Leave No Trace on Indian trails

The seven principles on Indian trails

Leave No Trace is a set of seven principles for enjoying the outdoors without damaging it, published by the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics. They were written for American parks, but they fit Indian trails well. Here is what each one means on a trek here.

1. Plan Ahead and Prepare. Know the permit rules, the weather and whether the trail is open, and pack for it. Most damage, from new trails cut around a slush patch to fires lit for warmth, starts with poor planning. Repack snacks from wrappers into reusable boxes before you leave home.
2. Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces. Stay on the main trail, even when it is muddy. Do not cut corners on zigzags. Camp on sites that are already in use, not on fresh meadow grass, including the high meadows (bugyals) of Uttarakhand and Himachal.
3. Dispose of Waste Properly. “Pack it in, pack it out.” Everything you carry up comes back down with you, including food scraps. More on this below.
4. Leave What You Find. Do not pick flowers, dig up plants, chip rock or carry home stones from a temple or a lake. Do not carve or paint names on rocks, trees or fort walls.
5. Minimise Campfire Impacts. Cook on a stove. Where fires are allowed, Leave No Trace says to use an existing fire ring, keep it small, burn only sticks from the ground that you can break by hand, and put it out completely with water, not dirt. Some forest areas allow fires only for cooking, and some ban them entirely, so follow local rules.
6. Respect Wildlife. Watch from a distance, never feed animals, and keep pets under control or leave them at home. Feeding langurs, monkeys or dogs at temples and campsites changes their behaviour and harms their health.
7. Be Considerate of Others. Keep noise down, give way on narrow trails, and remember that the trail runs through someone’s village, grazing land or holy place.

The seven principles are © Leave No Trace: www.LNT.org.

Plastic and Himalayan waste

The Himalaya has a serious waste problem. Waste Warriors, a non-profit working on waste in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, says over 5 million tonnes of waste are dumped or burned in the Himalaya every year, and that the region gets over 400 million tourists a year. Where waste systems are weak, dumping and open burning become routine.

Burning is not a solution. Waste Warriors notes that burning waste releases dioxins and furans, among the most toxic chemicals known, and that black carbon from burning adds to faster glacier melt. Leave No Trace also says burning trash is never recommended.

What you can do:

• Carry a reusable bottle and refill it, instead of buying packaged water at every stop.
• Repack food at home into boxes and pouches, so you carry fewer wrappers.
• Carry a “trash bag” in your backpack for your own waste and anything you find on the trail. Reuse old plastic bags rather than buying new ones, as Indiahikes advises.
• Bring all waste back to the roadhead, including wrappers, batteries, wet wipes and cigarette ends. Do not leave it at a campsite “for the porters”, and do not burn it.
• Do not bury or hide trash under rocks. Leave No Trace’s rule is to pack out all trash, leftover food and litter.
• Hand waste to a proper collection point in town if one exists, and support local waste systems. Waste Warriors runs tourist hubs and community programmes and accepts support from travellers.

Rules are getting stricter. In 2025, a monsoon order in Rajgad taluka near Pune banned littering with glass, plastic bottles, thermocol and other plastic waste at forts and waterfalls.

Toilets at camp

Many organised treks set up toilet tents. Use them. If there is no toilet:

• Go at least 200 feet (about 60 m, or 70–80 adult steps) from water, trails and camp, as Leave No Trace advises.
• Dig a cathole 6–8 inches (15–20 cm) deep with a small trowel, in dark, rich soil if you can. Cover and hide it when you are done.
• Pack out toilet paper in a sealed bag, or bury it deep in the cathole. Never leave it on the surface.
• Do not use the same spot twice. In a group, spread catholes over a wide area.
• Avoid places where water flows, even dry gullies.
• In fragile alpine areas, land managers may ask you to carry out all solid human waste. Follow local rules.

Washing. Carry water at least 200 feet (60 m) away from streams and lakes before you wash yourself or your dishes. Use only a small amount of biodegradable soap, and scatter the strained water. Never wash utensils, clothes or yourself directly in a stream or lake that others drink from.

Menstrual waste. Pads, tampons and menstrual cups are all fine on a trek. Indiahikes says to carry ziplock bags and bring all sanitary waste back. Leaving it in the mountains is not allowed and is considered socially unacceptable.

Temples, villages and local customs

Many Indian trails pass shrines, sacred lakes and villages where people live and farm. Being a good guest matters as much as being a clean one. Waste Warriors, with Uttarakhand Tourism, publishes a “Good Guest Guide” for travelling thoughtfully in the Himalaya.

• At temples and shrines, follow the rules posted or told to you: take off your shoes where asked, dress modestly, and do not touch idols or offerings unless invited. Ask before you photograph inside.
• Sacred lakes and springs are often off-limits for bathing, washing or swimming. Ask locally, and if in doubt, do not.
• Ask before photographing people, especially women and children, and accept a “no”.
• Stay on paths through fields and orchards, close gates behind you, and do not pick fruit or crops.
• Keep music and noise low in villages and at camps near them.
• Do not drink or smoke near shrines or in villages where it is not welcome.
• Buy locally where you can: homestay meals, local guides and porters, village shops. It gives villages a reason to protect the trail.
• Respect closures. If a village, temple committee or forest office has closed a route for a festival, a season or repairs, do not go around it.

Leave each place as you found it, or better. That is the whole idea behind Leave No Trace.