How to reach Lokharkhet

From the airport

The main airport for this trip is Pantnagar (PGH), in the plains south of Haldwani. IndiGo flies there from Delhi and from the new Noida International Airport, but flights are few, so book early and check the current schedule. From the terminal, a pre-booked taxi to Loharkhet covers roughly 240 to 260 km in 9 to 10 hours, joining the Kathgodam route at Haldwani. Without a taxi, get to Haldwani, about 30 km away, and continue by bus or shared taxi to Bageshwar.

Pithoragarh's Naini Saini Airport (NNS) is nearer by road, roughly 150 to 200 km depending on whether you go via Thal and Tejam or via Bageshwar, but it has few flights (Alliance Air from Delhi and Dehradun) and weather can disrupt them. From further afield, flying into Delhi and taking the overnight train to Kathgodam is often simpler.

From the railway station

Kathgodam (KGM) is the railhead for Kumaon and the usual start for this drive. From Delhi, the overnight Ranikhet Express leaves Delhi Junction at about 22:00 and reaches Kathgodam at about 05:00, leaving the whole day for the road journey to Loharkhet. The Kathgodam Shatabdi leaves New Delhi at 06:20 and arrives just before noon, and the Uttarakhand Sampark Kranti gets in late in the evening. Direct trains also run from Dehradun, Lucknow and Howrah.

From the station, take a pre-booked taxi straight through, or go to Haldwani, next door, for buses and shared taxis to Bageshwar. If you arrive on the Shatabdi or later, break the journey overnight in Almora or Bageshwar rather than drive the last stretch after dark.

By road

Loharkhet (also written Lokharkhet) is a village on the hillside above Song, in the Saryu valley of Bageshwar district, and the road now reaches it. Most trekkers come up from Kathgodam, the Kumaon railhead: about 210 to 225 km and 8 to 9 hours with stops.

• Kathgodam to Almora: about 80 to 90 km, roughly 3 hours, climbing past Bhimtal and Bhowali, then along the Kosi valley through Khairna.
• Almora to Bageshwar: about 70 to 75 km on NH 309A via Takula, around 3 hours. A longer alternative runs via Someshwar, Kausani and Baijnath.
• Bageshwar to Kapkot: about 25 km up the Saryu valley on NH 109K, under an hour.
• Kapkot to Loharkhet: about 25 km more, past Bharadi to Song, then about 10 km of winding road up the hillside to the village. Beyond Kapkot the road is narrower and slower.

Coming from Garhwal, you can reach Bageshwar instead via Karnaprayag, Tharali, Gwaldam and Baijnath on NH 109K; Gwaldam to Bageshwar is about 40 km. On all these hill roads, monsoon landslides between June and September are the usual cause of long delays.

By bus

Uttarakhand Transport Corporation runs an evening bus from Delhi's Anand Vihar ISBT to Bageshwar, and an early-morning bus from Dehradun. From Haldwani, next to Kathgodam station, Kumaon Motor Owners' Union (KMOU) buses leave for Bageshwar through the morning, from about 4 am to 11 am, and take about 6 to 7 hours; shared taxis also run from Haldwani, Kathgodam and Almora. From Bageshwar, local buses go as far as Kapkot, the last bus stop towards Loharkhet; beyond it you rely on jeeps. Timings change with the season, so check departures at the bus stand the day before.

Local transfers

By public transport, Bageshwar is where you change to local jeeps for the last 45 to 50 km. Shared jeeps work up the valley in stages, usually changing at Bharadi and Song, and tend to leave only when full, so start early or hire one outright. Draw cash in Kapkot or Bharadi, the last towns with ATMs; beyond them mobile signal is patchy, often BSNL only. The trek beyond Loharkhet needs a forest entry permit, which operators normally arrange; independent trekkers can get one in Bageshwar. After the drive up from Kathgodam, spend the night at Loharkhet and cross the Dhakuri Pass next morning. A newer jeep road runs on to Kharkiya, near Khati, but it skips Dhakuri, a campsite worth the climb.

Good to know

Shared jeep hubs:

1. Kathgodam to Bageshwar
2. Bageshwar to Bharadi
3. Bharadi to Song
4. Song to Loharkhet

Safety

Treat the drive from Kathgodam as a full day and keep a spare day at the end of your trip: from June to September a landslide can hold up traffic for hours or longer. Cover the last stretch above Song in daylight. Loharkhet sits at about 1,800 to 2,000 m, so altitude is rarely a problem on arrival, but the next day's walk climbs about 900 to 1,000 m to the Dhakuri Pass. From December to February heavy snow usually closes the trek beyond the village. Ask locally about the road ahead before setting off.

Travel tips

• Plan buffer time for road delays, especially in monsoon and winter.
• Start early for long drives to avoid night stretches on mountain roads.
• Keep offline maps and cash as backup in low-network zones.
• If you are continuing to high altitude areas, acclimatize and hydrate well.