A Trek to Fairyland in the Kumaon Himalayas
Maximum Altitude
12,900 ft.
Trek Duration
6 Night / 7 Days
Trek Distance
38 Km
Difficulty Level
Moderate
Start/End Point
Kathgodam
Nearest Airport
Pantnagar Airport
Best Season
Spring and Autumn
Accommodation
2 Night at homestay & 4 Night at campsite
Meals
Breakfast, lunch, evening snacks and dinner
Permits
Forest Department & Trekking permit
Temperature
5°C to 18°C (day) ; - 3°C to 5°C (night)
Snow
June has the highest snow month
The Kharak Trek to Ranthan is a little-known treasure in the Kumaon Himalayas (Uttarakhand). It has been described by many as the journey into a Himalayan fairyland, owing to the incredible landscape and the fact that it remains relatively unspoiled. The trek is located in the Bageshwar and Pithoragarh districts, and its primary feature is the large Kharaks (high-altitude clearings in the forest) that seem to appear out of nowhere like groomed fields amid a dense wet forest of ancient oak and maple trees. The Kharak Trek has been nicknamed India's Rhododendron Trek, and during the spring months, blossoming red, pink, and white rhododendrons along the entire length of the trail create an intimate glimpse into the incredible biodiversity of this area. The Kharak Trek culminates at Ranthan Top (12,900 feet) as you stand at one of the highest points in the region and take in an astonishing 360-degree view of the Golden Peaks of the region, including the Nanda Devi massif, Nanda Kot, and the five summits of the Panchachuli range. In addition to its visual beauty, the Kharak trek is also a unique insight into the culture of the Kumaoni people, as the trail passes through many remote villages of stone houses such as Gogina and Namik, where the traditional hospitality of the mountain people and ancient trade routes continue to dictate daily life.
The Ranthan Kharak is one of the most ethereal and fairy-tale-like treks in the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand – in the Bageshwar and Pithoragarh Districts, it combines deep ancient forests with sudden large alpine clearings. Here’s a detailed breakdown of the reasons that make this trek so special based on the defining features of the trek:
1. The Kharak Phenomenon – Hidden Balconies of Nature
The defining characteristic of this trek is the namesake – the kharaks. In the local Kumaoni dialect, kharak refers to a high-altitude clearing (grazing ground). The main reason why this trek is so different is due to the size of and suddenness with which these clearings appear. You might be trekking for hours through a dark forest filled with extremely old oaks and maples that are covered with moss only to suddenly find yourself standing in a perfectly flat and emerald-green meadow like Bajimanian Kharak. The kharak meadow appears to be a perfectly manicured park suspended at 11,000 feet, providing an other-worldly contrast to the rich wooded area and the vastness of the Himalayan sky above.
2. The Rhododendron Trek in India
Every spring in April/May, this trek comes alive with rhododendrons making it the best Rhododendron trek in India. This trek does not just have scattered trees as seen on other treks; the trek leads you to the Buransh (Rhododendron) forest where you will trek through an entire Rhododendron forest. There are many different colours such as deep maroon and red at lower altitudes to light pink and white at higher altitudes. The colours of the flowers at this time of year carpet the forest floor with petals which makes it feel as if you’re trekking through a red and pink tunnel that comes from a fairy tale.
3. The Dual Range 360° View
The view at the summit of Ranthan Top (12,900 ft) is unique because it connects two of the most famous mountain ranges in India in one view. You do not just see one mountain range from this view point, you see 2 of the largest mountain ranges in India, the Garhwal and Kumaon mountains. To the west you see the Nanda Devi mountain range (the second-highest mountain in India) and the crescent shape of Mt. Trishul. The 5 jagged peaks of the Panchachuli mountain range to the east appear as if they are only an arm’s length away from you.
4. Trekking at High-altitude Ridges
Another exhilarating physical component of the trek is the transition from the forest trails to high-altitude ridges. Once you emerge from the tree-line, you will be trekking along the spine of the mountain on your way to the summit, which gives you the feeling of trekking over the clouds; you can see the Ramganga Valley dropping off to one side and the snowy peaks of the Namik Glacier region rising above you on the other. Though the high-altitude ridge trek is similar to the well known Phulara Ridge, it offers a much larger scale of glacial views.
