Retirement is often regarded as the first definitive sign of ageing as it heralds the start of a new phase in one’s life. You hang up your work boots for good and get ready for a sedentary lifestyle.

However, the sudden transition could bring in a lot of mental and emotional turmoil, more so, if you have led an active lifestyle in your working years. You would suddenly find yourself with ample time on your hands and no work to do. It could also lead to bouts of depression and irritable behaviour.

Age Actively, Not Just Age

The key to staying happy in your retired life is to age actively, and not just age. If you want to age actively, treks and day hikes could be the perfect gateways for you. They will keep you engaged, energised, and happy, help you maintain an active lifestyle, and thus keep you healthy in your retired life.

As trekking, which usually involves hikes over multiple days, could prove to be a tad difficult if you haven’t undertaken any previously, you can start with day hikes, which as the name suggests, usually involves moderate-to-long walks over a single day. However, these day hikes will also offer you the option to camp overnight should you find the return journey on the same day tiring.

So, here are four easy Himalayan day hikes in Himachal Pradesh that you could consider exploring in your retirement years. All of these are moderate hikes that you can undertake at your own leisurely pace while enjoying the natural beauty of the mountains and the forest trails.

1] Triund Day Hike

Technically, this is a day hike that winds its way up from the picturesque hill station of McLeodGanj in Himachal Pradesh. There are two ways to approach the meadow–one through Dharamkot, which meanders through forest trails offering ample shade and is also the most popular. The trail is about 9 km one-way and is dotted with eateries offering snacks, tea and coffee, water, and rest points.

The other trail starts near the Bhagsu Nag Temple, about a kilometre away from the main town square. This goes up through open hills and could prove to be tiring in the heat as it would offer little to no shade from the blazing sun. This trail is also about 9-10 km long.

The Triund meadow is situated on a ridge that offers a scenic view of the snowy peaks of the Dhauladhar range, with the opposite end offering a panoramic view of the plains of Himachal and Punjab.

Camp Overnight: One can camp on the meadows for the night or walk down to McLeodganj for the night stay.

2] Dharamkot Hike, Bhagsu Nag Waterfall Hike

If you want to give the hike to Triund a miss, this is a lovely trail that you might consider exploring.

It winds its way through forests on the way to Triund, through the village of Dharamkot and Upper Dharamkot, a few kilometres from McLeodGanj. The trail forks at multiple places, including one leading to a waterfall, as well as a clearing in the forest housing a huge Buddhist stupa with Tibetan flags fluttering in the air. The villages of Dharmakot and upper Dharamkothave some nice eateries that offer plenty of delicacies to munch on, such as wood-fired pizzas at very affordable prices, and most importantly, rest points to give relief to your back and feet.

If you are looking for some solace and quiet time to spend, this is a wonderful place to go for an idle walk and let your ears soak in the sounds of the forests.

The Bhagsu Nag Waterfall is located a few metres from the Bhagsu Nag temple. There is a small café and a few shops nearby. You can get a view of Dharamshala from the café and the stream. Depending on the season, there might be a small trickle of water flowing down the hillside. The uphill trek to Triund forks out from a trail adjacent to the waterfall.

3] BijliMahadev Hike

This is a 3-km long hike that you can take in the Kullu Valley of Himachal Pradesh. The nearest town and airport is Bhuntar.

The meadow, situated at an altitude of 8,000 feet above sea level, offers a bird’s eye view of the Kullu Valley, the Beas river, and the Pir Panjal and the Dhauladhar ranges. One can take a taxi up to the village of Chansari and walk uphill three kilometres to the meadow. There is a small temple dedicated to Lord Shiva at the far end of the meadow that can be approached by a stone path set on the meadow.

4] Serolsar Lake Hike

This is a short hike, about five kilometres, from Jalori Pass in Tirthan Valley in Himachal Pradesh. The lake, situated at an altitude of 10,000-plus feet above sea level, is set amidst a forest of pine and deodar trees and can be approached through a forest trail that shoots off from Jalori Pass. There is a temple dedicated to Budhi Nagin near the lake, which serves as a pilgrimage spot for the locals, who often frequent here to pay their obeisance to the deity.

The lake freezes in winter, and therefore, offers a kaleidoscope of colours in different seasons throughout the year – white in winter, green during the monsoon, and a blush of sunburned wood during autumn. The lake offers a 360-degree view of the Pir Panjal and the Great Himalayan range.

The forest trail has ample clearings, which offers good resting points. The trail is also gentle and undulating, almost flat, as Jalori Pass itself is situated at an altitude of 10,800 feet above sea level. There are also several eateries and points to rest near Jalori Pass, as well as a few along the trail, which makes this an extremely easy hike for people of all ages, including children and the elderly.

For the more adventurous though, there is a longer trail that goes through the back of the forest from the resorts a few kilometres downhill, and up the ridge and into the lake.