How Difficult is Kedarkantha Trek

Many trekkers ask us how difficult is the Kedarkantha trek. Kedarkantha is rated as Easy-Moderate | Level 2 trek.

Through this blog, we want to explain its challenges in detail to give you an idea about how difficult the trek is and how much you should prepare for the trek. 

Having said that, Kedarkantha is a really good trek for beginners. We see lots of first timers going on the trek. It has an adventurous summit climb which can be attempted even if you have no prior trekking experience. 

But don’t take it lightly. It is an high-altitude summit climb after all.

What makes the Kedarkantha Trek Challenging

There are quite a few things you need to be prepared for. 

First is the altitude. 

You're starting the trek at around 6,500 ft and you climb upto 12,000 ft within three days. This means that the trek involves quite a few climbs. You’re gaining altitude every day.

Next is the summit push. 

There are not many steep ascents on this trek. But the summit push is the toughest. You consistently ascend on a steep slope while climbing to the summit. It becomes trickier if you are trekking in winter. The steep slope is covered with snow. To ascend on it, you need the strong grip of microspikes. 

Verglas

In winter you also come across sections of verglas. This is extremely hard and slippery ice. You slip the moment you step on it. You’ll find this in the winter months — from December to mid-April. 

Temperatures

While the trek is pleasant during most part of the year, temperature dips to sub-zero levels in the winter. That’s when the trek becomes challenging. You need to carry a minimum of five layers to stay warm and maintain your core body temperature.

How to prepare for Kedarkantha Trek

Kedarkantha is a high altitude trek. Which means it requires good physical preparation, more so in the winters. 

To prepare well, aim to jog 5 km in 38 minutes. Along with this, you’ll also need to do strength training to build your core strength. This aides in balancing, especially in tricky sections like summit climb and on verglas. 

A good time to start preparing for your trek would by 30-45 days in advance.

If you have any questions about the difficulty of the Kedarkantha trek, drop them in the comment section below. Our team will promptly address it :)

Happy trekking!