Chai Routes
A line of trekkers crossing snow below the Garhwal Himalayas on the Kuari Pass trail

Kuari Pass Trek · The Curzon Trail · Uttarakhand

Kuari Pass

6 days, 5 nightsDaily departures Nov–MarJoshimath, Uttarakhand12,516 ft · facing Nanda Devi

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from ₹7,399per person · 3 packages

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The Experience

Meadows, oak forests and Nanda Devi.

Kuari Pass — a 12,516 ft pass in the Garhwal Himalayas — follows the old Curzon Trail above Joshimath. Over six days we drive the Badrinath road past the sacred confluences, climb through oak and rhododendron forest to high camps at Gulling and Khullara, and stand on the pass facing some of India's greatest peaks.

Alpenglow on snow peaks above a trekker on a ridge

A front-row seat to the giants

Nanda Devi, Kamet, Dronagiri and Hathi Ghoda in one sweeping panorama from the pass.

Yellow tents in the snow beneath deodar trees

High camps

Tented nights at Gulling Top and Khullara Top.

Trekkers crossing a snow meadow with peaks behind

Alpine meadows

Wide snowfields and Gurson Bugyal, one of Garhwal's finest meadows.

Blue tents at a forest camp in the snow

The Curzon Trail

A historic route through oak, rhododendron and pine forest.

A trekker on a snowy ridge with the range behind

Ridge walks

Big-mountain views on every trek day.

Trekkers walking across snow under a dramatic sky

Easy to moderate

A gradual climb with good acclimatisation — ideal as a first Himalayan trek.

A line of trekkers on a snowy slope

Small guided groups

A professional trek leader, support staff and trek certification on every batch.

Trek Snapshot

Everything worth knowing, at a glance.

Right now in Joshimath

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Feels like
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Duration
6 days 5 nights
Highest point
12,516 ft · ~3,820 m
Difficulty
Easy – moderate
Stay
Tents & Joshimath guesthouse
Trek distance
~33 km
Departures
Daily Nov–Mar

Itinerary

Rishikesh to the pass, and back.

Snowy slopes and forest below Himalayan peaks01

Day One · Rishikesh → Joshimath

Up the Badrinath road

  1. 6:30 AM — pickup from Rishikesh
  2. 256 km drive (9–10 hrs) past Devprayag, Rudraprayag, Karnaprayag & Nandaprayag
  3. Reach Joshimath (6,750 ft) by evening
  4. Tea, snacks & dinner · overnight at the guesthouse
Green tents at a snowy camp in the forest02

Day Two · Dhak → Gulling Top

The trail begins

  1. Short drive to Dhak village, the trailhead
  2. Trek 6 km (4–5 hrs) through oak, rhododendron and pine
  3. Views of Dronagiri and Hathi Ghoda
  4. Overnight in tents at Gulling Top (9,515 ft)
A trekker on snow with peaks behind03

Day Three · Gulling Top → Khullara Top

Into the alpine meadows

  1. Trek 4 km (4–5 hrs) as forest opens into clearings
  2. Stunning views of Mt. Dronagiri
  3. Reach Khullara Top (11,154 ft), an open meadow ringed by peaks
  4. Sunset at camp · overnight in tents
Trekkers on a snow ridge facing a wall of peaks04

Day Four · Kuari Pass & back

12,516 ft

  1. Early start across alpine meadows and ridges
  2. Reach Kuari Pass — the highlight of the trek
  3. A 360° panorama: Nanda Devi, Kamet, Hathi Ghoda & Dronagiri
  4. Descend to Khullara Top · overnight in tents
Sheep grazing on a meadow below the range05

Day Five · Gurson Bugyal → Auli

The meadow descent

  1. Descend to the open meadow of Gurson Bugyal
  2. Continue to Auli, the famous ski slopes
  3. Drive back to Joshimath
  4. Overnight at the guesthouse
Trekkers on a ridge trail with mountains beyond06

Day Six · Joshimath → Rishikesh

The journey back

  1. After breakfast, retrace the scenic Badrinath road
  2. Past the Panch Prayag confluences once more
  3. Reach Rishikesh in the evening — end of the trek
  4. Dehradun drops follow; Delhi continues overnight

This is the Rishikesh → Rishikesh plan. Dehradun and Delhi pickups are timed to meet the same departure. Timings vary with snow, weather and road conditions on the Badrinath highway.

