10

H
TE

B
e
T
R
s
E
t
K
SoI
fND
IA
T
he1
0Be
stT
rek
sof
Ind
ia
Us
ethi
sgui
det
osel
ectyournextt
rek.Thes
ear
e,wi
thoutdoubt
,thebes
t
t
reksi
nIndi
a.Someoft
het
reksar
eeas
y,s
omemoder
ateand af
ew
moder
atel
ydi
ffi
cul
t.Wehavedel
iber
atel
ylef
toutdi
ffi
cul
ttr
eksf
rom
t
hisl
ist
.

Whenwer
ankt
rekswej
ustdon
tlookathow pr
ett
yat
reki
s.Wewant
t
rekst
obeac
ompl
etepac
kage.Theyneedt
obebeaut
iful
,advent
urous
,
haves
urpr
ises
,bes
teepedi
nhi
stor
y.Att
heendyouneedt
ogohome
f
lyi
ngonef
ootof
fthegr
oundwi
thaf
eel
ingofc
ompl
eteexhi
lar
ati
on.Al
l
oft
hes
etr
eksmakeyoudot
hat
.Thes
etr
eksal
soc
overanent
iregamut
ofs
cener
ychangesofourHi
mal
ayas-
-ri
ghtf
rom Kas
hmi
rtoSi
kki
m.I
t
woul
dbepr
udentt
oexpl
oreourc
ount
ryt
hatwaydoi
ngadi
ffer
ent
t
reki
nanew r
egi
onever
yti
me.

Someoft
het
reksl
ist
ed her
ear
epr
efer
abl
ydonei
n wi
nter
.Sol
ook
c
aref
ull
yatt
hebes
tseas
onst
abbef
oref
ixi
ngyourt
rekdat
es.

Qui
ckl
ythen,her
ear
eourt
op10t
ent
reksofI
ndi
a.I
nthei
nsi
depages
ar
ereas
onsf
orourr
anki
ng.

Happyt
rekki
ng

www.
indi
ahi
kes
.in

ht
tps
://
twi
tter
.com/
indi
ahi
kes

ht
tps
://
fac
ebook.
com/
indi
ahi
kes
/

ht
tps
://
www.
ins
tagr
am.
com/
indi
ahi
kes
/

i
nfo@i
ndi
ahi
kes
.in

+918971959977
Dhander
asThat
ch Phot
o:I
ndi
ahi
kesar
chi
ves

1R
upi
nPa
ss T
rekI
nf
o
Whytheranki
ng:Rightaway ,t
heRupinPassis Location:
Start
sinUttarakhandendsin
ournumberone trek.The trek sur
pri
sesever
y
Himac hal
.Agr eat
erpartof
hourwi
thit
schangesinscener
y .
thetrekisinHimac hal
Pradesh
TheRupi n pass-
c r
os si
ngi san adventureon i t
s
own.Theadvent ur es tar
tsatt helowerwat erfall, Di
ffi
culty:
wher eyouc r
aneyournec ktos eethesnoutoft he Moderat
eDif
fic
ult
.
waterfal
l,onlytobet oldbyyourt rekleadert hat
thesnoutistheloc ati
onofyournextc amp.Fr om Durat
ion:
the upper water fallc amp t o Rupin Pas si sa 7days
thri
ll
ingtrekoverbi gs now fieldsandglaciers.On
Bes
tSeas
ons
thelaststr
etch,t
hec li
mbt hrought heRupi nPas s
gull
ymakesyouf eelpar tofac limbi
ngexpedi tion.
InSummer:Mi dMayt oEnd
ofJune.Thes now i spr etty
Ift
hereisatrekthatgri
psyoubyt hescruffof
highinMi dMay .Ifyouar e
yourneckanddoesn
tletgount
ili
tisover
,itisthe new toHi malayant reks ,opt
RupinPass
. forMi dJunegr oups .
InAut umn:Mi dSept ember
www.
rupi
npas
s .
com toEndofOc t
ober .Thevi ews
arecr i
spandc lear.In
autumn,t heRupi nPas shas
lesssnow soitisqui ckert o
crossthepass.
Phot
o:Ni
thi
nSanghe
BedniKund Phot
o:Ar
igChakr
abor
ty

