After a huge rush of tourists last weekend, the forest department has capped the number of tourists entering the Triund landscape to 1,000 per day, including those availing camping facilities, citing concerns over the impact on the ecological health and integrity of the forest ecosystem.
The department has directed the operator managing the trek check-posts to strictly enforce the cap. The move comes amid a surge in tourist and trekker footfall at Triund, one of Himachal’s most popular trekking destinations. The beginner-level trek attracts thousands of domestic and international visitors every year.
Last weekend witnessed a huge rush of trekkers heading to Triund, with videos showing the crowds going viral on social media.
According to forest department officials, in the first six days of October, 2,442 domestic tourists undertook day treks to Triund, while 2,860 stayed overnight. Among foreign tourists, 26 undertook day treks, while eight stayed overnight. During the last financial year (2025-26), around 77,000 trekkers were recorded on the Triund trail.
Dharamshala divisional forest officer (DFO), Amit Sharma, has directed the concerned operator to issue no more than 1,000 tickets or passes in total per day, including passes issued to tourists undertaking camping. The range officer concerned has been directed to personally monitor the entry and ensure that the number of visitors to Triund does not exceed the prescribed limit under any circumstances.
“The move is aimed at strictly regulating tourist influx and protecting the ecological carrying capacity of the Triund landscape. The operator has been directed to strictly comply with the cap,” Sharma said.
The operator has also been instructed to maintain daily records of tickets and passes issued. The forest department said any deviation or violation would be viewed seriously and dealt with as per applicable rules and instructions.
Moreover, the Hotel Association, Dharamshala, has also been directed to inform hotels, guest houses, tour operators and other stakeholders that booking for entry to the Triund landscape must be made through the DFO office.
Tourist footfall picked up over the weekend, with visitors thronging the hill stations as weather conditions improved following the monsoon season. According to hoteliers, average hotel occupancy in Dharamshala surged to around 80% over the weekend, compared with just 10-15% in September.
Hotel occupancy has since settled at around 40% and is expected to cross 50% during the coming weekend, hoteliers said. Tourist flow to the hill station had slowed considerably from July onwards, with hotel occupancy remaining at around 10-20% through most of the monsoon season.
