Panchkedar Trek Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand
All About It
- 15 Days 14 Nights
- Difficulty - Hard
- For 12+ years
- Best Season Summer (May, June, July) Monsoon (Aug, Sept, Oct)
Uttarakhand, better known as the Devbhumi (land of Gods), is truly one of the most heavenly parts of the earth. One of the tales of its rich past relates to a set of five Shiva temples known as Panch Kedar, which includes - Kedarnath, Tungnath, Rudranath, Madhyamaheshwar and Kalpeshwar. These sacred sites of Lord Shiva are located in the Garhwal region of Uttarakhand. The story of their origin is mostly traced to the Pandavas (from the Hindu epic Mahabharata). Each of the temples is placed on the most serene and unruffled parts of the Indian Himalayas. No direct motorable road goes straight to the temples. Every temple requires some amount of trekking with varying levels of difficulty.
Undertaking Panch Kedar Yatra will take you on a long magnificent journey to remember for a lifetime. Attached with the element of sacredness, the meadows, mountains, snow-covered peaks, wildlife and streams - all attain a more special significance. The Panch Kedar pilgrimage normally takes 15/16 days to complete.
LEGEND BEHIND THE FORMATION OF PANCH KEDAR
Legends have a way of getting twirled or divided into many streams while they go down the timeline through centuries. One of the versions of the most popular legend associated with the formation of Panch Kedar relates to the era of Mahabharata. After killing their blood relatives and gurus, the enormous load of remorse made the Pandavas seek Lord Shiva for atonement.
Enraged with their actions and dishonesty on the war field, Lord Shiva evaded their requests. He hid at Guptkashi in the Himalayas of Garhwal disguised as a bull. Pandavas came looking for Shiva in the Garhwal region and recognized God Shiva in the form of a bull. Bhim tried to catch hold of the bull but it dived in the ground and vanished.
That is why, it is believed, the site of Guptkashi (Hidden Kashi) got its name.
Shiva reappeared in different parts of Garhwal. Hump came up at Kedarnath, navel appeared at Madhya-Maheshwar, face emerged at Rudranath, arms at Tungnath and hair at Kalpeshwar.
Pandavas built temples at each of the five places where the Lord emerged as such. Taken together these five places came to be known as Panch Kedar.
Given below are the five most important homes of Lord Shiva in Garhwal Himalayas in the sequence in which they should be visited:
Highlights
1. Five Sacred Shrines: Visit the five sacred Shiva temples - Kedarnath, Tungnath, Rudranath, Madhyamaheshwar, and Kalpeshwar.
2. Breathtaking Landscapes: Witness stunning Himalayan vistas, picturesque villages, and serene valleys.
3. Challenging Trek: Experience a moderate to challenging trek, with steep ascents and descents, and scenic trails.
4. Cultural Immersion: Encounter local Garhwali culture, traditions, and hospitality.
5. Spiritual Significance: Explore the spiritual importance of Panch Kedar, a sacred pilgrimage circuit in Hinduism.
6. Rare Wildlife: Spot rare Himalayan wildlife, such as the Himalayan Monal, Musk Deer, and Snow Leopard.
7. Scenic Camping: Enjoy camping at picturesque locations, such as Panar Bugyal and Sagar Village.
8. Trekking Adventure: Embark on a thrilling adventure, with river crossings, forest trails, and mountain passes.
9. Local Cuisine: Savor local Garhwali cuisine, including dishes like Mandua, Kafuli, and Jholi.
10. Memorable Experience: Create lifelong memories with breathtaking views, challenging treks, and warm hospitality.
Who should attend?
