Kedarkantha : A Winter Wonderland
Hello all,
I don’t want much; I want the calmness in turmoil that I feel while watching Imtiaz Ali’s movies. There is placidity in those raw emotions. And that feeling we get only in the Himalayas. Himalayas are aspiring, inspiring, and desiring for many, many, many people in the world. Be it mountains in India, Nepal, or Bhutan. The majestic mountain range has changed the lives of countless people, and I am just a teeny tiny part of that tribe. So, to face the chaos of the city, we have to calm our conscious, and for that, we went to the Kedarkantha trek this Christmas. The trek is crowded but so amazing that you won’t mind the crowd at all. And then I realized that, we were going to this stupefyingly beautiful state after almost one and a half years. We have been to Himalayas, but when it comes to Uttarakhand, it is like sudden divinity knocks at your heart, gently yet profoundly. May be that’s why the name Devbhoomi is so apt.
The story behind Kedarkantha:
This is not a famous Chardham Kedarnath. Kedarkantha, which means a place where the throat of Kedar (Lord Shiv) resides, so many people believe that this was the place for meditation for Lord Shiv. The locals believe Lord Shiva stayed here for a week before heading towards Kedarnath
To the Base Village:
The base village is Sankri or Kotagaon. But the majority of the people go to Sankri. So we also choose that. We went via Himalayan shelter. Their service and guidance are fabulous. They took utmost care and were very precise from the planning to the last day drop. The drive from Dehradun or Rishikesh to the Sankri can be extremely tiring, so start your day early. The road’s condition in the Last few kilometres is extremely bad. You will reach in late evening. If you are going in peak season like us, you will come across plenty of tempo travelers accompanying you, going to the same destination. We witnessed beautiful trees still in their stupefying autumn colors of yellow and orange, even though they were in peak winter snowstorms. The art of letting go is not easy… So if it is difficult for nature, then it is not easy for us also. But eventually, they shed their leaves because that’s how the cycle of nature continues. And spring blooms! But it was a delight to witness autumn colors this winter.
Our trek:
We started early the next day. The weather was cloudy. The trail to Juda ka Talab is scenic amidst the mesmerizing forest of pine and maple trees, with snowy peaks accompanying you in many parts of the trail. There are many seciosn of clearinsg with beautiful pastures,, wooden bridge and small cafes. In some places, there are some boulder sections, so be careful there in rainy weather or with black ice, as the trail can be slippery. The first campsite was Juda ka Talab. To our surprise, the campsite was snow-laden and picturesque. And sometime later, it started snowing. White and fresh snow fell lazily, dancing against the brown barren trees, curling over the branches, gently falling on them and hugging them so tightly that snowflakes are now part of every nook of those branches, giving a stunningly mystic vibe to them. And what can I say about the frozen Juda ka Talab Lake? The pale slate-like grey color of the lake was enchanting even though busy camps surrounded it.
The trail to Basecamp is amidst forests of oak and pine trees. You will see many peaks along the trail, like the Ranglana, Kala Nag, Swargarohini, and amazing Bandarpoonch. While we were climbing, the snow started to fall, and it was one of the most mesmerizing parts of our trek. Stava started to format a new storyline by looking at bare trees with snowy branches. We reached the second campsite, which is Kedarkantha base camp, early as we started a little bit early because of the kids. We had a fabulous lunch, but the relatively tumultuous campsites were now under the shades of grey and black. The looming clouds were looking scary. Our guide told us to go to the summit the same day as it was next to impossible to do the summit the next day because of weather forecasts. We did as much as we could. The initial sections of the trail to the summit are through oak forest, but the last section is very steep, with an almost 60-degree incline. From the peak, you can have a panoramic view of the Garhwal Himalayas, including Mount Swargarohini, Black Peak, Mount Bandarpunch, Ranglana, Gangotri, and Yamunotri ranges.
The best decision we ever made was to come to Sankri on the same day, and not to stay at Hargaon. The clouds were so scary, and we had witnessed such clouds in Chandrashila once. While descending, we came via Hargaon—another beautiful campsite. The descent is quite steep, but the forest is more beautiful and scenic here. It rained and snowed heavily like cats and dogs the entire night with thunderstorms. It was so so scary. When we woke up, all the bare mountains in front of us were now covered with a white blanket of snow.
Satva was not in the mood on the trail for the first day, but Shaurya had fun with our fellow trekkers, and he did an entire trek with them only. And then, on the second day, they decided to go back to Sankri, so Shaurya was a little bit grumpy that day, but once he reached near to the base camp, he was his usual self. While Satva was entirely in a different mood on the second day, he was the first one to start and the first one to reach. So, even with these fluctuations, kids show perseverance and determination, and that is all that matters.
