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Delhi to Kuari Pass
Kuari Pass, about 3,650 m above Joshimath, sits on the historic Lord Curzon / Nanda Devi trail — a route surveyed a century ago for its view. The summit day opens onto an amphitheatre of giants: Nanda Devi, Dronagiri, Kamet, Hathi-Ghoda, Trishul. It is a ride-and-trek camping trip: two riding days to Joshimath, bikes left at the Dhak roadhead, then a four-day trek with high camps at Gulling, Khullara and Tali. Moderate walking, big height, a classic camp.
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At a glance
- Round trip
- About 1,000–1,100 km
- Riding time
- 2–3 days to Joshimath each way; then trek days
- Nights
- 5–6 nights
- Start point
- Delhi (via Rishikesh, Rudraprayag and Joshimath)
- Highest point
- About 3,650 m at Kuari Pass; the Pangarchulla option is higher
- Difficulty
- Challenging. Char Dham highway to Joshimath, then a graded four-day trek with camps to 3,400 m and a pass day.
- Surface
- Sealed to the Dhak / Tugasi roadhead; the Char Dham highway has rough, blasted and single-lane sections. Beyond the roadhead it is a trekking path.
- Best season
- April to June and mid-September to November. Snow can linger on the pass into April and returns by late November. The monsoon slicks the trail, hides the view and is peak leech season.
The ride
Delhi → Rishikesh → Rudraprayag → Joshimath over two to three days on the Char Dham highway. Base a night at Joshimath (~1,900 m) to start acclimatising, and secure the bikes at the Dhak roadhead.
Trek: Dhak → Gulling → Khullara / Tali → Kuari Pass and back, camping each night. Strong groups can add Pangarchulla (~4,570 m) as a summit day. Local guide, cook and porters throughout; the bikes wait at Dhak.
Day by day
Delhi to Rudraprayag
Char Dham highway (10–11 hours). Night here.
Rudraprayag to Joshimath
The climb past Chamoli to Joshimath (5–6 hours). Acclimatisation night; organise the trek, secure the bikes.
Trek: Dhak to Gulling / Chitrakantha
Drive/ride the short link to Dhak, then walk to the first camp through forest.
Trek: to Khullara / Tali
Climb to the high meadow camp below the pass.
Trek: Kuari Pass and down
Summit morning at Kuari Pass for the Nanda Devi amphitheatre, then descend toward Auli / Tapovan.
Trek out to the roadhead
Down to the bikes; ride back to Joshimath or Rudraprayag.
Joshimath to Delhi
Two riding days home.
Fuel & services
- Fuel is fine to Joshimath on the Char Dham highway — Rishikesh, Srinagar, Rudraprayag, Chamoli, Joshimath.
- Top up at Joshimath; the Dhak roadhead link is short and a normal tank covers it. No spare needed — the bikes are parked for the trek.
- Joshimath has hotels and GMVN; on the trek it is tented camps only, run by the trek operator (kit, kitchen, porters). Everything on the trail is carried. Carry cash from Rudraprayag / Joshimath.
Road & conditions
The Char Dham highway to Joshimath is fast but a working construction corridor — blasting halts, single-lane bridge works, shooting-stone zones, pilgrim buses. Ride it defensively and never at night. Joshimath itself has known subsidence — ride through carefully. Beyond the Dhak roadhead there is no road. On the trek, the pass day is exposed to weather and lightning — be over the pass and heading down by early afternoon.
Bike, fuel & getting help
- Suggested bike
- Easier with more torque and travel — a 250cc-plus or a small ADV. A confident rider can do it on a commuter.
- Fuel gap
- No fuel gap worth planning around.
- Spare fuel
- None needed for this route.
- Emergency & logistics
- District hospital at Joshimath; on the trek there is no road, no reliable signal and no vehicle evacuation — a rescue is a stretcher carry or a weather-window helicopter. Camps sit at 3,000–3,400 m; the Joshimath acclimatisation night is not optional and anyone with AMS symptoms goes down.
Best time to ride
April to June for spring meadows and stable weather, and mid-September to November for the clearest post-monsoon views and firm ground. Snow can hold on the pass into April and returns by late November — a winter Kuari camp is a serious cold-weather trip, not this itinerary. The monsoon is the worst window: fog, leeches and a greasy trail.
What to add to your kit
Beyond the standard ride kit: full trekking kit — boots, poles, a pack, a sub-zero sleeping bag, layers for 3,650 m — or hire the operator's kit; altitude medication and a first-aid kit; a satellite messenger or the operator's comms; and cash. The bikes are parked for the trek, so no spare fuel needed.
Ride this with a group
We run Kuari Pass as a 6–7 day ride-and-trek — two-plus highway days to Joshimath, an acclimatisation night, bikes at Dhak, and a four-day camp on the Curzon Trail to a pass under Nanda Devi, with a high-camp clean-up as the service action.