Trek to Pindari glacier
Into the Valley Nanda Devi Watches Over
₹25000.00
Six days, one valley, one of the Himalaya's oldest trails
Pindari is one of the Kumaon Himalaya's oldest, most walked trails, and one of the most accessible glacier treks in India. We're not adding anything to make it "ours" beyond how we run it: local guides who've walked this valley their whole lives, village stays instead of corporate base camps, and a pace that lets you actually notice where you are.
The trail climbs through oak and rhododendron forest, past river crossings and high meadows, into the shadow of Nanda Devi and Nanda Kot, ending at the snout of the Pindari Glacier itself : the source of the Pindar River. It's graded moderate and doesn't require technical climbing experience, which is exactly why it's been drawing trekkers to this valley for over a century.
Base village: Khati, Bageshwar district — the last real village before the high trail
Zero Point altitude: ~3,660 m / 12,000 ft
Round-trip trek distance: ~48–52 km
Grade: Moderate — well-marked trail, no technical climbing, suited to trekkers with reasonable fitness
Who This Is For
Trekkers who want a genuine Himalayan glacier trek without needing technical mountaineering experience
Anyone reasonably fit — regular walkers, casual hikers — this isn't reserved for serious alpinists
People who'd rather stay in village guesthouses and eat what the valley grows than pitch a corporate-branded base camp
Not a fit if: you want a short weekend trip — this needs the better part of a week, and the fitness to walk 15-18 km on the longer days.
Best Time to Go
April to June and September to November outside monsoon, with stable trail conditions.
Day 1 — Drive in from Kathgodam to Khati village, settle in for the night.
Day 2 — Khati to Dwali, through forest and along the river.
Day 3 — Dwali to Phurkiya, the last stop before the glacier, high meadows and the first real views of the peaks
Day 4 — Phurkiya to Zero Point and back. You stand at the glacier's edge with Nanda Kot and Changuch above you, then retrace your steps.
Day 5 — Phurkiya back down to Khati (or Dwali, paced to the group).
Day 6 — From Khati drive back to Kathgodam.
Pickup & drop is customisable : from Delhi with additional charges
Local guide(s) and porter support from villages along the route
Stays in village guesthouses/homestays rather than large tented camps
Meals for the duration
Permits — Nanda Devi buffer zone/forest permits.
What's Not Included
Travel to/from Kathgodam.
Personal trekking gear (list can be provided separately)
Do I need prior trekking experience? No technical experience is required, but you should be comfortable walking 10-18 km a day on uneven terrain for multiple consecutive days.
How cold does it get? Cold enough at Phurkiya and Zero Point that proper layering matters, even in the warmer trekking months. [Confirm typical night temperatures for your departure windows.]
Is there phone signal on the trail? Patchy in places, mostly absent higher up. [Confirm what's actually reliable.]
What's the group size? [Confirm — small group, private, or both offered?]
Cost? [Needs your actual pricing.]
Cancellation / weather policy? [Needs your actual policy — high-altitude treks should be explicit about this given weather risk.]
