Experiencing the Kedarkantha Trek
Travel is liberating. Sometimes, choosing a new destination is a way to step away from routine, meet unfamiliar people, explore the unknown, and experience life differently. There is something special about breaking away from expectations and simply enjoying the moment.
When people ask me how I fund my travels, my answer is simple: I invest in experiences rather than things. For me, those experiences are far more valuable. My Kedarkantha Trek became one of those unforgettable experiences.
After turning 25, I began feeling the pressure to live up to expectations. I was expected to be perfect at home, at work, with deadlines, and even while looking for "the one." Once I started accepting that perfection was not necessary, things gradually became easier. I also discovered that travelling alone could be more enjoyable than always planning trips with friends.
Kedarkantha was a trek I had heard about from many people, but I had never explored it myself. It is one of the popular treks in the Himalayan region and offers impressive mountain views from the summit. For those new to Himalayan trekking, it can also be a suitable starting point because its altitude is comparatively lower than many other high-altitude treks.
There is a saying that the mountains have to call you before you can experience them. I could relate to that. Planning a trek is not as simple as deciding to go. You need to get time off from work, find reasonably priced flights, arrange the right gear, and hope the weather conditions are favourable.
TIP: I found this Ultimate Winter Trekking Guide from TrekNomads helpful while preparing for a winter trek.
At times, I wondered why we put ourselves through difficult situations when taking the easier path seems much simpler. But the difficult experiences are often the ones we remember most. The challenges, effort, and determination involved in reaching the top are what make a journey meaningful.
At that time, deadlines, workloads, and year-end targets had made everyday life feel repetitive. On 14 November 2018, my friend Priyanka and I decided to plan a vacation. We looked at several destinations, but Goa and the Kedarkantha Trek eventually became our two main choices. The discussion continued for almost three months.
On 13 February 2019, I decided that I wanted to take the Kedarkantha Trek alone. However, taking a long break from work was not easy, and I eventually had to postpone the plan. It would take another two years before I got the chance to make it happen.
In 2021, that opportunity finally came. Naveen Mallesh, the founder of TrekNomads, messaged me to tell me that he would be leading the Experiencing Kedarkantha Trek from 13 to 21 February 2021.
My first reaction was that I probably could not join. The trip was quite long, and getting that many days off from work seemed difficult. I told Naveen that I would think about it and get back to him, although I was almost certain that it would not work out.
Then I asked myself, "If not now, then when?"
That thought was enough to change my mind. I called Naveen, confirmed that I wanted to join, and booked my flights almost immediately. I had not initially told my mom, colleagues, or manager about the plan, but I eventually managed to get my leave approved.
Since this was going to be my first winter and snow trek, I also had to buy trekking gear from scratch. I had never owned most of the equipment required for such a trip. When I eventually maxed out my credit card, I realised just how much I was spending. Fortunately, TrekNomads took care of the arrangements, including accommodation, transportation, trekking, and airport transfers.
The gear I bought did not feel like a wasted expense for long. I now had everything I needed for my next trekking adventure too.
People often associate the New Year with resolutions. For me, 2021 brought something unexpected: a chance to meet a group of people who would soon become friends.
I left Bangalore on a 12 PM flight, wondering what the trip would be like. I kept thinking about how different everyone might be and whether I would fit in with the group.
I met Naveen for the first time at the airport boarding gate. Two sisters, Ramya and Navya, were also part of the group, and most of the trekkers were travelling on the same flight. I was seated in 2A, while they were around 20 seats away.
We reached Dehradun Airport at around 4 PM. To me, the airport looked almost like a metro station in Bangalore. From there, our journey continued.
Lakshman Shyam, who had previously been a social media friend, had also travelled from Hyderabad to join the trek. At this point, the group was no longer just a collection of strangers. We were beginning to get to know one another, and the adventure had finally started.
Pre-trek stay - Dehradun Airport to Mussoorie
Dehradun is the place I've been hearing about for many days in the movie, but I was there today. weather was bearable. Uttarakhand is the state that is least considered in terms of infrastructure and development; roads not bigger than 8 m, huge bends, mixed emotions all over scared and excited. I kept on chanting only one thing: "YES, I can do this, it is possible".
Photo Credits: Lakshman Shyam
We stopped near a small cafe for coffee and tea, passing the National Forest, which was amazing. I had coffee, which was not as good as I prepared, but yes, the tea was good. This was when we started the Introduction Round. My story was a bit strange, but not as strange as when I met one amazing family. 7 Group families with over 30+ ppl in the group, out of which only 11 were on the trek.
Travel freaks who had already been to many treks: 2 sisters, Ramya and Navya; Avinash and Pavan, who were into business; and Rakesh and Hemanth, who were supposed to join the trek the next day. (If 35+ aged can climb this, why can't I?) I was a girl with scars yet fearless, trying to get rid of all my fear and become dauntless. We started from the dhaba and started towards Mussoorie. We reached the hotel and already started feeling cold. Manasa, my roommate, is married and the mother of two cute boys, fun, caring, talkative, and also very energetic. Maybe it would have been difficult to get adjusted to other people, but I'm sure she started remembering her young age, and she started feeling 10 years younger than me. That night Shyam and I were introduced to the family. My trekking family.
