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Offered languages
- English
What Makes This Activity Unique?
This experience offers a rare opportunity to step into the forest lifestyle of the Van Gujjar community, a traditional pastoral tribe that lives deep inside the jungle near Rishikesh. Unlike typical treks, this journey combines offbeat forest hiking, cultural interaction, and river-valley landscapes in a single experience.
You’ll walk beyond tourist routes, visit a remote Gujjar village, interact directly with local families, and learn how they live sustainably with their cattle and the forest. The trek also includes birdwatching, mountain viewpoints, a hidden waterfall, and peaceful walks along a valley river.
What truly sets this activity apart is the authentic human connection, the quiet, untouched trails, and the chance to experience real Himalayan jungle life—not staged, commercial, or crowded—just a genuine cultural and nature immersion near Rishikesh.
What's Included
Meeting and pickup
What to expect
This guided trek takes you off the usual tourist trails of Rishikesh into the forest habitat of the Van Gujjar community, a traditional pastoral tribe living deep inside the jungle. The Van Gujjars rely on cattle rearing and sell fresh milk in nearby towns. This experience offers a rare insight into their nature-based lifestyle.
The trek starts near Kriya Yoga Ashram, following a scenic paved trail through Upper Tapovan alongside a peaceful valley river for about 2 km. The route then shifts to an offbeat, steep forest trail of around 1 km, leading uphill to the Gujjar village. The ascent takes 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending on pace.
At the village, you’ll spend about one hour interacting with Van Gujjar families, learning about their daily life, cattle care, and traditions. It’s also ideal for photography, birdwatching, and enjoying mountain-top views.
Afterward, continue toward a hidden waterfall, then enjoy a relaxing downhill walk along the valley river back to the starting point.
This experience is ideal for travelers seeking culture, nature, offbeat trekking, and authentic local interaction near Rishikesh.
Additional info
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Tags
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Cancellation Policy
- For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
- If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
- Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
Rating
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
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