My Travel Diary: Madmaheshwar trekking’s Route & Distance

That year my program was made to go to Madmaheshwar. By mid-November, the doors (kapaat) of Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, Tungnath, Rudranath and Kalpeshwar had already closed.

Only the doors of Badrinath and Madmaheshwarr trekking route  were open. I started with the intent of going to Badrinath, but reaching Rudraprayag, my mind changed and I began going towards Madmaheshwar.

To go there, one has to reach Ukhimath in Rudraprayag district. From Rudraprayag, buses and jeeps are available. From the main market in Ukhimath, a straight road goes to Uniana, which nowadays is the base point of the Madmaheshwar yatra. By evening, I had reached Uniana. From here the distance to Madmaheshwar is 23 kilometers, which is covered on foot.

Guide for  Madmaheshwar Trekking

Though I usually never take the help of a guide on my travels, this time I had to. It was fixed at four hundred rupees per day, and for coming and going the calculation was of three days.

However, the path is so good that there is no need of a guide. Yet, some people also believe that in a mountain journey it is good to have some local knowledgeable person. Especially in times of difficulty or natural crisis, guides prove to be very useful.

Reaching Ransi Village

The next day morning, starting from Uniana, after walking three kilometers ahead, I reached Ransi village. A few years ago, this journey used to start from Mansuana. Mansuana is between Ukhimath and Uniana. At that time, travelers used to reach Uniana on foot from Mansuana itself.

Madmaheshwar Trek Starting Point

Now the road has reached up to Uniana, and further it will also go ahead. For Ransi also, on the road route only one bridge is left to be constructed, the road has already been made. The day the bridge becomes operational, vehicles will go up to Ransi instead of Uniana. In this way, the distance to be covered on foot will become even less.

Anyway, Ransi is a more prosperous and bigger village compared to Uniana. Here, there is also an ancient temple of Rakeshwari Devi.

From Ransi, after a slight ascent, in front appears Gaundhar village. Till Gaundhar, it is a straight descent. Through dense forests, the footpaths go there. This is the last village of this valley. Between Ransi and Gaundhar, in the forest, there are also many waterfalls.

By afternoon we reached Gaundhar. There itself we ate food. From Uniana till now, the path overall was full of ascent, but not such a steep ascent. The real climb starts after crossing a khadd (gorge/stream) from Gaundhar.

After the khadd, the first that comes is Bantoli Chatti. Here there is proper arrangement for staying. From here, the Chaukhamba peak is also visible. Actually, the Chaukhamba starts appearing as soon as one leaves from Uniana, but in Bantoli, seeing it from close is thrilling.

From Gaundhar, about one and a half kilometers ahead, comes Khatra Chatti. Chatti is called the place where pilgrims stay. In Khatra Chatti, there are many houses. The first is the house of Fateh Singh. Fateh Singh lives there with his wife. We reached there. In hut-like rooms, there is arrangement for pilgrims to stay. We had to stay there itself.

From here, the distance to Madmaheshwar is seven kilometers. The whole path is full of climb, which a person like me can cover comfortably in three and a half hours at the rate of two kilometers per hour. I started explaining to my guide Hukum that brother, even if we leave from here at two o’clock, then by six o’clock we will definitely reach Madmaheshwar.

But Bharat was not ready to agree in any case. He had suspicion that on the way it would get dark and in the jungle path there would also be danger of animals.

But I did not want to stop and waste my time. Therefore, exactly at two o’clock, I gave warning to Bharat that I am going ahead. If you also want to come along, then come. Therefore, reluctantly, Bharat also had to come along.

From here going ahead comes the third Chatti – Nanu Chatti. After three–four days, the doors (kapaat) here were also about to close. No pilgrim was coming, so Nanu Chatti and further Kun Chatti were closed.

After Kun Chatti, the path enters the forest and remains in the forest till half a kilometer before Madhyamaheshwar. Exactly at five-thirty, we reached Madmaheshwar. Then my local guide Bharat was not able to meet my eyes.

Every religious place has some or other mythological stories, but my interest has never been in these stories. To reach up to Madmaheshwar itself is no small thing. Then the natural beauty here!

