Dreaming of hiking in the Himalayas? Here’s how I made my dream a reality – twice – and trekked in India’s majestic mountains. Even if you hate hiking in tour groups, like me, it’s easy to arrange your own trip to the mountain village of McLeod Ganj and plan a day over overnight hike in the Indian Himalayas!
Train Travel in India
I have traveled to/from McLeod Ganj by train, bus, and plane, but my favorite way to travel in India is undoubtedly by train. As the most common form of transport among locals, I think trains are the most “authentic” way to travel, plus it’s cheap and a fantastic way to see more of the country!
However, there are a few things to keep in mind when planning your first train trip:
The toilets are usually holes in the floor, and you’re not allowed to use them when the train is stopped at a station because the waste drops straight out the bottom of the train, and they don’t want the tracks at stations to be dirty. So if you don’t have good balance, try not to drink too much water before your trip!
Chaiwalas and snack sellers frequently pass through the carriages, but I recommend bringing a more substantial meal if you have a long train ride
There are 5 classes on long distance trains in India. Unreserved General Class (UR) has minimal seating and people stand or sit where ever they can find space, often on the floor. Second Seating (2S) has assigned seating on benches (though not everyone complies with this) and often has ceiling fans. Sleeper Class (SL) carriages are divided into open-plan compartments with six beds in each. The beds are stacked vertically in three tiers on either side of the compartments. During the day, the middle beds must be folded down flat against the compartment walls to allow passengers to use the lowest beds as benches. Two tiers of beds are also located outside the compartments, along the aisle. If you are a woman traveling alone, you should reserve a top bed in the compartment (not the aisle). This is the compartment where I always travel, but it has very little privacy and no AC. The windows don’t close so you do get a breeze in the summer, but it can be cold in the winter. Three Tier Air Conditioned Class (3AC) has the same layout and privacy as SL, but it has glass windows and air conditioning. Finally, there is the Two Tier Air Conditioned Class (2AC), which has considerably more privacy. Each compartment has only four beds, and the compartment entrance and side of each bunk has a privacy curtain. If you are a woman traveling by yourself, this is probably the best choice for you.
McCleod Ganj
Nestled high in the Himalayas, McCleod Ganj is the home of the Dalai Lama (when he’s not traveling!) and many other Tibetan refugees. I brought my mum along on my second trip to the Himalayas, we met this woman from Tibet who was selling wool pashmina’s made from her husband’s herd of yaks. She is wearing a wide-collared chupa dress and a striped woven apron, typical clothing for many Tibetan women in the area.
The steep, narrow streets are lined with vendors’ stalls, Tibetan restaurants, and Buddhist shrines, and many locals wear traditional Tibetan clothing or monk robes.
The most important site in Mcleod Ganj is the Dalai Lama Temple, where he lives when he’s not traveling. It is considered one of the holiest places in Buddhism, and pilgrims come from all over the world to pray at the temple.
The center of the temple had a special prayer room used only for special occasions, but we could peek in through the windows. The outer walls of the temple are lined with mani prayer wheels, which are spun while silently reciting mantras to purify karma and as a form of meditation.
Being so high up in the Himalayas, McLeod Ganj is not only filled with monks but also with monkeys!
Triund Trek
Hiking the Triund trail is an excellent foray into the Himalayas as it’s marked well enough that you don’t need a guide, and the trail begins right in the town of McLeod Ganj. The trails accessibility, however, means that it can be crowded with Indian tourists during the summer holidays. I’ve done the trail twice – once in October and once in June, and it felt like two completely different trails! To experience the Himalayas at their wildest, I would recommend going in April, May, September, or October (November is a bit cold, but still doable).
The trail is steep and rocky, but the elevation gain is absolutely worth the spectacular views at the top. In October, we hiked among the clouds that rolled across the mountains, cloaking us in mist then suddenly dispersing to reveal breathtaking vistas. Even in June, it wasn’t too hot for such a strenuous hike, thanks to the high altitude!
We occasionally passed small side trails leading to small stupas (Buddhist shrines), and we came across many pray flags left by passersby to flutter in the wind. There is also a small rest stop halfway up the trail were you can stop for water or a snack.
Be prepared to share the trail with the pack mules that bring supplies to the rest stop and campsite, as well as local herder’s flocks of goats and sheep!
After several hours of strenuous hiking, we finally reached the top of the Triund ridge and the views were PHENOMENAL! The narrow, grassy ridge offers sweeping views over Kangra valley and the Dhauladhar mountain range.
In early summer, the ridge was cluttered with tents BUT the mountains were still covered in snow, making the view slightly more picturesque than in the autumn.
You can make it to the ridge and back in one day if you are a good hiker, especially in the summer when daylight hours are longer. However, camping in the Himalayas is an amazing experience, and we were just about the only people there in October. In particular, this enables you to watch the colors of the sunset reflect off the mountains and the sun rise from behind them. Not to mention the incredible view of the stars at night!
For a small fee, you can rent a tent, sleeping mat, and sleeping pad at the top. There is even a small kitchen in a stone shack where someone can prepare dinner and breakfast for you, if you book your meals in advance.
Another advantage of staying the night is that I had time to meditate, do some yoga, and relax in my ENO TravelNest hammock. I honestly can’t think of a better place to center yourself!
Finally, staying the night gives you enough time to hike to the extra 4km round trip to the Laka glacier viewpoint. Laka is no longer an actual glacier as it melts in the summer, but the view is still beautiful at any time of year!
Want to know more about my travels in India? Click here to read my previous post about the Taj Mahal, or here for my next post about visiting Varanasi. Or, you can browse all of my travel trips and adventures in India and Asia!
XOXO Ann