It’s a serious mistake to not prepare for your trek after signing up for it. Unfortunately, 30-40% of trekkers make this mistake every year.

Three years ago, we even faced a ‘fitness faking epidemic,’ where trekkers who were not fit resorted to faking their fitness screenshots to get approved for the trek. Some trekkers still do it. 

In such a scenario, there is a simple thing that trekkers don’t understand. 

You sacrifice a lot to sign up for a trek —money, time, and so much thought and planning. You do it to enjoy trekking and being in nature.

But just putting thought, money, and time into registering is not enough. The reality is — YOU WON'T ENJOY THE TREK IF YOU ARE NOT FIT. 

Trekking is very different from going on walks. Walking long distances on a road or in a garden cannot be compared to climbing a mountain or a pass. On treks, you are continuously ascending and descending on uneven terrain. This takes strength and endurance. It becomes more difficult when you are doing it at a high altitude (above 9000 ft). 

Three things happen when you are not fit:

You miss out on a deep transformative experience that trekking can offer

This is why it’s important to be fit for a trek. Good part is, it’s not difficult. All you need to do is  start following a fitness routine 30-45 days before the trek begins. 

A common question —  I have no trek experience. Will I be able to trek just by following the fitness routine?

Yes. Trekking is a sport that primarily uses your lungs, your core, and your lower body. Prior experience matters only for difficult treks. For all other treks, good fitness is key.

To reach this fitness, there are just two things to work on — your cardiovascular endurance and your muscle strength. 

Running works your lungs and lower body, while basic strength training using your own body weight like planks and push-ups makes your core stronger. 

These exercises when done consistently over a period of time will yield tremendous results and make your trek ready by the end of the training plan. Thousands of trekkers have benefited from this simple routine. 

Before you start on your fitness journey, find out where you stand:

At Indiahikes, we look at it like this - there are four levels of fitness when you’re on a trek.

➤ Level 1 is not preparing for a trek at all. It’s appalling but it is true that there are umpteen trekkers who go to the mountains with zero preparation. Since we at Indiahikes are extremely strict about fitness, we don’t see too many in this category. But in the mountains, there is a discernible difference between our trekkers and others, especially when others are at Level 0.

➤ Level 2 is being just about fit to manage to complete the trek. You struggle a bit, but not much. You make it to the top (from our experience most trekkers achieve this fitness level).

➤ Level 3 is being fit enough to enjoy your trek. You don’t feel exertion or pay attention to your body. You have enough time to absorb the surroundings and make conversations while trekking (around 10% of our trekkers achieve this).

➤ Level 4 is when you are fit enough to comfortably face bad weather conditions, and trek that extra mile through snow and rain. Most trekkers who achieve this level of fitness are stoic about the weather, they accept it and embrace it (very few trekkers achieve this level of fitness).

Why Running Is The Best Exercise To Get Fit For A Trek (Vs Swimming and Cycling)

Many trekkers ask us if they can go swimming or cycling instead of running to get fit for a trek.   

In this video, Co-Founder of Indiahikes, Sandhya Chandrasekharayya, shares why running is the best exercise to get fit for a trek, especially compared to swimming and cycling.   

While both of them are great endurance builders, running / jogging focuses on the same muscles you use while trekking, she says.

We’ve observed that trekkers going on tough treks like Kedartal, Rupin Pass, Buran Ghati, Warwan Valley, instinctively aim to reach Level 3. These are usually trekkers who have trekked in the Himalayas before. They understand the challenges of trekking in high altitude. 

But most others, especially trekkers who are preparing to go for easy-moderate treks, reach just Level 1. This could happen if you are undermining the challenges on the easy-moderate treks or have not trekked before. In such cases, a common mistake is to think that bad weather and emergencies don’t occur on easier treks.

You must know emergencies can occur even on the easiest treks. We are dealing with the Himalayas at very high altitudes. The weather is never predictable; it could rain or snow at any time.

So no matter what trek you’re going on, target being at the peak of your fitness. Aim at Level 3. 

