Top 10 Best Treks in India

Top 10 best treks in India Collage

Although the Indian Himalayas cannot quite compete with their Nepalese counterparts in terms of height, the fantastic trekking routes they offer are second to none. With their unique blend of nature and culture, Indian trekking routes are definitely worth the money and effort. Sprawled across five Indian states, the Indian Himalayas encompass a large area at the northern boundary of the country.

In this article, we’ve enlisted the top 10 best treks in India to give you an overview of what options you have for trekking in India. These are the most popular guided treks in the Indian Himalayas based on the number of trekkers. Ultimately, the trek you end up choosing will be based on personal preferences more than anything else. The treks vary in terms of difficulty, duration, cultural elements, religions and, of course, remoteness. Depending upon these factors — and your budget — you can make an informed decision as to which trek would be suitable for you.

So, without further ado, here’s our list of top 10 best treks in India:

1. Chadar – The Frozen Zanskar River Trek

 the Frozen Zanskar River trek India
Photo By: Partha

An excellent trek along the frozen Zanskar river with beautiful winter terrain and a firsthand glimpse of the ancient culture of Ladakh region, this is an exciting journey for experienced trekkers. Icy routes, bone-chilling winds, pristine nature, and the experience of a lifetime, that’s what this trek is all about.

Location Leh Ladakh
Maximum Altitude 3390 m
Duration 9 days
Difficulty Level 3: Moderate to Level 4: Difficult
Remoteness Fairly Remote
Best Season January to February

2. Gangotri Gomukh trek

Gangotri Gomukh trek
Photo By: Soumen Photography

A journey in the Garhwal Himalayas of Uttarakhand, this trek takes you to the Gangotri glacier at Gomukh, the source of the Ganges. A true natural delight, the region features a large diversity of plants and animals, including rare blue mountain goats. The glacier is surrounded by beautiful mountains on all sides, a truly mesmerizing sight to behold.

Location Garhwal Himalayas of Uttarakhand
Maximum Altitude 4463 m
Duration 12 days
Difficulty Level 3: Moderate
Remoteness Moderately Remote
Best Season May-June & August-Mid Oct

3. Ladakh – Markha Valley trek

Ladakh Markha Valley trek
Photo By: MM Photographers

Markha valley trek is a very popular trek in the Ladakh region. You’ll be walking in a variety of terrains including dry mountains, streams, and small villages with fields of wheat, barley and mustard. Housing several old Buddhist monasteries, the region is a repository of ancient Tibetan culture. A trek through this region will be etched in your memory for a lifetime.

Location Ladakh
Maximum Altitude 5150 m
Duration 7 to 9 days
Difficulty Level 3: Moderate
Remoteness Fairly Remote
Best Season Mid-June to Mid-October

4. Kuari Tapovan trek

kuari-tapovan-trek
Photo By: Sanjeev A.

A journey through the enchantingly beautiful Garhwal region of India, this trek has you walking in the shadows of several 7000+ peaks. The region houses rare HImalayan fauna such as the snow leopard and the musk deer. The highlight of the trek is the Kuari pass at an altitude of 4264 m. The trek is quite easy, featuring a hands-on experience of the local Hindu culture.

Location Garhwal
Maximum Altitude 4264 m
Duration 6 days
Difficulty Level 2: Easy
Remoteness Not Remote
Best Season April-June and September-November

5. Nanda Devi trek

nanda-devi-trekking route
Photo By: V. Fowler

Rising to an altitude of 7816 m, Nanda Devi is the highest peak in the Garhwal region of India. Sprawled across the lap of the mountain, the Nanda Devi national park, housing unique Himalayan flora and fauna, is a place of beauty in and of itself. You’ll be trekking along Himalayan foothills and several small rivers, streams and glaciers. The place is an epitome of pristine natural beauty, attracting thousands of photographers, trekkers and mystics every year.

Location Garhwal Himalayas
Maximum Altitude 4150 m
Duration 10 days
Difficulty Level 3: Moderate to Level 4: Difficult
Remoteness Moderately Remote
Best Season May-June and September-October

6. Goecha La trek

Goecha La India
Photo By: Go Go

Goecha La, a trek in the heart of the beautiful Sikkim region, puts you face to face with Kanchenjunga, the third highest mountain peak on the planet. Be it beautiful rhododendron forests, picturesque hill stations, or clear blue Himalayan lakes, this trek has it all. The trek is quite challenging, but when you view the majestic Himalayas from Dzongri, you’ll definitely find it worth the effort.

Location Sikkim
Maximum Altitude 4940 m
Duration 10 days
Difficulty Level 4: Difficult
Remoteness Fairly Remote
Best Season Mid March to June and September to Mid November

7. Valley of Flowers

Located high in the Himalayas of Uttaranchal at an altitude of 3658 m, the valley of flowers is named quite appropriately: it is a huge valley blooming with more types of flowers than one can possibly count. It is a spectacular site surrounded by beautiful mountains on all sides. The valley floor is resplendent with flowers of all colours and the whole area has an intense, pleasant aroma. After an exciting trek in the Himalayan foothills, the valley of flowers feels like heaven on Earth.

Location Garhwal Himalayas
Maximum Altitude 3658 m
Duration 6 days
Difficulty Level 2: Easy to Level 3: Moderate
Remoteness Fairly Remote (No Accommodation)
Best Season July to September

8. Roopkund trek

Roopkund is a lake at an altitude of 5029 m, famous for the human skeletal remains found at its bottom. A journey to the remote Roopkund lake takes you through pristine forests with rivers gushing below you. The lush greenery, the numerous birds of several species, the surrounding Himalayan peaks, the flat plains, the Hindu temples, all serve to make the trek to Roopkund a memorable experience.

