NARMADA BACKWATERS TREK

Trek along Narmada's serene Waterfall, Streams and Hills.

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TREK DIFFICULTY

Easy

TREK DURATION

3 Days

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CLOSEST AIRPORT

Vadodara

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SUITABLE FOR

8 to 62 years

TOTAL TREK DISTANCE

16 kms

BASECAMP

Kherwada

ACCOMMODATION TYPE

Tents

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PICKUP POINT

Vadodara junction Railway Station

Trek along Narmada's serene Waterfall, Streams and Hills

We'll admit it. Even before we set foot on the Narmada Backwaters trek, we were already impressed by trekking in Madhya Pradesh. If you're not aware, we opened up the Pench Tiger Trail in 2024, and trekkers have been loving it.

We were wondering if another trek in Madhya Pradesh would match up to the beauty.

So when our chief explorer, Nitesh Kumar, returned from the Narmada Backwaters Trek, it was the first question we asked him. Here's what he had to say: "Even though I have been exploring treks in MP since 2017, this place is unlike any other. I saw waterfalls, hilltops, streams and the whole backwaters, all within two days. I never thought such a place existed!"

Trekker Reviews

An unforgettable experience, blending natural beauty with cultural richness.

The Narmada backwaters was an unforgettable experience, blending natural beauty with cultural richness. Watching the perfect orange haze of the setting sun over the serene Narmada back waters from the Chilakda campsite is a sight that stays with you forever. Beyond this, there are stunning waterfall, hilltops, ridge walks, and an amazing bird’s-eye view of the Narmada River from Jalsidhi Top.

For me, however, the true highlight was the warmth of the tribal people—their colorful villages, traditional food, and genuine hospitality. Don’t miss trying dal paniya and the organically grown sitaphal (custard apple). The simplicity of their lifestyle and the way they welcomed us into their homes with open hearts is a memory I will treasure forever.

Narmada Backwaters Trek

We have always wanted trekkers to be well-informed before they go on any trek. Knowledge is the difference between a safe trek and a dangerous one. It’s also the difference between a wholesome experience and a superficial experience.

Use this section to learn about the Narmada Backwaters trek. It has in-depth information about each day of the trek, what to expect, and how you need to prepare for it. Many years of expertise have gone into this content. Trekkers find that extremely useful.

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Day 1: Drive from Vadodara to Kherwada Village. The trek to Gawani waterfall and back.

Drive Distance: 127 kilometres | Drive Duration: 3 hours

Trek Distance: 1.5 kilometres one way | Trek Duration: 2 hours

Difficulty: Easy

Highlight: A beautiful multistep waterfall

Reach Vadodara on the previous day. There are several stay options near Vadodara Junction Railway station and Vadodara airport.

On Day 1, the Indiahikes team will pick you up from either of the pickup points. This is not a part of your trek fee. Share the vehicle fee among yourselves and pay the driver directly. Let your Experience Coordinator know of your pickup point in advance. (Pickup points mentioned in the 'How to Reach the Basecamp' section.) Reach the basecamp.

Kherwada is a small village in the interiors of the Alirajpur district of Madhya Pradesh. The village is inhibited by tribal communities. They are warm people who coexist with the land. But they come out as shy and reserved as the area is untouched by commercialization.

You will take approximately 3 hours to reach Kherwada, where you will stop at a homestay. From here you trek through a gorge for 1.5 kilometres. At end of this trail will leave you awestruck. A beautiful multistep waterfall comes out as surprise. And the gorge is the only entry and exit point to it.

From here, you trek back to the homestay and rest for night.

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Reach Vadodara on the previous day. There are several stay options near Vadodara Junction Railway station and Vadodara airport.

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Day 2: Drive from Kherwada to Khadambli. Then trek from Khadambli to Chilakda.

Drive Distance: 10 kilometres | Drive Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes

Trek Distance: 6 kilometres | Trek Duration: 5 hours

Difficulty: Moderate

Highlight: Camping experience beside the Narmada backwaters

10 minutes as you start trekking, you get the first view of the grand Narmada backwaters. And this keeps getting grander as you walk.

As you reach Chilakda, you will realise the grandiosity of the Narmada river. Chilakda is an even smaller village with a fishing culture. And camping beside the backwaters, below a starry night, will be an experience to remember.

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10 minutes as you start trekking, you get the first view of the grand Narmada backwaters. And this keeps getting grander as you walk.

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Day 3: Trek from Chilakda Camp to Jalsindhi Top and back to Khodamba; Drive to Vadodara

Drive Distance: 150 kilometres | Drive Duration: 4 hours

Trek Distance: 6 kilometres | Trek Duration: 4 hours

Difficulty: Moderate

Highlight: Jalsindhi Top view point.

