Chhipla Kedar

The Gupt Kailash — a sacred lake at 4,876 m that the trekking industry never found. The shepherds kept it; we'll take you.

Plan this trek → See day-by-day

Highest point: 4,876 m — Chhipla Kund
Duration: 6–7 days
Grade: Challenging
Season: Jun & Sep
Price: Quote on request

Overview

The Kailash
that stayed hidden.

Old tradition calls Chhipla Kund the Gupt Kailash — the hidden Kailash. Every few years, village jaats (pilgrim processions) climb barefoot to the lake to honour Chhipla Kedar. Between them, the meadows belong to shepherds, blue sheep and cloud.

The trek is raw and non-commercial: steep forest ascents, high bugyals with no teahouses, weather that changes its mind by the hour — and, from the ridgeline, darshan of Panchachuli and the Api-Nampa massif across the Nepal border.

The ICE has walked these ridges for decades with the villages that keep the tradition. Groups are small, camps are full-service, and we ask honestly for prior high-altitude trekking experience.

Trekker with arms outstretched above the clouds near Chhipla Kedar

Day by day

The route card

DAY1 Trailhead village ~1,800 m

Drive from Dharchula/Pithoragarh to the roadhead village. Evening puja with the local Kedar temple community before the climb.

DAY2 Forest climb ~3,000 m

A steep, committed day through oak and kharsu forest to the first shepherd camps.

DAY3 Into the bugyals ~3,800 m

Rolling high meadows, grazing flocks and widening horizons. Acclimatisation camp below the ridge.

DAY4 Chhipla Kund 4,876 m

Pre-dawn start to the sacred lake. Darshan, ridge panorama from Panchachuli to Api-Nampa, and a careful descent to camp.

DAY5 Meadow descent ~3,000 m

Back through the bugyals — downhill, but the knees will remember it.

DAY6 Out to the road ~1,800 m

Final forest descent and drive to Dharchula. Day 7 kept as weather buffer — in these mountains, patience is equipment.

Experience required. This is a strenuous, high-altitude route with no teahouse fallback. Prior multi-day trek experience above 4,000 m, good fitness and our gear checklist are conditions of joining — we will ask.

What's covered

Inclusions & exclusions

Included

Full camping support — tents, kitchen, crew
All meals on trail
Local village liaison and temple protocols
ICE guide team and high-altitude first-aid
Porters for common equipment

Not included

Travel to/from the trailhead
Personal gear and personal porterage
Travel insurance (mandatory for this trek)

Pairs well with

Adi Kailash & Om Parvat Yatra · Milam Glacier · All tours & treks

Small teams · June & September only

Earn a Kailash
few will ever see.

Plan this trek →