16 days
15 nights
Joshimath
start point
May to June and September to October, after the monsoon. Avoid July and August, when landslides hit the Garhwal hills. Kalpeshwar stays open all year; the other four open around late April to May.
best season
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Overview
Tour overview
The Panch Kedar trek is one of the great pilgrim treks of the Garhwal Himalaya in Uttarakhand. On this single continuous journey you walk to all five shrines of Lord Shiva in the Kedar valley, from the old story in which Shiva took the form of a bull and reappeared in five parts. The hump is worshipped at Kedarnath (3,583 m), the navel and stomach at Madhyamaheshwar (3,490 m), the arms at Tungnath (3,680 m), the face at Rudranath (3,559 m) and the matted hair at Kalpeshwar (2,200 m). This 16-day route is the full walking traverse for serious trekkers, crossing high meadows and camps such as Kalgot, Panar Bugyal, Chopta, Chandrashila and Ransi, with many nights in tents and mountain hamlets. If you would rather take darshan of all five with far less walking, see our 12-day Panch Kedar Tour Package, which drives between the road heads and treks in and out of each temple.
Panch Kedar trek is one the most beautiful treks in Garhwal Himalayan region of Uttarakhand. It includes all the five shrines of Lord Shiva which are located in Kedar valley.
Prefer an easier, guided version? See our 12-day Panch Kedar Tour Package from Haridwar and Rishikesh, which drives between the road heads and treks in and out of each temple, for pilgrims who want the darshan with less trekking.
Tour highlights
Trek from Kalpeshwar to Urgam village
Trek from Urgam to Kalgot
Rudranath trek
Sagar village
Destinations covered
Best Time
May to June and September to October, after the monsoon. Avoid July and August, when landslides hit the Garhwal hills. Kalpeshwar stays open all year; the other four open around late April to May.
Ideal For
N/A
Difficulty
Challenging
Day by day
Day-by-day itinerary
A carefully paced plan, day by day. Tap any day for the stay, meals and altitude detail.
Joshimath is the starting point of the Panch Kedar trek. All the arrangements of coming to Joshimath are to be done by trekkers themselves. If you are coming by road, the total distance from Haridwar to Joshimath is about 260 km. which takes around 10 hours of drive to reach. The entire route is beautiful and you can witness the confluence of River Alaknanda and Bhagirathi River to form the Ganga River. Nearest railway station is Ramnagar, but the train connectivity is not good from other major cities. Once you reach Joshimath, get in touch with our representatives. They will guide you towards your accommodation. Take rest and overnight stay shall be at Joshimath.
Get up early in the morning and have breakfast. The day starts with a 19 km. drive from Joshimath to Kalpeshwar, followed by a 3 km. trek from Kalpeshwar to Urgam village. Kalpeshwar is located in the picturesque valley of Urgam at an altitude of 2134 mtr. above the sea level. The entire valley is full of rich and diverse flora and fauna. From the valley, enjoy the view of lush green forests and terraced fields. Kalpeshwar is one of the five shrines of Lord Shiva. The hairs of Lord Shiva are worshiped in this holy temple. The temple is accessible round the year. After Kalpeshwar, we head to Urgam village. Most of the trek to Urgam village is a gradual climb. After a long day, take rest at one of the home stays in Urgam village. The local people of the village are very hospitable. Have a meal with them, learn their language, talk about their culture, lifestyle, and region. Do you know?:Kalpeshwar is believed to be a favourite spot for meditation among many sages.
After having delicious breakfast in the homestay, we start our day with a trek from Urgam to Kalgot. It is a 12 km. long stretch. We recommend some morning exercise before beginning the trek as the distance to be travelled is quite long. Kalgot is located at an altitude of 2183 m. above the sea level. During the initial trek, you walk through a dense forest hearing sounds of murmuring waterfalls. Urgam valley is famous for apple orchards and for the cultivation of potatoes. While you walk further, you witness beautiful lush green meadows rolling down the entire valley. On arriving Kalgot village, interact with remote villagers and learn from them their way of leading a happy life without modernisation. Enjoy an overnight home stay with Garhwali family at Kalgot.
