We have opened yet another group for seniors :) This time it's starting on June 4, 2023 

Our trekking calendar is already drawn for the coming months. We are packed. But the overwhelming requests have compelled us to make a special provision.

So we are opening a third group for seniors. This time, in the Himalayas! 

The specially designed trek will be at Dayara Bugyal from 4 June to 9 June 2023. To register for the trek, click here.

Note: We will not be opening any further groups for seniors.

This trek will not follow the regular schedule of our Dayara Bugyal trek, but will follow a pace that will match the strength and stamina of seniors. 

However, seniors will enjoy all the privileges and goodness that the Dayara Bugyal trek has to offer, including being in the Bugyals. 

We love this trek! It is picture-perfect, especially in spring. To get a better idea, I recommend you watch this film about Dayara Bugyal. It is our tribute to this wonderful trek.

“For me it is very personal," says Arjun Majumdar, founder-CEO of Indiahikes. "My parents are in their 80s and no longer able to trek. Yet, I know how much it would mean to them if they could. They are the ones who introduced me to trekking.

"When I see a senior trek I see them going home with a sense of rejuvenation much beyond what a younger person experiences. The entire experience makes them add on more years to their life — at least 4-5 years more. They go home more joyous and with a strong sense of accomplishment.

"They discover they have more strength than they thought; that they are capable of a lot more than they imagined. They find more purpose in their life.

"I’ve also seen seniors connecting with other trekkers who are just like them. From a distance I see bonds forming that are likely to stay for the rest of their lives.

For me, to see our parents trekking is the biggest gift that I can give them," says Arjun.

Even though we want our parents to trek, not every trek is suited to seniors.

We needed to specially design treks that can match a seniors age and strength. Which is why we have opened a special group to the Dayara Bugyal Trek for this purpose. This is not our regular trek, but a specially designed one for seniors.

On this special trek the pace of the trek is different. We do the trek at an easier pace. We also do not go the full distance of the Dayara Meadows. 

Having said that, seniors get to experience the entire gamut of our regular Dayara Bugyal trek. They also do it in a beautiful season just when spring is setting in.

We have opened this trek specially for trekkers who are older in age. To do this trek you must fulfill the following criteria:

Age: 58 to 65 years. If you are older, please write to nandana@indiahikes.com. We’ll talk to you and assess your physical condition before taking you in. 

You must lead an active lifestyle. You exercise regularly.

For preparation, you must be able to walk 5 km in 60 minutes by the time the trek starts

Look out for these magical experiences on the trek

Walking on the biggest expanse of high altitude meadows that you will see 

Stunning views of the Mt Bandarpoonch and Kala Nag 

Sunrise and sunset on the Gangotri ranges

Staying at the Indiahikes Community Campus at Raithal — which is an experience of its own

Reflective conversations and sessions throughout the trek

The gentle slopes of Dayara Bugyal. Photo by Arjun Majumdar. 

The experience will be facilitated by our Senior Trek Leader with strong trekking and safety experience.

We take certain steps to ensure a seamless experience on this trek for Seniors. The steps are as below:

A dedicated Experience Coordinator will hand-hold you throughout your trek preparation.

There will also be a Virtual Meet with your group and Indiahikes expert. This meet would be conducted to address all your questions and to come together as a team.

The Date for Seniors Trek is from June 4-9, 2023. 

June 4: Drive from Dehradun to Raithal (Drive distance: 185 km | Duration: 9 hours). Pick up will be arranged at 6:30 AM from Hotel Grand Legacy, Dehradun.

June 5: Raithal to Gui (Trek distance: 4.2 km | Duration: 5 hours)

June 6: Gui to Chilapada (Trek distance: 2 km | Duration: 2-3 hours)

June 7: Trek to Dayara Bugyal and back to Chilapada (Trek distance: 8.0 km | Duration: 6 hours)

June 8: Chilapada to Raithal (Trek distance: 6.3 km | Duration: 4-5 hours)

June 9: Drive from Raithal to Dehradun. You’ll be back to Dehradun by 7 PM.

The grand view of Mt. Bandarpoonch as seen from the Dayara Bugyal. Photo by Swathi Chatrapathy.

The trek is already open for registration.

