need help finding the right trek

Hi everyone. Its my first time on this forum.

Im a college student(21 male) in good physical shape and am looking forward to my first trek with my friends. The downside is my college schedule has left only a 3-4 day trek as feasible in mid october. Please note all of us are capable of walking long hours and are looking to avoid very easy trails while keeping off extremely hard ones.

Still we are novices and would love any suggestions on where we should go trekking. I thought Lake Bhrigu trek and Khaliya top trek seemed nice. will they be doable around 20 October??

Please help us make our first trek a success

Khaliya top would be a nice experience as a first-timer, but I doubt it will not be open during october.
For other easier trail, you can try Khatling Glacier Trek in Uttarakhand or Triund-Chamba trek from Mcleodgunj (HP).

Trekking Places and Itineraries

You might want to look up this list. A few guiding points:

1. October 20 is season in Sikkim, Garhwal and Kumaon.
2. It is end of season in HP (as some of the high passes could close with snow)
3. Do a trek where you do not cross over a pass but return the same way - that way in case of any exigency you can come earlier.
4. 3-4 days does not allow long treks to be done but Indrahaar Pass near Dharamshala is one you may want to try, other options are in Garhwal (Gangotri-Tapovan-Vasukital, Kuari Pass, Dodital etc.) and even Roopkund if you are very fit (it can be done in 4 days Wan-Wan but reaching Wan takes time). My personal favorite for beginners is Beas Kund a Base Camp - really good for a beginning trek and you can go as high as you want.

Best of luck.

Im grateful for your help.

I heard (from a tour agent) if there is fresh snowfall right before our trek it may be scrapped. Do you suggest making a back up plan in case our planned trek goes awry. Late October doesn't seem to be a good time to trek weather wise

Is there any place where late Oct can be said to be an ideal time??

A total four of us are too planning a trek in Himachal from 24th October onwards. We are planning to do the Chandrakhani Pass trek. This trek is doable towards October end. Although we are contemplating on extending the trek towards the Malana glacier which will increase the total by 3-4 days.

Ideal in October are any less than 4000m treks in Garhwal or Kumaon. Sikkim will be in full blown season. Malana works as well but if you cross Rohtang snow could be a spoilsport. By the way, it is possible to walk on fresh snow for some distance with the right gear (long stretches mean too much effort), depending on the amount of snow.

Har-ki-Dun and Ruinsara.
They are doable in winters too. I know a lot of sites grade HKD as an easy trek, but it certainly isnt easy for a first timer from the plains. The climbs are gradual and not steep ... but distances are long. On day 1 you would walk about 5 to 6 hours and stopover at a campsite or rest house under Seema village. Next days walk to HKD is equally long or maybe longer and u are gaining altitude.
In all, these are not too easy and not too difficult and fall on the same route.

43210 - good name by the way!! The classification of easy for a trek starts with the assumption that someone is fit to do a trek. If one cannot walk or run in the plains - how would he / she do a trek. Ofcourse, till you get adjusted to the trekking, even an easy trek is not that easy but after you do, the challenge in doing a HKD in 4-5 days in proper season isn't much compared to some other routes where the challenge is much more. Look through the link in post#3 to see a comparative on grading of a number of Himalayan treks in India.