Packages & Price

Three ways to join.

Same trek, same camps and the same facilities on the mountain — choose where your journey starts. Prices are per person, inclusive of GST.

Best valueRishikesh → Rishikesh · 6 days, 5 nights₹7,399 / personPickup & drop at Rishikesh — the classic route, straight up the Badrinath road to Joshimath.Advance ₹1,500 · balance ₹5,899
Dehradun → Dehradun · 6 days, 5 nights₹7,999 / personPickup & drop at Dehradun — easy for flyers into Jolly Grant Airport or the Dehradun railhead.Advance ₹1,500 · balance ₹6,499
Delhi → Delhi · 7 days, 6 nights₹8,999 / personAdds overnight transport from Delhi and back, so you join and return straight from the capital.Advance ₹1,500 · balance ₹7,499

Upcoming batches: Dec 18–22 · Dec 24–28 · Dec 29 – Jan 2 · Jan 5–9 · Jan 12–16. Departures are available on all dates from November to March, and special dates are available too — tell us on WhatsApp.

Included facilities

  • Crampons & gaiters
  • Poncho
  • Trekking pole
  • Head torch
  • Sleeping bag
  • Sleeping mat
  • Tents
  • Camping equipment — kitchen, dining & toilet tents
  • Transport & transfers, as per your package
  • Government & forest permits
  • All meals on the trek
  • Accommodation — guesthouse & camps
  • Trek certification
  • Professional trek leader & support staff
  • First aid, stretcher & oxygen

Not included

  • Meals during the road journey
  • Any kind of insurance
  • Personal expenses, laundry & phone calls
  • Mules / porters for personal luggage
  • Bottled water, soft drinks & alcohol
  • Costs from roadblocks, weather or evacuations
  • Anything not listed under inclusions

Gear on rent · complete trek

Jacket₹500
Trek shoes₹500
Woolen cap₹200
Woolen socks₹150

What To Carry

Pack warm, pack right.

Crampons, poles, head torch, poncho, sleeping bag and mat are provided. Bring the warm layers — tap each item as you pack; your progress is saved on this device.

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Cancellation Policy

Clear terms, up front.

Himalayan winter treks depend on snow, roads and weather — all outside anyone's control. These are the terms you agree to when you book.

Standard cancellations
  • Cancel 7 or more days before the trek date and you receive a 75% refund.
  • Cancellations within 7 days of the trek date are not refundable.
  • Eligible refunds are credited to the original payment method within 7 working days of confirmation.
Advance & balance
  • The ₹1,500 advance confirms the seat on any package and is subject to the terms above. The balance for your package is payable before the trek; a seat may be released if it is not settled in time.
Rescheduling & transfers
  • Bookings are non-transferable and cannot be rescheduled on request — regardless of personal reasons, unavailability or a change of plans.
Weather & safety
  • If the trek is called off for heavy snow, landslides, road or forest closures, or a safety decision, no refund is issued. Instead you choose either:
  • Reschedule to any date within 12 months, subject to availability; or
  • A full-value voucher, valid 12 months, against any future Chai Routes trip.
Permits & documents
  • Where entry follows Forest Department rules, those apply. A government ID (Aadhaar / Driving Licence) is mandatory, and the original used at booking must be produced on the trek.
  • No refunds for cancellations caused by government restrictions, natural calamities or other circumstances beyond Chai Routes' control — the reschedule or 12-month voucher options apply instead.

By confirming a booking with Chai Routes you acknowledge and agree to these terms. They exist to keep trips running while offering fair alternatives when conditions are genuinely outside our hands.

Book The Trek

Every day, Nov–Mar. Seats are limited.

Upcoming batches: Dec 18–22 · Dec 24–28 · Dec 29 – Jan 2 · Jan 5–9 · Jan 12–16 — with departures on all dates through the season. Reserving yours takes three steps, and we confirm every booking personally on WhatsApp.

Special dates & private groups. Want a date of your own or a private batch for friends, family or a team? Tell us your dates and headcount and we'll build the trip around you.

1

Pay the ₹1,500 advance

By UPI, to the Chai Routes ID. This confirms your seat on any package.

2

Share your details

Fill the Chai Routes form with your package, details and payment screenshot.

3

We confirm on WhatsApp

We add you to the trip group — pickup timing, packing reminders and updates.

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