Kedarkantha trek: Day 1- Mussoorie to Sankri
Still scared and excited, we had to travel for 7 hours. I liked the way our trek was planned: first getting used to Mussoorie temp, then Sankri, and then trekking at various altitudes. We woke up at 6.30 and were asked to be ready by 8 am. We had our breakfast(continental) with some idli, poha, and omelet. I ate a bit less as it was a long journey ahead and I had experienced. This is when we clicked our first group picture.
Photo Credits: Prem AS
We all felt uneasy as the roads were full of curves, like cricket wickets one by one started throwing up. team in the one was counting, "one wicket down, 3 wickets down". Feeling happy and equally disgusted the whole journey. Before losing my phone network, I called my mom for the last time and told her, " I'll not be available over call for 4 days or so; by 19, if I call you, I've finished my summit, or else I'm not alive." She laughed out loud and said, "I know you will ", and cut the call. The 7-hour drive was the best: window seats with earplugs. Everyone can imagine. We reached Sankri at around 4 PM. We stayed in tents today, but not only tents, but tents with luxury. There were cots, bedspreads, and blankets, with attached toilets. It was cozy. Taking a bath was not allowed. I was not so disappointed because it would be difficult to maintain it in high-altitude and cold places. The view from my tent was majestic. We left the tent in the evening to just roam around and do some shopping.
TIP: I suggest that if you are planning a snow trek or high altitude treks please buy woolen socks with fleece there; it's literally helpful. We walked towards the checkpoint and saw glimpses of Swargarohini and other peaks. After listening to the mythology of the mountains, we had Maggi and momos and returned to the camp for dinner. We had to sleep early as we had to start early the next day.
Kedarkantha trek: Day 3- Sankri to Jainula Campsite
Today was the day; I woke up with a positive feeling. Filled up confidence and also some courage, and being motivated always. We finished our breakfast, packed our bags, and gave them to the porters that were included in our inclusions.
Photo Credits: Prem AS
We started around 9 AM from Sankri towards the start point of the Kedarkantha trek. Chalte Chalte, I had already become close with the rest of the team. A few had got some packets full of dry fruits, which I always enjoy eating. The views started becoming more and more mesmerizing, and yes, of course, maine decide kiya tha ki "Jo bhi hoga maine picture click karne ka kaam nahi karongi". Shyam took some amazing pictures, which compensated. We also decided not to play any music, just enjoy the music of nature, which truly was effective. It was self-soothing. The staff at one of the dhabas we stopped by played some flute for us, which was truly a delight to listen to during our mini-break. This is why I loved this whole experience. We not only got to make good friends, but we also got to interact and learn about the staff who were trekking with us. TrekNomads certainly makes this whole trekking experience super personal, something that you will remember for the rest of your life. There were a couple of Maggi points before we reached the camp. We camped at the Jainula campsite as Juda Ka Talaba; the other campsite was crowded. It was an open green ground which was filled with snow on one side and greenery on the other side. As time passed, we started feeling cold and had to wear our thermals to keep ourselves warm. We had some soup at the dining tent and started talking about many topics till dinner. It was Yathesh's birthday; our trek lead had arranged for a nice Rava Cake, which was delicious. After dinner, we slept in our tents. This time in an actual tent.
TrekNomads cups at the campsite felt so good.
TIP: Keep your bags above your head and below your feet to make sure that air doesn't enter the tent. At around 12.30 AM, I woke up to the thought, "I have to go back; I can't do it. If I climb up, I have to come back down; I can't stay there". After that, I have no idea when I dozed off.
Day 4 - Jainula - Juda Ka Talab - Kedarkantha Base Camp. We started at 9 AM today as we had to pass the Juda Ka Talab campsite and then reach Kedarkantha Base Camp by noon. The views started becoming more and more majestic. The Sankri mountains started to become smaller, and the farther Himalayan ranges started becoming clearer.
Photo Credits: Ananya
Photo Credits: Ananya
After an hour, we reached Juda ka Talab, A frozen Lake. We did a lot of photography there and boomerangs, and we clicked an amazing group picture.
Photo Credits: Prem AS
We wore our spikes after crossing 500 mt from Juda Ka Talab. I first experienced snowfall here. It was like I was going near and near to the peak. There was a lot of ascending today, but after that we had a flat surface to reach Kedarkantha trek base camp. The tents were ready; the weather was not great. There was snowfall and a cold breeze. Naveen informed me that there are 80% chances we can't summit the peak, as heavy snowfall is predicted. For once, I thought (I wish the snowfall wouldn't stop so I can give a reason to stay back and tell everyone it was the weather). I had a problem with descending (basophobia), so more up I climb I start feeling that how difficult it was to descend. Maybe this time God wanted to teach me a lesson and let go of my fear. The snow suddenly stopped, and it was sunny; we were one of those fortunate people to see the sunset and the snowfall. We spent some time singing and having hot soup to gear up for the next day, but only I knew how frightened I was. I just didn't want to accept the fact that I'm scared of the descent. I slept early, but trust me, it was too cold; it felt like it must already be -5 degrees here. I used a couple of warmers as I couldn't bear the cold.
