Stories from the Trail
In-depth guides to the flagship treks and expeditions organised by YHAI across the Indian Himalaya.
TravelogueEasyYou cross a border on foot at Jaigaon, and within a few hours the noise simply stops. Bhutan does not try to impress you quickly - which is exactly why it stays with you.
TravelogueEasy to ModerateI had never slept in a tent, never walked uphill for more than an hour, and had booked a Himalayan trek on a whim. Six days later I was standing on a summit at first light, wondering why I had waited so long.
TravelogueYou don't just visit Ladakh - you surrender to it. A YHAI Leh Explore Camp told through acclimatisation days, high passes and the long silences in between.
TravelogueAt 77, with his friend Tek Chand, the writer walked 46 km over craggy ground to the open Phulara Ridge. His verdict on the group: we were all old, yet not aged.
TravelogueIt began the way ordinary things do - a colleague saying, almost casually, come with us for a trek. The word meant nothing then. It has meant everything since.
Trek GuideDistance training, strength work, advanced tricks and recovery - the four blocks YHAI recommends before a Himalayan trek, with a simple rule: consistency beats intensity.
Trek GuideModerateIn a single trek you walk out of the green Kullu valley and into the bare, moon-coloured desert of Lahaul - the only Himalayan crossover that changes worlds in five days.
Trek GuideEasy to ModerateFor ten weeks each monsoon a hidden Garhwal valley erupts into more than 500 species of wildflowers. This is the one trek you plan your whole year around.
Trek GuideHardFrom Manali to the world's highest motorable road - YHAI's cycling expeditions have twice earned a place in the Limca Book of Records.
Trek GuideModerate to HardSeven turquoise alpine lakes, three high passes and meadows that run to the horizon - many trekkers call this the most beautiful trail in India.
Trek GuideModerateMore young Indians have taken their first Himalayan steps on Sar Pass than on almost any other trail. It all begins at the YHAI base camp in Kasol.
Trek GuideEasy to ModerateA short, stunning weekend trek above Manali to the glacial lake where the river Beas is born - ringed by Hanuman Tibba and Friendship Peak.
Trek GuideModerateA quieter alternative to the crowds - rolling Pir Panjal meadows, snow-capped horizons and the unmistakable YHAI base-camp spirit.
Trek GuideEasy to ModerateA reflecting lake, the world's highest Shiva temple and a summit with a 360-degree wall of giants - all on a trail gentle enough for beginners.
Trek GuideModerateSnow-laden pine forests, a frozen lake and a dawn summit push under a sky full of stars - Kedarkantha is the trek that made winter trekking popular in India.
Trek GuideHardA frozen lake at 16,470 ft holds the bones of more than 300 people who died over a thousand years ago. Few treks blend such beauty with such genuine mystery.