The joy of walking through mountain paths holds a unique attraction and charm that almost takes the form of mountain addiction in seasoned trekkers. While it is great for the mind and body, trekking may seem like a daunting venture for first-timers. Especially for those who have never ventured into the inner Himalayas before.

To be honest, choosing the right one from the numerous options is not an easy task. The good news is, that there are plenty of trekking options in the Indian Himalayas, that are great for first-time trekkers and even for families. If you can’t arrange for a trek with friends or your loved ones, there are plenty of Himalayan trekking packages offered by trekking agencies.

Keep in mind that for trekking or hiking the Himalayas, you need to be fit, healthy, and willing to accept a few hardships. With all those boxes ticked, these 11 Himalayan trek trails are great options to start a trekking journey.

In this list of suggestions, I have added the top 11 treks for beginners in India, picking from the states of Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Kashmir. In fact, these are the three main regions that are mountain trekking hotspots in the country. While there are a few great treks in the Sikkim Himalayas, they are not the best option for beginners.

Without further ado, let’s go through the list.

1. Har Ki Dun

If there is one trek in Uttarakhand that is best for beginners, it is the Har Ki Dun trek. While the trail is easier, the views are fantastic with scenic villages and the fast-flowing Supin River.

Starting from Sankri, you can drive to Taluka and start the walk from there. The trek can be done in 4-5 days and the gradient is never discomforting. Since the valley is around 3500 meters the chances of altitude-related issues are also on the lower side.

A day of walking from Taluka takes you through the villages of Datmir and Gangar and brings you to the lovely camping spot of Seema. You can also cross the river to camp in the lovely village of Osla. 

The trail rises from Seema and you can view the Ruinsara Gad meeting the Supin. By adding another two days to your itinerary, you can also visit the Ruinsara Valley and Ruinsara Tal. This route is mostly popular among trekkers heading for Bali Pass.

Bordered by forests and towering cliffs, Har Ki Dun is a majestic valley and has a GMVN trekking hut. And if you are covering this trail in spring, the occasional snowfall can transform the valley into a truly magical place.

2. Dayara Bugiyal

Dayara Bugiyal is another easy-grade trek that can be done from Uttarakhand- starting from one of the villages around Uttarkashi. The easy trek can be approached from multiple villages like Barsu, Raithal, or Natin. You can pick a route depending on the number of days you have. However, this is one of the best treks if you have a limited number of days. From Barsu, it can be done in just 3 days.

The shortest trail from Barsu is around 7-8 kilometers and the entire trek can be completed in 3 days. The trek can be done all year round, even though the rainy seasons in the mountains can be challenging. However, Dayara meadows offer excellent views all through the year and in winter, this becomes an excellent snow trek for first-timers.

It is worth spending two days in Dayara and exploring the vast grasslands. I’d also suggest that you include a trip to the Siyari meadows along with Dayara. The walk through the meadows while enjoying the view of the peaks like the Draupadi Ka Danda, Shrikhand Mahadev, the Gangotri ranges, and Mt Jaonli, is delightful

Admittedly, Dayara is one of the easiest Himalayan treks for beginners and great for families with kids. If you are looking for a quick, adventurous getaway in the mountains that involves some adventure, this is a good option.

3. Kuari Pass

This is one of the popular trek routes in the Garhwal Himalayas, also known as the Curzon trail, after the British viceroy George Nathaniel Curzon. The trek is 4-day long and begins from Joshimath. Most trekkers start from Pipalkoti or the village of Dhak and end the trek in Auli.

The trail rises gently through meadows and forests and reaches the Khuklara meadows. The next day, you visit the top of the pass at 3600 meters and head back to Tali Lake. The views of Mount Nanda Devi and the other high Himalayan peaks like Kamet, Trishul, and Chaukhamba from the entire zone are fabulous.

If you ask me, Kuari Pass is one of the easiest mountain passes in Garhwal that newbie trekkers can visit. The gradient of the entire trail is moderate and it never gets too difficult. In fact, a few adventurous souls attempt this trek during winter months too.

4. MadhyaMaheswar Temple Trek

If you want to combine a pilgrimage with a trek, the journey to Madhyamaheshwar temple is definitely worth doing. This is a 3-day trek and is one of the best treks for beginners in the Garhwal Himalayas. There are guest houses available along the route where you can get accommodation, so carrying a tent is not necessary.

The trail starts from Ransi village in Rudraprayag district and is well-defined throughout. You pass through forests with the Madhu Ganga River flowing on the right. After around 7 kilometers of easy trail, you reach the lower Bantoli village and spend the night there.

The next day’s trail is steep as you need to cover almost 5,000 feet of vertical distance to reach the Madhyamaheshwar temple. But the route is through the Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary and offers some splendid views. The final climb through forests will take you to the front of the temple clearing surrounded by high peaks. From here, there are trek routes to Panpatia Glacier and the high-altitude lake of Nandikund. 

