Kedarkantha Short Hardcore Trek

The Quickest, Hardest and Hardcore way of doing the fabulous Kedarkantha Trek

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Duration
4 Days, 3 nights
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Altitude:
3800m
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Grade:
Moderate
how we grade
👍
Best Time:
Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr
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Temperatures:
-10 to 10 during winters, 2 to 15 in summers
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Starts From:
Sankri
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Airport:
Jolly Grant Airport, Dehradun, Uttrakhand
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Railway:
Dehradun, Uttrakhand

Key Geographical Highlights

9 Popular Peaks:

Bandarpunch West ( 6316m ), Kalanag ( 6387m ), Swargarohini 1 ( 6252m ), Swargarohini 2 ( 6240m ), Swargarohini 3 ( 6168m ), Swargarohini 4 ( 6000m ), Bandarpoonch East ( 6045m ), Har Ki Dun Peak ( 5620m ), Hata Peak ( 5838m )

1 Lakes:

Juda Ka Taalab ( 2826m )

2 Rivers:

Supin , Tons

2 Villages:

Sankri, Soud

1 National Parks Or Forest Reserve:

Govind Pashu Vihar National Park and Sanctuary

Reach Sankri find other treks

Daywise Itinerary For Kedarkantha Short Hardcore Trek

(click to read detailed route briefing, elevation graph, altitude time info and photos from the day)

▼ Day 1Arrival DaySankri 1920m
Arrive In Sankri
Overnight In: Sankri (1920m )
Accommodation: Homestay
Meals Included: Evening Tea Snacks, Soup, Dinner, Dessert, Hot Drinks
Cost Of Transport Included: NO
Where and How To Reach Sankri
Sankri is 190 kilometres from Dehradun and it takes about 7 - 8 hours in a private taxi to reach Sanri from Dehradun. On the other hand, it takes about 10 hours by bus. It is advisable that you reach Dehradun in the morning hours before 630 AM to take the bus. The best is the Uttrakhand Volvo buses from Delhi ISBT Kashmere Gate. Nandadevi express also reaches Dehradun in the morning. If you are flying to Dehradun, then you must note that Dehradun airport is about 40 minutes drive from Dehradun city and to take the bus, you need to land by 6AM. If you decide to hire a cab to Sankri directly from the airport to Sankri, its the best. We can arrange for the cab to pick you up from the airport itself. It is advisable that in this case, you reach Dehradun no later than 11 AM in order to reach Sankri on time. Our team will be expecting you by 530 PM in Sankri.

On arrival, we will allot your rooms and serve you with a welcome drink and light snacks. After you settle down, we will do the Team Introduction and briefing where we will explain the trek protocols and other details. After your dinner, we will give out your equipment for packing your stuff and keep things ready for tomorrow.
Day 1
435 - Dehradoon
Day 1
1550 - Purola
Day 1
1150 - Mori
Day 1
1920 - Sankri
200Km, 7 - 8hrs.
▼ Day 2Trekking DayKedarkantha BC 3400m
From Sankri (1920m ) To Kedarkantha BC (3400m ), Via - Juda ka Taalab (2700m ) - 4 Hrs. 9 Kms
Overnight In: Kedarkantha BC (3400m )
Accommodation: Camping
Meals Included: Evening Tea Snacks, Soup, Dinner, Dessert, Hot Drinks
Being the first day, we might not be used to today's routine. We will call you for morning tea around 630 AM and serve breakfast by 8AM. We will expect you to be ready by the time breakfast is served. We start our trek after a small team briefing at around 9 AM. You need to fill your water bottles before you leave. You may keep extra luggage in Sankri itself before leaving for the trek..

We start our ridge walk for the day and it takes us about 5 - 6 hours of leisurely walk to reach our camp for the night, that is Kedarkantha Base Camp. We go via Juda Ka Taalab lake and spend some time there near the lake. After we reach our composite, we are served with Hit Lunch and then we take a little rest in our tents. From this campsite, the peak of Kedarkantha is visible straight in front and you can see and analyse your challenge for tomorrow's morning. We need to prepare well and be quick to walk on hard snow which will make it quicker as compared to softer snow.

