Staying hygienic on treks requires some effort, especially during Aunt Flow’s monthly visit. Yes, you won’t get to take a bath. And double yes, there won’t be the swanky city loos on the trail. But there are hacks and brilliant ones that will keep you fresh, tidy and hygienic. Ladies at Indiahikes jot down the list of hacks they swear by.

“It’s not as difficult to stay hygienic as it seems,” says Prathima Chhabria, Program Coordinator at the Indiahikes School of Outdoor Learning (InSoul). Yet, it’s not that straightforward. It takes a couple of treks to figure out how to get the hygiene part right. More so, if you are having your periods during the trek.

“It’s a misconception that you shouldn’t trek during your periods. Periods are natural. Why should it stop you from travelling?” asks Sandhya, co-founder and COO at Indiahikes. “Instead, if you challenge yourself to trek or be out of your comfort zone during periods, it helps you discover how strong your body actually is.”

Choose tampons over pads for high levels of hygiene

Tampons are small, super-absorbent rolls. They soak up all the menstrual blood. As they are inserted inside, they do not get wet and can be safely worn during river crossings or rains. The biggest advantage of tampons is their volume. They hardly take up any space in the backpack. “But get used to wearing tampons before using them on a trek,” cautions Sandhya UC.

Don’t dispose of any sanitary waste on your trek. Bring it back to your city and dispose it.

If tampons are not your thing, you can always opt for sanitary napkins. 

While they are widely used and traditionally accepted, they could get a little cumbersome on treks. They are voluminous and are prone to leaks. But if sanitary napkins are what you are comfortable with, then just go with them!

However, our recommendation would be to use menstrual cups. Whatever you use, make sure you do not leave anything behind. Roll them up in newspaper, put them in ziplock bags and bring them back to your city. Do not bury them or dispose of them in dustbins in the mountains.

When it comes to maintaining hygiene during periods while trekking, using a bio-toilet is extremely convenient You can effectively manage using a bio-toilet, regardless of whether one opts for a tampon, pad, or menstrual cup. Utilizing a bio-toilet is akin to using a standard restroom. Lakshmi Selvakumaran, the Head of the Learning and Development team at Indiahikes, shares her experience: “I use a menstrual cup, and my routine remains the same even on a trek.” This highlights that with the right resources, women can comfortably manage their menstrual hygiene while enjoying outdoor activities.   

Watch this video with more tips to manage periods on a trek

What’s the best replacement for taking a bath on a trek?

“I wipe myself with a damp tissue, especially the sweaty areas before changing into fresh clothes,” says Prathima.

Wet wipes could be a rage on treks, but they are not biodegradable. We have banned them on our treks. Instead, we recommend soft handkerchiefs or normal scent-free tissue paper. Use it for wiping after dampening it. Always wipe yourself thoroughly before getting into a fresh set of clothes.

“Avoid wiping and changing in extreme temperatures, such as at night or early in the morning,” says Sandhya UC. The afternoon time, when the weather is a tad warm, is the best.

How many fresh clothes will you need on a trek?

A lot of women ask us if they need fresh clothes for each day. “You need three pairs of clothes for a trek of around 6-8 days,” says Sandhya UC, “one that you are wearing and two spares.”

Start your trek in one pair of clothes. When they get sweaty, wear a fresh pair on the inside and use the sweaty pair on the outside. If there is a water source nearby, rinse the sweaty pair, dry and re-use. As you go to higher altitudes, the need to change lessens as you don’t sweat much. During such times, change once in two days.

“Carry a fresh pair of undergarments for each day especially if you’re on your periods,” says Sandhya, “or carry reusable cloth panty-liners that can be changed every day. They are light and will not weigh you down.” 

Carry plastic bags for used undergarments. You can also use plastic bags for used socks so that they don’t get mixed with fresh clothes in your backpack. 

What you can do most easily on a trek is maintain basic hygiene. Brush your hair, wash your face, answer nature’s call and clean up. There will be water available at all campsites to brush and wash up. As for your toothpaste and soap, try your best to take toiletries without chemicals in them. Organic products will decompose more easily.

Ladies at IH spoke at length on what should or should not be done while on treks. While the discussion mostly revolved around the above four topics, many brilliant trekking hacks popped up. Out of them, the 4 best are written as below:

1. Cotton undergarments allow your skin to breathe. So opt for comfortable, cotton undergarments. Go for sports bras as they fit snugly and are more comfortable.