The Panch Kedar Yatra is a challenging and spiritually rewarding trek, suitable for:
1. Hindu devotees: Those seeking spiritual growth and enlightenment, and wanting to visit the sacred Shiva temples.
2. Adventure seekers: Trekkers and hikers looking for a challenging and scenic experience.
3. Nature lovers: Those who appreciate breathtaking Himalayan landscapes and diverse wildlife.
4. Cultural enthusiasts: Individuals interested in exploring local Garhwali culture and traditions.
5. Fitness enthusiasts: People with a good level of physical fitness, looking for a demanding trek.
6. Spiritual seekers: Those seeking a deeper connection with nature and themselves.
7. Photography enthusiasts: With breathtaking landscapes and scenic trails, this trek is a photographer's paradise.
8. Solo travelers: Individuals looking for a challenging and rewarding solo experience.
9. Groups and families: Suitable for groups and families with older children (above 12 years) who can manage the trek.
However, the following individuals should exercise caution or avoid the trek:
1. Senior citizens (above 65 years) with health concerns.
2. People with chronic medical conditions (e.g., heart problems, high blood pressure).
3. Pregnant women or those with recent injuries.
4. Children below 12 years, due to the challenging terrain and high altitude.
5. Those with acrophobia (fear of heights) or vertigo.
It's essential to assess your physical fitness and health before embarking on the Panch Kedar Yatra. Consult a doctor and prepare accordingly to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience.
After the breakfast, we will drive to Urgam Valley via Devprayag, Rudraprayag, Karanprayag and Nandprayag. Upon arrival, check into your Homestay. Dinner and overnight stay at the Homestay in Urgam Valley.
Kalpeshwar is located in the picturesque valley of Urgam at an altitude of 2134 mtr. above the sea level. The entire valley is full of rich and diverse flora and fauna. From the valley, enjoy the view of lush green forests and terraced fields.
Kalpeshwar is one of the five shrines of Lord Shiva. The hairs of Lord Shiva are worshiped in this holy temple. The temple is accessible round the year.
After Kalpeshwar, we will be back to our stay village. Most of the trek to Urgam village is a gradual climb. After a long day, take rest at one of the home stays in Urgam village.
The local people of the village are very hospitable. Have a meal with them, learn their language, talk about their culture, lifestyle, and region.
Do you know?: Kalpeshwar is believed to be a favourite spot for meditation among many sages.
After the breakfast, we shall trek towards the Kalgot Village, we start our day with a trek from Urgam to Kalgot which is a 12 km long stretch.
Kalgot is located at an altitude of 2183 MTS. Above the sea level. During the initial trek, you walk through a dense forest hearing sounds of murmuring waterfalls.
Urgam valley is famous for Apple orchards, Rajma and for the cultivation of potatoes.
While you walk further, you witness beautiful lush green meadows rolling down the entire valley follwed by the many grazzing cattles.
On arriving Kalgot village, interact with remote villagers and learn from them their way of leading a happy life without modernisation.
Enjoy an overnight home stay with Garhwali family at Kalgot.
After some refreshments, start early morning for Kalgot to Panar Bugyal trek.
It is a 14 km.long trek. You have to climb uphill through the dense forest. As you move through the trek, you can witness the change in vegetation and atmosphere. Feel the breeze and peace of the place.
The trek leads you through farm fields, rocky dusty and steep trek routes. You also get to see amazing meadows with nature’s beauty at its peak.
Once you reach the top, you get a picturesque Himalayan view.
Don’t forget to capture the scenic beauty of nature which is at its best here.
Varied flowers, mushrooms and soft grass can be seen all over the valley. So roll on the soft carpeted grasslands like a small baby.
Enjoy overnight stay in atent under the open sky amidst vibrant and majestic landscapes.
Early morning post breakfast and with fresh legs, start Panar to Rudranath trek. Rudranath is situated at an altitude of 2286 m. from the sea level. Enjoy the atmosphere as you move ahead through the scenic routes. Rudranath is among the five shrines, and here the face of Lord Shiva had appeared in the natural rocks.
From the temple, you get abreath-taking panoramic view of the Himalayas, Nanda devi, Nanda Ghunti, Trishul and much more. To reach the top, you have to trek through thick dense forests, gorges and high alpine meadows.
There are few ponds near the temple like Surya kund, Tara kund, Chandra kund and Manaskund which can also be covered by the trekkers. The entire view along the trek is quite mesmerising and soothing.
