Kalishila Trek
Rudraprayag, Uttarakhand
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2,400 mhighest point- Max altitude
- 2,400 m
- Days
- 1 day
- Distance
- 14 km
- Difficulty
- Moderate
Short, but relentlessly steep: about 1,100 m of climbing in roughly 7 km on a stone path and then a rough forest trail with loose rock and boulders, ending beside a big drop near the shila. Trekkers report 4-6 hours up.
The route
Day by day
Day 1 · highest point
Kalimath → Kalimath (via Byunkhi and Kalishila)
1,240 m → 2,400 m → 1,240 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 · Kalimath
at 1,240 mLoading forecast…
High point · Kalishila (Maa Kalishila mandir)
at 2,400 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
- Kalimath (nearest town: Guptkashi)
- Nearest railway
- Rishikesh (about 186 km)
- Nearest airport
- Jolly Grant Airport, Dehradun (about 204 km)
- By road
- Rudraprayag (about 49 km via Guptkashi); Ukhimath (about 18-20 km)
- Drive
- About 7 h from Rishikesh
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
₹1,500–4,000
With an operator
₹2,500–6,000
Per person, ex-Kalimath, estimates only. We found no operator publishing a Kalishila trek price. Self-guided covers a night at a Kalimath guesthouse or dharamshala, food and shared jeeps from Guptkashi or Ukhimath. The guided range assumes hiring a local guide in Kalimath for the day; agree the rate locally.
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 25
Monsoon months (Jun): pack everything in plastic or a dry bag and wear shoes with good grip.
Tick each item as it goes in the bag.
Know before you go
Good to know
- Mobile network
- Some coverage around Kalimath and Byunkhi (a shop in Byunkhi sells mobile recharges); expect gaps on the forest section above Byunkhi. Not confirmed by an operator.
- Last ATM
- Guptkashi (carry cash; Kalimath and Byunkhi are small villages)
- Nearest hospital
- Guptkashi for first care; Rudraprayag for the district hospital; AIIMS Rishikesh for serious cases
- Water
- A tap and a small shop in the villages on the lower half (Byunkhi); little or no water on the forest climb above. Carry at least 2 litres and treat stream water.
Highlights
- Darshan of Maa Kali at Kalimath, one of the 108 Shakti Peethas named in the Shrimad Devi Bhagwat, before you start
- Kalishila, the sacred rock high above the Kaliganga valley where, as the katha tells, Maa Kali took the form of a twelve-year-old girl to slay Raktabija
- Byunkhi, a quiet hilltop village of terraced fields at the midpoint of the climb
- Oak and rhododendron forest and wide views over the Mandakini valley toward the Kedarnath peaks
Risks
- The trail is very steep throughout; the last stretch above Byunkhi crosses loose rock and big boulders and needs care, especially on the way down.
- There is a sheer drop of hundreds of metres beside the shila; stay on the inner side of the rock.
- The forest section above Byunkhi is lonely and unmarked in places; go with a local guide or ask in Byunkhi for the way.
- Monsoon (July to September) brings heavy rain, slippery stone steps and landslides on the roads to Kalimath; snow can fall at Kalishila in winter bad weather.
Know before you go
Questions
How long is the trek from Kalimath to Kalishila?
About 6-8 km one way; trekkers and guides most often quote 7 km. It is a steep climb of 4-6 hours up and about 3 hours down, so start early and plan for a full day.
Is there a shorter route to Kalishila?
Yes. Himalayan Geographic describes a very steep 4 km climb from Ranwleg village. Most trekkers start from Kalimath, where the Maa Kali mandir is, and walk up via Byunkhi village.
Where can I stay for the Kalishila trek?
Kalimath has simple guesthouses and dharamshalas; Guptkashi and Ukhimath have more hotels. Homestays can be arranged in Byunkhi on request, and a homestay near Kalishila (Jai Ma Kalishila Homestay) is reported on the descent toward Kalimath.
Why is Kalishila sacred?
Kalishila is the shila where, as the katha tells, Maa Kali appeared as a twelve-year-old girl and slew the asura Raktabija. Devotees climb here after darshan at Kalimath, which is especially crowded during Navratri.
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: RudraprayagUttarakhand
- Nearest hospital
- Guptkashi for first care; Rudraprayag for the district hospital; AIIMS Rishikesh for serious cases
- Last ATM
- Guptkashi (carry cash; Kalimath and Byunkhi are small villages)
- Phone network
- Some coverage around Kalimath and Byunkhi (a shop in Byunkhi sells mobile recharges); expect gaps on the forest section above Byunkhi. Not confirmed by an operator.
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 Kalishila
No questions yet. Ask something and trekkers who have done it can answer.
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Where this comes from
Sources
Last reviewed:
- Kalimath to Kalishila Temple – 4 Hours Trek — 40kmph.com
- Kalishila, Ukhimath | Shrine high in cloud — Tripoto (illuminylife)
- Kalimath Temple: Route, Rituals And Complete Travel Guide — Himalayan Dream Treks
- Kalimath — Wikipedia
- Kalishila: The Land of White Secrets — Himalayan Geographic
Photos: Aloak1, CC BY-SA 3.0
