Kedarkantha Trek: The Perfect Destination to Spend your Vacation

About kedarkantha trek:

A perfect winter trek for snow lovers, Kedarkantha Trek is situated in Uttarakhand. It is a 6-day trek and has its base camp located at Sankri village which is 78 hrs drive from Dehradun.

Trekkers get an amazing hiking experience that takes them through rich forests, snowy trails, green meadows, and other wonderful views. Dense white clouds, snow, and a panorama are the three things that make the Kedarkantha trek one of the most rewarding experiences that one can have.

The Origin

The name Kedarkantha means Throat of Lord Shiva. At the submit of its peak, there is a stone sheeted shrine of Lord Shiva. It is surrounded by snow-covered mountains all around making it a sight to behold.

There is a Trishul planted on the shrine’s ground, pointing upwards and the Locals pay their respect at the shrine. There is also a small temple below that houses a statue of Lord Ganesha.

The locals believe that laying Lord Ganesha’s statue on the ground will bring rain during very dry summer seasons.

The Myths

As legends say, Lord Shiva came to this place to meditate but was disturbed by a bull, which was running below.

Due to this he left kedarkantha and went to meditate in Kedarnath. This trek has changed the perception of “high altitude trekking” as a sport and has shown the world that Himalayan treks are possible outside of summer and autumn.

Places to visit on this journey:

• You will first head to Sankri from Dehradun which is a route to Himalayan paradise. Then from Sankri, you head to Judah ka Talab. It is believed that Lord Shiva once came here to meditate.
• Once you trek to the base camp from Judah ka Talab, you can relax here for a while and prepare your cameras. After having proper rest and food, head for the kedarkantha summit. This is the day for which you worked so hard.
• The mesmerizing scenic beauty at the summit will overwhelm you and make all the efforts worthwhile. Take your own sweet time to capture the beauty of nature both in your heart and mind and then bid adieu to the lofty peaks.
• Descend from the mighty mountains, from the base camp to Sankri, and then travel back to Dehradun.

Other facts about this trip:

• The starting and ending part of this trek is Sankri Village.
• The total distance of the kedarkantha trek is 20 km and the maximum altitude is 12,500 ft.
• The duration of this trek is almost 6 days and 5 nights and the best time to visit is in March. You can experience snowfall from mid-December. Although you can visit this place at almost any time of the year, but to witness winter, December-April is the best time.
• During this season you can enjoy the snowfall and the mesmerizing view of Judah ka Talab and Hargaon. This trek is considered one of the easiest treks in Uttarakhand yet difficult enough to keep you thrilled throughout the journey to the summit.

Things to carry with you on this trek:

When you are planning to cover this trail it’s necessary to carry the things that are mentioned below.

• Always carry your original photo id along with some of its photocopies.
• Carry your backpack with a rain cover as the weather at such altitudes can be very unpredictable.
• It is a must to carry a personal medical kit with medicines for headaches, nausea, and fever.
• You should also be having some antiseptic and a quick bandage in case there is a cut or scratch that you may encounter on your way.
• Carry moisturizer or some lotion with you as your skin can go dry in no time at such high altitudes.
• Do not forget to bring water cans with you as there are not many shops from where you can buy them from.

Although you would get across some streams from where you can have a refill. Other things that you must have are a troche with extra batteries, warm inner wear, woollen caps, towels, thermal clothes, and a pair of extra socks.

Ways to reach Kedarkantha:

By Road: Dehradun is well connected to many other major cities by road. You can take bus services to travel from Delhi to Dehradun. From Dehradun, it takes around 10 hrs to reach Sankri by bus.

By rail:  the nearest railway station is in Dehradun and it is well connected to various major cities like Kolkata, Delhi, Lucknow, etc.

By air: Jolly Grant Airport is situated in Dehradun that connects New Delhi to other cities by air.