Trek the Indian Himalayas

A spectacular route through a little-visited corner of the Himalayas, this trip is also an ideal introduction to Himalayan trekking. Most days' walking will be around 5-6 hours, with a couple of longer days, on paths and trails that are relatively comfortable underfoot. There are a few challenging climbs over passes to scale but the views are worth it and all should be attainable for a regular hill walker or those with a reasonable level of fitness.

Still, it is important to note that trekking at altitudes above 3000m/10,000ft is more demanding on the body than walking at low elevations, although this trek does not reach the extreme elevations of some of its Himalayan counterparts, never going above 4,000m. A good level of fitness, stamina, and experience walking in the hills will make the going more enjoyable, so consider factoring in some training beforehand – we advise doing at least a couple of weekends of back-to-back days hillwalking.

Sure can! Over 70% of our travellers travel solo, it’s a great way to meet like-minded people.

Visa requirements often change, and you are responsible for obtaining any required visas for this trip. The following advice may be subject to change. Please check with your nearest embassy or consulate for up-to-date advice.

All foreign nationalities entering India require a valid visa, which in most cases must be obtained in advance of travel (please check the regulations for your nationality). You must have a machine-readable passport, valid for at least 180 days from your arrival date in India. Persons of Indian origin must have an OCI card. Clients with a Pakistani passport or of Pakistani descent will need extra time and additional documents for visa processing.

Applicants of eligible countries can either apply online for an Indian e-Visa or apply for a Standard Visa, which involves an in-person visit to a branch of the Indian High Commission's Visa Facilitation Service (VFS). There have been delays to Standard Visa processing times so please book your appointment ASAP if using this service.

Travellers eligible for an e-visa, which includes those from the UK, US, CA and EU, can apply online via https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/tvoa.html. Applications for 30-day e-Tourist visas can be made from 30 days before the proposed date of travel and not less than 4 days before your arrival date in India (applications for multiple entry 1-year e-Tourist visas can be made from 120 days in advance).

Applications for a Standard Visa (requiring both an online application and an in-person appointment) can be made via the VFS Global website.

Tips are not included in the trip cost. These are entirely at your discretion but there is an expectation to tip for good service. Your guide will help with advice, however we suggest the below as a guideline, shared between the group:

• 2500-3000 Indian Rupees per day to the tour leader
• 1000-1200 Indian Rupees per day to the trekking guide
• 1200-1400 Indian Rupees per day to the cook
• 500-800 Indian Rupees per day per helper
• 300-500 Indian Rupees per day per muleteer
• In total, this would equate to approximately £100-£125 per person for the trip, depending on the size of your group.

Of course, you are free to tip more or less, and the amount should be reflective of your perception of service and quality – a tip is not compulsory and should only be given when you receive excellent service.

Filtered and boiled water will be provided during the trek. You will need to bring a reusable water bottle or a water bladder to be filled.

The best time to visit this part of the Himalayas is before or after the monsoon season, which runs through July and August. The months of May and June, as well as September and October, tend to be dry and pleasant for trekking. In the cities and valleys, you can expect daytime temperatures of around 25-30°C. As you climb into the mountains, this will drop the higher you go. The higher camps on the trek may reach temperatures below freezing overnight. Of course, mountain weather is notoriously hard to predict and snow can be expected on any trip, so do come prepared.

Excess luggage which is not needed for the trek can either be left at your hotel in Delhi or Rishikesh, then picked up on your return to Delhi or en route back to Haridwar railway station.

We recommend checking out the country specific information and also talking to a travel nurse.

No. You'll need to have a larger bag suitable for all your belongings which will be transported for you, and then a small daypack to carry personal items during each day of hiking.

Your luggage will be carried by ponies, in large waterproof sacks. However, it is worthwhile securing your luggage in a waterproof bag or duffel to ensure it stays dry in transit. You should aim to keep your luggage as light as possible, not exceeding 15kg.

You will be joined by one tour leader from the trip start to end, as well as a local trekking guide and crew including a cook, helpers and muleteers when on the trek.

When you trek in the mountains, there's always the risk of getting altitude sickness, regardless of how old, young, fit or unfit you are. We would expect most trekkers to feel some mild symptoms of altitude sickness (headache, sleeplessness, heavy breathing) when over 3000m. Our guides are trained to identify the symptoms of altitude sickness so if any more serious symptoms are noted, there is a strict procedure regarding extra care or a rapid descent or evacuation if needed. All of our trips have been designed with altitude best practice in mind so acclimatisation days have been built in and our experienced guides follow advice to ‘walk high and sleep low’.

Our recommended travel insurance provider is Campbell Irvine.

Travel insurance is compulsory for all of our adventures and you are required to provide your policy information before departing.

Your insurance should include adequate protection for overseas medical treatment, evacuation/repatriation, your baggage and equipment and the specific activities involved on your adventure. We also strongly recommend it includes cancellation and curtailment insurance, should you be unable to join your trip for specific reasons such as illness.

We fully endorse Campbell Irvine as their insurance offers all of the above, so get in touch with them or call on 020 7938 1734 to get your insurance sorted. We suggest that you book travel insurance as soon as you book your adventure, just to cover you for any last-minute life changes. We know you’re an active lot and injuries do happen!

We automatically convert prices from the local currency that a host receives to your chosen currency. We update our exchange rates on a daily basis so this does mean that prices displayed on the site are subject to currency fluctuations, which is why you may see them change over time.

If you wish to change the currency you pay in, head to the bottom of the page.

All of our group adventures are specially designed for adults to enjoy (18+) as we want these adventures to bring together outdoorsy people who are truly like-minded. Children can be accommodated on some private departures.

You're always in good company on one of our adventures.

Our trips are typically made up of a mixture of solo travellers and small groups of 2 or 3 friends, with most in their 30s-50s.

Our sociable adventures are solo-friendly by design and naturally attract outdoorsy people with a shared mindset; a love for adventure, a desire to push themselves and meet awesome, like-minded people along the way.

It’s this camaraderie that has so often turned a great adventure into a life-changing one.

Don't just take our word for it:

• 95% of people rate the group dynamics on our trips 5/5
• 90% of people recommend joining a trip to make new friends
• 75% of people have met people on our trips that they would now consider friends

See here for more info about the Much Better Adventures tribe.

Interested in a more exclusive experience? Opt for a 'Private Group' through the dates and prices tab to book this adventure for just you and your chosen companions.

Our team of Adventure Hunters create exclusive adventures with highly vetted, specialist hosts. We only work with independent, local in-destination experts who know the very best places to explore and how to stay safe. See here for more info about the local teams we partner with.