This is a temple built in Kedarnath style. That day I was the only tourist here. Most of the hotels were closed. In the only open hotel, I stayed.

This place is at an altitude of about 3300 meters above sea level. In summer, the reign of cold remains, then in November what to say. Ordering hot water, after bathing and washing, like a sovereign king I comfortably did darshan, bowed the head, bent down and in mind said — O Almighty, call me once more.

Though I keep wandering in temples or pilgrimage places, still I am not that much of a theist. Far from donation-offering, I never even light incense sticks in my house. But if one has to do wandering in the Himalayas, then one has to go to the temples.

For atheists, there are rivers, waterfalls, mountains, greenery, snow, and for theists, there are deities. Just step outside and travel — in this world, for everyone, there definitely is something.

Budha Madmaheshwar

Near Madmaheshwar itself, there is a peak. Its path is less steep. There are no trees. It is a kind of Bugyal (meadow). That peak is called Budha Madmaheshwar.

One has to walk one and a half to two kilometers. As one keeps climbing upwards, the darshan of Chaukhamba begin to happen. On reaching exactly at the top, it feels as if we have reached the roof of the world.

From afar, Ukhimath and Guptkashi are also visible. The Chaukhamba peak looks such as if by extending the hand one may touch it.

Nearby Attractions

Around Madmaheshwar, there are also many places where one has to do trekking to go. To go to Kanchli Tal, one has to leave from Madhyamaheshwar early in the morning and carry one’s food along.

By evening, one can come back. From Kanchli Tal, if one wants to go further, there is Pandu Sera. About Pandu Sera it is famous that there the Pandavas left their weapons at the time of their Swargarohani (ascent to heaven). It is said that even today, weapons are lying scattered there.

For Pandu Sera, one has to take tents along because from Madmaheshwar up to there, it takes the whole day. If from Pandu Sera one keeps going further, then one can reach Kalpeshwar, from where Badrinath is also near.

From Gaundhar village, at a distance of two days’ path, there is a hot water kund (spring). The local residents also tell of it as two days, but the place must be exactly below the Chaukhamba peak. And along with that, there is of course Kedarnath, for which from Ukhimath, buses are available.

When and How To Go

To go to Madmaheshwar, first from Delhi one has to go via Haridwar–Rishikesh to Rudraprayag. From Rudraprayag, on the road going to Kedarnath, just before Guptkashi, comes a place called Kund, from where the road separates for Ukhimath. Reaching Ukhimath, for Uniana taxis, jeeps, and buses are available.

Madmaheshwar Trek Distance

From Uniana, the foot journey starts, which is 23 kilometers long, and reaching Madmaheshwar via Ransi and Gaundhar.

Here one can go only in the season. Whenever the kapaat (doors) open, one can go. Generally, the kapaat of Madmaheshwar open almost along with Kedarnath, and close after the kapaat of Kedarnath close. The simple thing is, if you are going to Kedarnath, then you can also go to Madmaheshwar.

If apart from the Char Dham Yatra season you want to go there, then from the Rudraprayag district headquarters you will have to take permission.

Second Panch Kedar in Uttarakhand,

The Madmaheshwar trek, the second Panch Kedar in Uttarakhand,  few moths ago it starts from Ransi, a small village near Ukhimath. Madhyamaheshwar stands at a height of 11,500 feet. Devotees worship Lord Shiva at the Madmaheshwar temple. Legends state that Lord Shiva’s navel or middle part appeared here, which gave the place its name Madhyamaheshwar.

Travelers cannot access Madamaheshwar directly by road. You first reach Ukhimath and then proceed to Ransi. The trekking route begins from Ransi village. From Ransi, the trek passes through beautiful forests and rivers, offering a divine spiritual feeling.

Homestay owners provide limited staying options along the trek. Trekkers can stay in Gaundar and Bantoli, where small homestays welcome visitors.

At Madhyamaheshwar, simple guesthouses near the temple offer accommodation. Trekkers find the best time to trek Madhyamaheshwar from May to June and September to October. In winter, the region receives heavy snowfall, which makes the trek impossible.

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