Trekking In India - The Complete Traveller's Guide
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Trekking In India – The Complete Traveller’s Guide

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Welcome to our guide to Trekking in India!

Our aim at Mountain IQ is to provide our readers with free information and useful advice to help you get ready for an incredible experience in the mountains.

India has so many fascinating places to visit and so much culture to soak in that people often forget that the Northern regions of India back onto the incredible Himalaya and Karakoram ranges, and thus offer awesome trekking experiences.

Below we have provided a summary of useful information that you will want to read before going to trek in India. These are our most frequently asked questions.

Where appropriate we have provided links to more in depth guidance articles within the Trekking in India section of our site.

Quick Navigation
Overview
Trekking Regions and Routes
Best Time To Trek In India
Video Overview
Packing List
Trekking Insurance

Overview

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The hustle and bustle of India’s major tourist hubs like Delhi, Kolkata, Agra and Mumbai, can leave one disillusioned about the possibilities of trekking in the wild.

But don’t be misled by the frenetic cities of India, there are huge swaths of the Indian landscape that offer some of the best treks in the world. From the incredible desert scenes of Rajastan and tea plantations of West Ghats, to the awe-inspiring Himalayan landscapes of Ladakh and Sikkim, there is literally something for every type of trekker or holiday walker in India.

And the best part? Many of the trekking routes in India are still relatively untrodden when compared to popular tracks like the Everest Base Camp trek or the Annapurna Circuit, which both sit inside India’s neighbour, Nepal.

So without further adieu, let’s jump in and see what treks are on offer!

Trekking Regions and Routes

There are a number of major trekking regions in India, but we think these five areas offer the best trekking experiences:

Ladakh

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Situated in the Jammu and Kasmir region of India, Ladakh is an awesome trekking destination. The region sits in the rainshadow of the Himalaya, which means the landscape is arid and wild. Summer is the best time to visit and the two treks we highly recommend here are the Markha Valley Trekand the Chadar trek.

See our detailed guide to Trekking in Ladakh.

Himachal Pradesh

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Just south of Ladakh is the Himachal Pradesh region, situated in the NW Himalayas.

This region is a wonderful part of India characterised by beautiful valleys – like the Kangra, Kullu, Sangla Valleys – and widely varying altitudes ranging from the 600m to well over 6000m.

Uttarakhand

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Just south of the Himachal Pradesh region is Uttarakhand, which is wedged between Tibet to the North and Nepal to the East.

The region is home to the pilgrimage centres of Haridwar and Rishikesh, and is the main gateway to the amazing Garhwal Himalayas.

Sikkim

Sikkim is a landlocked state of India, sandwiched between Nepal, China and Bhutan and dominated by Kangchenjunga, the world’s 3rd highest peak on the Indian-Nepalese border. Sikkim offers superb high altitude trekking experiences, the best known being the Singalila Ridge Trek, which provides unparalleled views of Kangchenjunga and the high Himalayas. Goecha La trek is also in the Sikkim region.

See our detailed Sikkim Trekking guide.

Arunachal Pradesh

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Further to the far north-east of India are the ranges of Arunachal Pradesh region, which offer many high altitude off-the-beaten path treks.

Markha Valley Trek – Ladakh’s Most Popular Trek
On this page you will find a comprehensive and impartial guide to the Markha Valley Trek.Please Note: We are not[...]
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Chadar Trek – One of the Most Wild and Beautiful Hikes on the Planet
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Trekking In India – The Complete Traveller’s Guide
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Best Time To Trek In India

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The best time to trek in India varies by region and by trekking route. Generally the late Spring and Summer period (June-August) are good times to trek in the Ladakh region, as it falls in the rainshadow of the Himalayas and is therefore not impacted by the monsoon rains that batter sub-continent in July and August.

For treks in Zanskar, like the Chadar Trek, the best time is in the heart of winter (January or February), as this is when the lake is frozen and allows for trekkers to traverse.

May and June, along with September and October are the best times to visit Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

The Autumn (September, October and November) makes for great trekking in Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh region.

Video Overview

A brief look at the top 5 trekking regions of India. Video by nalandatv.

Packing List

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Here are some essential trekking gear items we strongly advise to bring with you, for more information see our hiking packing list.

Trekking Insurance

Trekking in India comes with some obvious risks. Many of the treks are multi-day and take hikers well away from populated areas.

We therefore recommend taking out trekking travel insurance policy if you plan to trek or travel in India

Check out the World Nomads calculator for a quick calculation of the cost of travel insurance for your trip.

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Leave a Comment:

2 comments
Magesh says March 12, 2018

Hi,
I’m planning to do Rupin pass Trek during end of may or June on my own (independently). I’d like to know that, whether the trail to the summit will be easy to find? Should I cook on my own or I will get food on each day of the Trek in the villages?

Reply
    Mark Whitman says March 12, 2018

    Hi Magesh, I haven’t done the Rupin Pass Trek myself but my understanding is that you will not want to do this trek unsupported. The trek is moderately difficult and at high altitude. Most people camp and have a support crew to help with carrying gear and cooking meals. There are villages along the way but these should not be relied upon for accommodation and food needs. All the best!

    Reply
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