har Ki Dun bound me with these super trekker team. Again on the trek of Kedarkantha everything was so organized and as per expectations. I Will plan again with them in the future.
Month: Feb 2021
I would love to trek with The Crazy Mountaineers again and again. It was a mesmerzing experience. Everything was so fantastic. Great team leader, strict discipline, good food, cooperative fellow trekkers, extra activities, safety measures, everything was so well organized and coordinated.
Month: Feb 2021
My experience with The Crazy Mountaineers was really good. As this was my first and solo trek, I would say it didn't felt like a solo cause the people I met on this trek gelled up so well that it came out as an awesome experience. And the food was delicious especially the locals and organic I never expected that.
Month: December
The Crazy Mountaineers is best service provider. We 13 people got a chance to reveal trekking service in Dec-2020 for KedarKantha trek and got best services. We stayed at home in Sankari and ate organic food. I personally loved the Kahwa Tea, really awesome. Everyone in staff was helpful throughout the trek. Rohit, our trek guide is awesome person by nature. I would like to big thank The Crazy Mountaineers for providing best services at reasonable price.
Month: Jan Frist week
Osm trek ... The crazy mountaineers team was osm .... They provide everything.... Food was osm and organic .... Stay also ???????????????? amazing team they are very friendly ......
Month: November
I have very high ambitions and The Crazy Mountaineers just fulfilled my wish. I wanna summit on my trek but weather was not good all other treks companies just gave up but only The Crazy Mountaineers was able to do summit. If you wanna to some adventure just go with The crazy Mountaineers.
Month: Novemmber
It was an amazing experience . I did this trek with The crazy Mountaineers and I enjoyed a lot . I always wanna go on natural place where i can feel connected to the nature and this trek just gave me same feeling.
Month: January
I must say overall experience was awesome with the team. We reached late at around 21:15 in Sankri and it started raining as it was waiting for us to arrive. Next day we started our trek while it was raining heavily. As we moved nearer to Juda ka talab we met with heavy snowfall which have washed away all the path towards our tents. There could have been better communication between staff at Sankri and Juda ka talab through some porter or other guides so that team at Juda ka talab would have been expecting us to reach at night. Although i have seen better arrangements during my previous treks but I suppose no one at Juda ka talab was prepared for such a heavy snowfall, so in my opinion arrangement was at par my expectations. Also our’s was the only team to try summit next day and that experience was something for which i go on treks. In Sour Sankri Sharma ji and his family took very good care of us and fulfilled our need. Thank you for that.
Month: January
This trek was the most memorable experiences of my life. Completely overwhelmed with the mesmerising views, the shivering cold, the tent and trekking experience, new friends, the people I got to know while trekking. Though it wasn’t an easy trek as all the websites say, but it’s one to definitely encounter once in your life. A big thanks to our trekking guides .
Month: Jan
We 4 people went kedarkantha trek on 4th jan with crazy mountaineers. One thing i can say about company "Amazing , Excellent and Wow". What else can describe more for the company? We are all in love of "ragi ka halwa". If another chance comes to join them no doubt we are going to grab this.
Month: January
We went on Kedarkantha Trek in the first week of January 2021 with Crazy Mountaineers. The experience was amazing. The trek was full of picture perfect sceneries. The hospitality provided at homestay as well as in the tents were amazing. No one of us were expecting freshly prepared Samosa and Jalebi at 9,000ft in a snow covered tent. Couldn't do the summit due to heavy snowfall. But no one should be blamed for that. The guides were very helpful as well. Thanks for hosting us
Month: December
The Crazy Mountaineers is best service provider in Trekking field. We 5 people got a chance to reveal trekking service in Nov-2020 for KedarKantha trek and got best services. We stayed at home in Sankari and ate organic food. I personally loved the Kahwa Tea, really awesome. Everyone in staff was helpful throughout the trek. Rohit, our trek guide is awesome person by nature. I would like to big thank The Crazy Mountaineers for providing best services at reasonable price.
Month: December
I did my Kedarkantha Trek with The Crazy Mountaineers Team from 29th Dec 2020 to 2nd Jan 2021 and this was the first time i was doing this sort of trekking and trust me it came out as one of the best trek experiences i ever had in my life. My group was led by Mohit(Rohit's younger brother) and he was so helpful and cooperative that he was taking care of each and every member of the group. Someone rightly mentioned that if you do your trek with them you feel like you are their family member because this is how they treat you from morning tea to home made dinner provided at their homestay by uncle and aunty and even on the height of 6,400ft you get pancakes and jelebies and best food ever you can ever expect then you can't be more blessed then this. Plus it gave a best start to my new year 2021. I would highly recommend to do trekking with them specially if you are a beginner. Thank you guys and i am planning to do my next trek with them for sure.
Month: 20 Nov 2020
We(4) had visited this place the first time and starting our Kedar Kantha trek(12500 ft) from 22nd Nov 2020 morning at around 10 AM and finished on 24th Nov 2020 at around 7 PM. During these 3 days, we experienced a lot of things 1s how to live in a tough and cold condition where you don't have water to use for the toilet, 2nd what to eat to survive.
We had opted for The Crazy Mountaineers for our trip organizer and it was totally a great experience or say beyond expectations. Especially our Guide Rohit Bhai, Malya ji who are so kind, wonderful, energetic person. The whole crew members never let u felt that you are living in tough conditions they served us the best available food options(even bournvita milk at night at this height)and Rohit Bhai always motivates us to finish the trek.
I am very thankful of The Crazy Mountaineer's crew( Rohit & Malya ji (Guide), Govind, Uncle & Aunty for delicious dinner) for all the hospitality and recommend others to give one chance to serve.
Month: Nov 2019
As this was my first trek and it was high altitude had lots of questions about how things work until i meet Rohith (trek leader) was very supportive and ensured the safety of the squad, He took us to the spots where we got the best views need to appreciate, It was kind of difficult coz of the first trek but once reached the top it was worth reaching the summit(12490ft) Food was really good perfect for hiking, Chia n soup was the best thing, Planing to make one more trek with crazy mountaineers
Month: Feb 2020
If u want to go on trekking just go with these guys they are just amazing. The Most Important thing is food very nice here and the price is very less as compared to other trekking companies and Rohit Sir, He is the best person I've met on this trek he is very supportive and a big problem solver and at last, I remember the 1sentence whenever I asked him something. ki sir ye ho gaya kya complete he be like "of course hoo gaya" just want to go with them again
Month: Jan 2020
Excellent experience I had with Crazy Mountaineers.
I got surprises all the time with their unexpected hospitality.
No doubt we have seen some really wonderful creativity of our nature with so much fun, efforts & had a will to reach the summit of Kedarkantha. If anyone wants to go for trekking, I would recommend to go & plan with The Crazy Mountaineers...
Reasons to choose:
Big Thanks to The Crazy Mountaineers Team
Special thanks to Rohit Rawat and His Family.
Month: Jan 2020
I did my Kedarkantha Trek with The Crazy Mountaineers Team from 1st Jan 2020 to 5th Jan 2020. I met many good people and they become my friends. Rohit ji is a superb guide who not only helped us to do the summit but we could know many other things which hardly possible with any other company. If you are going KedarKantha with Crazy Mountaineers you will definitely do the summit. They are really amazing people with amazing skills and very helpful always recommended trekking company!
