Jim's Articles

Budget Bodpathri Lakes trek travel tours 2025

Top rated Kuari Pass trek vacation packages 2025: Trekking in India offers a unique and rewarding experience for adventurers and nature lovers alike. Here are 10 reasons why India’s trek tourism is so appealing: Diverse Terrain – India offers a vast range of trekking experiences, from the snow-capped peaks of the Himalayas to the lush green hills of the Western Ghats. Whether you’re into alpine, desert, or coastal trekking, India has something for everyone. Rich Cultural Heritage – Many treks in India pass through remote villages, providing trekkers with the chance to interact with local communities and experience their traditional lifestyle, cuisine, and culture. Find additional info on Bali Pass Trek.

Wildlife Encounters – India’s diverse ecosystems mean that you’re likely to encounter unique wildlife along the trails. Trekking in regions like Uttarakhand or Himachal Pradesh may give you glimpses of Himalayan tahr, musk deer, snow leopards, or the rare blue sheep. Affordable Adventure – Trekking in India is an affordable way to experience the outdoors compared to other destinations like the Alps or the Andes. The cost of guided treks, permits, accommodation, and food is generally much lower, making it accessible for all kinds of travelers.

I can’t speak for anyone trekking on their own or with others, but if you’re trekking with Trekup India, you can remove all worries about food from your head. If you’re not trekking with us, however, minimal food is a reality you have to prepare yourself for. The bad: It is not easy to get good food at high altitudes. First, it’s difficult to take provisions up to remote locations (there’s always a weight constraint). Second, it takes very long to cook anything in low temperatures and high altitudes. It also requires good cooking skills. On most self-managed treks, you’ll see that people manage with very limited food (canned or dehydrated food). Even on treks with enough infrastructure, dal bhaat is the staple. When you’re trekking you don’t see much deviation from the staple. How to deal with it: If you’re trekking with Trekup India, you don’t have to deal with it. We have dedicated cooks who are trained to make good food for you. You could even expect gulab jamuns at 14,000 ft! However, if you’re trekking on your own, dehydrated food is definitely something you should explore. You should also carry dry fruits, channa (Bengal gram), with you for instant energy and nutrition while trekking. For long, Maggi has been considered trekkers’ food. Avoid Maggi — it is hard to digest, extremely unhealthy and gives you low energy. The good: Being able to manage with minimal food helps you build a whole lot of resilience. You realise that you don’t really need much to live with. It gives you a very strong understanding of what you want vs what you need. On another note, you’ll appreciate almost any meal at the end of an exhausting trek.

Sandakphu – Phalut Trek: The Sandakphu – Phalut trek, with views of four of the tallest mountains in the world – Mt Everest, Mt Lhotse, Mt Makalu and Mt Kanchenjunga, this is one trek to keep a tab on if you’re going in spring. Not only do you get crisp views, but you also trek through wonderful forests of the Singalila National Park. The colours in these rhododendron, bamboo and pine forests are stunning! Being up in the mountains in such clear, clean air is a blessing. Everything seems more enhanced – the colours, the smells, the scale… They say an uncluttered home can bring clarity to the mind; an uncluttered trek in the Himalayas can do just that a 1000 times over.

Buran Ghati: Best Months: May, June, September, October. Any nature lover will go weak at the knees on this trek. This is by far the most perfect trek we have seen — it has the best parts of India’s greatest treks stitched together in one trek. I had sent you a brilliant video on it last week. Watch it here if you missed it. This trek has the prettiest forest sections, unimaginably beautiful meadows of Dayara, and perhaps the best campsite out of all our treks, nestled in the meadows. To add to that is the thrilling pass crossing at 15,000 ft. where you rappel down a snow wall. It’s an incredible trek and I hate to say it, but I think everyone at Indiahikes is biased towards this trek!

How to get fit for a winter trek? One thing to keep in mind is that trekking in winter is one grade tougher than trekking in non-winter. For example, a Kedarkantha trek, which is “easy-moderate” in all other seasons, becomes “moderate” in winter. You must start your preparation at least 1.5 – 2 months before your trek. You must start your preparation at least 1.5 – 2 months before your trek. You must start your preparation at least 1.5 – 2 months before your trek. Target running a distance of 5 km within 40 minutes. Having spoken to many trekkers about this, I notice they are worried about achieving this level of fitness. The worry is usually among beginners, or elderly trekkers or even those trekking with children. Read additional info at Everest Base Camp Trek.

Even though modern trekking shoes are water-resistant, they do not prevent water from seeping in. Very soon, your feet get painfully cold and numb. Worse, thanks to your cold feet, your core body temperature drops even without your knowledge. When that happens, you shiver all night, cocooned in a warm sleeping bag. The next day, you are tired, unable to trek much, and your body does not cope. You wonder why. But this is the reality of trekking in snow. This is where waterproof socks can change the way you trek in snow. They keep your feet dry. You can wear these socks and walk around in a tub of water. With these socks, you can step on wet snow without shoes (our staff do this to clear out snow at our camps). They will remain dry. Your feet won’t feel a thing.