We start very early from Dehradun and reach Joshimath by evening. The drive is through the towns of Devprayag, Rudraprayag and Karnaprayag. We rest at night in a guest house.
After breakfast we drive from Joshimath to Dhak towards the road to Tapovan. The trek begins at Dhak. The trail goes uphill towards our right away from the road. Over half of the path is open and without shade. We pass two villages on the way. We enter a forest about a kilometer before reaching the campsite of Guling. From here we get views towards the peak of Dunagiri. We trek further and the forest opens up at the large meadow of Khulara. The camp is set here for the night.
We trek towards Kuari pass and then onwards to the base of Pangarchulla peak.
We start very early on this day. And head towards the boulder and scree dominated path leading to the top of Pangarchulla peak. After climbing for about 4 hours, we reach the top are are greeted by commanding views of the Himalayan peaks. We start our descent by noon and reach campsite by late afternoon.
The journey back traverses through the trail to Auli. On this day we get an amazing view of Nanda Devi peak behind us, which becomes clearer as we keep moving. After reaching, we board the vehicle and head to Joshimath.
We leave from Joshimath and reach Dehradun by early evening.
When humans set their feet and eyes on the Himalaya, it is a romantic meeting between the Earth´s youngest species and the earth´s youngest mountain. As the Himalayan mountains have developed on Earth, the evolution of humans has also been accompanied by the making of an inner Himalaya. Every human has a Himalaya within himself or herself. It is the peak of human potential and challenge as well as a place of silence and peace. Our Journey started in the humble roots & persistent efforts of an authentic mountain trek leader, Bachan Rana, who founded Himalaya Shelter, after he had to forego his long journey as a Trek Leader at one of the finest Outdoor Activities organizer in India, in 2013, following Kedarnath Disaster which led to dwindling tourist influx, crippling the tourism sector in Uttarakhand.
A. Booking Terms
1. If booked more than 30 days before the trip start date, advance of 10% of the total booking value is payable at the time of booking. Balance amount shall be paid no later than 30 days before the trip start date.
2. If booked less than 30 days prior to the trip start date, the full booking value is due at the time of booking.
3. If the due amounts are not paid as per the payment schedule, bookings shall stand cancelled.
B. Cancellation Policy
1. If cancelled more than 30 days before the trip start date, the advance shall be refunded net of a 5% transaction fee.
2. If cancelled after full payment between 30 to 15 days before the trip start date, 25% cancellation fee of the total booking value.
3. If cancelled less than 15 days prior to the trip start date, the booking amount shall not be refundable.
In the event you opt for Refundable Booking, click here to read the terms and conditions for claiming a refund.
C. Changes to and / or cancellation of trips
Itineraries shown are based on information available at the time of planning and are subject to change. The operators reserve the right to change expedition / trek / package dates, people or itineraries as conditions warrant. If a trip must be delayed or the itinerary changed due to bad weather, road conditions, transportation delays, government intervention, airline schedules, sickness, or other contingency for which the operator or its agents cannot make provision, the cost of delays and/or other changes are the responsibility of the participant. The operator reserves the right to decline, or accept, any individual as a trip member for any reason whatsoever.
*for 15 pax
The Pangarchulla Peak Trek to Kuari Pass is one of the most challenging treks to embark on, coupled with breathtaking vistas of the Greater Himalayas. Your trek will take you across a landscape that is frozen for most parts of winter and early spring. You can camp at clearings within dense coniferous forests that are snow-clad during early spring and colorful during summer and look like pictures taken from fairy tales. Once the treeline ends, you will hike across vast alpine meadows like the Gurson Bugyal and the Chitrakantha that remain covered in snow during the winter and early spring and turn lush green in the summers. Coupled with challenging trails and superb views of the highest peaks of the Greater Himalayan range like Mt. Nanda Devi, Mt. Kamet, Mt. Chaukhamba, Mt. Dronagiri, Mana Parvat I and II, Hathi Parvat, Ghori Parvat, Mt. Neelkanth, etc. that have a massive significance in the Hindu mythology, you also get the thrill of summiting in the Pangarchulla Peak Trek. Pangarchulla or the Chimney Peak Trek is one adventure that bravehearts and seasoned campaigners cannot afford to miss during winters because of the thrill it offers!
