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Rudranath Trek Route –
Rudranath trek is said to be the toughest trek among Panch Kedar and Rudranath temple is situated at a height of 3600 meters in the Himalayan mountain ranges of Uttrakhand. It is a highly revered temple of Lord Shiva. This place is also known as the fourth temple of the Panch Kedar pilgrimage. It’s the toughest trek as comparing it with the other Panch Kedars. This whole trek is about 40 km approx. or more than it. During the whole trek, you will find dense forests and valleys which will make your trek more beautiful and memorable. After reaching the temple you will see a calm and very peaceful view of the mountain ranges of the Himalayas, Nanda Devi, Nanda Ghunti, etc.You will find many different places of resting and many maggie points. There you will find many eateries and small restaurants where you can stay overnight by paying rent. Their many facilities are provided by the local people which make your whole trek comfortable and easy and help them to earn their livelihood by it. There are three different treks which are leading to Rudranath temple all these treks are filled with natural beauty.Most of the trekkers would prefer to start their trek from the Sagar village. Here is a very famous saying among the residents of the Rudranath trek, “The Ascent Of Rudranath, Battle Of Germans “, you will know how true this saying is only when you do this Rudranath trek.Height of Rudranath Trek – It is a Hindu temple delegated to Lord Shiva and based on the Garhwal Himalayan mountains in Uttrakhand with a height of approx 11,800 feet (3600 meters) from sea level.Starting Point of Rudranath Trek – The starting point of the Rudranath Trek is from Sagar village which is nearly 3 km away from Gopeshwar and the other trek starts from Mandal which is 12 km away from Gopeshwar.Difficulty during Rudranath Trek – There are many difficulties on the Rudranath trek such as because so much height causes difficulty in breathing strong mentally and physically fit persons are recommended to go. The whole trek is a steep climb which makes it more difficult for people who have joint problems. Medical assistance is provided during the journey but the trekkers should notify the guide as soon as the symptoms of cold and cough appear.About Rudranath temple-
The hilly terrain of Rudranath is encircled by lakes (Kund) such as Sury Kund, Chandra Kund, Tara Kund, and Manas Kund. Rudranath gives you a mind-blowing experience of what natural beauty looks like. This trek offers some of the most insane picturesque views of the mighty Himalayas. The dense forests, green meadows, and white snow-laden Himalayan peaks make Rudranath a place endowed with bewitching sceneries.Rudranath holds religious significance in the Hindu Religion. It is the temple of Lord Shiva. The temple is one of the five Kedars of the Hindu religion. The tranquility and serenity add more beauty to this place.Let’s wander where the WiFi is weak.
Start of the Rudranath trek:
Rudranath Trek can be started from three different starting points – Sagar Village, Helang Village, or Mandal Village. Starting the trek from Sagar village is the most popular and convenient one. In this article, we will discuss all three tracking routes and will explain Sagar village to the Rudranath temple trek in detail.All the trekking route offers the bewitching beauty of nature and the deep gorges in the valley make it more adventurous. But remember, the Rudranath trek is one of the toughest treks to do. But believe me, it is all worth it. The best thing about this place is, that you can see many Himalayan peaks like Nanda Devi, Trishul, etc. You will lost in nature.
Trekking itinerary to Rudranath:
First, we will discuss the most popular trekking route Sagar village to Rudranath. Stoppage / Rest Points in Rudranath trek are – Ascending order from Sagar village to Rudranath- Chandrakoti (2 KM)
- Pung Bugyal (4KM)
- Mauli Kharak (10 KM)
- Lyuti Bugyal (12 KM)
- Panar Bugyal (14 KM)
- Pitradhar (18 KM)
- Panchganga (20KM)
- Devdarshni (21 KM)
- Rudranath.
First day: From Rishikesh / Haridwar to Sagar village-
The journey to Rudranth starts from the village Sagar (Nearby Gopeshwar Town), To reach Sagar, you first have to reach Rishikesh / Haridwar. The distance between Haridwar / Rishikesh to Sagar village is 230 KM. You will spend your night here at Sagar, and the next day the journey to Rduranath will commence.Second day: From Sagar to Panar Bugyal-
After having breakfast, and packing the trekking equipment, you’ll start your trekking. If you have extra backpacks, you can hire some porters or mules in Sagar.Then after trekking for nearly two hours, you’ll reach the Pung Bugyal (the first Bugyal of your trek) (Bugyal means Meadows) and this is the place where you can have your breakfast. Now, you’ll trek towards the Panar Bugyal.
Third day: From Panar Bugyal to Rudranath-
After having breakfast, you’ll head towards the Rudranath temple. The view of various hills like Chaukhamba, Nanda Devi, and Trishul will make you feel refreshed and excited. The Rudranath temple is around eight kilometers away from the Panar Bugyal. After crossing the Panar Bugyal, and trekking for nearly 4 kilometers, you’ll reach Rudranth temple. Photography of the temple is not allowed.
