Best treks for Summer in India
Planning a trek in Summer? These 29 trails across Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh are at their best in summer, think clear skies, the right snow conditions and open meadows. Each trek below includes difficulty, altitude, base camp and how to reach.
Roopkund (Mystery Lake)
A glacial lake full of ancient human skeletons, reached across the vast Ali & Bedni Bugyal meadows.
Har Ki Dun (Valley of Gods)
A cradle-shaped valley steeped in Mahabharata legend, ringed by Swargarohini and ancient Garhwali villages.
Gaumukh Tapovan
A pilgrimage-trek to the snout of the Gangotri glacier, the source of the Ganga, and the meadows of Tapovan below Shivling.
Pindari Glacier
A classic Kumaon glacier trek through terraced villages and forests to "Zero Point" at the glacier snout.
Bali Pass
A demanding high pass linking Har Ki Dun to Yamunotri, crossing between two sacred valleys.
Ali & Bedni Bugyal
Twin high meadows, among the largest in Asia, with a postcard reflection lake and Trishul towering above.
Kedartal
A steep, rugged trail to an emerald glacial lake sitting beneath the fearsome Thalay Sagar peak.
Milam Glacier
A long, historic trade-route trek up the Gori Ganga gorge to a giant glacier past abandoned villages.
Panchachuli Base Camp
A remote Kumaon trek to the foot of the five-peaked Panchachuli massif above Munsiyari.
Hampta Pass
A dramatic crossover trek from the green Kullu valley to the stark desert of Lahaul, often paired with Chandratal lake.
Beas Kund
A short trek to the glacial source of the Beas river, ringed by Friendship Peak, Hanuman Tibba and Shitidhar.
Bhrigu Lake
A high oval lake said to never fully freeze, reached quickly across gorgeous meadows above Manali.
Triund
The iconic overnight ridge above McLeod Ganj with the Dhauladhar wall on one side and the Kangra valley on the other.
Kheerganga
A lush Parvati Valley trek ending at a natural hot-water spring with a mountain view, legendary among backpackers.
Pin Parvati Pass
A serious expedition crossing from green Parvati valley into the cold desert of Pin (Spiti) over a glaciated 17,000 ft pass.
Sar Pass
A popular Parvati-valley trek famous for its exhilarating snow slide-down from the pass.
Indrahar Pass
A tough pass over the Dhauladhar range above Triund, with immense views of the Pir Panjal and Chamba valley.
Buran Ghati
A thrilling crossover with a near-vertical snow-wall descent (rope rappel) from the pass into the Pabbar valley.
Pin Bhaba Pass
A stunning green-to-brown crossover from the lush Bhabha valley of Kinnaur into the moonscape of Pin, Spiti.
Friendship Peak
An entry-level mountaineering peak above Solang requiring rope, ice axe and crampons for the final summit.
Churdhar Peak
The highest peak in the outer Himalayas of Himachal, with a Shirgul temple summit and sweeping plains-to-peaks views.
Kashmir Great Lakes
Widely called India's most beautiful trek, a string of turquoise alpine lakes across endless flower meadows.
Tarsar Marsar
Twin almond-shaped lakes separated by a ridge, set amid some of Kashmir's dreamiest meadows.
Markha Valley
Ladakh's classic "tea-house" trek through villages, monasteries and high passes with Kang Yatse towering above.
Stok Kangri
One of the highest trekkable summits in India at over 20,000 ft (note: access is periodically restricted for conservation).
Nafran Valley (Sinthan)
A little-known, wildly green valley trek behind Pahalgam, a quieter cousin of the Great Lakes.
Kolahoi Glacier
A trek to the glacier below the "Goddess of Light" Kolahoi peak, the highest in the Kashmir valley.
Dzükou Valley
The "Valley of Flowers of the Northeast", surreal emerald rolling hills carpeted with the rare Dzükou lily in summer.
Sandhan Valley
The "Valley of Shadows", a deep, narrow 200 ft canyon requiring rappels and swims through cold pools.