Sankri homestay
Homestay
Kedarkantha winter summit - 6 Days (Dehradun ISBT, Sankri, Juda ka Talab, Kedarkantha Base & Kedarkantha Summit)
Six days, one summit ridge, and snow from the second camp on. Six days from Sankri with an extra acclimatisation night at Juda ka Talab. Smaller batches and a higher guide ratio than most operators run on this trail.
Great Himalaya Routes
Runs this trip
Trekking
Six days, one summit ridge, and snow from the second camp on
Group Tour
Join a fixed-date departure with other travellers
Top Highlights
Kempty Falls roadYou leave the plains behind before breakfast and spend the day climbing the Tons valley — Mussoorie, Nainbagh, Purola, then the long… Juda ka Talab (frozen lake)The first walking day and the one that surprises people — a steady climb through old-growth pine and oak that opens, quite suddenly,… Kedarkantha base meadowA deliberately short day. Kedarkantha Summit (3,800 m)You start in the dark with headlamps and climb the ridge in a slow line. Shepherd hutsAll downhill through the forest you climbed on day two, on a different trail that drops past shepherd huts and the old water mill. Tons valleyThe same road, in reverse and in daylight.
Itinerary
You leave the plains behind before breakfast and spend the day climbing the Tons valley — Mussoorie, Nainbagh, Purola, then the long forested stretch to Sankri. It is a full day in the vehicle, so the trek proper starts tomorrow.
Dehradun, SankriHow the day runs
- 10 hrs6:30 AM — Board at Dehradun ISBT, gate 3
- 12:30 PM — Lunch stop at Purola (own expense)
- 5:00 PM — Arrive Sankri, rooms allotted
- 8:00 PM — Kit check, briefing and dinner
- MealsDinner included
- AccommodationVillage lodge, twin sharing (Sankri village lodge (twin sharing))
Included Activities
- Pickup at Dehradun ISBT
- Tempo Traveller to Sankri
- Evening briefing and kit check
Optional Activities
- Lunch at Purola (own expense)
LANDMARKS Kempty Falls road Tons valley Sankri village Start point Dehradun ISBT, Gate 3, ISBT, Saharanpur Road, Dehradun 248001 06:00 - 06:45The first walking day and the one that surprises people — a steady climb through old-growth pine and oak that opens, quite suddenly, onto a frozen lake ringed with trees. Camp sits just above the water.
Sankri, Juda ka TalabHow the day runs
- 4 hrs7:30 AM — Breakfast, packed lunch handed out
- 8:30 AM — Trail head above Sankri village
- 11:00 AM — Tea break at the shepherd clearing
- 1:00 PM — Reach Juda ka Talab, camp allotted
- 4:30 PM — Acclimatisation walk and snow-craft session
- MealsAll meals included
- AccommodationTents on snow, triple sharing (Great Himalaya Routes camp, Juda ka Talab)
Included Activities
- Guided trek to Juda ka Talab
- Acclimatisation walk
- Snow-craft session
LANDMARKS Juda ka Talab (frozen lake) Pine and oak forest A deliberately short day. You break out of the treeline into open meadow with the summit cone directly ahead, and the afternoon is kept free so your body catches up with the altitude before summit night.
Juda ka Talab, Kedarkantha BaseHow the day runs
- 3 hrs8:00 AM — Breakfast and camp break
- 9:00 AM — Climb through the last of the birch
- 12:00 PM — Arrive Kedarkantha base, 3,130 m
- 3:00 PM — Summit route recce and spikes practice
- 7:00 PM — Early dinner, lights out by 8
- MealsAll meals included
- AccommodationTents on snow, triple sharing (Great Himalaya Routes camp, Kedarkantha base)
Included Activities
- Trek to Kedarkantha base
- Summit route recce
- Microspikes practice
LANDMARKS Kedarkantha base meadow Summit cone viewpoint You start in the dark with headlamps and climb the ridge in a slow line. Sunrise catches Swargarohini, Bandarpoonch, Black Peak and Ranglana all at once from the top — then a long, knee-heavy descent past a different ridge to Hargaon.
Kedarkantha Base, Kedarkantha Summit, HargaonHow the day runs
- 9 hrs2:00 AM — Tea, then rope up spikes and go
- 6:30 AM — Summit ridge — 3,800 m, sunrise
- 8:00 AM — Start the descent, breakfast at base
- 12:30 PM — Pack up and drop to Hargaon
- 3:30 PM — Hargaon camp, hot soup
- MealsAll meals included
- AccommodationTents in the forest clearing (Great Himalaya Routes camp, Hargaon clearing)
Included Activities
- Pre-dawn summit climb
- Sunrise on the summit
- Descent to Hargaon
LANDMARKS Kedarkantha Summit (3,800 m) Swargarohini view Bandarpoonch view Black Peak view All downhill through the forest you climbed on day two, on a different trail that drops past shepherd huts and the old water mill. Certificates and a hot shower in Sankri by mid-afternoon.
Hargaon, SankriHow the day runs
- 4 hrs8:00 AM — Breakfast and camp break
- 9:00 AM — Forest descent begins
- 1:00 PM — Sankri, rooms and hot water
- 6:00 PM — Certificates and feedback round
- MealsAll meals included
- AccommodationVillage lodge, twin sharing (Sankri village lodge (twin sharing))
Included Activities
- Forest descent to Sankri
- Completion certificates
Optional Activities
- Hot shower and village walk
LANDMARKS Shepherd huts Old water mill The same road, in reverse and in daylight. Most groups reach Dehradun ISBT between 7 and 8 PM, which comfortably makes the night trains and buses to Delhi.
