Kedar Tal Trek with Jogin ABC

The Kedar Tal trek is a private 8-day trek from Gangotri, up the Kedar Ganga valley to Kedar Tal at 4,708 m, with an extension towards Jogin ABC. We collect you at Dehradun airport and bring you back to it.

The first day is the long drive up the Bhagirathi valley through Uttarkashi to Gangotri (3,048 m). You spend the next day there, with an easy walk to Surya Kund, before the trail begins. Gangotri is one of the holiest temple towns in the Himalaya, and the trail leaves its bustle quickly. From Gangotri the path climbs through birch forest, crosses the tree line and reaches a meadow camp at Bhoj Kharak (3,496 m). Kedar Kharak (4,279 m) follows on a short day with a big gain.

Above that the valley turns to rockfall slopes, moraine, a glacier section and a steep ridge walk. Kedar Tal lies below Thalay Sagar and Bhrigupanth, with the Kedar Bamak glacier mapped in the same valley. Day 5 goes on past the lake to camp at Jogin ABC, with a night in the upper valley under the peaks. Day 6 returns to Kedar Kharak, and day 7 descends to Gangotri via Bhoj Kharak for a hotel night. Day 8 is the drive back to Dehradun airport.

• Days: 8 days, 7 nights, Dehradun airport to Dehradun airport
• Grade: Moderate+; trek days of 2 to 7 hours
• Kedar Tal: 4,708 m
• Season: May to June, September to October

The gain from Gangotri is quick, so the days are short where the height comes fast. We keep the group small and private, and acclimatisation is built into the itinerary.

• Kedar Tal at 4,708 m: a glacial lake in the upper Kedar Ganga valley, below Thalay Sagar (6,904 m) and Bhrigupanth (6,772 m).
• Jogin ABC extension: the 8-day route goes past the lake to camp at Jogin ABC, with a day on the upper valley, instead of turning back at the lake.
• A rest day at Gangotri: a full day at 3,048 m with a short walk to Surya Kund before the trail begins.
• Birch forest to moraine: from Gangotri the trail passes birch forest and a meadow camp at Bhoj Kharak (3,496 m), then climbs above the tree line.
• Kedar Kharak (4,279 m): a camp reached on a short day with a high gain, with rockfall slopes around it.
• Glacier and ridge: the way to the lake crosses a glacier section and a steep ridge walk, with Kedar Bamak glacier on the map.
• Along the Kedar Ganga: the route follows the river upstream from Gangotri inside Gangotri National Park.
• Airport to airport: pickup and drop at Dehradun airport, with permits arranged by us.

The Kedar Tal trek is 8 days and 7 nights, and it gains height quickly. The way the days are laid out is what makes that comfortable.

Day 1: Dehradun airport to Gangotri. The drive goes via Uttarkashi (1,158 m) and takes 10 to 11 hours, so we sleep in a hotel in Gangotri (3,048 m). The road runs along the Bhagirathi valley, and Harsil, Dharali and Bhaironghati lie on the last stretch.

Day 2: Gangotri. A full day at 3,048 m with an easy walk of 2 to 3 hours to Surya Kund (3,100 m). Walk slowly, drink water and tell your leader early about any headache or nausea. Nothing else is planned, and that is deliberate.

Day 3: Gangotri to Bhoj Kharak (3,496 m). About 7 km in 3 to 5 hours, through birch forest and over the tree line to a camp on a meadow. Poles help on the steeper parts. Carry a rain layer within reach.

Day 4: Bhoj Kharak to Kedar Kharak (4,279 m). Only 3 km, 2 to 3 hours, but it is the biggest gain of the trek. You cross a few rockfall zones and arrive early, so the afternoon is for resting, layers and water.

Day 5: Kedar Kharak to Jogin ABC, with Kedar Tal on the way. About 8 km in 4 to 6 hours. This is the glacier section and steep ridge walk, then the lake at 4,708 m below Thalay Sagar and Bhrigupanth. We do not linger at the lake, then continue to camp at Jogin ABC.

Day 6: Jogin ABC to Kedar Kharak. About 8 km in 5 to 6 hours, with a short morning exploration in the upper valley before heading down.

Day 7: Kedar Kharak to Gangotri. About 12 km in 5 to 7 hours via Bhoj Kharak, the longest walking day. A hot wash and a hotel night in Gangotri follow.

Day 8: Gangotri to Dehradun airport. Another 10 to 11 hours by road. Leave early, and plan your onward travel with a buffer for road delays.

The 8-day plan carries no separate reserve day. The rest day at Gangotri and the short climb on day 4 do the acclimatising. If you have a tight flight, tell us your dates and we will plan the buffer around the drive.

Many Kedar Tal itineraries stop at the lake. Ours is called Relaxed and Exploratory with Jogin ABC, and it carries on past the lake into the upper valley.

Where the extra time goes. On day 5 you walk from Kedar Kharak (4,279 m) past Kedar Tal, about 8 km in 4 to 6 hours, and camp at Jogin ABC. Day 6 starts with a short, controlled morning exploration of the upper valley and then goes back down to Kedar Kharak, 5 to 6 hours. So you spend a night above the lake rather than coming away the same day. Camp routine at this height stays efficient: warm layers within reach before sunset, and a slow pace on the move.