5. Historical Trade Route & Kumaoni Culture
Much of the trail follows ancient trade routes connecting the salt trade between Tibet and India and has been beautifully preserved for many centuries. You will trek on parts of an extremely well-preserved stone laid path while experiencing a community that has not been corrupted by mass commercial tourism, due to the geographic isolation of the remote villages of Gogina and Namik. The traditional stone and wooden architecture (with intricately carved windows) and the hospitality of the local shepherds (Anwals), add richness and depth to your cultural experience.
The unique element that separates this trek from others is the ability to experience serious seclusion. In contrast to many other busy trails that have a number of tents, when you are at Ranthan Kharak you are frequently the only group in the meadow. Trekkling on ancient stone weaved paths that were once used by trekkers hundreds of years ago and camping in complete silence beneath a sky filled with stars, including the Milky Way, will leave you with a tremendous sense of connection to the old world Himalayas. The changeover from the closed world created by the mossy forest to the limitless world of high-altitude ridges can be a seminal experience that only a handful of other treks can create.
Ranthan Kharak is classified as a Moderate adventure trek, and therefore fits well into the category of both beginner fitness level, or experienced fitness level solo trekker. The real adventure happens when trekking the ridge, where you leave the tree line and venture out across the mere dozens of kilometres of narrow spine of the mountain, with steep drops on both sides of the ridge. The ascend to the top of Ranthan Kharak is steady and easy but the high elevation and remoteness of this trail require good cardiovascular strength, making the final push to the top of the mountain a challenging physical feat.
The Rhododendron Trek of India is a popular destination that contains many varieties of Buransh (Rhododendron) trees. These trees bloom in beautiful colours, such as red, pink, or even an incredible white. They grow so closely together that there will often be thousands of flowers on the ground creating a carpet-like effect, as if you were trekking on a red carpet. Many species of animals call these vibrant forests home, including the state bird of Uttarakhand, the colourful Himalayan Monal; the elusive Musk Deer; and a number of high-altitude raptors, including the very large and impressive Himalayan Griffon, which can often be seen gracefully flying over the ridges.
This trek is a direct window into Kumaoni culture. You will pass through many villages that have been located on the traditional salt trade routes to Tibet, starting at remote base camps such as Gogina or Namik where you will see traditional stone and wood houses with intricate, Likhai carved windows. As you trek through many of these villages, you will see terraced farms where potatoes and buckwheat are grown and have the opportunity to interact with the local shepherds (Anwals) and to experience true mountain hospitality that has not yet been commercialized through mass tourism.
The personality of this trek is dramatically different between two time frames – spring (April – June) and autumn (September – November). Spring is the color season because the rhododendrons are peaks in their blooms and meadows are the brightest green. The clarity of autumn because the rains have cleared the air means you have the clearest views of the glaciers and the peaks against a brilliant blue sky. Winters will be covered in deep snow and make the trek impossible, but the late autumn dusting makes Kharaks into a winter wonderland with a minimalist beauty.
You will find that reaching Ranthan Top provides participants with some of the most complete and panoramic mountain views of all time within the Kumaon region of Northern India, where the sheer vertical height difference between the highest peaks in both Garhwal and Kumaon regions would provide a complete 360 degrees of view of the landscape from the summit. The first rays of sunlight hitting the tips of the snow covered peaks at Nanda Devi and Mt Trishul as they both absorb this light would certainly provide a great number of people with feelings of gratitude for reaching the summit and seeing what they would like to refer to as a spiritual culmination or achievement after many miles of trekking up to and across the country.
The terrain of Ranthan Kharak comprises towering ancient trees and wide open spaces, where an expanse of grassy land meets a canopy of old growth trees. You start in dense mossy ground of the oak trees, maple trees and deodar trees, with only small amounts of sun shining through them (from the sun overhead) - height above sea level at this time would be about 11,000 feet and as you ascend, you will now see these enormous flat clearings which are like smooth and perfectly manicured emerald law diamonds of land that are located at the same height above sea level as where you started, and they connect directly to the base of these mountain ranges (or the ends of the forests that surround them) - what's even more interesting is that the shape of the mountains to the east and west appear as if nature has designed these miniature balcony views to be positioned perfectly in between the two massive Chinese style mountain ranges.
