In April 2022, we introduced Adventure Therapy treks at Indiahikes. The response, even to our very first group, was unexpectedly overwhelming. 

“Within three days, over 178 people applied to participate. I was truly surprised,” Izzat Yaganagi, Head of Experiential Learning at Indiahikes says. “Even though we could select a maximum of 18 participants, it was heartening to see that the growing openness towards therapy,” she adds. 

We had a few more Adventure Therapy groups after that, again with the same impact. 

So after several extremely successful groups, we are very excited to announce our next Adventure Therapy trek groups.

When: March 6th to 11th, 2024
Where: Kedarkantha Trek
Available Slots: 12
Trek Fee: 13,725 + 5% GST

When: June 10th to 15th, 2024
Where: Dayara Bugyal Trek
Available Slots: 12
Trek Fee: 12,845 + 5% GST

When: September 16th to 21st, 2024
Where: Dayara Bugyal Trek
Available Slots: 12
Trek Fee: 12,845 + 5% GST

When: November 11th to 16th, 2024
Where: Dayara Bugyal Trek
Available Slots: 12
Trek Fee: 12,845 + 5% GST

Click here to register for the Adventure Therapy trek -- https://indiahikes.com/registration?batchId=10026

To give you context, he's a story narrated by Izzat Yaganagi, the head of Experiential Learning at Indiahikes. It is a story that dates back to 2011, when Izzat was on her first Himalayan trek. The story gains more significance if you know Izzat’s background. She is a psychological counsellor, who has worked extensively with couples, youth, and families.

“It was September 2011,” begins Izzat. “I was going through a difficult phase in my life. I was at a crossroads with everything — my personal life, my professional life. I felt low. I wanted to get away from everything.” 

“That’s when, on the recommendation of a colleague, I signed up for a Himalayan trek with Indiahikes. Not to cure myself, but just to get away from everything for a while. Little did I know that the trek would change everything about my life,” she reflects. 

“I remember this one moment I was sitting by Gadsar Lake, watching the blue waters lapping the shore. Small rivulets trickled down the mountainsides, feeding the lake. On my right, I could see the Gadsar Valley stretching into the horizon. 

“It was at this point that somehow, my mind hit a reset button. I felt all my problems disappearing away. I felt light and relieved, like no problem was too big. For the first time in the past few months, I could feel a sense of lightness in my heart,” recollects Izzat. 

Later that night, when Izzat was reflecting on the trek, she realised that what she had gone through was very different. The trek had a big role to play in it. “The trek had helped me get out of a troublesome environment into a space where I could see my own problems from a bird’s eye view. In the city, I was constantly rushing from one day to the next, never able to give myself the mental space required to heal. I felt trapped in a bubble of my own thoughts.” 

“But on the trek, I had the luxury of time and space to open up. I was never in a rush. I had no other responsibilities. I felt calm. I could see things more objectively. The feeling of being overwhelmed all the time withered away and my problems seemed manageable.” 

“This is what most therapists do in the process of working with their clients. But the trek was naturally lending itself to such a profound outcome – in such a short duration,” she says.  

“After returning I strongly felt  ‘why not bring my clients here. It would have such a deep impact on their state of mind. It could do what months of therapy could not,” recalls Izzat. 

It was back then that Izzat decided to join Indiahikes with the intention of using trekking as a medium to help those struggling with personal issues. 

In these 11 years, Izzat Yaganagi among other things, set up the Experiential Learning Division at Indiahikes. Today, we work with innumerable professional institutions and schools to bring these learnings from the outdoors into our daily lives. The impact of these programs has been enormous. 

Adventure Therapy is not a new concept. It is something that has existed in many forms for over a century. 

In his paper on outdoor therapy, Stephan Natynczuk, one of the foremost adventure therapists, writes on different ways of adventure therapy — “Some rely on nature as a co-therapist; others on experiential learning. Some utilise talking therapy and others successfully blend each of these with an adventurous journey.” 

"We've noticed that even on our regular treks, trekkers go through a near-therapeutic experience. It is where nature creates its own impact without human intervention. But not everyone realises this impact, especially if they're in a troubled state of mind,” explains Izzat. “Many times, it needs facilitation by someone who can nudge them to enhance what the trek is already doing," she adds. 

