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.
How a beach-loving lot ended up at a frozen pass
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.
Kuari Pass is the famous Curzon Trail — the one the British viceroy walked for the views, and the one almost every guide quietly recommends as the perfect first Himalayan trek. Gentle enough that beginners survive it, beautiful enough that veterans keep coming back. You walk through oak and rhododendron forest, sleep in alpine meadows, and on the big day you stand in front of a 270° wall of Himalaya with Nanda Devi staring back. We came for the bragging rights. We left converted.
You don’t describe Kuari. You plot it.
Every stop on the trail, by altitude. Hover or tap a point to see where you’re standing. The peak of this graph is the actual peak.
The route, one tent at a time
Where all of this actually is
Pins are approximate — perfect for orientation, not for navigation. Always trek with a registered guide.
What it cost us, per head
| Trek package (Joshimath base · guide, tents, all meals) | ₹ _______ |
| Train + flight (Ahmedabad ⇄ Haridwar / Delhi) | ₹ _______ |
| Road transfers (Haridwar ⇄ Joshimath) | ₹ _______ |
| Gear on rent (jacket, gaiters, poles) | ₹ _______ |
| Rishikesh rafting + Delhi side-trip + chai-pakoda fund | ₹ _______ |
| Approx. total, per person | ₹ _______ |
For the Gujju trekker, specifically
Food: Camp meals are pure veg by default — dal, rice, roti, the holy khichdi, and surprisingly good pasta at 11,000 ft. You will not have to ask anyone “Jain chalse?” a single time.
Carry: Thepla and khakhra are undefeated trail fuel — they don’t freeze, don’t crush, and taste like home when your fingers have gone numb. Pack more than you think. You will become the most popular person in the group.
Mindset: There is no geyser. There is no buffet. There is, however, a sky so full of stars you’ll forget to complain. Lean in.
One real warning, one must-do
The warning: Joshimath to 12,000+ ft is a quick gain, and altitude sickness doesn’t care how fit you are. Hydrate hard, don’t rush summit day, and talk to a doctor about Diamox before you travel. If your head pounds and won’t stop — you go down, no ego.
The must-do: Be at the viewpoint near Tali for sunrise. The first light hitting Nanda Devi is the single image you’ll carry home — more than any summit selfie.