Kedarnath Trek

Kedarnath Trek Maximum Altitude: 3583 m

Grade: Moderate

Kedarnath Trek Duration: From Gaurikund to Kedarnath: 7 to 8 hours

Trekking distance: From Gaurikund to Kedarnath: 16 km

Trail type: Medium to steep

Railhead: Nearest Railway station is Rishikesh Railway station, 221 km from Kedarnath

Airport: Jolly Grant Airport, near Dehradun, about 239 km from Kedarnath.

Snow Season: November to April

Service from: Delhi

Base camp: Gaurikund

Best season: Summer (April to June)

Region: Garhwal Himalayan range near the Mandakini river, in the state of Uttarakhand, India.

Who can participate: Anyone who is physically fit can participate as there is no prior experience that is required for this trek.

Mandatory Documents:

• Original as well as photocopy of any government photo identity card such as Driving License, Aadhar Card, Voters ID, etc.
• Passport and Visa need to be provided by International Travelers
• Medical Certificate (the first part needs to be filled by a registered Doctor and you will need to fill up the second part)
• Certificate of Declaration

Clothes:

• Trek Pants will be more comfortable during the trek than jeans or trousers.
• Jackets to protect you against chilly weather.
• Warm clothing such as fleece or woollen layers for nights.
• Thermals to keep you warm at night.
• T-shirts which are more comfortable than shirts and dry fast.
• Raincoat to keep you dry in case there is rain.
• Head cover such as a cap or balaclava to protect your head during the trek.
• Socks (woolen and regular)
• Do not carry too many clothes as you have to carry them during your trek.

Footwear:

Get yourself sturdy well-fitted trekking footwear so that your feet do not hurt during the trek.

Other Essentials:

• A strongly built 50 to 60 liters backpack with a good support is an absolute must for a trek. Ensure there is a rain cover as well.
• Personal toiletry items such as toothpaste, toothbrush, toilet paper, sanitiser etc. and must carry sunscreen to protect your skin.
• Personal medical kit with items such as prescribed medicines and common ones for altitude sickness, pain relief, headache, fever, stomach problem, motion sickness, allergies, diarrhea, etc. Also an antiseptic cream, a pain relief spray, bandage and cotton for cuts.
• Hiking pole for support during the trek.
• Water bottle to refill with water to hydrate yourself during the trek.
• Sunglasses for protecting the eyes.
• Woolen and waterproof gloves to protect your hands.
• Torch to use at night.
• Camera with rechargeable batteries to capture the scenic beauty.

• Kedarnath in local dialect means ‘lord of fields’, named after Kedar, the deity who is an incarnation of Lord Shiva who is considered to be the embodiment of all passions - love, fear, hatred, death and mysticism, expressed through his various forms.

• Legend has it that Lord Shiva hid in a form of bull to avoid the Pandavas. One of the Pandavas, Bhima recognised him and tried to capture the bull from behind. But before Bhima could catch the bull, it disappeared, and later the hump of the bull appeared in Kedarnath and is worshiped since then.