This trek is a picture postcard to view the big peaks towering at 6000m to 7000m. From the majestic Nanda Devi to Kamet, Dronagiri, Kedarnath, and Chaukhamba to name a few. This trail is well suited for beginners as well as seasoned trekkers since two summits will be scaled at an altitude of 12,516 ft and 14,700ft respectively. The summit to Pangharchulla is a test of endurance.
Note: We encourage responsible tourism. Practice these guidelines while on a trip!
Covid-19 Advisory
All Covid precautions are in place such as :
- Private vehicles for transit with min. seating
- Lower group size
- Sanitised rooms in home-stays
- Temperature checks of all accompanying staff
Accomdations
Service Level
Transportation
Food
Age
18 to 65 yearsDifficulty
ModerateFitness Guide
An easy to Moderate trek, The Kuari Pass starts at an altitude of 6900 ft and ascends to 14,700 ft over the duration of the trek. As you go higher you are gaining constant altitude which means lesser oxygen and lesser water in the air, hence our first errand is to keep our selves hydrated ( with water ! : )
When it comes to physical exercises focus on basic movements and exercises which address these 3 parameters.
- Flexibility
- Cardio Vascular endurance
- Lower Body Strength
To address these 3 physical abilities basic exercises like
For flexibility :
Stretches targeting the hamstring , gluteus maximus ,lower back, spine, shoulders, hip flexors - These are common stretches like Cobra Stretch , Child Pose , Donkey Kicks , Leg Lifts, Good mornings etc. Lot of guided videos are available on the internet
Lower Body Strength:
Squats to build strength for the lower body - 3 sets of 20 squats each should be enough to build those legs since you will be carrying backpack during your ascend/descend
Cardio Vascular endurance and Breathing exercises :
Brisk walking to Jogging should take care of cardio vascular endurance. Try and clock your walking/jogging
- Jog 5 km - 60 min gradually reduce this to 45 min - Practise this thrice a week should be enough
- Practice deep breathing ( slowly inhaling) and slowly exhaling which will train your lungs to breathe deeply wityhout putting in much effort at higher altitudes
These are basic exercises, can be done indoor , don't let them scare you!
Who is this tour for?
Note: This is a group tour. Minimum group size is 6 people

Tour Experience
Undoubtedly one of the best treks to view higher himalayan peaks. This trail has two summits - Pangharchulla ( 14,700 ft) and Kuari Pass (12,516 ft). The terrain is strenuous in some patches especially the climb to Pangharchulla. The best part part of this trek is walking the himalayan meadows which are called - Bugyal- in the local tongue. We will also visit the beautiful skiing slopes of Auli. Culturally one can explore the villages of Tugasi and Kharchi.
Region: Uttarakhand | Best Time : Nov - Mar | Best Time for snow: Nov till Early Feb | Max Altitude: 14,700 ft | Trekking Distance: 40 kms approx | Departure : Haridwar | Arrival : Haridwar
- Explore himalayan villages of Tugasi and Kharchi
- Walks through Oak and Rhododendron forests
- Have fun in the sun at the rolling slopes of Gorson Bugyal
- Star Gaze from 10,000ft
- Scale two summits - Pangharchulla and Kuari Pass
- Camp at beautiful sites in open meadows with mesmerising views
- Explore skiing slopes of Auli
- International Climbing and Mountaineering Federation- UIAA certified safety equipments.
5N/ 6D
Departure: FixedYou will be doing:
You will be experiencing:
Itinerary
Travel notes of the day
Today is mostly about acclimatising and enjoying the drive from Haridwar to Joshimath. We make this journey in a private transport from Haridwar via Chamoli to finally reach Joshimath. It will take approximately 9-10 hours to reach our destination so sit back, relax and enjoy the drive
Like all good things our journey begins early morning from Haridwar Railway Station. Our pick up SUV's await at Haridwar Railway station. We depart at 6:30 AM to reach Joshimath via Chamoli in the next 9-10 hours.
Think about food ! - We know - We will stop for refreshments , breakfast and lunch at a road side inn. This will be a self paid breakfast,lunch.
- Haridwar Railway Station
- Chamoli
- Joshimath
Travel notes of the day
The aim today is to reach Gulling campsite. The drive takes 45 min from Joshimath to Dhak Village from where we start the trail.The trail is a mix of steep and gradual ascent, mostly through villages.
We will be walking from 6696 ft to 9600 ft- an elevation gain of 2900 ft. To reach Gulling we will have to cross the villages of Tugasi and Kharchi. At Kharchi we will refill our water bottles ( if you haven't consumed your quote yet!)
The avg. time to reach Kharchi Village ( first on the trail) from Dhak is 25-30 Min and onward to Tugasi is 45 min. From here after a rest stop you will take an hour to reach Gulling.