In the evening, we will test our equipment like gaiters, microspikes, etc. A demo will be given on how to use them and then we start wearing them on as this practice will help us get ready quickly tomorrow since we will start the trek before dawn to perfectly time our reaching the summit. That's where the real Himalayan High is after all !! We take short walks nearby with the gears and if required, few snow techniques will also be displayed to you for using it when necessary. Tonight, we have early dinner and get into our tents just after the sunset.

Day 2
1920 - Sankri
Day 2
2700 - Juda ka Taalab
Day 2
3400 - Kedarkantha BC
9Km, 4hrs.
▼ Day 3Summit DaySankri 1920m
Summit Hargaon. Return To Sankri - 7 Hrs. 15 Kms
Overnight In: Sankri (1920m )
Accommodation: Homestay
Meals Included: Morning Tea, Breakfast, Lunch, Evening Tea Snacks, Soup, Dinner, Dessert, Hot Drinks
Today is the most important day for us as we would be summiting the Kedarkantha Peak. Today the conditions of the trek and the timings will be very sharp. In order to summit the peak at the time of dawn to witness the exhilarating beauty of the sunrise over the beautiful valley, we start the trek at around 330 AM in the morning. We camp high up in the base camp to shorten the distance to the summit. With a quick breakfast of hot porridge, coffee and few quick munches for the trek, we start the trek with our headlamps on. For photographers, this creates an excellent shot with a trail of light climbing the white peak glowing in the dark !! It takes about 2 hours to reach the summit from the base camp. The trek is difficult and few short sections are very steep. Snow, wind, cold and altitude adds up to the difficulty. Teamwork and spirit make it easy to negate the difficulties and we make it all the way to the top. The wind on the top is very hard and we return back soon. The return trek to base camp is made easier by sliding on the snow. It takes about an hour to reach back to Base Camp.

After reaching base camp, we pack our gears and leave for Sankri. We have lunch in our Juda Ka Taalab camp and then head back to Sankri via the Hargaon route. Since the entire route is an easy descend and our walking speed increases, we finish the trek much quicker than the climb.
Day 3
3400 - Kedarkantha BC
Day 3
2700 - Hargaon
Day 3
1920 - Sankri
15Km, 7hrs.
▼ Day 4Departure DayDehradun 315m
Departure From Sankri
Accommodation: None
Meals Included: Morning tea, Breakfast
Cost Of Transport Included: NO
departure day
Day 4
1920 - Sankri
Day 4
315 - Dehradun
190Km, 7hrs.

Kedarkantha Short Hardcore Trek highlights

Kedarkantha Short Hardcore Trek - Why Its A Must-Do

The Kedarkantha Short Trek is one of our very popular treks and hardcore trekkers just love it. Trekkers who choose to do this hardcore version of the trek are actually bored of the slow-paced itinerary which all other trek organisers arrange.
Kedarkantha is one of the prettiest winter and snow treks in our Himalayas and needs no introduction. However, it is a short trek of just 24 kilometres and in the correct sense, should be doable in 2 days - 1 day for ascending and another day for the summit and then descend.
Although short, this trek isn't an easy one, especially for a Beginner, as it involves a steep ridge walking straight away from the start of the trek as it climbs the ridge to the summit of the Kedarkantha Peak. The descend from the summit of the Kedarkantha Peak is a steep one which tests your leg and core muscle strength with real-time mountain challenge. Hence, it's not an easy task.
Although difficult to be done in 2 days, many people who are fit and strong can do it and we have been supporting them right from the beginning of Himalayan High's journey.
Our itinerary for Hardcore and Short version of the Kedarkantha Trek definitely help someone who possesses good fitness and has lesser time on hand, or someone who wants to explore more in lesser time.

Can Kedarkantha Trek Be Done In 2 Days?