This is what we will be doing in our adventure therapy treks.

Read the popular travel guide book Lonely Planet's story on How India is Embracing Adventure Therapy Treks 

A trek, on its own, has the power to impact your mind, body and spirit. But not everyone realises this impact. This is where a trained professional comes in, to nudge you to enhance what the trek is already doing. Picture by Faizan Shaikh

This is not going to be like our regular treks. It is specially designed and facilitated by therapists or coaches who are trained to facilitate a specialized program like this. 

The Adventure Therapy treks were initiated, and led by Ms Izzat Yaganagi, who is a Psychological Counselor with a practice of over 15 years. She heads the Experiential Learning division at Indiahikes.  

We also have Mr Vivek Saxena on our team that facilitates Adventure Therapy treks. He is an Executive Coach and Counsellor with his own practice of over 15 years.

While the trek is going to work on its own, our therapists will be playing a big role through one-on-one sessions, and group sessions. Talking therapy and experiential learning will be a key features in the adventure therapy trek.

These treks are meant for those going through some difficulty in their lives. If you’re feeling low, underconfident, or finding it hard to overcome difficulties, this trek is meant for you. If you’re overcoming the loss of someone, or are unable to focus on your professional life, this trek will work wonderfully for you.

When and where are the Adventure Therapy treks going to be held? 

The treks are going to be held on the beautiful Kedarkantha and  Dayara Bugyal Treks. The base camps, the campsites, the meadows, and mountain views, all lend themselves to a great setting for therapy. 

The Dayara Bugyal trek lends itself beautifully to a setting where adventure therapy can be conducted.

When: March 6th to 11th, 2024
Where: Kedarkantha Trek
Available Slots: 
Trek Fee: 13,725 + 5% GST 

This is what the itinerary will look like:

Day 1: Reach the Grand Legacy Hotel, Dehradun on your own. Reporting Time: 6.30 am | Drive from Dehradun to Kotgaon | Basecamp: Kotgaon. Briefing and orientation about the Adventure Therapy Trek by Mr. Vivek Saxena

Day 4: Trek from Bhoja Dhadi to Khujaai via Kedarkantha summit

Day 6: Drive back from Kotgaon to Dehradun

The adventure therapy trek fee for the group is priced Rs 3,000 higher than our regular groups:  ₹13,725 + 5% GST (base camp to base camp). 

You’ll find more details about the Kedarkantha Trek on this page.

Where: Dayara Bugyal Trek
Available Slots: 12
Trek Fee: 12,850 + 5% GST

Day 1: Reach the Indiahikes Community Campus at Raithal, Uttarkashi on your own. Reporting Time: 4 pm | Location: Raithal. Briefing and orientation about the Adventure Therapy Trek by Mr. Vivek Saxena

Day 4: Trek from Chilapada to Nayata via Dayara Top

The adventure therapy trek fee for the group is priced Rs 3,000 higher than our regular groups:  ₹12,845 + 5% GST (base camp to base camp). 

You’ll find more details about the Dayara Bugyal Trek on this page.

If you’d like to be a part of our Adventure Therapy trek, follow this link to register - https://indiahikes.com/registration?batchId=10026

We will keep the group small, with around 12 members. The slots will be confirmed on a first-come-first-served basis. 

We all know how beneficial a trek can be for the mind, body and spirit. Terms like nature therapy and forest healing have firmly embedded themselves in conversations of therapists. Medics in countries like Canada, UK and New Zealand are suggesting nature prescriptions and green prescriptions as healers. At Indiahikes too, we not only believe in it, but have seen the healing powers ourselves. We hope these Adventure Therapy treks spread the healing power to those who need it too. 

Adventure Therapy Treks - Outdoor Counselling - Indiahikes

Adventure Therapy Dates Announced for 2024

Going on a trek isn’t as big an investment as buying a car or a home. However, it is a highly adventurous activity and by nature involves a certain amount of risk.

There are chances of avalanches, floods, or landslides occurring in the mountains due to unpredictable weather. From fractures and sprains to higher forms of AMS, injuries and illnesses are thus highly probable for trekkers.

Here’s where trek insurance comes into play.

Having trek insurance is an essential part of your pre-trek planning. At Indiahikes, we have always strived to make treks safer for our trekkers. We used to offer trek insurance as an option over the past years. We have now made it mandatory for all our treks.