2R
oop
kun
d T
rekI
nf
o
Why t he ranki ng: Roopkund i s a per fectl
y Locati
on:
landscaped trek.Att heons et,trekkersgetintooak Utt
arakhand
and rhododendr on f orestsver yqui ckl
y.Thef or est
s
Di
ffi
culty:
are dens e,dark and beaut iful.Stepping outoft he Moderat
eDif
fic
ult
.
forestisl ike a s
nap i ns c
ener yc hange.The hi gh
alti
tudemeadowsofAl iand BedniBugyalc omeat Durat
ion:
yous uddenl y
.Theyar ec onsideredt obethepr ettiest 6days
high alt
itudemeadowsofI ndi a.Themeadowsl ook
mani cured.Theyar es oper fectl
yl andscapedt hati t Bes
tSeas
ons
takesefforttobelievet heyar ereal!
InSummer: Mi dMayt o
To add t othat,the snow and alpi
ne s ect
ionsof
EndofJune.Thes now is
pret
tyhighinMi dMay .If
Roopkundar eatreat.ThecampsiteofBhagwabas ais
youarenew to
as pottoc atchthemos tspect
acularsuns et.Further Himalayantreks
,optfor
on,perc hedhighupint hemountains,t
hec limbtot he MidJunegroups.
crater ofRoopkund i sa tantal
izing one.Tr ekkers
si
mpl yl ovethethri
ll.Manytrekkersbr eakintotears InAut umn:Mi d
whent heyr eachRoopkund. SeptembertoEndof
October.Theairi
sc ri
sp
Whenyouaddt
hemys t
eryar
oundRoopkundt
he andc l
earwithlovely
t
rekbec
omesamust-
do. dis
tantsummi tviewsin
autumn.
www.
roopkund.
com
MeadowsofKashmi
rGr
eatLakes Phot
o:Ni
thi
nSanghe

3K
ash
mirG
rea
tLa
kes T
rekI
nf
o
Why t
he ranking:The Kas
hmirGreatLakes Locat
ion:
t
rekisundoubtedlyoneofthepr
ett
ies
ttreksin Kashmir
I
ndia.
Di
ffi
culty:
Moderat
eDif
fic
ult
.
Nowher ei
nIndiawillyoucomeac ros
salpi
ne
lakesthataresoexquis
itel
ybeauti
ful,wit
hdeep Durat
ion:
aquamar inewater,s
etami ds
tgrass
yknol l
sand 7days
flower-l
adenmeadows .
Bes
tSeas
ons
Thevas topenval leysofKas hmi rareanother
calling.Tr ekker sgett ot heseval l
eysbyc ross
ing Jul
yMi dSeptember .
three pas ses on t he way .Eac h valley has a UnlikerestofIndia,
lands capet hatist otall
ydi ff
erentf rom theone snowsdon tmel tunti
l
bef oreit.Popl ar,willow andmapl ear euniqueto
JuneinKas hmi r.Pos
t
midSept embert henext
Kas hmi r.On t he trek they ar e abundant .The
roundofwi nt
ers now
sil
verbi rc
handpi nef ores t
sont hetrekaremany comesi n.That
swhyKGL
cent uriesol d.Mount ainr i
ver sands tr
eamsar e hasonl yas mallwindow
alwayswi thyouont het r ek. fortrekking.

TrekkinginKashmirist
hec
los
estanyonec
an
gett
ot r
ekkinginEurope.

ht
tp:
//
indi
ahi
kes.
in/
kashmi
r-
great
-l
akes-
tr
ek/
Dayar
aMeadows Phot
o:I
ndi
ahi
kesar
chi
ves

4B
ura
nGh
ati T
rekI
nf
o
Whyt heranki
ng:BuranGhatiisahiddengem.If Locat
ion:
youpacki nthegreatpar
tsofallourbes tt
reksi
n
HimachalPr
ades
h
onesuperbtrekyougetBuranGhat i
.
Di
ffi
culty:
Moderat
e.
Ar guably,
BuranGhat ials
ohast hemos tthrill
ing
passc ros
singamongs tallourt reks.Tr ekkersneed Durat
ion:
torappeldownas now wal lat15, 000f eet!Ifthat 6days
thri
llisnotenough,therearef ivebigs now s l
idesto
do.Even t he mosts obertr ekkerr edi scoversan Bes
tSeas
ons
innerc hi
ldinhim ont heBur anGhat itrek!
Summer:J
une
The trek has f or est
s, grassl
ands, mountain
views ,even vi l
lages ett
ings.Atthef agendoft he Aut umn:Duringhigh
appleseasoniti
shardto
tr
ekdes cendi ngt hrough Baruavi ll
ageisanever
findfolkst
otakeyouon
endi ngpas saget hrought ime- -ananc i
entvill
age
thetrek.
wi th anc i
ent c ust
oms , wooden t emples,frui
t
bear ingtrees,lanest hroughhomesandt heenti
re
villagehangi ngoutofar idge.