Apart from the serene trail and picturesque views, what I will remember for a long, long time about this trek is the amazing people we met during the trek. Be it a Gujarati family from Silvassa, or army brothers from Udaipur, a 65-year-old gentleman from Amritsar motivating us and inspiring us like never before, a mother from Mumbai who was missing his son whenever she looked at Satva or our amazing guide and helpers. Kids were interacting with fellow trekkers and they were enjoying it.
There was undefined, uncorrupted, and unerring peace in that crowded trek. Because Right there! Right there among those mountains, right there at that small Maggie cafe, right there while drinking delicious Matha from local villager, right there in that wind, right there in those narrow trails, right there in those crowded yet lively campsites, right there seeing that frozen lake, right there facing those looming black clouds, right there in that snowfall, right there in that scary night with snow storm, right there talking with our guide and our cook, right there we were just us! Nothing less or nothing more! We were just being we. We were at the place where we belonged! Don’t know what kids will do in the future? Where will they go? What will be their destiny? But there in those mountains, we were inseparable.
Day wise planning:
Day 1 – drive to Sankri and get ready for one of the most tiring journeys.
Day 2 – Sankri to juda ka talab
Day 3- Juda ka Talab to Kedarkantha base camp; you can do the summit same day with a sunset view
Day 4- Kedarkantha summit with a descent to Hargaon / Sankri, depending on your stamina
Day 5 and / or day 6 – hargaon to sankri / sankri to Dehradun
The best time for this trek:
Winter and spring, mainly especially in December and January, because the trails are fully snow-covered, creating a heavenly landscape.
Distance:
Sankri to Juda Ka Talaab – 5 KM and takes 5 hours to complete
Juda Ka Talaab to Kedarkantha Basecamp – nearly 4 km, taking about 5 hours at a slower pace
Basecamp to the Summit – 3 km, involving a steep ascent with a 1500 feet elevation gain takes approximately 8 hours
Basecamp to Hargaon: 6 km, appx 6 hours
Hargaon to Sankri: 6 km | 6 hours approximately
Altitude :
Sankri :1950 meter (6400 feet)
Juda ka talab : 3430 meter (9100 feet)
Kedarkantha base camp: 3800 meters (11,250 feet)
Summit: 3810 meters (12,500 feet)
Hargaon: 2700 meters (8,900 feet)
Trek level
Moderate, as there are many sections with slippery trails due to black ice. You will definitely need crampons on this trail.
On the summit day last section is quite steep and challenging.
Points to consider:
The trip is not the peaceful mountain trek you imagine, but still, the people won’t disturb you.
Please wear proper running shoes with adequate grip.
Trekking poles are a boon for this trek.
Please keep the trails and campsites clean.
The trek provides one of the best sunrise views of the country. But for that, you have to wake up at 2-3 am and start for the summit.
Weather can change very quickly in winter so take adequate clothes with proper warm layers.
So, if you want to do an amazing winter adventure this season, you still have time, and this stupefying trek won’t disappoint you…
Contact number of Himalayan Shelter : +91 9458386006
Thank you…
Absolutely loved this post!
Kedarkantha truly lives up to its title as a winter wonderland. The snow-covered landscapes, the stillness of the forest, and the breathtaking summit views make it a dream trek. You’ve captured the experience beautifully.
For those looking to explore more in the Himalayas, Nepal is another incredible destination filled with epic trails and rich cultural beauty.
Thank you…
Very detailed description of the track. Good pictures too!
Thank you so much…🙏🏼
👍👌🏻👌🏻👍👍
Thank you..
Nice information 👍👍
Thank you.
💥supper💥
Thank you…
I wish I become few years younger and do it again. Truly, Himalaya is aspiring n inspiring. Wonderful description with every minute details.Virtual experience…
Thank you so much for your kind words…
Winter wonderland is amazing
It was!
🌹👍
THANK YOU…
Kajal di
you choose mountains or does mountain choose you
perfect quote for you 4
Thank you so much baka…
👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻
Extra ordinary pics. Supperbbb explanations,suggestion.👍👌🏻
Thank you uncle..
Thank you so much!
kajal di you writes wonderful blogs and they are very helpful.
Thank you so much again
Thank you…
Jordar..👌👌
Thank you…
thank you
Thanks to you…
How do you spot such nice places
👍
Good afternoon ? How are you doing? Have a great rest!