12D/11N

Duration

Difficult

Grade

9/10

Physicality

80 Km

Trail Length

5200 m/17050 ft

Highest Point

Panpatia Col trek:

Upcoming Panpatia Trek starting from 1st June 2024.

Panpatia Col trek route (also referred to as Panpatia Pass) is the shortest possible approach from Badrinath to Kedarnath over high glaciers and passes. Essentially this area (or more specifically the col) is the watershed between Badri and Kedar region i.e. Alaknanda and Mandakini river system.

In curiosity legendary mountaineers Eric Shipton and Bill Tilman ventured back in 1934 to find out the truth. The arduous journey required mountaineering skills and concluded that it is impossible to perform rituals and Puja by the same priest at Kedar and Badri on same day.

In reality, this trail unfurls raw beauty of core Himalayas on the heartland of central Garhwal. It takes you to the very base of Chaukhamba pillars and walk parallel on the Panpatia glacier (a.k.a snow/ice fields).

on-panpatia-glacier-ice-field — On Panpatia glacier: Towering Chaukhamba

walk-on-vast-panpatia-ice-and-snow-field — Upper Panpatia ice field (P.C.: Rajarshi)

Panpatia Col at 5200 m/17056 ft (Location: 30.670735° N, 79.314648° E) is a narrow passage on the south-west corner of the Panpatia glacier that one can get down to Mad(hya)maheswar/Kedarnath valley side, starting from Badrinath side.

panpatia-col-a-narrow-passage-location — At Panpatia Col (~ 5200 m/17056 ft): A narrow passage

We leave main Alaknanda river valley, some 30 Km ahead of Joshimath towards Badrinath and get into the side valley to the left (true right of Alaknanda). Initially we will cross lush green forest and the only village this side called Khirao. From here we will climb a ridge and then traverse a jungle to finally reach the meadows. We camp last time around tree line here at Shepherd’s campsite until Madmaheshwar.

khirao-camp-panpatia-trek — Khirao campsite in the evening

khirao-village-and-vallley-panpatia-col-trek — Looking back towards Khirao village (P.C. Rajarshi)

approaching-shepherd-camp — Shepherd’s camp (P.C. Rajarshi)

first-view-of-neelkanth-towards-snout-camp-panpatia-trek — Mt. Neelkanth peeping out on the way to snout camp

Within couple of hours leaving from Shepherd’s camp you will enter boulder and moraine zone following the main valley towards left. From here long walk and hop on glacial moraine will continue almost till we reach Panpatia glacier. In post monsoon (late Aug to late Sep) this stretch is tiring due to frequent ups and downs. At the head of this valley you can locate a glacier, sometimes referred lower Panpatia ice field. We will cross this glacier to continue on right and climb a very steep ridge along a stream to camp below Parvati Gully/Rock.

long-marching-on-moraine-panpatia-col-trek — Long walk on moraine

crossing-lower-panpatia-ice-field — Lower Panpatia glacier ice-field before Parvati rock base

steep-climb-to-the-base-of-parvati-gully — Steep climb ahead following the stream

After camping at the Parvati rock base, we climb the rocky Parvati Gully. To negotiate at stretches you may need to scramble, if needed. Due to snow in summer, we may need to fix rope here. Finally traversing the rocky gully we get in to base of Parvati peak. Panpatia glacier or the upper ice field starts from here.

climb-to-parvati-gully-rock — Parvati gully in September

beginning-of-panpatia-glacier-ice-field — Panpatia glacier ahead

From now on we will walk along the glacier amidst high mountains all around us. Panpatia glacier is filled with crevasses and depending on summer or post monsoon, we will take a safe route. You have to camp at least a night on glacier before crossing the Panpatia col to descent.

carefully-negotiating-panpatia-glacier — Crossing a crevasse on Panpatia ice field

on-panpatia-ice-field — Camp on Panpatia snowfield

Continuing on the snowfield finally we reach the end of it to locate a narrow passage referred Panpatia Col, a.k.a Panpatia Pass. Descent from col is very steep and requires rappelling on snow in summer. Either we directly rappel or take a longer radius on boulders and loose rocks. The slope becomes relatively easier after 500 m or so. We continue on the glacier this side and climb on to the ridge left of us to reach a rectangular lake, named Sujal Sarovar.