Buran Ghaticouldhavebeen i
n ourtop3ifi
t
wasntf
oritsl
imitedwindow t
odot het
rek.J
unei
s
perhapstheonlytimetodothetr
ek.

ht
tp:
//
indi
ahi
kes.
in/
bur
an-
ghat
i-
tr
ek/
Tar
sar Phot
o:I
ndi
ahi
kesar
chi
ves

5T
ars
ar T
rekI
nf
o
Whyt heranki
ng:Thisi
swher eourranki
nggets Locat
ion:
Kashmir
dif
ficul
t.I
tisalwaysdiff
icultt
oc hoosebetween
TarsarandtheKashmirGreatLakestr
ek.
Di
ffi
culty:
Moderat
e.
Tarsar,t
oo,hass uperblakeswhic
hi ncludest
he
hiddenMar sar.Ont heTarsartr
ekyougett ocamp Durat
ion:
besidethel akestoo --i
ns ett
ingsst
raightoutof 6days
romanticmovi es.
Bes
tSeas
ons
Tar
sarhasl ovel
y meadow wal kstoo,perhaps
thebes ti
nt hecountry.Litt
lerivuletsrunalongthe Jul
y- -Mi dSept ember .
meadows .Trekkershops kipandj umpovert hem. Kashmi rgetslotless
Flowerss proutinthous andsac rossthemeadows . rai
nf allfrom ther es
tof
count r
ydur ing
Somet i
mesi tisdiff
iculttotreadyourwayt hrough
mons oons .That
swhyi t
meadowsf orfearoftrampl i
ngt hef l
owers. i
sgr eatt otreki n
Kashmi rinthes e
Tars
arhasgr eatwalksovergras
syledgestoo
mont hs .
withstreams f
alli
ng over t
hem in aseries of
water
fall
s.

Necktoneckwit
htheKas
hmi
rGr
eatLakest
rek,
Tar
sarget
sthe5t
hspot
.

ht
tp:
//
indi
ahi
kes.
in/
tar
sar
-mar
sar
/
Kanchenj
ungaf
rom Goechal
atr
ail Phot
o:I
ndi
ahi
kesar
chi
ves

6G
oec
hal
a T
rekI
nf
o
Whytheranki
ng:Goechalai
soneoftheoldes
t Locat
ion:
andamongthemostpopulartr
eksinI
ndia.I
thas Si
kkim
someoft
hebestmount
ainviewsinI
ndi
a.
Di
ffi
culty:
Moderat
e-Dif
fic
ult
Whiletrekkingi
nSi kkimi si
nitsel
fanat tracti
on,
nowhereel seinIndiac an you s
eeKanc henjunga, Duration:
theworld
sthirdhighestpeak.Whent rekkersr each 8days
thepass,nothingcomesi n between them andt he
peak. They ar es t
anding r i
ght in t he lap of Bes
tSeas
ons
Kangchenjunga.
Summer:Apr
il-
-Mi
d
Infact
,ever yt
hing is on a bigs c
ale on t he May
Goechalatrek.Thef ores
tsar ebi
g,t
heval l
eysar e
deep,the mount ai
nsar e high,t
he meadowsar e
Autumn:Endof
Sept
ember--Mi
d
wide,therhododendr onsareaplent
y,thealt
itudes
November
gainedarebig.

Goechal
ai sal
waysonever
ytrekker
sbucketl
ist
,
and ri
ghtf
ullyso.Justf
or i
tsgrandnessand big
mountainviews,Goec
hal
agetst
he6thspotfrom us
.

