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Kartik Swami Trek

Rudraprayag, Uttarakhand

Easy2 daysBest Mar–Jun, Sep–NovSnow trek

Dunagiri peak and snowy Garhwal ranges framed by the silhouettes of temple bells at Kartik Swami3,050 mhighest point4 Photos
Max altitude
3,050 m
Satellite terrain suggests about 2,550 m
Days
2 days
Distance
7 km
Difficulty
Easy

Best months Mar–Jun, Sep–Nov

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

Only about 3–3.5 km each way on a marked temple path through oak and rhododendron forest, but the last kilometre is a steep, narrow stone staircase, and most people walk it in the dark to reach the ridge by sunrise.

Photos

On the trail

Dunagiri peak and snowy Garhwal ranges framed by the silhouettes of temple bells at Kartik Swami
Dunagiri peak and snowy Garhwal ranges framed by the silhouettes of temple bells at Kartik SwamiPhoto: Sumita Roy Dutta · CC BY-SA 4.0

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The route

Day by day

  1. Day 1

    Rishikesh → Kanakchauri (via Rudraprayag and Pokhari road)

    By road · 6.5 h · Homestay

    340 m → 2,240 m

  2. Day 2 · highest point

    Kanakchauri → Kanakchauri (via Kartik Swami Temple)

    7 km · 4.5 h · No overnight

    2,240 m → 3,050 m → 2,240 m

Ups and downs

Altitude profile

2,0002,5003,0003,500Kanakchauri: 2,240 m, 0 kmDay 2 high point: 3,050 m, 3.5 kmKanakchauri (via Kartik Swami Temple): 2,240 m, 7 km
Metres above sea level · distance 7 km

Where it is

Map

Download GPX waypoints

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.

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
Kanakchauri (Kanak Chauri) (nearest town: Rudraprayag)
Nearest railway
Yog Nagari Rishikesh (about 175 km)
Nearest airport
Jolly Grant Airport, Dehradun (about 190 km)
By road
Rishikesh to Rudraprayag (about 136 km, roughly 4 hours) by bus or shared vehicle; Rudraprayag to Kanakchauri (about 40 km on the Rudraprayag–Pokhari road) by private taxi, or shared jeep to Pokhari road junction and a private cab for the last 8 km
Drive
About 6.5 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

₹1,500–5,000

With an operator

₹2,090–11,025

Per person. Guided prices seen in October 2026: eUttaranchal 2-day/1-night guided trek ₹1,990 + 5% GST ex-Kanakchauri (stay, two meals and guide; no transport, forest entry extra); Himalaya Shelter 3-day trek ₹10,500 + 5% GST ex-Dehradun including transport. Self-guided is an estimate, ex-Rishikesh: bus to Rudraprayag (about ₹300 each way), a shared or private taxi to Kanakchauri, one homestay night and the small entry ticket at the trail gate.

Gear

Top picks for this trek

The gear that matters most on this route, chosen from its altitude, season and risks.

See the full packing checklist

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Packing checklist

Matched to this trek: altitude, season, days and the risks on the route.

Packed 0 of 32

Nights near 3,050 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.

What to wear
Pack and gear
Sleeping

Many trek operators provide tents and sleeping bags. Ask before you buy.

Safety
Water and food
Documents and money
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Know before you go

Good to know

Mobile network
Not confirmed for the trail; expect signal in Rudraprayag and patchy coverage in Kanakchauri and on the ridge.
Last ATM
Rudraprayag (about 40 km); carry cash for the homestay, taxi and entry ticket
Nearest hospital
Rudraprayag district hospital for serious cases (about 40 km); confirm nearer first-aid centres locally
Water
No water points on the trail; fill about 2 litres at Kanakchauri. A few tea and snack stalls stand where the forest ends, before the stone steps.