glacier-walk-while-descending-from-panpatia-pass — Glacier on the other side. Sujal Sarovar is ahead on the ridge. (P.C. Rajarshi)

sujal-sarovar-panpatia-col-trek — Sujal Sarovar: A medium sized rectangular lake for campsite (P.C. Anomit)

Moving forward, we continue to climb the ridge to reach a pass. From here we will go down following boulder strewn meadows to Kachni Khal. Finally you will get a trail to Madmaheshwar, which is some 9 Km down from Kachni. You can clearly locate Buda Madmaheshwar on top of the Madmaheshwar hill. Finally we hit treeline again at Madmaheshwar. Spend a night in the Dharamshala of the temple trustee board. Next, we descent to road head Ransi village, through beautiful Rhododendron and Oak forests. On the way there are villages of Bantoli, Gaundar to name a few.

buda-madmaheshwar-from-kachni-khal — Buda Madmaheshwar on top of Madmaheshwar hill (P.C. Rajarshi)

madmaheshwar-temple — Madmaheshwar: One of the 5 Panch Kedar (P.C. Anomit)

forested-trail-from-madmaheshwar-to-ransi — Lush green forest on the way from Madmaheshwar to Ransi (P.C. Rajarshi)

Prerequisites for Panpatia Col trek:

A trekker must have completed at least 4 high altitude treks going above ~ 4500 m/15000 ft.
A minimum of 2 Difficult grade treks reaching beyond 5000 m/16500 ft e.g. Pin Parvati Pass, Ronti Saddle, Parang La, Stok Kangri etc.
A trekker must be in excellent physical condition along with NO prior acclimatisation issues on high altitude. Remember that offloading of rucksack is not permitted for your own safety.

Brief Itinerary:

Day 01: Drive from Haridwar to Joshimath – 280 km – 11/12 hours. Lodge.
Day 02: Stay at Joshimath. Acclimatisation and height gain to Auli and back – 4/5 hours. Lodge
Day 03: Drive to Benkuli – 30 Km – 1 hour – trek to Khiraon village – 5 Km – 3/4 hours. Camp
Day 04: Trek from Shepherd’s camp – 10 Km – 5/6 hours. Camp
Day 05: Trek to snout camp – 4 Km – 3 hours. Camp
Day 06: Trek to upper moraine area – 5 Km – 4/5 hours. Camp
Day 07: Trek to rock below Parvati Gully – 4 Km – 4 hours. Camp
Day 08: Trek to Panpatia glacier snowfield camp via Parvati Gully – 6 Km – 5/6 hours. Camp
Day 09: Trek to Sujal Sarovar via Panpatia Col – 10 Km – 8/10 hours. Camp
Day 10: Trek to Kachni Khal and descent to Madmaheshwar – 20 Km – 9/10 hours. Lodge/camp
Day 11: Trek to Ransi village – 16 Km – 5/6 hours. Drive to Haridwar – 235 Km – 9/10 hours.
Day 12: Mandatory buffer/reserve day (will be utilised, if required during the trek).

You need to reach Haridwar on Day 1 latest by 6 am. Arrange your return train/bus tickets from Haridwar on Day 12 night after 10 pm.
Campsites are indicative and will be decided depending on weather and team condition.
Approximate trekking distance 80 Km.

Seasons for Panpatia Col trek:

Like most high altitude treks going above 5000 m, Panpatia Col trek has a narrow window to complete. A month before monsoon and another just after the monsoon are suitable for this tricky and remote trail.

Summer: Mid May to Mid June
Post Monsoon/Fall: September

Now both the season has its pros and cons. You need to decide carefully which suits you better.

Depending upon last season’s snow you may get snow starting from snout or moraine camp in summer. Normally crevasses will be packed in snow this time. Expect walking on snow for 3 to 5 days.

In post monsoon snow will be minimum with the crevasses wide open. Moraine/boulder walk will be extensive for 4/5 days. Weather remains clearer in this season.