It is a 1 kilometre, 70 degree steep climb which the the first and last difficult section of the trek. But once you reach the top, the view will just leave you speechless. It feels like you are sitting on a drone, as the Jalsindhi ridge gets thinner descending into the Narmada river.

Here you witness the convergence of Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat from a single vantage point.

After spending some time at Jalsindhi Top, retrace your steps for a kilometer. Then you start a 2.5 km trek towards Khodamba roadhead where the offroad vehicles will be waiting for you.

The Indiahikes team will drop you at either of the drop points after the trek. This is not a part of your trek fee. Share the vehicle fee among yourselves and pay the driver directly. Let your Experience Coordinator know of your drop point in advance. (Pickup points mentioned in the 'How to Reach the Basecamp' section.)

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After spending some time at Jalsindhi Top, retrace your steps for a kilometer. Then you start a 2.5 km trek towards Khodamba roadhead where the offroad vehicles will be waiting for you.

Packing List

Given below is a list of all the gear you need for the Narmada Backwaters trek:

If you don’t have certain items, you can rent high-quality gear like trekking shoes, backpacks, and jackets from the Crosstrek Rental Store by Indiahikes. It costs less than Rs 2000 for the entire trek. We highly recommend renting gear since it is both more affordable and environmentally friendly.

Additionally, you’ll notice a small medical kit in the list. While our trek leaders carry medical kits with 17 medicines including life-saving drugs, you must bring your personal medical kit as well. We are already equipped with BP machines, oximeters and canned oxygen, but your medical kit is for quick access to you, especially while travelling.

Most importantly, you must digitally upload and carry mandatory documents to get government permits for the trek - your ID card, medical certificate, and disclaimer certificate. Keep them in a plastic bag to keep them safe in your backpack. There are no printing or photocopy facilities at the basecamp.

Here is a list of everything you need for your trek.

Shoes and backpack

Shoes with good grip (non-waterproof trail running shoes or non-waterproof shoes with good grip)
Sandals
40-45 litres backpack with rain cover
A dry sack or a polybag

Warm Layers and Clothes

Warm layers: 1 layer (1 light sweater will suffice)
3 full-sleeved T-shirts (Wear one, carry two)
2 quick-dry trek pants (Wear one, carry one)

Accessories

Sunglasses
Sun cap (Available for purchase), preferably with flaps
4 pairs of socks (normal cotton/ sport high ankle socks. Waterproof socks are a bonus.) (Waterproof socks are available for purchase)
Headlamp + Extra Batteries
Trekking poles
Rain jacket + pants / Poncho

Toiletries:

Sunscreen
Moisturiser
Light towel
Lip balm or vaseline
Toilet paper (Wet wipes are strictly not allowed on our treks)
Toothbrush
Toothpaste
Hand Sanitizer
Odomos or any other insect repellant
Reusable plastic covers (for used clothes/sanitary waste)

Cutlery:

Steel lunch box, spoon and a coffee mug
Two water bottles

Once you run through this list, don't miss this ultimate guide on what gear to take on a trek. It contains tips on what gear to choose, where to get it from and how much to spend on it.

Our only tip: Keep your backpack light. Indiahikes practices low impact sustainable trekking in every aspect of the trek. Carrying your own personal backpack reduces your impact on the mountains by 20%. We expect all our trekkers to carry their own backpacks unless they have a justifiable reason not to.

PRO TIPS

Keep important documents in a clear plastic cover and slide them into the inner pocket at the back of your backpack. This keeps them from getting wet.

These are documents required for legal purposes by Indiahikes and the forest department. Without any of these, you will not be allowed to trek.

Original and 2 (two) photocopies of government identity card. Anything such as a driver’s license, Aadhar Card, or passport will do. This is required by the forest department for your identification.
1 (one) passport-size photographs. This is required to obtain the trekking permits
Personal Medical Form and Disclaimer certificate: There are two sections in this. The first part is a personal medical record. The second part is a legal requirement. Download the PDF, read carefully, fill in and sign it. This must be handed over to your Trek Leader during registration at the base camp. – Download disclaimer certificate
A Medical Certificate (mandatory for trekkers aged 58 and above). You must submit a medical certificate signed by an MBBS doctor, certifying your fitness and health for the trek. Any pre-existing medical conditions must be clearly outlined. Trekkers under the age of 58 do not need this certificate. – Download medical certificate

Please note: Trekkers above the age of 58 need to submit both the certificates mentioned under points 3 and 4

Carry these medicines with you, easily accessible at all times. Do not take any medicine unless you have consulted your trek leader.

