Private firm inks MoU with Andaman and Nicobar administration to develop two trekking trails

Sri Vijaya Puram, Private trekking organisation Indiahikes has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Andaman and Nicobar administration to identify and develop two multi-day trekking trails across the islands and expand nature-based adventure tourism in the islands.

The one-year collaboration was signed with the Directorate of Information, Publicity and Tourism, and the Department of Environment and Forests on Thursday, with a focus on exploring lesser-known parts of the islands, officials said.

They said that as part of the initiative, Indiahikes will explore and document the proposed routes, conduct pilot trekking experiences and produce photographic and video documentation. A guidebook covering the two trails will also be prepared.


Indiahikes Founder and CEO Arjun Majumdar said, "It has been a dream for us to promote trekking in the Andamans. I came here looking for trails as early as 2012-13. But at the time, I found it very difficult to put a trail together."

He said the administration's invitation this year to explore trekking possibilities in the islands felt like a dream coming true.

Indiahikes, which began primarily with organising treks in the Himalayas, has subsequently expanded its multi-day trekking experiences to forests and landscapes in Central India and the Sahyadris in the Western Ghats.

"We are very excited to begin this journey. There is a lot for us to discover, and we are looking forward to doing that safely and sustainably, together with the administration and local communities," Indiahikes Chief Operating Officer, Sandhya UC, said.