Region: Uttarakhand
Duration: 5 Days
Grade: Easy
Max Altitude: 3850mts (Kedarkanth top)
Approx kms: 36kms
Best Season: Apr-Jul, Sep-Nov
Max group size: 12

Welcome to Kedarkantha peak!  Situated in the mountains of the tons river valley, this is a beautiful ridge peak, easily accessible anytime of the year. The trek goes through the Govind national park and gives you ample time to soak in the flora and fauna of this protected area. The summit lies at an altitude of 3850m and reaching the top is very satisfying as you are rewarded with views of peaks like the Swargarohini, Banderpooch, Kalanag and Ranglana.

What makes this trek special are the views of the Himalayan ranges that one gets along the trail and from the summit. In winters the sky is usually absolutely clear and the air is clean, ensuring fantastic views. At an altitude of around 3800 m/12500 feet, the summit (Kedar kantha) offers a good challenge to trekkers who are rewarded for the hard work with mesmerising views, which are sure to stay with them for a lifetime! Days are going to be warm and sunny, but be prepared for cold nights with temperature being sub zero in winters. If lady luck is taking the trip with you then get ready to be enthralled by spotting wildlife of the region. There are leopards, wild cats, birds, bear, boars and the musk deer to be seen. The trip begins with a beautiful drive from Dehradun to the remote village of Sankri in the 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 trekkers during the popular summer trekking season.  There are three things stand out about the Kedarkantha summit trek! The first is the pristine, almost virgin forest that we will walk through on the first two days of the trek. The wonderful forest of Pines, Cyprus, Fir, intermingled with Maples, Rhododendrons and Oak is a bio diversity rarely seen! The second thing about the trek that stands out the great Himalayan snow capped peaks. The splendor of the view is so breathtaking that camping on the top will be a heavenly experience! The third fascinating thing about the Kedarkantha trek is not in the trek itself, but in the drive to the base of the trek. The journey through lush green landscape and pine forests from Nowgaon to Sankri is perhaps the best Himalayas can offer. It is a journey that will remain etched forever in your mind. Before going into the brief itinerary and detailed itinerary, below in an interesting myth associated with Kedarkantha!

The Kederkantha Myth: The myth goes that after the Mahabharatha war, the Pandavas went to the Himalayas to seek the blessings from Lord Shiva. But, Shiva would not appear before them initially. He disguised as a buffalo and hid himself among other buffalos. Bhima devised a plan. He stood with legs wide open rested on two rocks, and the buffalos were made to pass under him. As one buffalo refused to pass under Bhima's legs, the Pandavas identified him as Shiva. Bhima caught hold of the buffalo and the tug of war that ensued resulted in the splitting of the buffalo into six parts. The parts  in different regions of the Himalayas and 6 temples were later erected by the Pandavas at each of these locations.  Kedarkanth happens to be one of the locations.  Kedar Kantha is also called Bal-Kedar. Local people believe that this was supposed to be original Kedar. Shiva apparantly came here in shape of a buffalo, but when he felt disturbed by some villagers of a local village, he ran away to ‘present’ Kedar area.Below is the brief and detailed itinerary of the trek.

Day 1:- DEHRADUN-SANKRI (200 Kms) 7hrs drive
Day 2:- SANKRI TO JUDA TALAB (2850m) - 10kms
Day 3:- JUDA TALAB TO KEDAR KANTH MEADOW - 6kms
Day 4:- VISIT KEDARKANTHA PEAK (3850m) AND TREK BACK TO SANKRI
Day 5:- SANKRI TO DEHRADUN (210kms)

Day 01: DEHRADUN-SANKRI (2000m, Drive/200 Kms/6-7hrs)
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 beautiful pine forest sections along the drive today. Upon reaching Sankri we will check into a scenically located hotel. Sankri is paradise on earth! We will then take an evening stroll in this beautiful hamlet to get our muscles charged for the trek to come.  Over here one can enjoy a glimpse of the setting sun, disappearing behind the greater Himalayan mountain ranges! The peaks of Swargarohini stand tall over the ridges beyond Sankri. The Swargarohini is also of great historic significance, but more on that later!

Day 02: SANKRI TO JUDA TALAB (2850m) - 10kms
Post breakfast we start our trek and head towards juda talab. Juda-Ka-Talab is almost too perfect in its setting as a campsite. The path goes through Saud village and is a gentle climb. A lot of local village women will be seen on the way, carrying wood and dried leaves for their cattle. The campsite is located near the Juda Lake and is a much closed camping site surrounded by tall trees and mountain slopes, without any wind or views.  The forest is so dense that light hardly seeps through it.  However, high above on your left is the ridgeline, through which the afternoon light filters in. We reach by afternoon and stay in camps. After a leisurely lunch, we will set out on the hike. Today’s hike is a moderate one, and for the most part we will be moving through a beautiful forest section. 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.