ht
tp:
//
goechal
a.com/
Deor
iat
al Phot
o:MukulMhaskey

7D
eor
ia
tal
Cha
nda
ras
hi
laT
rekI
nf
o
Whytheranki
ng:Sometimes,aneas
ytr
ekcangi
ve Locati
on:
Utt
arakhand
i
ncredi
blerewar
ds .Deori
atali
soneofthem.Thr
ee
t
hingsmakeDeoriatals
peci
al.
Dif
ficul
ty:
EasyModerat
e
Fir
st,ofc
our s
e,aretheviews.Onthetrekyouwill
seeeachandever ygreatsummitintheGarwhaland Durat
ion:
Kumaonr angeofUt t
arakhand.Notonlywillyous
ee 4days
them,youwi l
lseethem ri
ghtnearyournose.
Bes
tSeas
ons
Second,arethejungles.
Onmos tt
reksyougetgreat
j
ungles.Butont heDeoriatalt
rekyougetvari
etyeven Summer:MidMarch--
i
nt hejungles
.Itisrare. Juneend
Autumn:MidSept
ermber
Finall
y,thebirds
.Ifthereisatrekthati
sabi r
der
s --Dec
ember
paradis
ei tisDeoriat
al.Keen naturephotogr
apher
s
Deor iatalhasal ong
wil
lfindDeor i
atalavirtualf
east
.
trekkings eason.The
colour sc hangewi t
h
Toaddtothes
ethr
eereasons
,Deori
atalal
sohas
pas sageoft ime.Ever ytime
t
heexcel
lents
ummitcl
imbtoChandr
ashil
asummit.
youdot het r
ek,iti
sanew
exper ienc e.Eveninl at
e
ht
tp:
//
indi
ahi
kes.
in/
deor
ia-
tal
-chandr
ashi
l
a-peak
-tr
ek/ Dec emberandMar ch/Apri
l
itisawonder fulwinter
snow exper ience.
JudaKaTal
abCampSi
te Phot
o:MeghnaLowal
ekar

8K
eda
rka
nth
aWi
nt
erT
rekT
rekI
nf
o
Whytheranking:
Ofal
lthewi
ntertr
ekspos
sibl
e, Locat
ion:Ut
tar
akhand
Kedar
kanthast
andsoutamongthebest.
Di
ffi
cul
ty:
Eas
yModer
ate
Ifthewi nt
ers now wasntenough,Kedar kantha
Durat
ion:4days
has some of t he lovel
iestcamps it
es inI ndian
Himal ayas
.Nes tl
ed incleari
ngs,allcamps it
eson Bes
tSeas
ons
the Kedarkantha trek are exquis
itely beautif
ul.
Withs now patc
hesal lar
oundt heylookoutoff airy Summer:May- -Juneend
tal
e-l
ike Aut umn:Mi dSepter
mber
--November
Theri
dgewal kont heKedar kant
hat rekunder Wi nter:MidDecember--
pi
neandoakt r
eesisanothertakebackfort rekker
s. EndDec ember
;Mi dMarc
h
Rarel
ydoyougetsuchs et
tingsinmountai nswher e --April
ri
dgessl
anttowar dseastern and westerns un to
Kedar kant hahasal ong
creat
easpel
lbindi
ngeffectoflightands hade. trekkings eas on.The
coloursc hangewi th
Thes ummi tcl
imb t
oKedar kant
haisas uperb pas s
ageoft ime.Ever y
thr
ill
.Theviewsfrom t
opanotherbigatt
ract
ion. timeyoudot hetrek,iti
sa
Forallt
hesereas
ons,Kedar
kanthaisourtoptrekt
o new exper ience.Eveni n
doinwi nt
ers. lateDec emberand
Mar ch/Apr ilitisa
ht
tp:
//
indi
ahi
kes.
in/
kedar
kant
ha/ wonder f ulwi ntersnow
exper i
enc e.
Cl
i
mbi
ngHampt
aPass Phot
o:KomalShi
vdasani

9H
amp
taP
ass T
rekI
nf
o
Whyt her
anking:Notmanybeli
evet
hatat
rek Locat
ion:
HimachalPr
ades
h
r
ightaboveManalicanbes
oexci
ti
ng.

Hampt aPas sstandsoutf

oritsbeaut i
fulf
lower Di
ffi
culty:
Moderat
e
deckedvalley.I
tisevenmorebeautifulwhens now
pat
c heslead down t othe val
ley f
r om the hi
gh Durat
ion:
mount ai
nc li
ffs
. 5days