Yes, Kedarkantha is just a 24 Km trek which makes it easy to complete it in just 2 days. It needs to be understood that on normal Himalayan Treks, walking 10 - 13 kilometres in a single day is considered normal. The same applies to the Kedarkantha trek as well.
However, doing it in 2 days requires a good amount of fitness and stamina. It's definitely not as easy as the KEDARKANTHA POPULAR TREK which is done over 4 trekking days and 3 nights of camping. Alternatively, this trek has only 1 night of camping.
The day's trek involves walking on the ridge climbing continuously till we reach base camp.
The distance to the first camp of Kedarkantha Base Camp is about 9 Km and takes about 5 hours of the steep climb to reach the campsite. On the next day, its the climb to the summit of the Kedarkantha Peak, which is about 3 km only and takes about 2 hours to reach the summit. Once you reach the summit, the remaining trek is all about descending down and is comparatively much easier as you need no extra effort to walk downhill. Descending is very quick and we reach Sankri around 2 PM.
On any Himalayan trek, walking 6- 7 hours is a common thing. In fact, walking for only 2 - 3 hours is uncommon which happens in the longer version of the Kedarkantha trek. So basically if you are a fit trekker, you can do it very easily.

Who Should Do This Trek?

Someone who is generally fit and possesses good stamina and endurance can choose to do this trek. This will not just help you test your physical stamina, but will also save you the vital number of days and money as well.
Someone who is not that fit but wants to test himself/herself to the challenges presented by the Kedarkantha Peak and its extreme natural conditions.
Someone who has less number of days to spare for the trek or want to explore more in lesser time.
Someone who do not like the crowd and nonsense trekkers on the trek route who spam continuously with loud music, feasting, drinking, making huge campfires, shouting loud and looking for partners.
Experienced trekkers who have matured over time as a raw Himalayan adventurer.
Having said the above, it has to be noted explicitly that this trek is not for everyone. Those who are not used to discomfort, less used to exercises, and do not have good stamina should choose the usual leisure trek to Kedarkantha as that's the one everyone can do.
When we are asked to measure the required stamina, we would say someone who could complete a 10K marathon. Need not come first or second! Just need to have the stamina and mental strength to complete it

Who Should NOT DO This Trek?

If you looking for an easier trek which people usually write about the Kedarkantha Trek, then this itinerary is not easy. It requires good stamina and endurance to complete this trek.
If you are not confident of your fitness and do not possess good stamina then you should do the longer version of the Kedakanha Trek. For an idea, good stamina would mean being able to complete a 6k marathon with ease. Not win, just be able to complete it.
If you are looking at us to arrange campfires, games, dance parties, drink and smoke, play loud music, etc, then you should stay far far away from us, not just this trek.

How We Grade Our Treks and Expeditions

Easy

Usual daily walks of 4 - 5 hours in altitude below 4000 meters. The sleeping altitude on these treks are below 4000 meter and the trails are gradual involving no steep ascent or descent. Sometimes, the trail may be longer, but on level trails. The duration of trek may be a week or lesser than it. The trek is not too remote and evacuation might be possible from almost any point of the trek

Moderate

The trek duration each day may span from 4 - 5 hours, but on some days, it may push up to 8 - 9 days. The trail might involve steep ascents or descents on occasions This kind of treks demand good fitness, and trekkers must involve themselves in cardio exercises regularly to do these treks comfortably. Sleeping altitude are below 4000 meters or little above it, but the trail might go as high as 4500 - 5000 meters. The trek is bit remote and evacuation might be possible from almost all, but not all campsites

Moderate+

This type of treks are bit more demanding than the moderate ones. It might involve few days of very long walks at higher altitude, or serious gradients, exposures, more remote or involves sleeping at higher altitudes for more days.

