Namaste! Welcome to Sacred Nilgiri Trail.
You are 2,862 meters above sea level, overlooking the historic village of Thini. You are located in the rain shadow region, also known as the “other side” of the mountains. During this trail, you will be part of the stories of the locals, lifestyles and festivals and wildlife nurturing in Nilgiri’s lap along with stunning views of high hills and majestic mountains. These stories are blended into the indigineous Thakali people’s lifestyle and their culture around Nilgiri’s rich biodiversity and ecosystem. Nilgiri’s unwavering spirit and stature were a witness to changes in lifestyles along with sacred traditions and vice versa. Through festivals like Yak Dance, Bhadra Mela, Falo, Tungla, Aakhala, Dhekep, etc., the cultural beauty and their lifestyle comes together to form a sacred bond and Nilgiri mountain, their common roof.
Sacred Nilgiri Trail is rich in biodiversity that features diverse flora and fauna across hills, high hills and mountains. You will be able to see Golden Eagle and Himalayan Griffon soaring in the skies while the endangedered species of Musk Deer and Tibetan Argali can be found nurturing in the local forest. Other animals like Blue Sheep, Nayaur, Himalayan Thar, and the Tibetan Antelope can also be found. Among the most majestic of the creatures that roam the higher parts of Thini is the snow leopard—a rare and endangered species of big cats known as the “queen of the mountains.” These elusive big cats are known to roam the high pastures and rocky crags, of hills around this trekking route. This trek is abundant with medicinal plants and non-timber forest products (NTFPs). Natural vegetation of Pinus Wallichiana Forest, Betula Utilis forest, a serene stand of birch mixed with juniper and Juniperus forest covers the significant part of this trekking route. Throughout this trek, you can enjoy the beauty of seasonal flowers adding vibrant hues to the ridges and slopes.
From this starting point, you can embark on three different trail routes. Sacred Nilgiri Trail will take you through strong winds of Namo Ghang, majestic view from Yarujho Viewpoint, Tepiso, Bhrapsa, Tachi Ghim, Hyakar Ghyang (Yarsa Collection), Trail Division Point, Plantii Ghang, Nilgiri Base Camp / Sochi, Nilgiri View Point, Glacier Camping Site, Chrimi, Watch Point and Cheema Cho Lake. Along the way, you may encounter many stories of the Snow Leopard’s preying zones,
This is a moderately difficult trail, suitable for all age groups, and will take approximately 13.5 hours to complete. You will start from zero point and cover a total distance of 27.7 km (17.21 miles) and end at Trail Ending Point.The trail offers stunning landscapes and village views and is more challenging than the Thini Village Trail. This trek is a perfect way to understand local lifestyles while enjoying the beauty of high-altitude forests, seasonal flowers, illusive wildlife and majestic mountains.
