I absolutely love hiking and will take any opportunity to head out into nature. India offers some absolutely incredible nature that you typically don’t see online, especially in the north towards the Himalayas.
The Triund Trek, located in Dharamshala, offers views that continue to impress with every single step. It is absolutely perfect for those looking to endure a moderate trail with the most spectacular views without having to head out of town.
The Triund Trek is a hiking trail located in the Northern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. The nearest city is Dharamshala, however most visitors opt to stay in the smaller towns of McLeod Ganj or Dharamkot so will likely start from there. You can opt to do the trek guided or unguided, but in my opinion, you don’t need a guide.
Summit Elevation
Elevation Gain
Distance (from Gallu Devi)
Time (ascent/descent)
Difficulty
2850m / 9350ft
717m / 2350 ft
6km (12km out and back)
3-5 hours up / 2-3 hours down
Moderate
The trek itself is undeniably gorgeous, with open views almost the whole way to the top. However, it doesn’t come without its challenges. Firstly, getting to the start of the trail at Gallu Devi temple. We stayed in McLeod Ganj and decided we would walk to the start of the trail as it didn’t seem too far however we must have taken a wrong road somewhere as it ended up taking almost 2 hours just to start the trek. My suggestion would be to take a taxi to the start of the trail to save yourself the hassle.
Once you’ve passed the checkpoint and started the real trail, it’s easy to follow and you’re very unlikely to get lost. There’s small arrows on rocks to show the direction of the trek and signs every few hundreds of meters. If you like an extra level of assurance, then I’d recommend downloading the trail from a site like AllTrails.
The first section of the trek is a small, paved incline – easy enough. It then transitions into a rocky terrain for most of the trek with varying levels of incline. At around three-quarters of the way up, things start increasing in difficulty as you find yourself met with the “22 Curves” section of the trail. As the name suggests, there are 22 sharp switchbacks, so the incline becomes a little more vigorous but I promise it’s worth it.
I’d consider myself to be a decently fit individual, and we moved fairly fast on this trek. We spoke to a few people who were on their way down who said it had taken them 4 to 6 hours to get to the top, so that’s a huge range. There are no expectations and there’s really no need to go full-sprint. Take it at a pace that’s right for you.
To give you an idea of how a fast-paced day might look, here is my exact timeline:
8:00 AM | Departure McLeod Ganj
Departed from McLeod Ganj. (Note: Take a taxi to Gallu Devi Temple instead of walking to save time and energy).
10:30 AM | Trailhead Start Gallu Devi Checkpoint
Grabbed a quick coffee near the temple, passed the checkpoint and start the trail.
11:30 AM | Snack Break Mid-way Point
A little break for snacks and really soaking in the gorgeous views after a solid hour of trekking.
12:00 PM | Last Push 3/4 Mark
Here’s where things get a little more tricky and you’ll be met with the “22 Curves” of the trail.
1:00 PM | The Summit Triund Top
Arrived at the ridge line after ascending the rocky trail after around 2.5 hours with a small break mid-way.
3:00 PM | The Return Descent
After enjoying the views and getting some mountain cooked food for 2 hours, we headed back down the mountain.
5:00 PM | Trek Complete Gallu Devi Checkpoint
The descent took about 2 hours of steady navigating the rocky terrain to return to the trailhead.
6:00 PM | Dinner McLeod Ganj
We walked from the trailhead back to town to grab some well-deserved dinner but much faster this time as we knew not to go the way we came in the morning.
Here’s where things get fun, you can choose to do the trek in one day, an out and back, or stay overnight at the top of the mountain. I chose to do the trek in one day as I had limited time and I absolutely loved it.
On the other side, staying at the top of the mountain overnight gives you the opportunity to enjoy the sunset and sunrise from an incredible place with unbeatable scenery, disconnect from distractions from a little while and do something fun and different for longer. If you chose to stay overnight, there are plenty of tents and equipment you can rent on the top of the mountain but if you’re not a camper then there’s also a few guesthouse rooms available.
Trekking is the perfect budget-friendly activity. There’s a stop at the mid-way point for food and drinks as well as on the top which both offer well-priced foods and drinks. For trekking in one day I spent a total of 540INR. Here’s a breakdown of the costs:
Snacks and water to take: 160 INR
Trail Fee: 200INR
Bowl of Maggi on the top: 100INR
Drinks on the top: 80INR
Trail Fees also differ depending on nationality and whether you’re staying overnight or not:
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Hiking in India, especially the Himalayas is incredible and the Triund Trek in Dharamshala is just that. Here's everything from views, costs to lessons.
