Many applicants wonder how their career would grow at Indiahikes. There is also a misconception that since we are in the outdoor industry, growth here would be limited. Which is why we made this video with our founder and CEO, Arjun Majumdar, on what your growth would look like if you're working at Indiahikes. 

Having said that, working at Indiahikes can be extremely rewarding and equally frustrating. At Indiahikes everyone is committed to the vision of the organisation. It is very different from corporate culture. Here responsibilities are high, work is busy. People love what they do.

Since 2008, Indiahikes has defined the future of trekking. Most trekking trails, like the Roopkund, Rupin Pass, Buran Ghati, Kedarkantha, Kashmir Great Lakes, Tarsar Marsar, Brahmatal, Warwan Valley, Phulara Ridge have been brought out by Indiahikes.

Modern safety systems like the microspikes, pulse oximeters, radios and oxygen on treks have been introduced in Indian trekking by Indiahikes.

Our Green Trails project has revolutionised how trekking trails are preserved in India.

Finally, the Indiahikes Experience has transformed the lives of thousands of trekkers in India. Today, more than 20,000 trekkers trek with Indiahikes every year. While we continue to grow towards our -- Everyone Must Trek -- we are hoping to see likeminded team members join us on this journey. 

To see all our openings, head over to our careers page here.

A video by the founder of Indiahikes explaining what career growth at Indiahikes looks like

What Does Career Growth At Indiahikes Look Like - Careers In Trekking And Outdoors

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What Does Career Growth At Indiahikes Look Like 

It took two treks and two and half years for a successful dentist to make a firm choice, “not towards working in the outdoors as a Trek Leader, but working with Indiahikes as a Trek Leader.” 

And on this chosen journey with Indiahikes, he has grown from Trek Leader to senior Trek Leader; worked in the Exploration and Do-It-Yourself (DIY) teams, and now is a Filmmaker with the Indiahikes content team. 

Dhaval Jajal’s journey reflects a carefully considered career shift into the common ground between one’s passion and duties. 

Dhaval graduated from the prestigious SDM College of Dental Sciences, Dharwad in 2009. Inspired by his uncle’s dentistry practice, he set up his own practice. “From the knowledge I gained while studying, to working, then managing everything on my own – I totally enjoyed it,” says Dhaval. 

In 2016, he wanted to go on a trek and like most people, found himself on Google, “because I didn’t know anything about trekking.” Most sites listed on the first page had some or other information missing, he says. “Some wanted my number and email id to send me information. Some did not list the dates. The region and level of difficulty were not clear.”

On the second page, he hit upon the Indiahikes website. The detailed, neatly organised information blew him over. “In half an hour, I became a fan of Indiahikes,” says Dhaval. I signed up for the Rupin Pass trek, not knowing what to expect.    

Soon, he found himself “trekking Rupin Pass with strangers who felt like family.” 

“Those 7 to 8 days were amazing and calming. I had not been on a vacation since opening my clinic. I also actually learnt what trekking is,” he says. 

Meanwhile, he was also on a journey of discovering the insides of Indiahikes. 

“I got introduced to the concept of “Trek Leading” for the first time,” says Dhaval. His initial understanding of trek leading was that it was a “fancy job in which you work in the Himalayas, go on different treks, meet different people every week and get paid for it! What could be better?” laughs Dhaval. 

A deeply transformative experience at Goechala 

In the year before his next trek, he read all the articles about trek leading and working with Indiahikes. 

“Through them I got an insight about trek leading. What I saw as a trekker was 20% of it. There was more behind the curtain,” Dhaval shares. 

On his second trek, he studied the nature of work a Trek Leader undertakes. All the romantic notions he had gathered of the job during the first trek, almost immediately fell to pieces. 

He observed all that the Trek Leader did. “What is his role when he is with the team and the staff? How is his day structured? At one of the campsites he was digging the toilet pit. In another he was setting up the dining tent in bad weather.” He realised that while leading a trek, “everything is your responsibility.” 

The Goechala experience was even better than Rupin Pass, says Dhaval. “I had a deeply transformative experience. When I stood at the viewpoint seeking answers, everything seemed possible.” 

(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.)

