Nagtibba Trek
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Difficulty level: This trek can be done by anyone with a decent fitness level. While the trek can get tiring, you will not face much difficulty if you are physically active- walk regularly or do some physical activity regularly. If not then then you will be comfortable if you start walking regularly or get into a fitness routine in the days leading up to the trek. We will be happy to help you with a fitness and preparation routine in the lead up to the trek
Is this trek suitable for children? Yes. The youngest child to do this trek with us was 6 years of age then. But there are certain modifications to the itinerary along with certain additional logistical support that we recommend for small children. How many days? We recommend 4 days. Can be done in 2-3 days as well in case you are short on time. You have options of starting and ending at different places or doing the regular route to optimize the time taken Is it a good option for first time trekkers and/or families? Yes, this trek is recommended for first time trekkers and families. Travel time in the mountains is short, trail is well marked and distances are moderate. Hence it is recommended. We have had people between 6 and 45 in age including first time trekkers who have successfully done this trek. Do get in touch with us for recommendations on how to customize this and make it enjoyable. Experienced trekkers can opt for alternate routes on this trek to make it more challenging. |
Vast Valleys, Dense forest, first close up views of snow-capped mountains and probably the most approachable and easily accessible full-fledged trek in the Himalayas. A trek you can plan without the needing to take extensive holidays from your busy schedule. Add a little Himalayan exploration history and you get the Nagtibba trek!
As one of the highest points in the lower Himalayas, Nagtibba is an excellent vantage point. Being a jungle trek expect lots of green and dense forests. Do this in October/early November for clear skies and moderate temperatures
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Or do this trek in Jan/Feb if you want snow. Unlike most other treks in the Himalayas that are pretty much inaccessible in winters, this trek is ideal and those who want snow will find that this is a good experience.
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Region: Garhwal Himalayas in Uttarakhand
Maximum height during the trek: Approx 10,000 ft Distance you need to travel by road in hilly areas: Around 100 km one way How much will you trek in a day: 3-4 hours on average per day Price range for a fixed departure/custom group with 4+ people: Trek cost is in the range of ₹ 1500 per person per day with budget facilities, around 2,200-2,500 per person per day with premium facilities which are typically more recommended for beginners. Features of this trek: Thick forests which include mostly oak and pine trees, Rhododendron flowers in March and April , rural villages, views of prominent mountains(20,000 ft), short travel time, trekking in well marked, occasionally steep mostly gradual terrain, camping in moderate temperatures What we like about this trek: Recommended trek for those who want a first taste of Himalayan wilderness or a trek where they are not exerting too much and do not have too many days off or want to supplement their hill station holiday with a wilderness trek. Good as an initiation for children or families as well. What we don't like as much: Views of glaciers and snow not as close as some other treks, those looking for something challenging should look at other recommendations. View our upcoming treks this season, click here Need our advice or help with customization? Call/email us or drop a message in the chat box below, we'll get back to you right away |
These forests are beautiful and dense largely comprising Oak and Deodar trees which are characteristic of high altitude. This photograph sometimes reminds us a little of that scene in Lord of the Rings when they enter the Fangorn Forests
These are some of the prominent mountains visible from Nagtibba including Mt Jaonli, Mt Srikanth and the Gangotri range(in this pic)
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Our thoughts in brief:
A jungle trek in the lower Himalayas which has a lot of history attached to it. The stories we hear about early exploration suggest that Nagtibba was probably the gateway to exploration of the greater Himalayan region back in the day. Maybe even the first trek to be explored in the Indian Himalayas. In the early 1900's teams of explorers mostly comprising masters and students from The Doon School including RL Holdsworth, Jack Gibson and AE Foot took 8-9 day expeditions to Nagtibba from Dehradun- One of the first trekking trails in the Indian Himalayas, and the trek never disappointed. Offering the first spectacular and up close glimpses of the glacial Himalayan mountains including the Bandarpunch and Swargarohini range and even the Nanda Devi in the distance. Nagtibba we could say inspired the early trekkers to explore much of the greater Himalayas and eventually climb these mountains. Even Mt Everest was discovered from a place not far from there. Much has changed since then. This trek to the highest point in the lower Himalayas is no longer a 8-10 day expedition but a short trek of about 3 days. What hasn't changed is the beauty of the place. Dense forests, wilderness with very few other people in sight and eventually views of prominent Himalayan mountains greet you on this trek. It still holds a dear place in the hearts of alot us from Dehradun or Doon School who have grown up reading about the stories floklore of these famous trekkers, mountaineers and early explorers from our school. Infact, it is said that you are not a true Dosco(product of Doon School) till you haven't trekked to Nagtibba. |
Playing hide and seek with the clouds and mountains at camp near Nagtibba. We got this scene while organizing this trek once in August. Not the most recommended time of the year because of rains, but it is still doable, and it is probably one of only 2-3 treks in this region that we can suggest doing during the monsoon months.
