#3 of 4: Celebrating the Forests of India

Today, as part of the Celebrating India series, we are celebrating a feature that has a special place in all our hearts: forests! 

In case you missed my previous two posts, this Independence Day week, we are celebrating the best landscapes of India. As trekkers and not travellers, we have the rare privilege to see and experience the rawest, most gorgeous version of India. 

Yet, we rarely get a chance to see it all. 

That is why, this week, I’m sharing with you some of the most incredible landscapes in India, by taking you through some of the best treks in our country. I’m intentionally focusing on treks organised by Indiahikes so that you have the avenue to explore these trails. 

We have already covered two topics: 

Meadows of India 

Valleys of India

Today, let’s talk about the best forests in India through the lens of Indiahikes treks. Given how new most of these treks are, it is likely that you may be reading about them for the first time! Take a look: 

Forests of India

India is one of the world's top ten most forested countries. Due to the vast expanse of our country, we are blessed with a wide variety of forests. It's incredible to think about how different one forest is from another, just a few kilometres away.

Over the years at Indiahikes, we have been searching for treks with magnificent forests. With many of our treks, we have been fortunate to discover some of the best forest experiences. Below, I have compiled a list of all those treks, including some with small yet incredible forest sections.

1. Pench Mowgli Trek

I cannot help but talk about our latest discovery first, the Pench Mowgli trek, which runs through the buffer zone of Pench Tiger Reserve. This is among the best forests we have seen, not purely for the forests but for the incredible life the forest breathes into the region. The forest is replete with rivers, streams, birds, butterflies and, of course, tigers too. Our pilot group just completed the trek today (August 14th, 2024), with 15 trekkers joining from different parts of the country. They cannot stop raving about the trek. 

Why is this trek such a rage? Trekking inside Pench National Park is a privilege. Pench has been recognised as the reserve with the highest density of herbivores in the entire country. It is home to endangered animals like the majestic Royal Bengal Tiger, leopards, the mighty Gaur, Indian wolf, and Sloth bear. 

These are the very same forests where Rudyard Kipling’s characters in The Jungle Book were born, where Rudyard Kipling spent several years of his life. That’s why the name: Pench Mowgli Trek.

It's not every day that you get to enter such protected tiger reserves in our country. They are usually cordoned off for trekkers. But here, in Madhya Pradesh, the forest officials and the tourism department have personally invited Indiahikes to organise a trek. This is a result of our long-standing relationship with them, making this trek a truly exclusive and privileged experience.

2. The Chhattisgarh Jungle Trek

It’s hard to beat the forests of Central India. Across the border from Madhya Pradesh is Chhattisgarh, where the Guru Ghasidas National Park is located. It is in the heart of this national park that we do the Chhatisgarh Jungle Trek. 

It is hard for the forests of this not to set your imagination ablaze. For example, on the very first day, we walk through the open deciduous forests of the Chota Nagpur plateau. The forests are dense, yet you can see through them for long distances. 

In the open forest, the world appears both intimate and expansive. These are the forests where the last of the Indian cheetahs would sprint through with explosive bursts of speed. Trekkers have yet to witness such forests.

Rock formations within the forests are strange, almost like volcanic bubbles erupting from the surface, yet frozen for millions of years. Hidden within Chhattisgarh jungles are ancient, pre-historic caves. Cave paintings here are easily ten to fifteen thousand years old. The outside world does not know of their existence. 

The trek continues to surprise us every day. The final day has trekkers smitten. The entire day's trek is a walk on the Gopat River as it meanders through the forests and finally emerges out of them. The crystal-clear, cool waters swirl around our ankles. Trekkers have never experienced walking on a river bed like this for a full day's trek of over 5 kilometres. These are once-in-a-lifetime moments.

3. Odisha Debrigarh Sanctuary Trek

Coming further east is the Odisha Debrigarh Sanctuary Trek, where again, we have discovered incredibly beautiful forests. Debrigarh, more than a wildlife sanctuary, is a natural wonder. Never before have we seen such diverse ecosystems in a single place.

As you make your way through bamboo thickets and dense canopy, you are constantly reminded of the diverse flora and fauna of this region. Be on the lookout to spot the paw prints of endangered species of wolves and tigers. Walking beside the backwaters is a joy for birdwatchers and photographers. The sheer variety of fauna you will spot on this trek will leave you trembling in awe.

On the other hand, bordering these forests, the Hirakud reservoir has given rise to numerous islands here. Each island has a delicate ecosystem of its own. But here’s where the magic unfolds: During winter and summer, as the water level recedes, newer islands come to life, setting up a perfect home for migratory birds coming in winter. The islands here are ever-changing.

An island-hopping trek like this is very rare. Combine this with a safari and trek around the island, and it becomes a must-do trek for anyone who wants to get introduced to nature.

4. The Goa Netravali Forest Trek 

For several decades now, Goa has become stereotyped for its sandy beaches. 

But when you study a map, the real Goa lies in its nature and wilderness: the rivers, the hills, the forests, the backwaters, and the waterfalls. There are lots of beautiful treks that allow you to experience this side of Goa. This is exactly what you see in the forests of the Goa Netravali Forest Trek.