It was then that he considered shifting careers. He started researching mountaineering courses. “Since my journey in the outdoors started with Indiahikes, I never considered any other organisation. For me, working with Indiahikes was as important as working in the outdoors.”

“Having gone on two treks with them, I understood how they operate and what they were trying to do. I saw that they actually implement everything they talk about on their website, in the field,” says Dhaval. He decided he would want to work with Indiahikes but did not apply. 

“I took 2 years to convince myself. There were many questions. I had studied dentistry for five years and worked for 10 years. This choice would go in the opposite direction of that one.” He also needed to convince his family as “it is very difficult to make someone who has not gone on a trek understand such a choice.” 

The choice was even more difficult because of his own feelings, he says. “I was in it for the long haul. I wanted to do this for good.” 

It was in 2019, two and half years after Goechala, Dhaval applied to work with Indiahikes.

Dhaval was among the fastest to progress from Asst. Trek Leading to a Trek Leader purely based on his skills and passion as a Trek Leader

“Like-minded people working in one direction”

On joining, Dhaval was immediately taken up with “the work culture.” He says, “It felt good to be with like-minded people working in one direction. It helped me to be focused and confident that I had made the right decision. The people and milieu made it very easy for me.” 

He got to know the organisation better during the 21 days of training at Dehradun. He learnt about the safety protocols, different treks, Green Trails, soft and hard skills, fitness and more. All of this would be put to the test when he embarked on his first trek as an Assistant Trek Leader (ATL) to Dayara Bugyal. 

A few hours before the trek was to begin, his Trek Leader called and informed him that she was unwell. Would he be able to manage leading the group? Shaken up initially, he “felt confident after 5 minutes,” shares Dhaval. 

He led the team for two days till his Trek Leader joined. This is a “very special memory” and “laid the foundation” for his work, he says. From the second trek, he started taking the team on his own. He graduated from Asst. Trek Leader to a Trek Leader only after leading 15 to 20 groups. 

It is the idea of like-minded people working towards the same vision that keeps Dhaval attached to Indiahikes. 

Transitioning to a filmmaker and the Bangalore office

In 2 and a half years, Dhaval led about 70 teams and got designated as a Senior Trek Leader along the way. I am curious to know when and how the filmmaker in him emerged. Turns out, that journey started while he was a trekker with Indiahikes. 

“During the Rupin Pass trek I clicked photos with my DSLR camera. During Goechala, I decided to try videography,” he says. He wanted to capture the different moments that the team goes through on a trek. He had spent time learning to make good quality videos and honed his editing skills. 

The video came out well. He was thrilled to receive an email from Swathi that Indiahikes would be happy to sponsor his treks if he was interested in creating more content. “It meant a lot to me. I started working on improving my skills further,” he says.

He took lots of photos and videos for the content team while working as a Trek Leader. “I felt like an extension of the content team while working as a Trek Leader. This made the transition to the content team as filmmaker, very easy,” he says. 

“Exclusive trek leading, I knew I could not do for more than 2 years. It takes a toll on your body. Besides, I had joined at the age of 32. So balance in my personal life was important to me. I wanted to settle down and live with my family,” he says candidly. 

Thanks to the support from the Founders, he was able to achieve this balance which he defines as “working with Indiahikes and yet not compromising on family life.” 

Therefore, it was not difficult to leave the mountains and move to the city. He recently led a trek to Sandakphu because a Trek Leader was injured. “Once a Trek Leader, always a Trek Leader,” says Dhaval.

Even though Dhaval moved from the mountains to the city, he believes he's contributing as much to trekking as he was while actively trek leading. Picture by Yash Trivedi

His advice to youngsters transitioning into an outdoors career with Indiahikes is – “Working in the mountains is a byproduct of working with Indiahikes. Cultivate a bigger perspective and get to know the organisation, its values and culture so the work becomes easy. Do not look at this as a short term transition. Think long term.”

“There is a lot of freedom at Indiahikes. Your growth is in your hands, and the core team is very supportive of the direction in which you want to grow” he adds.