Same place, but during a different time of the year and we get this sunset at our camp
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Another photograph from that group organized in August. The sun is out, kids are playing catch, the adults are walking around soaking up the place, some are cheering the kids on. Spreading this kind of happiness is what makes us love what we do
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Same camp, different season. This was clicked in November. The green is more brown, the skies are much clearer during this time though
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Typical itinerary:
This is the indicative itinerary for the Nagtibba trek. This itinerary can be customized. You can change the number of days. There is also a round route that you can do which starts from Panthwari and ends in Devalsari. Speak to us for a customization suited to you. Suggested itinerary: Day 1: Arrive in Panthwari (110 km, 4 hr drive from Dehradun), and trek to Nagtibba Base(6 km, 2-3 hour trek) Start early in the morning from Dehradun- and drive to Panthwari via Mussourie and kempty falls. We setup camp in Panthwari for the night. You reach by afternoon and trek to the Jungle camp on the same day which is at the base of Nagtibba and close to Nag taal. Expect dense forest throughout the trek, but in particular at the Nagtaal where we camp for the night. The trek is not very long and fairly gradual most of the way. The idea is to enjoy the scenery and what the Himalayas have to offer instead of just walking Day 2 - Trek to Nagtibba top and return to the base (3 km, 2 hour trek going up, 2-3 hour trek coming down) Trek to Nagtibba top which is the highest point in the lower Himalayas at 10,000 ft. Expect views from the top of most of the prominent Himalayan Mountains from there. After some time there, we return to the base where we spend the night. Day 3- Trek back to Panthwari (6 km 1-2 hour trek), Return to Dehradun Start post breakfast, the return trek will take 1-2 hours and you can drive to Dehradun/Mussourie the same day. You will arrive by evening |
A portion of the trail leading to Nagtibba
Another sunset from our camp near Nagtibba
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Camping with bonfires, starry skies and endless conversations.. The best part about trekking
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An old photograph of a group of school students doing this trek with us.
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Advice and things to keep in mind for the Nagtibba trek based on frequently asked customer questions and feedback over the years.
How comfortable are you with road travel in the mountains?
Mountain roads are normally quite windy and twisty, occasionally bumpy and for those who are not used to mountains roads, drives may be uncomfortable. Keep this in mind while choosing which trek you are doing and while planning your itinerary. If you are uncomfortable with long drives and think you may get motion sickness, then you could plan a trek with a short travel time in the mountains, or you could look at splitting your travel time into extra days, if not then there are other treks that we can recommend which cut down on travel time. There are also certain suggestions such as taking a car with a low body-roll, home-made remedies that have worked for us that we will be happy to share with you to help you in your journey.
Accessibility is an advantage of the Nagtibba trek. The base for the trek- Panthwari is about 110 km from Dehradun and you will be driving in the mountains for around 3 hours which is among the shortest drives for a prominent Himalayan trek. You could also break this journey by stopping over for a night in Mussourie and proceeding from there.
Are you looking at something leisurely or something challenging?
Leisurely treks have well marked trails, have between 2-4 hours of trekking a day and can be managed without much difficulty. These are better for beginners or those who come with the intention of enjoying themselves more than exerting. Challenging treks can have difficult terrain, 6-7 hours of walking a day, go to high altitude and therefore have to plan their itinerary very well so that their body is well acclimatized. They not only require a high fitness level but high mental endurance.
