Auden's Col Trek

The journey begins with a scenic drive from Rishikesh along the Bhagirathi River, passing through charming hill towns and the iconic Tehri Dam. En route, you’ll get glimpses of terraced fields, pine-covered slopes, and distant snow peaks. After crossing Uttarkashi, the road winds deeper into the Himalayas, finally reaching Gangotri, a sacred town and the starting point of our trek. On arrival, check in to your hotel or guesthouse, enjoy a hot meal, and take an easy evening stroll to help your body start acclimatizing to the higher altitude.

Spend the day acclimatizing to the altitude. Visit local attractions such as Pandava Gufa and Surya Kund, or walk to the banks of the Bhagirathi River. Your trek leader will conduct a gear check and give a detailed safety briefing.

Early after tea and a light breakfast, we set off towards Nala Camp. The trail winds through fragrant pine and birch forests before opening up to wide alpine meadows. We pause along the way to rest, breathe in the crisp mountain air, and soak in the first big Himalayan views of the journey. Lunch is served at a quiet spot beside a mountain stream. By around 2–3 PM, we reach camp, pitch our tents, sip hot tea, and settle in for an early dinner before resting for the night.

After tea and a light breakfast, we continue our ascent towards Rudugaira Base Camp. The trees thin out, giving way to rugged alpine terrain, and the towering faces of Rudugaira Peak and the Jogin range come into view. A peaceful meadow serves as our lunch stop. By early afternoon, we arrive at camp, set up for the evening, enjoy tea with panoramic views, and have an early dinner before heading to bed.

We start the morning with tea and a light breakfast, followed by a short hike around Rudugaira Base Camp to help our bodies adapt to the altitude. The rest of the day is focused on technical preparation — practicing with crampons, harnesses, ropes, and the ice axe under the guidance of our trek leader. Lunch is served at camp, and the afternoon is spent checking gear, drying clothes, and resting. As the sun sets behind the peaks, we enjoy evening tea, have an early dinner, and sleep early, ready for the journey towards Auden’s Col Base Camp tomorrow.

We begin the day with tea and a light breakfast before making our way to Auden’s Col Base Camp. The route takes us over loose moraines, with the glacier looming closer at each step. Short halts let us catch our breath and admire the sharp, icy peaks around us. Lunch is taken at a sheltered spot before the final stretch. By around mid-afternoon, we reach base camp, where we rest, enjoy evening tea, and prepare our technical gear for the big day ahead.

We start before dawn after tea and a light breakfast for the steep roped ascent to Auden’s Col. Rest stops allow us to enjoy panoramic views of Gangotri III and Jogin Peaks. Lunch is served after crossing the pass before descending onto the crevasse-filled Khatling Glacier. By around 4–5 PM we reached Khatling Glacier Camp, set up camp, enjoyed evening tea, and after an early dinner went to bed to recover from the challenging day.

We start the morning with tea and a light breakfast, enjoying the stillness of the glacier camp. This is our rest and contingency day, kept as a buffer for weather delays or to recover from the demanding Auden’s Col crossing. If the skies are clear, short acclimatization walks around the camp give us fresh views of the icefall and surrounding peaks. Lunch is served at camp, and the afternoon is spent drying clothes, checking equipment, and relaxing. As the sun drops behind the mountains, we share evening tea, have an early dinner, and get a full night’s rest before continuing our journey down the Bhilangana valley.

After tea and a light breakfast, we begin trekking towards Waterfall Camp, tracing the icy flow of the Bhilangana River. The route offers striking views of icefalls and cascading streams. Lunch is enjoyed mid-way in a grassy clearing. By around mid-afternoon, we arrive at camp beside a roaring waterfall, where we dry gear, sip tea, and enjoy the evening before dinner and rest.

Following tea and a light breakfast, we set out for Chowki. Today’s walk is gentler, crossing soft alpine meadows scattered with wildflowers. There’s plenty of time to pause for photos and enjoy the mountain stillness. Lunch is served en route, and by around 2 PM we arrive at camp, settle in, have tea, and relax until dinner.

We start early with tea and a light breakfast before climbing steadily to Masar Tal. The lake reveals itself suddenly—clear, cold, and perfectly still, surrounded by rocky cliffs. Lunch is taken just before the final push to camp. By mid-afternoon, we arrive, set up by the lakeside, and enjoy the golden reflections on the water before dinner and rest.

Tea and a light breakfast fuel us for a challenging climb to Mayali Pass. From the top, the world opens up—snow peaks in every direction. We descend towards Vasuki Tal, stopping for lunch on the way. By late afternoon, we reach the lakeside camp, enjoy tea with one of the trek’s most serene views, and have dinner under the stars.

After tea and a light breakfast, we begin our descent to Kedarnath. The trail gradually brings us back to civilization, and lunch is taken along the way. By early afternoon, we arrive in the sacred town, check into our rooms, enjoy tea, and visit the iconic Kedarnath Temple before dinner and rest.

We start with tea and a light breakfast before trekking down to Gaurikund. Lunch is enjoyed at a roadside stop before we begin the long drive to Rishikesh, arriving by evening, bringing the expedition to a close.