He personally intends to focus on making short films for the Indiahikes channel and would like “to raise a team of filmmakers.” At an organisational level, he doesn’t think it matters what role he will play “because even as a Trek Leader, I played many roles. I was in the Exploration and DIY trek teams, besides contributing to the content team. Through different roles, you get to nurture your capabilities here,” says Dhaval, rooted in contentment and confidence. 

The story of Dhaval Jajal, who shifted careers from 11 years of dentistry to an outdoor career at Indiahikes

How A Dentist Of 11 Years Transitioned Into An Outdoor Career At Indiahikes

dhaval jajal trek leader career working with indiahikes jobs 

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Miyar Valley

Kedarkantha Trek

Gidara Bugyal

Mural Danda Exploration

Roopkund Trek

Mount Rinjani Trek

arnamalai trek

Deoban Weekend Trek

Vellore Amirthi Forest Trek

Annapurna Base Camp Trek

Bodpathri Trek

Beas Kund Trek

Kuari Pass Summer Camp Trek

Chandrakhani Pass Trek

Nag Tibba Weekend Trek

Tulian Lake Trek

Manali Kaisdhar Trek for Beginners

Bananthimari Betta Trek

Pir Panjal Lakes Trek

Surya Top

Narmada Backwaters Trek

Bhrigu Lake Trek

Odisha Debrigarh Sanctuary Trek

Channarayana Durga Weekend Trek 

Pin Bhaba Pass Trek

Kedartal Trek 2025 | Booking dates & Price - Indiahikes

Warwan Valley Trek

Dayara Bugyal Trek 

Chhattisgarh Jungle Trek

Rupin Pass

Kedarkantha Summer Camp Trek

Valley of Flowers

Khopra Ridge Trek

Nafran Valley Trek

Goechala Trek

Everest Base Camp via Gokyo Ri Trek

Goa Netravali Forest Trek

Sandakphu Phalut Trek

Brammah Valley Trek

Brahmatal Trek

Pench Tiger Trail

Ali Bedni Bugyal Trek 

Pangarchulla Peak Trek

Choharnag Lakes Trek

Tarsar Marsar Trek

Coorg Nelji Hill Trek

Buran Ghati Trek

Kuari Pass Trek

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Har Ki Dun

Kashmir Great Lakes Trek 

Georgia Atsunta Pass Trek

Gurez Valley Trek

Gaumukh Tapovan Trek

Bali Pass Trek

Winter Trekking Camp for Children

Everest Base Camp (Classic Route)

Youth Camp on Ali Bedni Bugyal

Benog Tibba Family Trek

Kodaikanal Avocado Hill Trek

Kanamo Peak Trek

Dafeybhir Pass Trek

Biligundlu Cauvery River Trek

Ghepan Lake

Mount Kilimanjaro Trek

Chirbatiya Weekend Trek

Benog Tibba Trek

Aancha Top Trek

Ala-Kul Trek - Kyrgyzstan

Minchukallu Betta Weekend Trek

Gutirayan Peak Trek

Hampta Pass Trek

Dayara Bugyal Summer Camp 

Sathuragiri Hill Trek

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Musattu Hill Trek

Parvathamalai Trek

Athri Hill Trek

Ramdevarabetta Trek

Nandi Hills Trek

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Kamalgad Trek

Horagina Betta Trek

Chadar Trek

Arshan Valley Trek

Makalidurga Trek

Halu Chilume Gange Trek

Ranipuram Trek

Neergarh Waterfalls Trek

Neelkanth Mahadev Lake Trek

Netravati Trek

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 itinerary is specially designed to be different from a regular trek. The trek fee is also Rs 3000 more than the regular fee (Please note this is only for Himalayan treks) Know more about the trek here.  

Our Adventure Therapy Trek is led by a trained therapist, who will guide you through reflective and therapeutic exercises during the trek. To accommodate this expertise, the fee is ₹5,000 higher than our regular trek fee. Know more about the trek here. 

Please note that the family treks are meant for families with a child/children under 18 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.

