Explore the spectacular panoramic view of snowcapped Himalayan ranges from the top of the mountain. The divine beauty of the Himalayas with peaceful nature will mesmerize you in its surroundings. If you still have not experienced this then you really need to pack your bag for the trek to Pangarchulla peak.
Pangarchulla peak trek is a perfect paradise for peace seekers, adventure seekers, and nature lovers. Pangarchulla peak is situated in Joshimath, district Chamoli in Uttarakhand, the altitude of Pangarchulla peak is approx 14700 ft above sea level. The eye-catching view of majestic Himalayan peaks like Nanda Devi peak, Hathi Ghodi, Kedarnath, Chaukhamba, Trishul, Neelkanth, and many more. Pangarchulla Peak is a moderate trek with a distance of 40kms, a completely thrilling trek covered in 6 days with the beauty of flora and fauna, alpine meadows, and some adventures in snow trek.
Itinerary of the Pangarchulla Peak Trek
Day 1 Dehradun to Joshimath
Early morning, have breakfast and start your drive to Joshimath which is 295 km from Dehradun and it will take approx 9-10 hours. You will reach the basecamp late in the evening where you can rest and pack your rucksack for the trek.
Day 2 Joshimath to Gullingtop
After having breakfast in your basecamp, it is 12 km of dive to reach the point Dhak from where the trek will start for Gullingtop. The trek distance from Dhak to Gulling point is 4 km which will take 3hours approx. After reaching the Gulling point in the daytime, you can rest and explore the campsite with a stunning view of Gauri Parvat and Dronagiri.
Day 3 Gullingtop to Khulara
Enjoy the blissful morning in Gullingtop and after having breakfast get ready for the trek to Khulara which is 7kms of trek covered in 5-6 hours approx. The altitude of Khulara is approx 11120 ft and the trail will pass through Deodar and oak forest. You will spot the beautiful rhododendron and walnut trees on the trek. Spectacular view of Nanda Ghunti, Nanda Devi, Mukut Parvat, and many more on the trek to Khulara. After reaching there in the evening, you will stay there at the campsite in Khulara.
Day 4 Khulara to Pangarchulla peak Summit point and back to Khulara
Early in the morning, Buckle up for the summit day, pack your meal and start your trek which is approx 12kms of the trek to Pangarchulla peak summit point. It will take around 14hours both ways. It is a snow trek so be careful to handle it gently. After a steep climb, you will reach the Summit point at the altitude of 14700 ft, 360 views of majestic Himalayan ranges like Chaukhamba, Hathi Ghodi Parvat, Neelkanth, Dunagiri, and many more. All the surroundings of Pangarchulla peak will hypnotize you in its beauty. After spending some time admiring the beauty of the Himalayas, it’s time to head back to the Khulara campsite before it gets dark. You will reach there in the late evening.
Day 5 Khulara to Dhak and drive down to Joshimath basecamp
Today is the last day of your trek. After breakfast, trek back to Dhak village. The trek distance from Khulara to Dhak village is 12kms which will be covered in 7 hours. You will reach there by the evening, then 12 km of drive from Dhak village to Joshimath basecamp. You will stay there for a night and enjoy the last day of your trek.
Day 6 Joshimath to Dehradun
After completing this thrilling and mesmerizing Pangarchulla trek here it comes to the end, it’s the day to drive down to the pavilion. After breakfast pack your rucksack and drive down to Dehradun.
How to reach to the basecamp of the Pangarchulla trek
Basecamp of Pangarchulla peak trek is in Joshimath. You can come to Rishikesh/ Haridwar/ Dehradun, whatever suits you the best for the connectivity. If you are coming from Delhi/Chandigarh, you will get Volvo or any other buses easily. From Dehradun/Haridwar/Rishikesh you can take a taxi, shared cab, or bus for Joshimath.
The last railway station for the Pangarchulla trek is in Dehradun or you can come to Rishikesh or Haridwar. Or you can take a flight to Jolly Grant Airport and after reaching the airport you can take a cab, bus, or taxi for Joshimath. Make sure to start your drive early in the morning from Dehradun/ Rishikesh/ Haridwar to reach the base camp on time.
Tips for trekking to Pangarchulla peak
- Carry warm clothes, thermal inner, and a cap for the trek.
- Make your rucksack as light as you can carry for the whole trek.
- Carry some dry fruits and energy bars for your trek.
- Medical kit and Battery backup because you will not get electricity and network on your trek.
- 2 liter of a water bottle, you will get some places to refill your water bottle.
- A proper sleep cycle is important for the trek.
- Carry a Ziploc bag for your plastic waste and dump it after returning to the base camp.
- Before the trek, prepare yourself both mentally and physically to manage and cope with the high altitude sickness.
- Sunglass, Trekking shoes, trekking equipment like a stick.
- Joshimath is the last ATM point where you can get 3-4 ATMs.
Pangarchulla Peak is one of the best winter treks if you want to experience snow around you but the difficulty level may rise and sometimes it requires technical variation for trekking in winters. Even in the time till April- May you will get snow on the peak. The temperature will drop down to -7 at night so be prepared for that. I would rate the pangarchulla peak trek as a moderate trek because it includes an initially manmade path to steep climbing and inclining. Panoramic view of snow-covered Himalaya’s peaks from the summit point makes it worth taking all the pain. So complete your bucket list with Pangarchulla Peak and experience some local life of Uttarakhand with the beauty of the Himalayas.
