Best hand picked trekking trails perfect for winters: 1. Sandakphu-Phalut Trek
The trek of
Manebhanjan-Sandakphu-Phalut is termed as "angelic" by many people who have witnessed its beauty by themselves. Yes, every trek in the Uttrakhand and Himachal has their own scenic beauty so you must be wondering, what is so special about this trek? Well, for starters Sandakphu is present at an altitude of
11,929ft (i.e. 3,636 meters) and no other trek provides you with a view of four of the five highest peaks of the world. Yes, you heard it right. Sandakphu trek takes you a step closer to heaven with a majestic view of
Mt. Everest, Makalu, Kanchenjunga, and Lhotse, along with Three Sisters and many other peaks of Nepal, Sikkim, Tibet and Bhutan in one single stretch of snow. It is a wonderland for trekkers.
Trek of Sandakphu is at its nature’s best in the winters with its trail covered with snow making this trek that much more beautiful. The trek route passes through the
Singalila National Park. So your trek journey is further complemented with a national park that has some of the most fascinating rare animals like Red Pandas and Pangolins.
Trek to Sandakphu starts from a small town present in the
Darjeeling district (West Bengal), called
Manebhanjan. Manebhanjan is about 4 hours by taxi from
Bagdogra (the nearest airport).
From
Manebhanjan the distance up to
Sandakphu is
32kms which is usually covered in two or three days of trek. If you can trek for 8-9 hours a day, you can complete the one way trek in 2 days, otherwise in 3 days. Usually trekkers do it over 3 days. From Sandakphu, you can trek further up to
Phalut which is another
21kms away. It takes an additional day of trek from
Sandakphu on a relatively easy terrain, but it still is a long arduous trek.
Trek Essentials: 1. Before starting trek from
Manebhanjan you have to get a permit. It is not a trek permit but a permit to enter the
Singalila National Park. If you're planning to travel till
Tumling you don't need a permit but beyond that, you need to have this permit.
2. The trek route goes through India and as well as from some
parts of Nepal. You don't need a Nepal visa to travel but there are several
Armed Border Forces checkpoints. All are subject to identity checks (carry valid Photo IDs, foreigners must carry passport).
3.You should carry proper trekking gear consisting of
water bottles, canned food and camping equipment if you don't want to stay in huts. During the time of winter you should carry a
trekking pole as then weather conditions are harsh.
2. Brahmatal Trek

