Kuari Pass Trek
Chamoli, Uttarakhand
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- Max altitude
- 3,817 m
- Days
- 6 days
- Distance
- 28 km
- Difficulty
- Moderate
Short walking days on a well-used trail, but the first day climbs steeply about 700 m out of Dhak, the pass day is the longest (around 10 km), and in winter the upper trail near Khullara and Gorson Bugyal is under snow with narrow ledges and sub-zero nights.
Photos
On the trail
The route
Day by day
Day 1
Rishikesh → Joshimath (drive)
372 m → 1,875 m
Day 2
Dhak (drive from Joshimath) → Gulling
2,100 m → 2,800 m
Day 3
Gulling → Khullara
2,800 m → 3,350 m
Day 4 · highest point
Khullara → Tali via Kuari Pass
3,350 m → 3,817 m → 3,510 m
Day 5
Tali → Auli via Gorson Bugyal, drive to Joshimath
3,510 m → 2,860 m
Day 6
Joshimath → Rishikesh (drive)
1,875 m → 372 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 · Dhak
at 2,100 mLoading forecast…
High point · Kuari Pass
at 3,817 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
- Dhak (nearest town: Joshimath (Jyotirmath))
- Nearest railway
- Rishikesh (Yog Nagari Rishikesh); Haridwar for more trains
- Nearest airport
- Jolly Grant, Dehradun
- By road
- Rishikesh to Joshimath (about 250 km); Dehradun to Joshimath (about 290 km); Joshimath to Dhak / Karchi (about 7-20 km, shared jeeps from Tapovan taxi stand)
- Drive
- About 9 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
₹6,000–12,000
With an operator
₹8,500–18,000
Per person. Guided: published 2026 prices are TrekUp India ₹8,499 ex-Rishikesh, Bikat Adventures ₹9,500 + 5% GST ex-Joshimath and Himalaya Shelter ₹17,999 ex-Dehradun. Self-guided is an estimate ex-Joshimath for 4 trek days: a local guide shared by a small group, tent and sleeping-bag hire, food, forest entry fee and jeep transfers; bus fare to Joshimath extra.
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 32
Snow on the trail in Dec–Feb: microspikes, gaiters and a warm layer are not optional.
Tick each item as it goes in the bag.
Know before you go
Good to know
- Mobile network
- Good signal only up to Joshimath; Jio and BSNL work at the Karchi/Dhak base in clear weather, and signal is intermittent on the trail on the first and last days.
- Last ATM
- Joshimath (no ATM at Dhak or Karchi; carry cash from Rishikesh or Joshimath)
- Nearest hospital
- Primary health centre / government hospital at Joshimath, about 20 km by road from Karchi; Dehradun for serious cases (7-8 hours)
- Water
- Streams and springs near Gulling and Khullara camps; water is limited on the climb from Gulling to Khullara and on the pass day, so fill bottles at camp.
Highlights
- Close-up panorama of Nanda Devi, Dunagiri, Changabang, Kamet, Hathi-Ghori Parbat and Chaukhamba from the pass
- Oak, rhododendron and fir forest between Dhak, Gulling and Khullara
- Gorson and Tali bugyals, open alpine meadows that are snowfields in winter
- Follows part of the route Viceroy Lord Curzon walked in 1905, hence the Curzon Trail name
- One of the few Himalayan passes that can be crossed in mid-winter
Risks
- Snow and ice on the Khullara-Kuari Pass and Gorson Bugyal sections in December-February; microspikes are often needed
- Narrow overhanging ledges near Gorson Bugyal and easy-to-lose trail in fog
- Night temperatures fall to -7 to -15 °C in winter
- Heavy rain, slippery trail and landslides on the approach roads in July-August
Know before you go
Questions
Is Kuari Pass good for beginners?
Yes. Indiahikes, TrekUp India and Himalaya Shelter all grade it moderate and call it suitable for fit first-timers. Expect one steep climb out of Dhak on the first trek day and a longer pass day of about 8-10 km.
When is the best time to do Kuari Pass?
October to March is the main season: clear autumn views in October-November and snow from December to February. Indiahikes says the trail is accessible about 10 months a year; operators avoid July-August because of monsoon rain and landslides.
Do I need a permit for Kuari Pass?
Yes, a forest permit is needed and operators include it in their fee; Himalaya Shelter says it is issued by the forest department office in Joshimath. We could not find a current official fee table, so check the amount at the Joshimath forest office before you go.
Where does the Kuari Pass trek start and end?
Most operators drive from Joshimath to Dhak or Karchi village and walk via Gulling and Khullara to the pass, then descend via Tali and Gorson Bugyal to Auli. Bikat Adventures starts from neighbouring Tugasi village instead.
Is there mobile network and an ATM?
Network is reliable only to Joshimath, with patchy Jio/BSNL at the base villages. There is no ATM at Karchi or Dhak, so carry cash from Rishikesh or Joshimath.
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: ChamoliUttarakhand
- Nearest hospital
- Primary health centre / government hospital at Joshimath, about 20 km by road from Karchi; Dehradun for serious cases (7-8 hours)
- Last ATM
- Joshimath (no ATM at Dhak or Karchi; carry cash from Rishikesh or Joshimath)
- Phone network
- Good signal only up to Joshimath; Jio and BSNL work at the Karchi/Dhak base in clear weather, and signal is intermittent on the trail on the first and last days.
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 Kuari Pass
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Where this comes from
Sources
Last reviewed:
- Kuari Pass Trek — Indiahikes
- Kuari Pass Trek: Lord Curzon Trail, Uttarakhand — TrekUp India
- Kuari Pass Trek 2026 Guide: Distance, Best Time, Map, & Packages — Himalaya Shelter
- Kuari Pass Trek — Bikat Adventures
Photos: Bidhubhusan Patel (Bidhu77), via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0; Sumodm, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0; Vaibhav78545, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