Strenuous

The trek duration each day may span from 5 - 8 hours, and may go up to to 8 - 9 on few days. The trail involves steep ascents and descents. Good fitness are demand of these treks, and trekkers must involve themselves in cardio exercises regularly to do these treks comfortably. Sleeping altitude may go above 4000 meters or little above it on couple of days, but not more than that. The trail might go as high as 4500 - 5200 meters. These trek are remote and evacuation might not be possible from all the campsites

Challenging

The trek duration each day may span from 5 - 8 hours, and may go up to to 8 - 9 or even more than that on few days. The trail involves steep ascents and descents. Crossing a glacier or a scree zone might be a feature of these treks. You might on some occasions, require technical equipment like rope, ice axe and snow stacks etc to complete these treks. Good fitness are demand of any treks, but these treks demands strong character. Sleeping altitude may goes well above 5000 meters on some days. The trail might go as high as 5000 - 6000 meters. These trek are high or remote or both. The trek usually might be a week long.

Sometimes irrespective of altitude and distance, a trek may ge graded Challenging if the route is treacherous, which might demand some footing skills or assistance of ropes and other equipment

Challenging+

The trek duration each day may span from 5 - 8 hours, and may go up to to 8 - 9 or even more than that on few days. The trail involves steep ascents and descents. Negotiating glacial moraines, scree zones, crossing them, camping on them etc are features of these treks. You might also require technical equipment like rope, ice axe and snow stacks etc to complete these treks. Good fitness are demand of any treks, but these treks demands strong character. Sleeping altitude may goes well above 5000 meters on some days. The trail might go as high as 5000 - 6000 meters. These trek are high and remote. A good technical support team and knowledgeable local guide is a must. Only experienced trekkers are advised to do these treks. The trek goes over 2 week and may be longer than that.

Sometimes irrespective of altitude and distance, a trek may ge graded Challenging if the route is treacherous, which might demand some footing skills or assistance of ropes and other equipment

Page Cost Inclusions and Exclusions For The Kedarkantha Short Hardcore Trek

WHAT'S INCLUDED IN THE PRICE

Duration: 4 Days / 3 nights of the trek cost Ex. Sankri
Accommodation In Base Village (Sankri): 2 nights in Himalayan High managed homestay in Sankri with emphasis on local organic food and cultural exposure.
Accommodation On Trek: Spacious, sturdy and High-Quality Dome Tents will be provided on twin sharing basis.
Sleeping In Tents: Thick Waterproof Mattress complemented with Sub Zero Sleeping bags supported with Warm Fleece Sleeping Bag Inners For Extra Hygiene and Warmth will be provided by us
Dining On Trek: We will provide Dining and Kitchen Tents with camping stools and table for extra hygiene and comfort.
Toilet On Treks: Dry eco-toilet will be set up with a toilet tent and toilet seat.
Meals: All meals starting Evening Tea in Sankri on Day 1 till Breakfast in Sankri on Day 4 morning. 3 meals (B,L,D) suited for high altitude with evening snacks, soup, hot drinks and extra energizers/juice for summit days
Trail Safety: Gaiters, Anti Slip Crampons and Ice Axe depending upon snow conditions.
Communication: For efficient management of the trek, the team will be communicating with each other and trek base with the help of long-range wireless sets.
Medical Safety: Oxygen cylinder, Pulse Oximeter, Thermal temperature scanner and Emergency Medical Kit accompanied with a trek leader knowledgeable on high altitude medicine and physiology
Trek Leader and Guide: Experienced and Well Equipped English/ Hindi Speaking Trek Leader maintaining guide to trekker ratio of 1:6. That is 1 guide for every 6 trekkers.
Local Support Staffs: Expert and Knowledgeable local guide with cooks, helpers, porters, mules, etc
Permits: All required forest entry permits and camping fees as per the rules of Govind Vihar National Park
Transfers: None
Max Team Size: Small group of not more than 15 members. You can make any batch a private batch by paying a little extra over the base trek fees.