Post breakfast, trek down to Lyuti Bugyal by passing through the dense forest and meadows. Upon arrival at Lyuti, Eve Snacks , Dinner and overnight stay in tents.
After a good sleep and breakfast, make your advancement towards Sagar village which is your first destination for the day.
You have to trek the distance between Lyuti Bugyal and Sagar village which is approximately 12 km. Later drive 32 km. towards Chopta.
The trek route from Panar to Sagar village goes through dense forests and high altitude meadows. Make sure you click good snaps around this extremely peaceful place.
Later drive 32 km. towards Chopta (2900 m.). Chopta is also known as Switzerland of India. It is considered as the most attractive place in the region. This place takes away the agony of an exhausting walk and brings forth a beautiful fairy world in front of you.
Enjoy the majestic view of snow clad Himalayas, lush green meadows, dense forests and other surrounding areas. Here you can find the rare view of musk deer, pheasant, Monal and lot of other wildlife.
The place offers arich variety of flora and fauna. During the trek, you come across a lot of Rhododendron and Deodar trees.
After the hectic day, take rest and overnight stay at Chopta.
Start early in the morning with a wholesome breakfast and some morning exercises. Today we move ahead to Tungnath, which is another shrine of Lord Shiva.
Tungnath is located at an altitude of 3680 m. above the sea level and it is the highest shrine of Lord Shiva in the entire world. At this place, Lord Shiva’s arms were identified and are worshiped.
Shiva’s vehicle, Nandi bull is also placed here, facing the gate of the temple. Small temples are also dedicated to Goddess Parvati and Lord Vyas.
Chopta to Tungnath trek is approximately 3.5 km., which is easy to hike and takes around 4 hours to reach. You can hike through a well-made concrete path which goes by lush green alpine meadows, dense forests and surrounded by snow-capped Himalayan ranges.
Moving 1.5 km. ahead, you reach Chandrashila, which is located at an altitude of 4000 m. above the sea level. During winters, the entire place is covered with white snow sheets. The journey to Chandrashila allows you to get enchanted by the majestic view of Himalayas.
Late evening drive back to Ukhimath/Guptkashi and night stay is arranged in the guest house at Ukhimath/Guptkashi.
The day starts with morning breakfast and a drive to Ransi, then you head over for trek from Ransi to Gaundhar. The trek distance is about 7 km.
Gaundhar is situated at the height of 3073 m. above the sea level. Gaundhar is a small village which acts as a base camp for trekkers heading towards Madhyamaheshwar. Devotees travelling to Madhyamaheswar temple opt to take a halt at Gaundhar, so this route is often crowded with pilgrims.
On this trek you come across a bridge, from where you can witness the confluence of Madhyamaheshwar Ganga River and the holy Markanga Ganga River which gives enchanting views to the trekkers. This is one of the lowest points of our trek. This place offers scenic views which cannot be expressed in literature.
After reaching Gaundhar, take the dinner and proceed for an overnight stay in Homestay at Gaundhar.
After early morning breakfast, you proceed to trek from Gaundhar to Madhyamasheswar. The trek distance is 10 km. which takes around 5 to 6 hours.
Madhyamaheshwar is located at the height of 3490 m. above the sea level. The trek route is steep and goes through dense forests. It is one of the well graded paths, which offers changing views of grassy slopes, lush green meadows and emerald streams.
Madhyamaheswar is the fourth shrine of Lord Shiva. Many devotees and worshipers believe that navel mid part of the body of Lord Shiva reappeared at this shrine after it disappeared at Kedarnath. The temple is built in typical north Indian style. The temple has status of Har-Gouri, Parvati and Ardhanarishwara.
Enjoy the holy sounds of the temple bell which makes everyone’s soul sacred.
Set up the camp after reaching here. The campsite offers an incredible view of prominent peaks like Kedarnath, Chaukhamba and Neelkanth .
Have the dinner and overnight stay at the camp in Madhyamaheshwar.
After an overnight stay at Madhyamaheshwar, take early morning breakfast.
