The meditation that moved
Local telling says Shiva chose this summit to meditate, until a bull running in the valley below broke his peace. He left for Kedarnath, and the peak kept his name.
Kedarkantha trek at a glance: distance, height, cost and best time
- Kedarkantha trek distance
- 23 km walking, over 4 days
- Kedarkantha trek height
- 3,810 m, the highest point
- Duration
- 5 days on the trail
- Difficulty
- Easy–moderate
- Best time for the Kedarkantha trek
- Dec–Feb
- Kedarkantha trek cost
- Guided treks cost about ₹5,000–11,500 + 5% GST per person.
- Weather
- Days 0 to 10 °C. Nights −10 to −15 °C in winter.
More below: the day-by-day itinerary, the best months, operators and cost, and the 3D route above. Or read it all on one page: the full trek guide.
After the summit · the almanac
The trek in four numbers
Kedarkantha is often called the best first Himalayan winter trek: a real summit, a short approach, and snow from December to March.
3,810m
Height of the summit
1,860m
Climb from Sankri village
23km
Walking, over 4 days
−15°C
Coldest winter nights
💪 Easy to moderate❄️ Best snow: Dec–Feb⛺ 3 camps🚗 190 km from Dehradun
Kedarkantha trek itinerary, day by day
Five days, step by step
Most operators follow this plan. Times change with snow and group pace.
How high you are on each kilometre
- Day 1Dehradun → SankriDrive about 190 km8–10 h by road🛏️ Guesthouse in Sankri · 1,950 m
- Day 2Sankri → Juda ka TalabForest walk4 km · about 5 h🛏️ Tents by the lake · 2,773 m
- Day 3Juda ka Talab → Base CampMeadows and snow4 km · about 3 h🛏️ Tents at Base Camp · 3,413 m
- Day 4Summit, then HargaonStart 4 a.m., top at sunrise3 km up + 6 km down · about 7 h🛏️ Tents at Hargaon · 2,700 m
- Day 5Hargaon → SankriWalk down, drive home6 km · 2–4 h🛏️ Home
Stories and nature
Why it is called Kedar's throat
Kantha, the throat
In a Pandava version, Shiva took the form of a bull to avoid Bhima and sank into the earth. His body surfaced in pieces across Garhwal, and his throat, kantha, rose here.
A strand from the juda
Thirsty during meditation, Shiva pulled a strand of hair from his bun, the juda, and dropped it in the forest. Water gathered where it fell: Juda ka Talab.
From village to snow
Four worlds in 1,860 m
The trail climbs through the forests of Govind National Park and out above the tree line. In late March and April the snow melts and the rhododendrons bloom.
Animals seen around Kedarkantha
🐻 Black bear🐆 Leopard🐦 Snowcock🐦 Thrushes🦜 Parakeets🐹 Marmot
3,400–3,810 m
❄️ Snow ridge and summit
Open snow slope. A small Shiva shrine with a trishul on top.
3,000–3,400 m
🏕️ Meadows and snowfields
The forest ends. Base Camp is here, with the summit in view.
2,000–3,000 m
🌲 Deodar, oak, rhododendron
Thick forest. Juda ka Talab lake is inside it.
about 1,950 m
🏡 Sankri village
Wooden houses, terraced fields and the last road.
Best time for the Kedarkantha trek
Pick a month
Tap a month to see which operators run the trek then.
❄️ Deep snow, the classic season🌤️ Some snow🌸 Snow melting, flowers
How to reach the Kedarkantha trek
Getting to Sankri
Sankri is where the walk starts. Everyone reaches it from Dehradun.
- Dehradun🚌 Bus all the way: 8 a.m., 9–10 h, ₹300–450
or 🚕 shared taxi to Purola: 4.5 h, ₹300 - Purola🚕 Shared cab: ₹150–200, leaves before noon
- Sankri
Private cab from Dehradun: ₹3,500–7,000 for 4–5 people. A seat in your operator's cab: about ₹750–850.
Bring cash
No ATM in Sankri. Use the ATMs in Dehradun or Purola.
Little phone signal
Only BSNL works after Purola. Tell family you'll be offline for 4 days.
Permit and ID
Park entry is given at the Sankri forest gate. Operators arrange it.
Cost
Guided treks cost about ₹5,000–11,500 + 5% GST per person.
Weather
Days 0 to 10 °C. Nights −10 to −15 °C in winter.
Hardest part
Summit day: a 4 a.m. climb, then a long walk down.
Altitude sickness
Headache, sickness or dizziness? Tell your leader, rest, and go down if it gets worse.
Nearest hospital
Health Centre, Purola. There is no doctor on the trek.
For foreign trekkers
What's different for you
Foreigners pay three times the Indian fee to enter Govind park: ₹600 instead of ₹200, plus ₹250 instead of ₹50 for each extra day. Rules change: confirm with the issuing office before you travel. Checked October 2026.
Park fee
Non-Indians pay ₹600 for the first 3 days (2 nights) in Govind park and ₹250 for each extra day. Indians pay ₹200 and ₹50. These are the rates on the park's website as of October 2026. Govind park website
Camping fee
Tent fees are doubled for non-Indians: ₹100 for your own 2-person tent and ₹200 for a 4-person or kitchen tent. Indians pay ₹50 and ₹100. Govind park website
Package prices
Bikat Adventures' price covers forest permits and camping fees only up to the Indian rate, so foreigners may be asked to pay the difference. Bikat Adventures
Kedarkantha trek packing list
Your checklist
Tick items as you pack. Your ticks stay saved on this device. Items with a red price can be rented.
Clothing
Shoes
Gear
Papers and money
Health
Kedarkantha trek gear rental
Where to get gear
Most operators already give tents, sleeping bags, microspikes and gaiters. Ask yours before you rent.
🏙️ In Dehradun before you leave
DecathlonBuy · thermals, socks, fleece, gloves, torch, polesPlot 1591, Haridwar Bypass Road · Map
Himalayan Dream TreksRent · shoes, jackets, bags, poles10 B Mothorowala Road, Dharampur · +91 80896 93825 · Prices
🏔️ In Sankri at the start of the trek
Himalayan High Trekkers' LodgeRent · everything from shoes to tents. Book online first.Taluka road, before the trailhead · +91 80172 16725 · Prices
Himalayan Dream Treks counterRent · whole-trek rates: shoes ₹700, jacket ₹400At Sankri base camp · +91 80896 93825
Rental prices are from each shop's website for 2025–26. Phone to confirm.
Kedarkantha trek operators and cost
Choose an operator
We found 22 companies with a fixed-departure Kedarkantha page for 2026–27, and around 30 brands in total. Counting the small agencies in Sankri and Dehradun and the travel-club resellers, the real number is probably 150–300, but many of them share the same few camp teams. None are foreign: Expedia and Viator listings resell Indian operators.
Prices are base prices from each operator's own page in October 2026. Most add 5% GST, and Dehradun transport is usually extra. Ratings are what each operator shows on its own site, not an independent audit. Names marked † show last season's price or one we could only see in a search snippet. Logos are the operators' website icons.