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Auden's Col - Trek Expedition 2023

 The Auden's Col is approachable from Gangotri and one can trek up to Kedarnath following Auden's Col and Khatling glacier

Auden's Col is a high altitude trek snow expedition trek in Garhwal Himalayas, Uttarakhand in India. It is a pass to cover Jogin group of Peaks with Gangotri. It is one of the treks that mountaineers attempt as a preparation for their peak climbing expeditions. Auden's Col was discovered by John Bicknell Auden, a British Geographical Survey Officer, in 1935. Connecting Gangotri and Kedarnath via heavily crevassed Khatling glacier Auden's col is one of the most challenging treks in India.

This little known mountain pass is named after J B Auden, who first crossed it back in 1939. It lies on the connecting ridge of Jogin I (6465 m) and Gangotri III (6580 m), and connects the pilgrim centers of Gangotri and Kedarnath. The trek starts along the Bhagirathi river and cuts up the Rudugaira nala (or stream) to the Rudugaira glacier, over the pass and down the crevassed Khatling glacier, and exit out along the Bhilganga river at Reeh. With a strenuous terrain passing through moraines, narrow cliffs, boulders, endless glaciers, and difficult ridges, the Auden's Col trek is meant only for experienced trekkers with high physical fitness and mental endurance

Auden's Col Trek
Auden's Col Trek Auden's Col Trek Auden's Col Trek Auden's Col Trek Auden's Col Trek Auden's Col Trek
Region: Garhwal Himalayas of Uttarakhand
Duration : 20 Days
Grade : Tough
Max Altitude : 5450 mts/17876 ft
Season : June to Sep 
 

Auden Col Trek Tour Details Program ::

Day 01 : Arrive Delhi
Upon arrival at Delhi met our representative and then transfer to pre booked hotel. Overnight stay.

Day 02 : Delhi - Haridwar - Rishikesh
In the morning after breakfast drive to Rishikesh via Haridwar. Upon arrival at Rishikesh met our representative and check in to hotel. Evening free to explore the area. Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel.
 

Day 03 : Rishikesh - Uttarkashi (170 kms/ 4-5 hrs)
Morning after breakfast proceed for Uttarkashi (1150 mts), which takes 7-8 hrs drive. Upon arrival check in at Hotel. Evening free to explore the surrounding by your own. Overnight stay at hotel.
Uttarkashi is the principle town in the region. Nehru Institute of Mountaineering is situated here. It is also the gateway to many mountaineering and trekking expedition in Gangotri area.
 

Day 04 : Uttarkashi - Gangotri (3048 m/ 10,000 ft) Drive (95 kms).
In the morning after breakfast set out for Gangotri via Harsil & Bhairon Ghati. The drive will take 4-5 hrs to reach here. On arrival check-into Hotel. By evening visit the Gangotri temple. Overnight stay.
There is a beautiful Gorge at Bhairon Ghati over which there is a steel guarder bridge. Gangotri is the place where the Goddess Ganga descended on Earth from Heaven. There is a Temple of Goddess Ganga where thousands of devotees throng to pay homage to her.
 

Gangotri : The shrine of Gangotri is situated at an elevation of 3200 m surrounded by deodars and pines. The original temple was constructed by the Gorkha General Amar Singh Thapa. Every year people from all around the world visit this shrine. A number of ashrams and Dharamshala are located on the other side of the river. It is believed that Raja Bhagirath used to worship Shiva on a slab of rock "Bhagirath Shila" situated near the temple. Submerged in the river there is a natural Shivling where, according to mythology, Lord Shiva sat when he received the Goddess Ganga in his matted locks. A days trek takes one to Gomukh, the source of the mighty Ganges.
 

Day 05 : Gangotri (Rest day for acclimatization)
After a leisurely breakfast you will explore the holy town of Gangotri. In the first half of the day you will trek towards Pandava caves, which reminds about the famous epic of Mahabharata. It's about 4 kms hike both ways from the town. On the second half of the day its a real pleasure to visit the ashrams with demonstration of cultural traits of Hinduism. Evening will be well lighted and cherished with the famous aarti of mother Ganges. Overnight and dinner in the hotel.
 

