Top 11 Treks For Every Type of Trekkers in India

Going on treks in India is one of the best ways to explore its mountains, beaches, and biodiversity. The Himalayan treks vary in difficulty from the difficult and almost impassable Upper Himalayas in Uttarakhand to the long winding trekking trails of Himachal Pradesh.

India is a land of diversity with stunning landscape, you can trek through icy deserts of Ladakh and Lahaul Spiti or tropical rain forest.

From the mighty snow peaks of the Himalayas in the north to the dense jungles of the Western Ghats in the south, there is a spectacular range of treks in India for adventure lovers.

The South Indian treks are tedious in a different way and include several river crossing, navigating dense jungles and spotting wild animals such as leopards and wild elephants.

So now the question what it requires to be the best treks in India so according to me to be the best trek in India the trek should have great landscape every day, a big surprise in scenery, some thrilling moment to cherish and finally it should be accessible and not too difficult which makes it out of reach of an average trekker.

If you are new to the trekking world you should join some trekking clubs in India which can be a valuable source for trekking information.

This list of the 11 Best Treks In India is arranged in no particular order. Go on any of these treks and you will be rewarded with an experience of a lifetime. These are also the best trekking places in India.

1. Chadar Trek

Chadar Trek in Ladakh is like no other trek in the Himalayas. Walking on a frozen thick glass-like a river, with dramatic mountains on both sides, is an experience of a lifetime.

The Chadar trek allows you to get to know the Zankari culture up close through the locals you meet on the trek and experience their hospitality.

One of the highlights of the Zanskar frozen river trek is the most magnificent waterfall frozen completely from top to bottom called Nerak waterfall.

The landscapes and overall experience will leave their imprint on your hearts forever. When it comes to trekking, Chadar is the most glamorous yet difficult routes thus making it one of the best treks of India.

Location – Ladakh

Maximum altitude – 11,100 ft

Ideal duration to complete – 9 to 12 days for the stretch of 62 km

Best time to go – January to March

Difficulty level – difficult trek. Recommended for Professional trekkers

How to reach

Road/Rail: The drive is not accessible by car or train

Airport: Leh airport (Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport)

2. Hampta Pass Trek

Also referred to as Manali to Spiti Crossover trek, it is one of the best-known beginners’ treks from Manali. There are many variations in this trek scenic landscapes, open green pastures, huge meadows, glacial valleys and crossing the Pass makes this trekking expedition to Hampta pass an exciting one.

The added attraction to this Trek is the visit to the famous Chandertal Lake in Spiti. It is a short Himalayan trek in India which is suitable for beginners.

It takes a few hours from Chatru to high altitude Chandertal lake and an extra day is therefore added to otherwise a four-day Hampta Pass Trek. if you are starting your trek from Manali you can read about the best places to visit in Manali.

Location – Manali, Himachal Pradesh

Maximum altitude – 14,200 ft

Ideal duration to complete – 5 to 7 days to cover 26 km of the trek length

Best time to go – May and June, August to October

Difficulty level – Easy to moderate. well suited for beginners

How to reach

Rail: Pathankot is the nearest railhead to the base camp

Airport: Bhuntar, which is 52 km away from Manali

Road: Manali is well connected to Delhi

3. RoopKund Trek

This adventure should be in every Trekker’s to-go book. Nestled in the snow, about two meters deep and known for the sightings of skeletons at its edge during the ice-melt, Roopkund Lake has become a popular destination for Trekking enthusiasts.

The Skeleton Lake, pinned at the heart of the trek comes with a story, which beguiles every traveller and thus, adds a mystic element to the itinerary.

The Lake is flanked by a rock face, named Junargali to the North and a peak named ChandaniaKot to the East forming a collective vision, which never fails to make a traveller skip his heartbeat.

Location – Uttarakhand

Maximum altitude – 15,956 ft

Ideal duration to complete – 8 to 9 days to cover 53 km of the trail

Best time to go – May to October

Difficulty level – Moderate to difficult. Some trekking experience is needed

How to reach

Rail: Kathgodam is the nearest railhead to the base camp

Road: Kathgodam is well connected to Delhi

Air: Delhi is the nearest airport

4. Kheerganga Trek

It is located amidst the astounding Parvati Valley in the Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh. Kheerganga trek is an exhilarating experience, filled with tricky trails and enchanting views of the valley.

