Kuari Pass

Adventure

Uttarakhand

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History
Places to visit
How to reach

Kuari Pass is a high mountain pass sited in the Garhwal region, located in the southern direction of Indian-Tibetan border. The beauty of this region reveals many incredible views of nature before your eyes.

The word Kuari means a doorway and this pass is mainly famous for trekking, which several adventure enthusiasts attempt every now and then.

This trek starts from Joshimath where you get to find a lot of trekkers, adventure seekers and devotee pilgrims like you. This trek is a great opportunity to relish the infinite sky and the mighty Himalayan mountains thus there is every reason to not miss out on it.

And if you are lucky you might also get to see the footprints of rare Himalayan Bears or leopards. So, if you are all excited to visit here, we won’t blame you, however in that case, the best time to visit Kuari Pass would be March, April and May.

History of Kuari Pass

Kuari Pass is majorly famous for its trek which has its own history. It is believed that this trek route got popular because of a few British officials named Lord Curzon, Eric Shipton, and Bill Tilman. As per the story, these people used this particular passage for their expeditions in 1905 because of which it got famous in the first place. Thus, sometimes, even until today, many people refer to it as the Curzon Trail.

Major Attractions of Kuari Pass

1. Ancient Forests. While on your trek to Kuari Pass, you will get to witness the lush beauty of ancient forests. It is believed that these Oak and rhododendrons are almost ancient. Walking among the trees, you get to witness the sweeping view of nature’s incredible views.

2. Campsites. These campsites in the Kuari Pass trek introduce you to some other level of fun and excitement. Agreed that trekking is not a piece of cake, however, it is the moments of happiness while you are on an adventure, that counts the most and helps you bond with your tribe. There are mainly two campsites namely Chitrakantha campsite and Khullara campsite.

3. Mountain Views. Since the first day, you get to witness the most undaunting views of Himalayan peaks like Mt. Nanda Devi and Dronagiri’s. And, as you move forward, you get to see more and more of mountains and the open sky welcomes you with its stunning views.

How to Reach Kuari Pass

To reach here, you will first need to visit Rishikesh which is a popular spiritual getaway itself. Although people majorly visit Rishikesh to find their inner peace, sometimes it is also about finding adventure and that fast-paced thrill. Rishikesh is located at a distance of about 241, 1,641, 1,494, 2,356 km from Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Bengaluru respectively.

From Rishikesh the route goes something like this: Rishikesh - Joshimath - Chitrakhana - Tali Top - Kuari Pass via Khullara/Tali Top.

Check out the following details on how you can reach here via public transport.

By Air. To reach here you will need to deboard at Dehradun Airport aka Jolly Grant Airport (DED) which is situated at 20-30 km away from Rishikesh. If you plan to visit here via air travel then it is best advised to take connecting flights from Delhi or Chandigarh. From these two points, Rishikesh sees good flight connectivity with major airlines operating to and fro. As you deboard at the airport, consider booking a cab or take a locally available transport to reach Rishikesh and from there travel further according to the route mentioned above.

From Chandigarh - Board Air India, IndiGo flights via Chandigarh Airport. It will cost you between INR 5,000 - INR 8,000
From Delhi - Board Air India, IndiGo flights from Delhi Airport. The air tickets to Dehradun will cost you between INR 2,000 - INR 4,000

By Train. If you are planning to travel via train then deboard at Haridwar Station which is situated about 20-25 km away. Haridwar has good train connectivity with several Indian towns and cities like Varanasi, Lucknow and others. As you deboard at the station, consider booking a taxi or some other means of transportation available like a bus to further travel to Joshimath.

By Road. Plan to kickstart your journey via road? Then first reach Rishikesh which has overall good road connectivity from other regions. But to travel here via road, you must have some prior experience of travelling/driving in the mountains. Apart from self-driving here, you can also book a taxi or board inter-state/private buses to reach here at affordable pricing.