Day 06 : Gangotri - Nala Camp (8 km Trek 5 - 6hrs trek)
It's time to prepare gear to commence our adventure journey. The trail start on the true left of the valley with an ascend which continues to take you to Nala camp. It's a beautiful walk through the forest of pine and birch trees. Finally gets transformed into a picturesque walk with involves the views of some of the Himalayan beauties i.e. Jogin and Kedartal range. On arrival we will set our campsite by Rudragaira River. Overnight in the tents.
 

Day 07 : Nala Camp to Rudra Gaira Base Camp (7 km -5 hrs trek)
The days trek commences with an ascend which takes you to a ridge and continues to a side stream. After stream it's a steep climb to the base camp, Apart from the strenuous stretches of hike during the day there are compensating and rewarding views of Rudragaira peak, Jogin peak and Auden Col pass. On arrival a tiredness quenching tea is worth it. Overnight in the tents.
 

Day 08 : Rudugaira BC - Rest day and acclimatization
The day is for rest and acclamitisation. One can relax in the camp or involve himself/herself in hike round the corner which takes you towards Rudragaira peak. Explore and enjoy majestic Himalayas. Overnight in the tents.
 

Day 09 : Rudugaira BC - B C Gangotri Group (6 kms/5 hrs app)
Today's hike involves moraine and technical surface to be accustomed. The path is gradual throughout but challenging at times. Approach near the camp makes you feel cherished and refreshed with the gorgeous views of Gangotri I, II & III peaks. Overnight in the tents.
 

Day 10 : B C Gangotri Group - Auden Col BC (6 km/5-6 hrs)
The hike for the day is equally challenging as the previous one. The path continues on moraine and finally takes you to the Auden Col base camp. The campsite is not well marked or distinguished but gives an opportunity to camp within a rocky colony. Overnight in the tents.
 

Day 11: Auden Col B C - Khatling Glacier (12 km 10 hrs approx)
An early start is must for the day. The walk involves technical aspects on glacier which continues to the pass. Its a walk of about 5 km to the pass which will take about 4 hours. A rope is fixed on both sides to negotiate the pass. Aaaahhh!!! I have done it is the call from the heart, with stunning views of greater Himalayas all around. The views around are well deserved and worth it. A cautious descend on the other side of the pass with help of technical gear is suggested. After pass the day still continues for another 5-6 km on glacier until we finally camp for the day. Lots of rest and deep sleep is for sure for the night. Overnight in the tents.
 

Day 12 : Khatling Glacier - Waterfall Camp/Zero Point (12 km/10 hrs approx)
The walk on the glacier continues for another 8 kms. The walk is technical and requires enhancement of technical gear as well. After this the path moves on to the moraine continues to descend to the campsite by the river. Overnight in the tents.
 

Day 13 : Waterfall Camp/ Zero Point - Chowki (8 kms/4-5 hrs)
After a trek of 3 km the river is over crossed to find a trail that leads to the open meadows. Continue trekking further for another 4 km to reach Chowki, with a fairly distinguished campsite. Overnight in the tents.
 

Day 14 : Chowki - Masar Tal (8 kms/6-7 hrs)
The treks for the day involves a steep ascend with switch backs leading to ridge overlooking the valley. The trail is well defined and with picturesque surrounding leading to Masar Tal. On arrival camp nearby the beautiful lake. Overnight in the tents.
 

Day 15 : Masar Tal - Vasuki Tal (12 kms/6-7 hrs)
The day continues with the ascend of 3 km to reach ridge, followed by a series of switch backs descend that brings you to picturesque lake of Vasukital. Arrive and camp by the lake. Overnight in the tents.
 

