Kuari Pass Trek

Lord Curzon's Trail

The most magnificent Himalayan winter Trek in the Uttarakhand
Duration
6 Days
Trek Altitude
12,532 feet
Destination
Uttarakhand
Trek Distance
28 KM
Group Size
8-12- persons
Best Time
Winters

Kuari Pass Trek

 

Customize Your Trek with Himalaya Shelter:

In Himalaya Shelter, we provide you with the option to customize your trekking experience. Whether you're a solo traveler, a group of friends, or a family, you can opt for our personalized tailor-made trekking program. This customized trek will be exclusively designed for you, taking into account your specific requirements for transportation, accommodation, meals, and any other premium facilities you may need during the trek. No other participants will be added to your group. Choosing a customized trek will enable you to fully enjoy the trek with your loved ones. Click here to learn what a Customized Trekking program looks like.

Itinerary

Drive: 290 km; 8-9 hrs

Altitude: 2,100 ft (640 m) – 6,150 ft (1,875 m)

Accommodation: Hotel/Resort

Meals: Dinner

We commence our journey from Dehradun around 6:30 am, aiming to arrive in Joshimath by evening. The drive will lead us through several towns of great significance, such as Rishikesh, Srinagar, Devprayag, and Rudraprayag, two of the renowned Panchprayags, each holding its own religious and spiritual importance. Upon reaching Joshimath in the evening, we will check into our hotel. This is where we’ll make final preparations for tomorrow’s trek, ensuring that we are fully ready for the adventure ahead.

Drive: 7 km, 15 min

Trek: 5 km, 3 hrs

Altitude: 6,150 ft (1,875 m) – 6,890 ft (2,100 m) – 9,186 ft (2,800 m)

Accommodation: Camping (Alpine Tents)

Meals: Breakfast + Lunch + Evening Snacks + Dinner

 

After breakfast, we drive to Dhak, towards the road to Tapovan. The trek begins from 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 kilometre before reaching the campsite of Guling. The camp has views towards the peak of Dunagiri. We can enjoy the tranquillity and natural beauty of the place once we arrive at the campsite.

Trek: 5 km, 4 hrs

Altitude: 9,186 ft (2,800 m) – 10,990 ft (3,350 m)

Accommodation: Camping (Alpine Tents)

Meals: Breakfast + Lunch + Evening Snacks + Dinner

Like in previous days, we will have a healthy breakfast in the morning and begin our today’s trek. The trail today has a gradual slope up. We walk among Oak, Rhododendron, Himalayan Birch and Pine forests. Khullara is an open meadow with astounding views of surrounding peaks like Dunagiri, Hathi and Ghodi, Nanda Devi, Trishul, Kamet, Mana, Nilgiri. We will set up our campsite at khullara and stay there for tonight.

Trek: 10 km, 6 hrs

Altitude: 10,990 ft (3,350 m) – 12,532 ft (3,820 m) – 11,515 ft (3,510 m)

Accommodation: Camping (Alpine Tents)

Meals: Breakfast + Lunch + Evening Snacks + Dinner

We will have an early breakfast and start walking uphill towards the pass. We will reach a ridge, cross it and take a left. The path leads us away and towards our right to the pass. We spend some time here and then head back along the same way till we reach the ridge again. From here instead of heading down towards Khullara, we walk along the ridge towards Taali. We reach a small hillock with flag, named Chitrakantha. From here we get This spot has stunning panoramic views. We can see the peaks including Chaukhambha, Neelkanth, Mana, Hathi, Ghodi and Dunagiri. We walk down the other side and proceed towards our campsite. Taali is located inside the forest and is closed from all sides.

Trek: 7 km, 3-4 hrs

Drive: 7 km, 15 min

Altitude: 11,515 ft (3,510 m) – 6,150 ft (1,875 m)

Accommodation: Hotel/Resort

Meals: Breakfast + Lunch + Evening Snacks + Dinner

On this day, the walk is easy. The forest clears away soon. We pass by Taali Lake, which is often frozen in winter. As we keep traversing towards Auli, the view of Nanda Devi peak becomes clearer towards our back. After crossing Gorson Bugyal, a large meadow, we enter a forest. A short walk further, the skiing destination of Auli presents itself. A vehicle will take us back to Joshimath from here where we will check into the Hotel.