Pay homage to the ancient deity and later trek along the same route of the previous day towards Gaudhar.
Enjoy the mesmerising atmosphere and scenic beauty of this place. Click some pictures of this beautiful Garhwal Himalayan region trek and make your trekking experience last forever.
Have dinner and overnight stay in the camp at Gaundhar.
After having early morning breakfast, you start the trek from Gaundhar to Ransi.
The distance between them is approximately 6 km. Local villagers, water streams, mountains andcattles can be seen throughout the route. The entire trekking route is beautiful and full of positive energy.
After reaching Ransi, take the dinner. Overnight stay is at Ransi.
The day begins with early morning breakfast and few stretching exercises before you start trekking from Ransi to Kalimath. The total trek distance is around 13 km.
The trekking route mostly passes through dense forests. On the route, many sights having the evidence of landslides can be seen. Water streams with cold water can be found flowing along the trek path. Kalimath is situated on the banks of Kali Ganga River.
On reaching Kalimath, visit the Kali Temple. Many devotees visit the temple every year. During Navratris the rush is at its peak. Later take a drive from Kalimath to Gaurikund via Guptkashi. The total drive is 39 km. long. Take a halt in Gupthkashi (1319 m.) and visit some ancient temples. Head back to Gaurikund for dinner.
According to many local traditions, it is claimed that Guari, also known as Parvati performed many ascetic and yogic practices to win Shiva’s love. Overnight stay is at a hotel in Gaurikund (1981 m.).
Do you know?: The interesting thing about the Kali temple is that there is no idol that is worshiped here;instead, Sri Yantra is the object of devotion for the pilgrims.
The morning starts with breakfast and then you head for the trek from Gaurikund to Kedarnath. The trek route is 16 km. long.
Kedarnath is situated at the height of 3584 m. above the sea level and is one of the Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva out of the total twelve. Kedarnath temple is believed to be very ancient temple and at this place the hump of Lord Shiva had appeared.
The trek route offers an incredible view of the surroundings. River flowing through the valley can be seen on the right side. The entire trek distance is composed of awalk with no steep climbing.
On arrival at Kedarnath, take the dinner. Overnight stay is at the Lodge in Kedarnath.
The day starts with early morning breakfast and later visit the Kedarnath temple.
Seek the blessings of Kedarnath ji and participate in the morning pooja.
After completing the religious rituals you trek from Kedarnath to Gaurikund. The trek distance is 19 km. and the route is same as that of the previous day.
On reaching Gaurikund, take the lunch and drive towards Guptkashi.
The distance between the two is 30 km. which takes around 2.5 hours.
After reaching Guptkashi, take dinner and proceed for an overnight stay at Guptkashi.
After taking early breakfast, you head towards onward journey.
The distance of Guptkashi to prominent places are Haridwar – 207 km.
Inclusions
Accommodation.
Veg Meals as per itinerary.
All necessary permits and entry fees.
First Aid , Medical Kits.
Moutaineering Qualified Trek leader, guide and Support Staff.
Transport
Exclusions
Any kind of personal expenses.
Food During the Transit.
Insurance.
Any kind of emergency evacuation charges.
Mules or Porters to carry personal luggage.
Anything not specifically mentioned under the head.
Things can be provided on Demand and Availablity
(participant has to pay extra for these things)
Things to Carry
1. Wearing layers is the mantra in the mountains. Layers give you maximum protection from all elements. You will need at least 5 warm layers (Insulin layers). You will need at least 1 pair of inner thermals, 2 light fleece layers, 1 light sweater, and 1 padded jacket. Ensure your padded jacket has a hood as well. A minimum of one pair and a maximum of two pairs of trek pants should suffice for this trek. Wear one pair and carry one just in case it rains/snows. Trek pants with zippered cut offs at the thighs are very suitable for treks. Also, choose quick-dry pants over cotton
Sunglasses - Sunglasses are to prevent snow blindness. A small overexposure to direct sunlight on snow can lead to snow blindness (about a half hour’s exposure). That’s because fallen snow is like thousands of mirrors that reflect direct UV rays. So you need sunglasses with UV protection.
