Kheerganga Hot Spring

Kheerganga is the reward at the top of one of the Parvati Valley's best-known treks. You start at the roadhead village of Barshaini, cross the river and climb through pine and oak forest, past waterfalls and small villages; most people take around six hours to reach the meadow. At the top, a stone-lined pool fed by the hot spring sits beside a small Shiva shrine, with a section set aside for women.

You pay nothing to soak, and after a long climb the warm water against a backdrop of snow peaks is the reason you came. Respect the shrine area: shoes off, no alcohol near the water, and keep soap out of the pool. Overnight rules have shifted over the years, with authorities cracking down on tent camps and dhabas in the meadow, so confirm what is allowed before you plan to sleep up there.

Carry out your trash. The honest downside: in peak summer weekends the pool and meadow get crowded with groups, and litter has been a real problem; go midweek or in shoulder season for a calmer soak.