But the best is yet to come. Rise up early the next morning to climb up the steep ridge in front of the temple to catch the sunrise from the small meadow of Budha Madhmaheshwar. The views of Mount Chaukhamba and Mandani from here are some of the best in the entire Garhwal belt. Move down and return to Ransi on the same day.

5. Deoria Tal to Chandrashila

The Deoria Tal to Chandrashila trek has everything that defines a classic Himalayan trek for beginners. A lake surrounded by dense rhododendron forests that reflect snowy peaks, great mountain views, lovely meadows, and a high peak that offers superb views.

The trek starts from Sari village in Rudraprayag district of the Garhwal Himalayas. On the first day, you walk up to Deoria Tal and camp beside the lake. Next morning, you can get fantastic views of the Chaukhamba Peak from the lakeside, especially during sunrise. The trail then passes over a ridge through forests that turn red with rhododendron flowers in the period between mid-March and mid-April.

The next day’s camp is on the small but beautiful Rohini Bugiyal. The next stage of the journey will take you to Chopta and on the pilgrim trail to the highest Shiva temple in the world, Tunganath- one of the Panch Kedar temples. The Chandrshila Peak is a steep climb of 40 minutes above Tunganath and offers a 360-degree grand view of the Himalayas. You can spend the night in Tunganath, or come down the same day to Chopta.

Other than that, this is also a great Himalayan trek for bird watching and stargazing. For first-time trekkers, this is one of the easiest treks in the Himalayas especially in the spring and autumn months.

6. Ali and Bedini Bugiyal

While the route to the mysterious Roopkund Lake and beyond is for seasoned trekkers, there is no reason for beginner trekkers to not enjoy the breathtaking beauty of the twin bugiyals of Ali and Bedini. Also, Bedini Bugiyal is a great camping spot with lovely views of the peaks of Trishul and Nandaghunti

You can reach Lohajung from Dehradun or Kathgodam and start the trek to Ghairoli Patal. The route is steep in sections but you pass through ancient forests and end the day with a fantastic view of Mount Trishul. 

The next day, get ready for a relatively easy walk to cross Ali Bugiyal and step into Bedini Bugiyal. For first-time visitors to a Himalayan meadow, the experience of walking over the seemingly endless green surface is truly special. You can come back the next day, or spend a leisurely day on Bedini. There are plenty of ridges to climb and paths to explore to get a better view of Trishul.

All in all, this is a great mountain trek for beginners in the right season. For the best weather conditions, choose the periods of early June or late October for this trek. The months of July and August are great for observing the pristine green beauty of the bugiyals, but rain will play spoilsport and the roads may get blocked.

7. Chanderkhani Pass Trek

The Chanderkhani Pass Trek is a delightful 4-day trek that covers approximately 25 kilometers of breathtaking terrain. While it is not a super-easy choice, it has the right amount of challenge to make the journey more exciting. Overall, it is one of the top Himalayan treks in Himachal Pradesh, and more of a beginner-intermediate trek.

The journey commences in the small village of Rumsu near Naggar, and there are a few tiring ascents on the first day. You cross hamlets and move through lush pine forests with plenty of glistening streams meandering along.

As you ascend, the scenery transforms into a kaleidoscope of colors, depending on the season. Vast meadows adorned with vibrant alpine flowers carpet the hillsides, providing a stunning contrast against the snow-capped peaks in the distance. 

The unique feature of the pass is one moves towards it over the ridgeline. So, you will not be huffing and puffing as one has to do while climbing to most passes. And on a clear day, the views on both sides are great. Not many treks offer such grand views of Dhauladhar ranges on one side and Pir Panjal ranges on the other.

Standing at around 3700 meters above sea level, the Chanderkhani Pass unveils a panoramic spectacle that feels like touching the sky itself. From the pass, the path down to the mystical village of Malana is steep and needs some careful stepping. You will find the path lined with colourful flowers during the months of July and August.

However, the period during the rainy season can make the trek uncertain due to floods and landslides. So, considering the present weather pattern, summer and autumn are the best periods for this trek.

8. Prashar Lake Trek

If you are looking for a short Himalayan family trek, then Prashar Lake in the Kullu Valley is definitely a good option. In fact, this is one of the easiest treks in Himachal Pradesh for children and not-so-fit individuals.

The trail is easy but extremely beautiful. Most importantly, you can complete the trek in just 2 days, starting from Mandi. And since the altitude is on the lower side, there are no concerns about AMS.

On the first day, you can drive to Kantlu village from Mandi. Prashar Lake is around 6 kilometers from Kantlu. Note, there is also a road that goes to the lake vis Baggi village. So, you can also drive to Baggi and start the trek from there.

