Trek to Triund: A Step by step Guide

Post-Lockdown trek to triund, It is an undeniable fact that lockdown did take a severe toll on our mental health. Everyone has had a feeling of hopelessness, cynicism, fear, anxiety, and, of course, boredom at some point in these past six months. I was no different. Lockdown and Boredom Staring out of my window into the oblivion. I watched as the daily commuters went on their regular lives with a mask. Deep insecurity etched in their hearts.

I could easily read fear on their faces—a fear of coming back to their families after being infected with this deadly virus. Just then, my phone rang, “Ain’t no mountain high enough……….Ain’t no valley low enough,……Yeah, that’s my ringtone! It was a friend from college. I hesitantly picked up the phone. He asked me if I wanted to accompany him to a trek in Dharamshala named Triund.

I couldn’t help but agree immediately. After thorough research of blogs, watching countless Vlogs on youtube. We finally set off on 5th October 2020, with a zest to conquer the mighty Dhauladhars! So, tighten your seat belts and vicariously experience my Post-Lockdown Trek to Triund.

Things I packed for this trek:

• Wind Cheater, Jackets and lots of warm clothes

• 2 L water (it is always advisable to stay as hydrated as you can while on a trek)

• Basic First aid kit with medicines such as Paracetamol as an antipyretic. Analgesic, Metronidazole, Tinidazole for diarrhea, Acetazolamide for Altitude sickness (on the prescription of a registered medical professional) Bandaids, antiseptics

• Matchboxes

• Sanitizers, Pocket Hand wash, Masks

Getting to Triund from Delhi

First of all, you’ll have to come to Dharamshala which is around 500 km from Delhi. Next Dharamshala to Mcleodganj

Mcleod Ganj – The Little Lhasa

Starting from the city of Dharamshala, the next checkpoint which is accessible by road is the city, also known as Little Lhasa, McLeod Ganj. This beautiful suburb bustles with foreigners and locals perennially, giving this place a very exotic look. One can easily find authentic restaurants serving Tibetian, Chinese, Indian, Italian, Continental, and a varied variety in cuisines.

Dharamkot

The next halt which was at a place called Dharamkot, which has got excellent Pizzerias and restaurants. It also has a meditation center named Vipassana.

Galu Devi Temple

From the Dharamkot Main square, we headed towards Galu Devi Temple, which is the basecamp for the trek. The road was quite bumpy and was full of gravels. It is always advisable to hire a taxi from Dharamkot to Galu Devi Temple. The taxi should cost no more than Rs. 500.

The Police Checkpost for Triund

The Police check-post is Near Gallu. You need to register yourselves with the help of valid ID proof, preferably an Aadhar Card or a passport. There are quite a lot of eateries around the checkpoint where you can buy snacks, water bottles, chips, etc.

PRO TIP 1:The police check post shall forbid you to cross it past 11 A.M if you’re planning to return the same day from the trek to triund; however, if you plan to stay overnight at Triund as I did, the time can be relaxed a bit.

PRO TIP 2: Book either the forest guest house or a room from the agents around the police check-posts before beginning your trek. Once you reach the Triund Top, a single place in the Tent shall cost you around Rs.800, whereas you can get a room booked at Triund Top for Rs. 500-600 per person through the agents roaming near the police check posts. It is always advisable to book a room if you wish to see the picturesque sunrise and sunset! So thereafter, we started the trek around 11:30 A.M with our masks put on, in crowded places yet removing them whenever no one was around.

PRO TIP 3: It is not advisable to wear a mask during strenuous exercises, trekking, and hiking is one, yet it is crucial to follow the COVID-19 Guidelines of hand hygiene, social distancing, cough etiquette, etc. The trail to Triund is around 7 km and can be covered one way in about 4 hours, ideally, but it totally depends on your speed and expertise as a trekker. Triund is considered to be one of the most comfortable yet most satisfying treks which can be done easily, even by beginners.

Triund: An Easy Trek for Beginners

The trail is quite well defined and does not have risky stretches, unlike other trekking trails. Some of the places even have fences on the side of the trail. There are two cafes in the mid of the trail. They are the Best View Café and Magic View Café. They signify the mid-point of the trek. The restaurants are a bit expensive, justifiably as it is hard to transport goods this far. A regularly priced Rs. 20 water bottles shall cost you somewhere around Rs.50-80. A bar of snickers priced at Rs.20 shall cost you Rs.50 and so on.

PRO TIP 4: Refill your water supplies here, if you’re running short on them. Avoid drinking water from waterfalls or streams. As they can cause Travellers’ diarrhea, amoebiasis, or other such stomach disorders. Prefer buying your snacks from Mcleod Ganj itself. We reached Triund around 3 o’clock approximately, taking a time of around three and a half hours. We took quite a lot of breaks to rejuvenate ourselves with the landscape of the mighty Dhauladhars.