Day 16 : Vasuki Tal - Kedarnath (5 kms/3 hrs)
Trek towards one of the famous and much revered temple pilgrimage center in India. Its descend of 5 km and takes approximately 3 hours. On arrival one can essence the spiritual environment of Hindu culture. The Kedarnath temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and the temple has an architecture which is unparallel. Evening visit the temple. Overnight in the hotel.
 

Day 17 : Kedarnath - Gaurikund (14 kms/3-4 hrs) - Rudraprayag
Awake with a morning full of cherished religious environment followed by a descend of 14 km towards Gaurikund. You will pass a lot of pilgrims proceeding towards the temple of Sri Kedarnathji. Enroute pass through the village of Rambara having several restaurants serving pilgrims. Continue to descend further to reach Gaurikund. From here board the vehicles and drive for 4 hours to reach Rudraprayag, another revered religious place, on the verge of confluence of river Mandakini and Alaknanda. Overnight in the hotel.
 

Day 18 : Rudraprayag - Rishikesh
Early in the morning take a holy dip at the confluence and later after having breakfast drive towards Rishikesh via another confluence Devprayag (Alaknanda & Bhagirathi Rivers) from here the holy Ganges start. In the evening one can visit the Ashrams & temples at Rishikesh. Explore Rishikesh: "haven of saint and Sadhus" Rishikesh, situated on the bank of river Ganga and enclosed on three sides by Himalayan ranges are a great pilgrimage centre of India. At Triveni Ghat, Evening held "Ganga Aarti", most fascinating sacred ceremony in the world grand aarti (religious song when pilgrims light a butter lamp with fresh flowers and offering to the Goddess. Overnight in hotel.
 

Day 19 : Rishikesh - Delhi
After having breakfast check out from the hotel and drive towards Delhi via Haridwar. One can stop at Haridwar to see Har Ki Peri. By evening arrive Delhi. Overnight at hotel.
 

Day 20 : Delhi Departure
Transfer to airport according to your flight schedule.

Most Important Note ::  It is not an easy trek and good fitness is a prerequisite. Excellent gears are required to make sure that Auden's Col can be completed without any problem. 

Another Option ::  Gangotri  to Kedarnath Trek ::

Duration: 12 Nights / 13 Days
Max Altitude: 4450 Mts
Best Time: April to June & Sep to Oct
Difficulty: Moderate Trek

Gangotri  -  Kedarnath Trek ::--> This trek is known as ancient route of Gangotri to Kedarnath. The Hindu devotees used this pilgrimage trail very regularly during the times when roads didn't exist and people used to visit all the four holy temples on foot. The Kedarnath shrine, one of the 12 Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva, The temple, built in the 8th century and dedicated to the goddess Shiva. This is a scenic spot situated, against the backdrop of the majestic Kedarnath range. Kedar is another name of Lord Shiva, the protector and the destroyer.

A Trekking Camp, Uttranchal From Belak to Budakedar, it is downhill through very dense forests full of birds and wild life. Then from Budakedar to Panwali Kantha, it is an uphill climb through terraced fields and picturesque villages.

Though this trek, along ridges and through valleys and dales, is tiring, it is worth it. The splendid panoramic view of the Garhwal Himalaya is magnificent and compensates for all the efforts of ascending and descending.

The 'Bugyal' (alpine meadows) on this trek are the most beautiful in Garhwal, especially the Kush-Kalyani and Panwali Bugyal. In the rainy season, the colourful flowers in the lush green meadows make the whole atmosphere fragrant and the environment romantic.
 

Trekking Program for Gangotri Kedarnath ;

Day 1 : Delhi - Rishikesh. Drive 6hours. Hotel

Day 2 : Rishikesh-Uttarkashi (150 Km, Drive 5-6 hrs): Start early morning to reach Uttarkashi (the base for trekking) in the evening. Check-in to hotel. Overnight at hotel.

Day 3 : Uttarkashi-Mala-Belak (22 Kms. 15 Km of trek 6-7 hrs): After breakfast leave for Mala by road (1 hr). The trek starts. Climb to Belak at 2420 mts. Overnight at tent in Belak.