If you have found this guide helpful or know of any more exercises that could help build the required strength and endurance for Himalayan treks, feel free to drop in your thoughts in the comments section below.

This article tells you how to get fit for your Himalayan Trek. Whether you are trekking for the first time or are an experienced trekker, there is a training plan for everyone.

How to Get Fit for Your Trek - The Ultimate Fitness Guide 2022

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Why Fitness is Important for Your High Altitude Trek

Narmada Backwaters Trek

Mural Danda Trek

Ali Bedni Bugyal Trek

Roopkund Trek

Ala-Kul Trek - Kyrgyzstan

Coorg Nelji Hill Trek

Ranthan Kharak Trek

Back-to-Nature Trek at Bijli Mahadev

Youth Camp on Ali Bedni Bugyal

Georgia Atsunta Pass Trek

Gaumukh Tapovan Trek

Kodaikanal Avocado Hill Trek

Kanamo Peak Trek

Dafeybhir Pass Trek

Kedartal Trek

Miyar Valley

Kedarkantha Summer Camp Trek

Biligundlu Cauvery River Trek

Khopra Ridge Trek

Mount Rinjani Trek

Ghepan Lake

Mount Kilimanjaro Trek

Goa Netravali Forest Trek

Annapurna Base Camp Trek

Kedarkantha Trek

Surya Top

Pangarchulla Peak Trek

Tarsar Marsar Trek

Buran Ghati Trek

Bhrigu Lake Trek

Phulara Ridge Trek

Deoriatal Chandrashila Trek

Odisha Debrigarh Sanctuary Trek

Everest Base Camp (Classic Route)

Har Ki Dun

Pin Bhaba Pass Trek

Kashmir Great Lakes Trek 

Gurez Valley Trek

Bali Pass Trek

Chhattisgarh Jungle Trek

Rupin Pass

Warwan Valley Trek

Beas Kund Trek

Valley of Flowers

Nafran Valley Trek

Goechala Trek

Chandrakhani Pass Trek

Nag Tibba Weekend Trek

Everest Base Camp via Gokyo Ri Trek

Tulian Lake Trek

Manali Kaisdhar Trek for Beginners

Hampta Pass Trek

Sandakphu Phalut Trek

Brammah Valley Trek

Brahmatal Trek

Pench Tiger Trail

Pir Panjal Lakes Trek

Benog Tibba Trek

Bodpathri Trek

Dayara Bugyal Trek

Kuari Pass Trek

Dayara Bugyal Summer Camp 

Winter Trekking Camp for Children

Kuari Pass Summer Camp Trek

Channarayana Durga Weekend Trek 

Minchukallu Betta Weekend Trek

Vellore Amirthi Forest Trek

Chirbatiya Weekend Trek

Gidara Bugyal

Deoban Weekend

Gutirayan Peak Trek

Bananthimari Betta Trek

Nishani Motte Trek

Kugti Pass Trek

Netravati Trek

Satpura Forest Trail

Karnala Fort Trek

Neelkanth Mahadev Lake Trek

Kamalgad Trek

Horagina Betta Trek

Kumara Parvatha Trek

Chadar Trek

Arshan Valley Trek

Makalidurga Trek

Halu Chilume Gange Trek

Kudremukh Trek

Bekal Beach Trek

Bijli Mahadev To Naggar Trek

Harishchandragad Trek

Doodhpathri Trek

Triund Trek

Pin Parvati Pass

Channarayana Durga Trek

Bhimashankar Trek

Rajgad Trek

Rajmachi Trek

Satopanth Tal Trek

Sathuragiri Hill Trek

Sinhagad Fort Trek

Kalavantin Durg 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.  

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. Here are a few guidelines that you should keep in mind:
1. Your chances of getting a confirmation are high, but not certain. 
2. 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.
3. We close the movement of WL 15-20 days before the start of the trek.

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.

We are known for our safety

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 30,000 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

For us, sustainability is not just writing on the wall. 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.

Sustainability is at the heart of our operations

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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