2. Apply petroleum jelly along all places where elastic touches your body. During a trek, friction with the elastic gives rise to chafing. Petroleum jelly will prevent this.

3. Clip your damp handkerchief or socks to your backpack when you trek. They will be dry by the time you reach the next campsite.

4. If you are using sanitary pads, roll them tightly into a tiny cylinder before putting them in the ziplock. This way it will hardly occupy any space in your bag.

If you liked what you read and want more such tips, check out all our Trekking Tips. They are put together by our experts who have years of experience trekking in the Himalayas.

Taking a shower during treks is out of the question. Then how do you maintain hygiene? Here, pro-trekkers give tips to stay clean as you scale mountains.

How To Stay Hygienic On Treks (Even During Your Periods)

Trekking in international destinations, such as Nepal’s Everest Base Camp or the Atsunta Pass in Georgia, is an adventure of a lifetime. However, these treks come with their own set of risks, including unpredictable weather, high altitude sickness, and remote locations. Having proper insurance coverage is not just an added safety measure; it’s an essential part of your trek preparation.

Here’s an incident that will tell you why 

A few weeks ago, one of our trek leaders returned from the Everest Base Camp trek and he shared an experience that left us all in deep thought.

During the trek, one of the trekkers started feeling unwell at Namche Bazaar. Within a few hours, the severity of the symptoms forced the trekker to descend immediately. He had to opt for a helicopter evacuation to Kathmandu via Lukla. 

The cost? A staggering $740 (Roughly Rs 62,000). To put it in perspective, it is double our trek fee.

Surprisingly, a regular flight from Lukla to Kathmandu usually costs around $100-$120. But in emergencies, helicopter services in Nepal operate in an unregulated market. Prices can skyrocket depending on the urgency and demand.

This incident underscored a vital point: trekking, especially in remote international locations, comes with its risks and unpredictabilities. Having trek insurance could have significantly offset this sudden expense, easing both financial and emotional strain during a stressful situation.

Understanding the cost of emergencies

Emergencies in remote locations are expensive. Helicopter evacuations, medical treatments, and logistical support in high-altitude regions are not just costly—they're exorbitant. Without insurance, these expenses can burn a deep hole in your pocket.

A helicopter evacuation from Namche Bazaar to Kathmandu costs around $700-$800, as in the story above.

A hospital stay in Kathmandu for treatment can add another $500-$1000, depending on the severity of the condition.

With trek insurance, most of these costs are covered, sparing you the financial burden during an already stressful time.

What Kind of Insurance Should You Opt For?

Not all travel insurance covers adventure activities like trekking. Many policies exclude high-altitude treks or any activities labeled as “extreme.”

This is why you must opt for adventure-specific insurance.

Which Insurance Company Covers Trekking and Adventure Sports?

At Indiahikes, we have been working with ASC 360 to insure our trekkers for several years now. Their policies cover:

Cashless hospitalization for injuries and altitude sickness

Medical expenses for accidents or sickness like AMS, frostbite, and hypothermia

We recommend going with ASC 360 for the following reasons:

ASC 360 offers exceptional service. Whether you’re in the middle of your trek or back home, they’re available 24/7 via call or email to assist you. Our trekkers have experienced this every time. 

Unlike most insurance providers, ASC 360 ensures that your insurance papers are processed swiftly. This is especially crucial in emergencies when time is of the essence.

ASC 360 doesn’t just offer adventure insurance—they also include travel insurance in the cost. This means you’re covered for both your trek and your journey to and from the destination.


Indiahikes has worked with ASC 360 for years, and they’ve consistently delivered excellent service. Their experience in trekking-related emergencies makes them our go-to insurance provider. We are yet to see another insurance company do the same for trekking as a sport.


ASC 360 offers several unique services, such as:

Cashless medical services and treatment for AMS, frostbite, or hypothermia

Field rescue teams for local ground evacuations

Instant reimbursements for eligible claims

Deployable medical teams and an Emergency Response Center

How to Apply for ASC 360 Insurance

To get in touch with ASC 360, write to info@asc360.com

Their team will guide you through the entire process.

Once you book an international trek with Indiahikes, your experience coordinator will share a brochure with you, explaining the insurance process and benefits. You can then directly email ASC 360 to apply.

