Kalindi Khal Trek

Drive from Harsil – Gangotri, Trek from Gangotri to Chirbasa (2600m, 3050m, 3550m / 3 hours trek / 20km drive)

• Start your day early after breakfast with a drive from Hasil to Gangotri

• Upon arriving here, enjoy roaming through the scenic and holy town and visit its numerous temples, ghats along the River Ganges, and the Gangotri National Park

• Trek for 3 hours till you reach Chirbasa and set up camps here. Here you will get briefed about your trek, have dinner, and spend the night

Trek from Chirbasa – Bhojwasa (3850m / 2 hours trek)

• Take a short trek through alpine forests to Bhojwasa where you will set up camps to get acclimatized with the local conditions and the region

• Enjoy a delicious lunch and then head for Gaumukh

• Spend some time at the origins of River Bhagirathi, see mountain antelopes and the Bhagirathi group of peaks in the distance. Then return to Bhojbasa to spend the night

Trek from Bhojwasa – Gaumukh – Tapovan (3890m, 4463m / 4 hours trek)

• Start your trek after breakfast all the way up to Gaumukh again and further through moraines till you reach Tapovan

• Go through pine and birch forests as well as rocky terrains and see the spot where the River Ganga flows down from the glaciers

• Enjoy the beauty of the place comprising high altitude prairies, rivulets and mountain tops

• Set up camp on the Shivling peak

Relaxation and acclimatization day at Tapovan

• Enjoy a day of relaxation at Tapovan which is a beautiful campsite to rest and rejuvenate. Discover the lush natural beauty as you also acclimatize yourself to the conditions here

• Explore the scenic meadows with the snow clad mountains towering in the backdrop and go up to the Shivling Base Camp or even higher up to Kirti Glacier

• Spend the night at the camp

Trek from Tapovan – Nandanvan (Altitude- 4337m / 3-4 hours trek)

• Start the trek after breakfast towards the other end of Gangotri glacier till you reach the Nandanvan grasslands

• Cross over rocky ridges, icy sheets, crevasses, steep vertical ascents, lush green valleys, and gentle streams

• After a 3-hour trek you will reach Nandanvan from where you can see famous peaks like Shivling, Bhagirathi, Sudarshan, Thelu, and Kedar Dome

• Stop here for the night

Trek from Nandanvan – Vasuki Tal (4880m / 4-5 hours trek)

• Start this moderate level trek as you make an ascent on the upon the Chaturangi Glacier right up to the Vasuki Tal, a half frozen lake lying at the base of mounts Satopanth and Vasuki Parbat

• Catch enchanting views along the way of Meru and Brigupanth

• After arriving at the lake, enjoy the scenic views and set up camps here for the night

• Relaxation and acclimatization day at Vasuki Tal

• Owing to the arduous trek you will have to undertake over the next few days, this day will be spent completely resting and relaxing

• Spend the night in your camp at Vasuki Tal

Trek from Vasuki Tal – Khara Pathar (5480m / 3-4 hours trek)

• Start off on your trek after a heavy breakfast and prepare for a day of arduous trekking through moraines and thick snow beds

• Trek along steep ascents and rocky pathways through a network of mountains till you reach Khara Pathar

• Set up camps here and retire for the night

Trek from Khara Pathar - Shweta Glacier (5500m / 4-5 hours trek)

• Enjoy the 10th day of your Kalindi Khal trek amidst a beautiful landscape comprising of glaciers, mountains, and moraines

• Enjoy this short trek although the walk can get quite difficult due to the altitude and steep moraine tracks

• After about 5 hours of trekking, set up camp her to spend the night amidst mountains and surrounded by the towering peaks of the Gangotri group, the Bhagirathi group, and the Shivling

Trek from Shweta Glacier – Kalindi Base Camp (5600m / 4-5 hours trek)

• After a quick breakfast start your trek through mountains and glaciers

• After a 4-hour long trek and a gradual climb you will reach the Kalindi base camp where you will stop for the night

• You will be given a safety briefing and orientation at night for the next day

Trek from Kalindi Base – Kalindikhal – Arwatal (5950m/8-13 hours trek)

• Trek starts very early at about 1 AM before the glacial water level rises. The trek goes through a challenging trail with crevasses and tricky patches

• Go up to a height of 6,000 meters and enjoy spectacular views of the Kalindi Khal peak

• Head downhill through Rajparav and Arwatal to your beautiful campsite near the lake and stop here for the night

Trek from Arwatal – Ghastoli (3796m/5-6 hours trek)

• This is a long trek including 3-4 river crossings to Ghastoli which is a beautiful and serene meadow that also serves as the border with China

• Arrive at the high-security military outpost near Tibet and China at Ghastoli which has an army establishment

• Camp by the tranquil River Arwa for the night

Trek from Ghastoli – Mana Village, Drive from Mana Village – Badrinath – Auli (5-6 hours trek, 2 hours drive)

• After a hearty breakfast, set out on completely constructed trails from Ghastoli downward till Mana- the last Indian village in the Indo-China border

• Take a ride from here to the holy town of Badrinath and drive further to Auli

• Spend the night in a lodge at Auli

Transfer from Auli – Dehradun (8-9 hours’ drive_

• Start with a delectable breakfast and prepare for the return journey from Auli

• Continue the road trip till Dehradun where your Kalindi Khal trek comes to an end

The Kalindi Khal trek is quite a challenging expedition and needs adequate preparation to complete it successfully. Following some of the best travel tips which can help you on the difficult journey and at the same time make it enjoyable and memorable.

• Carry enough cash as you will not find an ATM nearby other than at Rishikesh or Uttarkashi

• If you are driving, get your tank filled at Uttarkashi as there are no petrol pumps after this point

• Carry adequate warm clothes even if you are traveling in the summer season

• Book your Kalindi Khal trek during the summer or monsoon seasons for the best experience

• Practice some relaxation measures like slow deep breathing if you feel unwell, nauseous, or have a headache

• Have water at regular intervals, breathe properly, take adequate breaks, and do not over exery yourself