- Max altitude
- 4,356 m
- Satellite terrain suggests about 4,228 m
- Days
- 8 days
- Distance
- 45 km
- Difficulty
- Difficult
Operators rate it moderate to difficult: six walking days above 3,000 m, then an 11-12 km pass day of 7-8 hours with a short, steep climb from Saru Tal to 4,356 m and a long descent of about 1,700 m to Leka Dogri. Prior high-altitude experience is advised.
Photos
On the trail
The route
Day by day
Day 1
Dehradun → Sankri
640 m → 1,950 m
Day 2
Sankri → Juda Ka Talab
1,950 m → 2,775 m
Day 3
Juda Ka Talab → Bhoj Gadi
2,775 m → 3,350 m
Day 4
Bhoj Gadi → Pushtara Thach (via Phulara Ridge)
3,350 m → 3,800 m
Day 5
Pushtara Thach → Rateri (Taloti)
3,800 m → 3,960 m
Day 6
Rateri (Taloti) → Saru Tal
3,960 m → 4,200 m
Day 7 · highest point
Saru Tal → Leka Dogri (via Fachu Kandi Pass)
4,200 m → 4,356 m → 2,600 m
Day 8
Leka Dogri → Hanuman Chatti (drive to Dehradun)
2,600 m → 2,400 m
Ups and downs
Altitude profile
Where it is
Map
Trailhead and high point only — not a recorded track. Use it with a proper map.
Weather
Next 5 days on the trail
Live forecast for the trailhead and the high point. Mountain weather changes fast — check again on the morning you start.
Trailhead · Sankri
at 1,950 mLoading forecast…
High point · Fachu Kandi Pass
at 4,356 mLoading forecast…
Each day: high / low °C · rain mm and chance · snow cm · wind km/h
Weather data: Open-Meteo.comModel forecast, not an official warning. For alerts follow IMD and the local administration.
Plan the trip
How to reach
- Trailhead
- Sankri
- Nearest railway
- Dehradun
- Nearest airport
- Jolly Grant Airport, Dehradun
- By road
- Dehradun to Sankri (about 190 km via Mussoorie, Purola, Mori and Naitwar; 8-9 hours); Exit from Hanuman Chatti on the Yamunotri road via Barkot to Dehradun (7-8 hours)
- Drive
- About 8.5 h from Dehradun
Plan the trip
Permits and fees
We could not confirm the current permit rules and fees from an official source. Check with the local forest department or tourism office before you go.
Plan the trip
Cost
Self-guided
₹14,000–22,000
With an operator
₹21,000–37,000
Per person, ex-Dehradun. Guided prices seen October 2026: eUttaranchal ₹21,000 + 5% GST ex-Sankri without transport (Kedarkantha-summit variant); Escape2Explore ₹20,999 with transport, 'inclusive of all taxes' (same variant); Himalayan Hikers ₹35,000 + 5% GST + ₹320 insurance ex-Dehradun with transport. Himalaya Shelter does not publish a base price. Self-guided is an estimate: shared jeep or bus to Sankri and back from Hanuman Chatti, a guesthouse night, a local guide and porter for seven trekking days, tent and stove hire, food, and Govind sanctuary entry fees. This is a traverse, so you need a drop-off at Sankri and a pick-up at Hanuman Chatti.
Gear
Top picks for this trek
The gear that matters most on this route, chosen from its altitude, season and risks.
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Packing checklist
Matched to this trek: altitude, season, days and the risks on the route.
Packed 0 of 33
Nights near 4,356 m can drop close to freezing even in summer. Pack one more warm layer than you think.
Tick each item as it goes in the bag.
Know before you go
Good to know
- Mobile network
- Purola is the last place where most mobile networks work; signal is limited beyond it, so do not count on coverage on the trail.