Cost of ASC 360 Insurance for an international trek

The cost of insurance for an international trek starts from ₹6,000, depending on the altitude, region, and country of your trek. Considering the comprehensive coverage and peace of mind it offers, this is a small investment compared to the potential costs of emergencies.


Conclusion

Trekking insurance is not just about financial protection—it’s about ensuring your safety and peace of mind. We highly recommend purchasing insurance before embarking on your trek.

This isn’t just a recommendation; please consider it an essential part of your journey. It ensures that you can focus on the adventure, knowing that you’re covered in case of emergencies.

If you have further questions on insurance for international treks, write to info@indiahikes.com, and we’ll be able to help you.

insurance international trek health asc360 indiahikes insurance policy

Why is it crucial to have insurance on International treks?

Going on a trek isn’t as big an investment as buying a car or a home. However, it is a highly adventurous activity and by nature involves a certain amount of risk.

There are chances of avalanches, floods, or landslides occurring in the mountains due to unpredictable weather. From fractures and sprains to higher forms of AMS, injuries and illnesses are thus highly probable for trekkers.

Here’s where trek insurance comes into play.

Having trek insurance is an essential part of your pre-trek planning. At Indiahikes, we have always strived to make treks safer for our trekkers. We used to offer trek insurance as an option over the past years. We have now made it mandatory for all our treks.

Though you may have your own life insurance and/or a medical insurance policy, chances are these policies do not cover any risks incurred while participating in adventurous activities like trekking. Read the fine print and you’ll know what we’re talking about.

In this article, we explain why trek insurance is important and what our insurance policy covers.

Trekking by nature is a high-risk activity. You are at a high altitude (above 8,000 ft), the weather is unpredictable and at most times the terrain is difficult too. Illnesses, accidents, and injuries aren’t uncommon in the mountains. Most of these can be sourced for a couple of reasons.

Firstly, most of our treks are at high altitudes.

In most of your treks with Indiahikes, you’ll be reaching heights of 11,000 ft or higher. The chances of getting hit by AMS are very real.

When we see a trekker consistently display symptoms of AMS, the first thing we do is make him or her descend. In most cases, quick descent coupled with a course of Diamox treatment does the job.

But in some severe cases, the AMS progresses to the more dangerous HAPE or HACE. These require immediate evacuation and medical attention.

The more remote the trek, the more serious the condition. And higher costs of rescue and medical assistance.

To give you an example, we had a trekker on our Goechala trek get hit by HAPE on the Goechala trek. This was at Lamuney campsite (13,743 ft). Out Trek Leader immediately brought her down to base camp, hired a car, and transported her to the nearest hospital. The total charges for treatment, evacuation, and stay amounted to approximately Rs. 11,000.

Even though we emphasise on safety, accidents are inevitable in the Himalayas. Unpredictable weather conditions and the nature of the terrain can cause unexpected injuries.

In our experience, these are the possible injuries:

Ligament tears while climbing steep terrains if your muscles are not warmed up

Injuries during playing games at the campsite

Accidents like these always require immediate evacuation and urgent medical expertise.

At Indiahikes, we’ve always put in processes and measures to increase the safety standards on every single trek of ours. All our Trek Leaders are Wilderness First Responder (NOLS) certified. They are equipped with a High Altitude Medication Kit, oxygen cylinders, and two-way radios for constant communication with the base. We have made microspikes mandatory on all our snow treks. And so much more.

In spite of that, the nature of trekking is such that you never know when a mishap could occur.

And in these cases, owing to the remoteness of the region, expenses may shoot up exponentially.

Here’s when the mandatory trek insurance comes to your rescue. It takes care of these emergency expenses which can burn a hole in your pocket.

And since it’s a matter of money, we don’t want to leave things to the fine print.

We’ll explain more about our trek insurance policy.

Our trek insurance policy covers health and medical expenses arising out of illnesses and injuries when you are on the trek. It is a group health insurance and costs Rs. 30 per day. Depending on the number of days your trek is the total insurance cost may differ.

For example: If you are booking a 6 days trek, you will be paying Rs. 180.

The insurer we have tied up with is ASC 360, India's leading insurance company in the field of outdoor and adventure sports.

