Guptkashi is a small town located in the Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand. It is situated at an altitude of around 1,319 metres above sea level . It is the last major town on the Kedarnath route. It is a major stop for tourists visiting Kedarnath Temple. Guptakshi to Kedarnath distance is around 50–52 km. It will take around 1–2 hours to reach Gurikund from Guptkashi. Some times it may take more time because roads are mostly single-lane, and in peak season traffic jams are common. After Gaurikund, trek to Kedarnath, which is 5–16 km and takes around 10–12 hours.
Major Stop point between Guptkashi to Kedarnath
- Guptkashi-Phata : The distance between Guptkashi and Phata is around 14km.It will take around half an hour to cover the distance, but the road is mostly single-lane, so it may take more time. Phata is another major town after Guptkashi. Many helipads are located near Phata, which carry tourists to Kedarnath via air. There are many hotels and restaurants available between these two places for tourists. Online bookings for many hotels are also available here.
- Phata – Sonprayag : The distance between Phata and Sonprayag is around 16 km. It will take around an hour. Sonprayag is the last point up to which private vehicles and big buses are allowed. After this, private local taxis carry passengers. Large parking facilities are constructed in Sonprayag for tourists.
- Sonprayag – Gaurikund :The distance between Sonprayag and Gaurikund is approximately 5 kilometres. Roads are narrow in this area, so private vehicles are not allowed on this route. Public taxis are used to carry passengers from Sonprayag to Gaurikund.
- Gaurikund – Kedarnath :Gaurikund is the last place accessible by vehicle; after this point, everyone treks to Kedarnath. Read our article on the Kedarnath trek.