After some refreshments, start early morning for Kalgot to Panar Bugyal trek. It is a 14 km.long trek. You have to climb uphill through the dense forest. As you move through the trek, you can witness the change in vegetation and atmosphere. Feel the breeze and peace of the place. The trek leads you through farm fields, rocky dusty and steep trek routes. You also get to see amazing meadows with nature’s beauty at its peak. Once you reach the top, you get a picturesque Himalayan view. Don’t forget to capture the scenic beauty of nature which is at its best here. Varied flowers, mushrooms and soft grass can be seen all over the valley. So roll on the soft carpeted grasslands like a small baby. Enjoy overnight stay in atent under the open sky amidst vibrant and majestic landscapes.
Early morning post breakfast and with fresh legs, start Panar to Rudranath trek. Towards the day end, we are going to return back to Panar for night stay. The total distance that we are going to cover today is 16 km., i.e. 8 km. trek each side. Rudranath is situated at an altitude of 2286 m. from the sea level. Enjoy the atmosphere as you move ahead through the scenic routes. Rudranath is among the five shrines, and here the face of Lord Shiva had appeared in the natural rocks. From the temple, you get abreath-taking panoramic view of the Himalayas,Nanda devi,Nanda Ghunti,Trishuland much more. To reach the top, you have to trek through thick dense forests, gorges and high alpine meadows. There are few ponds near the temple likeSurya kund, Tara kund, Chandra kundandManaskundwhich can also be covered by the trekkers. The entire view along the trek is quite mesmerising and soothing. Head back to Panar for your night stay.
After a good sleep and breakfast, make your advancement towards Sagar village which is your first destination for the day. You have to trek the distance between Panar and Sagar village which is approximately 14 km. Later drive 32 km. towards Chopta. The trek route from Panar to Sagar village goes through dense forests and high altitude meadows. Make sure you click good snaps around this extremely peaceful place. Later drive 32 km. towards Chopta (2900 m.).Choptais also known asSwitzerland of Garhwal region. It is considered as the most attractive place in the region. This place takes away the agony of an exhausting walk and brings forth a beautiful fairy world in front of you. Enjoy the majestic view of snow clad Himalayas, lush green meadows, dense forests and other surrounding areas. Here you can find the rare view of musk deer, pheasant and lot of other wildlife. The place offers arich variety of flora and fauna. During the trek, you come across a lot of Rhododendron and Deodar trees. After the hectic day, take rest and overnight stay in the guest house at Chopta.
Start early in the morning with a wholesome breakfast and some morning exercises. Today we move ahead to Tungnath, which is another shrine of Lord Shiva. Tungnath is located at an altitude of 3680 m. above the sea level and it is the highest shrine of Lord Shiva in the entire world. At this place, Lord Shiva’s arms were identified and are worshiped. Shiva’s vehicle, Nandi bull is also placed here, facing the gate of the temple. Small temples are also dedicated to Goddess Parvati and Lord Vyas. Chopta to Tungnath trek is approximately 3.5 km., which is easy to hike and takes around 4 hours to reach. You can hike through a well-made concrete path which goes by lush green alpine meadows, dense forests and surrounded by snow-capped Himalayan ranges. Moving 1.5 km. ahead, you reachChandrashila, which is located at an altitude of 4000 m. above the sea level. During winters, the entire place is covered with white snow sheets. The journey to Chandrashila allows you to get enchanted by the majestic view of Himalayas. Late evening drive back to Ukhimath/Guptkashi and night stay is arranged in the guest house at Ukhimath/Guptkashi.
