Mandani Valley Trek
Rudraprayag, Uttarakhand
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- Max altitude
- 4,750 m
- Days
- 11 days
- Distance
- 82 km
- Difficulty
- Challenging
A remote multi-col traverse inside Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary: three cols between about 4,600 and 4,750 m with moraine, boulder fields, snowfields and glacier sections, several 7-8 hour days, and no easy evacuation between Ransi and Kedarnath. Operators sell it only to experienced trekkers and carry ice axes, harnesses and rope.
Photos
On the trail
The route
Day by day
Day 1
Dehradun → Ransi
640 m → 2,050 m
Day 2
Ransi → Saniyara
2,050 m → 2,850 m
Day 3
Saniyara → Paturi
2,850 m → 3,300 m
Day 4
Paturi → Thouli Camp (via Thouli Top)
3,300 m → 3,920 m → 3,865 m
Day 5
Thouli Camp → Dagla Bugyal (via Dwara Pass)
3,865 m → 4,150 m → 3,505 m
Day 6
Dagla Bugyal → Mandani Valley (via Dubra Top)
3,505 m → 3,750 m → 3,550 m
Day 7
Mandani Valley → Yembuk Col Base Camp
3,550 m → 4,130 m
Day 8 · highest point
Yembuk Col Base Camp → Mahapanth Col Base Camp (via Yembuk Col and Bishali Col)
4,130 m → 4,750 m → 4,450 m
Day 9
Mahapanth Col Base Camp → Kedarnath (via Mahapanth Col)
4,450 m → 4,602 m → 3,583 m
Day 10
Kedarnath → Gaurikund
3,583 m → 2,000 m
Day 11
Gaurikund → Dehradun
2,000 m → 640 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 · Ransi
at 2,050 mLoading forecast…
High point · Bishali Col
at 4,750 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
- Ransi (nearest town: Ukhimath)
- Nearest railway
- Rishikesh
- Nearest airport
- Jolly Grant Airport, Dehradun
- By road
- Dehradun (about 200 km via Devprayag, Rudraprayag and Ukhimath to Ransi); Rishikesh (bus or shared jeep to Ukhimath, then a jeep to Ransi)
- Drive
- About 8 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
₹35,000–60,000
With an operator
₹84,500–1,24,000
Per person, ex-Dehradun. Only one operator publishes a price: Himalayan High quotes its private 15-day traverse from INR 84,500 (Basic) to INR 124,000 (Premium) per person for a team of 10, rising to INR 3-4.7 lakh for a solo trekker. Bikat Adventures lists the trek but gives no fixed price. Self-guided is our estimate for a group of about four: transport to Ransi, a local guide who knows the cols, cook and porters for about 8 trekking days, tents and technical gear, sanctuary fees, and rooms in Kedarnath and Gaurikund. Prices not confirmed by a second operator.
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 37
Nights near 4,750 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
- Not confirmed. Expect no mobile signal on the trail between Ransi and the descent to Kedarnath; ask in Ransi before setting out.
- Last ATM
- Not confirmed; Ukhimath is the last sizeable town on the road to Ransi, so carry cash from there or earlier.
- Nearest hospital
- Not confirmed; first care around Ukhimath and Guptkashi, larger hospitals at Rudraprayag and AIIMS Rishikesh.
- Water
- Streams on the forest and meadow stretches and in Mandani Valley; higher camps on moraine may need snow melt. Boil or treat all water.
Highlights
- Mandani Valley, a remote alpine meadow inside Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary beneath Mandani Parvat, with darshan at the Mandani Devi temple
- Three high cols in a row - Yembuk Col, Bishali Col (about 4,750 m) and Mahapanth Col - linking the Madhyamaheshwar side to Kedarnath
- Views of Chaukhamba, Kedarnath Peak and Kedar Dome from the high camps
- Ending the traverse with darshan at Shri Kedarnath and the walk down to Gaurikund
Risks
- The col crossings involve moraine, boulder fields, snowfields and glacier sections; operators carry ice axes, harnesses and rope, and Himalayan High adds a technical training day.
- Very remote: there are no villages between Ransi and Kedarnath and evacuation is not possible from all campsites.
- The descent from Mahapanth Col towards Kedarnath crosses loose ground and landslide-prone slopes.
- Monsoon (July-August) brings rain, poor visibility and slippery trails; the usual windows are May-June and September-October.
- Bikat's page places Ransi in Uttarkashi district; Ransi is in Ukhimath tehsil of Rudraprayag district.
Know before you go
Questions
How difficult is the Mandani Valley trek?
It is a hard, remote traverse for experienced trekkers. Bikat rates it difficult; Himalayan High grades it strenuous. You cross three cols between about 4,600 and 4,750 m over moraine, boulders, snow and glacier. Some days run 7-8 hours, and evacuation is not possible from every camp.
When is the best time for the Mandani Valley trek?
Bikat gives May-June (pre-monsoon) and September-October (post-monsoon). Himalayan High lists June, July, September and October. Late May to mid-June still has snow on the cols. Mid-September to mid-October usually brings clearer skies.
How many days does it take and how long is it?
Operators run it in 11-15 days from Dehradun, depending on acclimatisation and spare days. Bikat gives about 85 km. A 2021 trip report did the Ransi to Gaurikund trekking in 7 days and about 75 km by skipping a campsite. Himalayan High's daily distances also add up to roughly 80-85 km.
Where does the trek start and end?
It starts at Ransi village near Ukhimath, about 200 km and 8 hours by road from Dehradun via Devprayag and Rudraprayag. It ends at Kedarnath, followed by the walk down to Gaurikund.
Do I need a permit?
The route lies in Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary, so forest entry and camping fees apply. Bikat includes them in its package. We could not find a current official fee, so check with the forest department before you go. Also check the current registration rules for visiting Kedarnath.
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
- Not confirmed; first care around Ukhimath and Guptkashi, larger hospitals at Rudraprayag and AIIMS Rishikesh.
- Last ATM
- Not confirmed; Ukhimath is the last sizeable town on the road to Ransi, so carry cash from there or earlier.
- Phone network
- Not confirmed. Expect no mobile signal on the trail between Ransi and the descent to Kedarnath; ask in Ransi before setting out.
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 Mandani Valley
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Where this comes from
Sources
Last reviewed:
- Mandani Valley Trek - Bikat Adventures — Bikat Adventures
- Mandani Valley Three-Col Traverse | Ransi to Kedarnath — Himalayan High
- Green, Blue and White Digital Detox (Mandani Valley Trek, October 2021) — Shailendra Bisht (trip report)
- Mandani Valley Trek — TrekUp India
Photos: Bodhisattwa, CC BY-SA 4.0; Varun Shiv Kapur from New Delhi, India, CC BY 2.0; Mohit_devli, CC BY-SA 3.0