Access to trek base (Joshimath, 280 Km from Haridwar):

Depending upon the number of trekkers we may arrange a car pickup from Haridwar to Joshimath and return Ransi to Haridwar. You pay directly to the driver sharing equally. At present a Tata Sumo/Maxx type vehicles charge ₹ 6000 for drop from Haridwar to Joshimath. This can accommodate 5-7 persons. Similarly Ransi to Haridwar is ₹ 5000-6000. Approximately this is ₹ 2000 to ₹ 2500 per person (includes pick up and drop) when you share with fellow trekkers.

Alternatively if you wish to reach Joshimath on your own by public transportation then:

There are direct busses from Haridwar (Roadways bus stand, opposite to railway station, or GMOU private busses) to Joshimath starting at 4 am. These depends on season and road conditions. Almost 280 Km tiring journey can take 12/13 hours.

Download the list of things to carry in Panpatia Col trek or check here

Why treks with HT?

Expertise:	10 years on ground experience
Support staff:	Experienced and technical support plus office staff
Group size:	Small groups up to 10
Insurance:	Travel and Medical insurance policy (covers illness, AMS, evacuation, accidents)
Easy Bookings:	25% Booking Deposit

Duration: 10 days of trekking including a buffer day; Haridwar to Haridwar in 12 days.

Prerequisite: Prior multiple high altitude trekking experiences along with good physical fitness and no reported acclimatisation issues.

Grade: Difficult, often referred “Trekking Expedition”

Physicality: 9/10

Trail Length: 80 Km

Highest Point: Panpatia Col ~ 5200 m/ 17050 ft

Seasons: Mid May to Mid June (summer) and September (Post monsoon/fall)

Further Option: From Madhyamaheshwar further trek to Kedarnath in 3/4 days.

Access: Trek starting point (trek base) is Gangotri, 245 Km from Dehradun.

Rail station: Dehradun (Station Code: DDN)

Airport: Delhi, Jolly Grant in Dehradun (Airport Code: DED)

Map:

Upcoming scheduled dates for Kalindi Khal trek:

You can check the scheduled Fixed Departure dates in the calendar available inside Booking Form or inside REGISTER NOW form. Tour starting Dates are highlighted as per our itinerary (Day 1 of 16 days itinerary).
At present BOOK NOW functionality is disabled. You can get all the information in your email by submitting the REGISTER NOW form.
If you are a group of people and available dates are not matching then you may select Custom date mode (by clicking the Select your custom date) and fill in the displayed form.
You can also check all the available dates at a glance in our TREK CALENDAR.
Trekkers need to reach Dehradun on Day 1 morning (latest by 9 am) or the previous night. Return to Haridwar/Dehradun on Day 16 evening (around 8/9 pm). Arrange your tickets for inward journey and return accordingly.

DEPARTURE LOCATION	Dehradun railway station
REPORTING TIME	9:00 AM for a prompt departure to Uttarkashi (Day 1)
RETURN LOCATION	Haridwar
RETURN TIME	Approximately 9:00 PM (Day 16)

How to reach Gangotri (The trek base):

Nearest Rail station: Haridwar (Station Code: HW)

Nearest Airport: Delhi, Jolly Grant in Dehradun (Airport Code: DED)

Depending upon the number of trekkers we may arrange a car pickup from Dehradun to Gangotri and return from Badrinath. This will get equally divided amongst the trekkers opting. You pay directly to the driver. At present a Tata Sumo/Maxx type vehicles charge ₹ 6000 for drop from Haridwar to Joshimath. This can accommodate 5-7 persons. Similarly Ransi to Haridwar is ₹ 5000-6000. Approximately this comes around ₹ 2000 to ₹ 3000 per person (includes pick up and drop) when you share with fellow trekkers.

Alternatively if you wish to reach Joshimath on your own by public transportation then:

There are direct busses from Haridwar (Roadways bus stand, opposite to railway station) to Joshimath starting at 4 am. These depends on season and road conditions. Almost 280 Km tiring journey can take 12/13 hours.