Cross
ing t
he Hampta Pas
s of
fers an exci
ting Bes
tSeas
ons
changeinscener
y.On onesi
deisthel us
hnessof
Hampt aval
leyand on t
heotheristhedes er
tof Summer:June
Spit
i. PostSummer:Jul
y--Mid
Sept
ember
Ift
rekker
sareluckytheygett
ovisi
tChandr
atal
, Autumn:MidSeptember
oneoftheraredesertl
akesi
nSpitii
ndeepshades --MidOct
ober
ofaquamarine.
Hampt aPas si
sbest
The Hampt
a Pass al
so has a thri
ll
ing pas
s att
empt edinsummer
andpos tsummer .Whi l
e
c
rossi
ngwitht
err
ifi
cnaturalveget
ati
on.
iti
sposs i
bletotreklat
er
inOctoberand
ht
tp:
//
hampt
apas
s.c
om/
November ,theregion
becomesdr yandc old.
Phal
utt
rekker
shut Phot
o:Br
ij
eshTi
war
i

0S
1 a
nda
kph
u T
rekI
nf
o
Why t he ranking: Sandakphu i s often an Locat
ion:Wes
tBengal
underratedtrek.Thatsabigmi s
take.Iti
stheonly
Di
ffi
cul
ty:Eas
yModer
ate
trekinIndiat hatlet
syous eefouroft he highest
summi tsoft he wor ld.Everest,Kanc henjunga, Durat
ion:6days
LhotseandMakal u.Youdon tjus ts
eet hem ata
glimpse,theystaywithyoual lalongthetrekonce Bes
tSeas
ons
youhitthehi ghr i
dges.
Summer:Mi dMarch--
Sandakphu isalso greatfori
tsforestcl
imbs May
and lovely open vi ew c amps
ites
. The t r
ek AutumnMi dSept
ember--
meandersthroughI ndiaandNepals eamles
sly-- November
Winter:December--End
andthat
sanattrac
tiontoo!
ofFebruar
y
Bei
ngontheeas t
ernmostf
ringeofthecountr
y,
Sandakphui sanot hertrek
t
he cult
ure and c
us t
omsare unique.The l
ocal thatmustbeat t
empt ed
f
oodsaredelici
ousandmustbetried. mos t
lyinwinter,even
thoughitispossibleto
Notadif
ficul
ttrek,Sandakhphui
sthel
astof trekinsummer .I nwi nt
er
ourtopt
entreksinIndia. mont hstheterr
ific
mount ai
nviewsof
ht
tp:
//
indi
ahi
kes
.i
n/s
andakphu/ Sandakphuar ecr i
s pand
clear
 T
he1
0Be
stT
rek
sof
Ind
ia
R
ank T
rek L
oca
ti
on B
estS
eas
on D
ura
ti
onD
if
fi
cu
lty
1 Rupi
nPas
s Hi
mac
hal Mi
dMayJuneEnd; 7days Moderat
e
Mi
dSepMidOct Di
ffi
cult

2 Roopkund Ut
tar
akhand Mi
dMayJuneEnd; 6days Moderat
e
Mi
dSepMidOct Di
ffi
cult

3 Kashmir Kas
hmi
r J
ulyMi
dSep 7days Moderat
e
GreatLakes Di
ffi
cult

4 Bur
anGhat
i Hi
mac
hal J
une 6days Moder
ate

5 Tar
sar Kas
hmi
r J
ulyMi
dSep 6days Moder
ate

6 Goec
hal
a Si
kki
m MidApr
ilEndMa
M y; 8days Di
ffi
cul
t
Oc
tEndNov

7 Deori
atal Ut
tar
akhand Mi
dMarchEndJ
une; 4days Eas
y
Chandras
hil
a Mi
dSepDec Moder
ate

8 Kedarkantha Ut
tar
akhand Mi
dMarchEndJ
une; 4days Eas
y
WinterTrek Mi
dSepDec Moder
ate

9 Hampt
aPas
s Hi
mac
hal J
une 5days Moder
ate
MidSepOc
t

10 Sandakhphu Wes
tBengal Al
lyear,avoi
d 6days Moder
ate
WinterTrek monsoons,wint
ers
pr
eferr
ed
 I
NDI
AHI
KES

GETI
NTOUCH

NewEnqui
rer
:8971959977
Regi
ster
edt
rekker
s:9590363344
www.
i
ndi
ahi
kes.
in

Fr
ontCov
er:MeadowsofKashmi
rGr
eatLakesTr
ek
Phot
o:Shyam KumarChel
atur

Adv ent
urePr omot
ionInst
it
ute2016
I
ndi
ahikesi
sthebrandnameofAdv ent
urePr omot
i
onInst
it
ute.
Indi
ahik
esisthelargesttr
ekk
ingorganisati
oni
nIndi
a.