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Kedarnath Trek – A Complete Guide

by Mohit Behl
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Where is Kedarnath?

Kedarnath (3,553 metres, approximately) is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva located in the Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand. It lies just below the base of the mighty Kedarnath peak (6,940 metres), and is the First Kedar to be visited in case you are staying true to the sequence of the Panch Kedar circuit. The other four being Madhmaheshwar, Tungnath, Rudranath, and Kalpeshwar.

Kedarnath Trek
Kedarnath Trek, Uttarakhand.

I want to drive there myself. What is the motorable route?

Haridwar – Rishikesh – Devprayag – Srinagar – Rudraprayag – Augustmuni – Kund – Guptkashi – Sonprayag – Gaurikund

Distance from Haridwar to Gaurikund: 237 km

The motorable road ends at Gaurikund, but you’ll need to park your vehicle at Sonprayag. No private vehicles or even taxis from outside are allowed to go beyond Sonprayag. The only option is to board one of the shared taxis that specifically run from Sonprayag to Gaurikund. This more than sorts it out in case you are driving here yourself.

The road is more or less well-maintained except for a few patches that fall under the landslide zone. Road from Guptkashi to Sonprayag is patchy at best.

I want to opt for public transport.

  1. Take a bus or shared taxi (Max) from Haridwar/Rishikesh to Sonprayag
  2. Take a shared taxi (Max) from Sonprayag to Gaurikund

Buses, both local and of Uttarakhand State Transport, and shared taxis start plying from Haridwar/Rishikesh to Sonprayag as early as 4 am.

That being said, you should know that all the local buses take their own sweet time and multiple halts. All the buses and taxis will drop you at Sonprayag. After this, there is no other choice but to board another shared taxi to Gaurikund.

It should cost one person 1000-1200 bucks, Haridwar to Haridwar.

Reflections of a heavenly kind. Kedarnath Trek, Uttarakhand.

How long is the trek? How is the trek route like? Do I need a guide? Is there any Medical Aid available?

Gaurikund – Rambara Bridge – Jungle Chatti – Lancholi – Base Camp – Kedarnath (16 km)

It is a well laid out trek all the way through, paved and pretty straight forward.

From Gaurikund to Rambara Bridge (about 7 km) it is gradual yet easy ascent.

It is a steep, gradual ascent after crossing the bridge at Rambara, all the way to the base camp, where it flattens. The last 1 km or so is an easy walk to the temple.

You do not need a guide. Horses, Mules, Palanquins, and Porters are available at Gaurikund. It’s better to book them at Gaurikund itself; you will find many at several points on trek too but they will ask for a price higher than the altitude you will be standing at.

Medical and First Aid facilities are available at several places including Lancholi and Base Camp. There even is a small government hospital just 200 metres from the temple. And police check posts on several points.

Where to stay, eat, and how much will it cost?

There are many Lodges, Ashrams, Guest Houses, and Camps running from Gaurikund to Base Camp that provide cheap accommodation, both private and government run, including GMVN Lodges at Lancholi and Base Camp. The prices can vary from INR 500 per room to INR 2000, depending on the rush of pilgrims. While the rates shoot up in May-June (peak season), they also go drastically low in the months of September-October (the best time to do this trek).

However, don’t expect anything in terms of luxury; expect basic rooms, warm quilts, simple but good food. There are plenty of tea/coffee shops on the way that also offer food. Expect to pay around INR 100 for a hearty meal for one person.

Peak to my right, temple to my left. Guess which one I love more.

Is it possible to do Gaurikund-Kedarnath-Gaurikund in one day?

Yes. It depends on your fitness. We had set out at around 2 am and were back by 5 pm the same day, from Gaurikund to Kedarnath and back. Approximately 35 kilometres in 15 hours, which includes 4 hours of wait in the queue outside the temple (it was May). I’ve been told time and again this is a small feat. I am not proud of it. We were behind schedule and had to make up for it. I don’t like to test my speed against distance. Time to me is mostly irrelevant. I like to walk easy. Sit in silence. Maybe lie down. Take a gander at the grandeur. Look into the soul of these mountains. Feel a beat or two. Click a few pictures. Start again. Repeat again. Must we tie self-made accomplishments to places such as these?

This is the gist of it. If you have any further queries, feel free to leave a comment below or contact me through Facebook or Instagram. I’ll get back to you as soon as I can. Stay safe, travel responsibly!



