Epic Sahyadri Trail
India's first continuous, fully mapped and documented long-distance hiking trail.
- 1,724 km
- Trail length
- 78,437 m
- Elevation gain
- 40
- Stages
EST is a 1,700 km village-to-village hike through the spine of the Western Ghats in Maharashtra, also known as the Sahyadri.
The trail weaves together historic forts, ancient ghat routes, dense forests, high plateaus, timeless temples, caves, waterfalls and remote villages into one continuous journey across a mountain range older than the Himalaya and part of one of the world's eight hottest biodiversity hotspots.
The project preserves historic routes, encourages exploration beyond a handful of popular hotspots, supports local livelihoods by spreading footfall across the region, and makes the outdoors more accessible and safer through mapping and documentation.
EST is a long-term HikeX project to create a world-class outdoor asset for India. Developed over four years of fieldwork, the route was fully scouted during a 70-day mapping expedition supported by GreenmorMail, Reccy, Sensibiotics and The Stack.
I designed the trail to deliver a complete Sahyadri experience instead of just one point or one flavour of it.
Not built for headlines
A trail connecting only the Sahyadri's famous forts would go viral — but it would miss the ghats, the ancient shrines, the remote hamlets, the forests, waterfalls and caves that make the range whole. EST is designed to deliver the complete Sahyadri experience, not a highlight reel.
An exit almost every day
EST passes through over 250 settlements. Think of it as a 1,700 km-long hallway with doors along the way. EST's village-to-village design creates a built-in safety advantage that's rare among long-distance hiking trails in the world.
Authentic local hospitality
You stay in someone's actual house, eat what the family eats, use the same washroom — the original definition of a homestay, increasingly hard to find on trails that have been commercialised.
Not a straight line
Despite stretching 1,700 km, EST fits within a region just 275 km long. Rather than taking the most direct route, it repeatedly weaves between the Konkan and the Deccan plateau via ancient ghatvaats, creating a journey designed to maximize discovery and reveal the full diversity of Sahyadri.
EST solves 3 urgent problems
Trails are dying
A trail exists only as long as people keep walking it. As roads replace old footpaths and traditional trail travel declines, many routes become overgrown and eventually disappear. By mapping, documenting, and sharing these trails, EST gives hikers the information they need to keep using them, helping preserve a trail network built over centuries by local communities.
Livelihoods are disappearing
Remote villages are shrinking as younger generations leave in search of education and work, while agriculture becomes an increasingly uncertain source of income. Meanwhile, hiking tourism remains concentrated around a handful of famous destinations. EST spreads hikers across hundreds of villages, creating opportunities for homestays, local meals, transport, and guiding, enabling direct economic benefit for local households.
Outdoor accidents are increasing
As more people venture into the outdoors without understanding the terrain, weather, navigation, seasonal challenges, or the skills a route demands — preventable accidents happen. HikeX's approach is to educate rather than encourage. Every trail includes practical information on terrain, hazards, water sources, exit points, expected conditions, and skill requirements, helping hikers make informed decisions and attempt only routes within their abilities.
HikeX is independent and supported by hikers like you.
100% of your contribution goes towards mapping, maintaining and expanding the EST.
Browse All EST Stages
Releasing one stage at a timeEST is broken down into 11 sections containing 40 stages, so that you can hike EST one stage at a time. Tap any stage for the full stage documentation.
North Vaitarna [4 stages] #
Bhandardara [4 stages] #
Harishchandragad [5 stages] #
Naneghat [4 stages] #
Bhimashankar [6 stages] #
Matheran [2 stages] #
Lonavala [2 stages] #
Tamhini [1 stage] #
Raigad [5 stages] #
Raireshwar [3 stages] #
EST Roadmap
- Mapping expedition
- Route design
- GPX files
- Map to OSM
- Schematic route maps
- 3D fly-throughs
- Stagewise trail documentation release
- Video walkthroughs
- EST Trail Guide
- Topo maps
- Live webinar
- Local stay, guiding & trail angel network
- SAR partnerships
- EST thru-hiker support program
- International-standard trail marking
- Reduce road sections to <10%
- Extending the route north & south
- International thru-hikers
- Official recognition
Watch EST take shape
Occasional behind-the-scenes stories and progress updates.
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Frequently asked questions
Updated 16 Jul 2026
Which direction should I hike? ▼
The route is designed to be hiked north to south as a thru-hike, taking into account seasonal progression and the best way to approach the ghatvaats. If you're only hiking a stage, refer to the stage documentation for practical considerations before choosing your direction.
When can I hike the EST? ▼
The EST can be hiked for eight months of the year, from June to January, making it one of the longest hiking seasons of any long-distance trail. If you're planning to thru-hike the entire trail, the ideal window is October to January. During the monsoon (June to September), many sections become difficult or inaccessible due to slippery rock, flooded gullies, overgrown trails, and poor visibility. If you're hiking the EST one stage at a time over multiple weekends, you have a much wider window. Many stages are at their best during the monsoon, while others are better suited to the post-monsoon months. Refer to the documentation for each stage to find its season conditions.
What fitness level do I need? ▼
EST has a mix of trails of all grades — some easy contouring through forest, some steep ghatvats with big boulders. For sections that demand technical skill, we'll publish a Beginner Edition with alternative routes that bypass the harder bits, and you can skip a stage and rejoin further down without breaking continuity.
Where can I find trail information and maps? ▼
Right here on HikeX — stage-by-stage documentation is releasing on this page over the coming months, including GPX, Full Route Walkthrough Videos, the EST Trail Guide, trail maps and more.
Where can I stay along the trail? Where can I get food and supplies? ▼
You can do the whole route staying in local homes (real homestays and a few community spaces like schools and temples). Camping is optional. Breakfast is typically poha, upma and chai; dinner is home-cooked rice, roti along with curry (green leafy vegetables, potato, lentils and sometimes chicken/fish. Always ask the host what they have available — especially for non-veg items). Pack lunch from the village or pick up snacks at small shops along the way — carry your own protein supplements, since the village diet is mostly carbs.
What clothing and gear do I need? ▼
No special gear is needed for the entire trail. Some rock patches have ropes permanently attached to them for support. Only one spot — Sandhan Valley in Stage 7 — needs a short rappel, and local guides are available there. A packing checklist is available in each stage’s documentation page.
How long does it take to hike the EST? ▼
A comfortable estimate is about 100 days, starting in October and ending in January. But this can vary depending on pace and rest days. If you are hiking weekend to weekend, the current estimate is about 80 weeks. We will update these estimates as we get actual data from finishes over the season.
Is the trail well marked on ground? ▼
There are no official signages yet, but various local hiking communities mark and maintain different sections of the route with ribbons and painted arrows. HikeX intends to work with these organisations to standardize and use international-standard trail marking implemented for the safety of the hikers.