Kedartal Trek

Kedartal Trek

Description

Kedartal Trek is a beautiful glacial lake located in the Garhwal Himalayas at 15,550 feet. Gangotri is the base for Kedartal. Gangotri to Kedartal is a distance of 36kms (to & fro). This trek is rated difficult due to its steep, quick & forced ascends, tricky patches (Kedar ganga river crossing, climbing 55 to 60 degrees vertical rock face also termed as the spider-wall 1 & 2) and rapidly gaining altitude in a span of 3 days.

The views from the Kedartal Trek Uttarakhand are simply wonderful. We get up and close to some of the famous mountain peaks as Bhrigupanth (6,775 meters), Mt. Gangotri (6,578 meters), Bhagirathi (6512 meters), Mt. Manda (6,568 meters), Mt. Jogin (6,200 meters) and Mt. Thalaysagar (6,905 meters). Kedartal gets its water source from the snowfall over these mighty mountains. Kedartal is also known as Lord Shiva’s lake.

Itinerary

Day 1: Dehradun to Gangotri (255kms/ 10 – 11 hours drive) (1,500 feet to 10,800 feet)
We meet at a Dehradun at 6:30 am and from here we board the vehicles and drive up to Gangotri. This is a long beautiful drive as we enter the upper Bhagirathi valley. We check into a guesthouse/lodge at Gangotri and enjoy the spectacular surroundings. We visit the Gangotri temple in the evening and the local market as well.

Day 2: Rest and acclimatize in Gangotri
Today, we step out for an acclimatization walk. We visit Gaurikund, Surya Kund, Pandav gufa and explore the local area.
Later in the evening we prepare for our trek.

Day 3: Gangori to Bhojkharak (9kms/ 4 – 5 hours) (10,800 feet – 12,600 feet)
Our trek route begins once we cross the Bhagirathi river. We will be crossing the GMVN lodge along with a few Ashrams on our right. This is a very common route for Bhojkharak. It is steep throughout and is physically challenging. The majestic view of Mt. Thalaysagar is a motivation. We trek through many Bhojpatra trees on the way.

We cross through a couple of steep ascends over a few steep rock faces. They are as steep as 55 to 60 degrees, hence are termed as “Spider-wall”. Climbing over these patches offers a very narrow trail and can be negotiated by one person at one time. Our campsite for the day is a 15mins walk from here.

Day 4: Bhojkharak to Kedarkharak(4.5kms/ 4 hours) (12,600 feet – 14,200 feet)
Our trek for today is comparatively less strenuous compared to our previous day. We start with a steep ascend for 1km leaving the tree line and enter into the meadows. After this, we get gradual ascends that are quite relaxing. If we are lucky, we get to spot Bharals (blue sheep) along with a few Himalayan birds. Our muscles that were sore, will feel relieved by the end of today’s trek as we cross the Kedar Ganga river. We enjoy the sunset this evening and relax well so that we are prepared for our next day’s difficult climb.

Day 5: Kedarkharak to Kedar Tal and back to Kedarkharak (9kms/ 6hours) (14,200 feet – 15,550 feet – 14,200 feet)
We prepare ourselves for the tough climb over rocks towards the Kedar Tal. We ensure to carry both the 2 litres of water along and do not miss the dry rations given by the guides/ leads as we will need them on our trek today. It is important to start on time as weather at these altitudes can change drastically. It will take 5 to 6 hours to get to our campsite. The route is a steep climb all throughout. On reaching the top, we see the amazing colours of the magical Kedar Tal. On a clear day, we get the clear reflection of the mighty Mt. Thalaysagar in the Tal. We descend one last time to get to the Tal.

This entire descend is rewarding as we get astounding views of Mt. Gangotri, Bhrigupanth, Bhagirathi, Mt. Manda, Mt. Jogin and Mt. Thalaysagar. We set camp right next to the Tal and enjoy the stunning views of these mighty peaks, so close.

Day 6: Kedarkharak to Gangotri (13.5kms/ 8 – 9 hours) (14,200 feet – 10,800 feet)
We retrace our steps today. As we had taken the same route while coming to Kedarkharak, we have an idea about the route. It would take us roughly 9 hours to get to Gangotri. We descend a little over 3000 feet today to get to Gangotri.

On reaching Gangotri we have our closing ceremony.

Day 7: Gangotri to Dehradun (225kms/ 9 – 10 hours) (10,800 feet – 1,500 feet)
We drive back to Dehradun from Gangotri after breakfast. We plan to reach Dehradun by 7pm.

Inclusions:
1) Meals - All the meals from Gangotri to Gangotri.
2) Accommodation -
- Hotels/ guest houses in Gangotri and camping while on the trek.
- While camping, wanderers will provide: dry cleaned sleeping bags and mattresses with fresh individual fleece liner for hygiene.
- Toilets – clean and hygienic.
3) Trek Leader - An experienced mountaineer who is also a certified wilderness first aid responder.
4) Guide - There will be a well experienced local guide who is well versed with the local topography.
5) Camping & trekking permits and permissions from the local administrations/ authorities.
6) Other Equipment (if required) can be rented from Wanderers.

Exclusions:
1) Transport - To the base (Gangotri) and back.
2) Any meals/services not mentioned above
3) Any costs in accommodation & food arising out of unforeseen circumstances like landslides, road blocks, bad weather, etc.
4) Insurance
5) Alcohol, soft drinks, beverages, etc.
6) Personal expenses like tips, telephone calls, laundry, etc.
7) Any charges for video cameras, still cameras, etc.