Location Uttarakhand
Maximum Altitude 5029 m
Duration 8 days
Difficulty Level 3: Moderate
Remoteness Fairly Remote
Best Season Mid-May to mid-June and September to October

9. Dodital trek

Dodital Trek India

Among snow-clad mountains in the Uttarakhand region lies a small freshwater lake named Dodital. The lake is considered holy and is a site of natural beauty and cultural importance. The leisurely-paced journey to the lake takes you through soft snowy terrain with cool winter winds blowing through your hair. All in all, Dodital is a splendid trek in the Indian Himalayas that you will fondly recall even after many years.

Location Garhwal Uttarakhand
Maximum Altitude 3307 m
Duration 6 to 7 days
Difficulty Level 2: Easy to Level 3: Moderate
Remoteness Not Remote
Best Season April to November

10. Stok Kangri trek

Stok Kangri trek takes you to the highest climbable summit in India at an altitude of 6153 m. It is a moderately difficult trek in the Ladakh region that is perfect for experienced trekkers, though it does not really require mountaineering skills. The majestic view of the Himalayas from the Stok Kangri summit makes the whole trek a journey to remember.

Location Ladakh
Maximum Altitude 5260 m (6153 m with climb)
Duration 9 days
Difficulty Level 4: Difficult
Remoteness Fairly Remote
Best Season July to September

43 thoughts on “Top 10 Best Treks in India”

  1. Thank you for sharing such great places. Trekking in India is becoming quite popular and there are so many amazing and beautiful places to trek in India. Just need to pack the backpack and hop in for the adventure, there is one such company that offer trek to such good places in India i.e. Backpack Hikers check the link to join them for your next trekking adventure.
    http://www.backpackhikers.com/tour-packages/

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  3. Nice article about the best treks in India, I have no idea why the publisher has not mentioned Kashmir Great Lakes Trek which is most astonishing trekking trail and is been in even top five when it comes to beautiful landscape views, glaciers, green lush meadows, and small waterfalls and most epic are 6 Alpine Lakes namely Nundkhol Lake, Gangabal Lake, Satsar Lake, Gadsar Lake, Vishansar Lake, Krishansar Lake, Vishansar Lake. Know more:

    https://trekkkashmir.com/kashmir-great-lakes-trek

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  5. Hello,

    We have started trekking for a social function.

    Why trek with us?

    The profits on this trek will be made for castle conservation and environmental conservation. We want to experience the history of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj along with cleaning and planting of the fort. So let’s go on an adventure! You can see all our information at the following website

    https://www.heavenadventure.com/

    So please request that you take our trekking event to your website.

    Thanks!

  6. In response to Stok Kangri’s rapid degradation, the Stok Village Committee and ALTOA (All Ladakh Tour Operators’ Association) have announced a three-year ban on trekking and climbing on Stok Kangri peak. Stok Kangri will remain closed from 2020 to 2022.

    You can try Kang Yatse 2 in place of Stok Kangri. Click here for Kang Yatse trek preparation guide
    https://www.altitudeadventureindia.com/trip/kang-yatse-2/

  7. Loved the information shared! While most of the mentioned treks are snow treks, I live in Mumbai/Pune and we get to see more of the Sahyadri range. While may not be as picturesque as the Himalayas, it surely does have a charm of its own.
    https://imoutdoor.com/

  8. A mystical walk through the valley that opens up to a flower bed, with peaks and glacier in background and a river bed; Valley of flowers is an ultimate destination for nature lovers. Situated between the Zanskar and the Great Himalayan ranges, Valley of Flowers is a renowned World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
    Part of the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve, Valley of Flowers is an important site for botanists, mountaineers and trekkers. It is a region full of rare Himalayan plants and flowers as well as birds, rare in nature; only to be found at a specific altitude. The flora and fauna of the valley is highly fragile and endangered. The national park is surrounded by peaks like Gauri Parbat (6590m), Rataban (6126m) and Kunth Khal (4430m). Pushapavati river also flows through the valley and joins Lakshman Ganga at Ghangharia. The discovery of the valley was unintentional yet has now turned into a sensational destination. After coming back from a successful Mt. Kamet expedition, a team of six mountaineers stumbled upon the Bhyundar valley while returning. Frank Smythe is the most famous person associated with the history of the valley.

    https://www.himalayashelter.com/valley-of-flowers

  9. The legend has it, as per the epic Mahabharata, that the Five Pandava brothers-kings, after having successfully defeated the Kaurava’s in a great war that lasted for 40 days, made an attempt to ascend to Heaven from the mighty Swargarohini peak(20512 feet) (literally translated as path/gateway to heaven), ho

    wever only one succeeded. Taken from Bali pass base camp at 15,100 feet

    https://www.himalayashelter.com/blogs/bali-pass-a-visual-journey

  10. There are numerous treks spread all across India but those specific ones mentioned here are special. So, I agree with the author on the items of this list of best treks.

    However, Rajmachi Trek of Maharashtra may not be the best but surely can be considered as one of the best treks of the South.

    Are you interested in Rajmachi Trek? then learn more here- https://banbanjara.com/tours/rajmachi-trek-with-kondana-caves

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