The insurance is valid from the time we pick you up for the trek, till we drop you off. So for instance, if you’re going on a trek like Phulara Ridge, the actual trek begins on Day 1 when you start from Dehradun and ends on Day 6 when you come back to Dehradun.

Once you register and make a payment for the trek you’ll be issued a policy document. The document will contain details about what expenses will be covered. Also included with be the contact details for rescue and claims processing and reimbursement.

Our trek insurance is for a total sum of Rs. 3,25,000. Below are all the expenses it covers:

1. Hospitalisation Expenses for Injuries - INR 1,00,000

2. Medical Evacuation (Air or Road) - INR 1,00,000

3. Personal Accident (Death & Disability) - INR 1,00,000

4. Repatriation of Remains Extension - INR 25,000

In case of a severe illness or injury, the trekker will be evacuated to the nearest exit point from where transport shall be arranged to the nearest hospital.

Here are a few cases, out of many, in which insurance will not be covered under the policy.

1. Suicide, attempt to Suicide or intentionally self-inflicted injury, sexually transmitted conditions, mental disorder, anxiety, stress, or depression.

2. ﻿﻿﻿Being under influence of drugs, alcohol, or other intoxication or hallucinogens

3.﻿﻿﻿ Participation in actual or attempted felony, riot, civil commotion, crime misdemeanor

4.﻿﻿﻿ Committing any breach of law of land with criminal intent.﻿﻿﻿

5. Death or disablement resulting from Pregnancy or childbirth

﻿﻿﻿6. Professional sports team in respect of specific benefit for inability to perform﻿﻿﻿

7. Participation in any kind of motor speed contest.

8. While engaged in aviation, or whilst mounting or dismounting from or traveling in any aircraft. (Not applicable for fare Paying Passengers)

9. Underground mining & contractor specializing in tunneling

10. Radioactivity, Nuclear risks, ionizing radiation

11. Indemnity It is hereby stated that due to any circumstances such as delay in evacuation, delay in hospital admission, delay in attending by the doctors, etc any loss of life, limb, property, or any other loss accrues then under such circumstances ASC 360 shall not be held liable for the losses suffered. It is further stated that for any loss, damage, mishappening, or any other foreseeable and unforeseeable circumstances that arrive in such conditions ASC 360 shall not be held liable. It is reiterated that ASC 360 liabilities are limited to the terms as mentioned hereinabove and subject to the terms of the Policy.

12. The Policy is valid exclusively for the clients of Indiahikes only

13. This policy is only valid for Indian nationals or expats working in India

14. No Pre-existing diseases shall be covered under the policy whether declared or not declared

15. No related cancellations/ rescheduling/ delays are covered under this policy

16. Pre-approvals are a must for Medical evacuation.

17. Age Limit — minimum 1 year and maximum 70 years

18. Limitation of the Liability: It is understood that ASC360 is acting as an insurance intermediary and shall not be liable for any claims.

19. Anything apart from the points mentioned in 'what our trek insurance covers section.'

If you want to make a claim, follow these steps:

Make sure you consult a doctor and get a medical report on the same day of evacuation or the incident that you are claiming the insurance for.
(Note: Without the doctor consultation, your claim will not be approved)

Meanwhile, ASC 360 team will send you an email as soon as they receive the report. Make sure you reply to the email with the medical report and all the medical bills. 

Once all the documents are verified, the claim should be approved in no time.

So there you go! Hopefully, you will have a safe trek and won’t have to use trek insurance at all.

P.S. in case the ASC 360 team, is not able to help you immediately, get in touch with your Experience Coordinator. Your Experience Coordinator will help in making this process faster. You may communicate your situation to your Trek Leader as well, who will in turn communicate this to your Experience Coordinator.

Making insurance mandatory is just one more way in which we’re making your treks safer. And we always believe it’s better to be safe than sorry.

Have any questions? Do drop in your thoughts in the comments.

Trekking in the Himalayas comes with its own risks. To ensure your own safety, Indiahikes has made Trek Insurance mandatory. Read on to know why.

Why Trek Insurance Is Mandatory On Our Treks And What It Covers

In December of 2019, Gaurav headed for his first high-altitude trek to Kedarkantha — overweight, underprepared, and with a BMI that was way above normal. He barely made it to the first campsite before his legs gave up on him, and he had to take the decision of returning home. 

