Gujju Diary

Uttarakhand · winter trek

Trek – Kuari Pass

Six Gujaratis traded an AC chair-car and a steel dabba of thepla for a frozen tent at 11,000 ft. Reader, it was the best decision we made all year.

December 2016

Duration
11 days, 10 nights
Season
December, winter snow
Max altitude
12,763 ft
Trek
About 33 km over 4 days
Stays
Train, guest houses, tents, hotels

The route

We took the overnight train to Haridwar, drove up the Alaknanda valley to Joshimath, trekked to Kuari Pass and back down via Auli, then came down to Rishikesh for rafting and finished with a day in Delhi.

Getting there

  1. Ahmedabad overnight train
  2. Haridwar 1 night
  3. Joshimath 1 night, trek base at 6,724 ft

Drive to Dhak village, then on foot

The trek

  1. Chitrakantha 1 night in tents, 9,600 ft
  2. Tali Top 2 nights in tents, 11,070 ft
  3. Kuari Pass summit, 12,763 ft
  4. Auli down through the Gorson meadows

Drive back down the valley

Way home

  1. Rishikesh 1 night, river rafting
  2. Delhi 1 night, sightseeing

How the trip went

If you only read one part of this page, read this. The full day-by-day table is below it.

Days 1–2
Ahmedabad, Haridwar

It started as a joke in the group chat

Let’s be honest: the natural habitat of the Gujarati traveller is a buffet counter with a sea view. So when “let’s do a Himalayan trek in December” was floated in the group chat, it was meant as a joke. Three weeks later we were on the Haridwar Mail with crampons we didn’t know how to use and enough thepla to survive a small siege.

We reached Haridwar around midday, which left the evening free for the Ganga aarti at Har Ki Pauri. It was a good, calm start before three days of mountains.

Draft note for Manan: one line on the train ride or the aarti, in your own words.

Day 3
Haridwar to Joshimath

Up the valley of the prayags

The trek operator picked us up at Haridwar station early in the morning for the longest drive of the trip, about 265 km. The road follows the river past Devprayag, where the Bhagirathi and Alaknanda meet, then Rudraprayag and Karnaprayag, each another confluence.

We reached Joshimath at 6,724 ft by evening, in time for tea, a trek briefing and dinner at the guest house. Rishikesh, on the way, is also the place to rent or buy trekking gear if you are missing anything.

Days 4–5
Chitrakantha, Tali Top

Into the rhododendron forest

Day four started with a short drive to Dhak village. From there it was on foot: up through Tugasi and Gulling villages to the lower Chitrakantha campsite at 9,600 ft, where lunch was waiting. Our first night in tents.

The next day was short but steep: four kilometres through oak, walnut and rhododendron forest, past the last water point and Tali lake, to the meadow at Tali Top. Nanda Devi, Kalanka and Changabang were lined up across the valley.

Draft note for Manan: what was the first night in a tent at 9,600 ft like?

Day 6
Kuari Pass

Summit day

The longest day: 15 km out and back. After breakfast we walked an easy first hour to Khullara, then climbed to Khullara Top, traversed a broken bridge over a frozen stream and made the last strenuous push to the pass at 12,763 ft. There is no water source on the way, so carry enough.

At the top the view opens into a wall of Himalaya: Kamet, Chaukhamba, Nanda Devi, Nanda Ghunti, Dronagiri, Kedarnath peak and more. We came for the bragging rights. We left converted.

Draft note for Manan: standing at the pass. This is the moment of the trip and worth a short paragraph.

Days 7–11
Auli, Rishikesh, Delhi

Down through the meadows, then back to the plains

The way down crossed the Gorson Bugyal meadows to Auli, with views towards the Nanda Devi sanctuary, and a car took us back to Joshimath. The next day was the long drive down to Rishikesh.

We fitted in an early-morning rafting run from Shivpuri before taking the evening Shatabdi from Haridwar to Delhi. One packed day of Delhi sightseeing, from the Red Fort to Akshardham, and an early flight home.

 

Day-by-day itinerary

Distances and drive times are the ones we planned with. Optional extras are highlighted like this.

Day Route and travel Sightseeing Stay Distance
Getting there
Day 1 Ahmedabad to Haridwar on the Haridwar Mail (overnight) On the train Train
Day 2 Reach Haridwar around midday Har Ki Pauri evening aarti Haridwar
Day 3 Haridwar to Joshimath (about 10 h) Devprayag, Srinagar, Rudraprayag and Karnaprayag along the way; evening trek briefing GMVN guest house, Joshimath 265 km
The trek
Day 4 Joshimath to Dhak (12 km drive), trek to Chitrakantha Tugasi and Gulling villages; views of Dronagiri, Hathi Parvat and Gori Parvat Tents, Chitrakantha (9,600 ft) 6 km trek
Day 5 Chitrakantha to Tali Top (steep, about 4 h) Oak, walnut and pink-and-white rhododendron forest; Tali lake; Nanda Devi, Kalanka and Changabang Tents, Tali Top (11,070 ft) 4 km trek
Day 6 Tali Top to Kuari Pass and back via Khullara Top (about 8 h) Summit at 12,763 ft: Kamet, Chaukhamba, Nanda Devi, Nanda Ghunti and more. No water on the way Tents, Tali Top 15 km trek
Day 7 Tali Top to Auli via Gorson Bugyal, drive to Joshimath Alpine meadows, views towards the Nanda Devi sanctuary Joshimath 8 km trek
Way home
Day 8 Joshimath to Rishikesh The long drive back down the valley Vedas, Rishikesh 254 km
Day 9 Rishikesh, then evening Shatabdi from Haridwar to Delhi River rafting from Shivpuri New Delhi Train
Day 10 Delhi Red Fort, India Gate, Qutub Minar, Jantar Mantar, Jama Masjid, Raj Ghat, Lotus Temple, Akshardham, Chandni Chowk, Connaught Place Delhi
Day 11 Early flight home to Ahmedabad Flight

What has changed since our trip

  • Joshimath: Parts of Joshimath were affected by land subsidence in 2023. Check current advisories and where your operator bases the trek before booking.
  • Permits: Forest entry and trek registration rules change. Book through a registered operator who handles permits.
  • Prices: Those from 2016 are out of date, so we have left them out.

Last checked: November 2026

If you are planning this route

  • Pack more thepla than you think. Thepla and khakhra don’t freeze or crush, and taste like home when your fingers have gone numb.
  • Camp food is pure veg. Dal, rice, roti and the holy khichdi. No “Jain chalse?” needed.
  • Carry water on summit day. There is no water source between Tali Top and the pass.
  • Respect the altitude. Joshimath to 12,000+ ft is a quick gain. Hydrate, don’t rush, and talk to a doctor about altitude sickness before you go.
  • Rent gear in Rishikesh. Jackets, gaiters and poles are easy to rent there or through your operator.
  • Leave a day for Delhi or rafting. The trip down is long; a buffer day keeps the train connections stress-free.