Hike The Himalayas - trip now full

If you already have a place booked – you are one of the lucky ones! Far off the beaten track in the Himalayan foothills, Himachel Pradesh - "the land of eternal snow peaks" - is a haven of crystal lakes, sweeping valleys, ancient shrines and winding mountainside trails. A visit to the majestic Taj Mahal caps off your trek through this unforgettable landscape.

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Open challenges

Hike the Himalayas is one of the last trips Oxfam will offer as a bespoke Global Challenge. If you love the idea of supporting Oxfam through overseas travel, then we’d encourage you to sign up to an Open Challenge.

Day one

Fly London – Delhi.

Day two

Delhi

We arrive in the late morning, and you have free time in the afternoon to relax or take an optional tour of the city.

Day three

Delhi – Kalka (Train: 5-6 hours)

Kalka – Shimla (Toy train: 5 hours)

After catching an early train to Kalka, we jump on board the famous narrow-gauge ‘Toy train’ to the Shimla hill station. Not exactly the average commute, the mountainside route takes us through more than 100 tunnels and over nearly 900 bridges. We spend the night at Shimla’s Hotel Asia the Dawn.

Day four

Day trek to Jakhu Temple (4 hours)

Surrounded by crisp, clean mountain air and spectacular views of the Greater Himalayas, we stretch our legs with a half-day hike in the hills around Shimla. The gently undulating trail, on dirt roads and good paths, drops down to a stream before we climb up a series of steps to Jakhu Temple. It’s better known as the monkey temple, because hundreds of them roam here. We head back to Shimla to relax in the afternoon, and spend a second night at Hotel Asia the Dawn.

Day five

Trek Shimla – Junga (6-7 hours), transfer to Shillon Bagh

A beautiful day’s walking, culminating in a visit to the Palace of Junga. We begin by trekking 2km on the road out of Shimla before joining a very pleasant forest trail to the Tara Devi temple. Later the route weaves downhill to a river crossing then up the other side of the valley to Junga. From here we transfer by coach to Shillon Bagh.

Day six

Trek Shillon Bagh – Chail (8 hours), transfer to Kandaghat

Another memorable Himalayan hike, this time in the towering forests around Chail. The route winds its way across a river and through villages, occasionally joining a quiet road, before taking us to Chail, a small town full of orchards, nestled in the shadow of the giant Shivalik peaks. We stop for a picnic lunch along the way, and in the evening take a coach to Kandaghat, where we spend the night.

Day seven

Trek Kandaghat – Mount Karol – Solan (8-9 hours)

Probably the most challenging day of the trip, but also one of the most rewarding. We climb almost 1,000m through lush mountain scenery and past a small temple to the pass of Mount Karol, hopefully catching sight of soaring vultures as we go. Our reward at the top is an incredible panoramic view of the snow-capped Himalayas and the whole of the surrounding region, from Shimla to Chandighar. After a well-deserved lunch, we descend along forest trails to a cave temple on the other side of the mountain, and then on to Solan. From here we catch a coach to Parwanoo, then take a cable car to the Timber Trail Resort, which offers spectacular views of the valleys below.

Day eight

Trek Parwanoo – Sikh Temple – Parwanoo (5-6 hours), transfer to Kalka for train to Tundala (11.5 hour train journey)

This last day of trekking is a fairly gentle one, as we walk on good dirt tracks to a Sikh Temple before reaching the end of our journey. After returning to the Timber Trail hotel for dinner, we hop on board the overnight train to Tundala.

Day nine

Taj Mahal

We arrive in Tundala in the late morning and transfer to Agra, home of the Taj Mahal. You have plenty of time to explore this astonishing monument before our celebratory dinner in the evening.

Day ten

The reason we’re here

Today you have the rare opportunity to visit an Oxfam project and Learn more about our work with communities in Agra. After this we transfer by coach to Delhi, where we spend the final night. Lunch is not included today.

Day eleven

Back to reality

We fly from Delhi back to London. Back home, it’s time to put your feet up and reflect on some of the greatest walks you’ll have ever taken.

Download the itinerary (PDF)

This is a complex itinerary and may be subject to change.

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Suggested Kit List

Clothing

• T-shirts - one per day
• Walking socks - one per day plus spares and extra for evenings
• Lightweight cotton trousers for trekking in dense foliage.
• Shorts (optional)
• Walking boots - lightweight with good ankle support - must be worn in
• Spare trainers for general walking
• Cap / hat to cover head
• Scarf to cover back of neck
• Sunglasses
• Waterproof jacket/cagoule - useful in windy or wet conditions
• Warm casual wear i.e. fleece, sweatshirt, tracksuit
• Something slightly smarter for dinner on last night
• Gloves

Equipment

• Small rucksack for carrying items on trek e.g. water, camera, sun cream, tissues etc.
• Telescopic walking stick or walking poles (optional) – please train with them before China and plastic tips for poles
• 2 × drinking water bottles or camel pack or platypus (or water is provided in screw cap bottles)
• Towel × 1
• Torch and spare batteries
• Ear plugs (sharing with noisy room mates can prevent sleep!)
• Swimwear
• Carrier bags/bin bag - useful for dirty washing or wet clothing
• Toilet paper, tissues and wet wipes
• Contact lens wearers should take their prescription glasses
• Camera and film
• Binoculars - optional
• Photocopy of your passport, visa and travel insurance.
• Alarm clock

Small personal medical kit and personal effects

Antiseptic ointment, plasters, ankle and knee supports, compeed (blister plasters), pain killers, insect repellent, sting relief, immodium, dioralyte (or other rehydration medication), sufficient regular medication, ladies are advised to take tampons. Sun cream (minimum factor 15) and lip salve.

Pack as lightly as possible, preferably in a soft, robust bag as all luggage is transported together each day in a truck and needs to be durable.

This list is not exhaustive and also some items may not be required during the trip but it is better to have them than not!

Contact us

Need to get in touch with the team?

For all general enquiries about Global Challenges

Email:events@oxfam.org.uk
Call: 0870 410 5035
Write to: Trailwalker, Oxfam House, John Smith Drive, Oxford, OX4 2JY.

Open challenges

Hike the Himalayas is one of the last trips Oxfam will offer as a bespoke Global Challenge. If you love the idea of supporting Oxfam through overseas travel, then we’d encourage you to sign up to an Open Challenge.