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20 comments

Papiya Gupta March 30, 2019 - 9:38 pm

Very crisp and adequately informative.

Reply
Mohit Behl March 30, 2019 - 9:56 pm

Thanks, Papia. 🙂

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Sandeep Kumar March 30, 2019 - 11:52 pm

Hey Bro, Thanks for this description..!!

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Mohit Behl March 31, 2019 - 12:25 am

Thanks for reading, bro.

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Jatin Doshi May 10, 2019 - 1:24 pm

Hi Mohit..Beautifully written! To the point! I was planning this trek in September this year..Had a couple of doubts…If I start at say 5 in morning from Sonprayag..Take a shared taxi to Gaurikund. how long does the shared taxi take from Sonprayag to Gaurikund? If I start at 5 from Sonprayag, what time can I expect to start the trek from Gaurikund? I plan to reach the temple by say afternoon and stay overnight..Is there any place I can book on the spot to stay overnight and begin my descent the next day? I’ll be traveling solo! Thanks!

Reply
Mohit Behl May 10, 2019 - 2:02 pm

Hi Jatin. Thank you for reading! 🙂

  1. The distance from Sonprayag to Gaurikund is approximately 4 km. It shouldn’t take you more than 10 minutes to reach Gaurikund. However, this will be a shared taxi and it will not start until it can accommodate all the passengers it has the capacity to. So, I’d say add another few minutes. That being said, September is not the peak season; there shouldn’t be any hassles.
  2. You can start the trek from Gaurikund the moment you reach there.

  3. There are plenty of Lodges, Dharamshalas, and Guest Houses around the temple. Finding a room, on the spot, will be no trouble at all.

All the best! 🙂

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Rakesh Singh August 22, 2019 - 1:30 pm

Hi Mohit. This is an apt description for anyone who wants to go to Kedarnath. I’m planning to go in early October. Just had a couple of queries. Is it better to take a shared taxi from Rishikesh to Sonprayag? Rather than a bus which might halt at every place and as you said will take own sweet time to reach. Don’t mind paying a little extra for taxis if required. Also, apart from the registration for the yatra which can be done online is there any other registration or fitness certificate required before starting the trek? Thanks!

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Mohit Behl August 22, 2019 - 3:17 pm

Hi, Rakesh. Thank you for reading. Shared taxis are relatively faster but almost always cramped. Buses are more breathable. Personally, I prefer buses. No fitness certificate is required.

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Manoj Agarwal October 9, 2019 - 6:39 pm

A very detailed guide to Kedarnath trek, Mohit! I read your blog very carefully to understand your experience and other important things about Kedarnath like how will it cost. Thank you for sharing this article I will visit this place with my friends and family.

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Mohit Behl October 18, 2019 - 6:42 pm

Thank you for reading, Manoj. 🙂

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Shantanu July 13, 2020 - 6:02 pm

Hi Mohit,

Very succinct and a treat to read. I loved the combination of pictures clubbed with crisp text for an amazing experience.
Great work brother.
Can I have a few of these pictures for one of my videos.

Reply
Mohit Behl July 30, 2020 - 5:59 pm

Thank you for appreciating. 🙂

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Subhadip October 30, 2021 - 12:50 pm

The colour tone is just just just awesome.

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Mohit Behl November 10, 2021 - 3:44 pm

Thank you for appreciating.

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Divya January 16, 2022 - 4:52 pm

Hi mohit
We r planning to go in d month of may ..
I ve one clarification..
1.Can we start trek around 12 pm? Bec we ll reach gowrikunda @11am.
2. Can we stay middle of d trek. Is any accommodation on d middle?

Reply
Mohit Behl January 17, 2022 - 1:32 pm
  1. You can start anytime.
  2. Please refer to ‘Where to Stay, Eat, and how much will it cost’ section on the post.
    All the best.
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Mukunda September 14, 2022 - 2:26 pm

Hello Mohit ,
For an ordinary people is easy trek or very diffcult?

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Mohit Behl September 14, 2022 - 2:36 pm

Hi. The trek itself is not difficult. It might seem a little long and tiring. But should be manageable as long as you take it easy. All the best.

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Navneel Neeraj March 31, 2023 - 3:50 pm

Dear Mohit – All guides are so well written – Every thing at one place – I have saved all these for my preparations when I go

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Mohit Behl April 24, 2023 - 10:50 am

Thank you! Glad I could be of help. All the best.

Reply

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