Backpacking routes in India :India isn’t just about the Taj Mahal and Goa beach parties. It’s chaotic, wild, and weird in the best possible way—especially when you wander off the tourist treadmill. Forget polished itineraries and influencer trails. If you’ve got a half-broken backpack, questionable shoes, and a stubborn itch for adventure, you’re in the right place. Here’s a bunch of spots I stumbled into, sometimes by accident, and never wanted to leave.
1. Tirthan Valley—Where Time Takes a Nap
Vibe: Zero signal, full peace.
I ended up in Tirthan Valley after a friend told me, “It’s like Manali without the noise.” Undersold. This place? It’s where the internet goes to die and your soul goes to reboot. One morning I was standing in the river, trying to wash trail dirt off my feet, and a trout literally jumped out next to me like “sup.”
I camped by the river one night and woke up with a goat nibbling my sleeping bag. Should’ve asked locals where to pitch my tent, but hey, now I have a story. Also: do not skip hiking into the Great Himalayan National Park. You’ll get leeches, but you’ll also get mountain silence that slaps harder than WiFi ever could.
Also Read: Himachal Pradesh Places to Visit: A Detailed Travel Guide to the Himalayan Wonderland
2. Munsiyari—Where the Himalayas Actually Flex
Vibe: Big mountains, small town, huge soul.
If you’ve ever googled snow-capped mountains and thought, “Looks fake,” you need to go to Munsiyari. The view of the Panchachuli peaks is so perfect it looks edited IRL. Tried the Milam Glacier trek with a stomach full of momos—do not recommend unless you enjoy hiking with regret.
The locals will teach you Kumaoni phrases you’ll butcher (they’ll laugh kindly, don’t worry). Eat some “jholi” curry and thank me later. Also, brace yourself for those boulder-strewn landscapes—they’re brutal, beautiful, and totally worth the sore knees.
3. Gushaini—The Place You Find by Accident
Vibe: Sleepy riverside village that feels like a lucid dream.
Missed a bus. Landed in Gushaini. Best accidental detour of my life. There’s not much here, and that’s exactly the point. No honking, no tourists, just trees, river sounds, and chai that fixes everything.
Tried to fish. Ended up feeding the fish a granola bar. Now I’m “Machli Baba” to the locals. If you need a reset button on life, this is where you push it.
4. Khajjiar—Bob Ross Would Approve
Vibe: meadows, pine trees, and totally random paragliding attempts.
Khajjiar looks fake. Like someone photoshopped a meadow, pine trees, and a lake into one landscape and called it a hill station. I once screamed mid-paraglide takeoff… before we even left the ground. The instructor was like, “Bro, chill.”
Stay in a homestay, eat rajma-chawal with someone’s grandma, and take a walk to the Khajji Nag Temple if you like being judged silently by an ancient deity. Good times.
5. Sikkim—Where Mountains and Monks Chill Together
Vibe: Soulful, strange, and a bit magical.
Sikkim is that friend who wears beads, drinks herbal tea, and casually drops wisdom bombs while hiking. I came for a week and just… stayed. The Goecha La trek? Brutal but breathtaking. I swear I saw a yeti near Tsomgo Lake—it turned out to be a vendor in a fur jacket selling boiled eggs.
Also, if someone offers you butter tea—just nod and sip. It’s weird at first, then kind of comforting, like being hugged by a yak.
Go Make Some Stories
Here’s the deal: India’s wild side isn’t for the faint-hearted. It’s for the messy packers, the impulsive trekkers, and the “I swear I had a map” kind of wanderers. You don’t need a rigid itinerary—you need curiosity, a busted-up backpack, and a little bit of “screw it, let’s see where this road goes.” From Tirthan Valley’s river whispers to Munsiyari’s boulder-strewn landscapes, every detour is a plot twist waiting to happen.
I once hitchhiked with a truck driver who only played Kishore Kumar remixes and offered me fennel seeds every ten minutes. Best. Ride. Ever. The real gems? They’re not marked on Google Maps. They’re in chai shop convos, in misty trails no one names, in that tiny homestay with peeling paint and killer aloo parathas.
So yeah—go get your boots dirty. Miss your bus. Climb the wrong hill. Tell your mom you’ll text later (and actually do, she worries). India’s not waiting with a welcome mat—it’s waiting with open arms and a mischievous grin. Now go—make some ridiculous, unforgettable, beautifully unplanned stories. You’ve got this.
