Home to the highest peaks on the planet, the Himalayas are vast – stretching across India, Bhutan, and Nepal and beginning and ending in Pakistan and China. While Everest grabs most of the headlines, many peaks are striking and distinctive in their features, exist here alone, and cannot be replicated anywhere in the world, especially when you include the mountain ranges west of the Indus – Pamirs, Hindu Kush, and the Karakoram.
We are fortunate to be born in a country that hosts this majestic range. At some point in life, we all want to travel to the Himalayas. Some of us have made that idea a reality and some of us are still thinking about it. Either way, there is always more to learn and more peaks to trek, the list of Himalayas is not really exhaustive. The purpose of this article is to try to address some of the questions that may come to your mind regarding Himalayan trekking.
Kedarkantha Trek
Kedarkantha trek is one of the first few treks that we started conducting. It has a stunning summit climb. This is a perfect trek to do in all seasons. Kedarkantha Peak is situated at an altitude of 12,500 feet.
- Duration: 6 days
- Difficulty Level: Easy – Medium
- Region: Uttarakhand
- Best time to trek Kedarkantha: December – April
- Altitude: 12,500 feet
Valley of Flowers Trek
The valley of flowers is said that trekkers faint from the strong smell of flowers at the bottom of the valley. As you enter the valley, you get a sweeping view of its vast expanse covered with a layer of flowers. Flowers, leaves, buds of different sizes, shapes, colors are seen here.
The trek also goes through Hemkund Sahib, one of the highest places of pilgrimage and worship.
- Duration: 6 days
- Difficulty Level: Medium
- Region: Uttarakhand
- Best time to trek Valley of Flowers: July – September
- Altitude: 14,400 feet
Sandakphu Falut Trek
The Sandakphu Falut Trek is one of the few treks where you can see 4 of the 5 highest mountains in the world – Mount Everest, Mount Lhotse, Mount Makalu and Mount Kanchenjunga. Among all the Himalayan treks, this view is unique to the Sandakphu trek. Along with this, you also see the Kangchenjunga range along with other Himalayan mountains, known as the Sleeping Buddha – an image that will stay with you for years to come. A unique feature of this trek are the tea houses you get. They are indescribably different. You have to live in one to experience the warmth of a tea house.
- Duration: 7 days
- Difficulty Level: Medium
- Region: West Bengal
- Best time to visit Sandakphu Phalut: Mid-September – April
- Altitude: 11,950 feet
Phulara Ridge Trek
This is great to do in September, October, November, May and June. This is a unique ridge trek in India, and one of the newer treks. The beautiful Pushtara meadows are another reason why every trekker should undertake this trek.
Also, for a short duration of a trek, the Phulara Ridge trek has a beautiful dense forest section. If you are a wildlife or bird lover, then this is definitely the trek for you. We have seen more than 10 species of Himalayan birds on this trek.
- Duration: 6 days
- Difficulty Level: Easy-Medium
- Region: Uttarakhand
- Best time to trek Phulara Ridge: April – June, September – November
- Height: 12,171 feet
Deoriatal Chandrashila Trek
This is an extremely special trek as it is not just a section of the Himalayan ranges that you see, but all the major peaks of western and eastern Uttarakhand from the summit.
Not only this, if you go trekking during March-April, you will also come across rhododendrons in bloom! And because of the different species of birds you get to see on the trail, it is called a bird watcher’s paradise. Over the years we have discovered new and adventurous routes to the summit.
- Duration: 6 days
- Difficulty Level: Easy – Medium
- Region: Uttarakhand
- Best time to trek Deoriatal Chandrashila: March-May, September-December
- Height: 12,083 feet
Conclusion
Long peaks have always been home to wanderers in search of new paths and experiences. From short trekking trails for beginners to some of the highest mountains in the world, trekking in the Indian Himalayas provides a kick of adrenaline like no other destination in this world. Undoubtedly, trekking in the Indian Himalayas gives you a sense of accomplishment and an adrenaline rush. But, it is important to stay safe when you travel to the Himalayas.
