TREK SPECIAL.............. Get, Set And Trek

Get, Set And Trek

How do you scale a mountain? One step at a time. Make sure you step in the right direction on your first or next hike. We have got trails for every level of enthusiast

TRIUND, HIMACHAL PRADESH

LEVEL: Easy; for beginners

DISTANCE: 6km (from Dharamkot)

TIME REQUIRED: 3-4 hours

BEST TIME TO VISIT: April to November

Triund is located above McLeod Ganj in the lap of the Dhauladhar ranges, and the trek to it is one of the easier and more frequented ones – comfortable slopes, wellmarked trails, and a few tea shops serving as pit stops.

“The landscape is brilliant!” says Rohit Seth, 27, business head, MobiNxt, who has been trekking for three years. “You walk through gorgeous oak and deodar forests, pass a small clear pond on the way, and once you reach, the sight of the snow-capped Dhauladhar ranges will take your breath away.”

While the trek is easy in terms of the slopes, the last kilometre is relatively steep. A lone forest rest house at the top of the hill remains shut most of the time, and trekkers usually carry their own tents and sleeping bags. “On a clear night, you can see the sky illuminated by millions of stars,” Seth says. “It’s a whole other feeling altogether!”

Other Easy Treks

Kedarkantha, Garhwal Himalayas, Uttarakhand

Brahmagiri, near Wayanad, Kerala

ROOPKUND, UTTARAKHAND

LEVEL: Difficult; for seasoned hikers

DISTANCE: 52km

TIME REQUIRED: 5 days

BEST TIME TO VISIT: June and September-October

One of the most picturesque trekking routes in India, the trail to the glacial lake of Roopkund at 16,100 feet is also one of the toughest. “Many trekkers turn back halfway. One needs to be very fit, climb steadily and acclimatise well before the trek,” advises Karan Kapur, 27, an HR consultant, who’s done over 10 treks in three years.

“On the first two days, you pass through dense forests, on the third you cross the Bedni Bugyal – considered to be the largest grassland in Asia,” says Kapur. On the fourth day, once you cross 14,000 feet, the landscape becomes barren due to lack of oxygen; it’s all boulders, snow and ice then.

“There are no villages along this trek, so you need to carry your tent, sleeping bag, food and other supplies throughout the journey,” says Kapur. The lake remains frozen for most part of the year, but what is most exciting, and eerie, are the numerous human skeletons scattered around the lake.

Other Difficult Treks

Chadar Trek, Zanskar region, Ladakh

Ombattu Gudda, Karnataka

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