Best Hikes in India in 2026

When setting out to hike in India, most set their sights on the mountainous Himalayan peaks, but India has a diverse range of hiking trails on offer. Trekking through verdant jungles teeming with wildlife to reach the tip top of some of the most breathtaking peaks in the world is the thrill of a lifetime.

Regardless of your level of fitness, India has countless trails perfect for a simple day hike. Or, take on longer routes should you wish to test your physical and mental strength on a multi-day trek. Walk through the famed Valley of the Flowers, one of India’s most popular hiking destinations where wildflowers bloom in full colour, sweeping the valley from Ghangaria each summer. Or, head to the Southwestern Ghats mountain range where countless trail options await to take you past families of elephants or to the snow-covered peak often called “the edge of the earth.” For a gruelling feat, try trekking the Great Himalaya Range, a region considered to be the home of the gods and home to some of the highest mountains in the world.

Here, find our favourite spots across the country to lace up those hiking boots and hit some of India’s best hiking trails.

If you would prefer a planned itinerary, the guided Markha Valley Trek runs eight days through Hemis National Park in Ladakh, one of India’s most iconic Himalayan treks.

Best Regions to Hike in India

India’s walking and trekking falls into two very different worlds. In the north, the Indian Himalayas across Ladakh, Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand offer some of the world’s most spectacular high-altitude treks, almost all of which need a guide, transport and logistics arranged in advance. In the south, the Southwestern Ghats (linked in the intro above) around Munnar and Wayanad offer accessible day hikes through tea plantations, cloud forest and wildlife sanctuaries that can be walked independently. The free route guides on 10Adventures currently cover the Southwestern Ghats, while the Himalayan trekking is available as guided trips through the tours section below.

Best Hikes in the Southwestern Ghats

1. Meesapulimala Hike - The second-highest peak in the Southwestern Ghats at 8,661 ft, with Rhododendron Valley, golden grass hills and views of the Palani Hill range.
2. Chembra Peak Hike - The highest peak on the Wayanad plateau and a challenging trek for adventurous mountaineers, part of the Nilgiri biosphere UNESCO World Heritage site.
3. Brahmagiri Peak Hike - The “mountain of the creator”, with sweeping views over the western jungle known as Pakshipathalam, the “netherworld of birds”.
4. Old Cart Road Hike - A harder 19.7 km day following a colonial cart road through tea plantations and a cardamom forest to a planter’s village.
5. Chinnar Bush Walk and Elephant Trail - Through the Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary, a protected savannah forest with Asiatic elephants, panthers, gaur and over 200 bird species.
6. Chokramudi (Shiva’s Head) Hike - A short but steep climb to the third-highest peak in Munnar, with The Dome (Shiva’s Head) accessible via a narrow path through grassland.
7. Lakshmi Hills Hike - A cliffy ridge trail above Munnar through tea country, the backdrop of the opening chapters of Yann Martel’s Life of Pi.
8. Heritage Walks-Marayur Village - A soft hike through a cluster of five ethnic villages surrounded by mountains, in the rain shadow of the Anamudi Hills.
9. Cloud Forest Walk - A short, easy walk into a protected nature reserve east of Munnar, with high-altitude flora and fauna and restricted species.
10. Makki Hills Hike - An easy hike along the western slope of the Ghats, surrounded by the Periya range and the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary.

What’s New for Hiking in India in 2026

India’s hiking calendar splits sharply by region. The Indian Himalayas are most accessible from May to October once the high passes clear of snow, with September and October offering the most stable weather in Ladakh and Sikkim before winter closes the routes. The Southwestern Ghats in Kerala and Tamil Nadu are best walked from October to March, when the monsoon has passed and temperatures are cooler. Altitude is the main planning consideration in the north: the Markha Valley reaches around 5,200 m at Kongmaru La and Goecha La sits at roughly 4,940 m, both of which require several days of acclimatisation before the high days. Permits matter too: Hemis National Park requires an entry permit, and an Inner Line Permit is often needed for foreign visitors to restricted areas in Ladakh and parts of Sikkim. The Valley of the Flowers National Park in Uttarakhand opens for visitors between June and October each year, with peak bloom usually from mid-July to mid-August.

Hiking Tours in India

The most popular individual guided trek in India is the Markha Valley Trek linked at the top of this page. For the full catalogue, browse our guided India trekking tours, or widen the search to guided Himalaya tours across India, Nepal, Bhutan and Tibet, or all our guided tours in Asia.

Hiking Beyond India

If you are planning a longer Himalayan trip, the trekking continues in the bordering countries. Browse our Nepal hikes for the classic Everest Base Camp and Annapurna routes, or Bhutan hikes for the country’s shorter cultural treks. India, Nepal, Bhutan and Tibet all share the Greater Himalaya range, and many trekking itineraries combine two or more countries.