The day begins with a short drive to the village of Dhak from Joshimath. Our aim today is to reach ,Gulling camp , well beyond the village of Tugasi. We follow a dirt trail which leads us to the first village- Kharchi. We continue to walk towards Tugasi, 45 minutes into the walk through an ascending trail we reach our first rest point surrounded by oak forests. After catching our breadth we continue walking along the trail dotted with walnuts and other varieties of conifers. After an hour of walking through small streams along this trail we reach Gulling Campsite
- Joshimath 6696 ft
- Dhak Village
- Kharchi Village
- Lower Tugasi
- Tugasi Village
- Gulling Campsite 9600 ft
Travel notes of the day
We hope you got a good nights rest and a belly full of breakfast. Todays ascent is a relatively smooth gradient than on Day 2.
Enjoy the relatively easy terrain among forests and streams until you reach Khullara Camp site which lies in a clearing.
Breathe easy as today's trail is less strenuous. We hike deeper in to the Talli forest. 45 min in to the walk we near a clearing with magnificent views of Hathi-Ghori peaks. As we maintain our ascent we enter a forest of oaks and rhododendrons and cross a mini stream.
Once we get through the forest we reach the Khullara camp site
- Gulling Camp Site 9600 ft
- Khullara 11,122 ft
Travel notes of the day
This is a addition to the Kuari Pass. Pangarchulla is at a higher altitude than kuari pass and we have to summit and get back the same day. So stretch those muscles and travel very light. The only weight you carry is a water. Make sure to carry and consume sufficient as there are no water sources on this trail.
Rise up early , very early ! Today is a long day and perhaps the most strenuous of the entire trek. Our aim is to summit the Pangarchulla and get back to Khullara camp. Let's go !
Peaks visible from Pangarchulla are Nanda Ghunti, Trishul, Nanda Devi, Kalanka, Chang bang, Dronagri, Hathi Parvat, Gori Parvat, Mana, Kamet, Abl Gamin, Neelkanth, Chaukhamba massifs and many more
- Khullara 11,122 ft
- Pangharchulla Summit 14,700 ft
- Khullara 11,122 ft
Travel notes of the day
This trail has no water sources, so make sure you carry enough water. First half is steep ascent and second half is gradual ascent.
Peaks spotted from summit are Kedarnath Peak, Kedardome, Chaukhambha, Balakun, Neel Kantha, Mukut Parvat, Kamet, Abhi Gamin, Mana I, Ghori Parvat, Hathi Parvat, Dronagiri, Kalanka, Chang Bang, Nanda Devi, Nanda Ghunti
Today is summit day to Kuari Pass. This a day for high snow and strong winds which means you will need every bit of energy to summit.
A steep trail from Khullara passes out of the tree-line. After approximately 1.5- 2 hours we reach a ridge which is a part of the Lord Curzon trail. From this point views of peaks open up. From here we continue to ascend to the upper grass lands of Kuari pass, a slight descent and a walk for approx. 40 minutes gets us to Kuari Pass.
- Khullara 11,122 ft
- Kuari Pass 12,516 ft
- Khullara 11,122 ft
Travel notes of the day
Auli is the skiing capital of India. Enjoy the snow patched rolling valleys while you approach auli. Rest up , take a break before we drive onward to Joshimath
Its a relatively easy day today. After the ascent to Pangarchulla and Kuari pass you will whistle your way through this route.
We will walk across the valley of Gorson Bugyal which is free of any hard climb and gradually descend to Auli. Once at Auli we get into our pick up vehicle and drive to Joshimath
- Khullara 11,122 ft
- Gorson Bugyal
- Auli
- Joshimath 6696 ft
Travel notes of the day
The trip concludes with a 10 hour drive from Joshimath to Haridwar. We aim to reach Haridwar by 6 PM .
Breakfast and Lunch will be en-route at a road side inn (Self Paid)
This is our last day on the trip. Our drive from Joshimath to Haridwar will take 9-10 hours. We aim to reach Haridwar by sundown around 6 PM.
- Joshimath
- Haridwar
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Other Details
- Vegetarian/Eggetarian Food as per menu.
- Tents, Sleeping bags, mats.
- Forest permits and camping fee.
- Trek guide, cook, support staff
- Porters/mules to carry trekking equipments.
- First aid medical kit, oxygen cylinder
- International Climbing and Mountaineering Federation- UIAA certified safety equipments.
- Taxes
- Any kind of personal expenses on the trek.
- Meal during road journeys.
- Mules or porter to carry personal luggage.
- Any kind of travel insurance.
- Anything not specified in the inclusion list.
- Transport from Haridwar to Haridwar will be at a additional cost for private groups
*If you don't want to carry your personal backpack you can give it to porter/Mules, but you have to inform us in advance and have to pay Rs. 1200/- extra per bag for whole trek.