On less challenging treks we are also able to offer better facilities because carrying things up is easier and less expensive. Facilities get more basic as the trek challenge levels go up because carrying additions gets harder.
Typically, if you want your first taste of the mountains and Himalayan wilderness, then we recommend a more leisurely trek and you will enjoy that trek much more. Too much challenge first time may put you or your family off. Take is slow is what we suggest. Start with a leisurely trek where you aren't that exposed to the extremes, can spend more time at camp with your loved ones, enjoy the great food, the scenery, walk around, click photographs, play some games et so that you soak in the experience. On challenging treks you are likely to be too tired to do most of this stuff.
The Nagtibba trek is somewhat leisurely. You will trek for 2-3 hours on the first day and for 3-4 hours on the second day, part of which is downhill. So you will not exert yourself too much and will be able to spend time enjoying the trek and the campsite more.
Are you coming with a family/young kids who you want to initiate to the Himalayas?
On similar lines with our previous point. If you are coming with family/trying to initiate your children to the Himalayas, the first experience should not be to difficult that puts them off. Keep the first experience light which gives them limited exposure where they are spending more time enjoying their surroundings.
For reasons mentioned above, the Nagtibba trek is among our more recommended treks if you are in this category. It may not work that well for someone who wants a challenging trek or looking for the next level Himalayan exposure. Happy to help you find the ideal trek based on your preference.
What sort of terrain do you like? Glaciers/meadows/forests/villages?
This is a personal choice without any right or wrong answers. Some may prefer glaciers and base of mountains with permanent snow, others may want meadows and forests, others will want to spend time in local villages.
On the Nagtibba trek you get a 360 degree view of some of the most prominent Himalayan mountains including Mt Bandarpunch, Mt Kalanag, Mt Jaonli, Mt Srikanth. The views are majestic and you start to see mountains with permanent snow on the first day itself, but these prominent mountains are not as close to you as they are on some other treks. Therefore, if you want to see lots of peaks with permanent snow then this is the trek to do, but if you want to go closer to the base of some of these mountains then we can recommend other treks to you.
The terrain is mostly through some very dense forests.
You are unlikely to find too many other trekkers or too much crowd on this trek and it is relatively peaceful here most of the time.
How many days do you have?
You can do this trek in 2 days, but we recommend 3 days. If you are short on time then you can to this in 3 days including travel time as well. But we recommend you do this in about 4 days including your travel time. Happy to help you plan this so that you can optimize your travel time.
Popularity:
Nagtibba has become a popular trek in recent times. That said, it doesn't get crowded as such. Under normal situations you could find one or two trekking groups on this trail
Time of the year?
If you want snow then a good time to do the Nagtibba trek is March, April and December. May is also a good time as the temperature is just right, so is October as it is just post monsoon and there is very lush greenery and great colour saturation and mostly very clear skies- excellent for photography and star gazing. You will find Rhododendron flowers in full bloom if you do this trek in March-April. You can also do this trek in Jan and Feb and you will get significant snow.
Budget?
Trekking can be expensive. You are paying for your flights, booking a taxi to get to the trek base and then the trek. Because everything needs to carried up, because we have highly trained staff and include all facilities to make your experience enjoyable, there is a decent cost to trekking.
While there are companies that are doing treks at low costs, there are certain compromises to quality that we do not make to our facilities, to the number of people we take in our fixed departures to ensure a personalized experience.
We have mentioned the price brackets for the Nagtibba trek in the previous page, while we can do it at budget facilities, more premium facilities at a slightly higher cost are what we recommend because we have tailor made them to maximize enjoyment in the mountains.
Training: While anyone with a decent fitness level can do this trek, we recommend a good fitness routine in the lead up to the trek, it always helps. We also recommend that you continue with this fitness routine after the trek is done. Use this trek as a beginning to healthier times :)
How comfortable are you with road travel in the mountains?
