Triund is one of the most visited treks of India. Almost 100000+ visitors hike up to Triund ever year. The beauty of this place has been spread among the people lately, therefore attracting nature lovers towards this stunning trek. The trek covers 7km of distance, which will take you 4 to 6 hours to reach depending upon your stamina. The trek is easy to moderate.
How to reach Triund-
The Triund trek starts from Dharamkot or Gallu Devi in Mcleodganj, Dharamshala in Himachal Pradesh. Dharamkot is just a ten minutes drive from the Mcleodganj bus stand.
Now, coming onto how to reach Mcleodganj.
You can take a direct bus from Delhi to Mcleodganj or Dharamshala and then take a local taxi to Gallu Devi, where the trek starts.
When to go Triund –
The trek remains closed during the time of monsoon and extremely cold weather. The best time to visit Triund in summer is April to May and in winter October to December. If you want to do a snow trek then you might visit in December.
Points to remember-
- Plan beforehand-
Before going to Triund unplanned, plan a few things beforehand. The timing for day-hikers is 8 am to 11 am. You will not be allowed by the security check to go after 11 if for a day hike due to security measures. The timing for the people who are planning to camp up is 8 am to 2 pm. If you are planning to stay up, I will suggest you book your stay in advance as Triund has a lot of visitors, you would not want yourself to be without shelter as it is not safe and also very cold. You can book your trip and stay for as cheap as 1499INR including food at www.unciatrails.com
2) Wear multiple layers
In winters– As being on a height of around 285m, It is quite cold on the top, especially at night, the temperature goes from -4 to -10 degrees. Wear layers instead of heavy woolen sweaters, as you will feel sweaty and uncomfortable while hiking up. Wear button ups or zipper jackets. Wear at least 3 warm layers at night (layers trap the air in between and keep you warmer). Keep 3 to 4 woolen socks as your head and sole of your legs tend to get affected by cold the most. Don’t forget a woolen cap, gloves and scarf and a spare shawl.
In summers– The weather is quite good in summers and you need to wear light warm clothes (not more than two layers) but keep a warm sweater or jacket and two woolen socks for the night time.
3)Take your water bottle with you-
As being a tourist spot, everything is very costly in the hills. You will get water bottles worth 20INR for 50INR and sports to drink worth 80 for 150. So, keep your own 1ltr water bottle with you as you will be needing it a lot and you can get it refilled at 20INR in various shops on the way. You can even get food and other important utilities on the top the same applies here, the cost will be a little bit higher.
4) Gears you need-
You don’t need a lot of gears for Triund, jut a pair of good trekking shoes will do. You can rent a stick for 50INR at Gallu Devi itself. Also, keep in mind to carry only a small backpack or a rucksack to carry your luggage as heavy bags will create a problem while climbing and you can end up with back pain or even injuries in some cases. That is pretty much you need to care regarding your gears.
5) Take your toiletries –
You shall not expect a fancy bathroom or toilet there, you will get only dry pits. So, you need to keep sanitizer, tissue/toilet paper, etc with you.
Things to carry–
Sunscreen, sunglasses
Id proof
Sanitizer, toilet/tissue paper
Torch
Insect repellent
Spare shawl
That’s pretty much all you need to know about Triund before visiting. Also, do keep in mind that the beauty of the place shall not be affected due to mankind. Don’t dispose of waste here and there, keep them in your bag and dump it later.
Written by – Zoha Khan (visit website)