Are you looking for a place to quench your thirst of travelling this winter? Well your search is over.
Brahmatal trek is a perfect destination for people looking to witness the beauty of
Himalayas and wanting to try their feet over the powdery snow. Brahmatal is one of the few treks which is accessible in the peak winter months of
January and February. This trek will leave you awestruck with astonishing views of
Mt. Trishul and
Mt. Nanda Ghunti. What adds up to the angelic beauty of this trek is the two
frozen glacial lakes-
Brahmatal and
Bekaltal. From the top of Brahmatal, you get a 360 degree view of the Himalayan ranges.
Summits that rise above
7,000 meters are common. What makes this trek even more special is the fact that nowhere else in our country can you see these magnificent mountains so close. If you are planning to go for this trek in the
summers, you will be welcomed by a
riot of colors. Brahmatal is one of the few treks in India that is blessed with luscious
Rhododendron forests. The base camp of this trek is
Lohajung. The nearest major railway station,
Kathgodam, is
215km away from Lohajung. From Lohajung, trek route starts on a well marked stone trail. Bekaltal, one of the two frozen glacial lakes on this route, is at a
6km trek from Lohajung. Further to Brahmatal from Bekaltal is a
2.5km trek. Furthermore a
5km trek ahead will take you to Brahmatal Peak from where you will be able to witness the true beauty of Himalayas.
Trek Essentials: 1.Carry
camping equipment.
2.Carry enough
water and
canned food as trek can be long and arduous.
3.Carry few doses of
Diamox to avoid mountain sickness.
4.Carry a
trekking pole as walking through snow can be difficult at times.
3. Roopkund Trek
Are you bored of watching thrillers on tv and want to solve a mystery on your own in real life? Well, your wait to be the next Sherlock is over. Grab your trekking shoes and come to
Roopkund to unravel it's deepest of secrets.
Roopkund is a glacial lake located in the tranquil hills of
Uttrakhand at
15,696ft above sea level. You must be wondering what is so special about this lake. Well, have you ever seen a lake with
500 human skeletons lying around? Shocked? Scared? Curious? You can only calm all these emotion of yours when you yourself come and see this mysterious
skeleton lake of Roopkund. It will be worth your while.
According to reports, it is believed that the skeletons lying are of the
heroes who had
fought here in the earlier times. Along with the skeletons of humans, you can also find skeletal structure of
horses and other animals. It is also believed that the reason behind the death of many people here is due to
landslides, blizzard or an epidemic. The skeletons are dated back to the
12th to 15th century. Base camp of Roopkund trek is
Lohajung which is
251km away from
Kathgodam(the nearest major railway station). From Lohajung there is a trek of
6.5kms to
Didna village. From Didna village there is a trek of
10.5kms to
Ali Bugyal. From Ali bugyal it is approx
10 more kms to Roopkund via
Patar Nachauni and
Bhagwabasa. The trek route is a trace of heaven on earth. Filled with gorgeous views of the
Himalayas, this trek is for people who are in need of adrenaline rush and as well as in pursuit of their own self.
Trek Essentials: 1.Carry your
camping equipment.
2.Carry enough
water and
canned food.
3.Carry few doses of
Diamox to avoid
mountain sickness.
4.Carry
Trekking pole to travel easily through snow.
4. Chadar Trek
You might have thought once or twice in your life that how will it feel like to walk over ice? Well, we have found just the right place for you.
Chadar trek is not for beginners. Even the most experienced trekkers have a hard time in completing this trek. You must be wondering, what is so difficult about this trek trail? Well, how would you feel if the ground you're walking on suddenly starts cracking and breaks? Yes, Chadar trek is not an ordinary winter trek but a
frozen river trek. You would have to walk on a
thin layer of ice hoping that it is stable enough for you to cross.
The trek is over the
Zanskar River which lies frozen during the winter. The most preferred time to cross the ice would be in
February. During that time, the ice tends to be at its
most stable state.
Trekking over a layer of ice can be
tricky and as well as
dangerous. You should be
cautious at all times and put your feet where the ice is most stable. You can choose to
camp in the
caves along the banks like the locals or set up tents where the ice is the most stable.
Trekker's may not be afraid of snow or high altitudes but they sure as hell should be afraid of ice. The ice is not a trekker’s friend and one should always respect it and be aware of the conditions at all times especially while choosing the camping spot. You should be well aware of the
cracks and avoid them completely. It is best known to walk over a
coating of snow to have more friction and avoid any slippery accidents.
The base camp of Chadar trek is village
Tilad do which is
65kms away from
Leh. From Tilad do it is a
10km trek to the next stop,
Shingra Koma. From there it is a further
15km trek to
Tibb Cave. From Tibb Cave it is a
13km trek to the last camping point,
Naerak Camp.
You must be wondering if this trek trail is so difficult, why to get on it? For starters,
nothing special comes easy. This trek is filled with gorgeous views and is a lifetime experience. People who have completed this trek term it is a
"pathway to heaven". From frozen river to
frozen waterfall. This trek trail serves you with the prettiest of scenarios. Don't believe us? then you should go and find it out yourself but I am sure you will not be disappointed.
Trek Essentials: 1. Temperature is close to
twenty degrees below freezing point and decreases further after sundown as well. Warm and layered clothes are a must.
2.
Ice picks,
trekking boots, several layers of extra warm clothing are a compulsion in such conditions.
3. Carry enough
water and
canned food.
4. Carry few doses of
Diamox to tackle
mountain sickness.
5. Kedarkantha Trek
Looking to warm your feet in the winter over powdery snow and under the trance of little sparkling stars? We don't like to boast but we have got the perfect winter trekking destination for you, the Kedarkantha Trek.
Kedarkantha trek witnesses
heavy snowfall during winter. The snow sets in by the middle of
December and lasts until the third week of
April. But the most beautiful and appealing thing about this trek is not snow but its
campsites locations. No other trek can compete with this one on the basis of campsites location. The
Juda-Ka-Talab campsite is in a clear surrounding covered by
giant pine trees.

The beauty of Kedarkantha just doesn't lies in its trekking trail but the drive to
Sankri(Base Camp) is as majestic as well. It is one of the most picturesque drives in the Himalayas through Mussoorie, Barkot, Purola, Mori, Netwar, Motwat.
The base camp of this trek is Sankri which is
197kms away from
Dehradun,Uttrakhand. From Sankri it is a
6km to Kedarkantha's prettiest of campsite
Juda-Ka-Talab. If you're looking for an easy trek where you can witness the beauty of Himalayas and pine forests then this is a must visit place for you.
Trek Essentials: 1. Carry
camping equipment.
2. Carry enough
water and
canned food.
3.Carry a
trekking pole to walk with ease on snow.
4.Carry
warm clothing as temperature can be freezing there.
6. Goechala Trek
Goechala trek breaks down the presumption of people that the best treks of India are only in either Himachal Pradhesh or Uttrakhand. It is one of the most beautiful treks in our country with magnificent views and its jaw dropping beauty located in the sensuous spirits of
Sikkim.
The biggest reason to do this trek is the mesmerizing views of the big mountains that you see. Apart from
Kanchenjunga there are
14 more
summits which you can see from this trek. It is a heaven for trekkers. Goechala trek takes you to the base of Kanchenjunga and it's breathtaking.