Though you may have your own life insurance and/or a medical insurance policy, chances are these policies do not cover any risks incurred while participating in adventurous activities like trekking. Read the fine print and you’ll know what we’re talking about.

In this article, we explain why trek insurance is important and what our insurance policy covers.

Trekking by nature is a high-risk activity. You are at a high altitude (above 8,000 ft), the weather is unpredictable and at most times the terrain is difficult too. Illnesses, accidents, and injuries aren’t uncommon in the mountains. Most of these can be sourced for a couple of reasons.

Firstly, most of our treks are at high altitudes.

In most of your treks with Indiahikes, you’ll be reaching heights of 11,000 ft or higher. The chances of getting hit by AMS are very real.

When we see a trekker consistently display symptoms of AMS, the first thing we do is make him or her descend. In most cases, quick descent coupled with a course of Diamox treatment does the job.

But in some severe cases, the AMS progresses to the more dangerous HAPE or HACE. These require immediate evacuation and medical attention.

The more remote the trek, the more serious the condition. And higher costs of rescue and medical assistance.

To give you an example, we had a trekker on our Goechala trek get hit by HAPE on the Goechala trek. This was at Lamuney campsite (13,743 ft). Out Trek Leader immediately brought her down to base camp, hired a car, and transported her to the nearest hospital. The total charges for treatment, evacuation, and stay amounted to approximately Rs. 11,000.

Even though we emphasise on safety, accidents are inevitable in the Himalayas. Unpredictable weather conditions and the nature of the terrain can cause unexpected injuries.

In our experience, these are the possible injuries:

Ligament tears while climbing steep terrains if your muscles are not warmed up

Injuries during playing games at the campsite

Accidents like these always require immediate evacuation and urgent medical expertise.

At Indiahikes, we’ve always put in processes and measures to increase the safety standards on every single trek of ours. All our Trek Leaders are Wilderness First Responder (NOLS) certified. They are equipped with a High Altitude Medication Kit, oxygen cylinders, and two-way radios for constant communication with the base. We have made microspikes mandatory on all our snow treks. And so much more.

In spite of that, the nature of trekking is such that you never know when a mishap could occur.

And in these cases, owing to the remoteness of the region, expenses may shoot up exponentially.

Here’s when the mandatory trek insurance comes to your rescue. It takes care of these emergency expenses which can burn a hole in your pocket.

And since it’s a matter of money, we don’t want to leave things to the fine print.

We’ll explain more about our trek insurance policy.

Our trek insurance policy covers health and medical expenses arising out of illnesses and injuries when you are on the trek. It is a group health insurance and costs Rs. 30 per day. Depending on the number of days your trek is the total insurance cost may differ.

For example: If you are booking a 6 days trek, you will be paying Rs. 180.

The insurer we have tied up with is ASC 360, India's leading insurance company in the field of outdoor and adventure sports.

The insurance is valid from the time we pick you up for the trek, till we drop you off. So for instance, if you’re going on a trek like Phulara Ridge, the actual trek begins on Day 1 when you start from Dehradun and ends on Day 6 when you come back to Dehradun.

Once you register and make a payment for the trek you’ll be issued a policy document. The document will contain details about what expenses will be covered. Also included with be the contact details for rescue and claims processing and reimbursement.

Our trek insurance is for a total sum of Rs. 3,25,000. Below are all the expenses it covers:

1. Hospitalisation Expenses for Injuries - INR 1,00,000

2. Medical Evacuation (Air or Road) - INR 1,00,000

3. Personal Accident (Death & Disability) - INR 1,00,000

4. Repatriation of Remains Extension - INR 25,000

In case of a severe illness or injury, the trekker will be evacuated to the nearest exit point from where transport shall be arranged to the nearest hospital.

Here are a few cases, out of many, in which insurance will not be covered under the policy.

1. Suicide, attempt to Suicide or intentionally self-inflicted injury, sexually transmitted conditions, mental disorder, anxiety, stress, or depression.

