Want to escape the scorching Delhi heat? Then Kedarnath should definitely be on your radar. Primarily famous for the Kedarnath temple, the town has a lot more to offer than just a pilgrimage to the temple.
For starters, the 16km Kedarnath trek passes through the Kedarnath Musk Deer Sanctuary which is home to a variety of flora and fauna, and is a conservative habitat for the endangered musk deer. So, trust the path up to be lush green and chirpy (birds, duh!). Any requests for trekking or camping inside the sanctuary have to go through the Divisional Forest Officer of the Kedarnath Wildlife Division.
Inside the Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary, around 8 km up from Kedarnath temple, is the Vasuki Tal. This is a trek that is extremely steep and carried only under supervision. The Tal's surrounded by mountains and Himalayan flowers which make the trek truly fruitful.
Gandhi Sarovar is another 4 km trek that one can take from the Kedarnath temple. The trek passes through grasslands, and while much of the sarovar is frozen, you should see it for the vastness of the expanse (read: panoramic mode on).
Ever wanted to spend alone time in a cave? The Rudra Cave in Kedarnath makes it possible. Featuring basic amenities, a telephone and a 24 hour attendant, you can book the meditation cave through the Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam's website for one person for INR 990/day and for a maximum of three days at a stretch (clearly, you can't escape the civilised world for long).
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