Tosh & Kasol in Parvati Valley is famous for their surreal and multi-nationality party culture. The area abounds in traveling hippies and Israeli settlers.

Location – Kullu district, Himachal Pradesh

Maximum altitude – 9000 ft

Ideal duration to complete – 4 to 6 hrs to cover 14 km

Best time to go – May and November

Difficulty level – Easy, so it is well suited for beginners

How to reach

There is no direct bus or rail connectivity to Kasol from Delhi/Chandigarh.

31 Kms from Kasol is Bhuntar Airport near Kullu, which is the nearest airport that connects Kasol to the rest of the world.

Buses to Kullu/Manali follow Delhi – Chandigarh – Mandi – Bhunter route. You would need to get down at Bhuntar. Bhuntar is a town, 5 Kms before Kullu from where a road diverges for Kasol and beyond that Barshaini.

5. Kedarnath Trek

Overshadowing the most outback site, the Kedarnath town, and shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva, of the Char Dham sites. Nonetheless, trekking in Kedarnath is one of the spiritual journeys that traverses through the rich alpine bed of Garhwal Himalaya dotted with varied species of Himalayan trees and leads to the abode of Lord Shiva.

To the pilgrims, the Kedarnath shrine, which is located on the lap of Kedarnath Mountain and on the bank of Mandakini River at an altitude of 3,583 meters, is one of the important pilgrimage sites aside from being one of the long treks of India.

Location – Garhwal Himalaya

Maximum altitude – 18,000 ft

Ideal duration to complete – 10 to 12 days

Best time to go – May to October

Difficulty level – Moderate to difficult

How to reach

Rishikesh is the nearest town connected by road to the country. Haridwar is the nearest Railway station while Delhi is the nearest Airport.

6. Brahmatal Trek

Brahmtal is a classic winter trek. The summit unveils a heavenly facet when the snow gently falls on its slopes; most of the trek is on the snow, which makes it terribly exciting.

Apart from the uneven terrain, the trek is filled with beautiful landscapes, sprawling forests and stretched across the sky are the big mountains of Gharwal and everywhere around you are the white undulating snowfields.

Once you cross the shadows of the trees, the full grandeur of the Himalayas hit you. Never-ending ridgelines, sprawling Bugiyals, High altitude lakes, snow on the trail and majestic peak views make it a compelling proposition for a winter trek. This is one of the best treks in India in December.

Location – Uttarakhand

Maximum altitude – 12,000 ft

Ideal duration to complete – 6 days to cover 24 km

Best time to go – November to March

Difficulty level – Easy to Moderate

How to reach

Rail: Kathgodam is the nearest railhead to the base camp

Road: Kathgodam is well connected to Delhi

Base Camp: Lohajung

7. Rupin Pass Trek

On the Rupin Pass trek you move from one state (Uttarakhand) to the other (Himachal) it is no wonder that there is lots of variety on offer. One gets to appreciate the different landscapes and culture of the Rupin valley towards Uttarakhand and Sangla valley in Himachal.

The landscape on both sides of the pass is spectacular and star-studded with waterfalls, lush green meadows, snow-capped mountains, quaint villages, and big rivers.

Basically, it has something to offer to everyone walking the trail. Something you are guaranteed to enjoy on the trek to Rupin Pass is the camping experience with campsites that are wonderfully located with great views all around.

For adventure lovers, this one could be the best adventure trekking tours in India. The stunning and picturesque backdrop certainly makes it one of the best treks in India.

Location – Bordering Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh

Maximum altitude – 15,000 ft

Ideal duration to complete – 8 days to cover 52 km of the trek

Best time to go – May and June, August to October

Difficulty level – Difficult. Needs mediocre level experience in trekking

How to reach

Rail: Dehradun is the nearest railhead to the base camp

AirPort: jolly grant airport Dehradun

Base Camp: Dhaula

8. Bhabha Pass Trek

Pin-Bhabha pass is one of the most interesting treks of this terrain. Starting from the thick forest and meadows of Kinnaur and ending in a barren landscape and stark desolateness of Spiti valley crossing the high passes of Bhaba and Pin.