Crocin (Paracetamol) – 6 tablets (fever)
Norflox TZ – 3 tablets (diarrhoea/ severe GI issue)
Band-Aid – 4 strips
ORS – 4 packets
Volini Spray - aches, & sprains
Knee Cap (Optional), if you are prone to a knee injury
Anti Fungal Powder
Odomos or any other insect repellent

Our trek leaders carry a medical kit with them. If there is an emergency our trek leaders know how to tackle it. Meanwhile, contact your trek leader before consuming any of these medicines listed here.

Pro Tip: We find that these medicines by trekkers are rarely used. But you cannot do away with them. At the end of the trek please donate unused medicines to your trek leader. Some of these medicines get distributed to villages on the trek and some are added to the Indiahikes medical kit.

We recommend brisk walk as the best routine to get fit for this trek. It works on the same muscles that you use while trekking — your calves, glutes and hamstrings. It helps increase your stamina day by day. It is also an easy routine that does not require any equipment or tools.

Recommended Fitness target:

To do this trek comfortably, you must be able to walk 5 km in under 50 minutes. This is the minimum recommended fitness level that you should be aiming for.

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Trekking is a sport that primarily uses your lungs, your core, and your lower body. To reach this fitness, there are just two things to work on - your cardiovascular endurance and your muscle strength. Being fit will help you enjoy the trek and will keep you safe.

Follow this simple schedule and you will be trek-fit:

Weeks 1 - 4:

Walking

- Week 1: Keep the distance of your walk to just 2 km

- Week 2: Keep the distance of your walk to just 3 km

- Week 3: Keep the distance of your walk to just 4 km

- Week 4: Keep the distance of your walk to 5 km

Stair Climbing: When you climb stairs, target for at least 10 floors (20 stairs per floor), and repeat it for 2 sets.
Stretching: Keep stretching every day. This video will help you with stretching:

Take your rest days seriously and rest. Your body recovers quickly when you rest.

5 Must-Do Stretches Before Your Trek

Weeks 5 - 8:

Once you can comfortably walk 5 km, the following weeks are focused on building speed.
Everyday, walk 5 km with an intention to finish within 50-60 minutes. Do not worry if you are not there yet. You will get there by the end of Week 8.
Once a week, go for 10 km walk at a stretch. This will help build your endurance. Do not worry about the time you take to cover this distance.
Continue with stair climbing and stretching.

Important Note: If you are not a regular runner, do not start running all of a sudden.

Three things happen when you are not fit:

You do not enjoy the trek
You struggle to be a part of the team
You miss out on a deep transformative experience that trekking can offer

The good part is, it’s not difficult. All you need to do is start following the fitness routine 45-60 days before the trek begins.

We are here to help you in this fitness journey. Just start slow and as long as you are committed and consistent with your routine, you are in for an unforgettable trek experience :)

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5 Reasons Why Indiahikes

We are known for our safety

We are known for our pioneering safety practices in trekking. Microspikes, oximeters, and BP checks became standards thanks to us. In the mountains, emergencies don't care who you're with—everyone knows that when trouble hits, you look for the yellow tents of Indiahikes.

We are pioneers of treks in India

We are pioneers in trekking. Since 2007, we have brought out treks that have become India's most famous treks: Roopkund, Rupin Pass, Buran Ghati, Kedarkantha, Kashmir Great Lakes, Tarsar Marsar, Brahmatal, Phulara Ridge—the list goes on. In 2023 alone, we brought out five new treks in Indian trekking. We know treks better than anyone. This comes directly from the reason why Indiahikes was born: to bring out trek information and enable trekkers to trek on their own.

We are India’s largest trekking organisation

More than 30,000 people trek with us every year. We are the largest trekking organisation in India. 24% of our trekkers come back to trek with us every year. Over 4,000 students from the top educational institutions trek with us every year. Aside from this, families with children choose to trek with Indiahikes knowing that our treks are the safest. We have taken over 8000 children trekking so far, and the number continues to grow.

Our treks are transformative

We focus on designing transformative experiences. Our trek leaders conduct thought-provoking exercises that help you reflect and contemplate. This impact stays with you for a long time. Trekkers return feeling energised, more confident, or developing abilities to deal with difficulties. Many have changed careers, rethought their core values, become more humble, shown gratitude to others, or started a new fitness journey.

Sustainability is at the heart of our operations

For us, sustainability is not just writing on the wall. Using eco-bags, our trekkers have cleared over 120 tonnes of litter from the mountains. We do not carry packaged foods; instead, we serve freshly made food. We do not light campfires; we carry coal to light angethis to keep you warm. Our bio-toilets not only keep our toilets odour-free but also enrich the soil. When you trek with us, you leave mountains better.