The morning starts with early breakfast and then you proceed for the drive from Ukhimath to Kalimath. The total distance is about 20 km. After reaching Kalimath the trek from Ukhimath to Ransi begins. The total trek distance is about 7 km. Ransi is located in RudraPrayag district of Uttarakhand, at the height of 1765 m. above the sea level. The route is covered with dirt and rocky pebbles. After reaching Ransi, take dinner and proceed for anovernight stay at the camp.
The day starts with morning breakfast and then you head over for trek from Ransi to Gaundhar. The trek distance is about 7 km. Gaundhar is situated at the height of 3073 m. above the sea level. Gaundhar is a small village which acts as a base camp for trekkers heading towards Madhyamaheshwar. Devotees travelling to Madhyamaheswar temple opt to take a halt at Gaundhar, so this route is often crowded with pilgrims. On this trek you come across a bridge, from where you can witness the confluence of Madhyamaheshwar Ganga River and the holy Markanga Ganga River which gives enchanting views to the trekkers. This is one of the lowest points of our trek. This place offers scenic views which cannot be expressed in literature. After reaching Gaundhar, take the dinner and proceed for an overnight stay in camp at Gaundhar.
After early morning breakfast, you proceed to trek from Gaundhar to Madhyamasheswar. The trek distance is 10 km. which takes around 5 to 6 hours. Madhyamaheshwar is located at the height of 3490 m. above the sea level. The trek route is steep and goes through dense forests. It is one of the well graded paths, which offers changing views of grassy slopes, lush green meadows and emerald streams. Madhyamaheswar is the fourth shrine of Lord Shiva. Many devotees and worshipers believe that navel mid part of the body of Lord Shiva reappeared at this shrine after it disappeared at Kedarnath. The temple is built in typical north Indian style. The temple has status of Har-Gouri, Parvati and Ardhanarishwara. Enjoy the holy sounds of the temple bell which makes everyone’s soul sacred. Set up the camp after reaching here. The campsite offers an incredible view of prominent peaks like Kedarnath, Chaukhamba and Neelkanth . Have the dinner and overnight stay at the camp in Madhyamaheshwar.
After an overnight stay at Madhyamaheshwar, take early morning breakfast. Pay homage to the ancient deity and later trek along the same route of the previous day towards Gaudhar. Enjoy the mesmerising atmosphere and scenic beauty of this place. Click some pictures of this beautiful Garhwal Himalayan region trek and make your trekking experience last forever. Have dinner and overnight stay in the camp at Gaundhar.
After having early morning breakfast, you start the trek from Gaundhar to Ransi. The distance between them is approximately 6 km. Local villagers, water streams, mountains andcattles can be seen throughout the route. The entire trekking route is beautiful and full of positive energy. After reaching Ransi, take the dinner. Overnight stay is at the camp in Ransi.
The day begins with early morning breakfast and few stretching exercises before you start trekking from Ransi to Kalimath. The total trek distance is around 13 km. The trekking route mostly passes through dense forests. On the route, many sights having the evidence of landslides can be seen. Water streams with cold water can be found flowing along the trek path. Kalimath is situated on the banks of Kali Ganga River. On reaching Kalimath, visit the Kali Temple. Many devotees visit the temple every year. During Navratris the rush is at its peak. Later take a drive from Kalimath to Gaurikund via Guptkashi. The total drive is 39 km. long. Take a halt in Gupthkashi (1319 m.) and visit some ancient temples. Head back to Gaurikund for dinner. According to many local traditions, it is claimed that Guari, also known as Parvati performed many ascetic and yogic practices to win Shiva’s love. Overnight stay is at a hotel in Gaurikund (1981 m.). Do you know?:The interesting thing about the Kali temple is that there is no idol that is worshiped here;instead, Sri Yantra is the object of devotion for the pilgrims.