2. ﻿﻿﻿Being under influence of drugs, alcohol, or other intoxication or hallucinogens

3.﻿﻿﻿ Participation in actual or attempted felony, riot, civil commotion, crime misdemeanor

4.﻿﻿﻿ Committing any breach of law of land with criminal intent.﻿﻿﻿

5. Death or disablement resulting from Pregnancy or childbirth

﻿﻿﻿6. Professional sports team in respect of specific benefit for inability to perform﻿﻿﻿

7. Participation in any kind of motor speed contest.

8. While engaged in aviation, or whilst mounting or dismounting from or traveling in any aircraft. (Not applicable for fare Paying Passengers)

9. Underground mining & contractor specializing in tunneling

10. Radioactivity, Nuclear risks, ionizing radiation

11. Indemnity It is hereby stated that due to any circumstances such as delay in evacuation, delay in hospital admission, delay in attending by the doctors, etc any loss of life, limb, property, or any other loss accrues then under such circumstances ASC 360 shall not be held liable for the losses suffered. It is further stated that for any loss, damage, mishappening, or any other foreseeable and unforeseeable circumstances that arrive in such conditions ASC 360 shall not be held liable. It is reiterated that ASC 360 liabilities are limited to the terms as mentioned hereinabove and subject to the terms of the Policy.

12. The Policy is valid exclusively for the clients of Indiahikes only

13. This policy is only valid for Indian nationals or expats working in India

14. No Pre-existing diseases shall be covered under the policy whether declared or not declared

15. No related cancellations/ rescheduling/ delays are covered under this policy

16. Pre-approvals are a must for Medical evacuation.

17. Age Limit — minimum 1 year and maximum 70 years

18. Limitation of the Liability: It is understood that ASC360 is acting as an insurance intermediary and shall not be liable for any claims.

19. Anything apart from the points mentioned in 'what our trek insurance covers section.'

If you want to make a claim, follow these steps:

Make sure you consult a doctor and get a medical report on the same day of evacuation or the incident that you are claiming the insurance for.
(Note: Without the doctor consultation, your claim will not be approved)

Meanwhile, ASC 360 team will send you an email as soon as they receive the report. Make sure you reply to the email with the medical report and all the medical bills. 

Once all the documents are verified, the claim should be approved in no time.

So there you go! Hopefully, you will have a safe trek and won’t have to use trek insurance at all.

P.S. in case the ASC 360 team, is not able to help you immediately, get in touch with your Experience Coordinator. Your Experience Coordinator will help in making this process faster. You may communicate your situation to your Trek Leader as well, who will in turn communicate this to your Experience Coordinator.

Making insurance mandatory is just one more way in which we’re making your treks safer. And we always believe it’s better to be safe than sorry.

Have any questions? Do drop in your thoughts in the comments.

Trekking in the Himalayas comes with its own risks. To ensure your own safety, Indiahikes has made Trek Insurance mandatory. Read on to know why.

Why Trek Insurance Is Mandatory On Our Treks And What It Covers

When we had just explored and opened the Chhattisgarh Jungle Trek in 2019, we were all very excited for our trekkers to experience the unexplored jungles of Chhattisgarh.

At the same time, we were curious to know how trekkers would take to a non-Himalayan trek. 

I remember having conversations with trekkers who were about to go on this trek. 

“What kind of wildlife will be there in the jungle?”

“Will it be at par with a Himalayan trek in terms of an experience?”

With so many questions from trekkers, we waited with bated breath to see how they would react after the trek. 

Once the trek was over, though, we saw that trekkers were bowled over by what they saw. Almost everyone came back with the same one liner — “It was as if ‘The Jungle Book’ had come alive!”

Ever since, trekkers have come back telling us they love the trek. We have always been curious about exactly what they loved about the trek. Which is why we caught up with them to ask about their experience. 

Here are five things that trekkers absolutely love about the Chhattisgarh Jungle Trek.

“You get to trek in the wilderness in many places in India, be it the Sahyadris or the Himalayas. But camping inside a jungle for the whole duration of the trek at different locations, being at such close proximity to wildlife, is something I was amazed to experience,” says Abhay Pingle, who has done quite a few treks like Roopkund and Rupin Pass.

Just like Abhay, most of the trekkers choose to do this trek because of the real-life camping experience inside the dense forests of Guru Ghasidas National Park.