Highlights

  • Darshan at the ridge-top shrine of Bhagwan Kartikeya, the elder son of Bhagwan Shiva and Mata Parvati, on Kraunch Parvat
  • Hundreds of bells offered by devotees ringing in the wind around the temple
  • Sunrise or sunset over a wide Garhwal Himalaya panorama — Chaukhamba, Kedarnath Dome, Neelkanth, Trishul, Nanda Devi and Dunagiri on clear days
  • Oak and rhododendron forest of the Agastyamuni range, red with rhododendron bloom in March–April and good for birdwatching
  • Special puja on Kartik Purnima and Skanda Shashti

Risks

  • The final kilometre is a steep, narrow stone staircase; take it slowly, especially in the dark or when wet.
  • December to February can bring snow and ice on the path; one operator rates winter as suitable only for experienced walkers.
  • July–August monsoon rain makes the path muddy and slippery and causes landslides on the Rudraprayag roads; Indiahikes, Himalaya Shelter and Himalayan Dream Treks all advise avoiding these months, though none says the trek is closed.
  • Shared cabs leave Kanakchauri only until about 8:30–9 am; after that you need a private cab to Pokhari road.

Know before you go

Questions

How long is the Kartik Swami trek?

About 3–3.5 km each way from Kanakchauri village, so 6–7 km in all. Indiahikes splits it into 1 km to a valley viewpoint, 1.5 km of forest trail and about 1 km of stone steps to the temple. The climb takes around 2 hours.

What is the altitude of Kartik Swami Temple?

Most guides print 3,050 m (10,000 ft), which is the height shown on this page. Satellite elevation data (SRTM and ASTER) puts the temple ridge lower, at about 2,550 m, and Himalayan Dream Treks' own trek page gives 2,540 m, so treat the height as approximate. Either way it is a short walk with no altitude-sickness concern for most people.

Is the Kartik Swami trek suitable for beginners and families?

Yes. Operators rate it easy to easy-moderate and Indiahikes calls it a perfect do-it-yourself trek, since the temple path is marked and used by devotees. Only the last steep flight of steps needs some stamina.

What is the best time to visit?

Indiahikes says the trek is accessible through the year. March to June suits pleasant weather and rhododendron bloom (March–April), and September to November gives the clearest mountain views. December to February brings snow. July and August are best avoided, as monsoon rain makes the path slippery.

Is there an entry fee or permit?

There is a ticket counter at the trail gate. Indiahikes reported ₹50 for Indian visitors and ₹200 for a camera, but we could not confirm the current fee from an official source, so check at the gate.

When does the temple open, and should I go for sunrise?

For sunrise, start from Kanakchauri by about 4 am and you will reach the ridge by about 6 am. Indiahikes notes the sanctum opens only after about 7:30 am, so wait for darshan after sunrise.

Your 8-week plan for this trekEasy grade. Start about 8 weeks before you travel.
SOS

In an emergency

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You are in

District: RudraprayagUttarakhand

Nearest hospital
Rudraprayag district hospital for serious cases (about 40 km); confirm nearer first-aid centres locally
Last ATM
Rudraprayag (about 40 km); carry cash for the homestay, taxi and entry ticket
Phone network
Not confirmed for the trail; expect signal in Rudraprayag and patchy coverage in Kanakchauri and on the ridge.

Before you set off

  1. Tell someone your route and when you will be back.
  2. Carry a charged phone and a power bank.
  3. Download an offline map of the route.
  4. Turn back if the weather turns bad — the mountain will wait.
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Where this comes from

Sources

Last reviewed:

  1. A Complete Guide to the Kartik Swami Temple Trek — Indiahikes
  2. Kartikswami Temple Trek — Himalaya Shelter
  3. Kartik Swami Temple — Plan Your Journey — Himalayan Dream Treks
  4. Chopta Kartik Swami — Himalayan Dream Treks
  5. Kartikswami Same Day Guided Trekking Tour from Kanakchauri — eUttaranchal
  6. Rudraprayag — Kartik Swami Temple — Wikipedia
  7. कार्तिक स्वामी — Hindi Wikipedia
  8. SRTM 30 m elevation at Kartik Swami Temple and the Kanakchauri trail gate — NASA SRTM 30 m (via OpenTopoData)
  9. ASTER GDEM 30 m elevation at Kartik Swami Temple and the Kanakchauri trail gate — NASA/METI ASTER GDEM (via OpenTopoData)

Photos: Sumita Roy Dutta, CC BY-SA 4.0; KUMAR2912, CC BY-SA 4.0; Shubham Butola, CC BY-SA 4.0; Sumita Roy Dutta, CC BY-SA 3.0

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