Triund is one of the most popular destinations in North India. The majority of the people traveling to Mcleodganj and Dharamshala do undertake the trek to Triund. The trek to Triund is top-rated, especially among foreign tourists and the youth.
Well, no wonder you will find so many budding agencies offering a variety of packages for making a trip to Triund trek. It is not a surprise why the insane and moronic ideas of screening movies and disturbing the peace and solitude of this amazing place are also on offer by some of these travel agencies 😡 …
Let's quickly dive into the details:
Planning a weekend trip to Triund weekend
Many people refer to Triund as the heart or crown of Dharamshala and Mcleod Ganj. The trek to Triund is around 9-10 KMs from Mcleod Ganj, Himachal Pradesh. Triund offers some magnificent views of Dhaulandhar ranges on one side and Kangra Valley on the other side.
It’s a beautiful trek surrounded by forests and can be done by people of all age groups. Perhaps, that’s the reason why it’s so popular in the Himachal Pradesh beginners trek.
Altitude
Triund is located at the foot of the Dhaulandhar ranges in the Himalayas at an altitude of around 2828 meters or 9350 feet approximately.
Best time to visit Triund
The trip to Triund trek can be made at any time of the year except January and February because of the heavy snowfall. However, the best time to visit Triund is from March to the mid or end of June before the monsoon arrives in North India.
After that, one can also undertake the trek to Triund in September and October. This trek is closed for sometime in January and February in case of bad weather conditions or heavy snowfall.
If you are interested in making a trek in winters, you can also check Top 6 Easy Winter Treks in Uttarakhand & Himachal.
How to reach Triund or Mcleodganj from Delhi
Mcleodganj lies at a distance of around 500 km from Delhi or about 250 km from Chandigarh. You can either reach by your own car or by using public transport such as train, bus or air.
Triund by Road
You can take any of the following two routes to reach Dharamshala – McLeod Ganj and further undertake a trek to Triund:
Delhi – Chandigarh – Ropar – Nangal – Una – Mubarakpur – Dehra – Kangra – Dharamshala – McLeod Ganj – Triund OR the other route is as Delhi – Ludhiana – Jalandhar – Hoshiarpur – Mubarakpur – Dehra – Kangra – Dharamshala – McLeod Ganj – Triund.
By Public Transport
By Bus: The best option to reach Mcleod Ganj from Delhi is to catch the overnight Volvo of either HRTC or HPTDC. There are other private operators as well that run buses between Delhi and Dharamshala in the evening. Still, I will prefer to choose HRTC and HPTDC due to the reliability of their services.
The journey will take around 11-12 hours to reach Dharamshala from Delhi. The bus cost to Dharamshala from Delhi lies in the range of Rs 750 to Rs 1500 depending on the type of bus.
By train: The second and the cheapest option but a hectic one to reach Mcleod Ganj or Triund is to travel by train. One can take a train to Pathankot which takes around 6-7 hours and costs around Rs 250 for the sleeper-coach.
There are various buses or shared local jeeps that run from Pathankot to Dharamshala in every one or two hours and cost around Rs 150. Dharamshala to Mcleod Ganj is about 10-12 KM and again various private and govt. buses are available till the evening.
By Air: Flights are also available to Dharamshala (Gaggal Airport or Kangra Airport) and eventually, you can reach Mcleod Ganj by booking a private cab.
If you are interested in traveling to offbeat places in the Himalayas, I bet you will really like the article on Top 12 Must-Visit Offbeat Places in Himachal Near Delhi
Can I make a weekend trip to Triund?
There could be many itineraries that you can plan for a visit to Dharamshala, McLeodganj, and trek to Triund. Today I am going to suggest a common itinerary to cover the trek to Triund over the weekend.
Please note I will suggest adding one or more days to the plan to keep it relaxed but in case you are pressed for time and want to do the trek to Triund over a weekend, I will suggest the following plan:
Friday night: Take an overnight HPTDC Volvo bus from Delhi to Mcleod Ganj at around 6-7 PM which will leave you at Mcleod Ganj around 6 AM. Take a room for being fresh or you can use public toilets as per your choice of comfort.
Saturday: After getting fresh, eat a good breakfast and carry some fruit and water for the trek to Triund. Book a cab till the Galu temple and start the trek to Triund by 10-11 AM. The trek traverses through the beautiful forest, offering some nice vantage point views. You will reach Triund by 2-3 PM.
Book your tent by contacting the people at the cafes if you don’t have any. Enjoy the gorgeous sunset, watch the sun fall beyond the horizon, and rest for the day. Sleep in your camps or pre-arranged stay or the Forest Rest House in case you get the booking for it.
Sunday: Wake up early and watch the sunrise. Have some breakfast and start trekking down to Mcleod Ganj. Take the route which goes from Dharamkot – Bhagsu Naag waterfall and spends some time at the waterfall. If you have some time left then you can explore the town of Mcleodganj and catch a return bus to Delhi in the evening.