Based in the state of Sikkim, Goechala is one of preferred destination for trekkers in India. It is filled with serene beauty. The
sunrise and
sunsets, gigantic
Himalayas, the luscious Himalayan
Forests and the traipse rivers are some of the reasons to fall in love with this place. Breathtaking views of
Mount Pandim, Kabru, Rotang on the Goechala Trek are dazzling and will make you want to visit this place again and again.
The contour to Goechala is challenging and not meant for
amateurs. The base camp of this trek is Yuksom which is 150kms away from
New Jalpaiguri Station . From Yuksom the trekking journey starts. The first stop is
Siachen which is on
8kms trek from the starting point. From Siachen it is a
7km trek to
Tsokha. From there it is a
9kms trek to
Dzongri. Furthermore it is around a
20km trek to Goechala through
Thansing and
Lamuney. Once you get upto Goechala you will understand that why is it called one of the best treks in India.
Trek Essentials: 1.Carry your basic
camping equipment and
gear.
2.Carry enough
water and
canned food.
3.Carry few doses of
Diamox to avoid
mountain sickness.
7. Har ki Dun Trek
There are very few treks in our country which hold exquisite natural beauty and as well as some folkloric essence. One of those places in our country is
Har ki Dun.
Har Ki Dun is one of the most beautiful valleys in the Western Himalayas. It is also known as
Valley of Gods as it contains mythological value. There is a legend in our ancient books that
Pandavas went to Heaven through this mountain. There is also a ravishing temple dedicated to Duryodhana, the Kaurava prince.

This trek offers exceedingly beautiful views of the mountains. This is the only valley from where you can see **Swargarohini – I, II, III, Bandarpoonch and Blackpeak**, all together. You can also see the **Ruinsara **peaks from here. The Har ki Dun trail takes you back to primeval period with ancient villages that are more then **3000 years** old. You trek along the **Supin river** to reach Har Ki Dun valley. This trek offers stunning views of the mountains and is rich in flora and fauna. The best season to cover this trek is from May to October.
Base camp of this trek is
Sankri which is
240kms away from
Haridwar. From Sankri the trek starts to
Taluka which is at a distance of
12kms. Further from Taluka it is a 12 km trek to
Osla. Finally it is a 11km trek from Osla to Har Ki Dun which is at 3566mtrs above sea level. If you are a nature lover then you should put your trekking shoes on and head this way because it will be a lifetime experience for you.
Trek Essentials: 1.Carry
camping equipment and gear.
2.Carry enough
water and
canned food.
3.Carry few doses of
Diamox to avoid mountain sickness.
8.
Deoriatal Trek: Everyone needs a little detour from their regular monotonous life at least once. We didn't want your life to become more so we found out a perfect destination for you
Deoriatal.
Deoriatal is a delightful trek. The
forest trails and the
summit climb are unrivaled. When you come here, you will feel a sense of calmness and peace in it's unparalleled beauty. Deoriatal is no less than a fairy tale when all the major
summits of
Western and
Eastern Uttarakhand pop into view during the trek. Trek of Deoriatal is one of the most convenient trek of India from where you can see all the big summits so close.

And the charm of Deoriatal just doesn't end here. The trekkers who have witnessed it's beauty by themselves often gabble about its majestic
campsite locations. On the top of which, there is Deoriatal lake which enhances the appeal of this trek even more. One of the campsite is just beside the radiant oval lake under the sky full of luminous stars. The next two campsites are exquisite in their own right –
Rohini Bugyal a meadow inside a forest and
Burjgali with its mountains popping right over your head. Moreover, this trek has the best
forest trail then any of the other winter treks mentioned above. There are sections with thick wooded trees, there are moss-covered trails through enveloping tunnels and there are trails that weave through clearings in the jungles. And there is more in this for animal lovers. There are thousands of
birds here which are not found on any other trek in this country. So if you're a bird lover and still waiting to click that one foremost photograph then it's time that you pick up your camera, tie your laces and run towards Deoriatal.
Base camp of Deoriatal trek is
Sari which is a
7hrs drive from
Haridwar(Nearest major railway station). From Sari it is a
3km trek to Deoratal. From Deoriatal it is a
8km trek to
Rohini Bugyal which is one of the campsite locations for this trek. From Rohini Bugyal it is a
7km trek to
Chopta. From where you can further trek to Tungnath (3680m) and Chandrashilla Top (4130m).
Trek Essentials: 1.Carry your
camping equipment.
2.Carry enough
water and
canned food.
3.Carry a
trekking pole if you plan on going to Chandrashilla Top in winters as it is completely covered in snow.