India is one of the vast and varied countries when it comes to visit and explore the places. There are many hiking destinations in India. Hiking is a good way to get in touch with nature and experience the wholesome of life. India has many hiking destinations from that you will experience high altitude glaciers, waterfalls, a variety of flora and fauna, snow-capped mountain peaks and many more. Are you one who loves hiking? If yes, then Get ready to have easy to difficult challenges in hiking and experience the fullness of life because here is a quick guide to planning your hike with friends and family.
Here is the list of the best-hiking destinations to plan in India:-
1. Tiger Hills, Darjeeling, West Bengal
Tiger Hills is a beautiful destination in Darjeeling, West Bengal. Darjeeling is a very romantic place in West Bengal. If you are someone who wants a little or no hiking experience, then Tiger Hills is an attractive place to experience it. Must visit this place is at the time of sunrise and sunset. The best time to visit this place is in March and June. Many people climb the hill this time every day. After that, if you want to see a beautiful tea plantation, then you can hike to Ghoom.
2. Kedarkantha Trekking, Uttrakhand
Kedarkantha Trekking in Uttrakhand is an amazing place to experience hiking. It is situated in Garhwal Himalayas. It is one of the most visited places to experience terrific sights of the towering Himalayan peaks, green meadows and many more. Here temperature ranges from -5 to 20 degrees Celsius. The total trekking distance you will need to cover is 36 km.
3. Great Lakes, Jammu and Kashmir
There is a popular saying about Kashmir, ”If there is a Heaven on Earth then it is here”. It is the most beautiful and adventurous place to go for trekking. The Great Lakes Trek in Kashmir is one of the most beautiful and scenic treks. It is a seven-day expedition from Srinagar to Naranag. The best time to enjoy this beautiful and adventurous place is from June to August. Because this time the route is covered with beautiful flowers and lush green. You will enjoy waterfalls, snow-covered peaks, colourful meadows that will make your trip awesome and unforgettable.
4. Zanskar Frozen River, Ladakh
The Zanskar Frozen River trek in Ladakh is the most difficult trek. Zanskar River is a swift-flowing river during Summer, but during the winter, the river freezes down. Thousands of trekkers participate in trekking to experience the beautiful frozen river through deep passages with snow-clad peaks all around. It is popularly known as ‘Chadar Trek’ due to the formation of ice on the Zanskar River. It is very difficult to complete this trek. It takes around 8-9 days to cover a total distance of 105 km. The temperature during the night is reached at -25 to -35 degrees. Only experienced guides with good physical fitness are must before attempting this trek.
5. Manali, Himachal Pradesh
Manali in Himachal Pradesh is an awesome place for trekking. There are many trekking trails, but the best one is the snow point. The Snow Point hiking place is in Solang Valley. You can take the bus to reach this valley. After that, you can hike to Dhundi where you find Beas River and natural paradise spots on the way. You will spot a unique flower named Purple Rhododendron in this trail. If you are seeking some challenging treks, then you can choose the trail between Manali and Dashaur Lake, which is about 5 km. Bijli Mahadev to Dashaur Lake is also a popular trail to experience. You can choose a mid-summer to enjoy your holidays here.
6. Kurseong Trek, Darjeeling
The Kurseong Trek is situated in Darjeeling, West Bengal. It is not exactly situated in Darjeeling, a little far away from the city. One of the best hiking trails is from Kurseong to Darjeeling through the Old Military Road. This trek takes only one day. The trail from Darjeeling to Kurseong is a picturesque path. The Old Military Road has coffee plantation, tea estates, Buddhist Monastery of the 20th century and many more attractions. The Monastery is a wonderful monument which is built after the First World War for stopping any further war in the World.
