Triund Trek
LOCATION: MCKLEODGANJ, HIMACHAL PRADESH, INDIA
Trek alongside rhododendrons and oaks, and camp in a cave
Located 18 km from Dharmshala, Triund makes for an attractive trekking destination, with well-defined forest trails and breath-taking views of the entire Kangra valley. The view of the evening sky from Triund is a good enough reason to pitch a tent here for the night. The length of the trek makes it apt for a weekend.
Although the trek from McLeodganj to Triund is a steep ascent of over 1,100 metres, it is well-compensated by refreshing walks amongst rhododendron and oak trees. There is no dearth of eating options as there are several cafes on the way, like Magic View, Scenic View and Snowline Café.
The town of McLeodganj (also known as little Lhasa) provides for a grand opportunity to experience the vibrant Tibetan culture. The trekking scene here is well-organised and one can embark on multiple treks of longer duration here, namely Indrahar Pass, Minkiani Pass, Kareri Lake and all the way to Kuarsi Pass and Mani-Mahesh. If you have a day to spare, fancy trekking from Triund till Lahesh Cave and explore the meadows below Indrahar Pass.
Trek Description
This is a small and an easy trek, which can be done either from McLeodganj or Dharamkot, which is 2 km ahead of McLeodganj. The trail is 7 km from Dharamkot and passes Galu Devi temple. From this temple, it takes around 3 hours to reach Triund. The initial half of the trek is a gradual incline and the last 2 km from Snowline Café involve a steep climb all the way till Triund (2,975 metres).
How to reach McLeodgang
Reach Dharamshala which is a major town, 9 km before McLeodganj via overnight bus from New Delhi. Himachal Roadways and Himachal Tourism have regular bus services from Kashmiri Gate ISBT Delhi from 5 pm onwards. One can travel in Volvo bus and book tickets online at:
From Dharamshala, there are regular local buses to McLeodganj every half hour, plying from 7 am to 8 pm. You can also take a shared cab to McLeodganj or Dharamkot.
How to do the trek
Day 1: Bhagsu/Dharamkot to Triund via Galu Devta:
- Altitude: 6,184 ft to 9,760 ft
- Distance: 7 km
- Time taken: 3 hours
Bhagsu and Dharamkot are two villages situated about 2 km up the ridge from McLeodganj. Both of them can be considered road heads. The trail from Dharamkot is arguably the nicer one as it climbs through the thick crown of pine forests above the village. Walk up through the forest for about 15 minutes before you get to the Galu temple clearing.
There’s a small tea shop here, just below the shrine. From here, one trail goes south-west into the forest to the village of Naddi. Another forest trail goes north-west, to the stream that descends from Laka. The main trail to Triund continues straight past the small shrine. The trail is a gently rising one, through oak thickets and traverses the steep side of the Laka ridge, following its contour. Dharamkot and Bhagsu lie directly below this trail.
Approximately halfway up the trail is a deep gully that traverses a steep section and emerges on a rocky spur. The main Dhauladhar range, which passes out of view as you ascend from Dharamkot, swings into view here. The pyramidal peak of Mon appearing larger than life.
This entire stretch is perfect for birdwatchers, as the forests here are literally swarming with various kinds of songbirds. Past the Magic View Café, the trail gets steeper. At this point, the Dharamkot spur of the Laka ridge meets the Triund ridge at right angles, creating a series of steep gullies that end up in thickly wooded chasms.
The trail continues through a series of steep switchbacks. It climbs the Triund ridge through dense thickets of rhododendron and oak trees. It’s a pleasant, if slightly strenuous climb from here to Triund in good weather. Watch your step when it’s raining, as the path turns into mush.
The last couple of switchbacks bring you out of the rhododendrons and out onto the Triund ridge. It’s an open grassy ridge that stretches a good kilometre to the south, before plunging into the Kangra valley. There are plenty of places to camp. You could even get some provisions at the four tea shops here.
From Triund, marvel the immaculate views of Dhauladhar ranges, namely Mun (4,610 m), Rifle Horn, Arthur’s seat & Slab (4,570 m). Water is scarce and is available some 1 km before Triund.
It is highly advisable to carry your own supply of drinking water up here. Forest rest house is the only option for night stay at Triund. Advance booking is required and can be done at Dharamshala. It is advisable to carry your own tent and sleeping bag here. During trekking season you will have presence of dhabas at Triund where you can get a cooked meal and refreshments.
Day 2 (Optional): Triund – Laka – Lahesh cave – Dharamkot
- Altitude: 9,760 ft to 11,646 ft
- Distance: 25 km
- Time taken: 6-7 hours
Start early today as there is lot of trekking involved. The trail goes north, up the Triund ridge, past the forest guest house and a small Devi shrine.
The ridge begins to rise in a very typical Dhauladhar way of cascading boulders. The trail keeps up with the Chauran nala chasm to the right, rising through more rhododendron and oak thickets and the occasional grassy ledge. The Gaddis maintain the stone trail here very well, as it goes past a couple of shrines. As the the range looms into view, the trail veers to the east and starts a steep traverse to get to the top of the Laka ridge.
The views from here are magnificent. To the east, the Dhauladhar ridge rises in a series of peaks, the most prominent of which goes by the local name of Narwana. Below, lie the green grassy ridges of Triund and just beside the trail are deep wooded chasms through which run the various streams that drain the southern face of the Dhauladhar.
Past the steep incline, the path enters rolling pastures and reaches the camping ground of Laka. This marks the uppermost portion of the Dhauladhar foothills. The upper main ridge of the Dhauladhar looms above the little bowl of Laka to the North East, with Mon dominating the scene.
A number of deep boulder fields descend the face of the ridge to Laka. The true trail to Lahesh cave and Indrahar goes up the northernmost boulder field. It is extremely important that you do not take the wrong path as it’s very easy to get lost in the maze of the upper boulder fields. There’s a small tea shop, where you could take a breather before continuing.
The trail crosses two boulder fields, usually laden with snow in May, June and again in October. At other times, you’ll have to ford the shallow, but quick-flowing streams that go down them and start climbing up the steep, boulder-filled mountain side. The upper sections of the range rise up in gigantic, tiered bounds of striated rocks that loom over the trail like some gigantic medieval castle.
The shepherds have installed an ingenious system of cairns to guide the way through this steep maze. For orientation, stick close to the true right of the stream and continue up the rib of the rock-face. After about an hour’s strenuous climbing, you’ll arrive at Lahesh cave, which is basically a long and deep fissure in a wedge between two huge boulders. It’s a nice and dry camping spot, as long as you quickly get used to the fact that you won’t ever have the space to do anything but squat on your haunches when you’re in the cave.
The natural courtyard in front of the cave commands a great view of the lower ridges of the Dhauladhar and the Kangra valley. The rock-face around the cave is pretty steep, although, during monsoon, you’ll find thousands of alpine flowers blooming on small grassy ridges.
Locating the cave can be tricky, as there are multiple caves in the vicinity. If not travelling with a guide, make sure to tag along experienced trekkers to find the way.
To go back, retrace the route you took to reach Lahesh cave, all the way back to Dharamkot. An all descending trail allows trekking quickly and covering distance in lesser time.
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