Sankri, DehradunHow the day runs
- 10 hrs6:30 AM — Breakfast, load the vehicles
- 7:00 AM — Depart Sankri
- 1:00 PM — Lunch stop at Nainbagh
- 7:30 PM — Drop at Dehradun ISBT
- MealsBreakfast included
- AccommodationNot included — onward travel
Included Activities
- Drive back to Dehradun
Optional Activities
- Lunch stop at Nainbagh (own expense)
LANDMARKS Tons valley Mussoorie End point Dehradun ISBT, ISBT, Saharanpur Road, Dehradun 248001 19:00 - 20:30
- Day 1Pickup at Dehradun ISBT
- Day 1Dehradun to Sankri
- Day 1Evening briefing and kit checkThe first walking day and the one that surprises people — a steady climb through old-growth pine and oak that opens, quite suddenly, onto a frozen lake ringed with trees. Camp sits just above the water.
- Day 1Lunch at Purola (own expense)Costs extra
- Day 2Guided trek to Juda ka Talab
- Day 2Acclimatisation walk
- Day 2Snow-craft session
- Day 3Trek to Kedarkantha base
- Day 3Summit route recce
- Day 3Microspikes practice
- Day 4Pre-dawn summit climb
- Day 4Sunrise on the summit
- Day 4Descent to Hargaon
- Day 5Forest descent to Sankri
- Day 5Completion certificates
- Day 5Hot shower and village walkCosts extra
- Day 6Drive back to Dehradun
- Day 6Lunch stop at Nainbagh (own expense)Costs extra
Where you'll stay
All accommodations are subject to change
Juda ka Talab camp
Camping
Base camp
Camping
What you'll eat
Morning at camp (6:30 – 7:30 AM): Woken with bed tea at the tent door, then a hot counter under the mess tarp. On the trail (packed at breakfast): Handed to you in a box before you leave — eaten wherever the guide calls the lunch halt. Dinner at camp (7:00 – 8:30 PM): Soup the moment you reach, dinner once the tents are up and the sun is gone.
- Dinner includedServed on day 1
- All meals includedServed on days 2–5
- Breakfast includedServed on day 6
6 meal services named in the itinerary. Diet: Pure vegetarian above Sankri · eggs on request · Allergies: Flag them at booking — the kitchen plans around it · Water: Boiled and filtered at every camp, refills free
You might also like
Customer reviews
Overall rating
4.5/5
Based on 11 reviews
Review summary
Food4.7/5
Guide4.3/5
Itinerary4.4/5
Transport4.3/5
Accommodation4.3/5
Tour operator4.5/5
Sort by:Recommended
4
A
Arjun Pillai – Nagpur2025-02-13 · Verified booking
Uttarakhand in the right season is something else, and the team knew exactly where to camp.
Was this helpful?
3
D
Daniel Okafor – Zurich2025-02-13 · Verified booking
The trek itself is good but the group was too large for the trail on the summit day. Crew were professional without being stiff about it.
Reply from Great Himalaya Routes
Glad you enjoyed it. Hope to see you on another trip.
Was this helpful?
5
V
Vikram Bose – Indore2025-02-13 · Verified booking
The route is beautiful and the pacing was sensible — nobody was rushed on the climb. The teahouses were warm and the beds were fine after eight hours walking. Meals were good throughout and the vegetarian options weren't an afterthought. Would book with them again.
Reply from Great Himalaya Routes
Glad you enjoyed it. Hope to see you on another trip.
Was this helpful?
5
R
Rohit Verma – Delhi2025-02-13 · Verified booking
Second trek with this operator and they've kept the standard up. The lead was calm and knew when to slow the group down. Would send friends their way.
Was this helpful?
5
D
Dev Chatterjee – Bengaluru2025-02-13 · Verified booking
The route is beautiful and the pacing was sensible — nobody was rushed on the climb. The cooking was a genuine surprise — better than most places we'd have picked ourselves. Solid operator.
Was this helpful?
5
D
Daniel Okafor – Stockholm2025-02-13 · Verified booking
Well organised from the pickup onwards. The daily distances were honest about what they'd be. Plenty to eat and they were happy to work around a gluten allergy. Good value for what's included.
Was this helpful?
5
F
Farah Qureshi – Delhi2025-01-08 · Verified booking
Well organised from the pickup onwards. The daily distances were honest about what they'd be. Every night's lodge was a step up from what I'd braced for. The lead was calm and knew when to slow the group down.
Reply from Great Himalaya Routes
Glad you enjoyed it. Hope to see you on another trip.
Was this helpful?
5
C
Carla Mendes – Dubai2025-01-08 · Verified booking
Uttarakhand in the right season is something else, and the team knew exactly where to camp. Rooms were basic in the best way — dry, warm, and right where we needed them. The team read the group well and adjusted without making a thing of it. Recommended.
Reply from Great Himalaya Routes
Thank you. We've taken the point about the transfer and are reviewing it.
Was this helpful?
Questions people ask
2 other operators run this trail. See all 3 side by side →