Gaddi Kingdom Trek in Dharamshala
A 6-day cultural traverse of the Dhauladhar high pastures, following the Gaddi shepherd routes and summer grazing camps with born-and-raised guides.
At a glance
Highlights
- Walking the actual Gaddi transhumance routes, not a tourist trail
- Chai and stories at a working shepherd camp (dhogri)
- High Dhauladhar pastures in full summer green
- Gaddi shrines and grazing-ground lore from local guides
- Big ridge viewpoints with very few other trekkers
Day-by-day itinerary
Day 1 Dharamshala → forest camp
- Transfer to the trailhead; climb through Kangra Valley forest to the first meadow camp.
Day 2 Forest camp → lower pastures
- Walk up to the lower grazing grounds; visit a shepherd camp and learn the season's rhythm.
Day 3 High pasture day
- Move to the high pastures (gots); ridge viewpoints and time with the flocks.
Day 4 Shrine and ridge walk
- A loop past a Gaddi shrine and an open ridge with valley-to-valley views.
Day 5 Descent to mid camp
- Begin the descent, camping at a forest clearing with a bonfire and local dinner.
Day 6 Descent → Dharamshala
- Final descent to the road head; transfer back to Dharamshala.
What to pack
- Layered clothing — warm mornings, cold pasture nights
- Comfortable broken-in trekking shoes
- A small gift of tea or sugar is appreciated at shepherd camps
- Sun protection and a refillable water bottle
- A notebook or camera — this is a cultural trek
Safety & good to know
- Moderate altitude but long pasture days — reasonable fitness needed
- We visit shepherd camps respectfully and by invitation only
- Mountain dogs guard the flocks — the guide manages all approaches
- Weather on the high pastures changes fast; we carry shelter
The Gaddi are the semi-nomadic shepherds of the Dhauladhar, moving their flocks to the high meadows each summer. This 6-day trek follows their world — grazing grounds (gots), shepherd shrines and ridge camps — with born-and-raised guides, sharing chai at the stone dhogris where Gaddi families live through the season.
The Gaddi are the semi-nomadic shepherds of the Dhauladhar, moving flocks of sheep and goat up to the high meadows each summer and back to the Kangra and Chamba valleys before the snow. This 6-day trek follows their world rather than a single summit — linking grazing grounds (gots), shepherd shrines, forest camps and ridge viewpoints, with time to share chai and stories at the dhogris (stone huts) where the Gaddis live through the season. Our guides are from these valleys, so the route is read the way a shepherd reads it: by water, weather and pasture. A moderate-to-difficult journey for travellers who want the culture of the mountains as much as the climb.
Frequently asked questions
Will we really meet Gaddi shepherds?
Is it very high or technical?
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