Gear List:
The key to staying comfortable while on an active trip is layering. To get maximum comfort with minimum weight, you need versatile layers that mix and match to create the right amount of insulation, ventilation and weather protection. This gear list has been created to help you choose the proper equipment. Try to bring only what is necessary; this will help you and the field staff.
Required
- Base Layer Tops and Bottoms (Heavyweight, Synthetic, Colder Travel Periods)
- Day Pack (21L-35L)
- Day Pack Rain Cover
- Duffel Bag (No Wheels or Rigid Frames)
- Fleece Pants
- Fleece/Wool Gloves
- Fleece/Wool Hat
- Fleece/Wool Jacket or Sweater
- Headlamp with Fresh Batteries
- Hiking Boots
- Hiking Pants (Convertible, Quick-Dry, Lightweight)
- Hiking Socks (Synthetic or Wool)
- Insulated Jacket
- Long Sleeve Shirts (Synthetic, Lightweight)
- Rain-Coat/Poncho
- Sport Sunglasses
- Sun Block and Lip Balm
- Sun Hat
- Water Bottles
Optional
- Altimeter
- Camera and Accessories
- Down/Synthetic pants
- Ear Plugs
- Glacier Glasses
- Ear Plugs
- Reading and Writing Materials
Cancellation Terms
Ecohunters must receive notification of cancellation in writing. After we receive your written cancellation, the money shall be refunded to the trekkers on seeking cancellation as follows:
Cancellations Prior To 30 Days From The Start Of The Trek
95% refund of total amount
(Note: If the trek charges are more, the balance needs to be paid by the trekker)
Cancellation Prior To 25 Days From The Start Of The Trek
70% refund of total amount
Cancellation Prior To 15 Days From The Start Of The Trek
50% refund of total amount.
Cancellation Prior To 10 Days From The Start Of The Trek
Transfer your trek (same trek, same batch) to your friend. No cash refund.
Note:-
1)- Change of trek batch is dependent on the availability of seats in the batch.
2)- In case of transferring a trek to a friend, he/she should satisfy all the mandatory requirements put forward by Ecohunters.
3)- Ecohunters holds the right to change/cancel the policies, without prior notice.
Cancellation is processed only by email intimation. Please email any cancellation requests to :- [email protected] or call us @ 9818082844. Itineraries are based on information available at the time of planning and are subject to change. Ecohunters reserves the right to change expedition dates, people or itineraries as conditions warrant. If a trip must be delayed or the itinerary changed due to bad weather, road conditions, transportation delays, government intervention, airline schedules, sickness, or other contingency for which Ecohunters or its agents cannot make provision, the cost of delays and/or other changes are the responsibility of the participant. Ecohunters reserves the right to decline, or accept, any individual as a trip member for any reason whatsoever.
Q: What is the trek distance everyday
A: Average walking distance is 7- 8 km each day and trekkers complete in
5-7 hrs.
Q: What kind of food is served ?
A: Vegetarian food will be served throughout the trek. Breakfast varies from bread and butter, semia, poha and cornflakes etc. Lunch mainly comprises of roti or puri with sabzi. Dinner is complete with Dal, rice, roti and dessert. Dry ration of biscuits and toffees will be provided as well. You may carry nuts and dry fruits if necessary.
Q: What are the sources of drinking water?
A. Campsites are pitched near water sources. For your day's trek, two litres of water should be enough. On Day 2 and Day 5, you will find one water source to refill your water bottles. Your trek leader will brief you about these before starting the day's trek.
Q: What about Washroom/Toilet facilities ?
A: The guest house at Joshimath will have brick and mortar toilets. During the trek toilet tents are set up along the camp site. A toilet tent usually has a deep pit , where one answers nature's call. There will be a mound of soil to and a shovel to cover it up. This is the most hygienic and convienent way to answer nature' call in the wilderness.
Use plain toilet paper instead of wet wipes as wet wipes are non-
biodegradable
Q: What will accommodation be like?
A: The stay on Day 1 and Day 5, at Joshimath, will be in a guest house, where you will share rooms with fellow trekkers Covid precautions in place). Stay on all other days of the trek will be in tents. Each tent will be shared among 2 trekkers. Toilet tents will be set up for the convenience of trekkers.
Q: Do you provide tents and sleeping bags ?
A: You will be provided with tents and high-altitude sleeping bags that can
withstand temperatures as low as -10 ºC.
Q: What is the best time to experience this trek
A: Kuari Pass is best between Dec - March
Q: What is the best time to see snow ?
A: You are likely to find snow on this trail from Dec- early Feb
Q: What if it rains during the trek?
A: If it starts raining while you’re trekking, we will continue on the trail as planned. Your poncho should protect you from the rain. Carry a backpack cover for extra protection from rain for your belongings.
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