The morning starts with breakfast and then you head for the trek from Gaurikund to Kedarnath. The trek route is 16 km. long. Kedarnath is situated at the height of 3584 m. above the sea level and is one of the Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva out of the total twelve. Kedarnath temple is believed to be very ancient temple and at this place the hump of Lord Shiva had appeared. The trek route offers an incredible view of the surroundings. River flowing through the valley can be seen on the right side. The entire trek distance is composed of awalk with no steep climbing. On arrival at Kedarnath, take the dinner. Overnight stay is at the camp in Kedarnath.
The day starts with early morning breakfast and later visit the Kedarnath temple. Seek the blessings of Kedarnath ji and participate in the morning pooja. After completing the religious rituals you trek from Kedarnath to Gaurikund. The trek distance is 19 km. and the route is same as that of the previous day. On reaching Gaurikund, take the lunch and drive towards Guptkashi. The distance between the two is 30 km. which takes around 2.5 hours. After reaching Guptkashi, take dinner and proceed for an overnight stay at Guptkashi.
After taking early breakfast, you head towards onward journey. The distance of Guptkashi to prominent places are Haridwar – 207 km., Rishikesh – 184 km., Dehradun – 224 km. You can pre-select the onward destination before the trek according to your suitability.
Temples on the way
Sacred temples you can visit
On this journey you come close to 3 holy temples of India, from the Jyotirlinga, Chota Char Dham, Char Dham circuits. Below you can see each temple and how far it is from where you stay, so you can plan your darshan with a calm mind and enough time.
Where you stay
Kedarnath Jyotirlinga
Jyotirlinga · Chota Char Dham · Shiva · Uttarakhand
While you stay at Kedarnath, you can have darshan at Kedarnath Jyotirlinga.
A short drive from your stay
Badrinath Dham
Char Dham · Chota Char Dham · Vishnu · Uttarakhand
Badrinath Dham is a short drive from your stay at Joshimath (about 22 km). You can go for darshan and come back the same day.
Gangotri Dham
Chota Char Dham · Ganga · Uttarakhand
Gangotri Dham is a short drive from your stay at Kedarnath (about 31 km). You can go for darshan and come back the same day.
UNESCO World Heritage
World Heritage Sites on this journey
This tour takes you close to 1 UNESCO World Heritage Site of India. These are places the world has recognised as our shared treasure. Below you can see each one and how far it is from where you stay, so you can plan your darshan and sightseeing with time to spare.
Right where you stay
Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Parks
Natural · Inscribed 1988 · Uttarakhand
While you stay at Joshimath, you can visit Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Parks, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Want to plan your trip around India’s World Heritage Sites? See all UNESCO World Heritage Sites of India.
Travel tips
Travel Tips
Travel Tips For Panch Kedar Trek
What travellers say
What travellers say
4.7
Way to India · rated 4.7★ on Google across 46 reviews
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Yashvind Kumar Poteeram★★★★★
“A big thanks to Way To India for organising such a truly memorable and spiritually fulfilling experience during our 12 Jyotirlinga Darshan pilgrimage from 1st May to 18th May. They organized the entire journey exceptionally well, ensuring that every aspect of the trip was smooth, comfortable, and hassle-free. From transportation and hotel arrangements to darshan planning and coordination, everything was managed professionally. Despite the extensive travel across multiple destinations, the itinerary was well-structured, allowing us to complete all the Jyotirlinga darshans comfortably. Thanks to staff of Way To India, especially, Ms Neha, who was supportive, responsive, and attentive throughout the journey, always ready to assist whenever needed. Her dedication and careful planning made this sacred pilgrimage stress-free and enjoyable. I sincerely appreciate their excellent service, commitment, and hospitality. Highly recommend Way To India to anyone planning a spiritual tour, especially for the 12 Jyotirlinga Yatra. Thank you for making this divine journey so special and memorable.”4 weeks ago · Google
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Aruna Persand★★★★★