What you see. Kedar Tal sits below Thalay Sagar (6,904 m) and Bhrigupanth (6,772 m). On the map the Kedar Bamak glacier lies in this valley, and the terrain is the glacier, moraine, boulder and scree type, rather than forest or meadow. Meru Peak (6,803 m) and Mandani Parvat (6,193 m) are also mapped in the area.

Why we recommend a night above the lake. On a shorter version the lake is a stop on the way back. Here it is part of a longer day in the upper valley, with a night under the peaks and time to look around. The upper stretch is also the most remote, which is the point of the extension.

Who it suits. You should be comfortable with a long day on rough ground at altitude and with sleeping high for a night. The grade is Moderate+, which in our terms means a few long days at height, serious gradients and a remote setting. We also run a Standard and Compact 7-day version; if you are choosing between them, tell us how much trekking you have done and how you take height, and we will suggest one.

Both versions start and end at Gangotri, and we arrange permits and transport from Dehradun airport and back.

The Kedar Tal trek begins in Gangotri, at about 3,000 m at the end of NH34. Getting there is part of the trip, so it is worth planning.

The road. Dehradun (Jolly Grant) airport is about 260 to 280 km from Gangotri, 10 to 11 hours depending on the route. Via Rishikesh the road goes Chamba, Dharasu and Uttarkashi; from Uttarkashi to Gangotri it is about 100 km and 3.5 to 5 hours on a narrower road, with water crossings and widening work above Harsil. We run both the drive in and the drive out, and we set off early.

Season for the road. The road can be closed by landslides in the monsoon, often near Dharasu, Chinyalisaur and Gangnani, which is one reason we do not run Kedar Tal then. After the temple closes in November, snow often blocks the road at Sukhi Top or beyond Harsil until March or April. Our windows are May to June and September to October.

The park. The trail lies inside Gangotri National Park. The Gaumukh and Tapovan trail climbs from Gangotri to the Kanakhu forest barrier, about 2 km on, which opens at 6 am and where permits are checked. Entry is capped at 150 trekkers a day. We arrange the permits, so you do not queue for them or need to fill in forms yourself.

The town. Gangotri is one of the holiest temple towns in the Himalaya, and the Bhagirathi runs beside it. In the yatra season, roughly late April to early November, the town is busy. If you plan to visit the temple, register online for the Char Dham Yatra before you travel, as checkpoints on the way may ask for it. Carry photo ID in the car.

Why a day at Gangotri. Gangotri is about 2,700 m higher than Rishikesh, and you arrive after a long drive. That is why day 2 is a rest and acclimatisation day with a short walk to Surya Kund, and why we will not start the trail on the day of arrival.

Leave a spare day either side of the trip for flights, in case of road delays.

The Kedar Tal trek runs in two windows: May to June, and September to October. Both work, but the trail is different in each.

Spring and early summer (May to June). Expect snow cover on the upper stretches and more water on the trail. Temperatures over the trek run from about -8 to 20 degrees Celsius, so warm layers matter at camp even in June.

Autumn (September to October). Once the snow has gone, the moraine and rock are open and the weather is generally stable, with clearer skies. Views of Thalay Sagar and Bhrigupanth are often at their sharpest.

Terrain. The terrain on this trek includes above-tree-line and alpine zone, boulder and scree, loose gravel, moraine, a glacier section, ice patches, a snow trail and stone steps. It is the loose rock rather than the height that takes time, so the hours listed (2 to 7 hours a day) should be read at a steady pace.

Snow gear. Where the snow calls for it, we provide microspikes, gaiters and a walking ice axe, and you get a short practice with them on the way. You do not need to bring them.

What to bring. A rain layer is useful on every day; the trail tips also suggest trekking poles on the steeper sections. Warm layers go on as soon as you reach camp.

Monsoon. We do not run Kedar Tal from July to mid-September. The road to Gangotri can close and the trail is slippery, and there is little reason to push it.

If you are unsure which window fits you, tell us your dates and how you feel about snow, and we will advise.

Kedar Tal is a short trek with serious ground. We run it as a private trek for your own group, with acclimatisation built into the days and a local team.

Why private suits this trek. The itinerary has short days where the height comes fast (day 4 is only 3 km but takes you to 4,279 m), a rest day at Gangotri and a night above the lake at Jogin ABC. With just your group we can adjust the pace, keep camp routine efficient and decide on the mountain whether to go on or turn around. Turning back when it is the right thing is part of how we work.

How the days are paced. Gangotri (3,048 m) for two nights, then Bhoj Kharak (3,496 m), Kedar Kharak (4,279 m) and the extension camp at Jogin ABC. Walking days run from about 2 to 7 hours, with the longest day on the descent from Kedar Kharak to Gangotri. Camps on days 3 to 6 are in tents; the nights in Gangotri are in a hotel.

Who it suits. The grade is Moderate+. It suits a trekker who is comfortable with steep ground, rough footing and a few days at altitude, and who wants a remote valley without a long expedition. If you are new to altitude, say so when you write, and we will tell you honestly whether this is the right first step.

Leave No Trace. We carry our waste down with us and keep camps clean. The upper valley is a national park, and we leave it as we found it.

Where it leads. If Kedar Tal makes you want more of the Gangotri region, the Gangotri Vasuki Tal trek is another way into the same region.

Tell us your dates, experience and pace, and we will shape the days around you.