“I have been to Jim Corbett and Ranthambore in search of the thrill of jungle life. However staying in the lodges, far away (even beyond the safe distance) brings some sort of disconnect to the whole experience. I think my quench for the jungle thrill got fulfilled after doing this trek in Chhattisgarh. It gave me a complete insight as to how it feels living in the jungle for 4 days,” says Souvik Sinha, who went on the trek late in mid-October.

“I’m from Raipur in Chhattisgarh itself. But this was my first time trekking, and it was wonderful and rejuvenating to see this part of the jungle. Also, seeing people from other states appreciating Chhattisgarh was amazing,” says Yash, who was part of the team in January 2022.

There’s one thing that stood out the most for the trekkers. Spending time searching for animal footprints.

“They were always on their toes (quite literally) to look for signs of wildlife. I was amazed to know that they had so many stories about their experience with wildlife!” shares our Trek Leader, Kiranjit Pathak, who led most of the teams in Chhattisgarh.

“Apart from exploring the wilderness and camping in the wild, the trek has much more to look for. Trekkers get the opportunity to build campfires using ancient methods, climb trees, swim in lakes and rivers and even track wild animals by following paw prints.

There are plenty of leopard, monkey, bear and langoor tracks. I remember exploring the caves to find a bear family’s home. That was just an icing on the cake,” says Lakshay Bansal, a first-time trekker with Indiahikes.

“Many people think that trekking in a jungle means you will see animals casually passing by the trails or that you will get to spot wildlife at an eye distance. However, that is not the case and one should not be so naive to expect that. Finding footprints or signs of animals at the places where we were walking, then trying to figure out from where they might have come from and where they would have gone to was so much more exciting yet safe at the same time. One doesn’t want to have fun at the cost of the wildlife or their own life,” says Souvik Sinha, Indiahikes Trekker.

The overall experience becomes much more exciting after finding such fresh animal footprints! Picture by Kiranjit Pathak.

Pawprints on the trail spotted by trekkers in October. Picture by Kiranjit Pathak.

3. A unique river-walk and riverside camping experience

You have river crossings on most treks, especially in the Himalayas. However, most of the Himalayan rivers are bone-chillingly cold. You would want to get out of the water as soon as you step in. But here, on the Chhattisgarh Jungle Trek, you have one of the most pleasurable river walks, and you have it for a whole day! It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience for anyone. 

“Day 4 is the riverwalk on the Gopat river. When I first saw the river. I thought ‘this is like a beach!’ There’s not a single pebble on the river bed. It’s smooth and sandy. The river is shallow, with water flowing just above your ankles. You don’t cross this river, or walk beside it. You walk inside it throughout the day,” says Nitesh Kumar, Senior Trek Leader who explored the latest route we take to Chhattisgarh.

“The blazing sun is above you, but your feet are in cool waters. You’re in the middle of a jungle, with no one around. It’s an unmatched experience,” exclaims Nitesh. 

If this was not enough, you actually camp next to the Gopat river. “Your tent flap opens up to the gentle lull of the river. It’s a dreamy setting sleeping to the tinkling sound of the river and waking up to it in the soft morning light,” shares Nitesh. 3. The trek has the right amount of challenge.  

The unique riverside campsite on the Chhattisgarh Jungle Trek. Picture by Nitesh Kumar

4. A sneak peek into the tribal life of Chhattisgarh locals

If there’s one thing trekkers can’t stop talking about, it’s this. Gurughasidas National Park, being a restricted area to the normal public, gives you an opportunity to meet these adivasi families living inside the national park.

“We got to stay in an adivasi village mud house and interact with the locals. The calm and serenity offered by the village really puts the important things in one’s life into perspective and takes them away from the daily rat race.

“The village also has an abundance of agricultural crops and trees, which makes evening walks while identifying the various trees like mango, jackfruit, guava and many more a truly informative and enjoyable session,” says Lakshay, who was really happy from the interactions he had with the adivasi families.

Trekkers spending time with the locals of a small village near Tediyabandh. Picture by Abhay Pingle.

5. It’s at par with a Himalayan winter trek in terms of variety

When trekkers think about winter treks, the first thought that pops into their mind is a snowy setting. We must admit, it’s hard to beat the snow-draped forests, the vast white stretches of meadows and snow-capped mountains. 

But here’s a trek that not only comes at par with the variety of a Himalayan trek, but may even beat the experience of the white Himalayan monotone. 