Day 4 : Journey from Belak to Budhakedar can be covered in 6 hours. After reaching here, one can pay a visit to the temple of Lord Shiva. The route passes through several other villages like Jhala and Pangrana. Budhakedar is located at an altitude of 1524 m above sea level. After spending night at one of the forest lounges, trekking is resumed the next day.

Day 5 : Baghi Chatti which is the next destination is a lovely meadow from where one can watch the picturesque backdrops of the hilly mountain ranges. The trek route takes one to the interior of forests and a number of villages like Benakhal.

Day 6 : The five hour trek from Baghi Chatti to Ghuttu is covered on a ridge trail. On the way, one can get the opportunity to visit a rabbit farm. Ghuttu is a village that is quite famous among the pilgrims.

Day 7 : Panwali Khanta which lies at a height of 3150 is a beautiful meadow that is covered on the Gangotri Kedarnath trekking path; it offers majestic views of many Himalayan peaks like Nandadevi, Kamet, Kedarnath, and Trishul. After an ascent to Khinkola, one has to travel down through a dense forest.

Day 8 : The journey takes one further to Triuginarain; it involves an initial path through a forest of Rhododendrons and then a series of ascending and descending paths over Panwali ridge. On the way, one gets a glimpse of a beautiful village called Maggu ki Chatti.

Day 9 : The final part of the journey is covered by trekking to Sonprayag and then to Gaurikund. Here begins one of the longest treks of the entire trek. The tourists have to cover a long distance of 14 kilometer in order to reach the final destination, Kedarnath. This arduous journey is marked with several eating joints. It takes five hours to reach Kedarnath. The famous Kedarnath Temple is the main attraction here and attracts a large number of devotees every year.

Day 10 : The next day can be spent visiting the major attractions of Kedarnath.

Day 11 : The return journey of Gangotri Kedarnath involves trekking back to Gaurikund and driving to Rudraprayag from there.

The trekking to Kedarnath offers excellent opportunities to the adventure-lovers to explore the mysteries of lofty Himalayas.

Day 12 : Rudraprayag to Rishikesh. Drive 6hours. Stay over here.

Day 13 : Drive to Delhi Airport.

Trip end up here.

Auden Col Trek Khatling Glacier ::- Option Three ::

The Auden Col is situated on the connecting ridge of Gangotri III (6577m) and Jogin I (6465 m), we approach the col from Rudugaira glacier and descend through the ice falls and broken up Khatling glacier. Auden's Col is a mountain pass situated in the central Garhwal region. It connects the mountain peaks Jogin I (6465m) and Gangotri III (6580m) and is at a height of around 5242m. Auden's Col binds two glaciers on either side - Khatling glacier on the south and Jogin Glacier on the north. A little distance lower to Jogin Glacier is the Gangotri III glacial system. Auden's Col is approachable from Gangotri and one can trek up to Kedarnath following Auden's Col and Khatling glacier. Auden's Col gets its name from J B Auden, a famous British geologist. He first explored the region in the year 1939. Auden's Col is a less frequented trekking route in this region of the Himalaya compared to the Khatling Glacier.

Day 1:Rishikesh to Uttarkashi (6-7hrs.)
After breakfast, drive to Uttarkashi. Lunch enroute. On arrival check in at hotel.

Day 2 : Drive Uttarkashi to Gangotri (3048m), 3-4 hrs
After a relaxed breakfast drive 3-4 hrs to the pilgrim town of Gangotri. With the new dam coming up on the Bhagirathi valley, expect a lot of construction activity. The drive gets picturesque as one approaches the village of Sukhi. Closer to reaching Gangotri one starts getting the views of the snow-capped peaks. On arrival check in at hotel. In evening visit to the Famous Mother Ganges Temple. The temple to the Goddess Ganges built in the 18th century by a Gorkha General, stands dignified surrounded by the mountains and attracts thousands of pilgrims each year.