Dejected but determined, Gaurav joined a gym and worked out with unflinching focus. In October 2020, a little less than a year after the Kedarkantha incident, Gaurav summited Brahmatal Top. He was 10 kilos lighter, 4 points lower on the BMI scale, and a lot stronger.

Gaurav worked on his fitness for one whole year after facing health issues on the Kedarkantha trek. He came back to do the Brahmatal trek in Oct’2020.

Unfortunately, the first half of Gaurav’s story is what we end up seeing more frequently than we’d like. 

Given the sedentary lifestyles that many trekkers have been leading due to the lockdown, a sizable number of trekkers have higher BMIs and poor fitness levels. The result is that they are either unable to complete the trek or find it too hard. 

So in this article, we want to share some observations about why BMI matters and what you can do if you have a high BMI. 

Having a high BMI by itself does not affect your trekking performance. What matters is your fitness levels. We have had many trekkers with high BMI successfully complete treks with adequate preparation. 

Having a high BMI, especially when you’re overweight, affects your trek in three ways: 

1. It makes you more susceptible to AMS 

Your body goes through all kinds of changes when it is on a high-altitude trek. 

Your lungs and heart start to work harder as altitude increases. As altitude increases, the air pressure decreases, which means that there is a lower concentration of oxygen in the air. 

Consequently, there’s less oxygen in your blood. Your body tries to make up for this decrease in oxygen. Your heart starts pumping faster and your breathing also becomes faster. 

This is something that happens to every single trekker, regardless of weight.

But here’s where BMI makes a difference. 

If your high BMI is a reflection of being overweight or poor fitness levels, it will affect your body much worse. 

Sandhya UC, the co-founder of Indiahikes, puts it in perspective. She says, “Any physical activity that you do on a high altitude trek is going to be 5 times tougher than when you do it normally. When you have a high BMI, you are exerting a lot more. You will consume a lot of oxygen that is circulating in your blood. That makes you highly susceptible to altitude sickness.” 

For more on the effects of high altitude on your body, click here.

2. You are more injury-prone, especially while descending 

The other aspect to consider is the load your legs have to carry. Every gram counts when you are trekking, and that includes your body weight too. 

“Ankle and knee injuries are a lot more common if you haven’t worked on your muscles. And individuals with higher BMI are at greater risk of facing injuries if they go for a trek without preparation,” points out Sandhya.

Additionally, climbing uphill or downhill can get particularly challenging when carrying extra body weight. “We’re noticing an increasing trend of people opting to offload their backpacks because they’re not fit enough. This is not good for trekking,” says Suhas Saya, the head of Experience Coordinators at Indiahikes. 

Individuals with higher BMI are at greater risk of facing injuries. Picture by Nirantharajith.

This is something that is tough to quantify.

Being fit and ready for a trek exponentially enhances your entire experience and allows you to absorb the sights and sounds around you. 

On the other hand, when you’re ill-prepared and struggling through the trek, you don’t have the energy to take in the views or be together with the team. You’re constantly lagging behind, trekking with just the sweeper, and you’re always wondering when will this end?

It defeats the very purpose of heading out for what could potentially be an incredibly transformative experience.  

Our Head of Content, sums it up through her own personal experience in this post. 

Having said that, we’ll talk about what you can do if you have a high BMI. 

1. I have a high BMI. Can I sign up for a trek?

The simple, straightforward answer is — Yes, you can. 

While a high BMI can indicate high body fat, it does not necessarily reflect an individual’s health or fitness level. 

We have, however, noticed that those with a higher than normal BMI tend to be overweight and have poor fitness levels. In such cases, the importance of having a good fitness routine and sticking to it consistently cannot be overemphasized. 

At Indiahikes, we recommend you have a BMI of 26 or less if you are signing up for any of our treks. 

However, if your BMI number is over what we have mentioned, we suggest you speak to our Experience Coordinators as early as possible to discuss how to get trek-ready.

We understand that an individual’s fitness cannot be judged on a single number, which is why we take a holistic look at your lifestyle, fitness routine, and trekking experience before recommending a trek and suggesting a well-thought-out regimen.

We can’t look at BMI individually, we have to look at other parameters too. A short person with a high BMI is at a disadvantage vs. a tall person with a high BMI. Age matters. A younger person with a high BMI will find trekking relatively easier than an older person with a comparable BMI. Gender also matters. Women with higher BMI are at greater risk vs. men with comparable BMIs. This is what our research and years of taking trekkers on high altitude treks tells us.