How to reach Haridwar:

For the treks in Garhwal, one has to reach Haridwar normally. Rishikesh is another 25 Km from here and is considered a gateway to Garhwal Himalayas. You can fly or by train reach New Delhi as per your convenience from any part within India.

There are direct trains from Kolkata to Haridwar.

KUMBHA EXPRESS – Train No. – 12369 ( Very good option to reach Haridwar by 5 pm; Spend the night in Haridwar and start your onward journey by car next morning)

UPASANA EXPRESS – Train No. – 12327 ( Very good option to reach Haridwar by 5 pm; Spend the night in Haridwar and start your onward journey by car next morning)

DOON EXPRESS – Train No. – 13009 (Don’t book this train when you plan a long onward journey immediately nn the same morning)]

Avoid booking wait listed (WL) tickets in AC classes (1A/2A/3A) or Chair Car (CC). Book Sleeper class (SL)/Second Sitting class (2S) tickets which have normally more seats/berth and hence much better chance to get confirmed.

You can easily reach Haridwar from New Delhi by train or bus (~ 5/6 hours) and is around 210 Km.

By train:

Following trains are good to reach Haridwar and run daily.

DDN JANSHTBDI – Train No. 12055 (Arrives HW in the evening @ 7:30 pm, good choice when you stay the night in Haridwar and have a long drive ahead next day)
NANDA DEVI EXP – Train No. 12205 (arrives HW early morning @ 4am)
UTKAL EXPRESS – Train No. 18477 (arrives HW in the night @ 9pm)
MUSSOORIE EXP – Train No. 14041 (arrives HW in the morning @ 5:45am)
Always avoid booking waitlisted (WL) tickets in AC classes (1A/2A/3A) or Chair Car (CC). Book Sleeper class (SL)/Second Sitting class (2S) tickets which have normally more seats/berth and hence much better chance to get confirmed.

By bus:

Govt. Road Transport (Roadways of Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Haryana, Punjab etc.) buses are frequently available in day time and night from Kashmiri Gate ISBT . Tickets are available on board for these regular type buses. From Delhi Airport or Station you can reach ISBT Kashmiri Gate via Delhi Metro service (http://www.delhimetrorail.com/metro-fares.aspx). It is only 4 Km from NDLS and can be reached easily by booking an auto rickshaw.

For privately operated bus, you can book online from different portals. Select a boarding point suitably. Overnight Volvo/A.C/Push back bus service.

Nearest Airport Jolly Grant near Dehradun (Airport code: DED) is 35 Km away from Haridwar. This airport is accessed from Dehradun, Haridwar and Rishikesh easily. The flights are mostly via Delhi.

Regarding night accommodations in Haridwar:

Trekkers reaching on the previous day before the journey to the actual trek base need to stay the night in Haridwar. There are several options in Haridwar for spending a night while staying in Premium, Standard or Budget accommodation. Options vary from Privately operated Hotels/Lodges, to State run Tourist rest House and Dharamshala.

State run GMVN (Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam) operates Hotel Rahi just beside the Bus Stand and opposite to the Haridwar Railway Station. This is a reliable and a decent choice for Standard accommodation.Check the following for online booking of the above: http://www.gmvnl.com/newgmvn/tour/booktrh.asp
You can call or visit GMVN nearest office or even send an email for more information.The information is available at: http://www.gmvnl.com/newgmvn/online_reservation/#

Return from Haridwar:

Normally you reach Haridwar from any trek base by 7/8 pm in the evening. You can take any train after 9 pm or regular bus service as mentioned above to reach Delhi or directly to your homeward journey in the same night.

TREK FEE: ₹ 65,000 (Joshimath to Ransi) per person + 5% GST

Book for 5 persons or more and get flat 10% discount on TREK FEE in our any scheduled group departure date.

Inclusions:

One night’s accommodation at Joshimath (Day 1) and dinner.

All meals during the trek (starting from Day 2 breakfast and ending with Day 11 lunch). Regular Indian style nutritious vegetarian food including eggs during the trek, breakfast packed/hot lunch (depending upon the time you reach a campsite), snacks, dinner along with coffee/tea/soup.

