A quick winter trek with a friend — Nag Tibba, the highest peak in the lower Himalayas of Uttarakhand. We squeezed it into a long weekend from Delhi. Less intense than Kedarkantha, but the sunrise at the summit and the sunset on the way up made it a solid trip.
Day 1 — Delhi to Pantwari & Trek to Base Camp
December 22–23, 2023 (train on the 22nd evening, arrived Pantwari on the 23rd)
Took an evening train from Delhi to Dehradun — ₹1,100 for 3AC per person. Reached Dehradun early the next morning and took a bus to Pantwari village — ₹250 per person.
Reached the village around 11:00 AM. We were planning to start the trek the next day, but since we had plenty of time, we decided to go for it the same day.
Two Starting Points
There are two options:
- Start from Pantwari village itself — longer trek
- Start from a midway point where vehicles can go — shorter trek
We chose the second one since the rest of our group wanted to do the same.
Afternoon — Trek to Base Camp (~3 hours)
Started the trek around 3:00 PM. It’s about a 3-hour hike to the base camp. On the way up, we watched the sunset through the trees — a nice bonus of starting late in the day.
Reached camp, had dinner, did a little stargazing, and called it early since we had to wake up before dawn for the summit push.
Day 2 — Summit Sunrise & Descent to Pantwari
December 24, 2023
4:00 AM — Summit Push
Started the trek to the summit at 4:00 AM. Made it in time for sunrise. Unlike Kedarkantha, the cold here was manageable — we could actually take our hands out, enjoy the views, and click some photos without our fingers going numb.
The summit view is panoramic — you can see the Garhwal and Himachal ranges stretching out in every direction.
Morning — Back to Camp & Descent
Came back to the campsite, relaxed for a bit, and had a combined breakfast/lunch. Then started the descent, which took a couple of hours. Back at Pantwari village by around 1:00 PM.
Afternoon — Bus to Dehradun & Train Home
Took a bus back to Dehradun and caught our train the same day back to Delhi.
What It Cost (Per Person)
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Train: Delhi → Dehradun (3AC) | ₹1,100 |
| Bus: Dehradun → Pantwari | ₹250 |
| Trek package (camp, food, guide) | ₹1,500 |
| Bus: Pantwari → Dehradun | ₹250 |
| Return train: Dehradun → Delhi | ₹1,100 |
Things to Know
- Trek distance: ~6 km from the midway start to the summit, shorter if you start from the vehicle drop point
- Difficulty: Easy to moderate — easier than Kedarkantha, good for beginners
- Two starting options — From Pantwari village (longer) or from a midway vehicle-accessible point (shorter). Most groups take the second.
- Start the summit push by 4 AM — Gives you enough time to reach for sunrise
- Milder cold than Kedarkantha — Still winter, still cold, but you won’t freeze at the summit
- Can be done in a weekend from Delhi — Evening train Friday, trek Saturday–Sunday, back by Sunday night
- Stargazing at base camp — Low light pollution, clear December skies
Final Thoughts
Nag Tibba is a clean, no-frills weekend trek. It doesn’t have the intensity of Kedarkantha or the length of Kareri, but it delivers where it counts — a solid trail, a rewarding sunrise, and enough mountain air to reset your head for the week ahead.
If you’re looking for a quick escape from Delhi that involves more than just sitting in a cafe in the hills, Nag Tibba fits the bill perfectly.