The Pangarchulla Peak Trek best time for the Pangarchulla summit climb is only accessible during one month of the year- April. April has the right amount of snow that is slowly melting and displaying vibrant colors. It offers the best time for a successful climb to the summit. Before April, the snow is too much for you to do the summit climb. After April, the snow melts, exposing massive boulders with huge gaps that make it overall unsafe, exhausting, and tremendously challenging for summiting.
The rest of the trail remains open for almost eight months every year. However, the Pangarchulla Peak Trek best time spans from April to May (pre-monsoon/spring to summer) and October to November (post-monsoon/late autumn to early winter). You can expect more snow during the winter months until it starts receding from April. During monsoon, it is tremendously unsafe to do the trek.
The trek offers a round trail that starts and ends at Joshimath, with nearly 44 kilometers distance to cover within a duration of 7 to 8 days, with a maximum elevation of 4575 meters. The trek is graded difficult because of the frigid temperatures during night-time and on the summit days, the uneven and challenging terrains, few exit options, trekking duration spanning to almost 9 hours on certain days. Therefore, excellent cardiovascular fitness, strength and endurance training, and mental resolve combined with prior experience of high-altitude expeditions are a must-have! You can create a custom training regime for few months that will incorporate strength and endurance training, cardiovascular exercises like swimming, running, cycling, skipping, stair climbing, etc. along with therapeutic techniques like meditation and yoga that help calm your senses, increase mental strength, fasten your reflexes and enhance muscular flexibility. Keep achievable targets and try accomplishing them well before you embark on this journey.
You also need the right kind of equipment for this trek. Your clothing should be exhaustive to cover for the immensely frigid temperatures during the early spring or autumn nights and the day of the summit. If you are trekking during the winters, pack more warm clothes. Starting from thermal inners, layers of full-sleeve, quick-dry t-shirts, fleece jackets, woollen jackets, down feather jackets, windcheaters, waterproof ponchos, quick-dry track, and waterproof track pants and thermal inners for the bottom halves, don’t leave any stone unturned! Don’t neglect your headgear - carry a suncap, woollen cap, balaclava, neck gaiters, and sunglasses. You don’t want to encounter frostbite, so take woollen/fleece gloves, waterproof gloves, and extra pairs of cotton and woollen socks. One of the essential things is your footwear. Your trekking shoes should be of very high quality and combine sturdiness with good grips as well as water resistance for occasional shower bursts.
The primary gear should include a backpack (50-60 liters) and daypack (20-30 liters) with rain covers, sturdy yet lightweight trekking pole/walking stick, water bottles or hydration packs to avoid littering with disposable plastic, headlamps with spare batteries, snacks consisting of dry fruits and energy bars, personal medical kit and first-aid kits. The list of toiletries includes excess toilet paper and wet wipes, sunscreen, moisturizers, lip balm, hand sanitizers, antibacterial and antifungal powder, toothbrush, toothpaste, and quick-dry towels.
Apart from the guidelines issued by the state government, follow general safety precautions and take steps to initiate acclimatization. Or else AMS might play spoilsport. Follow your trekking guide at every point, or else the already arduous trek might be laced with hazards and unfortunate events. Respecting local cultures and being sensitive to wildlife is a norm to be followed.
If you face any emergency during any adventures in Uttarakhand and the northern parts of the country, you should contact the following:
- Uttarakhand Glacier burst helpline- 1070/9557444486
- Police: 112
- Ambulance: 108/102
- Fire: 101
- Child helpline: 1098
- Women helpline: 1090
- NDMA (Disaster management): 1070/1078/9711077372
- Anti poison helpline- 011-1066 (Delhi)
Is something not as per your expectation after your trip has started?