Drive: 290 km, 9-10 hrs

Altitude: 6,150 ft (1,875 m) – 2,100 ft (640 m)

Meals: Breakfast

 

We leave from Joshimath and reach Dehradun by early evening.

Upcoming Treks

  • September 7, 2024 open
  • September 8, 2024 open
  • September 14, 2024 open
  • September 21, 2024 open
  • September 22, 2024 open
  • September 29, 2024 open
  • September 30, 2024 open

  • October 5, 2024 open
  • October 6, 2024 open
  • October 12, 2024 open
  • October 19, 2024 open
  • October 26, 2024 open

FAQ's about kuari pass trek

  • Kuari pass is an easy- moderate trek in terms of difficulty. It is a 6 days trek and generally categorized as easy for experienced trekkers and moderate for beginners.
  • The trek gains an altitude of 6,000 feet within 3 days. Hence, it requires us to trek up to 4 hours everyday except for the day of summit.
  • The trek reaches an altitude of only 12,500 feet making it suitable for beginners with no prior experience (but good fitness level) and for experienced trekkers who are looking for a lighthearted trek.
  • The overhanging trail from Tali Campsite to Gorson Bugyal is marked by a narrow trail with a number of fluctuations which can get a little problematic on days with heavy snowfall.

  • Mostly winter because it offers a white setting full of snow covered forest and grasslands which makes the trek enchanting and almost magical.
  • However, if you are a fan of the meadows, Kuari pass is beautiful in all the 4 seasons. Early autumn provides the lush green views. It is golden in the late autumn. Year round you will be able to see snow covered high rising peaks on the trek.

Kuari pass is open 8 months of the year except during rainy months, i.e. July and August. It also closes during peak winter months for 2 to 3 days when there’s heavy snowfall .

  • Kuari pass trek is popularly known as “Lord Curzon’s trail“.The British Viceroy, George Curzon, attempted crossing it in 1905 and remarked about the beauty of the trek.
  • Mt. Nanda Devi is a mountain not easy to be sighted. In Kuari pass trek, you see it from Auli to Gorson Bugyal in the first day itself. It is a view that most trekkers would die for. Mt. Nandadevi is the highest peak in India after Kangchenjunga.
  • Neelkanth, Chaukhamba massif, Hathi Ghoda, Dronagiri mountains, Trishul, Nandaghunti, Mana and Kamet are also visible.

The last ATM is in Joshimath which is a big city in Uttrakhand. A simple google search will reveal the nearest ATM in your location.

There’s scarcity for network connection in Kuari pass but there are some points where you might find good network for communication. 

You will find good network and internet connection at Joshimath, Dhak village, Tali (beyond the lake facing the valley), Auli and Gulling. VI, Airtel, BSNL and Jio are mostly available in this part of Uttarakhand.

You will get good network connectivity at Khullara campsite towards the edge facing the valley but no internet whatsoever.

Joshimath is the last point which has an electrical connection.

However, after starting the trek, you will not find electricity until you reach Auli.

 

We strongly suggest you bring additional batteries and powerbanks for your electronic devices.

For minor issues, the nearest medical care can be found in Joshimath and Chamoli. However, for major emergencies, the nearest hospital is in Srinagar or Dehradun which is an 8-9 hours drive from the basecamp.

Inclusions
  1. Transport Support from Dehradun from Day 1 to Day 6
  2. Accommodation on Twin Sharing basis. Day 1 & Day 5 in Guest house, rest in camps
  3. Meals from Day 1 Dinner to Day 6 Breakfast
  4. Adventure Travel Insurance
  5. Guide, Cook & Other Support Staff
  6. Forest Permits
  7. Camping Equipment, Dining Tent & Stools, Kitchen Tent, etc.
Exclusions
  1. Personal expenses like tips, personal medicines, phone calls etc
  2. Any cost or services not mentioned in the Inclusions
  3. Any transport support during the trek apart from what is included above
  4. Accommodation in Dehradun
  5. Cost arising due to unforeseen incidents like bad weather, medical evacuation, roadblocks etc
  6. Personal Baggage Offload, at INR 350 per bag per day or INR 1400 for entire trek
  7. lunch box for packed lunch/breakfast. To avoid using polythenes and Aluminium foils. Keeping the Himalayas clean is our own responsibility. Reduce the use of Plastic when you are in the abode of the Sacred Himalaya