PRO TIP 5: Do not drink plenty of water in one go whilst you stop for taking a break or it can make you feel sick.

Lodging Facilities at Triund: Book a room at Triundtop

As is the common saying that the view from the top is what makes the journey worthwhile. We could see plenty of tourists in the meadow of the Triund Top, so we quickly decided to put on our masks and head towards the room we had booked. We showed the owner the receipt, which we had paid to the agent near the Police Checkpost. The room was average, yet liveable. It didn’t have a toilet, which was already informed to us by the agent before accepting the payment.

PRO TIP 6: You won’t get a bathroom so you’ll have to loosen your bowels out amidst nature, so it is always advisable to carry your own toilet rolls with you. After reaching our room we had a nap for 2-3 hours. We woke up around 5 in the evening and went for a walk and came across a café on the Triund Top which serves one of the best Ginger Tea. We had a cup of ginger tea along with a plate of Maggie all the while appreciating the incredible view in front of our eyes.

Sunsets in Triund

Around 6 P.M, we went a bit downhill of Triund to a spot with a perfect view of the horizon, the sky covered in tranquil orange, shrouded by the majestic Dhauladhars. We spent a moment of silence admiring the sunset. The silence was intoxicating, and the cool breeze brushing through the face, indeed made me retrospect a bit, made me even closer to the purpose of my life. 

PRO TIP 7: Best place to witness the sunset was away from the main meadow, a little downhill, a tranquil, untouched place surrounded by rocks. After witnessing the sunset, we set off again to the hilltop to have a cup of coffee and to have a conversation with other trekkers.

Quality Crowd in Triund

We met people from all over India of different professions: doctors, engineers, psychologists hailing from Himachal, Haryana, Punjab, Delhi, Bangalore, to name a few. It was a blend of cultures, religions, professions, and ideologies. As the sunset, it started to grow a bit dark and cold so we decided to light up a bonfire.

Also Read: RAJGUNDHA TREK – ULTIMATE TREKKING AND CAMPING GUIDE

Bonfire In Triund

As the gala night began to roll people began to join with their ukuleles, saxophones complementing the unforgettable night by their melodious voices. There was a different kind of trance in the air. We all were strangers a moment ago, skeptical if the other person may be a carrier of the deadly virus yet our hearts united by the beautiful feeling that we were on a mountain top laughing and singing our hearts out like maniacs! As the night started to fall people began dispersing to their rooms and tents.

PRO TIP 8: Camping at Triund has been banned by the government. You are not supposed to carry your tents trek to triund. Forest officials have confiscated the tents of campers who had their Tent out in the open. But if you’ll not book the “room” early you’ll have to rent the Tent from the shopkeepers for Rs.800 per person which is not at all a good deal.

Triund and Magical Conversations 

As people started to become numbered, conversations started getting more profound and fruitful. We discussed things which we wouldn’t usually have. In short, the 3 A.M vulnerable sides of people began to show its colors even at 11 A.M. We discussed varied fields of interests ranging from Medicine, Technology, Spirituality, The Theory of Relativity, Time Travel, The concept of the black hole, and almost everything under the sun. The best part of the conversations was that no one was expected to be totally correct; everyone was allowed to contradict or agree to a point freely. We chatted till 2 A.M under a myriad of stars, trying to spot the pole star, making prophecies about the next day’s weather, talking shit about UFO’s and ghosts.

Sunrise in Triund

We finally parted our ways for the day with a hope to wake up early with a craving to watch the sunrise. As expected, I woke up much earlier out of sheer excitement. I put on my shoes, took out a novel from my backpack, put a jacket on, and set off to find the perfect spot to witness the sunrise. I ordered a cup of coffee from the adjacent Capri and sat on a rock, devouring the novel in one hand, a cup of coffee in other, with a splendid view.

Exactly like it has been glorified in English Literature! I was living the dream, I once had fantasized about in novels, and trust me, it indeed was a heavenly experience. I was the first person to wake up on that hill and that gave me a sense of pride. Soon everyone started to join in, the sun took pretty too long to rise, though when it did, it was worth the wait! The perpetual murky sunrise had a charm of its own. Soon everyone started to depart with, a suitcase filled with memories yet with perpetually lighter emotional baggage. The downhill was comparatively much more comfortable, and it took us around two and a half hours without any breaks. We reached the police checkpoint and finally hired a taxi till Dharamkot for Rs.500.

Final Tip: Lessons learned from Triund 

The thing this trek to triund taught me on a personal level is inexplicable. Even though solo travels have been glorified recently, yet it is the people whom you vibe with on the hike that actually make the experience worthwhile!

Also Read: Goechala Trek Complete Guide