New Delhi: IIT Delhi Hiking Club was set up in November 2024 as a non-competitive club, with two main activity lines: climbing and trekking. At first, it was established by faculty for students with the expectation that students would take over the eventual running of the club by themselves from the 2026-2027 academic years. Professors Suma Athreye and Jay Dhariwal, the faculty founders behind this club, believe that multi-day treks can be a transformative experience for the mind, body, and soul; build self-reliance, and create a love for the natural environment that will endure.

The response from students and faculty has been phenomenal. More than 1200 students have signed up to join the club, of which 27% were female.  More than 50 faculty and staff have signed up to be volunteers.  A sense of shared adventure and the desire to explore off-the-beaten-path parts of the country emerged as the most important reasons, but 75% of the students also cited the opportunity to make friends outside their department as a major motivating reason.

After completing the formalities related to the creation of the club, the IITD Hiking Club has hit the ground running. Its first two treks were conducted with IIT Roorkee’s Himalayan Explorers Club in November–December 2024, to Kedarkantha and Har ki Dun, where 23 students participated with supervising staff and faculty. The club also conducted two weekend treks with Indiahikes in April 2025 to Nag Tibba and Deoban, where 50 students participated with staff and faculty.

Plans are also afoot for treks in late May and early July. The club has standard operating procedures in place to minimize the risks associated with conducting the treks. These include pre-trek preparation, conditioning to gain the fitness required, having qualified guides, and safety measures during the trek.

“Life is not measured by the number of breaths you take but by the moments that take your breath away.” Apart from enjoying being with nature, the students made many friends with other departments. They managed less sleep, using bio-toilets, saving water contraptions, and collecting trash along the way with good humor and enthusiasm.

Participation has come from a diverse group of students comprising UG and PG, girls and boys, including Navy officers studying at IITD, which has added to the whole experience. For instance, the members of the Indian Navy shared their experience with the rest of the group about their fitness routines and their values on working together as a team, which also helped push the limits for the other students to strive for more. The students also got to learn about the culture and the traditions of the local mountain people.

Here are some excerpts from student statements from the recently concluded Deoban trek that gives us a peek into what the students have enjoyed:

"Although we’re back now, I’m still in awe of the whole experience. Big thanks to everyone for making this trek so memorable! Made some really good friends out there, couldn’t have asked for anything better!" - Manish Kumar, Computer Science

"Deoban already feels like a dream — the fresh air, serene forests, and truly inspiring company" - Payal Gupta, Dept. of Management Studies

"Dil toh baccha hai ji. Ek pal ke liye hi sahi lekin I'm sure everyone enjoyed like a kid forgetting everything, hustle of daily life and just living in oneself” - said Prayag Yadav, Mechanical Engg

"Just wanted to say a big thank you to each one of you for making this trek such a memorable experience! It was an amazing time together — full of fun, laughter, and moments that we’ll definitely cherish. Looking forward to catching up with all of you around campus, and yes, hoping we get to do one more trek together before we wrap up our courses!" - Aviral Chandan, Applied Mechanics.

"This is among the best things I have done in the last year". - Zaiem Bhat, Biochemical Engg and Biotechnology

“It was such a great experience - the views, the trail, the vibe everything was just awesome! And honestly, meeting so many new people and sharing the trek with all of you made it even better. From chilling at the campsite to the random conversations on the trail, sharing stories, laughter, and those endless walks through the forest really made it an unforgettable time. It was all super fun” - Gaurav Parmar, Civil Engg

An unexpected finding from the student joining forms was the keen interest of IITD faculty and students in rock climbing. The club is currently scoping partners for conducting these on a regular basis. When they commence, it will mark a new chapter of growth in this very young club.

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