Himalaya Hiking and Cultural - 50+

Spend 14 days trekking 40-50 miles through the Kumaon region of the Indian Himalayas — a glacier-carved range sacred to Hindus, Jains, Sikhs, and Buddhists, and one of the most storied mountain landscapes in the world. This course is designed for adults 50 and over who want a genuine wilderness expedition grounded in cultural immersion, rather than a guided tour.

You’ll walk ancient cobbled trade routes past remote villages, through thick forests of maple, oak, and rhododendron, and up to the terminal moraine of the Pindari Glacier at a place called Zero Point. Mules carry gear and food to lighten your load. On a clear day, Nanda Devi — India’s second highest peak at 25,643 feet — dominates the horizon.

photo by: Oscar Manguy

Weather and trail conditions shape the route as you go. You may encounter river crossings, boulder fields, and passes reaching 13,000 feet, sharing the terrain with local wildlife including Himalayan black bear, tahr, fox, bharal, and barking deer. Your instructors will teach navigation, risk management, natural history, and leadership — gradually building your judgment and handing decision-making to your group as the course progresses.

You’ll experience a side of India that travelers rarely see, and leave with the competence and confidence to plan your own wilderness travels long after this course ends.