Kedartal Lake Trek

After early morning breakfast we drive to Gangotri(30 km) via beautiful villages. We reach Gangotri and visit the temple. The trek to Bhoj Kharak begins with a steep trail through fir forests before traversing the Kedar Gorge to reach camp. We will trek 8 km (5-6 hrs) as we follow the Kedar Ganga (Lord Shiva’s contribution to Bhagirathi), all the while enjoying the thundering sound of the river emerging from Kedartal.

We will trek 4 km (4-5 hours) passing through a beautiful birch (bhoj) forest, before departing from the tree line and arriving at camp. The Bhrigupanth peak provides a nice backdrop as we make our way across the long meadow, where the shepherds come to graze their sheep and goats. The day is short in distance, but it has its steep sections, so caution is necessary.

The 5km (4-5 hrs) trek up to Kedartal is considered to be laborious, and crosses very difficult terrain of boulders and stones. It is a maze of rocks and relatively easy to get turned around, but if you look closely you will see little cairns that have been placed on the route to the lake. Kedartal is one of the most enchanting glacial lakes with the majestic Thalaysagar (6,904 m) looming up behind it. Some of the climbs to this peak have been testpieces of modern mountaineering. Thalaysagar is truly a delight to watch at sunset! Another peak on the left side of Thalaysagar is Bhrigupanth (6,772 m)Once the ridge ends, you descend into the vast, undulating Pushtara bugyal i.e. Pushtara meadows. Post the exhilaration of the ridge walk, you feel a sense of liberation as you marvel at the expanse around you.
The day today can be really rewarding as we start heading up further into the valley & we care welcomed by the sight of one waterfall after another, all up to the campsite of Dev Kyara, which brings us significantly close to Mount Ranglana (5,554 meters). The last stretch of the trek is over boulders and rocks and can be a bit tiring. However the alpine flowers that are visible here are very refreshing. Once the valley opens up a bit, the views of the majestic Ranglana Peak are amazing towards the head of the valley. This is not a peak frequently attempted by mountaineers due to its technical challenges. We camp at Dev Lyara and can rest for a day to explore the valley or climb any nearby rocky outcrops.

We rest this day to enjoy the pristine surroundings.Be sure to get up extra early to catch the magnificent sunrise and reflections off the lake and surrounding peaks!

We wake up early and trek all the way back to Gangotri. Being downhill we can cover this in 1 day. The stay is at a guest house in Gangotri.

The trek to Har ki Dun concludes today as we leave Sankri and reach Dehradun by late afternoon.