Quick answer: Trekking insurance is a travel or adventure policy that pays for medical care and evacuation if something goes wrong on a trek. Trekkaro asks every trekker for it, and it is not in the trek fee. On Kedarkantha and Brahmatal it must cover high-altitude trekking and helicopter evacuation.
What is trekking insurance?
Trekking insurance is not a special product with one fixed meaning. It is a travel or adventure insurance policy whose cover includes trekking at height: treatment if you fall ill or get hurt, and the cost of getting you off the mountain to a hospital. What makes a policy fit for a Himalayan trek is in its wording, not in its name.
That matters because a Himalayan trek is not an ordinary trip. The Kedarkantha trek reaches 3,810 m, Chopta Chandrashila 3,962 m and Kuari Pass 3,815 m, in snow; on Kedarkantha the base camp is two days' walk from the road at Sankri. A travel policy may not cover trekking at height, so read the brochure for what it covers and does not cover; a policy that is fine for a city holiday may not cover a winter trek.
Is trekking insurance mandatory on Trekkaro treks?
Yes. On Trekkaro's treks, travel insurance is mandatory and is not included in the trek fee. On Kedarkantha, for example, it is one of the documents you bring, along with a government photo ID, a medical certificate signed by a doctor and a signed disclaimer form. What the insurance must cover depends on the trek. These are the rules on Trekkaro's winter treks.
| Trek | What the insurance must cover | When you arrange it |
|---|---|---|
| Kedarkantha, Brahmatal | High-altitude trekking and helicopter evacuation | Before the trek |
| Dayara Bugyal, Kuari Pass, Chopta Chandrashila, Gulabikantha, Nag Tibba, Aancha Top | High-altitude trekking and emergency evacuation | Before the trek |
| Chadar | High-altitude risk insurance, mandatory under ALTOA guidelines | In Leh, on the afternoon of Day 3, after the mandatory medical check |
On Kedarkantha, international trekkers also carry their passport, which is needed for forest entry permits and for any medical evacuation.
What should a trekking insurance policy cover?
Read the policy for each of these points before you pay for it. If the wording is unclear, ask the insurer to confirm in writing.
| Cover | Why it matters on a Himalayan trek |
|---|---|
| Trekking at the trek's highest point | A policy capped below the summit height does not cover the summit day, when you are highest and furthest from the road. |
| Helicopter or emergency evacuation | Trekkaro's fee does not cover the costs of an early exit, an evacuation or an itinerary change for weather or medical reasons. |
| Hospital and medical treatment | No doctor joins the Kedarkantha batch, so any treatment beyond first aid happens at a hospital after you come down. |
| Trekking listed as covered, not excluded | If trekking or adventure activities sit under exclusions, the rest of the cover does not help you on the trail. |
| The full travel dates | The drive days count: on Kedarkantha you travel from Dehradun to Sankri on Day 1 and back on Day 5. |
| Cancellation or interruption, if offered | The trek fee does not cover transport and other costs of an early exit, so leaving early for illness is a cost you carry. |
How do you check a policy before you buy it?
The government's policyholder information site gives the basic rules: check that the company selling the policy is registered with IRDAI, buy through the company or a genuine licensed agent or broker, and read the brochure to know what the policy covers and does not cover. For a trek, add these steps:
- Note the highest point of your trek, from the trek page, and check it against any altitude limit in the policy.
- Search the policy wording for the words trekking, adventure and altitude, and read the clauses where they appear.
- Check that helicopter or emergency evacuation is named in the cover, as Kedarkantha and Brahmatal require.
- Declare any medical condition to the insurer. If your doctor flagged anything while signing your medical certificate, the insurer should know too.
- Make sure the dates run from the day you leave home to the day you are back.
- Save the policy number and the insurer's emergency helpline on your phone, and carry a printed copy with your trek documents.
This guide explains what Trekkaro asks for and what to look for. It is not advice on which policy to buy; the insurer and the policy wording are the final word on what is covered.