Note: The trek fee for senior's trek costs Rs 3,000 over the Dayara Bugyal trek fee for this group..

We have only 21 slots open for this group. Considering the number of requests we have received to open this special trek, we are expecting these slots to get filled up quickly. Do register as soon as possible.

If you have any questions about the trek or about the seniors’ program, do not hesitate to write to Nandana Kamasani, Head of Experience Coordination at Indiahikes. Her email id is nandana@indiahikes.com.

A list of high-altitude campsites that are great for stargazing in the Himalayas. Make note if you are about to go on a Himalayan trek

5 Mesmerising Campsites For Stargazing In The Himalayas

senior trek chhattisgarh old 58 TMT Dayara Bugyal

Happening in June 2023

We launched a Photography Trek, where trekkers honed their photography skills in one of the most beautiful locations of our country! 

The first such photography trek was conducted on the picturesque Kuari Pass this winter, from January 16-21.

Kuari Pass trek is among our most celebrated winter treks, known for its beautiful forests, stunning clearings and grand views of Mt Nanda Devi.

The commanding view of Mt. Dronagiri from Kuari Pass trek. Right after this turn you enter Gorson Bugyal. Photo by Dhaval Jajal

What can you expect from our photography trek?

A strong pre-trek experience that prepares you to take great photographs on the trek. This preparation would cover the following topics: 

What to carry — camera gear and accessories

Trek gear you need to help you shoot better

How to maintain your camera gear on the trek 

How to take care of your gear in case of bad/extreme weather

How to conserve battery longer on the trek

Composing in Landscape photography (good frames, understanding subject placements, how to position yourself)

How to play with lights and contrasts in landscape photography (to learn how to use light as a strength in your photography)

Portrait photography when outdoors (especially how to capture emotions)

Basics of wildlife photography (with special focus on bird photography)

Sunrise/sunset photography (how to capture the golden hour like a professional)

Astrophotography — capturing the stars and the sky (includes composing frames for  night photography)

Whether you are an amateur looking to learn about photography or an expert photographer who would like to spend time capturing winter in the Himalayas, this trek is for you.

A big bonus: On our regular treks, photographers are usually short of time to take photos. However, as this is a special photography trek, we have cued in time for you to to learn and practice photography on the trail. 

Basic photography skills. You’ll need to have basic knowledge about ISO, Shutter Speed, Aperture, and White Balance. 

Your own photography equipment. Our advice is to carry light equipment that doesn't hinder your trek. For example, don’t carry heavy lenses that are difficult to manage on the trail. 

Good fitness. As a photographer, you’ll do much more on a trek. You may need to go up and down the trail more than once to get the best shot. Doing this requires great fitness. There will be a fitness screening. Your BMI must not be above 28.

The experience will be facilitated by our Senior Trek Leader Dhaval Jajal who specialises in photography and filmmaking.

About the facilitator: Dhaval is a Senior Trek Leader who now is a filmmaker at Indiahikes. He is an expert photographer as well. His photographs have featured in the Mountain Lovers Gold Calendar. His photographs are also featured on the Indiahikes website.

Dhaval Jajal has been a trek leader at Indiahikes leading almost 60 groups before transitioning as a filmmaker and photographer at Indiahikes. He currently heads the video team at Indiahikes.

Since 2016 he has been taking photos on high-altitude treks. “High-altitude photography is very different from usual photography,” he says. "In the high-altitude, you have a short window of the trek to work with. The terrain is difficult and you are sometimes working in extreme weather," Dhaval adds. 

As a photographer and filmmaker, Dhaval has captured some of his best shots under such circumstances. Here are some of Dhaval Jajal’s photographs that we're smitten with!

An unearthly landscape of Dayara Bugyal in winter.

First rays hitting Mt. Kanchenjunga and Mt. Kabru. Photo taken by Dhaval Jajal from View Point 1 on Goechala trek.

This shot was taken between Sepi and Samanden. “I wanted to capture trekkers crossing the bridge in this beautiful lighting. Along with the river, all elements came together beautifully,” shares Dhaval.

This is an early morning shot of Ruinsara Campsite. “I was trying to capture the reflection of the mountains lit up by the morning sun,” says Dhaval.

