I was awestruck by my first glimpse of the Himalayas, when I first visited Kedarkantha Peak Snow Trek, way back in 2013.
There’s something about the mountains that attracts us. Perhaps it is the mighty glaciers that descend from these heights, thawing into rivers at lower altitudes, providing life to this land.
Perhaps it is the immense vastness of these landscapes or the deafening silence there. Or maybe it is the wild beauty of this region that holds us spellbound.
Amongst many treks in the Garhwal Himalayas, Kedarkantha is one of my favorites. The route goes through dense pine forests and open meadows at high altitudes and offers a 360 degree panoramic view of snow-capped peaks all around you. At an altitude of 3,800 m, Kedarkantha is one of the highest treks in Uttarakhand and is considered relatively easy by trekkers across the world.
I know what you’re thinking – Yes, Kedarkantha can be done by beginners too but this does not mean it’s going to be a cakewalk for you!
The Himalayas are not just a range of mountains that separates the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau.
Kedarkantha is one of those trekking destinations that’s popular all year round.
A snow-trek in Uttarakhand during winters sounds like a splendid experience and Kedarkantha is probably one of the best places to try trekking in winter.
The trek starts from Sankri village and ends at Juda ka Talab, with an ascend-only path for about 14 km.
From Sankri you’ll proceed to Hargaon (2 kms) and from there to Juda Ka Talab (4 kms).
You can start climbing immediately on Day 1 if you reach Sankri by noon.
We also made it to Soilage Me which is around 3 km and at 12,500 ft elevation.
There’s a small lake called Juda Ka Talab which is frozen in winters and where you can camp on Day 2.
The summit is only 6 kms away from base camp, however, there’s an option to halt at a place before the summit called Khiloni Bugyal which offers some splendid views of the area and you can camp there as well.
I was standing on the summit of Kedarkantha, and I couldn’t believe it. I made it!
And I had started my journey a few days back, and now it was 9:00 pm. The air was cold and crisp, but my heart was warm with gratitude. I had just completed my first snow trek in Uttarakhand, India.
The view from the summit is a sight to behold. Beautiful view of snow covered mountains and lush valley.
It made me realize that our existence is so much more than what we see on a daily basis. There’s so much more to life than just getting up every morning, going to work, coming home and going to sleep again.
That place has given me many lessons in life: how to look beyond my own limitations; how to be grateful for what I have; how not to take things for granted; And how to enjoy every moment in life; and most importantly, how to be happy with whatever comes my way!