Photo Credits: Naveen Mallesh
Day 5 KBC to Kedarkantha trek Summit - Jainula campsite
This was the day I had been waiting for so long; I woke up thinking I had to stop giving reasons and stop imagining that I can't do it. "Maybe it is time to take the steering wheel, step on the accelerator, and drive the damn Car straight to the finish point". We woke up at 2.30 AM today and got ready, wearing all thermals and proper gaiters. I had lemon tea and got some light snacks to eat on the way. It was freaking cold; I was scared already and had to climb up the most difficult part. More than climbing it was the descent that was worrying me. Till the Maggi point, I was in the 1st row, but as time went by, I realized that I was the 12th or 13th person in my team. As time passed, the stars started going away, and the light started showing us how far we were from the peak. Maybe I was wrong about me that taking the risk of climbing when I knew I couldn't climb down. But I wanted it to be false. There were about 2 times when we got fooled and thought it was the summit and realized it was just a cliff later after climbing. Finally, after taking help from many people, I reached a peak. Panting, losing breath, but it was breathtaking.
Photo Credits: Hemanth
Photo Credits: Hemanth
Photo Credits: Naveen Mallesh
I witnessed the most perfect Sunrise I have ever seen before. During the Kedarkantha trek, the entire view of the Himalayan ranges looked white like cotton candy. It is so easy, really. It is wind and air and knowing how to breathe, how to catch it, and how to join with it. I sat there and felt so emotional; the tears started rolling down my cheeks. I wanted to hug my mom and say Yes I did it. I had no mood to click any pictures, as I wanted to just be there and not miss out on the sun starting the day.
Photo Credits: Ajay K P
I Wrote I try to be happy, He says "Come to Me", I try to go to him he says "i'ts not time yet", I go near him, he says "Conquer me", I pause and apologize, he says "Just continue", I slip away, he holds my hands I say its over I give up, He says "You have to push a bit", I reach the saturation level, he says "That's it", and continues, "I decide who climbs up who climbs down, i decide whom to push whom to betray but honey only the true person who aspire can hug me and that's when they become legendary. I cannot be only your and I cannot satisfy everyone, but everyone feels me in their own way, and that's me, "Pinnacle". That's when they called for the group picture
Photo Credits: Naveen Mallesh
Photo Credits: Ajay K P
Naveen, Shyam, and I at the summit
The part I waited to see was over, but next was the most horrifying part. Descending. "Oh dear lord, I'm definitely gonna fall". Half of the time I spent at the summit, I was horrified; Naveen could easily make out what I was going through. He asked me to stick with him while climbing down. There came the hard part. The whole world in front of me looked like foam and tiny ants going down.
This was when I started looking at the descending trail all the way to the campsite. I was afraid was an understatement.
I could only imagine now. But our lead managed to get me down safely and told me some tricks for managing while climbing down. After 3 hrs of descending, we finally reached base camp, had our lunch, and started towards Jainula Campsite. As it was already late, the snow had melted, and the trail was too slippery; it was a long descent all over. Around 4 PM, I reached the campsite; I was one of the last people to reach it. Since there was a sudden variation in the altitude, I had a bit of mountain fever and was totally tired. It was Pavan's birthday, and they celebrated. Manasa and I were not in a situation to attend the celebration; I ate dinner inside the tent and slept. Never knew when I dozed off.
Day 6 Jainula Campsite to Sankri
It was finally coming to an end; just a few more hours and I would be finishing the trek. I couldn't wait to tell my mom how amazing the trek was. I had recovered automatically from the fever, totally back to normal. Had our breakfast and then started towards Sankri. This time I had a strong gut feeling that I shouldn't ask for help while descending and should be brave. I actually did it. In 2 hours me and a few of us from the team reached. My fear of climbing down was gone thanks to our Captain. Emotions were rushing inside me, like how the outside world said that I couldn't make it to the summit. I can't climb down. But yes, now I wanted to shout out and say, Bloody hell Screw the world, and I did it. We reached the tent, freshened up, and gathered for lunch. It started snowing there, and Naveen said the people who are in the base camp today can't summit tomorrow. That's when I realized how lucky we were. Later that evening, we did have a small dance party. The Ground crew/ local trek guides also made us dance to their music. We had a pretty amazing night, and we slept like babies the whole night. So that's how my trekking journey came to an end. From there, we reached Mussoorie the next day, did really cool shopping, and returned to Bangalore after 2 days. Lekin ek cheez hai, jaise Shyam ne kaha. "Janta nahi ki family kya hota hai, kaise hota hai, lekin trek ki family na bahoot alag se hota hai. Because you can only talk about the whole trek with the same family, and no one else feels the same excitement".
About the Author
Ananya Muttagi, the author, is a Sales and Marketing professional working with a real estate company. She likes meeting new people, traveling, dancing, painting, and writing. This was her first Himalayan trek, and with her fears behind her, she is all set to climb more mountains in times to come. You can read more about her here: Instagram, LinkedIn. This blog was originally published on her very own blog site. Click here to read the blog.
