The journey to this gorgeous retreat begins in Sankri, which is around 210 kilometres from Dehradun. Throughout the trip, you are rewarded with spectacular vistas of Mussoorie, breathtaking views of high altitude mountains, and rivers such as the Yamuna, Ganga, Kedarganga, Supin, and Tons that revive you with their sparkling waters.
Sankri, at an elevation of 6,400 feet, is a charming settlement in the Himalayan foothills. The trek from Sankri leads to Juda ka Talab, the sacred mountain lake.
In your approach to Kedarkantha, you are exposed to a spectacular vista of incredibly lovely campgrounds.
The first campsite, Juda Ka Talab, is a lovely campsite located at an elevation of 9,000 feet. Juda Ka Talab enchants with a tranquil beauty that makes you blink again to see whether the location is genuine. The glacial lake is surrounded by a thicket of enormous oak and tall pine trees, with colossal mountains in the distance, giving the impression of a protecting shield. The climate in Juda Ka Talab fluctuates from -12 to -1 degrees F in the winter, 3 to 12 degrees Fahrenheit in the spring and early summer, and -8 to 12 degrees Fahrenheit in the fall. You walk 4 kilometres from Juda ka Talab through pine and oak woods to reach the open highlands right below the Kedarkantha top. Just before the jungle finishes, you’ll come to a huge meadow that serves as the Kedarkantha base camp.
The Kedarkantha peak is located at an elevation of 12,500 feet and is reached after a 3 kilometre difficult uphill journey from the Kedarkantha base camp. The 360-degree vista of massive mountain ranges from the Kedarkantha top is breathtaking.
It is an amazing hike because it takes you through a breathtaking perspective of Himalayan splendour. The campground of the Kedarkantha trip, which leads to the magnificent summit, offers a stunning picture of wide mountains, extensive grasslands, steep hills, and tall mountainous regions.
This 360º vista of mountain ridges sweeps you off your feet at the pinnacle; not only the renowned peaks of Yamunotri, Kalanag, Gangotri,and DhaulaDhar ranges, but also thousands of other pure and untouched pristine mountains greeting you with a loving arms. This portrait landscape is pure delight; each frame appears like a postcard image; it is a sight that you will remember for the rest of your life.
The Kedarkantha Trek is among the most accessible and appealing hikes in the Uttarakhand Himalayas. This all-season walk is one of India’s best and most comfortable treks. However, the trek’s splendour is at its peak in the winter.
Sankri is the starting point for the Kedarkantha trek. To get to Kedarkantha, you must first travel to Sankri from Dehradun. Sankri is about 200 kilometres from Dehradun, and the mountainous trek takes about 8 to 10 hours to complete.
To get through Kedarkantha from Dehradun, use the public bus, which departs at 8 a.m. from Mussoorie Bus Stand . In about ten hours, the bus will bring you to Sankri.
Another option for getting to Sankri from Dehradun would be to catch a taxi. Vehicles may be boarded from both the Mussoorie Bus Stand and the Dehradun ISBT. In the morning, a lot of cabs depart from Dehradun for Sankri. As a result, if you start early and board one among them, you can share the cab fee with your fellow commuters.
Terrain:
The trail is easy during the walk, flanked by thickets of oak and pine trekking. The campgrounds are fascinating. It could be the snowy winter pathways or the crackling brown leaves that cover the woodland. A maximum of 6-7 kilometres must be trekked every day. With adequate physical endurance to hike the highs and lows, the journey is easy to travel in the summertime because the trails are less slick than in the winter.
Is the Kedarkantha Trek dangerous?
So if you’re a beginner, one of the easier treks in the Uttarakhand Himalayas is the Kedarkantha trip. It is a 6-day hike that asks you to walk 4-6 kilometres each day. Except during the monsoon season, Kedarkantha is a safe trip to undertake. The rains are erratic, and there could be a lot of landslides.