Vidya Gajapathi Raju Singh
Princess of Vijayanagaram Wedding Planner - Sumyog10 min read
Pin Parvati Pass - 5300m / 17388ft
Probably the most beautiful trek in India it is a challenging crossover trek from the lush fertile Parvati valley to the moonscapes of the Pin valley in Spiti.
Grade – challenging
Bhabha Pass - 5000m / 16404ft
Bhabha Pass - 5000m / 16404ft
Friendship Peak Climb
A 5300 m / 17388ft peak just outside Manali, The Friendship Peak is an ideal adventure for people who are low on time, but who want to experience the adrenaline rush of climbing a high Himalayan peak.
Grade – Challenging
Ladakh
Ladakh
Ladakh is breathtakingly beautiful, flanked by two of the highest mountain ranges in the world—the Himalayas and the Karakoram range. Ladakh has so much to offer, as there are treks of different types—Monastery treks, High-altitude treks and Alpine meadow treks. The best time to visit is between July and September.
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Stok Kangri Trek
This trek takes you from Zingchen, from where the trek begins, through the Stok La Pass at 4890m/16043ft, to the Base Camp of Stok Kangri at an altitude of 4975m/16322ft, through Mounkarmo. From here the Glacier at5395m / 17700ft is a good trek up into the mountains, the Summit climb to 6153m/21000ft takes several hours and is a tough challenge.
Grade – Challenging
Markha Valley Trek
A short and easy trek ideal for beginners; this trek gives you a glimpse of Ladakhi lifestyles and landscapes with relative ease. Located close to a road head it’s ideal for family and beginners.
Grade – Easy
Chadar Trek, Ladakh
Chadar Trek, Ladakh
The Mother of all treks; you can follow the frozen Zanskar river from Chilling to Lingshed and even beyond. This trek has a short window of about 2 months in the winter when the river freezes. It’s the most unique trek in India with relatively easy walking on the flat river but the challenge is of handling the cold when temperatures can drop to -25 to – 30 degree in the nights. A must-do for any trekking enthusiast.
Grade – Challenging
A stunning and spectacular trek through the mountainous region of Uttarakhand. Starting at Dhaula, the first days’ trek takes us to about 1950m/6600ft and from there on it is a steady climb up into the mountains. The River Rupin flows in this region, the route takes you past the most beautiful villages and forests, finally crossing a glacier before reaching the Lower Waterfall Camp. From here to he Upper Waterfall Camp and then over the Rupin Pass at 4625m/15173ft, Spectacular visuals of the surrounding mountains. Finally, the trail leads the beautiful town of Sangla to the Banjara Resort on the banks of the Baspa River.
Grade – Challenging
Kumaon - Adi Kailash Trek
Kumaon - Adi Kailash Trek
At – 4000m / 13123ft – This is located in Pithoragarh district and is a wonderful trek for those who can’t make the journey to Mount Kailash in Tibet. Revered by Hindus, the Adi Kailash and Om Parbat Trek provide a great alternate.
Grade – Moderate plus
One of the most popular trekking destinations in the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand is the Pindari glacier, which is incredibly beautiful! The trek starts from a road head called Song, near Bageshwar. Song to Loharket (4 km), Loharket to Khati (19 km), Khati to Phurkia (16 km) and Phurkia to Pindari Zero Point (6 km) is the trek course which takes about eight days. The trail also offers us some really beautiful landscapes and is a photographer’s delight!
Grade – Moderate
Garhwal
The Garhwal Hills has some of the highest peaks in the world and the treks are not considered easy, but the incredible beauty of the region and the variety that it offers is amazing. However, there are some easy to moderate routes for beginners and somewhat experienced trekkers.
Popular treks include the Har Ki Dun trek (easy), Dodi Tal trek (easy), Valley of Flowers trek (easy), Nanda Devi trek (moderately tough), Kalindkhal trek (tough) and Kedarnath trek (tough).