Mountain roads are normally quite windy and twisty, occasionally bumpy and for those who are not used to mountains roads, drives may be uncomfortable. Keep this in mind while choosing which trek you are doing and while planning your itinerary. If you are uncomfortable with long drives and think you may get motion sickness, then you could plan a trek with a short travel time in the mountains, or you could look at splitting your travel time into extra days, if not then there are other treks that we can recommend which cut down on travel time. There are also certain suggestions such as taking a car with a low body-roll, home-made remedies that have worked for us that we will be happy to share with you to help you in your journey.
Accessibility is an advantage of the Nagtibba trek. The base for the trek- Panthwari is about 110 km from Dehradun and you will be driving in the mountains for around 3 hours which is among the shortest drives for a prominent Himalayan trek. You could also break this journey by stopping over for a night in Mussourie and proceeding from there.
Are you looking at something leisurely or something challenging?
Leisurely treks have well marked trails, have between 2-4 hours of trekking a day and can be managed without much difficulty. These are better for beginners or those who come with the intention of enjoying themselves more than exerting. Challenging treks can have difficult terrain, 6-7 hours of walking a day, go to high altitude and therefore have to plan their itinerary very well so that their body is well acclimatized. They not only require a high fitness level but high mental endurance.
On less challenging treks we are also able to offer better facilities because carrying things up is easier and less expensive. Facilities get more basic as the trek challenge levels go up because carrying additions gets harder.
Typically, if you want your first taste of the mountains and Himalayan wilderness, then we recommend a more leisurely trek and you will enjoy that trek much more. Too much challenge first time may put you or your family off. Take is slow is what we suggest. Start with a leisurely trek where you aren't that exposed to the extremes, can spend more time at camp with your loved ones, enjoy the great food, the scenery, walk around, click photographs, play some games et so that you soak in the experience. On challenging treks you are likely to be too tired to do most of this stuff.
The Nagtibba trek is somewhat leisurely. You will trek for 2-3 hours on the first day and for 3-4 hours on the second day, part of which is downhill. So you will not exert yourself too much and will be able to spend time enjoying the trek and the campsite more.
Are you coming with a family/young kids who you want to initiate to the Himalayas?
On similar lines with our previous point. If you are coming with family/trying to initiate your children to the Himalayas, the first experience should not be to difficult that puts them off. Keep the first experience light which gives them limited exposure where they are spending more time enjoying their surroundings.
For reasons mentioned above, the Nagtibba trek is among our more recommended treks if you are in this category. It may not work that well for someone who wants a challenging trek or looking for the next level Himalayan exposure. Happy to help you find the ideal trek based on your preference.
What sort of terrain do you like? Glaciers/meadows/forests/villages?
This is a personal choice without any right or wrong answers. Some may prefer glaciers and base of mountains with permanent snow, others may want meadows and forests, others will want to spend time in local villages.
On the Nagtibba trek you get a 360 degree view of some of the most prominent Himalayan mountains including Mt Bandarpunch, Mt Kalanag, Mt Jaonli, Mt Srikanth. The views are majestic and you start to see mountains with permanent snow on the first day itself, but these prominent mountains are not as close to you as they are on some other treks. Therefore, if you want to see lots of peaks with permanent snow then this is the trek to do, but if you want to go closer to the base of some of these mountains then we can recommend other treks to you.
The terrain is mostly through some very dense forests.
You are unlikely to find too many other trekkers or too much crowd on this trek and it is relatively peaceful here most of the time.
How many days do you have?
You can do this trek in 2 days, but we recommend 3 days. If you are short on time then you can to this in 3 days including travel time as well. But we recommend you do this in about 4 days including your travel time. Happy to help you plan this so that you can optimize your travel time.
Popularity:
Nagtibba has become a popular trek in recent times. That said, it doesn't get crowded as such. Under normal situations you could find one or two trekking groups on this trail
Time of the year?
If you want snow then a good time to do the Nagtibba trek is March, April and December. May is also a good time as the temperature is just right, so is October as it is just post monsoon and there is very lush greenery and great colour saturation and mostly very clear skies- excellent for photography and star gazing. You will find Rhododendron flowers in full bloom if you do this trek in March-April. You can also do this trek in Jan and Feb and you will get significant snow.
