How about a hot cup of tea high up at 12,000 ft, with the view of sun’s first rays kissing a snow-capped peak? Sounds surreal, right? Now, imagine lying down on an open meadow with nothing to see but a sky full of stars — a lot more than you have ever seen. Want to do that already? Then head for a trek to the mighty mountains this winter. You will be able to do a lot more than just that. Far from phone signals and closest to the breath-taking peaks, you can experience walking on the snow and hear it crunching under your feet, breathe the fresh air, have your dinner by a campfire and sigh at the most beautiful views that you pass by. By now, if you are scratching your head thinking where to start, here’s a list of the most exciting treks in India you can go for this winter.

01) Kedarkantha Trek: One of the not most visited locales, close to the Har Ki dun valley, is Kedar Kantha. Kedar Kantha lies in the state of Uttarakhand, bordering Himachal Pradesh. The outdoor vistas are beyond description in beauty. There are quaint hamlets, unending and lush green meadows and fabulous views of some of Himalayan giants. The people are extremely friendly and the  culture and practice of the locals unique. The snaking trail on this trip takes one through rich and verdant forests of chestnut, maple and pines. The sun kissed snow path with the trees shadow boxing with each other is a sight to behold. The trail that is tough in places also offers potential of catching fleeting glimpses of the elusive Himalayan wildlife. The Pinnacle of this trip though remains the perfect sunset that one can almost reach out to. The sun, almost in slow motion leaves a blazing trail through the sky before descending into oblivion behind the impressive snowcapped peaks. This is a great trail for people looking at winter treks in the Himalayas. With the falling of winter snow the landscapes take on a completely different and refreshing look. The trail is mostly through forest sections and meadows making it safe for walking even with lots of snow on the trail. What makes this trek special is the views of the Himalayan ranges that one gets along the trail and from the summit. In winters the sky is usually clear and the air clean ensuring fantastic views. At an altitude of around 3800 m/12500 feet, the summit (Kedar Kantha) offers a good challenge to trekkers who are rewarded for the hard work with
mesmerizing views which are sure to stay with one, lifelong. Chances of seeing wildlife here are very high.
Duration: 04 nights 05 Days Region: Gharwal Uttarkhand
Activities: Trekking, Photography
Best Time: December, January, February
Fixed Departure: 26 - 30 Dec 2020, 09 - 13 Jan 2021, 22 - 26 Jan 2021, 05 - 09 Feb 2021, 19 - 23 Feb 2021

02) Dodital and Darwa Top Trek
Dodital (3310 m) is one of the most beautiful lakes in Uttarakhand attracting many trekkers from around the world. This lake is named after Himalayan Trout called ‘Dodi’ in local language and these Dodi resides here. This place is considered holy as people say it is the birthplace of Lord Ganesha and there is a temple next to the lake. The wide range of Himalayas, beautiful deep valleys and forests of deodar, oak, pine, and bamboo make Dodital Trek a favourite trek among nature lovers. It looks more alluring during winters so many people prefer it as a winter trek. There will be many pleasant surprises of witnessing the unique flora and fauna of Himalayas. Here the trek starts through meadows and forests which will lead to the beautiful sight of majestic Himalayan Range from the lake.

Duration: 04 nights 05 Days
Region: Gharwal Uttarkhand
Activities: Trekking, Photography
Best Time: November, December
Fixed Departure: 21 Nov 25 Nov 05 Dec 09 Dec 12 Dec 16 Dec 2020

03) Dayara Bugyal Trek
Dayara Bugyal Trek is one of the best winter treks in Uttarakhand. Here, the mesmerizing view of Banderpunch and Gangotri Range makes this trek one of the most desired destinations among the trekkers. This trek goes through beautiful green meadows dense oak forests and reaches to an elevation of 3408m. Here, mesmerizing view of different Himalayan ranges covered in beautiful white snow can be seen from this alpine meadow. The word Bugyal in Dayara Bugyal means meadow at high altitude. There are other Bugyals as well in the same Gharwal Region as Bedini Bugyal, Gorson Bugyal and Tungnath Bugyal are some famous ones. Throughout the trek, there are hardly any difficult trails as it passes through different meadows which make it a winter trek. This trek can be done by the beginner as well as non-experienced trekkers.
Duration: 04 nights 05 Days
Region: Garhwal Uttarakhand
Activities: Trekking, Photography
Best Time: Nov, Dec, Jan
Fixed Departure: 28 Nov 02 Dec, 12 Dec 16 Dec, 26 Dec 30 Dec 2020, 09 Jan 13 Jan, 23 Jan 27 Jan 2021

04) Chadar Trek Ladakh (UT)
The Majestic valley of Ladakh is admired by many people around the world. It is a high-altitude cold desert plateau which is known more for its beautiful landscape of barren land but most importantly for unique trekking areas like frozen river trek, Chadar Trek (11150 ft). This trek on frozen Zanskar River is usually taken by locals in winters as all roads get block and this river in the only way to stay connected. But now this is a major point of attraction for people travelling here in winter.
In Ladakh region, when temperature drops to -20 to -30 degree Celsius in January - February and every water resource freezes, the Chadar trek opens its door. This trail goes over the thick ice sheet of the river, secured by high mountains on both sides. This beautiful experience will also introduce you to Zanskar culture and people as they survive these harsh climatic conditions.
Duration: 08 nights 09 Days
Region: Ladakh (UT)
Activities: Trekking, Photography
Best Time: Jan, Feb
Fixed Departure: 16 - 24 Jan 2021, 20 - 28 Jan 2021, 29 - 06 Feb 2021

05)  Kuari Pass Trek
Trekking has always attracted to people who like adventure, but they resist back as most of the journeys are challenging and require skill and techniques, but Kuari Pass Trek will be the one you are looking for. This trek is perfect for beginners or debutants. At an altitude of 3876 m, Kurari Pass is a part of Nanda Devi National Park in Gharwal region of Uttarakhand. It has the majestic view of divine peak Nanda Devi, closer than you think but unapproachable from here. Other than that, peaks like Kamet, Trishul, Chukhamba, Mukut, Kedarnath peak, Neel Kantha, Ghori Parvat, Dronagiri and many other beautiful mighty mountains covered in snow. So, it the best treatment to the eyes of a nature lover to have.  The Kurari Pass trek starts from Dhak (near Joshimath) and takes us through beautiful oak forest with beautiful landscapes of the region. While walking further do turn around as the splendid mountain view is just there. As this trek doesn’t have much steep trails so this trek can also be considered in winter.
Duration: 04 nights 05 Days
Region: Uttarakhand
Activities: Trekking, Photography
Best Time: February, March 2021
Fixed Departure: 05 Feb - 09 Feb, 19 Feb- 23 – Feb, 26 Feb - 02 March, 12 March - 16 March, 26 March - 30 March 

06)    MT. FRIENDSHIP EXPEDITION (5290 MT)
Friendship Peak- (5289 Meters) is situated in Beas Kund region of Manali region, facing several other peaks like Hanuman Tibba, Shiti Dhar, and Seven Sisters. The amalgam of Great Himalayan Ranges, Pir Panjal Ranges, and Dhauladhar Ranges at this one point creates a sensation in the mind of every true mountaineer as this is a rare and unusual experience. Friendship peak is the only open peak in Himachal Himalaya where no royalty is required to be paid to IMF, and secondly, it surely requires a good fitness, but it needs no formal training of mountaineering to climb it.
Duration: 09 nights 10 Days
Region: Manali, Himachal Pradesh
Activities: Trekking, Camping, Photography
Best Time: March, April
Fixed Departure: 19 March 2021, 31 March 2021
 

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