About Panch Kedar Trek
Panch Kedar Trek is one of the most popular religious treks in the Indian Himalayan region, extending from 2134 meters in Urgam to 3680 meters in Tungnath. The entire length symbolizes the mythological colors of the Mahabharata, where the Pandavas traveled to the Himalayas to meet Lord Shiva, who avoided the confrontation because of the Pandavas’ Gau-Hatya (Killing Cow). Parts of Lord Shiva’s body that emerged in the form of a bull are believed to have come up at various locations in the Himalayas during the fight that followed. The forelegs that come up in Nepal, the head of the bull at Kedarnath, the body with the belly’s navel at Madhyamaheshwar, the forearms at Tungnath, the skull at Rudranath, and the hair at Kalpeshwar became the Panch Kedar in India (excluding Pashupatinath being in Nepal).
Panch Kedar Trek not only takes you to the five Lord Shiva shrines but also shows you to distant villages with an iconic charm. The entire trek from Kalgot to Kedarnath, passing through Rudranath, Chopta, Gaundhar, Tungnath, and Madhyamaheshwar, offers ample opportunity to fall in love with the stunning features of the region, which is blessed with snow-capped peaks wrapping dense forests and beautiful green meadows riding down valleys.
Best time to Visit Panch Kedar Trek
The best time to visit the Panch Kedar trek is between May and October. All of Panch Kedar’s temples are only open for 6 months a year, from April to October. The temples are unreachable during the winter due to heavy rain and snowfall. The sacred symbolism of Lord Shiva in Kedarnath is worshipped at the Omkareshwar temple in Ukhimath during the winter, the reflective idol of Tungnath is praised at Mokumath, the Rudranath symbolic picture is decided to bring to Gopeshwar, and the Madhyamaheshwar symbolic idol is revered at Ukhimath. Only Kalpeshwar remains open all year.
Where is Panch Kedar situated?
Panch Kedar temples are situated in the Upper Himalaya region, with snow-covered hill peaks of Nanda Devi, Chaukhamba, Kedarnath, and Neelkanth peaks. Kedarnath is in the Mandakini River valley, while the other temples are in the mountain between the Mandakini and Alaknanda rivers. All of the temples are in distant places, and all but Rudranath are still unreachable by roadways. Panch Kedar trek is the most visited trekking place in Uttarakhand.
The village of Kedarnath is located on the edge of the Kedarnath high mountain in the rural northern Garhwal Himalayas. The rivers that run in the valley behind the Kedarnath temple also include the Dudhganga, Madhuganga, Swargaduari, and Saraswathi. Tungnath is situated near Chopta, which is a short distance from Ukhimath and has a beautiful background of the peaks of Panchachuli, Nanda Devi, Dunagiri, Kedarnath, and Bandar Poonch. Kalpeshwar is situated in the Urgam valley, bordered by deep forest. Urgam Valley features apple orchards & terraced fields where potatoes are widely cultivated. This valley is crossed by the Kalp Ganga River, a source of the Alaknanda.
Panch Kedar Trek Itinerary
DAY 1: DEHRADUN TO HELANG
Elevation: 6696 ft
Time: Driving time from Haridwar is 9 hours
A night bus from Dehradun to Joshimath is another option. These cost between Rs.600 and Rs.800 per seat. On this route, Helang is located before Joshimath; request that your bus driver stop here.
DAY 2: HELANG TO KALPESHWAR VIA LYARI: RETURN TO HELANG: DRIVE TO SAGGAR
Elevation: 7217 ft
Time: 5-6 hours trek: This covers the trek to Lyari if the road is blocked.
Trek incline: Â Medium to easy. The trek to villages and farms is mostly smooth.
Source of water: On the trek, you will find one water source where you can fill your bottles and sippers.
The total distance between Lyari to Kalpeshwar is about 4.5 km. The duration of the trek is not tough.
Set out from Helang early. Then, you may return to Helang and continue to Saggar, which is a 2-hour trek away.
DAY 3: SAGGAR TO PANAR
Elevation: 11,155 ft
Time: 12 km (6-7 hours)
Trek incline: Difficult trek: Climb gently all the route to Panar.
Source of water: You can fill your water bottles and sippers at the rivers or the dhabas along the route.
Follow the Saggar route. Suryavanshi Emperor Saggar, a grandson of King Harishchandra, had passed his childhood here.
The path is an extremely steep climb through deep forests. The trek is very well, having stairs cut out to Panar.
DAY 4: PANAR TO RUDRANATH: RETURN TO PANCH GANGA
Elevation: 11,811 ft
Time: 11 km (6-7 hours)
Trek incline: Medium to difficult. Climb gently all the route to Rudranath.