Budget?
Trekking can be expensive. You are paying for your flights, booking a taxi to get to the trek base and then the trek. Because everything needs to carried up, because we have highly trained staff and include all facilities to make your experience enjoyable, there is a decent cost to trekking.
While there are companies that are doing treks at low costs, there are certain compromises to quality that we do not make to our facilities, to the number of people we take in our fixed departures to ensure a personalized experience.
We have mentioned the price brackets for the Nagtibba trek in the previous page, while we can do it at budget facilities, more premium facilities at a slightly higher cost are what we recommend because we have tailor made them to maximize enjoyment in the mountains.
Training: While anyone with a decent fitness level can do this trek, we recommend a good fitness routine in the lead up to the trek, it always helps. We also recommend that you continue with this fitness routine after the trek is done. Use this trek as a beginning to healthier times :)
NAgtibba Trek Reviews
(Exceprts from the most recent reviews, click here for all the reviews and photographs of reviewers)
Aashish Mishra
(A) Your rating of the Nagtibba trek and the experience: Out of 5(5 being the highest, 0 being the lowest)
5 stars
(B) Things you loved, liked and didn’t like about the trek?
We had a big group of small children with us (age group 8-10 years) and this was a first time trek for the kids. Tapas and Satya were outstanding in ensuring that we had a well managed and customised trek from the kids point of view. The quality of planning, staff, amenities, food, camping equipment etc was very good. They also gave us good advise on ensuring a good trek experience for the children, with a lot of personal involvement. Thanks to the same, I am already about to do a second trek with this team along with my son !
(C) As a first timer trekking in Himalayas how did you feel about the trek?
The kids loved it!
(D) Any recommendations for those planning to undertake this trek?
Be prepared for the rains!
Aayushi Bhardwaj
(A) Your rating of the Nagtibba trek and the experience: Out of 5(5 being the highest, 0 being the lowest)
5 stars
(B) Things you loved, liked and didn’t like about the trek?
I am 13 years old and this was my second trek with My Himalayan Adventure. After much climbing, reaching a point even higher than Nagtibba was a great achievement. The view on top made this feat much more satisfying. The unanticipated storm and rains added to the non-eventful trek.
(C) As a first timer trekking in Himalayas, how did you feel about the trek?
It was a remarkable experience devoid of the comforts of home. Not having those comforts has its own charm and I absolutely loved it. It was different and something better to pride myself on.
(D) Any recommendations for those planning to undertake this trek?
Don’t think twice. Just take it.
Shalini Brajesh
A) How would you rate the Nagtibba trek and experience: Stars out of 5(5 being the highest, 0 being the lowest)
5 Stars
B) Things you loved, liked and didn’t like about the trek
I just loved everything about the trek right from the start. This is considered to be a relatively easy trek and can be taken by any first timer. The guidance and support provided by our experienced trek guide Satyajeet was a welcome relief. He was almost like a family member to us through the trek. The arrangements made at that height and natural conditions was commendable. At all points in time our comfort was of prime importance for the organizers and their team.
C) As a first timer trekking in the Himalayas, how did you feel about the trek?
I am not just a first timer but also someone with a host of medical issues. Having completed this trek is nothing less than miracle for me. All the arrangements made by the organizers had taken into account our needs and requirements. My most memorable moment was of reaching the Nagtibba and looking down at the world with a sense of achievement. The journey however was more beautiful than the destination. It was truly memorable and even today when I close my eyes I can feel the rush. I am already looking forward to my next one.
D) Any recommendations for those planning to undertake this trek
Go with an open heart and eyes so as to not miss the innumerable magical sights and sounds you will encounter on the way. Be prepared for all the surprises that will sweep you off your feet. Be adjusting and step out of your comfort zones to be one with nature. You have to be like her to fully enjoy and absorb the trek experience.
All the best !!
