Explore the Himalayas on the beautiful Kedarkantha trek. Kedarkantha is a 6-days trek in the Govind Pashuvihar National Park which is popular for a lot of reasons. The first reason being the rewarding experience of the summit climb. The summit looms large right from the base camp and as you start your journey towards the peak a whole new world reveals itself to you.
Kedarkantha is not particularly an easy climb, it is steep and the closer you get to the summit, the trickier the paths become. But once you complete it, the overwhelming sense of accomplishment is going to take over your senses. A trek to Kedarkantha is also going to leave you mesmerized with its dense lush forest. Kedarkantha trek being inside a wildlife sanctuary, the aspect of nature will render you speechless with its raw Western Himalayan beauty.
Kedarkantha Trek Height: 12,500 ft
Start/ End Point of the Trek: Sankri village
Service From: Dehradun
Duration: 6D/5N
Kedarkantha Trek Distance: 20 km
Kedarkantha Difficulty Level: Easy To Moderate
Kedarkantha Trek Temperature: Day (8°C to 15°C) and Night: (-5°C to 3°C)
Best Time to do Kedarkantha Trek: November to April
Railway Station: Dehradun is the nearest railway station
Airport: Jolly Grant Airport, Dehradun
Day 1 - Dehradun to Sankri
Day 2 - Sankri to Juda ka Talab
Day 3 - Juda ka Talab to Base Camp
Day 4 - Base Camp to Kedarkantha Summit
Day 5 - Base Camp to Sankri
Day 6 - Sankri to Dehradun
Dehradun to Sankri
Distance: 187km
Duration: 8-9 hours
Altitude: 1950m
Kedarkantha is a very popular trek among first timers who are indulging in some serious trekking. It can be a good way to kickstart your trekking journey. Here are some tips for the first time trekkers :
Trek inside a wildlife sanctuary : Kedarkantha is located in the Govind Pashuvihar Sanctuary and National Park, the area is filled with rich flora and fauna with biodiversity of Western Himalayas. In your trek to Kedarkanth you will be witnessing all three kinds of flora of Western Himalayas : Broadleaf forests, Subalpine conifer and Subalpine shrubs and bushes.
Religious and Cultural significance of Kedarkantha : According to mythology, it is believed that Lord Shiva stayed here for a few days when he was hiding from a demon. All the three significant villages, Sankri, Kotgaon and Gaichwan have a temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. In terms of culture we will see a heavy influence of the Kinnaur, the people over here dress and talk in a similar fashion like the Kinnauris.
Kedarkantha trek is a 18 km long trek which takes 4 days from Sankri to complete the trek. On the first day you will cover 5 km which will take you around 4 hours approximately, on the second day you will cover 4 km over a span of 4 hours. On the third day you will trek from Juda ka talab to Base camp which is 4 kms.On the 4th day you will cover around 6 km which will take you 6-7 hours.
The height or altitude of Kedarkantha is 12500 ft, while Sankri is at an altitude of 6455 ft.
Getting a network on your Kedarkantha trek is difficult, however, you might get network on the summit and some few places on your route.
The last ATM that you will find en route to your base camp is in Mori. At Mori you will find an SBI bank which has an ATM attached to it. But please keep in mind that the machine, most of the time, is devoid of any cash. In such a case you have to go to an SBI authorized cash withdrawal center where you will swipe your card and the person present at the servicing desh will give you acash. It is recommended that you avoid this hassle and carry vash with yourself from the very beginning. Purola is a good option as it has 3 functioning ATM’s.
There is a cloakroom facility at the basecamp of Kedarkantha, where you can leave your things and as the trek ends, your belongings will be brought back to you. Please keep in mind that you should not leave any valuable things in the cloakroom.
Yes, offloading is available on Kedarkantha trekking. Your bags will be kept on the back of the mule while you walk the trail hassle-free.
There is no as such risk of wild animals in Kedarkantha trek, however, it is suggested that you remain vigilant because after all Kedarkantha is inside Govind Wildlife Sanctuary. It is recommended that you do not get estranged from your group for a long period of time.
The best time to trek Kedarkantha is from December to April. The trek is open during this period and the weather is ideal for trekking. During this time the temperature is low, snow is present on the trek, and the trekking trail is clear. December to January is the best time to experience snow on the trek and April is the best time for wildflowers blooming. It's recommended to avoid the monsoon months of June to September as the trekking trail becomes slippery and is prone to landslides.
Both the Kedarkantha trek and the Brahmatal trek are beautiful and offer unique experiences. It ultimately depends on what you're looking for in a trek. If you are looking for a moderate level trek with beautiful views, Kedarkantha trek is perfect for you. If you are looking for a bit of adventure and to be immersed in nature, Brahmatal trek is perfect for you.
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