What does the trek team cover, and what does insurance cover?
Insurance and the trek team do different jobs. The team deals with a problem on the trail; insurance pays for what happens after you leave it.
| Situation | What the trek team does | Where your insurance comes in |
|---|---|---|
| Signs of altitude sickness | SpO2 and pulse are checked twice a day at every campsite, an oxygen cylinder travels with the batch, and the trek leader can send a trekker down | Hospital tests and treatment after the descent |
| A fall or injury on snow | A first-aid kit and a stretcher travel with every batch, and leaders are trained in wilderness first aid | Evacuation, transport to hospital and treatment |
| A change in the weather | The trek leader can suggest another plan, and on Kedarkantha turn the group back on summit day | Extra costs from an itinerary change, which the fee does not cover |
| Leaving the trek early | The team helps the trekker down safely | Interruption cover, if your policy has it, since early-exit costs are your own |
A trekker who is not fit to go on is asked to rest or descend, and the trek leader's decision on health and safety is final. Our guide to altitude sickness on Himalayan treks explains the warning signs.
What should you check before you book a trek?
Insurance is your part of the safety plan. Ask the trek company about its part too; the last column shows Trekkaro's answers on its winter treks.
| What to check | Why it matters | With Trekkaro |
|---|---|---|
| Does the company say what your insurance must cover? | Without clear rules, trekkers arrive with policies that do not cover the trek. | Yes: high-altitude trekking plus helicopter or emergency evacuation, depending on the trek. |
| Which costs does the fee leave out? | You need to know which costs your policy has to carry. | On Kedarkantha, for example, costs from an early exit, an evacuation or a change for weather or medical reasons are not in the fee. |
| What emergency kit walks with the group? | Without oxygen and a stretcher, the wait for help starts at the road. | One oxygen cylinder, one stretcher and a first-aid kit with every batch. |
| Are shoes, a jacket, poles, gaiters and microspikes in the fee? | Poor gear on snow raises the risk of the falls and cold that lead to claims. | Free Trekking Gear on the Uttarakhand winter treks, with a ₹3,000 refundable deposit and a ₹200 washing charge. |
| What does the fee cover? | Without a written list, it is hard to see what you still pay for. | Stays, tents, pure vegetarian meals, permits and the gear kit. On the Dayara Bugyal trek, for example, the fee is ₹7,800 per person plus 5% GST (₹8,190 with GST). |
| What if you cancel before the trek? | Without clear terms, a change of plan can cost the whole fee. | 70% back at 30 or more days, 50% at 15 to 29 days and no cash refund from 14 days; up to 8 days before, a 100% TrekCash voucher, a free reschedule or a transfer instead. |
| Can you pay in parts? | Without EMI the whole fee is due at booking. | EMI starts at ₹402 a month. |
See Dayara Bugyal Trek dates and book | Medical certificate for trekking | Altitude sickness on Himalayan treks
Frequently asked questions
Is trekking insurance mandatory for a Himalayan trek?
On Trekkaro's treks, yes. Travel insurance is mandatory and not included in the fee, and it must cover high-altitude trekking and evacuation.
Does normal travel insurance cover trekking?
It depends on the policy wording. Read the brochure for what it covers and does not cover, and look for trekking, adventure and altitude in it before you rely on it for a trek.
What altitude should trekking insurance cover?
At least the highest point of your trek: 3,810 m on Kedarkantha, 3,734 m on Brahmatal or 3,962 m on Chopta Chandrashila, for example.
Is insurance included in the Trekkaro trek fee?
No. You arrange it before the trek. On Chadar, the high-altitude risk insurance required under ALTOA guidelines is completed in Leh after the medical check.
What should I look for when choosing a company for a trek?
Check that it states what your insurance must cover and which costs its fee leaves out. Then compare the oxygen cylinder and stretcher, SpO2 checks, free snow gear and the cancellation terms.