Trekking through the wintry forests of Dayara Bugyal. Photo taken by Dhaval Jajal in January 2020.

Inside story: An image that Dhaval shot on the Goechala trek immediately caught our attention at Indiahikes. Very few trekkers had been able to capture emotions on a trek as beautifully as this image.

We are yet to announce the next photography trek.

Stay tuned to this page for announcement on photography trek

If you have any questions, just write back to me and I’ll help you out.

We're Starting Special Photography Treks in the Himalayas

Please note that this is a special trek designed for stargazing enthusiasts. The trek fee is slightly more than the regular fee. Know more about the trek here. 

This is a trek specially designed for trekkers above 58 years. The trek fee is Rs 3000 more than the regular fee (Please note this is only for Himalayan treks) Know more about the trek here. 

Please note that this is a special trek. The trek fee is Rs 5000 more than the regular fee. Know more about the trek here. 

Please note that the family treks are meant for families with a child/children under 14 years of age. If you do not fit this criteria, you can register for any of our regular groups. Read more about family treks here.

You are joining our waitlist. Your chances of getting a confirmation are high, but not certain. We will notify you as soon as a trekker cancels their trek.

When we brought out new trails in Indian trekking, safety came with us. Back in 2012, we were the first to introduce microspikes, and two years later, pulse oximeters became standard thanks to us. Nobody does safe treks like Indiahikes. In the mountains, emergencies don't care who you're with – everyone knows that when trouble hits, you look for the yellow tents of Indiahikes.

We are India’s safest trekking organisation

We are pioneers in trekking. Since 2007, we have brought out treks that have become India's most famous treks: Roopkund, Rupin Pass, Buran Ghati, Kedarkantha, Kashmir Great Lakes, Tarsar Marsar, Brahmatal, Phulara Ridge—the list goes on. In 2023 alone, we brought out five new treks in Indian trekking. We know treks better than anyone. This comes directly from the reason why Indiahikes was born: to bring out trek information and enable trekkers to trek on their own.

We are pioneers of treks in India

More than 25,000 people trek with us every year. We are the largest trekking organisation in India. 24% of our trekkers come back to trek with us every year. Over 4,000 students from the top educational institutions trek with us every year. Aside from this, families with children choose to trek with Indiahikes knowing that our treks are the safest. We have taken over 8000 children trekking so far, and the number continues to grow. 

We are India’s largest trekking organisation

We focus on designing transformative experiences. Our trek leaders conduct thought-provoking exercises that help you reflect and contemplate. This impact stays with you for a long time. Trekkers return feeling energised, more confident, or developing abilities to deal with difficulties. Many have changed careers, rethought their core values, become more humble, shown gratitude to others, or started a new fitness journey. 

Our treks are transformative

Since 2012, we have pioneered sustainable practices that have become standard in trekking. Using eco-bags, our trekkers have cleared over 120 tonnes of litter from the mountains. We do not carry packaged foods; instead, we serve freshly made food. We do not light campfires; we carry coal to light angethis to keep you warm. Our bio-toilets not only keep our toilets odour-free but also enrich the soil. When you trek with us, you leave mountains better.

We are India's most sustainable trekking organisation

5 Reasons Why Indiahikes

If you are unable to complete a trek, or if you love a trek, you can repeat it with us anytime. You don’t have to pay us for it. See our thoughts behind this here.

You’re guarded with our trek again philosophy

Our thrice-a-day oxi-metre checks keep altitude sickness at bay, never allowing you to reach a point where you need evacuation.

Daily 3-time health checks keep you safe at any altitude

With around 30% of our trekkers being women, all women, including those travelling solo are comfortable to join any of our groups.

Join any group, they are all women-friendly groups 

Our kitchen teams understand your needs as a vegan (or a Jain). We will take special care of your food, even in the remote Himalayas. 

We have specially designed bio toilets to ensure you have no sight or smell in toilets, at the same time making sure the toilets cause no harm to the fragile ecosystem we trek in.

Be comfortable and sustainable with bio toilets

We’ll admit it. Our love for food surpasses our love for minimalism. Expect freshly cooked, multi-cuisine food at all camps, designed to meet your nutritional requirements and keep your taste buds happy!

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