Itinerary -
Day 01: Dehradun – Sankri (2000m, Drive/7-8 hrs)
From Dehradun we will drive to Sankri via Mussorrie. We will stop for lunch en route. This is an enjoyable drive initially along the Yamuna and towards the latter part along the beautiful Tons river. There are very beautiful pine forest sections along the drive today. Upon reaching Sankri we will check into the scenically located hotel Wild Orchid. Sankri is paradise on earth and we will take an evening stroll in this beautiful hamlet to get our muscles charged for the trek to come. Overnight stay in the hotel.
Day 02 Sankri (2000m) – Juda-ka-Talab (2700m) – Shepherd Camp (2900m, Trek/3-4 hrs)
After a leisurely breakfast we will set out on the hike. Today’s hike is a moderate one and moves through a beautiful forest section for most part. From our hotel we will walk to Saur village and from there we start climbing up. We will reach a small lake/pond called Juda-ka-Talab after a couple of hours. This pond freezes into solid ice during winters. We continue on the trail and the views get really exciting as we start to get a glimpse of the tips of the snow capped peaks of the Himalayas. After hiking for another hour and a half or so we reach a meadow used by shepherds during the summers. We will camp here for the night. At this campsite we have some Gujjar huts for safety back up. Overnight in tents.
Day 03: Shepherd Camp (2900m) – Base of Kedar Kantha (3400m, Trek/4 hrs)
Post breakfast we begin the trek towards Kedar Kantha base, our destination for the day. The route is beautiful with vast fields of snow and patches of green in between them. Views are open on all sides and will keep one busy with the camera. It is going to be an exhausting but enjoyable hike today. The Kedar Kantha base campsite is an open snow ground surrounded by trees. This site has been chosen keeping in mind the safety aspect and is a wonderful place to set up a camp. Here too we have a safety back up hut. From nearby we get fabulous views of Swargarohini, Bandarpoonch& Kalanag peaks. Overnight in tents.
Day 04: Base Camp (3400m) – Kedar Kantha (3800m) – Base Camp (2700m, Trek/7-8hrs)
The distance to the summit is not long but is reasonably steep and walking on snow makes it more tiring and time consuming. We will, depending upon the snow conditions select the best route leading to the summit. We will start quite early so that we are walk on hard snow while climbing up. It will take anywhere between 4 to 5 hours to get to the top. The views are outstanding from the summit. You get to see all the mountains of the Yumnotri and Gangotri range and also of KinnerKailash range and other ranges in Himachal. Also there are some great views of the underlying valleys. After spending sometime at the top we will start descending and walk all the way down to base camp. You are sure to come back exhilarated. Overnight in tents
Day 05 Base Camp (3400m) – Sankri (2000m, Trek/4-5hrs)
Post early breakfast, start descending to Sankri. At Sankri we will check into a very comfortable and scenically located hotel, take a hot shower and change into much needed fresh clothes. Overnight in a hotel
Day 06 Sankri (2000m) – Dehradun (Drive /6-7 hrs)
After breakfast board the vehicles and start driving back towards Dehradun. Arrive in Dehradun by around late afternoon.
Trip Ends With Sweet Memories !!!
List of Essentials
It is very important for this adventure trip that you need to be equipped properly and with a bit of back up. Mountain/adventure travel requires one to be adequately equipped with the right kind of personal gear. Since one is travelling in the wilderness there will be hardly any opportunity to buy anything once you hit the trail so we urge you to carefully pack everything into your bags. Also please keep in mind you can rent out or purchase equipment from our Gear Store, if required.
Shirts / T-shirts – 2/3
Warm shirt/light micro fleece pullover/full sleeve T shirt
Trekking Pants (water resistant/repellent & having inside lining for extra warmth) - 2
Windproof/water resistant outer shell (jacket) of good quality (no flimsy wind cheaters please!) with a proper hood
Down jacket with min 600 fill power rating
Thick Fleece / Full-sleeve Woollen sweater
Thermal inner wear (upper & lower)
Woollen cap (Balaclava)
Inner fleece gloves
Outer water proof gloves
Thick woollen socks & regular socks (4 – 5 pairs)
Scarf/muffler (optional)
Comfortable waterproof (Goretex) Trekking/Hiking shoes (shoes with a thick sole and high ankles are recommended)
Camp shoes (these can be easy to slip in sneakers/sport shoes)
Gaiters
Raincoat / Poncho
Small light weight towel
Insulated water bottle & hydration pack (optional)
Cap / floppy hat to keep the strong sun away from your face
Sun glasses with UV protection and ability to cut the glare (imp when traversing through snow)
Sturdy walking stick / Trekking pole
Sunscreen Lotion
Lip Balm
Torch / Flashlight (with extra batteries)
Medicines, if requiring any specific medication
Personal toiletries
Book, if you like reading
Day pack/small bag which you will carry on your back every day and keep your essentials in it
Carry rain cover for your bags
Keep a few poly bags or waterproof bags in your bag in which if required you can put your belongings in case of heavy rain
Camera if you like (with fully charged batteries)
…LOADS OF ENTHUSIASM!! AND A PLEDGE TO LEAVE NO TRACE
Carry your stuff in a duffel bag, soft shoulder bag or a rucksack. Avoid suitcases, trolleys or any other hard luggage. As you will be walking long distances carrying a rucksack, avoid bringing unnecessary items on the trek. Please avoid carrying expensive watches, jewellery and electronic items on the trek.
