KEDARKANTHA TREK

DAY 1: Drive from Dehradun to Gaichawan Gaon Drive Distance: 195 km | Drive Duration: 10-11 hours Pick up point: Grand Legacy Hotel, Dehradun | Pick up Time: 6.30 am Transport will be arranged at 6.30 AM. Cost of the cab – Rs 1100 (additional 5% GST) per trekker (one-way). Please pre-book your transport through the dashboard before your trek.

DAY 2: Trek from Gaichawan Gaon to Julota Trek Distance: 5.5 km | Trek Duration: 4-5 hours | Altitude Gain: 5,600 ft to 8,950 ft

DAY 3: Trek from Julota to Pukhrola Trek Distance: 3 km | Trek Duration: 3-4 hours | Altitude Gain: 8,950 ft to 10,800 ft

DAY 4: Trek from Pukhrola to Akhoti Thach via Kedarkantha Summit Trek Distance: 8 km | Trek Duration: 6-7 hours | Altitude Gain: 10,800 ft to 9,170 ft via 12,500 ft

DAY 5: Trek from Akhoti Thach to Gaichawan Gaon Trek Distance: 7.2 km | Trek Duration: 5-6 hours | Altitude Loss: 9,170 ft to 5,600 ft

DAY 6: Drive back from Gaichawan Gaon to Dehradun Drive Distance: 195 km | Drive Duration: 10-11 hours Drop off point: Grand Legacy Hotel, Dehradun | Drop off Time: 7 pm Transport will be arranged at 6.30 AM. Cost of the cab – Rs 1100 (additional 5% GST) per trekker (one-way). Please pre-book your transport through the dashboard before your trek.

Please note: The distance between campsites may vary by 100 meters depending the weather conditions and the route you take. The altitude may also vary by 100 feet for similar reasons.

Day 1 (Pick-up Day): Drive from Dehradun to Gaichawan

Drive Duration: 10-11 hours | Drive Distance: 200 km

The drive begins along the Yamuna river ahead of Dehradun. It then takes you to the valley of Tons, past Mori and Purola. You see beautiful valleys and pine forests throughout the journey.

At the Netwar Barrier, you need to take permission. A government-issued ID is essential for this. After the barrier, take a right turn towards to Gaichawan Gaon. The road that goes straight takes you to Sankri.

Gaichawan Gaon is known as the Apple Valley of this district of Mori. You will see sprawling apple plantations in this quaint village, tucked away in the Tons Valley.

Our homestay at Gaichawan Gaon is a cultural hotspot. The grain bank, called Kothar, is almost a hundred years old. in the basecamp. There are underground levels for different types of grain. Under that, there is another floor section to keep ration.

Explore the village and rest well to prepare for the trek that lies ahead.

Day 2: Trek from Gaichawan to Julota

Trek Duration: 5.5 hours | Trek Distance: 5.2 km | Altitude Gain: 5,570 ft to 8,920 ft Difficulty: Moderate. Gradual ascent for 2 to 2.5 hours followed by a steep ascent There’s a motorable road to Haltwar which is a work in progress. From Gaichawan Gaon, you will have to stick to the villager’s path that goes through apple orchards and farmlands. The Suchan Gaon and Dargar Gaon villages are unique in their culture, in their architecture and lifestyle. Haltwar is at a distance of 3 km from Gaichawan Gaon if you come through these villages and 6 km via the motorable road.

Haltwar is a small village with few houses. It has come age-old Koti Banal architecture homes. You also get beautiful views of the Rupin Valley from here. Experience local cuisine such as siddu in one of Dhabas in Haltwar. We recommend Kamlesh Ji’s dhaba because he maintains a strict no-packaged food policy.

From Haltwar, the trail first goes inside a light forest that ascends gradually. In some time, you see a beautiful clearing amidst pines and oaks. Soon you see a wooden bridge over a stream bed. There’s a water source here to refill your water bottles.

After the clearing, you enter a dense forest of pine and oak. The trail from here on gets gradually steeper and more like a staircase made of slabs of rock. After gaining some altitude, the incline becomes more gradual.

Trek silently. Listen to the birds chirping around you. Follow the trail through maples and rhododendrons until you reach another lovely clearing. This second clearing indicates about you getting closer to the campsite of Julota.

From here it is a gradual ascent until you start noticing few dome shaped tents. This is your Julota campsite. It is a stunning clearing amidst the forest. If you reach on time, you get to witness an incredible sunset.

Day 3: Trek from Julota to Pukhrola

Trek Duration: 3.5 hours | Trek Distance: 3.50 km | Altitude Gain: 8,920 ft to 10,870 ft

Difficulty: Easy. Half a kilometre ascent to a meadow followed by half a kilometre of a level walk. Gradual ascent which becomes steep for the last 300 meters to Pukhrola.