Add-On Services ( At Extra Cost)

Baggage Offloading:

Transportation:

Private Accommodation On Trek:

These services can be availed at extra cost. Please enquire to know more

Personal Equipment Rental ( At Extra Cost)

High Ankle Waterproof Trekking Shoes (Quechua):
-20 degrees Down Jackets:
Windproof/Waterproof Jackets:
Windproof/Waterproof pants:
Headlamps:
Personal Fleece Sleeping Inner:
Balaclava/Neckwarmer
Waterproof Gloves
Trek Pole
Poncho
Rucksack

Check and Book On https://himalayanhigh.in/himalayan-high-altitude-equipment-rentals.aspx

WHAT'S NOT INCLUDED

BAGGAGE OFFLOAD: (check add-on services)
TRANSPORT Ex Dehraoon, Sankri: (check add-on services)
Personal Travel Insurance
Personal Purchases
Food Purchased Outside Our Menu
Personal Gears (check add-on services)
Anything not mentioned in the inclusion list

Cost Terms For The Kedarkantha Short Hardcore Trek

Cost Terms

The above-mentioned cost is in the range of minimum to maximum per-person cost for this trek as per 1 - 12 people team.PackageInclusions as per this cost can be read below.
5% GST (goods and service tax) is applicable for all our purchases.
We follow dynamic pricing as per the actual team size on the trek. Going by our standardized service, appropriate safety measures, quality equipment, and ecologically sustainable - small group commitment, a higher team size will lower the cost whereas a lower team size will significantly increase the cost.
Group segmented pricing if not provided here, please write to us using the contact page or text us on Whatsapp number +918017216725.
You may choose to keep the trek open or make it private depending upon your requirements or choice. The actual per-person cost of the trek is subject to the actual team size joining the trek. If you make any customizations that drastically change the itinerary and cost as mentioned here, then it will mandatorily have to be a private group only.
If we have dates listed on our website on Our Upcoming Treks and it is not marked as private, it means other people have booked this trek for that date and have opened it up for other members to join to lower the cost. If your dates and choices match, you may join these treks
You may join an existing open group listed on our website or create your own group as per your convenient dates and choose to either keep it private or open it up to lower the cost if other members join the trek.
At any point, the team size cannot be more than 12 members ( 10 for challenging treks) unless there is a unique exception requested or agreed upon by all the team members.

International Guests

Trek cost for foreigners is slightly higher than the cost for our Indian guests, mainly due to the higher permit fee applicable for admission to National Parks or protected forest areas. Sometimes, it may be higher due to higher local crew wages and other specific arrangements we make to ensure a safe, comfortable and enriching travel experience in India. However, we absolutely DO NOT 'hyper-charge' our International Guests ever and at the same time, ensure that we meet all the standards for highly qualified trek leaders and guides, safety, medical preparation, evacuation strategy, rescue arrangements, eco-sensitive travel, high-value knowledge sharing about the area and customs of the locals.

Extra Cost For International Trekkers Rs. 3000 per person.

Booking Process

Booking can only be done after multiple communication via email / Whatsapp / Calls. After connecting with us and discussing your needs, we finalize the trek and its requirements. After finalization, partial booking fees can be paid online or through direct bank transfers after which we trigger our preparations and arrangements for your trek. International Trekkers can pay the partial booking fees using PayPal, Wise, Western Union or Direct Wire Transfer.

Customized Private Group For Kedarkantha Short Hardcore Trek

Trekking is a very personal activity and is perhaps one of the very few activities that give you enough time to indulge with yourself or your beloved people, a group of special friends, or close family members. It helps you transform personal bonds to the next level as it brings out everyone's best and truest self. Trekking is most enjoyed when it is done in a small private group, personalized to serve your specific needs. The Himalayas are best experienced when there is silence and solitude around and when you are surrounded only by your best people. Your trek is most enjoyable when all the pain of arranging a smooth trek is taken care of by us, and you focus just on your trek and yourself. Most importantly, a small private trekking group is very flexible, personalized, and more enjoyable, is the safest, and follows the principles of Sustainable and Responsible Tourism. Most trekkers book us for arranging personalized private treks catering to their specific and unique requirements - Customize This Trek

ENQUIRE FOR PRICING

We work exclusively on Personalized Private Groups – its perfect for solo climbers, couples, families, friends or teams.

We keep it small for low ecological footprint, better experience, flexible itinerary, highest safety standards and superior success rate on the summits. Team size: 1 to 10 max.

Enquire for detailed pricing based on your preferences and group size.

Email Us

Customize

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