Author – Ankit Naithani

 

Trekking has gained a lot of popularity in India lately. Every year, many trekkers flock together and take to the Himalayan trail. Also, these numbers have only changed to rise every year, one after another. As a result, the trails end up being hugely crowded. Hence, many trekkers have now resorted to looking for relatively quiet and unexplored trails.

 

Let’s look at some of the points to consider while going on some offbeat trails :

 

Quieter the trek, lesser the people

Mountains are supposed to give you the peace and happiness that the regular life doesn’t. Most of the people take up treks only to enjoy the serenity and calm of the hills. Unfortunately, this has been lost at many Himalayan trails, owing to the ever increasing number of people.

Offbeat treks however, bring back the very essence of going on a trek and taking in as much of beauty as the ambience has to give. You not only have a great experience but also get even more closer to the Mother Nature, as she encompasses you with all her heart.

 

Explore the Wildlife better

With lesser people around, the chances of spotting more animals increases. Often the trekkers complain that they could not see any animals or birds on the trail. In my opinion, it depends highly on the company that you have. The appearance of animals, birds and the wildlife as a whole, depends very much on the presence of humans around them.

However, offbeat trails are more rich in wildlife, owing to the presence of lesser people. Therefore, it is much easier to spot animals and birds on an offbeat trail.

 

Cleaner Trails

One of the most troublesome issue in the Himalayas right now is that of cleanliness. Not all trekkers trek in a responsible fashion and often end up littering the space, leaving it in a very bad shape.

The composites of the offbeat treks are often cleaner as compared to the rest. This adds to the holistic experience of being on a trek by not taking away even a bit from the beauty that surrounds you.

 

 

 

 

Having looked at the perks of going on an offbeat trek, we must not forget the challenges that tag along.

 

Remote and Isolated

 

Since these treks have less people and are often isolated, getting help when needed becomes a bit of a challenge. Having people around could help in an emergency, which could be matter of life and death. One needs to be sure of the credibility of the expedition leader/organiser.

Also, it is crucial to know your exact location at all times and to keep someone informed about you.

 

 

 

Comparatively Expensive

Unlike popular trails, the offbeat trails often have a shortage of staff such as cook, guide and helpers. Since not many of them don’t go on offbeat trails, its first a challenge to convince them. They also end up charging you more than how much you would be charged on a popular trail. The charges of the staff on popular trails is fixed and rarely fluctuates.

However, the charges could change unpredictably on offbeat trails. This makes the entire expedition more costly for the organiser and in return for the participants as well. Since not many people know about this undiscovered locations, getting them to come along becomes a huge challenge.

 

The trekking industry has started taking shape in India. In the near future, one can expect more number of serious trekkers to look for offbeat trails. Trekking on a crowded trail often takes away from the actual purpose of being on a trek in the first place, leaving the trekkers unsatisfied with the experience.