- Last ATM
- Mori, on the road to Sankri
- Nearest hospital
- Mori and Purola for first care on the Sankri side, Barkot on the Yamunotri side; AIIMS Rishikesh for serious cases
- Water
- Streams in the forest sections and around the meadow camps, and the lake at Saru Tal. Boil or treat all water.
Highlights
- Three treks in one: the Kedarkantha forest trail to Juda Ka Talab, the Phulara Ridge walk, and a pass crossing into the Yamunotri valley
- Walking the open grassy crest of Phulara Ridge with snow ranges on both sides
- Camping by Saru Tal, a high glacial lake at about 4,200 m held sacred by the villages below
- A little-used crossing through Govind Wildlife Sanctuary, ending at Hanuman Chatti on the road to Yamunotri
Risks
- Pass day is long (11-12 km, 7-8 hours) with a short, steep climb to 4,356 m and a descent of about 1,700 m; a turnaround time is essential.
- Snow can still lie on the pass in May and early June and returns from late October; Himalaya Shelter says the pass can be inaccessible from late December.
- July-August monsoon: Himalayan Hikers says trekking then is not recommended and can be dangerous, and Escape2Explore warns of slippery paths, landslides and leeches.
- The route is little used and remote; most mobile networks end at Purola, so self-guided trekkers should hire a local guide from Sankri.
Know before you go
Questions
How difficult is the Fachu Kandi Pass trek?
Operators rate it moderate to difficult. Most days are 4-7 km, but pass day from Saru Tal is 11-12 km and 7-8 hours, with a steep climb to about 4,356 m and a long descent. Himalaya Shelter recommends prior high-altitude experience and says it is not suitable for children under 14.
When is the best time to cross Fachu Kandi Pass?
May-June and September-November. Winter snow makes the pass inaccessible from about late December to April, and the July-August monsoon brings slippery trails and landslide risk.
Where does the trek start and end?
It starts at Sankri, about 190 km (8-9 hours) by road from Dehradun, and ends at Hanuman Chatti on the Yamunotri road, from where it is a 7-8 hour drive back to Dehradun.
How many days does the Fachu Kandi Pass trek take?
Usually 8 days including the drive days: Sankri, Juda Ka Talab, Bhoj Gadi, Pushtara via Phulara Ridge, Rateri, Saru Tal, over the pass to Leka Dogri, then down to Hanuman Chatti. A variant climbs Kedarkantha summit on the way.
Do I need a permit?
The route lies in Govind Wildlife Sanctuary, so forest entry and camping fees apply; guided packages include them for Indian nationals. One operator charges foreign nationals extra for the permit. We could not confirm the current official fee, so check at the forest office in Sankri.
In an emergency
Save these numbers before you lose signal. Tap to call.
- 112All emergenciesIndia’s single emergency number — works in every state
- 108Ambulance
- 1077District disaster control room
You are in
District: UttarkashiUttarakhand
- Nearest hospital
- Mori and Purola for first care on the Sankri side, Barkot on the Yamunotri side; AIIMS Rishikesh for serious cases
- Last ATM
- Mori, on the road to Sankri
- Phone network
- Purola is the last place where most mobile networks work; signal is limited beyond it, so do not count on coverage on the trail.
Before you set off
- Tell someone your route and when you will be back.
- Carry a charged phone and a power bank.
- Download an offline map of the route.
- Turn back if the weather turns bad — the mountain will wait.
Questions about Fachu Kandi Pass
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Where this comes from
Sources
Last reviewed:
- Fachu Kandi Pass Trek - Itinerary, Package [3 Treks in 1 Go] — Himalaya Shelter
- Fachu Kandi Pass Trek with Kedarkantha Summit — eUttaranchal
- Fachu Kandi Pass Trek 2027 — Himalayan Hikers
- Fachu Kandi Pass Trek — Escape2Explore
Photos: Pathaharapathik, CC BY-SA 4.0; Yadusharon, CC BY-SA 4.0; Vaibhav78545, CC BY-SA 4.0
