KEDARKANTHA TREK
Explore the best of winter trekking
The winters are here and if you ever dream to walk in the serene wilderness amidst white snow, then the Kedarkantha trek is the one amazing discovery waiting for you. Located in the Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand at a towering altitude of 12500 feet, the trek surely comes as a delight for all travel and adventure enthusiasts.
The Kedarkantha trek is one of the most popular, enthralling, and a classic winter trek in Uttarakhand. The week-long trek provides a great opportunity for trekkers to see the scenic beauty of the region and experience the village life of Garhwal. On this adventure, one can also be mesmerised by the astounding beauty of the Himalayan mountain ranges.
At an altitude of 3800 meters which is framed with picturesque mountains, ringed glaciers, the trek has also epic tales to tell about Lord Shiva meditating here and this can transcend you into a metaphysical world of possibilities and spirituality.
The base camp for the trek is in Sankri village, which is in the Govind Wildlife Sanctuary National Park. One has to travel from Dehradun to reach Sankri. The roads are quite good and local buses/taxis are also available from Dehradun.
Sankhri has that mystic charm which is without a doubt that you will definitely want to visit it again and again whenever you are in the region. The place captivates each one, many trekkers who had been to Sankri feel it was their second home. The place indeed has some amazing views with the backdrop of the gigantic Garhwal Himalayan peaks.
One can easily get affordable homestays/hotels or guest houses
present in Sankri before commencing the trek. Homestays are in demand as there are a lot of queries from trekkers wishing to seek a pleasant stay and enriching food experiences before going on the journey ahead.
Most of these tourists and trekkers are from Delhi, Gujarat and Mumbai. Trekkers usually urge homestay owners to serve them authentic local food, for which the owners also take them to nearby villages to taste the unique delicacies of the region. The district of Uttarkashi is known for its outstanding cuisine in travel communities. At Sankri village and nearby, one can find many local authentic dishes like ‘Koda ki Roti’, ‘Palak ka Saag’ among many others.
After proper rest, most of the treks start from Sankhri in the mornings. The first stop is ‘Juda ka Talab’ at an altitude of 9100 ft. It takes approximately five hours of trekking to reach here. One can halt at this place for an overnight rest and can start to climb towards the summit of Kedarkantha the next morning. Ahead there are several base camps where one can avail tents and sleeping bags on rent on different legs of the trek.
Though the Kedarkantha trek can be conducted almost the whole year, the aspiring views that it provides in the winter months from December to April cannot be compared with summer times. The snow clapped trekking trails and the sloping snow at the base of the pine trees are some fascinating sights to savour and which remains only available during the winter days. In fact, for the locals, the winter months are a time for rejoice and they enjoy a number of festivals during this time.
Kedarkantha is easily the popular trek amongst seasoned trekkers and beginners alike and is not to be confused with the pilgrimage to the Kedarnath Temple. The trek’s difficulty level is easy to moderate, with gradual ascends and descends. Only the uphill climb from Kedarkantha base camp can be a little strenuous. During the winter treks, you will require snow boots, very warm clothing, special jackets, a walking stick, and trekking equipment, which you need to carry in your backpack.
Presently, after travel curbs were lifted by the government, the tourism department has witnessed a good footfall of tourists. They expect more enquiries in December. They are also taking care of all the given guidelines and SOPs and are asking locals and trekkers to take necessary precautions while trekking or serving food.