“We have successfully completed the 12 Jyotirlinga Yatra, with Waytoindia and it was a truly blessed and unforgettable journey. Every aspect of the tour was well planned and professionally organized, from transportation and accommodations to temple visits and sightseeing. Visiting all twelve sacred Jyotirlingas was a deeply spiritual experience. The itinerary was designed efficiently, allowing us to have darshan at each shrine comfortably while enjoying the cultural and religious significance of every destination. We sincerely appreciate the excellent support and coordination throughout the trip. The team was always available to assist, ensuring a smooth and stress-free pilgrimage. Thank you Waytoindia for making our dream of completing the 12 Jyotirlinga Yatra a reality. We highly recommend this tour to anyone seeking a well-organized and spiritually enriching pilgrimage experience. Har Har Mahadev! 🙏🕉️”a month ago · Google
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Yash Bhargava★★★★★
“We recently entrusted our honeymoon planning to 'Way to India', and it turned out to be one of the best decisions we made. From itinerary finalization to on-ground execution, everything was handled with remarkable professionalism, warmth, and attention to detail. Every aspect of our trip — flights, hotels, transfers, experiences, and even the small thoughtful touches — was perfectly curated. The itinerary was balanced, well-planned, and tailored exactly to what we wanted. We never had to worry about a single thing; all arrangements were seamless and absolutely hassle-free. What truly stood out was their responsiveness and genuine care. They were always available, always patient, and consistently went the extra mile to ensure our journey was special. Special thanks to Neha Ma'am for planning everything. We are incredibly grateful and wholeheartedly recommend their services to anyone looking for a stress-free, personalised, and delightful travel experience. Thank you for making our honeymoon truly magical!”4 months ago · Google
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FAQ
Frequently asked questions
For the Panch Kedar Trek, you typically do not need special permits for Indian nationals. However, if you are a foreign national, you may need to register with the local authorities upon arrival. It's advisable to carry a valid ID and any necessary travel documents.
The best time for the Panch Kedar Trek is from late April to early June and from September to October. During these months, the weather is pleasant, and the trails are accessible. Monsoon season (July to August) can lead to landslides, making trekking hazardous.
Pack lightweight trekking gear, including sturdy hiking boots, warm clothing, a waterproof jacket, and a good quality sleeping bag. Don't forget essentials like a first-aid kit, water purification tablets, snacks, and trekking poles. A hat and sunscreen are also recommended.
The Panch Kedar Trek is considered moderate to challenging, requiring a good level of fitness. The trek involves steep ascents and descents, with altitudes reaching up to 3,900 meters. Prior trekking experience is beneficial, but with proper preparation, it is achievable for most trekkers.
Safety concerns include altitude sickness, slippery trails, and sudden weather changes. It's crucial to acclimatize properly and stay hydrated. Always trek with a guide and inform someone about your itinerary. Mobile connectivity may be limited in remote areas.
Accommodation during the Panch Kedar Trek varies from basic guesthouses in villages to tents at higher altitudes. Expect simple amenities, and be prepared for shared facilities. It's advisable to carry a sleeping bag for added comfort.
While solo trekking is possible, it is not recommended due to safety concerns and the challenging nature of the terrain. Joining a guided group trek is safer and offers local insights, making the experience more enriching.
Food options during the trek are typically vegetarian, including rice, dal, vegetables, and chapatis. Some places may offer eggs. It's advisable to carry energy snacks like nuts and energy bars for the trek.
The trek usually starts from Joshimath, which is accessible by road from major cities like Haridwar and Rishikesh. You can take a bus or hire a taxi to reach Joshimath. Ensure to check road conditions, especially during monsoon.
The highest point on the Panch Kedar Trek is Chandrashila, which stands at an altitude of approximately 3,680 meters. Proper acclimatization is essential to avoid altitude sickness at this elevation.
Yes, when visiting temples and local villages, dress modestly and respect local customs. Always ask for permission before taking photographs of people, and be mindful of local traditions, especially in religious sites.
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