The trekking season is finally here. Winters are the best season to trek the mountains without having to sweat out all your energy! And there is the added advantage of getting to see snowcapped mountains all around you. If you’re lucky enough, you will even get to experience a snowfall. Isn’t that just amazing? So here goes. 10 winter treks near winter to plan for the coming long weekend!
1. Triund Trek
Located 18 km from Dharamshala, Triund makes for an attractive trekking destination, with well-defined forest trails and breath-taking views l the entire Kangra valley. The view of the evening sky from Triund is a good enough reason to pitch a tent here for the night. The length of the trek makes it apt for a weekend.
Base Camp | Dharamshala/Dharamkot
Distance from Delhi | 475 km
Time taken to Travel | 9.5 Hours
Duration of Trek | 2 Days
Difficulty Level | Easy
2. Kheerganga – Buni Buni Pass
Kheerganga is a famous trek starting from near Kasol and is experienced by many. What people seem to miss out is the buni-buni pass which is a day’s trek away from Kheerganga. This is where the real trekking begins, and you leave the crowd behind to enter a dense oak forest Its a natural trek that is not very difficult to attempt even for a first timer.
Base Camp | Kasol/Barshani
Distance from Delhi | 528 km
Time taken to Travel | 12.5 Hours
Duration of Trek | 3 Days
Difficulty Level | Easy-Moderate
3. Prashar Lake Trek
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Surrounded by the Dhauladhar ranges in Kullu Valley is a blue-water lake called Prashar. Prashar Lake is a well-kept secret in the Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh. The trek follows a charming trail through a forest and several rivulets. The trek offers a 180-degree view of the Dhauladhar, Pir Panjal, and Kinnaur mountain ranges.
Base Camp | Mandi
Distance From Delhi | 402 km
Time taken to travel | 8 Hours 40 Minutes
Duration of Trek | 2 Days
Difficulty Level | Easy
4. Hatu Peak Trek
It’s mostly the unknown treks that catch you off guard and throw surprises at you. The Hatu Peak is such a trek. Hatu Peak Trek is a day hike which packs in everything that you get in a full-fledged Himalayan trek – dark pine forests, superb mountain views, enchanting meadows and the thrill of walking on snow, provided you time it right.
Base Camp | Narkanda
Distance From Delhi | 403 km
Time taken to travel | 9 Hours
Duration of Trek | 1 Day
Difficulty Level | Easy
5. Shali Tibba Trek
The Shali Tibba is a peak that is hard to miss. It towers over the district of Shimla. Despite its conspicuousness, however, the peak does not attract as much attention as it deserves. Shali Tibba, at an altitude of 9,423 feet, is surrounded by Shimla, Mashobra, Kufri, Fagu, and Narkanda. This stand-alone peak provides a magnificent vantage point for a panoramic 360-degree view of Himachal Pradesh.
Base Camp | Shimla
Distance from Delhi | 342 km
Time Taken to Travel | 8.5 Hours
Duration of Trek | 1 Day
Difficulty Level | Easy
6. Bijli Mahadev Trek
The real charm of the Bijli Mahadev to Naggar trek trail lies in the interiors of Kais Wildlife Sanctuary. A 15 km approach by foot from Kullu town to the top of this hill is an experience in itself. The surroundings of the quiet valley are mesmerizing, with a wide array of deodar and pine forests. This is complemented by the beautiful apple, pomegranate and pear orchards of Jana Village.
Base Camp | Kullu
Distance from Delhi | 492 km
Time taken to travel | 10 Hours 40 Minutes
Duration of Trek | 2 Days
Difficulty Level | Moderate
7. Nag Tibba Trek
Nag Tibba is a trekkers’ delight. Though it is a relatively unknown trail near Mussoorie it can easily be considered one of the best weekend treks for someone around Delhi. It is the highest peak (9,915 ft) in the Nag Tibba range of the Garhwal Himalayas. The trek takes you through dense forests rich in flora and fauna and presents stunning views.
Base Camp | Pantwari/Dehradoon
Distance from Delhi | 333 km
Time Taken to Travel | 7 Hours 40 Minutes
Duration of Trek | 2 days
Difficulty Level | Easy-Moderate
8. Pandava Cave Trek
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The Pandava Cave Trek lies in the vicinity of Solan, famously dubbed the Mushroom City of India because of the vast mushroom farming in the area. Shrouded in mystery and hidden within the mists of a dense forest inhabited by mountain lions and deer, is a religious cave atop Mount Karol which is considered one the oldest and the longest cave in the Himalayas.
Base Camp | Solan
Distance from Delhi | 297 km
Time Taken to Travel | 6 Hours
Duration os Trek | 2 Days
Difficulty Level | Easy-Moderate
9. Bhrigu Lake Trek
On most high altitude treks in India, you’ll stumble upon meadows from a thick forest, usually of oak. The sudden change in views is startling and beautiful. While most of these meadows are a delight to behold, some are more special than others. The ones on the Bhrigu lake trek are among these. It’s a high altitude alpine meadow trek.
Base Camp | Manali
Distance from Delhi | 531 km
Time taken to Travel | 12 Hours
Duration of Trek | 4 Days
Difficulty Level | Moderate
10. Beas Kund Trek
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It’s hard to imagine that so close to a bustling city like Manali is such a dense and wild coniferous forest. There are all ancient deodar trees with massive trunks. They stand like sentries protecting you as you go deeper into the trail. Add to this the lovely Beas river tumbling about in tiny streams throughout the trail.
Base Camp | Manali/Dhundi
Distance from Delhi | 553 km
Time Taken to travel | 12.5 Hours
Duration os Trek | 4 Days
Difficulty Level | Moderate
So what are you waiting for!? Plan your trek right away and let us know how many you have ticked off from our list!
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