Gaumukh Tapovan Trek
Gaumukh Tapovan Trek
This is one of the most popular treks in India that starts from the holy Gangotri shrine following the Ganges River all the way to its source at Gaumukh and further beyond to Tapovan. A high altitude meadow with close-up views of the Shivling, Thalaysagar and other mighty peaks. Can be continued to beautiful high altitude lakes like Kedar Tal and Vasuki Tal with a glacial walk.
Grade – Moderate plus
At 3500m/ 11482ft and located in the Govind Vihar National Park, this is a beautiful family trek of enchanting beauty with incredible views. It is also a popular trek among solo trekkers as it flows along the bank of the river and is easy to find the trail.
Valley of Flowers
Valley of Flowers
Perhaps the most popular trek in India, the Valley of Flowers, in the Gharwal mountains is best visited in the monsoon months of July- August when the valley floor is covered with thousands of flowers of different colours. There is a stone pathway throughout the entire trek making it easy to navigate in the monsoon. A very popular trek among people of all abilities.
Grade – Easy
Locals thought this was where the fairy’s lived! Then botanist Frank Smith found his way up to the valley and named it the Valley of Flowers. Smith did not have to rack his brains to come up with that name, as rare flowers bloom in such profusion, you might wonder why they are called ‘rare’ in the first place. These include the Himalayan poppy and Bhramakamal, among the 300 species found there. The best time to visit would be July and unlike Smith, you don’t have to slog one bit. The valley is easily accessible—jeep to Rishikesh, on to Joshimath and beyond to Ghangria, from where it is only 14 km away. The valley retains its charm, but it pays to know that the ecosystem there is extremely fragile, so don’t litter.
The gorgeous Nilgiris Hill range of Tamil Nadu has wonderfully pleasant weather throughout the year. With their no plastic policy of the state, the hills are spotlessly clean too! Owing to plentiful rainfall, the trekking routes in these hills are lush and green all the time. Apart from treks, there are opportunities for soothing nature walks too. The best time for trekking in the Nilgiris is from October to May. The rains come down in June through August and it would be wise to avoid this region, during those months.
Kodaikanal - Dolphin's Nose
Kodaikanal - Dolphin's Nose
It is always good to be in Kodaikanal, probably one of the most untouched of all the hill stations in India. At about 7000ft, there are lovely treks, some mild and some of them tougher. The ones that I love to go back to, on every trip, is the trek down to Dolphin’s Nose. The scenic beauty and the spectacular visuals of the mountains around you and the plains below are visible. It is a couple of hours to climb down from Vattakanal and out on to the rock that makes Dolphins Nose and a pretty steep climb back up to the to again. Breakfast at Altaf’s Cafe is a must after you make it back-up!! Cloudland Trek and Perumal Malai are the other two treks that are day treks and you are rewarded with spectacular scenery all around.
For those of you drawn to trekking but apprehensive of the Himalayas, a wonder awaits in the Nilgiris Hills. Whoever said ‘No pain,No gain’ certainly had not been to Mukurthi or taken the family along. An ideal outing, this day-long trek could be done as a picnic with a leisurely stroll thrown in and so is ideal for family groups with different abilities! But this no ordinary stroll; the hills are decked in crimson rhododendron and languid lakes and the air alive with the hoots of Nilgiri langurs. Don’t forget to pack a hamper and carry a bedsheet to spread out to picnic on.
Kerala-Silent Valley
Kerala-Silent Valley
Walking through a rainforest that has been evolving for five million years, this incredible ecosystem can leave you simply awestruck. Silent Valley in the Palakkad district of Kerala is as primal as primal could ever get. The views and sightings of unbelievable wildlife are totally amazing—tigers, elephants, gaur and a host of other animals make this part of the mountains their home and make this trek really worthwhile. The camps at Sairandhri, Poochipara, Walakkad, Sispara and Anginda are located on hilltops to show the forest to its best advantage.
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