Kedarkantha – Best Winter Trek in India
One of the most popular winter treks in Uttarakhand, Kedarkantha Trek is a trekker’s delight and rookie’s rite of passage due to its relative ease. Covered in sparkling snow during winters, this trek offers breathtaking view of the majestic Himalayan peaks. It also offers trekkers a unique opportunity to experience the life in the remotest of villages in dead winter!
Kedarkantha trek gives you the unsurpassed beauty, magnificent views of charming villages, meadows, snow paths, dramatic landscape dotted with lovely lakes, mountains, tranquil rivers and the great Himalayan peaks. The Kedarkantha trek also provides a great opportunity to view the scenic beauty and feel the experience of the life of remote villages of Uttarakhand Himalayas.
Best Time To Go For Kedarkantha Trek
Kedarkantha is an all-season trek that captivates you with a distinct beauty in each season. Spring and summer boast of clear skies and fresh landscapes that treat your senses with the fragrance of blooming flowers. The glossy green pine forests look inviting and the green landscape allures you with a magical freshness that is simply irresistible. The fall season offers a unique experience; trekking on the trail bedecked with dried multi-hued leaves is an amazing experience.
This season with its auburn, cognac, and wine coloured flora floors you with a panorama so surreal that you have to blink twice to soak in the generous offerings of nature. However, winter is still considered the best time to visit Kedarkantha. The snowy trails lined with tall snow-drifted trees, frozen mountain lakes incandescent in the moonlight and snowy peaks glittering at dawn and dusk in amazing hues of golden and red; the panorama of winter landscape leaves an indelible impression on your mind. Kedarkantha peak at an elevation of 12,500 feet shimmers beautifully in the winter sun and at night the moonlight casts a magical glow to the lofty mountain. The panoramic view of the stunning mountain ranges of Swargrohini, Bandarpoonch, Kalanag, Gangotri, Yamunotri, and DhaulaDhar from the Kedarkantha summit looks ethereal in winters.
The beautiful slopes covered with snow during winters make Kedarkantha for a wonderful ski destination as well.
Kedarkantha Weather
Trek to Kedarkantha is an all-season activity. However, you can better plan your trip if you visit it during the season that best suits you. You might love to explore Kedarkantha in its greenest glory when the meadows, trails, and campsites are fresh with new leaves and blooming flowers. The region gets enough rainfall during the monsoon months and you witness pretty waterfalls sprout up in the hills. The dark and grey clouds hovering over the mountains make for a beautiful sight. However, heavy rains may cause a lot of landslides during the monsoon months. If you are seeking a snowy rendezvous then you might want to trek Kedarkantha in the winter months. Kedarkantha trek in December is the beginning of winter when the falling snow transforms the landscape to wintry fairyland. Snow remains in the trail till the last week of April. The temperatures vary from -10 to 8 degrees in winters and you might face harsh weather conditions such as slippery slopes and severe winds. Trudging your way through thick snow is also a divine experience offered by Kedarkantha winter trek.
Kedarkantha Temperature
- Summer months of April-June- Plus 6 degrees to plus 20 degrees
- Monsoon months of July-August- Plus 3 to plus 16 degrees
- Fall/Autumn months of September-November- Plus 2 degrees to plus 15 degrees
- Winter months of December-March- Minus 10 degrees to plus 8 degrees
Staying in Kedarkantha Trek
As Kedarkantha is a popular winter trek, only adventurous trekkers visit this place. There are no hotels, resorts or guesthouses at Kedarkantha Summit or at Base camp. The trekkers take tents along with them and camp along the trail when they halt at night. Tents can also be rented from the town close to the base camp. The tour operators generally provide the camping equipment. The nearest market or roadhead is at Sankri.