7. Dhoon Valley Trek, Garhwal, Uttrakhand
It is an awesome experience to go for hiking in Garhwal. You will trek through forests and flower meadows. Varied flora and fauna can be seen in Har Ki Doon Valley. It is a 50-mile trip hiking through Har ki Doon Valley. This trip is only for those trekkers who like to hike in fair weather conditions. The Har ki Dhoon Valley is of cradle shaped, but you will not see its shape when you are on the ground. In this place, there are many snow-covered peaks. The alpine vegetation is one of the attractions in this area. It is generally avoided when the valley is snow-clad from October to March. The hiking through the valley passes through many villages like Seema, Gangaad and also Osla, which is an overnight camping spot. You will see Tamsa River on the way. The river is swollen and flows at full capacity if you hike here during the monsoon season. Further on the way, you will see deodar and gorges forests. You can also choose to stop at Torluka, stay at the Forest Rest House or accommodation provided by the Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam. The trail gets difficult from Torluka. You have to navigate through the rugged terrain to reach Osla.
8. Clouds End Trek, Mussoorie, Uttrakhand
Clouds End Trek is a resort located in Mussoorie, Uttrakhand. Initially, it was purchased from Swetenhams of England by Durga Ram Agarwal as their summer retreat centre. For many years, the resort has got popularity with campers and hikers. People who are Wilderness enthusiasts in India spend many weeks here. This area is spread over 2000 acres offering plenty of avenues to experience. There are some thick deodar and Oak forests spread across this area. There is a variety of flora and fauna here. You can do horse safaris and many other adventurous activities apart from hiking. There are many activities you can do here. You can climb the hill, walk among the deer, try to entice a pheasant, looking at the Himalayan snow peaks from a distance of 250 km. You can go to Jwala Devi Temple for hiking. You can go into the Benog Mountains to watch the quails. From there, you can see the estate of George Everest. If you are looking for a complete lifestyle overhaul, then this is the place for you, and it is one of the top hiking destinations in India.
9. Roopkund Trek, Uttranchal
The Roopkund Trek is blessed with beckoning meadows, deep virgin forests, gurgling brooks and breathtaking campsites. It is an adventurous trek as you climb from 8,000 ft to 16,000 ft in 8 days. The adventure starts from the second day when you start trekking to Roopkund glacial lake. You can take the Lord Curzon trail starting from Lohajung and follow an uphill trek through Lohajung Pass and reach the Bedni River. You will admire the stunning view of Garhwal Himalayan ranges as you trek from Didna Village to Ali Bugyal on the third day. On the fourth day, you will trek from Ali Bugyal to Ghora Lotani and feel the beauty of Himalayas. You will also spot the Himalayan Magpie on the way. On the fifth day, you will trek from Ghora Lotani to Bhagwabasa, but here you will face challenges of icy cold winds, zig-zag trails and high altitudes. Passing through Kalu Vinayak, you will reach Bhagwabasa. On the sixth day, you will pass by Bhagwabasa to Roopkund Lake and then Bedni Bugyal. The landmark in the laps of Mt. The Trishul has attracted many travellers with its stories. After admiring the beauty of Gharwal Himalayas, it will extend up to Gangotri. On the seventh day, you will start the trek back from Bedni Bugyal to Lohajung and pass through many rhododendrons and then take a turn for Neel Ganga and arrive at Wan. The trek will be completed on the eighth day. It is one of the best trekking in the mountains.
10. Nagalapuram Trek, Chitoor, Andhra Pradesh
Nagalapuram Trek in Chitoor, Andhra Pradesh is one of the top hiking destinations in India, and its popularity has grown with the hikers by many years. If you are a chronic trekking enthusiast, then you should go to this place. Here you will find a trekker friendly environment and clean water pools. There are many trekking trails in this place in which one of them is Nagalapuram Hills. It is a vast place spread over ten thousand acres. You will run along the streams on the trails. You will walk beside streams and jump across them from boulder to boulder. There is one other exciting trek that connects Nagalapuram and Tada. It is locally known as a marathon in the mountains. It is one of the toughest hiking places in India because of its difficulty level in the trek.
