Indian trails: Discover the best hikes, pilgrimages, and cultural paths across India

When you think of Indian trails, physical routes that connect people to nature, history, and spirituality across the Indian subcontinent. Also known as trekking paths, they range from high-altitude climbs in the Himalayas to quiet temple circuits in South India. These aren’t just roads or footpaths—they’re journeys shaped by centuries of pilgrimage, trade, and daily life. Whether you’re climbing Kuari Pass for the first time or walking the 100-year-old stone steps to Kashi Vishwanath, every trail tells a story.

Trekking in India, a broad category of outdoor journeys that include everything from beginner-friendly walks to extreme high-altitude expeditions is one of the most popular ways to experience the country’s diversity. You don’t need to summit Kailash Mansarovar to feel the pull of an Indian trail—many of the most meaningful paths are the ones that lead through tea estates in Munnar, past ancient stone carvings in Ajanta, or along the backwaters of Kerala. These trails connect you not just to landscapes, but to people: farmers carrying baskets, monks chanting at sunrise, vendors selling chai by the roadside. The temple trails India, spiritual routes that link sacred sites, often followed by pilgrims and travelers seeking meaning are especially powerful. Walk the path to Tirumala Venkateswara Temple, where over 50 million pilgrims come each year, or trace the steps between the four most important temples in India—each one a destination, each path a ritual.

Some trails are for adrenaline—like the ones in Manali, where the density of hiking routes beats any other city in India. Others are for peace—like the quiet footpaths near Rishikesh that lead to riverside ashrams. And then there are the trails that blend both: the Roopkund trek, where you walk past glaciers and stumble upon ancient skeletons, or the path to the Golden Temple in Amritsar, where devotion flows as steadily as the water around it. These paths don’t just take you from point A to point B—they change how you see India. You’ll learn what $1 can buy at a trailside stall, how to dress modestly before entering a temple, and why locals say the best way to travel isn’t by car, but by foot.

What you’ll find below is a curated collection of real, tested trails—some famous, some hidden, all authentic. Whether you’re planning your first hike, looking for the safest places to travel in 2025, or just wondering where to fly into for India’s best beachside walks, the posts here give you the details you actually need. No fluff. Just the trails, the tips, and the truth behind them.