This trek takes us through the heart of the Netravali Wildlife Sanctuary, which has some of the best forests in Goa. The trails are beautifully canopied with evergreen trees, with sunlight streaming through them at beautiful angles throughout the day. The forest is also teeming with birdlife, something that our explorers loved waking up to in the mornings. 

Within this forest lies the beautiful Mainapi Waterfall, where you get to spend a couple of hours. Cascading down in three tiers the waterfall is walled on either side by a fortress of cliffs. 

If you must experience Goa as a trekker, then this forested side is worth experiencing.

5. Ranthan Kharak

Almost all our Himalayan treks have beautiful forest sections. In fact, when we open a trek at Indiahikes, it is almost with a compulsion that the trek must offer a combination of forests, meadows and great mountain scenery. But there are a few Himalayan treks that stand out for their forests. Ranthan Kharak ranks high among them. 

The forests of Ranthan Kharak are exceptionally dense and deep. Rhododendron trees, oaks, and pines enchant every moment. The trees and birds in the virgin forests are just as diverse as the ones we see on our Goechala Trek.

And then come the clearings in these forests. Oh you’ll fall in love with them! Kharak means “clearings” in the local language. And the clearings in these forests are so big, they can be easily confused for alpine meadows! We set up camp in two such clearings!  With a mix of these beautiful canopied trails and vast clearings, this trek takes the cake for its forests.  

6. Goechala

When it comes to forest trails, it’s hard to beat Goechala. There are very few treks with tree lines at altitudes above 12,000 feet. If you compare it with treks from Uttarakhand or Himachal Pradesh, the tree line skirts around 10,000 ft. But not on this trek, which snakes through Kanchenjunga National Park. It’s exceptional. Especially the thick canopy of Rhododendron trees, which flower during the misty spring and are dark and cold during the autumn.

Thanks to these forests, you see some of the best birdlife on this trek. It’s not a surprise that this region is considered a biosphere reserve and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

7. Sandakphu-Phalut

Here is a trek with one of the most underrated forest trails. When it comes to Sandakphu, all of the attention goes to the mountain views. It’s hard to tear your eyes off of them. 

However, we take a very different approach to Sandakphu, through some of the best forests in Singalila National Park. On the very first day, you’re in a deep bamboo forest, in the middle of which you have lunch. Sitting there, among the creaking bamboo trees, you realise you're in a completely different world. 

Then come the rhododendron forests. In the spring, when rhododendrons bloom, Sandakphu is one of our Indiahikers' top three rhododendron treks. The showy blooms of pink, red, scarlet, and white flowers swathe the mountainside, creating a truly magical moment.

Our trek leaders have spotted the red panda in these forests once or twice. It is rare, but not totally out of the question, to spot the Himalayan black bear, red panda, and clouded leopard on this trek. 

The Sandakphu-Phalut trek is a spiritual journey towards the Sleeping Buddha. But what comes with it is a chance to trek through bamboo and rhododendron forest like no other.

8. Deoriatal-Chandrashila 

This trek has to be on our list for some of the best forest sections. Not many know this, but Deoriatal and Chandrashila were two separate trails for a long time. Tourists would go from Sari to Deoriatal, and then from Chopta to Chandrashila. Not many would take the trail connecting these two.

In around 2014, the Indiahikes team decided to draw out a trek plan that connected these two locations (Deoriatal and Chopta) through the forests of the Kedarnath Muskdeer Sanctuary.

That’s how we landed upon some of the most magical forests in the region. Every inch of this forest is covered in life. Oaks dominate the jungles, whereas the gnarled roots of rhododendron trees take centre stage in spring. The bark of all trees is moss-laden. Even dead wood is full of life that breathes and sighs as you trek through the silent forest.

With so much forestry, the bird and animal life here is intense. The number of species some of our expert birders have spotted here is incredible. Our trekkers have also been fortunate enough to spot Himalayan monals, some of the most beautiful birds in the world. With a life so rich, this is a forest trail that one must experience.

9. Bijli Mahadev Trek

Bijli Mahadev is not a new trek in our country. It is, in fact, one of the most popular and oldest treks. It is a trek that takes you to the Shiva temple located on Mathan Hill in Kullu. The popular route to Bijli Mahadev starts from Chansari village and is a short 3-kilometre walk on a well established trail to the top. The whole trek can be completed in half a day. 

What makes this trek stand out is that, at Indiahikes, we have explored an alternative route to the trek. It's a route that takes you through the best forests of Kullu Valley, letting you experience the charm of this historical place without the crowds.

The main highlight of this trek is the magical pine and deodar forest trails. On most of our treks, the forest trails are narrow, forcing you to stick to them. On the Bijli Mahadev trek, the trail is wide enough for you to explore the length and breadth of these forests. This wide trail in the forest allows you to camp amidst the tall pine and deodar trees, something that you rarely get to experience on our Himachal treks.

It’s rare to have such a rich forest experience on such a short and easy trek. So if you have a few days, this is a must-have experience.

Final thoughts: 

Forests make for some of the best experiences on treks. Anyone who has been on an Indiahikes trek knows the power of hugging a tree. The deep impact it can have on your mind, body and spirit is irreplaceable. 

But what forests do is expose you to elements of nature in their habitat, which you rarely get to see in the city. It makes you realise the need to protect them and do something for the environment. We hope all of the above forest trails help you feel that way.