My Unforgettable Experience with Kedarkantha Trekking

Hello everyone,

Who does not like to get lost in the lap of nature? We all, right? Here I am going to share my story that surely gives you goosebumps in the end and compels you to pack a bag for the next trip that is to Kedarkantha. Kedarkantha is regarded as one of India’s top winter treks that is accessible even in the winter season. And I contented Soundarya Safar to give wings to my dream. Personally, I love the winter, and to make the trip more enjoyable I picked the February month for my memorable trip.

Initially, I wanted to go solo but before we departed, a group of six people joined me from Ahmedabad station and you won’t believe how exciting it was for me. And from here the journey begins, from Ahmedabad to Dehradun, we were six people and later a group of another 60 people joined us on the route from Ahmedabad to Haridwar. I personally like and meet new people so it was not that difficult for me to catch up with others and make them friends.

Indeed, we did not know each other before the train started but after that, we shared an amazing bond with each other. We had fun, shared jokes, and talked about businesses and I did not realize when we reached our destination. After reaching Haridwar, we explored the holy city. Around 6.30 a.m, we reached Haridwar, checked into the hotel, got fresh, and took a meal.

In fact, one of our group members was adamant and wanted to have pizza only, you will be shocked to know that we found Domino’s over there and traveled almost 15 kilometers in a rickshaw. After enjoying the tasty bites of pizzas, we went to Ganga bank, took the best pictures, visited nearby temples, and explored all the things around.

After doing all these, it was almost an evening, so we decided to get the advantage of Ganga aarti. Then we visited the local market in Haridwar and came across new and innovative things that are not yet available in Ahmedabad. Our group had shopped a lot for their relatives and family members. Now to satisfy our hunger pangs, we took dinner and went down to the hotel as we were too tired and unable to do anything except sleep.

As half of the group members were tired and half of the people were sitting in the room and having lots of fun. Around 12 o'clock we came out and roamed around the city. It was too cold and peaceful. Amazing and enjoyable. Seriously, one should not miss this thrilling experience. We had gola and trust me it was another level of experience for me.

Then the next morning, all group members got fresh and we started a journey again to Sankari village. Oh god, it was totally a hill area and you can not get your eyes off it. Amid roads, there were small waterfalls, forest areas, animals, and whatnot. We were about to reach Mussoorie, took a bath in the Yamuna river, and clicked pictures.

Around five in the evening, we reached the small village called Sankari and enjoyed the amazing view during our stay. Our room was surrounded by hills and after getting fresh and up, we had dinner. From here, the actual journey begins. All of the group gave an introduction and our trek leader, Mr Raj Bramhbhatt, came and gave all the instructions about four-day tulips and bag packing.

Even the leader taught us how to pack beg and what things to take into consideration. From clothes to food to safety precautions to luggage, they explained everything. Trust me, the trek leader was supportive and also taught us where and how to use trekking gears. However, he was also strict when it came to safety and discipline.

Hold On,

I am not done yet, the actual journey begins from here, let me give you some basic information,

Difficulty level: moderate

Region: Uttarakhand

Base camp: Sankri

Kedarkantha Altitude: 6,000 ft at Sankri to 12,500 ft. at Kedarkantha Peak

Kedarkantha Trek Distance: 25 km (Approx)

Kedarkantha Trek Duration: 4 days (Sankri – Sankri)

The next day, early in the morning, we got ready, took breakfast, and then we started trekking. Initially, there was a normal road just like cities but as we entered forests, we started climbing and it was a real fun. Snow was less but the snow melted down from the upper hills creating a muddy atmosphere. It was slippery and clothes got dirty. Then almost after two hours of constant trekking, there was snow everywhere and we were told to wear Micro Spikes in this -10 celsius temperature.

It was easy to get water, some snacks, and coffee amid the trekking but in the evening I can say that we were surrounded by snow and it was hilarious. All the group members were ahead of us but we were the last and after one hour of trekking, we reached our next camp (Juda Ka Talab).

The temperature was down constantly and two of our group members were really affected and unable to trek in the future. Then, our trek leader supported them, motivated them, and gave some premium tips to reach the destination. Trust me, the trek leader was really supportive. And shared some of his best stories with us. He was really encouraging, and supportive and made it easy for us to complete the rest of the journeys.

We reached our next camp (Juda Ka Talab) around 6.45, took dinner, and shared this best experience and journey with each other. Then half of the members were tired and told the leader that we should not go ahead and it would be beneficial for us to go down before two days and land in Rishikesh.

But as I told you earlier, the team leader was supportive and convinced us to complete the trek. We were ready and the next morning, we again packed bags and started trekking at midnight. It almost took seven hours to reach summit camp and was really challenging for us because of snow, cold weather, and wind.

Again the trek leader encouraged us and we reached the summit. And I really don't have enough words to explain the view. It was mesmerizing. Snowy mountains, small villages, waterfalls, and rivers, oh my god, it was breathtaking. We took some pictures and we again started down trekking to basecamp.

And this moment was really proud for all of us. We reached base camp around 5 pm, got fresh, and packed our bags. Till this time, our trek leader arranged vehicles for us and after dinner, we again left Sanakri to Dehradun. We were damn tired and reached Dehradun around early morning. We slept at the station and then the next morning we got ready and left for breakfast.

Near the Hanuman temple, there was a famous kachori center. We ate kachori, it was a unique and funny experience for us as the shape was not something normal. We enjoyed breakfast, reached the hotel, and left for Rushikesh. Found a hotel over there and explored the city with some popular places such as Laxman Jhula, ram Juha, Triveni ghat, local market, etc.

We also did adventurous activities such as river rafting, bungee jumping, giant swing, and flying fox. There was too much cold so we enjoyed dinner at Dhaba and had a campfire. And here the beautiful journey ends.

One should really try this destination once in a lifetime. I have memories and really want to visit again if I get the chance. If you are also an adventure lover like me, contact Soundarya Safar now, they will never disappoint you.