The trek route is more adventurous as you move through forests and have to cross a few streams. In late winter and early spring, you can also enjoy snow on the trail. On one side of the lake is a beautiful temple dedicated to Sage Prashar

You can stay in tents near the lake or book a room in the forest rest house near the lake. The next morning, rise early and climb to the ridge above the lake to enjoy a glorious sunrise over the Dhauladhar range. Overall, this is one of the shortest and easiest Himalayan treks in India?

9. Bhrigu Lake Trek 

Nestled between mountains at an altitude of 4,267 meters, Bhrigu Lake is not among the biggest Himalayan lakes. But when you consider the beautiful grasslands and the magnificent views of the Pir Panjal and Dhauladhar ranges, the trek becomes special. And since you will be climbing above 4,000 meters you will taste the thrill of a high-altitude trek.

The starting point of this 4-day trek is Manali. From there you drive to Gulaba and walk to Jonker Thatch. The next day’s trail is steeper, but you will pass through lovely meadows to reach the campsite of Rola Kholi. This will be your camping spot for two nights.

The next day, you climb up across ridges to Bhrigu Lake. As you rise higher, the path gets adventurous with boulder zones and scree slopes. The lake can change its colour from deep blue to olive green depending on the weather. In late summer, you may find the grasslands around the lake covered with tiny flowers.

Enjoy the views from the lake and come back to Rola Kholi. On the 4th day, you head down and reach Manali. Even though this trek is great for beginners, you need to be fit before going for it. And if you haven’t been to high altitudes before, make sure to acclimatize well before the trek.

10. Tarsar Marsar Trek

While not the ideal trek for absolute beginners, the trek to the lakes of Tarsar, Marsar, and Sundersar is definitely one of the prettiest in Kashmir. And to be honest, it’s not difficult either. There are plenty of accounts of the trek that you will find online, but here are a few facts that make the Tarsar Marsar trek so special.

No other trek in any other Himalayan statutes will offer such a beautiful combination of meadows and three Alpine Lakes. All the blue lakes with fascinating settings in Uttarakhand or Sikkim are high-altitude treks that are much tougher. Compared to those, this trek offers a much higher reward-to-effort ratio. The highest altitude you gain is around 3900 meters which is doable for first-timers.

The trek starts from Aru Valley, which is a common destination for tourists visiting Pahalgam in Kashmir. And beyond those lakes, you pass through the beautiful grasslands of Lidderwat and Shekwas. Last but not least, you get a grand view of the Kolohoi Peak at Tarsar.

The trail is mostly easy and gets moderate on the 4th day of the trek when you have to climb to the top of the Sonamous Pass from Tarsar Lake. That said, this is a 7-day long trek that requires you to be fit enough to walk for long periods. So, make sure to work on your fitness and pack carefully before you plan for this one.

11. Danizab Meadow Trek

While not many visitors stay for multiple days in Yusmarg, it is a fantastic starting point for some easy but beautiful treks leading to the heart of Kashmir.  Most of the trek starts by crossing the Dudhganga and entering the dense forests along its banks.

After about 5 kilometers of walking through a mostly flat trail made by the forest department, one reaches the lovely meadows of Dragdolan. This is a beautiful clearing in the forests with the river flowing through it. There are a few shepherds who camp in these meadows.

After camping on the upper half of Dragdolan, you start for Danizab the next day. From the upper belts of Dragdolan, you are in meadow land and enter the Bargah valley. The trail is mostly easy with some steep ascents towards the end. 

Danizab is a vast meadow with snow-capped peaks of the Pir Panjal ranges rising at one end. These include Mount Kolahoi, Mount Harmukh, And White Needle. On the other side, you will get a view of the plains of Kashmir including Srinagar.

In June and July, the meadows will remain covered with numerous flowers. You can walk to the Chienmarg waterfall to enjoy a bird’s eye view of the entire meadow. Enjoy the meadows for the rest of the day and spend the night under the stars. To add some more adventure, you may add an extra day and head to the Trusar lakes from Danizab.

The next day, you will return to Yusmarg by following the same trail moving through the grasslands. Overall, a great trek to explore some of the least visited and scenic areas of Kashmir Valley.

Final Thoughts

That brings us to the end of the beginner’s trek list.

These are the 11 best Himalayan treks for beginners that you can choose from. A good way to start a Himalayan trek is to join a Himalayan trekking package from a reputed client. Even if you plan to go solo or with a few close friends there are a few options that you can choose from.

Obviously, you shouldn’t choose a high-altitude Himalayan base camp trek to start with. If you want to trek the Himalayas safely, it’s best to start with easier treks, see how you perform, and then plan for more difficult routes. And don’t forget to work on your fitness and pick the right gear before you start.

Time for you to plan and get going.

By Suvajit Banerjee

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