Best Snow Treks in India to Experience This Winter

Are the winter months the ideal time for trekking the Himalayas? Absolutely! When snow begins to cover its slopes, it turns into an incredible scene that takes your breath away. As temperatures fall to below zero degrees and sunlight’s rays illuminate icy landscapes with diminishing intensity, walking may seem an overwhelming task. Yet its benefits are immense – meadows and trees with snow blanketed ground under clear blue skies become stunning landscapes to traverse; be amazed at how weather can rapidly change between sunny to overcast; even fast snowfall may change things fast so keep an eye out if sleeping within your tent – you could easily mistake raindrops for snowfall at times. Snow treks can be more difficult than regular treks due to requiring additional equipment that allows for smooth and effortless movement. Woolen socks, waterproof gloves, and scarves are essential items in this regard; as well as special tools like trekking poles with micro spikes, as well as gaiters and ice picks that you will learn to utilize on your journey. All this equipment is specifically designed to assist with traversing heavy and soft snow as well as thick ice sheets of various densities. Indian winter treks typically feature camping overnight stops. There’s nothing quite as magical as lying down in your sleeping bag on snow, watching as it gently covers you from head to foot! Remember your efforts lifting legs through fresh powdery snow as well as walking a “Penguin Walk,” an approach similar to walking like penguins but without lifting legs considerably off of surface to prevent falling off solid ice or tripping over it. One of the greatest aspects of winter walking in snowy environments is how it gives one a new insight into oneself! Walking on snow often reveals an amazing side that you can take great pride in! Ski trips that become unforgettable experiences require team effort; making new friends even in times of hardship is always rewarding, since you will soon realize that an individual who needs help can become an invaluable ally! Snow trekking in the Himalayas continues to entice those looking for adventure, with breathtaking landscapes and a host of sporting options like sledging, skating, skiing, snowboarding, and ice climbing, offering unforgettable experiences.

Brahma Tal Trek

Brahma Tal is one of the few treks in snow across India where most popular routes remain open for trekking enthusiasts to traverse waist-deep snow on an ascending path towards its lake, while enjoying breathtaking views of Mt Trishul and Nanda Ghunti mountains surrounding it. Keep an eye out for bright blobs of colour, which indicate there are other people out on this trek in these snow-white landscapes of forests and meadows! Below is an image showcasing the Brahma Tal Trek! Below is an image showing this exquisite trek’s truly gorgeous beauty; more information can be found here!

brahmatal trek

Winter Kuari Pass Trek

This trek will bring you close to Nanda Devi, India’s highest mountain. Here, you can view its entire southern side, giving one of the rare complete perspectives of any mountain on earth! Kuari Pass offers excellent trails for beginners or more experienced trekkers, passing through oak forests and rhododendrons blanketed in snow; camping sites along its trail include Khullara campsite featuring Mount Dronagiri as a backdrop, and Padiyar campsite, which boasts pines cloaked in snow. Learn more about winter hiking on the Kuari Pass Trek today.

best snow treks in India

Pangarchulla Peak Trek

Pangarchulla Peak Trek in Chamoli, Uttarakhand, offers both strenuous and leisurely trekking through its Garhwal region of Chamoli. Pangharchulla trek site can be found within Nanda Devi National Park; located within its 150569-foot boundary, it is protected by Nanda Devi Kamet (the second and third highest, respectively) as well as Neelkanth Mana of Neelkanth Mana in addition to being part of the Himalayan Ranges. The 6-day trek offers an unforgettable journey through revered mountains and expansive landscapes that include pine and oak forests as well as lush green meadows with snow-capped mountains in April on the Pangarchulla Peak summit. Springtime brings with it an abundance of snowfall, gradually dissolving to be replaced with blooming Rhododendron flowers and lush meadows brimming with grasses bursting with vibrant colours. Spring is truly spectacular as snowfall continues well into April, often leaving more or less, depending on where one travels later that month.

Pangarchulla Peak Trek

Chadar Frozen River Trek

Chadar (meaning sheet) refers to a trail that travels through Ladakh’s dark and cold canyons created from the Zanskar River, which freezes each winter, enjoying the sun’s light as it illuminates through an azure sky. Most visitors arrive around midday. Listen out for sounds made by thin layers, keep an eye out for thin ice sheets, and choose where to walk best; caves serve as home during winter months and can provide extra attractions such as frozen waterfall and mysterious snow leopards that leaves behind pug marks that can easily identify him/her. Learn more about the Chadar Frozen River Trek.

chadar trek

Kedarkantha Trek

Though most trekking trails in India have concluded for the season, Kedarkantha still boasts snow until April. Visitors to its base camp, known as Kedarkantha Base Camp, can witness breathtaking 360-degree mountain range views from here and the best campsites set at pine forest edges or within snow-covered meadows, offering amazing camping options as they trek from Mussoorie through Nowgaon, Purola, Mori Naitwar on this scenic journey. Click here for more details regarding the Kedarkantha Trek.

kedarkantha trek

About Author

Author Anoop
Anoop Rawat (Admin TrekUp India)

Anoop has worked for 5 years as a Trek Leader with TrekUpIndia, leading numerous treks across the diverse and challenging terrains of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh. He holds a degree in Geology with a specialization in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) from UPES Dehradun. During his academic years, he actively applied his classroom knowledge in the field—most notably by contributing to a glacier research project on the Jundar Glacier in the Har Ki Dun Valley, Uttarakhand. Write Anoop at anoop@trekupindia.com

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