Day 03: JUDA TALAB TO KEDAR KANTH MEADOW - 6kms
We start post breakfast and trek through the pine and oak trees to reach the open field below the summit. This camping site has excellent views and is the highlight of the trek! There are green pastures nearby and the views towards Himachal are unending. We camp here for the night.  Even before the nightfall, the stars and planets can be seen in great density! The snowy peaks of the mountains can be seen scraping against the skies. It will give a feeling of serenity and peacefulness. Keep in mind that the cold in the open is intense and it often gets windy. Carry enough woolen wear to protect you from the elements. 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 you busy with the camera! Todays hike is going to be an exhausting, but enjoyable. The Kedar Kantha base or campsite is a vast open snow ground, the size of two football fields, surrounded by misty mountains from all sides and a stream running nearby. From here we get fabulous views of Swargarohini, Bandarpoonch & Kalanag peaks. Overnight in tents!

Day 04: VISIT KEDARKANTHA PEAK (3850m) AND TREK BACK TO SANKRI
It's a long day today so be prepared! We start early post breakfast and try to reach the top of the ridge by noon. It's a climb of over 2 hours, but the views are very rewarding. The Kedarkantha peak is clearly visible from the meadows. There are many trails that go to the top. The best route is to catch the northern ridge of the Kedarkantha summit. We will climb up in a series of switchbacks to reach the Kedarkantha summit temple.  At the temple, a small shrine of lord Ganesh and another of Shiva and Parvathi sit in a cement enclosure. The summit is a five minute climb from the shrine. The Kedarkanta summit is marked by a square arrangement of stones with a Trishul that points to the sky. Remains of incense sticks and dried coconut are the other symbols of religious reverence that the summit holds for the locals. Towering over the rest of the region, the summit gives you a 360 degree view of the mighty snow clad ranges of Uttarakhand. After spending some time on the top, we head back to our campsite, have lunch and head towards Sankri. We spend the night in a guesthouse at Sankri.

Day 05: SANKRI – DEHRADUN Drive/200 kms/6-7 hrs
Post breakfast, depart for Dehradun. You can also have a brief stopover at Mussoorie, one of India’s most popular hill stations. The drive from Mussoorie to Dehradun would take an hour, from where you could continue ahead towards your onward destination

In the initial days of the pre monsoon season (Apr-Jun) there will be snow along the trail, which generally melts by end April. Days are going to be sunny and warm (14-22 °C) while the night temperature at the highest campsite would be in the range of 0-8 °C. In the post monsoon season (Sep-Nov) there is possibility of snow towards the end of the season, which also melts very fast. The days are sunny with temperatures hovering around (12-20 °C) and the evenings start getting cold with the onset of October and nights are comparatively colder (-2 to 8 °C).

1. Shirts / T-shirts
2. Trousers / Track Pants
3. Windproof jacket
4. Fleece / Full-sleeve Woolen sweater
5. Thermal inner wear (upper & lower)
6. Woolen cap
7. Mittens (Woolen gloves)
8. Scarf
9. Woolen socks (extra pairs to be carried)
10. Comfortable Trekking/Hiking shoes (shoes with a thick sole are recommended)
11. Raincoat / Poncho
12. Towel
13. Water bottle
14. Cap / Hat
15. Walking stick / Trekking pole
16. Sunscreen Lotion
17. Lip Balm
18. Torch / Flashlight (with extra batteries)
19. Medicines, if requiring any specific medication
20. Camera
21. Sunglasses
22. Personal toiletries
23. Books, if you like reading

1. Accommodation. (Guest house, Home stay, Camping)
2. Meals while on trek (Veg.) (Egg)
3. Trek equipments.
4. Permits
5. First aid medical kits and oxygen cylinder.
6. Qualified & experienced Professional trek Leader, Guide and Support staff
7. Transport from Dehradun and return.

In the event of cancellation of trek/adventure activity services due to any avoidable / unavoidable reasons we must be notified of the same in writing. Cancellation charges will be effective from the date we receive advice in writing, and cancellation charges would be as follows: -

• Up to 25 Days:  90% of Trek/adventure program cost will be refunded. 
• Between 10-25 Days:  60% of Trek/adventure program cost will be refund. 
• Less than 10 Days:  No refund