Churdhar Peak 🗻

Highest outer Himalayan peak, summit temple

Churdhar Peak, at 3,647m, is the highest point in the outer Himalayas and carries genuine spiritual weight — the Shirgul Maharaj temple sits right at the summit, and the trek up is as much pilgrimage as trek for many who make it. The climb typically starts from Nohradhar or Sarain in Sirmaur district, gaining significant altitude over a single push, so reasonable fitness matters. Best time is May–June or September–October, avoiding monsoon slides and winter snow. Unlike more commercialized trek routes elsewhere in Himachal, Churdhar sees a modest, mostly domestic pilgrim and trekker crowd rather than backpacker tourism, and the summit views across the Sirmaur and Shimla hills are the payoff for a demanding day.