Biker's Paradise

Tour to Kedarnath, Badrinath & Hemkunt Sahib

For a long time, I was trying to convince my friends to go on a bike tour. But none of them had any interest for Long bike tour. Then I decided to go myself all alone. I decided to go to Kedarnath and Badrinath. I collected as much information I can from the internet about the routes and then decided for the journey. I spoke to few people in Rishikesh about the bike to be taken on rent. I decided to speak to 2 persons as to be on the safer side.

On 15^th June 2010 in night I took a bus from Delhi to Haridwar. I reached Haridwar around 5 AM. I went to Har ki Pauri to take a bath in the Ganga as I have decided to start with it only. After wandering in Haridwar for about 2 hours just to kill the time as shops in Rishikesh would open only after 9 am. I took my breakfast and took a bus to Rishikesh. I went to Lakshman Jhula as one of the shops with whom I have spoken is near that. I spoke to him and he said it will take 1hour to get the Enfield, I asked him why. He told me the person who has taken it is on the way back. Then I decided to try the second one also as I don’t want to take a bike which will just came back after a week’s journey. I called the second one and decided to meet him at his shop. He gave me the bike on rent @ 500/- per day.

It’s almost 10am by now. I bought a map for Uttranchal and write all the main cities on a small paper. I checked the distance is about 200 Kms from Rishikesh till Kedarnath. I started the journey after filling my tank full. I decided to drive till Gupt Kashi for that day as it is just 25 Km before Kedarnath. The journey was breathtaking as I was driving alongside the Ganga. The Sun was shining much brighter as comparing to Delhi. I passed few cities like Deoprayag, Srinagar and Rudraprayag. Road till Rudraprayag was very good. But now onwards, the road towards Kedarnath was not as good. After every now and then the road had been missing the top layer. Even the rainfall has not yet started. I wonder what would happen to those roads when heavy rains come down! I decided to not to stop anywhere and reached Gupt Kashi by 4 PM. It was a great experience of driving bike in mountains. I checked my meter it was showing around 180 Kms in just 6 hrs. I took a hotel room which was very cheap in related to other cities where I have travelled till today. I got a good room @ 500 only. In the evening I went to Kashinath Temple here.

Next morning I started my journey towards Kedarnath at 5AM. After 45 mins of driving bike, I reached Gaurikund from here it is a 14 Km trek journey to Kedarnath. It’s an awesome trekking with steep incline. I have gone several times to Vaishano Devi which is 12 Km, but this takes more than double the effort you need at Vaishano Devi. I reached there fully exhausted, but the scenery was beyond my imagination. For my good luck that day the people were only few and line was just for 1.5 hrs. Then I came down fast as I don’t need to waste much time. It was 4 pm and I started my journey towards Badrinath. I decided to go via Chopta as I found that it is a shorter route. And I knew the road back towards Rudraprayag is not good. From Kund I took a left turn towards Chopta. In Uttranchal, you can drive only till 8PM. It was around 7:25PM and next city i.e. Gopeshwar is around 27 Km from there. I decided to go onwards as I thought it will take only 30-45 mins max. I was not aware that Chopta is a Pure Jungle Area and the roads are not so well in there. While driving through that stretch I found 2 Barahsinga (Deer) sitting on the road and I was in a mesh. If I go back I have to drive 10 Km and forward is 17 Km. I was afraid at that time it was totally dark and I found only 2 mini buses during these 27 kms. I put my thumb on Horn so that if there is any wild animal nearby road, it will run away. I didn’t take my thumb off the Horn till I see some lights from the city after 16Km. At last I reached Gopeshwar around 8:30 PM. I bet I can’t drive in that jungle more than @ 15-20 Km/hr during day as the road was bad. I spoke to a policeman out there if he allowed me to go further till Chamoli which is just 10 Km away. After requesting he allowed and I reached Chamoli near 9 PM. I stayed in a hotel.

Next morning I started my journey towards Badrinath at 6 AM. Badrinath was nearly 100 Kms from here. I reached there around 9 AM. After reaching there thanked Badri Vishal to be there. You don’t need to walk more in Badrinath. I was free around 12 noon in Badrinath. Till now I don’t have any plan to visit Hemkunt Sahib. Now I decided to go there too. I reached Govind ghat within an hour and parked my bike and headed towards Gangaria. I decided to take a pony this time. As I found that Hemkunt Sahib is 19 Km trek route and more steep than Kedarnath. I reached Gangaria around 7 PM. I decided to stop in Gangaria for the night. It starts raining around 7:30. I asked my pony boy to come to the hotel @ 5 AM in morning.

Next morning I started towards Hemkunt Sahib. The distance between Gangaria and Hemkunt is just 6 Kms but extremely steep. It took me more than 3 hrs to travel 6 Kms. The scenario was unbelievable. The clouds were wandering here and there as were the people. Took the bath in the Kund and after bowing to the Almighty there, I came back to the Govind ghat. I was around 3 Pm I reached Govind Ghat.

I took my bike and came back towards Rishikesh. When I was between Joshimath and Pipalkoti, it started rain heavily around 4 PM and I couldn’t find any place to hide myself, so decided to go on. Fortunately I was bit slower now and one big piece of rock fell just 100 mts before me on the road. I was worried and by remembering the name of Almighty I reached Pipalkoti. I waited there for around 30 mins and when rain slows down I started my journey again. Thank God I have taken a halt in Pipalkoti. Because crossing the Pipalkoti there were three landslides and these happened at that time when I was in Pipalkoti? Nobody was hurt due to these landslides, but a jam was there till about 6 - 7 Kms.  I was the only person who crossed all the three landslides Only due to ENFIELD only, as 2 more person were trying to cross these slides but not able to do so. I reached Karanprayag around 8:30 Pm and decided to stay there.

Next morning wakeup @ 5 and after half an hour I was on road towards Rishikesh. I reached Rishikesh around 10 AM, gave the bike back to its owner and took the bus and back to Delhi.

This journey taught me very good lessons. If you want to go to anywhere else in Himalayas, I will try to be a part of it. I drove 1300 Kms of Enfield on hilly roads in just 4 days. It was the remarkable journey.

Hope you enjoyed the journey.