31st Oct 2026 - 11th Nov 2026
12 days/India /Moderate to Challenging
Join Hospiscare as they take on this four-day trek through the Indian Himalayas and home of the Dalai Lama – Dharamshala.
You will start your challenge in Delhi and spend two days giving back to the community at our local project.
You will then board the overnight train to Pathankot. After a night on the train, you transfer to the stunning hill station of Dharamshala, home to the Tibetan Government in exile and the Dalai Lama, and surrounded by dense forest and in the shadow of the Dhauladhar mountain range. From here you will commence your journey into the Lesser Himalayan range of Northern India where, during four days of trekking, you will be awed by lush green forests, views of snow-capped peaks, deep valleys, gushing rivers and small villages with friendly and welcoming local people. You will reach a maximum altitude of 2875m (at Triund) and will walk approximately 14km per day, taking around 6-8 hours.
After your trek ends, you will return to Delhi for the night before transferring to Agra to visit the legendary Taj Mahal.
The trek is graded moderate to challenging as you will trek over varying terrain for up to 8 hours a day, carrying a small daypack which may weigh up to 6kg, and camping in basic campsites along the way. You will also be exposed to altitudes up to a maximum of 2875m (9429ft).
You will spend two days assisting with a community project in Delhi. Full details of the work you will carry out at the project will be provided 2-3 months before departure when we have identified the most urgent need in the community at the time of your visit. This ensures that you are making the most valuable impact.
We have links with a number of projects in the city, including a centre for the Cankids children’s hospice and a centre supporting adults with cancer. Possible tasks include redecorating and painting, creating a garden and relaxation areas, or generally working to improve the environment for those who are supported by these facilities.
The terrain will vary throughout the trek but in general will be undulating (uphill and downhill). There are very few flat sections so you should ensure your training includes plenty of hills. Underfoot there will be stony pathways, grass, rocks and perhaps a few small streams to cross too. Each day you will cover approximately 12-15km (7-9 miles) which, because of the variable terrain, can take up to 8 hours to cover.
In Delhi and Agra, temperatures can reach 33°C during the day, dropping to 17°C at night. The temperature in Dharamshala and during the trek is cooler with temperatures of approx. 20-28°C during the day, dropping down to approx.0°C at night. Temperatures will depend on the weather which varies and can be bright and sunny, rainy, cloudy or humid. Please note that conditions in mountainous regions are unpredictable so you should be prepared for all climatic eventualities. Although the conditions mentioned are historically accurate, climate change can impact the seasons so you may experience uncharacteristic weather during the trip which is out of our control. The guides will assess the situation and make decisions to ensure the best enjoyment and ultimately the safety of the group.
Meals during the trek are cooked by your trek chef and will be eaten in a mess tent where a table, chairs, plates, mugs and cutlery is provided. Meals are delicious and plentiful and mainly Indian style (although there may be some Western-style meals).
Special dietary requirements can be accommodated if we are advised in advance but please note that we cannot guarantee that food preparation will have taken place in a contamination free environment.
During the trek you will stay in 3-man tents (two people to a tent). You will be provided with sleeping mats but you are welcome to bring your own if you prefer.
While in Delhi and Dharamshala you will stay in hotels on a twin or triple share basis.
Toilet facilities at camp will be a hole dug into the ground with a small privacy tent surrounding it. Toilet paper is not provided so you will need to bring your own; please consider biodegradable toilet paper. To use the toilet during the trek you will find a private area off the main trail; any toilet paper you use along the trail must be placed into a nappy sack and disposed of properly at camp. You must NEVER leave toilet paper or other litter (including fruit peel, seeds, food wrappers etc.) on the trail. At the hotels there will be flushing Western-style sit-down toilets.
If you’ve a question about this challenge that you can’t find the answer to within the given information then complete this quick form and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
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