Bhabha Valley gets higher rainfall than surrounding areas hence, the valley has more variety of flora and fauna. Apart from the trek, you also visit Chitkul; the last border outpost and Comic; the highest village in Asia and the famous monasteries of Tabo and Ki.

Location – Himachal Pradesh

Maximum altitude – 17.000 ft

Ideal duration to complete – 8 days to cover 86 km of the trail

Best time to go – June to September

Difficulty level – Moderate

How to reach

Air: Delhi or Chandigarh to the ‘Jubbarhati Airport’, located in Shimla.

Rail: Kalka is the nearest railway station connected through Delhi and Chandigarh railway stations

By Road: Ample bus service connects Shimla and Kalka with Delhi and Chandigarh

9. Triund Trek

This is the crown jewel of Dharamshala, situated in the laps of dhauladhar mountains, it has the perfect view of the dhauladhar mountains on one side and Kangra valley on the other.

Triund is a very popular trekking spot. Triund attracts a lot of tourists every year from India and all over the world. The triund trek can be described as a tranquil trek which can be easily accomplished by almost all age groups.

The famous Macleodganj lies in this trek route and is the most opted for base camp location. It is one of the short treks in India which can be covered in just a few hours.

Location – Mcleod Ganj, Himachal Pradesh

Maximum altitude – 9,350 ft

Ideal duration to complete – 3 to 4 hrs to trek 7 km

Best time to go – March to May and Sept to December

Difficulty level – Easy

How to reach – 6500 ft

Base Camp: Dharamshala

Nearest Airport: Gaggal Airport (13 km from Dharamshala)

Railway Station: Pathankot Railway Station (85 km from Dharamshala)

10. Kashmir great lakes Trek

This relatively new trek has become increasingly popular and one of the most coveted trek during monsoon. Kashmir- “The paradise on earth” is truly unfurled during this 7 days walk covering a distance of 65 Km.

Several high altitude lakes and alpine meadows dotted with tiny wildflowers makes this journey a fascinating one. If you are looking to trek the himalayas this must be included in your bucket list.

Every bit of nature nestles to make a wonderful picture. From here the trail slopes down into yet another meadow lined by the Silver Birch trees and a few shepherd huts.

Massively tiny brooks struggling through the meadows and snowy peaks of small mountains mark the land of Shekdur. Shekdur is the only campsite with trees on this trek. It is, therefore, an add-on in your clicks.

Location – Jammu and Kashmir

Maximum altitude – 14,000 ft

Ideal duration to complete – 8 days to cover 72 km

Best time to go – July to September

Difficulty level – Moderate

How to reach

Rail: Jammu is the nearest railhead to the base camp

AirPort: Srinagar airport

Base Camp: Sonamarg (90 km drive from Srinagar)

11. Chandratal Baralacha Trek

The Chandratal Baralacha Trek is packed with everything that one would cherish during a journey. The shimmering sunset on the turquoise waters of Chandratal, undulating landscape, mountain passes, several small streams, lush green meadows, wild and colorful orchards, and wildlife all together make the journey worth reliving every moment.

Baralacha La, at an elevation of 4,890 meters and lying on the Leh-Manali Highway, is one of the high altitude motorable mountain passes that connect the Spiti, Ladakh, Zanskar and Lahaul regions thus making it one of the best treks in India. If you having some trekking experience this one is the must do treks in india.

Location – Himachal Pradesh

Maximum altitude – 14,300 ft

Ideal duration to complete – 11 days to cover 63 km

Best time to go – July to October

Difficulty level – Moderate

How to reach

Air: The nearest airport to Manali is the Bhuntar Airport located at Kullu that connects to Delhi and Chandigarh

Rail: Manali is the nearest town to Batal that is well connected by rail to Chandigarh

Road: Overnight bus service from New Delhi, Chandigarh, and Dehradun to Manali. From Manali, private or shared taxis can be hired to reach Batal.

This article was originally published at travlics.com.