"The jungles here take the cake. You know, in most regions of India, you can drive through forests. But here, you're walking in the heart of it. The best part? There's a section where you climb to a bit of a height, and you are above the jungle, at a vantage point. It's almost like a summit view. The whole jungle opens up below you and you can retrace your path all the way. The feeling of standing at the top is euphoric," says Prashant, a trekker from Bangalore who trekked in early 2022. 

Aside from that, "The kind of variety you see on this trek is at par with any Himalayan trek. Walking amidst the deciduous sal and teak forests, exploring Chhattisgarh’s ancient limestone caves with their stalagmites and stalactites, interacting with adivasi tribes, being in the heart of wildlife, walking in the beachy rivers, camping beside a lake, climbing to a vantage point from where you see terrific views of the whole Guru Ghasidas National Park… Each day is like doing a new trek in a new region,” shares Nitesh.  

After leading Himalayan treks for more than three years, he admits that this is one of the best treks he has done till date. 

The ancient limestone caves of Chhattisgarh. Picture by Nitesh Kumar

A note on the difficulty level of the Chhattisgarh Jungle Trek: A lot of trekkers assume that the Chhattisgarh Jungle trek isn’t challenging enough. Before going on this trek many trekkers had the misconception that the trek would be just a simple flat walk in the jungle. When I was constantly pushing the trekkers to be consistent with their fitness they would often ask, “But what is there to worry about on a jungle trail?”

However, after coming back from the trek most of them who had taken their fitness preparations seriously were happy with the fact that they were able to enjoy the trek without getting tired as compared to some others who were struggling.

“I don’t think this trek is a cakewalk in any way. There were long walks everyday and the paths were rugged and rough at many places. Not to forget the river crossings which were fun but challenged our strength too,” says our trekker Souvik Sinha.

So, this is what the Chhattisgarh Jungle Trek looks like from the eyes of our trekkers.

To know more, watch this video by Swathi Chatrapathy talking about the best time to do the Chhattisgarh Jungle Trek. 

If you have already been on this trek, do comment below and share your experience with us. If you have any questions about this trek, comment below, and we will help you.

The Chhattisgarh Jungle Trek is a 4 day trek that is inside the lush-green Guru Ghasidas National Park. If you want to trek in the wilderness this is your trek.

5 Things Trekkers Love About The Chhattisgarh Jungle Trek

We have always believed that trekking Do-It-Yourself (DIY) style is the truest form of adventure. You navigate on your own, cook for yourself, pitch your own tents and plan your own itinerary. There’s a deep sense of independence in DIY trekking. Which is why when Sindhu and Vaishnavi kicked off 2022 with a DIY trek to Kedarkantha, our hearts swelled with joy. They picked up DIY trekking kits from our base camp at Gaichwan Gaon and set off on their own. What’s most heartening is that as their trek unfolded, a parallel journey of self-discovery opened up for both. 

Sindhu, 29, is a content developer with Byjus. She went on the Kashmir Great Lakes (KGL) trek with Indiahikes in 2021. She started trekking in 2019, choosing to go on short, weekend treks. She went on her first Himalayan trek after hearing of Indiahikes through a friend. Last year, when she got a job that allowed her to work remotely, she decided to explore new places while working from different locations.

Vaishnavi, 25, is a software engineer. Having completed four treks with Indiahikes, she is well-versed with the Indiahikes experience. Since her early school days, Vaishanvi’s mother sent her on short treks around Bangalore. These experiences paved the way for her to start trekking independently, right after her Engineering. In July 2018, she did the Hampta Pass trek, followed by Sandakphu Phalut in December. In 2019, she went on the Annapurna Base Camp trek and in 2020 she did the Kuari Pass trek. 

Today, if you meet the two of them, they know the best and worst of each other. Yet, the duo were complete strangers when they met at base camp. “I met Sindhu at Gaichwan Gaon for the first time. It almost felt like Indiahikes had set me up on a blind date to become friends with Sindhu on this trek,” laughs Vaishnavi.

We spoke to the two of them after their trek. Sharing an excerpt from the conversation…

➤ Firstly, what made you go on a DIY trek, leaving behind the comfort of organized trekking? 