Day 3 : Acclimatisation Day at Gangotri ( 3048 mts)

Day 4:Trek Gangotri to Nala Camp, ( 3760 mts)
We will walk along the Rudugaira Ganga. Initially the trail climbs steeply in the jungle and then cross the river over a log bridge. Move with the river on our left. Cross a big waterfall coming from our right and camp at a suitable place. Overnight in tents. .

Day 5 : Trek Nala Camp to Rudragaira Base Camp(4100 mts)
Today is a steep climb of 200m. followed by gradually climbing trail which is again followed by another 300m. steep climb. We will keep moving ahead to the camping site. Overnight in tents.

Day 6 : Rest Day To Acclimatize at Rudragaira Base Camp.
After having good breakfast we will go for acclimatization walk in the morning. The walk goes along the ridge of the Rudragaira peak. From the top we can get a very clear view of the Jogin I, Gangotri I, II, III peaks and Auden’s Col. We return to the camp for lunch, dinner and over night stay.

Day 7: Trek Rudragaira Base Camp to Auden Col’s Base Camp,(4800 mts)
The trek starts early in the morning from Rudugaira Base Camp with packed breakfast. After a good walk of a few kilometers we are able to capture some magical moments of the Gangotri peaks. We will walk along the ridge of the Gangotri mountain and cross some rocky moraines and the Gangotri III glacier. This day trek consisted walking mainly along the steep ridges to reach the Col Base Camp by noon. Overnight Auden Col Base camp.

Day 8 :Trek Auden Col’s Base Camp to Khatling Glacier Camp(4900 mts) via Auden’s Col.( 5450 mts, 5/6 hrs )
Early morning trek to cross the Auden’s Col (5450m). Look for crevasses and walk roped up for safety. We will walk at the right side to reach the Col. The top has sufficient space. Move to Col’s left and we’ll see the steep gully going down to the glacier. Once on the glacier walk with care because the glacier is massive here. Move forward keeping in mind that we have to be near the left side of the glacier. On the right there are a lot of crevasses, so we can't move on that side. Camp at a suitable place. Overnight in tents.

Day 9 :- Trek Khatling Glacier Camp to Waterfall Camp, ( 4100 mts)
Keep moving along the glacier, be still alert for the crevasses and reach the moraine. By afternoon we will reach a place where is ice on the right with a steep fall and there is a waterfall visible on the left side. We will move towards the waterfall and camp just before it, next to a water source. Overnight in tents. -

Day 10 : Trek Waterfall Camp to Chowki, ( 3400 mts)
The walk today involves moving along the trail behind the first waterfall and then negotiating the broken slanting rock with all the care they deserve, fixed by a rope. After that we will cross the second waterfall also with care using a rope. Keep moving down at the right side of the glacier. Crossover to the other side before water starts from the glacier. Move down with the intention to reach the trail next to the river. Keep moving and cross the huge boulder section. In the distance we will see a raised green section, aim for that and at the end we will camp near to the water. Overnight in tents.

Day 11 : Trek Chowki to Kharsoli, (2880 mts)
Move slowly as in the initial stage the trail may not be that clear. After that we will be on a good enough trail. We will keep moving with the river flowing on our left. The trail moves into a deep jungle and finally we reach a big stream coming from our right. Cross it over a log bridge and we will see a small temple. Camp here for the day.

Day 12 : Trek Kharsoli to Gangi, (2650 mts)
The trail is well marked and there is no problem following it. At one place the wider trail moves up. Follow this trail and move along it, in dense jungle for 45 minutes. Which will bring us to Kalyani, from here we get good views of the kush kalyani bugyal. Rest a while and then take the trail moving towards the left (where the river flows). Moving along the trail we will pass a small village and by evening we will be at the village of Gangi.

Day 13 : Trek Gangi to Ghuttu, ( 1550 mts)
The trail is a good one. Easy walking towards the Ghuttu. By late afternoon we will reach Ghuttu. Check in at rest house.

Day 14 : Drive Ghuttu to Rishikesh 8 hrs.
After breakfast drive to Rishikesh. Lunch enroute. On arrival check in at hotel. Trip Ends.

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