Anurag Bhardwaj
(A) Rating of the Nagtibba trek and the experience: Out of 5(5 being the highest, 0 being the lowest)
4 stars
(B) Things you loved, liked and didn’t like about the trek:
I am an avid trekker and take atleast one trek every year. For the last two years I have been taking with the same group. This trek was very good. Everything was very well planned and arrangements were good. Warm, freshly cooked food was simply great.
(C) As a first timer trekking in the Himalayas how did you feel about the trek:
Reaching heights much beyond what was planned was brilliant. The unexpected snow fall at point beyond Nagtibba was an added advantage.
(D) Any recommendations for those planning to undertake this trek:
Go for it. It’s not very difficult.
Aashish Mishra
(A) Your rating of the Nagtibba trek and the experience: Out of 5(5 being the highest, 0 being the lowest)
5 stars
(B) Things you loved, liked and didn’t like about the trek?
We had a big group of small children with us (age group 8-10 years) and this was a first time trek for the kids. Tapas and Satya were outstanding in ensuring that we had a well managed and customised trek from the kids point of view. The quality of planning, staff, amenities, food, camping equipment etc was very good. They also gave us good advise on ensuring a good trek experience for the children, with a lot of personal involvement. Thanks to the same, I am already about to do a second trek with this team along with my son !
(C) As a first timer trekking in Himalayas how did you feel about the trek?
The kids loved it!
(D) Any recommendations for those planning to undertake this trek?
Be prepared for the rains!
Aayushi Bhardwaj
(A) Your rating of the Nagtibba trek and the experience: Out of 5(5 being the highest, 0 being the lowest)
5 stars
(B) Things you loved, liked and didn’t like about the trek?
I am 13 years old and this was my second trek with My Himalayan Adventure. After much climbing, reaching a point even higher than Nagtibba was a great achievement. The view on top made this feat much more satisfying. The unanticipated storm and rains added to the non-eventful trek.
(C) As a first timer trekking in Himalayas, how did you feel about the trek?
It was a remarkable experience devoid of the comforts of home. Not having those comforts has its own charm and I absolutely loved it. It was different and something better to pride myself on.
(D) Any recommendations for those planning to undertake this trek?
Don’t think twice. Just take it.
Shalini Brajesh
A) How would you rate the Nagtibba trek and experience: Stars out of 5(5 being the highest, 0 being the lowest)
5 Stars
B) Things you loved, liked and didn’t like about the trek
I just loved everything about the trek right from the start. This is considered to be a relatively easy trek and can be taken by any first timer. The guidance and support provided by our experienced trek guide Satyajeet was a welcome relief. He was almost like a family member to us through the trek. The arrangements made at that height and natural conditions was commendable. At all points in time our comfort was of prime importance for the organizers and their team.
C) As a first timer trekking in the Himalayas, how did you feel about the trek?
I am not just a first timer but also someone with a host of medical issues. Having completed this trek is nothing less than miracle for me. All the arrangements made by the organizers had taken into account our needs and requirements. My most memorable moment was of reaching the Nagtibba and looking down at the world with a sense of achievement. The journey however was more beautiful than the destination. It was truly memorable and even today when I close my eyes I can feel the rush. I am already looking forward to my next one.
D) Any recommendations for those planning to undertake this trek
Go with an open heart and eyes so as to not miss the innumerable magical sights and sounds you will encounter on the way. Be prepared for all the surprises that will sweep you off your feet. Be adjusting and step out of your comfort zones to be one with nature. You have to be like her to fully enjoy and absorb the trek experience.
All the best !!
Anurag Bhardwaj
(A) Rating of the Nagtibba trek and the experience: Out of 5(5 being the highest, 0 being the lowest)
4 stars
(B) Things you loved, liked and didn’t like about the trek:
I am an avid trekker and take atleast one trek every year. For the last two years I have been taking with the same group. This trek was very good. Everything was very well planned and arrangements were good. Warm, freshly cooked food was simply great.
(C) As a first timer trekking in the Himalayas how did you feel about the trek:
Reaching heights much beyond what was planned was brilliant. The unexpected snow fall at point beyond Nagtibba was an added advantage.
(D) Any recommendations for those planning to undertake this trek:
Go for it. It’s not very difficult.
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trekking with
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