Vaishnavi: Trekking has become a regular part of my life. I usually book a trek 2-3 months in advance and start preparing. This has made my life a lot more organized and structured. In 2021, however, I had a very short window to go trekking. When I looked at the Indiahikes calendar, no date matched my schedule. I called up Dushyant, my first trek leader, and sought his advice. He brought up the idea of doing a DIY trek to Kedarkantha. He assured me that Indiahikes can help with equipment and ration. I just needed to be mentally and physically prepared. Honestly, I wasn’t expecting this but I felt I could give it a shot.

Sindhu: My first experience at KGL was memorable for many reasons. One was that I couldn’t carry my own backpack. Post the trek, I made it a point to take regular fitness guidance from my trek leader Diptarka and Dushyant, who I met at one of the campsites. Last year, I started working remotely from Gaichwan Gaon — the Indiahikes base camp for Kedarkantha. I was in regular contact with the team. One day when I had gone for a run with Dushyant, he told me that his friend Vaishnavi is planning to do the Kedarkantha trek DIY style. He asked me if I would want to join her. I thought this would be a good opportunity to test my fitness training. I decided to give it a shot! 

➤ How is trekking on your own different from trekking with an organization?

Vaishnavi: I have done quite a few treks with Indiahikes. On those treks, the only thing we had to focus on was moving from one campsite to another. Once we reached the campsite, everything was already in place. When you trek on your own, your job doesn’t end with reaching the campsite. You have to find a flat camping spot, pitch your tent, find water, bring the water to the camp, cook food and clean up. Even while we were on the trail, it wasn’t just walking without thinking where to go next. Despite having two trail maps with us, we deviated from the main trail many times! In all these challenges, Sindhu was the motivating factor to adapt to the spirit of DIY trekking.

Sindhu: We also didn’t know how much to stop and rest on the way. There was a constant analysis and assessment going on in our heads. When you have a trek leader or a guide with you, losing your way or not knowing when and how much to rest isn’t really a challenge. Tackling these crucial situations has made a drastic difference in how we look at trekking. 

Sindhu: The main reason for doing my first DIY trek to Kedarkantha was that it’s an already established trek. Safety wasn’t such a big concern as I knew that if anything happens, someone from the Indiahikes team will be there to help us. We even met the slope manager Dushyant and got a briefing from the team, to mentally prepare for the trek. Dushyant also provided us with a walkie-talkie. We got a GPX file that helped us navigate throughout. As Kedarkantha is an established trek, the trails were visible constantly but the online Gaia maps were a huge help during diversion points where we had to make a decision about which route to choose next. I remember we took a different route while coming down towards Jalota base camp. It turned out to be a shortcut. Later on, with the help of our Gaia map, we found out that we were back on the main route. That was quite fun to experience! The waypoints marked on the Gaia map become really useful at such times.

Vaishnavi: One point where I felt a little concerned was when we were constantly using the map and my phone’s battery was dipping faster than usual. So we decided to use the map only on Sindhu’s phone. It would have been tough had I been the only one trekking or if we were on a slightly higher altitude. When it comes to feeling safe on the trek as two women, we hardly came across anyone on the trail. Which is how we got to enjoy the solitude on the trek even more deeply! The few people we met on the trek all knew of Indiahikes or the way to Indiahikes campsites – which was very reassuring. It helped hugely that I’ve been living and working from Gaichwan Gaon for almost a month. I couldn’t have done it without the sense of security and comfort which the people here provided. In fact, it feels a lot safer here in the mountains than in the cities.

➤ What were your biggest challenges of doing a Do-It-Yourself trek?

Sindhu: On the Kashmir Great Lakes trek, I faced a lot of difficulties while carrying my backpack. When we set out on this trek, my backpack weighed 18 kg and Vaishanavi’s 12 kg. But for some reason, I wasn’t worried because I knew I had no other option but to carry it on my own. It did become slightly challenging to carry the backpack on steep terrains. But since we were doing it on our own, planning a flexible itinerary helped.

Vaishnavi: We faced another challenge while camping. We had decided to pitch our tents at Pukhrola. When we were done with dinner and ready to sleep, we realized that we had pitched the tent on a slope instead of flat ground. It made us feel a bit colder than usual and we couldn’t sleep properly through the night. Also, I was trekking on my second day of periods and had never been in such a situation. I decided to endure the discomfort because this is what trekking has taught me. I’ve come out stronger doing things that are out of my comfort zone. If we didn’t have these challenges, our trek wouldn’t have been as great. 

