Winter Kuari Pass Trek

There is a history attached to this trek route, let us first know the history first. This trek is also called Curzon trail, named after Lord Curzon, former viceroy ofIndia, also a keen trekker, was fond of trekking this trail. This trail has been one of favourite trail among britishers.

Location and route ofKuariPass:

The Kauri Pass trek starts from Haridwar, which is about 200 km from Indian capital of New Delhi. The visitors who are coming from New Delhi, may hire either the taxi or train to travel fromNew Delhito Haridwar. There is also an airport at Jolly Grant, which is about 40km  from Haridwar, which has direct airiel connectivity to the Indian capital.

The map from New Delhito Haridwar is shown below:

From Haridwar to Joshimath: This is normally a drive by car or a taxi and the roads are decent.

About Joshimath: This is a small town located in Chamoli District. The visitors who come to Joshimath, normally come here enroute to popular destinations like Auli (famous for ice skiing) andValley of Flowers.

Another interesting point about Joshimath: Auli is just 10 km away from Joshimath. Auli is a famous destination for ice skiing and there are a lot of visitors to enjoy skiing.

The route from Haridwar to Joshimath is around 300 km by road and can be covered by car. It is expected to take around seven hours to cover this distance. This route is shown below in the map.

From Joshimath to Chitra Khana: This is when the actual trekking starts. This route is split into two parts – in first part there is a short drive (12 km) from Joshimath to Dhak village, while the second part is trekking to Chitra Khana. This is a scenic journey thorugh hemlock, oak and rhododendron forest. The trekkers can see a lot of snow clad mountains on the way. On the route, there is a small village with nameTugassiVillage. One should not miss the experience of meeting the simple villagers and also feel the village culture.

From Chitra Khana to Tali Top: This is another strenuous trek for around 6 km. The travellers should not be surprised by unexpected snowfall on this trek, which at times may lead to take a mid way halt during trekking.  

From Tali Top toKuariPassand back to Tali Top: This is a 10 – 12 km trek. The first one hour is a gradual ascent till Khullar Top, followed by trekking through the high snow clad areas to reach the Kauri Top. The overall scenary, atmosphere and views of this trek confirms that Mother Nature has blessed this place.

Return from Tali Top to Joshimath

Finally, return from Joshimath to Haridwar

For trekking lovers, this trek route is not to be missed. As it is not very adventurous and at the same time, offers majestic views of prominent peaks like Nandadevi, Nilakanth, Trishul and Dronagiri.