Excellent trekking guide, who will be a local to this particular area and has profound knowledge of the trekking trails around. We will provide one guide for every 5 trekkers. At least one guide will be mountaineering course(s) certified.

Specialised Cook, Support staff, High Altitude Porters (HAP) for carrying the central logistics of the trek.

Stay in tents (2/3 persons dome shaped tents) on sharing basis during the trek.

Camping equipment like Sleeping bag, Carry mattress. (Bring your own sleeping if you have a high altitude specific personal Sleeping Bag. This is always better for hygienic reasons.). Any technical equipment like static/dynamic rope, carabiners, sling, ice axe, gaiters, micro spikes/crampon etc.

Kitchen tent and toilet tent as required during the trek.

All permit fee, camping charges, forest levy required for the trek.

Basic Medical & First Aid kit.

Travel and Medical insurance policy (covering illness, AMS, evacuation, accidents etc) covering high altitude trekking and mountaineering up to 6500 m. (For Indian nationals it is included in the TREK FEE, up to 60 years of age). It covers your trek as well as your return journey to Haridwar.

Exclusions:

Transportation from Haridwar to Joshimath and return from trek end point Ransi .(₹ 2000 – 3000 per person for the pick up and drop when shared with fellow trekkers)

Note that offloading of rucksack is NOT permitted on this trek. You need to carry your own backpack along with all your personal belongings, sleeping bag and sleeping mattress (provided by HT or your personal one). This is mandatory for a difficult trek and is aimed at the safety of the trekkers individually. A trekker must be physically fit to carry a rucksack of 12 to 15 kg comfortably on high altitude.

Cost of buffer/reserve day, i.e. Day 16. If we use this during trekking, you need to pay additional ₹ 5000. This will be collected at Ransi after the trek.

Any tip/gratuity to the HT supports staff.

Anything which is NOT mentioned in the “Inclusions” or personal in nature.

Booking:

We assume that you have read and understood our “Terms & Conditions” (https://dev.himalayatrekker.com/terms-and-conditions) before Booking a trek/tour.
To reserve your place in a scheduled Fixed Departure trek or a Customised/Private trek pay 25% of the TREK/TOUR FEE as the initial “Booking Deposit”. You can pay by Net banking/Draft/Cheque/Credit/Debit/AMEX cards. This will ensure your participation in the desired trek and we will reserve your place in the scheduled date. You need to pay the remaining amount at least 15 days before Trek Starting Date.
If you book a Trek/Tour before 14 days or less from Trek/Tour Starting Date, you need to pay the full TREK/TOUR FEE.

Cancellations:

“Booking Amount” i.e.25% of the TREK/TOUR FEE is Non-Refundable at any stage.
If in case you are not able to make it due to unavoidable reason(s), we provide you avery flexible choice of Shifting to another trek within next one year. One year is counted from the starting date of the trek/tour you booked initially with us.
In case you postpone your trip you need to informminimum of 15 days before the trek/tour starting date. (Though we suggest to inform us earlier if known)
In case you postpone a trek/tour before 15 days of the scheduled Trek/Tour Starting date or prior, you may shift to another group of the same trek/tour scheduled in the same season or within next one year. You may shift to another suitable route also. For changing any, you need our approval first. Your request must be in written communication through your registered email with us.
If you cancel/postpone a trek/tour from 14 days to 8 days before tour starting date, your Booking Amount is Non-Refundable. We will not take any request of shifting dates. We will charge 50% of the amount as Cancellation Charges and process refund of remaining 50%. You may also shift to another group within next year but 25% Booking Amount will be deemed as Cancellation Charge and the rest amount will be transferred to the shifted group.
If you cancel a trek/tour 7 days (i.e. a week) before Trek/Tour Starting Date or later, there will be NO REFUND.
In case of any unforeseen incident including but not limited to natural calamities like flood, earthquake, landslide, forest fire or any political unrest, if we are compelled to cancel the trek/trip, you will be entitled to redeem the full amount for the same/similar kind of trek/trip within next one year.