Introduction
The well known Kuari Pass Trek is located in the house of Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve. However, the Nanda Devi reserve is closed now and trekking is only considered to be the best alternative. This Trek was discovered by Lord Curzon who was a British viceroy of India, hence also called as Curzon trail. It is located at a height of 12,200 feet and packed with mesmerizing views. The Trek starts from a small village called “Dhak” which is located nearby Joshimath in Uttarakhand.
This trek is contemplated with one of the finest and hypnotic views of the Himalayas. It offers a picturesque view of sunrise while the sunrays covering the high peaks.
The Kuari Pass Trek is considered to be very popular amongst hikers. Especially during winters, when the grasslands are loaded with snow and the water resources are frozen. During the trek you can also visit a famous hill station Auli which is also very popular for skiing.
When beginning with Kuari Pass Trek, a huge surprise waits for trekkers. With every step, a different view in the midst of nature is waiting to be unfurled. Rhododendrons, large grasslands and snow-covered lakes cannot be missed out from one’s eyes.
The spectacular views of well-known peaks like Kamet(7756m), Dronagiri(7066m), Trishul, Bertholi, Mana(7272m) and Neelkanth can be seen from here.
Climate
Any time of the year is good to visit on hills except monsoons since there are major chances of landslides to occur. The temperature varies from 19-29 degree C during summers and lowers down to 12 to -8 degree C in winters.
If summers are to be considered, one can plan their vacation from April-mid of June. The weather during this time is very pleasant and hence, makes it really enjoyable.
Monsoons bring along them a lot of hardships like slippery routes where it gets difficult for trekkers to go ahead with their travel plans.
Once the monsoon season ends(mid-September), weather starts changing and once again gives a chance for trekkers to start with their journey.
The onset of winters (mid- November) makes the journey a bit challenging for trekkers. However, few trekkers enjoy to travel during this time in order to gain a different experience.
How to Reach
The Kuari Pass Trek is a 4-5 days trek basically for trekking alone and if you include your travel days also then you would need 2 days extra which mounts to total of 6-7 days. Below is the tentative travel itinerary of how Kuari Pass Trek can be reached out. So, the gain/loss of days depends on the level of hikers i.e., for beginners and experienced.
Day 1– Reach Joshimath
Day 2– Start from Joshimath and take a taxi/bus to Dhak village and then trek to Tali Forest camp
Day 3– Start from Tali Forest camp and reach Kuari Pass Trek camp. This will take you near about 7 hours
Day 4– Come back from Kuari Pass Trek camp to Tali Forest camp via Auli and then drive back to Joshimath
Day 5– Leave from Joshimath to respective destination
Food
Like other trekking places, there is no eatery located here. So, the hikers usually carry some light weight snacks and eatables with them. Which can be purchased from regions located at lower altitude. If affordable, a cook can also be arranged and taken along. For that some raw material and cooking essentials also have to be carried.
These are the few alternatives which can be considered but packaged food can be easily carried along and are easy to manage at such high-altitude places.
Stay
Kuari Pass Trek offers some mesmerizing views and hence is one of the famous treks to remember. While one can take a package with any travel agency for their stay, few among them also carry their own tents and camping gadgets to set up a camp for stay to enjoy a start studded night amongst the nature.
On rare occasions footprints of leopard or bear can also be seen so it is must to carry some safety equipment along.
Trekking Level
The Kuari Pass Trek is an easy to moderate level trek in terms of difficulty.
For amateurs, Kuari Pass Trek can turn out to be a great choice in order to learn the basics of trekking and gain a beautiful experience of the Himalayas. They get to experience rock climbing, a walk through the dense forests and the snow-laden trails.
For trained trekkers, it is a way to refresh themselves and another feather on the cap in their journey of trekking.
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