Listen to some tips and facts about trekking during periods here.

➤ What role did Indiahikes play in your DIY trek journey? 

Vaishnavi: The kits provided by Indiahikes were absolutely top-notch. The briefing we received a day before we set out helped us a lot. Dushyant and team even gave us a demo of how to cook with the stove, gas canister and utensils.

Sindhu: The cherry on the cake was the pre-mixed foods provided by Indiahikes. They had even planned a menu – complete with desserts! Every time we cooked, the food would be ready in 6 to 10 minutes! It helped us save time and energy for the trek, while also enjoying delicious meals. With the basics being set in place by Indiahikes, most of our worries were taken care of. We could focus on creating a memorable DIY trekking experience. 

Find out more about cooking on a DIY trek here.

➤ When do you know that you’re ready for a DIY style trek?

Sindhu: There are two major factors – one is fitness. You need to be regular with workouts because you are required to push yourself a lot more on a DIY trek. It’s important to be consistent with building good cardiovascular endurance and overall body strength. Secondly, you need to make sure that the group of people you are going with have some high-altitude trekking experience. That helps to understand how one’s body is behaving throughout the trek. When it comes to high-altitude trekking, we cannot ignore the risk of Altitude Mountain Sickness (AMS).

Find out more on how to get fit for a trek.

Vaishnavi: On our summit day, I forgot to carry my sun cap. I had a severe migraine attack while coming down to the campsite. I was able to take care of myself because I was aware of what my body was going through. I decided to rest and take a painkiller while Sindhu prepared the soup. I felt a lot better within an hour. Incidents like these become very crucial when you’re at a high altitude. 

➤ Why should one go for a Do-It-Yourself trek?

Sindhu: The way the tables turn in a DIY trek changes the way you look at trekking. Also, the thrill and adventure it comes with is totally different. For us, the Kedarkantha summit experience was completely unique! When we reached the summit point, there was no one there. This gave us a really good opportunity to cook some yummy khichdi to eat at the summit itself! 

Vaishnavi: My biggest reason for trekking is to structure my thoughts and be more organized. On this trek, anything and everything that we did was on our own! This made me declutter my mind and focus on thinking step by step. The fact that there was a lot of planning and analysis involved, and decisions to make at various stages, made me love the experience so much more! 

Listening to Vaishnavi and Sindhu’s DIY trekking experience, we learnt that trekking with the right spirit is crucial. Doing a trek on your own means you need to be responsible. You cannot litter the trails, play loud music or make a bonfire. 

“Much before organizations started to take people on treks, trekking was done in a Do-It-Yourself manner. Only a few people would gather the courage to plan a trek like this and experience a high sense of adventure. With DIY treks at Indiahikes, we wanted to bring back the good old days of trekking on your own and change the way people look at trekking.” shares Arjun Majumdar, the founder and CEO of Indiahikes. 

We were delighted to see the perfect trekking spirit in Vaishnavi and Sindhu. Their DIY experience was filled with learnings on the dos and don’ts while on a DIY trek. We hope this inspires you to trek DIY style sometime! 

Find out more about DIY treks with Indiahikes here.

If you have any thoughts or questions on this, leave a comment below!

Khichdi on the Kedarkantha Summit: Two Women on a DIY trek

Did you know that the concept of a Trek Leader in Indian trekking took birth at Indiahikes? 

Until Indiahikes came about, most people would trek with guides, who would take trekkers from Point A to Point B. They’d be able to tell you the route and a few stories about the trails, not much else. 

But our founder had always envisioned a Trek Leader very differently. A Trek Leader would keep you safe, handle emergencies, care for you, scold you, take medical calls, help you reflect on your experience, have conversations with you about your life, your work, your learnings. In his mind, a Trek Leader was truly a “leader,” not a guide. 

It was with this thought he led the initial few groups himself and later coined the term Trek Leader, which has gone on to become one of the most meaningful careers in the outdoors. 

We’ve always wanted to capture the essence of Trek Leading in a film. But the role has evolved so much over the years (and still evolving) that it was not easy to make a film on it.

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