Source of water: Â There is no water source until you reach Panch Ganga. So kindly carry at least 2 liters of water.
Start your trek to Rudranath early in the morning. Follow the trek to the left that goes to the peak. The Panar meadows can be seen around 25-30 minutes of the trek. You’ll arrive at a massive hanging rock on the left in another 30-40 minutes.
The trek now drops into the valley from Panch Ganga. There are colorful flowers and plants everywhere around you. After about an hour of trekking, the Rudranath temple is visible from a distance. It has two rooms for pilgrims and visitors who desire to stay the night at Rudranath.
DAY 5: PANCH GANGA TO MANDAL VIA NAOLA PASS: ANUSUYA DEVI TEMPLE
Elevation: 14,000 ft
Time: 11 km (7-8 hours)
Trek incline: Medium. Moved severely to Anusuya Devi, then gently to Mandal.
Source of water: There is only one Dhaba just before Anusuya Devi temple offers water. Carry at least 2 liters of water.
The road via Naola Pass passes through deep forests with spectacular views at every clearing. Mountain goats on risky hills are a rare sight. You might even encounter a viper snake if you’re lucky. The way to Anusuya Devi has only one Dhaba.
DAY 6: REACH CHOPTA
Mandal is around an hour away from Chopta. This is a wonderful drive. The only bus comes at 1 p.m. Get some well-deserved rest before taking a bus in the morning.
Chopta is the place to start for a short but difficult trek to Tungnath temple. Tungnath is the largest Shiva temple on the planet.
DAY 7: VIEW TUNGNATH: REACH RANSI
Elevation: 12,083 ft
Time: 6 km (2-3 hours)
Trek incline: Medium. Climb gently to Tungnath
Source of water: None. Carry your water bottles
A well-maintained religious trek connects Chopta to Tungnath. The trek is delightful, but it is a tough climb. The trek to the Tungnath temple is about 3 kilometers long.
The temple is shut during the winter, and there will be snow between December and around April.
Return to Chopta following the same route. Catch the connecting bus from Ukhimath to Ransi in the evening.
DAY 8 TREK TO MADHYAMAHESHWAR
Elevation: 7,743 ft
Time: 10 km (6 hours)
Trek incline: Medium
Source of water: Stay hydrated. Carry 2 liters of water and fill them from dhabas
Ransi serves acts as the starting point for a further tough trek to Madhyamaheshwar. The route is well-defined and simple to follow. The vegetation and wildlife along the way are wonderful. There will be butterflies, mountain goats, snakes, sheep, guard dogs, monkeys, and other birds.
Madhyamaheshwar is another Himalayan location, with lush carpet-like bugyals and numerous small plants everywhere. The peaceful and beautiful atmosphere has a mesmerizing effect. The Madhymaheshwar valley has forest cover in the background, indicating that this location receives an excessive amount of rainfall throughout the year.
DAY 9 VISIT BUDHA MADH: RETURN TO RANSI
Elevation: 6,440 ft
Time: 16 km (6-7 km)
Trek incline: Medium
Source of water: Stay hydrated. Carry 2 liters of water and fill them from Dhabas
To visit Buda Madh, awake early in the morning. The sunrise is beautiful here.
Budha Madh stands over Madhymaheshwar about 1,000 feet. Buda Madh is situated on the peak to the northwest of a temple. Starting towards the temple, follow the route that joins the peak on your left while keeping the temple on the right. Continue on the trek for 30 – 45 minutes till you arrive at the top. From here, one can see stunning views of a Chaukhamba range of peaks and Mandani Parbat.
Climb to Ransi after breakfast.
DAY 10: REACH GAUTIKUND
The 73 km travel via Ransi to Gaurikund can be divided into many bus rides. First to Ukhimath, then Kund, then Sonprayag, and last to Gaurikund by sharing a taxi. A private taxi is another option. The journey between Ransi to Kund costs approximately Rs.700.
The 16 km trek to Kedarnath starts at Gaurikund.
DAY 11: TREK TO KEDARNATH
Elevation: 11,657 ft
Time: 16 km (6-7 hours)
Trek incline: Medium
Source of water: Stay hydrated. Carry 2 liters of water and fill them from Dhabas
The recently build route to Kedarnath is a little longer than the previous route, but it is more comfortable. There are various drinking water taps, temporary and permanent bathrooms, dhabas, and first aid chowkies. You pass through many waterfalls. There is a steady flow of visitors, both trekkers and horseback riders.
Start the trek back to Gauri Kund after visiting the Kedarnath temple. It’s tough to express in words how one felt even as the yatra came to an end.
DAY 12: RETURN TO HARIDWAR
Catch an early morning bus via Sonprayag and arrive in Haridwar before evening.