We have opened a brand new trek for you this winter.

And you’ll be surprised, because it’s not a Himalayan trek. It’s in a place that you’ll least expect.

It’s in Chhattisgarh. And it’s an out and out jungle trek.

It is the Chhattisgarh Jungle Trek.

“The forests in Chhattisgarh are untouched and dreamy. I’m not surprised that Rudyard Kipling was inspired by these forests while writing The Jungle Book. They absolutely live up to our imagination of The Jungle Book!” says Arjun Majumdar, the founder of Indiahikes. He, along with our co-founder, Sandhya UC, explored this trek last month.

Highlights Of The Chhattisgarh Jungle Trek

On this trek, “You walk on plateaus, dive down to valleys, cross rivers, streams and waterfalls. Suddenly you pass through ancient settlements — tribes that are almost extinct (like the Baiga) and get a sneak peak into their way of living. The trek is like a motion picture between the densely carpeted forest floor and the interwoven canopies of tall trees.

“Even in a single day’s trek you see so much variety. And every day is different. It’s astounding!” says Arjun Majumdar.

Our trek leader, Ramapriya Ranganath, who went on a recce of the trek was bowled over by the rivers and streams on the trek.

“The biggest highlight for me was fording the Arpa river on the last day of the trek. The fact that the river is so wide, and you’ve to cross it twice makes it something to look forward to! The entire fourth day when you’re trekking along the banks of the Arpa is beautiful, culminating in the Lakshman Dhara waterfall,” says Ram.

How Did The Exploration Come About?

At Indiahikes, we have always believed that there are beautiful trails in all parts of India. Which is why we have documented over a 100 trails in our country.

So when the Tourism Department of Chhattisgarh reached out to us to help put Chhattisgarh on the trekking map of India, it was something that excited us. We had always heard about the magnificent forests of Chhattisgarh — an opportunity to put Chhattisgarh on the trekking map of India was extremely enticing.

It took two exploration teams and the full support of the tourism department to put together this gorgeous trail. But when we did, we were pleased as punch. Here was a trek that matched the best of our Himalayan treks.  

What To Expect On The Trek

1. The trail is mostly an undulating forest walk. So ascents and descents are less.

2. The difficult part is the distance. You cover long distances everyday, 14 km on the first day, 9 on the next and 13 on the next day. So you need good fitness to do the trek.

3. Expect lot of scenery changes even within the forests.

4. You’ll chance upon rare tribes of India, some of them likely to get extinct within a few years

5. This is a 5 day winter trek in December. The nights will get cold, where temperatures will drop below 0 degrees. You will need 5 warm layers.

6. The trek starts just 20 km from the Pendra Road Railway station. So it has easy access by train.

7. The trek is run in collaboration with the Chhattisgarh tourism department.

When Are We Running The Trek

We have opened dates for this winter, that’s the end of December, during holiday season. This is particularly useful for those who find our usual Himalayan trek batches full.

Unfortunately, we have just two dates as of now. So start planning right away! 🙂

You’ll find the dates here.

Watch The Video Below To Know More About The Trek

Meanwhile, we made a quick video with our founder about the trek. He gives you a wonderful overview of the trek and tells you what to expect.

Watch it here.

Whom Is This Trek Meant For?

If you have been trekking in the Himalayas, then this is a trek that will capture your imagination. The experience is different and unexpected.

If you are trekking for the first time, then it is a wonderful way to to start your trekking adventures.  

For more details about this trek, head over to this page about the trek – https://www.indiahikes.com/chhattisgarh-jungle-trek/

By the way, you’ll still bump into your familiar mountain staff and leaders on the Chhattisgarh Jungle trek. 

Note: If you’re a landscape photographer and would like to cover the Chhattisgarh Jungle Trek as a photo trekker, then write to Hari, our Photo Editor, on hari@indiahikes.com. Send him 15 of your best landscape photographs. If you’re selected, we’ll sponsor your trek.