The Kedarnath Trek: 21 km into the Himalayas

The Kedarnath trek begins at Gaurikund — the road head in the Mandakini Valley, accessible by local jeep from Sonprayag. From Gaurikund, the paved trail climbs 21 km through progressively thinning vegetation to the Kedarnath Temple.

**The Trail**

The first few kilometres from Gaurikund climb steeply through forests. The trail is well marked and paved for most of its length — a project completed in the years following the 2013 Kedarnath floods. The path eventually opens into the wide Mandakini Valley above the treeline. The last section of the trek approaches the moraine of the Chorabari Glacier, where the temple comes into view.