Please note, this is an open Collaborative Leadership Programme with a focus on networking and building Collaborative Leadership skills for young professionals and university students. The trek fee is 5000 more than the regular fee. Learn more about the trek here: https://indiahikes.com/blog/open-collaborative-leadership-program

The Indiahikes Summer Camp aligns with the Adventurous Journey of the IAYP programme. Our treks provide a challenging outdoor experience where participants plan, train, and trek in an unfamiliar environment. They develop teamwork, leadership, and resilience while navigating trails, camping, and engaging with nature—fulfilling all the requirements of the IAYP Adventurous Journey.

You are joining our waitlist. Here are a few guidelines that you should keep in mind:

The chances of getting a confirmed slot totally depend on the cancellations we receive from confirmed trekkers. The cancellations cannot be predicted hence are uncertain.

We close the movement of the waitlist 7-15 days before the trek starts.

You don't have to pay right now. You will receive a notification upon confirmation of your slot. You will have 24 hours to pay and confirm your booking.

We are known for our pioneering safety practices in trekking. Microspikes, oximeters, and BP checks became standards thanks to us. 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. When you join our treks, we first make our No-Compromise Safety Promise. It’s our unwavering commitment to keep you safe, no matter what.

Our No-Compromise Safety Promise

Our commitment to the environment is relentless. We don’t just encourage responsible trekking; we insist on it. That’s why our Green Trails principles are non-negotiable. They don’t involve just our trekkers or our staff members. Our entire trek processes and policies are designed to favour the environment, even if it is often counterintuitive to our business.

Our No-compromise Sustainability promise

More than 30,000 trekkers trek with us every year. In addition, our outdoor learning division (InSoul) has participants from the who’s of the education organisation in India, from the IIMs to BITS to top international schools. More than 5,000 participants from these institutions trek with us annually. We do not spend a single rupee on advertising to get these participants. Our reputation precedes us.

We are India’s largest trekking organisation

We are pioneers in trekking. Since 2007, we have documented and brought out most of India’s famous treks: Roopkund, Rupin Pass, Buran Ghati, Kedarkantha, Kashmir Great Lakes, Tarsar Marsar, Phulara Ridge—the list goes on. In 2023-24 alone, we brought out nine 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 believe everyone must trek.

Being pioneers of trekking in India

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

5 Reasons Why Indiahikes

Trekking in the Himalayas comes with challenges such as heavy rain, roadblocks, floods, landslides, and permit restrictions imposed by the government. These situations are not within Indiahikes' control. 

Before you register, please be prepared for the possibility that your trek might be called off due to these uncontrollable factors. In such cases, Indiahikes will make every effort to offer you a safe alternative trek. If that isn't possible, we will cancel your trek and issue a voucher for the trek fee in line with our standard cancellation policy.

However, if you would like to receive a full refund of your fee under such circumstances, opt for the Indiahikes Shield while registering. This shield grants you the option to receive a refund in case your trek is cancelled due to external reasons. 

Why you should opt for Indiahikes Shield 

Security concerns and government orders often lead to last-minute cancellations in Jammu & Kashmir. While we make all the preparations to run the trek, we cannot guarantee that the trek will run. If such a situation occurs, we will try to organize an alternate trek within J&K or Himachal Pradesh, wherever possible. If not, we will cancel the trek and our cancellation policy will apply.

Such circumstances are under nobody's control, but it's best to be well-prepared.  As trekkers ourselves, we understand the loss that you go through when such circumstances arise. To protect against such circumstances, we have the Indiahikes Shield - where you can avail a return of your full trek fee by paying a small additional charge.  

We suggest you opt for the Indiahikes Shield, which will protect your trek fee during such uncertainties. You will find the option during the registration process.

Why you must opt for Indiahikes Shield on Kashmir Treks

When you offload, a mule or porter will carry your belongings.

Offloading is for those with injuries, health issues or other limitations

Book via Your Profile after trek registration. 

We will provide you with a weather-resistant kit bag to transfer your belongings.

The kitbag will be carried by mules or porters.

You will not need a backpack if you're offloading. However, you will need a small day pack.

Find details about the Indiahikes Offloading Process here.

At Indiahikes, we strongly believe that children must trek. Children aged 14 and below qualify for a 30% trek fee scholarship. Check out this article to learn more.


For every ten adult members (aged 15 and above) of the group, we waive off the trek fee for one person. Indiahikes will reimburse the said trek fee after you complete your trek.

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