Highlights: A moderate climb through forests and clearings followed by a rewarding sunset

Today’s trek is quite short but there’s close to 2,000 ft of altitude gain through a couple of bigger clearings. So remember to keep yourself hydrated well. The trail is steep.

The trek starts with passing through some charming golden oaks. The fallen wooden log with moss and smaller being living transports you to another world.

Within 400 metres of Julota, you reach a clearing. Pass this clearing and walk for another 400 metres to reach the next clearing. This is called Shiun Ka Thatch.

The trail again goes through a thick forest section of Oaks and opens into a much bigger clearing called Moru Ka Thatch. You will see a dhaba near the end of the clearing where you can try the local dishes of Siddu, Sidku or Pua. Take a short break here to enjoy the serenity of the place.

After Moru Ka Thatch, you trek through a tree-covered area on steep terrain. The tree cover slowly loses density and you see Rhododendron and drawf rhododendron trees. You will cross a few streams on the trail. It is colorful in Spring and snowy capped in Winter making it a perfect forest to spend time in.

In 45 minutes to an hour, you reach an amphitheatre-like setting. You can see a lot of mountain ridges from this meadow. This is Pukhrola, our new base in Kedarkantha. You can also see the Kedarkantha summit up ahead of you.

Take a good rest and enjoy the picturesque sunset here. Do not miss the night sky with billions of stars above you.

Note: The cold in the open is intense and it often gets windy. Ensure you layer up once you reach the campsite to trap the heat after your trek.

Day 4: Trek from Pukhrola to Akhoti Thatch via Kedarkantha Summit

Trek Duration: 7-8 hours | Trek Distance: 9 km

Altitude Gain and Loss: 10,870 ft to 8,270 ft via 12,500 ft

Difficulty: Moderate. 2-3 hour steep ascent to reach the summit. Steep descent to Akhoti Thatch.

Highlights: Stunning views of the Himalayan ranges from the summit.

Today you make the final push towards the summit. Start from Pukhrola at 4.00 AM.

The route goes on the western ridge of the mountain and it gets steep at multiple points. Climb in a zigzag way in such places. It takes 2-3 hours to reach the summit by this route. On the summit, you are surrounded by mountain ranges and valleys.

You see the Chainsheel Pass, Rupin valley, and Har Ki Dun Valley. Mt Swargarohini also comes into view along with Mt Bandarpoonch and Mt Kalanag. Some of the other peaks you see include Jaonli, Gangotri, Draupadi Ka Danda and Jorkanden.

After spending some time on the summit, retrace your way to Pukhrola. Reach Pukhrola by lunchtime. Have lunch and trek down to Akhoti Thatch.

Akhoti Thatch campsite is 2 km from Pukhrola. It will take 2.5-3 hours to complete this stretch through the forest section. A slight deviation from the trail towards Pukhrola takes you on the trail towards Akhoti Thatch. This campsite is a nice big clearing amidst walnut trees and hence the name.

Day 5: Trek from Akhoti Thatch to Gaichawan

Trek Duration: 4-5 hours | Trek Distance: 4 km | Altitude Loss: 8,270 ft to 5,570 ft

Difficulty: Easy. Gradual descent all the way.

Highlights: Beautiful Oak and Rhododendron forests. View of Kedarkantha Peak from afar.

After breakfast, start moving towards Gaichawan. This is 6 km from Akhoti Thatch. The trail after Akhoti Thatch and till reaching Haltwar is untouched and serene.

The trail goes through thick Oak and Rhododendron forests. There are a few small clearings and river streams while on the way down. The trail is not that well-made because not too many trekkers come here.

After 2 hours and almost 2 km of descent from Akhoti Thatch, we reach an opening with shepherd huts. Take a small break here before starting your next phase of the descent.

This next section is a thrilling experience for trekkers to cross. You have a small waterfall which needs to be traversed carefully. There is space for only one trekker to navigate on the trail here. If you are lucky, you can catch glimpses of Martins and red foxes in the early morning.

The route descends further towards Haltwar, which is one and a half hours away. While on the way to Haltwar, you can see Gaichawan Gaon from a small opening in the forest. It takes another 1.5 hours to reach Gaichawan Gaon as you end your memorable experience of trekking to Kedarkantha.

Day 6: Drive from Gaichawan Gaon back to Dehradun

Drive Duration: 10-11 hours | Drive Distance: 200 km

Start early in the morning, preferably before 7.00 AM since the journey takes at least 10 hours. Plan your travel from Dehradun post 7.00 PM on this day.

Trekkers often ask us for hotel recommendations before or after their treks. Finding a good place using online listings can be tedious and tricky. So, through our network of trekkers and trek leaders, we have put together the best hotel recommendations in the major cities near our treks.

These are tried-and-tested recommendations—places we trust for comfort, cleanliness, and convenience. They’re also located near town centers and your pick-up points. Whether you’re looking for a budget-friendly stay or something a little more premium, you’ll find an option that suits your needs below.