Fourth Day: Rudranath to Mandal-
If you do not want to follow the same trail to reach back, you can take another way -From Naola pass, you’ll now move back to the Mandal village ( Via Panchganga – Anasuya Devi). For this day. You’ll stay in Mandal for tonight.Fifth day: From Mandal to Rishikesh-
You can board the bus from Mandal to Rishikesh after your breakfast.Second Route: Helang to Rudranath via Kalpeshwar-
For this route, you need to take a bus or share a taxi up to Helang village via Rudraprayag and Karanprayag. From Helang village you need to go to Urgam village. The distance from Helang to Urgam village is 13km. From Urgam village you have to go to Kalpeshwar temple (one of the Panch Kedar). It will take 2 hrs to reach Kalpeshwar temple.After having Darshan in Kalpeshwar temple you can move ahead to Dumak village. it will take 4 to 5 hours to reach Dumak Village. In Dumak Village, you need to go for the uphill steep climb to reach Toli Taal or Toli Bugyal, it will take more than 1 hour to reach Toli Taal, you can take a rest for a while. From Toli Taal you can take a trek to Panar Bugyal, it will take more than 4 hrs. Panar Bugyal is one of the most popular and wonderful staying options for the entire trek. This village (Panar Bugyal) is the common point where route 1 meets this route. Panar Bugyal the route is the same as it is described above in type one to reach.Third Route: Mandal to Rudranath via Anusuya Mata –
This less explored track crosses from the Dense Forest, you will start from Mandal Village (in Gopeshwar Town). Enroute you will reach Anusuya Mata Temple (distance 5km). From Anusuya Mata temple at a distance of 2kms, there is a famous cave and waterfall named Attrimuni Cave, from here you need to trek for 14 to 15 km to reach Rudranath.Tip: If you want to explore two different routes you can choose route 1 from Sagar village to reach Rudranath and you can take route 3 from Rudranath to Mandal village via Anusuya Mata and back to Rishikesh/Haridwar.Opening and closing of Rudranath temple and trek:
The doli of lord Rudranath is taken out of the Gopinath temple of Gopeshwar. For one or two days the doli is kept on the premises of the Gopinath temple, for the pilgrims. After this, the doli is carried by the pilgrims along with many people to the temple of Rudranath.
Best time for the Rudranath trek:
The best time to visit the Rudranath temple is during the summer and spring. During this season, the sky remains clear, and the weather is clear. This is the best time for trekking and hiking. The temple remains open for visitors from May to October. If you are planning to trek in winter, then you should pack a lot of woolen clothes, the winters in Rudranath are very harsh. During the winter season which is from November to April, the temple remains closed.Food arrangments for Rudranath Trek:
You’ll get simple Garhwali and Kumaoni dishes in local Dhabas at the base camp. You will find small huts for stoppage made after every 2 KM in the Rudranath trek where you can sit and have tea or snacks or lunch. (Stoppage point list is already given above)If you are very specific with your food then try to carry some packed food and energy bars with you because in these huts you will get only limited options. But food quality will be good and purely organic.Options for Staying During Rudranath Trek:
On day one you can stay at Gopeshwar or Sagar village you will get decent hotels there. Now to reach Rudranath, if you are taking a halt in between you should stay at Lyuti Bugyal or Panar Bugyal. If you feel the day is crowded with trekkers, we suggest staying in Lyuti Bugyal if not you can go for Panar Bugyal. Both the places offer huts to stay where they will provide you with everything from quilts to food. If you have your own tents pitch them there.Panar Bugyal Offers beautiful views around so most people prefer to stay there. Likewise, if you are planning to stay in Rudranath, you will find the same arrangements there.
How to reach Rudranath Trek and temple:
Rudranath is located in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand. Here are the ways to reach Rudranath:By Air: The nearest airport to Rudranath is Jolly Grant, Dehradun. It is about 260 kilometers away from Rudranath. The Jolly Grant Airport is well-connected to the major airports in India. You can hire a taxi to reach Gopeshwar.By Train: The nearest Railway station is in Rishikesh, which is around 242 kilometers away from Gopeswar. Rishikesh railway station is well connected to the rest of the major railway stations in India. After reaching Rishikesh you can hire a taxi to reach Gopeshwar.By Road: The Sagar village is located nearly 220 kilometers away from the Rishikesh bus station. You can board a Uttarakhand transport bus or any other bus from Rishikesh to Gopeshwar or Sagar. There is a bus operator Viswanath Express. You can book your tickets with them as well.Current weather conditions for Rudranath Trek:
Weather in the mountains rapidly changes so it’s advisable to check the weather forecast before planning to Rudrnath Trip. In the day the maximum temperature will be from 25 to 30 degrees Celsius. During summer timer time, the trek is not allowed due to extremely cold weather.
Things you should know:
- Pack extra woolen clothes, and do not forget your sunglasses.
- Try to pack some energy bars, chocolates, etc.
- Do not forget to check the weather conditions.