2. But I’ve had friends/family who have trekked with little or no prior preparation!

Having seen many trekkers head out into the mountains, almost on a whim, and then face the consequences, Sandhya points out several important factors. 

“You are putting yourself at considerable risk if you have high BMI. You are going to struggle your way to the top because you haven’t taken the time to get your body ready. Will power can take you, and many times, it will take you. But, in the process, you will be doing a lot of damage to your body.

Climbing is not an easy task, and you have to prepare your muscles for climbing. You will be wearing out your muscles if you don’t exercise enough and go on a high-altitude trek. Think about it; if your weight is 10 -20 kg over what you should ideally weigh, it is like carrying an extra backpack of that weight.

Climbing requires you to prepare your muscles for the challenges it comes with. Picture from Indiahikes archive

Additionally, on very high-altitude treks, we have noticed that those who suffer from AMS have above-normal BMI. They struggle to climb up, deplete their blood’s oxygen and thereby make themselves more susceptible to altitude sickness. In fact, instances of HAPE and high BMI go together. I am not saying that it’s only those with high BMI, but, from the number of cases we have seen, there is a correlation,” explains Sandhya.

Be upfront about your BMI and fitness levels – The more we know, the more we can help. And this includes providing you with a comprehensive fitness plan that will help you get trek ready!

Pick the right trek – Speak to our experience coordinators, read about treks, do your research, and pick one that is right for your fitness level. It’s always better to build up from easy treks to tougher ones. It allows you to taste success which will help build your confidence and motivate you to work towards a more challenging climb.

Give yourself time to get prepared – Fitness is not an overnight process. Commit to a proper fitness routine at least 1-2 months before your trek date. 

Make cardio a part of your fitness regimen – Start with brisk walking 3-4 times a week. Add a light jog as the weeks progress and build your pace to completing 5 km in less than 37-40 minutes. If you are above 45 years, aim at doing a 5 km jog in 40-45 minutes. If jogging is not quite your thing, try to walk 10 km in under 90 minutes or cycle 22 km in 60 minutes. 

Include strength training – Walking uphill and downhill can be hard on your thighs and knees. Incorporate leg-specific exercises such as squats at least thrice a week. Integrate activities that help build your shoulder muscles. After all, you will be lifting a backpack and walking for long periods. 

Mimic ascents and descents with stair climbing – Climbing stairs is a great way to build cardiovascular strength and endurance. Once you get comfortable with the activity, challenge yourself by climbing with a packed backpack. 

Diet matters – Make healthy foods such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables a part of your meals and lay off the junk food. Your body will feel the difference, and thank you for it. 

<table class=" table table-hover"><tbody><tr><td>Pro tip – Get yourself a pair of trekking polesTrekking poles act as additional legs and take on a significant part of the load, provide much-needed balance during those tricky sections and reduce the impact on your knees. Don’t want to buy them? Rent them! </td></tr></tbody></table>

For a detailed week-by-week fitness plan, read our article ‘Trek Fitness Guide for High Altitude Treks.’

4. What kind of treks should I sign up for?

Our Experience Coordinator Nandana weighs in.

She says, “Your BMI, previous trek experience, and fitness levels will determine which trek you should go on.

If you have a high BMI, and this is your first trek, or don’t have a very consistent workout routine, we recommend starting with an easy-moderate one. These treks have gradual ascents and descents and do not put too much pressure on your body. These treks also allow you to understand how your body will react to high altitudes. But, a word of caution, these treks also require significant physical preparation. Some of our easy-moderate treks are Dayara Bugyal, Deoriatal Chandrashila, and Kedarkantha. 

If your BMI is high, but you have previous high-altitude trek experience or have a good fitness routine, you can go for moderate difficulty treks too. To go for these, you do require good endurance and fitness. These treks have longer days, higher ascents, and descents, and there may be boulder sections. So that does require a higher level of cardio and strength training. So if you are very fit and you’ve been consistent with your fitness routine, you can go ahead with moderate treks. Some of the treks you can consider are Hampta Pass, Valley of Flowers, Tarsar Marsar Kashmir Trek, the Brahmatal Trek, and the Phulara Ridge Trek.”

Having guided many trekkers with higher BMIs to complete their treks successfully, Nandana sums it up for us without hesitation.