For Departure Dates just call 7350530009 / 7350540009 / 7350550009
Transport Options (Delhi – Dehradun – Delhi)
For travel to Dehradun and back one can choose between air, rail & road. For air travel, the closest airport is the Jolly Grant Airport (at Dehradun) and is well connected to Delhi and other parts of the country by Air India, Jet Airways and SpiceJet. Train travel is highly recommended with enough options being there.
There are frequent Public Transport buses including Volvos available from Delhi to Dehradun that cost about Rs. 200-700 per person. These buses depart from Delhi ISBT every 30 mins. or so and take about 7 hrs to cover the distance. The same is also applicable on the return journey. A private vehicle could also be arranged for if you require the same.
Weather Details
This snow trek is organized between Dec & mid-March when the region has had good snowfall. Contrary to the popular belief winters is a good time to be in the mountains if one is equipped properly. Most locals inhabiting higher reaches of the mountains don’t mind the problems associated with snowfall and seem to have a good time during these months. Also there are lots of local festivals in these months. In these months weather is generally clear most of the days. Day time is normally pleasantly warm with one getting to enjoy sitting out in the sun. Temperature would be around 12-17 °C. Evenings are quite cold and one would need to be inside a tent/room or sitting outside next to fire with proper winter clothes. The evening temperatures will be around – 3 to 5 °C. Nights can be very cold with temperatures in the range of – 8 to 0 °C.
Please keep in mind that the above information is not exact and does not account for sudden changes. Whatever the temperatures and conditions rest assured we will be prepared to handle it with ease as we use equipment of very high specifications.
Duration: 6 Days
Season: Dec-Mar
Grade: Moderate +
Region: Garhwal (Uttarakhand)
Description
Often looked upon as a perfect trail for people to go to for winter treks in The Himalayas. A breath-taking and exquisite view here, engulfs the landscape in the falling winters, making it a unique and stunning sight. The Kedarkantha trek is one trek that falls on the most beautiful trail of Himalayan Mountains. Trek to Kedarkantha is through dense forests and vast meadows making the trail walkable even in the snow. Kedarkantha trek gives a breath-taking view of Himalayan ranges, and its even better from the summit.
The winters the sky is mostly clear, and the clean air adds to the beauty of the Kedarkantha Trek. With an altitude of around 3800 m/12500 feet, snow trek to kedarkantha is challenging but the hard work pays off once you catch the mesmerising view of the mountains. On a lucky day, one may also catch a glimpse of the wildlife of the area.
The trip begins with a beautiful drive from Dehradun to the remote village of Sankri in the trek to har ki dun valley. This valley plays host to some of the most popular and enchanting treks in the Indian Himalayas like Har-ki-Dun, Ruinsara Tal, Rupin Pass, Black peak etc, and is home to many a trekker during the popular summer trekking season. The trek starts with an easy climb to a beautiful water pond called Juda-ka-Talab, we continue a short distance beyond the pond to our camping site for the night and get acclimatised to the conditions. By the end of the day we start seeing the snow-covered peaks of the Himalayas including some peaks that stretch into the Himachal region. The next day we start climbing and gaining altitude and trek through snow fields (green meadows in summer!!) towards the base of Kedar Kantha. The ease or difficulty of todays hike will depend on the snow conditions but one thing is guaranteed we will have a great hiking day. We camp at the base. The next day we move as early as possible to try and get maximum time for the climb to the top. From the top we get brilliant views all around, the Himalayan ranges and the underlying valleys make quite a sight. Equally enjoyable as the views is going to be the sense of achievement that one experiences on climbing a snow clad Himalayan mountain. From the summit we go all the way down to Juda ka talab today. Next day we get down to Sankri early and drive down to Dehradun