Most Common Itinerary of Triund Trip
As you can see that it is possible to plan a weekend trip to Triund trek, but it is quite hectic and may take away the real feeling of enjoying the trek over fatigue and rest.
Hence, I will recommend you make the following plan as a common trip to Dharamshala – Mcleod Ganj – Triund.
- Day 1 | Delhi – Dharamshala – McLeod Ganj, rest overnight
- Day 2 | McLeod Ganj – Trek to Triund
- Day 3 | Triund – McLeodganj
- Day 4 | Explore Monasteries Dharamshala and Mcleod Ganj and rest around cafes and take the overnight Volvo back home
- Day 5-6 (Optional) | Relaxing days at Triund and Mcleod Ganj / Dharamshala
Accommodation at Triund
Tents are available at Triund at the price of Rs 300-500 per person; availability on the spot may be an issue at times. You can also carry and pitch your tent at Triund. There is also a Forest Rest House at the top where you can stay, but booking it is not that trivial.
You have to book in advance for the Forest Rest House from Dharamshala because there are limited rooms. Otherwise, you can pre-arrange the stay with some local travel agents at Mcleod Ganj, and they can help you take your camps and food up there for you.
Even some shops in Mcleod Ganj also offer camping and trekking gears on a rent basis. If you hike or trek or travel in the Himalayas, it is better to purchase your tent or camp, and Quechua ones are usually good ones and can be purchased at Amazon India easily.
Food options at Triund
There aren’t many food options available at Triund. There are few dhabhas/tea shacks where you can eat some food. The food is a little costlier at the Triund top, so the best way to save money it to carry food, some fruits as well as a water bottle with you.
A bottle of water costs Rs 50, Rajma or Dal Chawal plate costs Rs 140 and a plate of Maggi costs Rs 70. It is better that you carry a lot of water and fruit by yourself.
You should always carry your own water bottle and refill it as many times as you need water. It will not only keep you hydrated always, but you will also help in saving the Himalayas from plastic garbage. Remember, every tiny step counts and your step in this direction can help save the Himalayas too !! 🙂 🙂
ATM Availability
Mcleodganj is the last point where the ATM’s are available. So, it’s better that you carry enough cash.
Mobile Connection / Signal at Triund
All the cellular networks are available in Mcleodganj. Triund does not have a strong connection. Usually, the network comes and goes. It is better to stay disconnected for a while, give it a try, and I am sure you will enjoy it. BSNL works best in the Himalayas in any case.
About the trek to Triund
Trek starts from two places in Mcleodganj. The last point where any vehicle can reach is the Galu temple. There are various options to reach Galu. One can start trek right from Mcleodganj or can book a cab or an auto to the Galu temple. You can also start this trek from the Bhagsu Naag waterfall.
The hike or trek or trail to Triund is easy-moderate and well marked up mostly. The trail takes you through the beautiful forest. Apart from few patches here and there, the trek is fine. There are various small shops and tea shacks on the way to the Triund, where you can have Maggi and tea.
There is a magic viewpoint at the half-way of the trek which is a decent site to witness some lovely aerial views of Dhauladhars. Sunset and Sunrise are worth witnessing at Triund and in case you love photography, you will surely love them at Triund.
Download your FREE high-resolution version pdf copy of this detailed travel guide of Dharamshala & Mcleodganj infographic guide. If, you liked it and found it helpful, please feel free to share it with your family and friends to help them too.
Some other tips or suggestions for Triund Trek
Some suggestions or tips that I can share based on my experience of the Triund trek are listed below:
- This trek can be done without the help of a guide or a porter. The trail is mostly well marked and crowded. However, do not stray away from it. There may be some problems while trekking when there is snow, though.
- Please bring all your waste material back to Mcleodganj or Dharamkot where you can easily dispose of them in garbage bins, hoping it seeks the right disposal after that. Be a responsible traveler and I hope you read DoW tips on responsible travel in the Himalayas.
- Normal sports shoes are enough to do this trek but ankle-high hiking shoes or trekking shoes always help in protecting your ankles from twists or injuries. In the case of snow, you should prefer trekking shoes with snow gaiters.
- Always carry at least one light woolen jacket or light woolens even if you are planning a trip to Triund in summers. Temperature can easily vary, so always better that you prepared well.
- You should check the must-have list of things to carry when you go on on a hiking trip.
Conclusion
I hope this article will help you plan your weekend trip to Triund. Whenever you travel to Triund, please make sure to bring back your trash to save the environment and carry your water bottle to save plastic waste 🙂 …
Do you have any questions or suggestions or need any help in planning your trip to Triund or Mcleod Ganj?
Have a travel question?? You can subscribe to my YouTube channel and leave a comment to ask your travel questions about traveling to the Himalayas.
If yes, please feel free to post them either in the comments section of this article below. You can also take guidance from other travel experts in DwD Community and discuss your upcoming travel plans for Triund or rest of the Himachal Pradesh 🙂
In the end, if you like the article, please feel free to share it with any of your family or friends who are planning to make a trip to Triund. In the next article of the series, I am going to talk about some other lovely trek in Himachal Pradesh.
4 Comments
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