Travel style · Himachal
Treks and walks in Himachal
From an afternoon ridge walk to two weeks on foot
Day walks between villages, teahouse treks in Nepal, camping treks to high lakes and passes. We grade every walk by hours, height gain and the highest point, and pair you with licensed local guides and porters where the rules or the terrain call for them.
Photo: Pinakpani · CC BY-SA 4.0 · CommonsTrekking in the Himalaya is mostly walking on old paths between villages, which means you can choose your comfort: teahouses in Nepal, homestays in Ladakh and Sikkim, tents where nobody lives.
Himachal is the easiest big mountain trip from Delhi: an overnight HRTC Volvo puts you in Shimla, Manali or Dharamshala for ₹900–1,900. Come March to June or late September to November. Budget ₹1,800–3,000 a day on hostels and buses, or far more for Oberoi rooms above Shimla.
Trips
Treks and walks trips in Himachal
Photo: Unknown author · Public domain · Commons
Comfort
Tirthan, Naggar and Manali by private car
Private car with driver
Photo: Neerajsinghazm · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Saver
Manali, Naggar and Kasol on a budget
HRTC local buses and short shared taxis
5 places
Where to go
Photo: Pinakpani · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Kasol and the Parvati Valley
Pine forest, hot springs and walking villages along the Parvati
Photo: Rignam Wangkhang · CC BY 2.0 · Commons
McLeodganj (Dharamshala)
Tibetan temples and the Dhauladhar wall above Dharamshala
Photo: Akshat Sharma · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Naggar
The old Kullu capital, with a timber castle and Roerich's home
Photo: Ashish Gupta from Noida, India · CC BY 2.0 · Commons
Sangla and Chitkul
The Baspa valley, from Kamru's fort-temple to the last village
Photo: Unknown author · Public domain · Commons
Tirthan Valley and GHNP
Trout river, timber villages and a UNESCO national park
Experiences
Days that fit the style
Photo: TheSlumPanda · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Manikaran hot springs and langar
Walk or ride 4 km from Kasol to Manikaran, where boiling springs steam beside the Parvati. Visit the gurdwara and the R…
Photo: Photos Worldwide · CC0 · Commons
Trek to Kheerganga's hot spring meadow
Walk about 12 km from Barshaini through Nakthan village, pine forest and waterfalls to Kheerganga, a meadow at around 2…
Photo: Jim Ankan Deka · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Village walks to Tosh and Pulga
Take the bus to the road head at Barshaini, then walk up to Tosh, a timber village with views of snow peaks, and across…
Photo: (in search for a new country of residence) · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Commons
Tsuglagkhang temple and the monk debate
Walk the morning kora around the Dalai Lama's temple with Tibetan pilgrims, visit the main prayer hall and the Tibet Mu…
Photo: Ashish Gupta from Noida, India · CC BY 2.0 · Commons
Day hike to Triund ridge
Climb about 900 m from Galu temple above Dharamkot to the open ridge of Triund at roughly 2,850 m, with the Dhauladhar …
Photo: Bernard Gagnon · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Tibetan crafts at Norbulingka
Visit the Norbulingka Institute near Sidhpur, where Tibetan artists train in thangka painting, woodcarving, statue-maki…
Photo: Pratishkhedekar · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Naggar Castle and the Jagatipatt shrine
Explore the timber-and-stone fort of the Kullu rajas, now an HPTDC hotel. See kath-kuni walls up close, the courtyard s…
Photo: Минеева Ю. (Julmin) · CC BY-SA 1.0 · Commons
Nicholas Roerich's house and paintings
Walk 1.5 km uphill from the castle to the hillside home where Nicholas Roerich lived from 1928 until 1947. See his Hima…
Where to sleep
Stays in these places
Photo: Pratishkhedekar · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Mid
HPTDC Hotel Castle, Naggar
Stay inside the kath-kuni castle of the old Kullu rajas, traditionally dated to about 1460 and now run by HPTDC. S…
Photo: Wonderlane · CC BY 4.0 · Commons
Mid
Chonor House
A small Tibetan-style hotel on Temple Road in McLeodganj, built and run by the Norbulingka Institute, with rooms d…
Photo: Ashish Gupta from Noida, India · CC BY 2.0 · Commons
Mid
Banjara Camp and Retreat, Sangla
A riverside lodge in the Sangla valley, set in an apple orchard by the Baspa, with rooms in a stone-and-timber bui…
Treks and walks elsewhere