Kuari Pass is a perfect trek for beginners. It is not very challenging and also has amazing views of the mountains ranges. I would personally recommend doing the winter trek. Here are the details.
Basic Information
Kuari Pass Trek
Highest Altitude: 3815m (12516 ft)
Location: Nanda Devi National Park, Chamoli District.
State/Country: Uttarakhand/ India
Base Village: Tugashi/Joshimath
Trek Open: Year Round
Total Distance: 20km
Number of Days: 3
Difficulty Level: Easy - Moderate
Best time to trek
Though open year-round, I strongly feel that the best time to do this trek is during winter. If you can bear the cold, then this would be a perfect season to view the entire region turn white.Such views are only visible during peak winter season - Mid-December to March. However, make sure to avoid the Christmas and new year weekend. It gets really crowded.
Post-monsoon season (September and October) would also be a good time to watch with the meadows come alive.
Plan your trek
Organisers
You will have to get your permit from the forest office in Joshimath before doing this trek. You will need to submit a medical fitness certificate from a local doctor and a copy of your Aadhar card. Medical certificate can be done in the government hostpital in Joshimath. The doctor arrives normally by 10AM. I would highly recommend taking a local guide or doing this trek with an organiser. It is better not to get lost in the mountains and also have good company.
Among organisers I would recommend – Trek The Himalayas, Himalayan Trekkers, Himalayan Hikers. Make sure that the group size is not larger that 20 trekkers and they allow twin sharing. The rest is usually common among all service providers.
Buy or rent the gears
If you want to come prepared with the trekking equipment, please refer my list of things to carry.
Joshimath has many shops that sell winter clothes including down jackets, woollen caps, ponchos etc. It also has some options to rent trekking equipment. On the main street, there is one small shop that sells and may be rents trekking gears.
How to reach Joshimath?
There are buses from Rishikesh, Haridwar, Devprayag, Srinagar etc to Joshimath. It is highly likely that the buses leave early in the morning to reach by Joshimath by evening. Buses leave Joshimath to Rishikesh or Hardiwar around 6AM onwards. Alternatively, you can heir a taxi.
Accommodation in Joshimath
Joshimath is a fairly developed town. You will find a lot of stay options at town centre. I do not have any particular recommendations. We stayed in Jain guest house which was descent. But there are other better options on the main street.
The Trail
Joshimath (2040m/6693ft) to Tugasi village (2450m/8000ft) Drive (15km)
You will have to first reach the village of Tugasi. If you are doing this on your own, then you can ask the locals about shared taxi to the village. If not, you can easily heir a taxi from Joshimath. Tugasi is a beautiful village. You can explore the village if you have time.
Day 01: Tugasi village (2450m/8000ft) to Gulling (2850m/9400ft)
Distance/Time: 3km(1.5H)
On your first day, it is going to be a short trek. The climb is steep but not very difficult. Passing through Tugasi village, you will reach Gulling village. Slightly above Gulling village is the Gulling top. This is a perfect location for camping. Here, you will find the most beautiful views of the surrounding mountains including Daungiri/Dronagiri and Nanda Devi. On your way, you shall also find a small shack selling some basic food. This will be the last shop on this trail.
Day 02: Gulling (2850m/9400ft) to Kuari Pass (3815m/12516ft)to Khullara (3350m/11000ft)
Distance/ Time: 11km (6H)
Gulling to Khullara is a steep climb again and passes through a pine forest. However, it is a short walk again and can be done between an hour or two. Khullara campsite is a vast plateau. You can choose to relax here or drop your backpacks and head to the Kuari pass/top on the same day.
The next stretch is slightly longer. After a few false peaks you shall find the steep climb to the Kuari top. The trail is often covered in snow in winter and that makes it a lot of fun. Remember to carry gaiters and spikes if you are trekking during winter.
Day 03: Khullara (3350m/11000ft) to Tugasi village (2450m/8000ft)
Distance/ Time: 6km (4H)
On the last day, you begin your journey back from Khullara and reach Tugasi village directly. During winter, this descent can be slippery and the trials are covered. Extra care is required. Having a local guide is always recommended.
My Experience
I chose to do this trek during winter and it turned out to be one of the best treks I have done. There was not much snow on the first two days but it was very cold. But on the second day, while returning from Kuari top, it began to snow. To our surprise, the snowfall did not stop all night. By morning, we had about 1.5-2ft high snow outside and it was a spectacular sight. That made the return to Tugasi even more exciting.
The forest walk back from Khulalra to Tugasi was like being in a fantasy land. Trees were decked in fresh snow.
My Film on Kuari Pass trek:
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