Trekking Season in Full Swing, But Are We Ignoring Safety? Here’s How Responsible Treks Are Tackling Rising COVID Concerns
Trekking Season in Full Swing — But So Is the Rise in COVID Cases. Should You Still Go?
It’s that time of the year again. The trails are alive — with the colors of blooming rhododendrons, the songs of distant waterfalls, and the echo of boots touching Himalayan mud. June to August is when nature throws her grandest Himalayan party — Valley of Flowers, Hampta Pass, Bhrigu Lake, and so many more trails open their arms to trekkers. But this year, as backpacks are packed and train tickets are booked, there is an invisible voice in the air, “COVID cases are going up again.
” So a simple question —
Is it still possible to trek safely in 2025? Or is it a gamble better left alone? Let’s talk honestly.
The Trekker’s Dilemma — Soul vs. Safety
After 2 years of travel disruptions, the mountains feel like a healing space. Thousands of people have already booked their treks with dreams of walking through alpine meadows or watching the first light hit snow-covered peaks. But with reports of a new COVID variant spreading in urban areas like Delhi, Pune, and even parts of Uttarakhand — there’s an undertone of fear.
Yet, trekking hasn’t stopped. Why? Because this time, we’re more prepared.
What Responsible Trek Operators Are Doing (And Why It Matters)
Take Himalayan Hikers, for instance — one of India’s most trusted trekking operators. They’ve experienced the worst during the peak of COVID-19 and constructed a solid safety protocol that continues into 2025. Below are what is in place to keep treks safe:
1. Daily Health Check
Every day during the trek, trekkers are checked for temperature and oxygen levels. So when it came to a small symptom, that is an early warning system and assured to be taken seriously.
2. Smaller Groups
No longer are they chaotic outings of 25 people. They are limited to 10-12 people per group to ensure maximum safety.
3. Isolation Tent’s Procedures
If people dots show symptoms or any monitors are abnormal the group is presented with an isolation tent and they are isolated away from the group and being given medical support.
4. Sanitized Camping Gear
Tents, sleeping bags, mats, and cutlery are UV-sanitized and rotated after each use.
5. Coordination With Local Health Authorities
Every trekker’s data is pre-submitted to local officials, and any COVID-like symptom is reported within hours. So yes, while the trails may feel wild, the systems are deeply disciplined.
How Effective is Trekking to Boost COVID Recovery & Support Mental Health?
While the public discourse centers on masks and medicine, there is a less talked about, silent medicine that we often disregard – nature.
Trekking the Himalayas is not just an adventure; it is a healer of the human body and spirit, and as an opportunity for healing not just physical but emotional and potentially spiritual as well. For many people, the post-COVID fatigue, anxiety, and impaired immunity is lasting longer than they want. The mountains can provide a healing perspective.
1. Fresh Oxygen-Rich Air
At high altitude and with a brisk breeze, the air is clean, pure, free of city pollution. After your battle with COVID, give your lungs the chance to have air that heals, not harms.
2. Natural Spring Water
Many trekking routes provide access to pure Himalayan Spring Water, fresh and mineral-rich, which helps the body recover naturally.
3. Alpine Flowers & Aromatherapy
When you stroll the trails such as Valley of Flowers, your every footfall opens you to nature’s unwinding capsule of aromatherapy. The scents of Brahma Kamal, blue poppy, and wild tulips will assist in soothing your nervous system.
4. Vitamin D from Gentle Sunlight
Spending 5–6 days under the sun helps boost Vitamin D, which is critical post-COVID for immunity and energy.
5. Forest Phytoncides
Walking through deodar or oak forests allows your body to absorb phytoncides — natural chemicals released by trees that reduce stress hormones and improve sleep.
6. Digital Detox + Mental Clarity
No mobile service coverage. No notifications. Just silence! Trekking is a natural form of meditation and has helped many to help with anxiety and depression created by isolation during the pandemic.
7. Human Connection With No Crowds
Unlike a gathering in the city, trekking in small groups is safe, secure, and you actually bond over the experience. There is something about maintaining safe socialization and fending off the loneliness that we have all felt during lockdowns.
Tips for Trekkers: Your Safety Is Also Your Responsibility
Don’t rely just on tour operators. You have a big role in keeping the mountains and your fellow trekkers safe.
Here’s what you MUST do:
- Get a full body check-up and carry a medical certificate
- Wear a mask during shared transport or inside tents
- Carry your own cutlery and water bottle
- Bring a mini COVID safety kit (sanitizer, pulse oximeter, extra masks)
- Avoid traveling if you feel even slightly unwell
- Get travel insurance that covers COVID-related emergencies
But… What If You Still Catch It?
There’s no guarantee in life. Even when precautions have been taken, nothing is 100% guaranteed. This is what Himalayan Hikers delivers guarantee wise:
- Immediate evacuation plan
- Assistance in arranging medical assistance in the nearest town
- Safe accommodation until help arrives
- Entire team trained in Wilderness First Aid & Pandemic Protocols
- This is not just an exotic adventure, this is responsible tourism
Conclusion: Trekking Is Not Risk-Free. But It Can Be Risk-Managed.
- Yes, it is the perfect season,
- Yes, the flowers are bursting into bloom,
- Yes, the weather is magnificent
But it is also important to plan smartly.
Join me in avoiding a fear-based cancellation or rash decision to go on your trek blindfolded, and instead be somewhere in the middle:
Trek safely. Trek with awareness. Trek with trusted operators.
After all, what’s the use of standing under a Himalayan sky if your lungs aren’t ready for it?
Planning a Safe Trek in 2025?
Choose operators that care — not just about treks, but about you.
Book with Himalayan Hikers — Where Safety Meets Soulful Adventure
Trek smart. Trek responsibly. The mountains are waiting.