<table class=" table table-hover" style="height: 443px;" width="812"><tbody><tr><td>Our Trekker’s Share Their Personal ExperiencesNothing motivates us quite like hearing success stories from those in a similar situation! We’ve had many trekkers with high BMI complete their treks successfully. And it happened only because they made fitness a priority. Read on to find out how they went about preparing for it –My BMI was off the charts, and I was leading a very unhealthy lifestyle. One of my close friends asked me if I wanted to sign up for a trek and take it up as a challenge and use this opportunity to get fitter. I started preparing two months before the trek. My friends and I hired a trainer to come and train us at home an hour a day for six days/week. It was quite hardcore – a combination of strength training, weights, and cardio. We worked on specific goals such as endurance and strengthening our legs and back.  I would also go for a run 2-3 times a week. I also altered my diet significantly and reduced my carb and sugar intake. To be honest, the trek wasn’t the easiest. On the summit day, we had to trek for nine hours, and that was challenging. But, I was confident from the beginning that I would be able to do it because I had prepared for it. Fitness has become part of my lifestyle now. The trek showed me the benefits of living a healthy life.  – Rihand, Hampta Pass, July 2021Before I signed up for the trek, I wasn’t a workout person at all nor was I conscious about health. My BMI was around 31 and I was really unfit. This was my first trek and my brother encouraged me to sign up for it. I started preparing for the trek 2 months before the start date.I hired a gym trainer and told him to specifically train me for a Himalayan trek. My objective was to complete the trek successfully. The first time I went for a jog, I could only do 3 km and it took me around 50-55 mins. After that, I knew where I stood in terms of my fitness levels. I started putting in the hours. I switched to a low-carb, high protein diet. Initially, I would get dizzy after working out for just half an hour. But slowly, as the trek date got closer, I was able to build up to 1-1.5 hour sessions every day.  We focused a lot on leg strengthening exercises. In the morning, I used to do cardio by going for walks and jogs. Towards the end, I could finish a 5k in 41 mins. I could feel myself getting stronger from the inside. I didn’t find the trek too difficult. I was mentally and physically prepared for it. My biggest takeaway from this entire experience is that we need to challenge our bodies. Now that I’ve seen how my body changed, I feel our bodies need it. I know that if I sign up for a more difficult trek, I will have to prepare for 4 months instead of 2. And that might, over the course of time, lead me to living a fitter and healthier life.– Shreyash, Hampta Pass, August 2021I started a proper training routine a month and a half before the Bhrigu Lake Trek. Physical activity was always part of my daily routine, but I amped it up after I signed up for the trek. I used to jog for 45 mins to an hour every day, coupled with light weights training. At home, I incorporated yoga and HIIT into my workout routine. As the weeks went back, my stamina and endurance levels got better. I was also mindful of my diet and sleeping routine. It was my first high-altitude Himalayan trek, so I took a holistic approach to the whole thing. I did find the trek difficult because I had issues with my balance. But by the time I finished it, I had learned so much. In fact, I have already signed up for my next trek with Indiahikes. I feel there is always room for improvement, and I have brought back a lot of learnings. I learned about my pain points during the trek, and working on those before I head out on my next one will be very crucial.–  Srilagna, Bhrigu Lake Trek, July 2021</td></tr></tbody></table>

If you’ve trekked on a high altitude trek with a high BMI we would love to know how was your experience and what were some of your learnings.

In this article, we want to share some observations about why BMI matters and what you can do if you have a high BMI.

Trekking With High BMI - All Your Questions Answered

At Indiahikes we pride ourselves to be the safest trekking organisation in India. It is natural that our conversations often revolve around how to make high altitude trekking a safer experience.

Today, we discuss whether trekkers with high blood pressure levels can trek at high altitudes.

Very often, we are asked about why we take BP readings before trekkers start their treks. A lot of trekkers end up frustrated when we turn them around because of a severe rise in blood pressure.

It’s an often misunderstood concept, yet something extremely prevalent among trekkers.

Lakshmi Selvakumaran, our Head of Learning and Development team, estimates that there is at least one person with high blood pressure when we take BP readings at the start of the trek (that is one in 20).

Many trekkers worry about trekking at high altitudes with high blood pressure. Is it safe? Is it dangerous? Find out from the experts.

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