Kalindi Khal Trek

Kalindi Khal Trek is one of the most challenging trek of the Kalindi Khal Pass in the gigantic Garhwal Himalayas, connecting Gangotri and Badrinath.It is at a mind numbing height of 6000 metres.It is a mesmerising place and has a spiritual haven decorated by gorgeous mountains and the grandeur of nature.The route of the trek is extremely adventurous and involves crossing rough glaciers, rocky screens and crevassed snowfields.

At times the risk level is very high and even involves the need to rope up and use of ice axes and crampons.The trek takes you halfway round Garhwal from the Bhagirathi valley to the Alaknanda valley. The journey to the Kalindi Khal unfolds views of some of the highest and majestic peaks of the Indian Himalayan range Shivling at 6,543 m, Meru at 6,630 m, Kedar Dome is at a height of 6,808 m, Bhagirathi group at 6,856 m, Nilkantha at 6,506 m, Chandra Parvat at 6,728 m, Avalanche Peak at 6,413 m, Kamet at 7,756 m Mana at 7,272 m and Abi Gamin at 7,355 m. Although this trek does not demand prior trekking experience, this trip is one of our most demanding treks suited to only those who want to join a reconnaissance style expedition.

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The Kalindi Khal trek has the Gangotri bank ,beside the Ganga waters as it’s starting point. After seeking the Gangotri goddess’s blessing the trekkers,start off on their journey to Gaumukh, the birth point of the holy Ganges River.The spiritual aura and tranquility of this place encapsulates the trekkers and motivates them to move forward and start the trek.

Trekkers also get enchanted and enticed by the grasslands at Tapovan and get mesmerized by several rivulets and peaks of Shivling, Bhagirathi and Meru. From camping beside the Vasuki Tal, to breathtaking sceneries that include moraine, glaciers and majestic peaks, this trek is a complete package and gives a memorable experience to the trekkers. After several briefing sessions by experienced guides on the safety measures to be taken on this trek, prepare to encounter the many splendours of nature.They embark on their journey to the Kalindi Khal.

Kalindi Khal is one of the most different and demanding trekking destinations in India. Bursting with thrill and adventure, the Kalindi Khal trek borders on a proper expedition, and thus demands some prior technical knowledge and mountaineering skills. The initial part of the trek traces the Gaumukh trail, and then follows to pass the Chirbasa, Bhojbasa, Gaumukh, Nandanvan, Vasuki Tal, Mana and Badrinath. The trek begins from Gangotri, and exposes you to spectacular views of the majestic Bhagirathi peaks, and the lofty mount Shivling, which can be seen rising from base to summit in its entirety.

From Gaumukh, the trek takes place entirely on a stunning glacier which is beautifully covered with lots of crevasses.These glaciers keep shifting and breaking on and off, which adds to the risk level of the trek. Since the glaciers keep breaking, the route is not well defined, and needs to be carefully traversed.The trekkers have to be very careful and at the same time have to go slow because of the uncertainty that the trek beholds.

The trail is treacherous, and thus if one doesn’t have a good sense of direction, it is easy to get lost. To get to Vasuki tal, one has to traverse an extremely narrow ridge with steep inclines. The absolute thrill of climbing a petrifying ice wall with a 60 degree incline awaits the trekkers and this wall descends to glaciers laden with crevasses on the other end.

Vasuki Tal which is at a height of 4,900 m, is the origin of the Vasuki Ganga that eventually meets Mandakini. The trek to the Kalindi Summit winds through Kalindi Pass, which is quite daunting and equally dangerous . It demands extreme technicalities on a steep glacier, but the view from the top overshadows all exhaustion that the trekking demands.

The trek ends at the quiet little village of Mana.This village is also the last village of India, beyond which lies the Chinese frontier.There are few other treks that have the privilege of being fenced by such beautiful Himalayan wonders. If one is looking for some real Himalayan adventure, one should count on the Kalindi Khal trek to satiate their craving.

The temperature of the trek varies from 10-18 °C, -8 to 5°C, 8-15°C and -10 to 5°C. The whole trek is estimated to be about 90km long. It is said that the trek has high difficulty level.The trek costs an average of 80000 rupees per person.

Since the trek has several safety dangers , there have been some scary incidents on this trek. A trek like Kalindi Khal trek has plenty of overwhelming reasons to make people chicken out and at the same time needs detailed understanding of the minutes of the trail, adequate experience, and last but not the least – a suitable weather window to safely complete this exciting trek.

Unpredictable weather, risky terrain, demanding campsites and acclimatization challenges will surely test the physical and mental endurance of the trekkers. The trek makes the trekkers witness dangerously beautiful glaciers in different forms and colors possible from rocky debris and black ice to pristine blue ice. The major glaciers enroute are Gangotri, Raktavarna, Chaturangi, Suralaya, Shweta and Raj Parav.

Even though the difficulty level of the trek is high ,the sense of accomplishment and the experience that this trek provides far surpasses the obstacles and dangers that the trek poses. It is a trek which satisfies the trekkers by giving them an adrenaline rush and mesmerizing views.It provides a fulfilling and wonderful experience.It is a must go-to for those looking for an exciting trekking experience in the lap of nature.