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India is home to some of the world’s beautiful treks on its vast Himalayan mountain range. Though age is no barrier to those who are passionate about their mountain adventures, these ten treks are best taken before you turn 30 – they are difficult, offer jaw-dropping views of the Himalayas, and the perfect way to find your inner peace.<br>
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India is home to some of the world’s beautiful treks on its vast Himalayan mountain range. Though age is no barrier to those who are passionate about their mountain adventures, these ten treks are best taken before you turn 30 – they are difficult, offer jaw-dropping views of the Himalayas, and the perfect way to find your inner peace.
1. Chadar Trek, Ladakh The Chadar Trek, also called the Zanskar Trek, is one of India’s most popular tracks and for a good reason. Given the extremely high altitude, the Chadar river freezes to form an ice sheet during the winters, over which one needs to walk to complete this trek. The sheer rush that comes with walking on an ice sheet in one of the country’s most far-flung corners makes this a trek that ought to be on your bucket list. Anyone willing to go on this trek should be ready to brave temperatures of up to -35 degree C at night, sleep in caves, and walk up vertical cliffs surrounding the river. Though not for the faint hearted, it is not everyday that you get experience nature in its harshest and most beautiful form.
2. Great Lakes Trek, Kashmir If you’ve ever dreamt of seeing Shangri-La, The Paradise on Earth, think no further than the Great Lakes Trek that starts in Sonmarg. Think of turquoise lakes, snow-clad mountains, lush green valleys – you have it all on this mesmerizing trek in Kashmir. During the monsoon season, the snow melts to open up the roads for a stress-free trek, and wildflowers can be seen popping out of every corner. It isn’t considered the hardest of treks to do in spite of the steep climbs and drops, and can be undertaken even by first-time trekkers. It climbs to a maximum height of around 13,750 feet at the Gadsar Pass.
3. Roopkund Trek, Uttarakhand One could call Roopkund the “Mecca of Treks” in India for it features in the ‘Top’ lists of almost every avid trekker. The trek originates in Lohajung and gives you almost everything you need from a trek – stunning campsites, vast never ending meadows, high altitude ponds, snow-clad mountains, green carpet peaks, among a lot more. The trek takes you to Roopkund, The Mystery Lake, where more than 500 skeletons of human beings from the Palaeolithic age can be found. It is believed that sudden hailstorm caused the death of the people in this region as early as 800 AD. There are many temples in the area as well where religious festivities take place throughout the year.
4. Goecha La Trek, Sikkim Goecha La is a high mountain pass located in Sikkim, away from the regular Himalayan trails of Kashmir, Uttaranchal, or Himachal. Overlooking the Kanchenjunga, the trek is full of riveting rivers, stunning ‘Bugyals’, thick forests, and goes into a rocky terrain towards the end. The trek reaches an altitude of 14,000 feet and is famous for the presence of Rhododendrons (species of woody plants) of a myriad of colors during spring. It is not everyday that you get to walk through picturesque landscapes with India’s highest peak in the background.
5. Valley of Flowers Trek, Uttarakhand The Valley of Flowers trek sits in complete contrast to the vast sprawling meadow style popular treks of the region. If time is a constraint or if you’re fan of shorter quick treks, there isn’t any trek that is in the same league as Valley of Flowers. There are more than a million species of flowers in the valley ranging from poppies to daisies in addition to various types of butterflies and insects. The trek is on the pilgrim route to Hemkund and is one of the easier treks to do over a short 3-4 day period.
6. Pin Parvati Pass, Himachal Pradesh Pin Parvati Pass was discovered serendipitously when Lord Arthur Dane was in search of an alternate route to Spiti Valley. Sitting at an altitude of 17000+ feet, this cross-Himalayan trek involves multiple arduous climbs, requiring high physical stamina. The region that spans from the lush Kullu valley to the dry Spiti valley also gets abundant snowfall and rainfall throughout the year making life all the more difficult for climbers. If physical strength is on your side, this multi-cultural trek will not just satisfy your adventure thirst but also your wanderlust.
7. StokKangri Trek, Ladakh It isn’t surprising that most of India’s most difficult and picturesque treks traverse through the region of Ladakh. Climbing higher than Pin Parvati up to 20000 feet, the trek gives you breath-taking views of glaciers and high altitude glacial lakes. Given the height the trek goes to, it is meant for seasoned trekkers and tests your stamina to the limit. On a bright day, one can get sight of the majestic Mount K2 from the summit of StokKangri. It also helps that trek follows multiple temples and monasteries, giving an insight into life in the remote mountain ranges of Ladakh.
8. Kang Yatze, Ladakh There is absolutely no dearth of stunning treks in Ladakh. Kang Yatze in Markha Valley is not just a beautiful trek but also probably one of the most difficult treks you could undertake in India. At the highest point on trek, you will be 21000 feet above the sea level – the highest point among all the ten listed here. While the Kang Yatze second peak doesn’t require any special mountaineering skills, the main peak involves rope climbing at the scary altitude of 21000 feet to hit the peak. The peak is dome-shaped and the entire region is covered with snow, making the trek even harder.
9. Bali Pass Trek, Uttarakhand The Bali Pass is a trek that can challenge you to the extremes. While the scenic views from the trek isn’t superior to the more popular treks in Uttarakhand like the Har Ki Doon, it is the pure joy that comes from surpassing a pass as steep and arduous as Bali that makes this one for your pre-30 bucket list. The constant steep climb over the deep snow, treacherous boulders along the way, narrow ridges, and the extremely sharp descend combines to make this trek an incredibly challenging one.
10. Panpatia Col Trek, Uttarakhand One of the most difficult treks in the Garhwal region of Himalayas, the Panpatia Col Trek links the two popular holy shrines – Kedarnath and Badrinath. It is believed that a priest from yesteryears used to traverse this route every other day to perform rituals in both the shrines. For most of us mortals, the trek takes a hard 12 days to complete. The trek goes through one of the largest snowfields in the region and passes by the Panpatia Glacier as well. Involving moraines, crevasses, and huge icefalls – this legendary religious route gives you the chills, in all sense.
With this list to choose from, what is it that you’re waiting for? Pack your sleeping bags, adventure gears, and get on your way before age gets the better of you! Book Treks in India at AdventurEscape: Visit: https://adventurescape.in Or Call