Buying Tip: Try getting sunglasses that wrap around instead of those that have openings on the side. Even peripheral UV ray exposure is not a good idea.
2. Sun Cap
3. Synthetic Hand Gloves - Get synthetic hand gloves that have waterproofing on the outside and a padded lining on the inside. If you find the combination difficult to get (not likely), wear a tight-fitting fleece hand glove inside a synthetic hand glove. Hand gloves are mandatory on this trek.
4. Woollen Cap - a woollen head cap that covers your head and ears is absolutely essential.
5. Socks - Apart from three to four pairs of sports socks, take a pair of woolen socks. Sports socks give you cushioning plus warmth. Again the mantra is to wear synthetic socks or at least a synthetic blend. Cotton socks soak in water and sweat. They are very hard to dry. As for woolen socks, they help you to keep warm and snug in the night. If you cannot get woolen socks, wearing two sports socks serves the purpose as well.
6.Power Bank
7. Thermos for water
8. Medication (As per medical conditions if any and is subscribed by a doctor)
9.Extra cover for your electronic gear items/Valuables.
10. Quick Dry Towel/Towel
11. Torch/headlamp
12. A tiffin box with a spoon for packed lunch, we try reduced usage of plastic/paper as much as possible
13. Poncho/Rain Cover
14. Do not leave plastic wrappers(chips,chocolates etc) behind while on Trek and yes! don't forget your "Mask" of course!
HOW TO REACH
Rishikesh is a well-connected city in Uttarakhand, India. Here are the ways to reach Rishikesh by train, air, and land:
By Train:
1. Haridwar Railway Station (24 km from Rishikesh): The nearest major railway station, connected to major Indian cities like Delhi, Mumbai, and Kolkata.
2. Rishikesh Railway Station (smaller station): Receives trains from Haridwar, Delhi, and Dehradun.
By Air:
1. Jolly Grant Airport (Dehradun) (35 km from Rishikesh): The nearest airport, receiving flights from Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru.
2. Indira Gandhi International Airport (Delhi) (230 km from Rishikesh): Connects to international destinations; from Delhi, take a train, bus, or taxi to Rishikesh.
By Land:
1. Bus: Regular bus services from Delhi, Haridwar, Dehradun, and other nearby cities.
2. Taxi/Car: Hire a taxi or drive from Delhi (6-7 hours), Haridwar (45 minutes), or Dehradun (1 hour).
3. Volvo/Luxury Buses: Private operators offer luxury bus services from Delhi and other cities.
Additional Tips:
- From Haridwar Railway Station, take a taxi, bus, or shared jeep to Rishikesh.
- From Jolly Grant Airport, take a taxi or bus to Rishikesh.
- Be prepared for traffic and road conditions, especially during peak season or monsoons.
- Book tickets and accommodations in advance, especially during peak season (May-June and September-October).
Remember to plan your journey according to your convenience and time constraints.
Terms and Conditions
Booking Amount: Non-refundable.
Non-cancellable/Non-amendable Packages: Bookings cannot be canceled or amended. The full advance payment will be treated as the cancellation fee if canceled or amended. The same terms apply if guests don't show up.
Other Bookings: If guests don't show up or exist tour early, the complete booking will be non-refundable.
Unforeseen Circumstances: No refunds will be provided due to government orders, harsh weather, protests, landslides, or other unforeseen circumstances. A backup plan will be implemented if possible.
Activity Cancellation: Activities may be canceled due to circumstances beyond our control. The booking amount will be non-refundable.
Trek Cancellation (Last Minute): If a trek is called off due to natural calamities/unforeseen circumstances, participants will receive a travel voucher for the same amount, valid for 3 months (subject to availability).
Trek Abortion (Midway): If a trek/trip is aborted midway due to natural calamities/unforeseen circumstances, no refund will be provided.
Extra Expenses: Travelmite/Third Party Operator will not bear any extra expenses due to natural calamities/unforeseen circumstances
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