For over a decade now, we have noticed a persistent issue in many Himalayan villages. Access to healthcare remains severely limited. Perched high in the mountains, these villages often have no doctors or nearby clinics. In most cases, the closest medical help is several hours away, and in many regions, road access is yet to reach the village at all.

This is what led us to start Aarogya Seva. Through this initiative, medical professionals who trek with Indiahikes volunteer their time to conduct health check-ups in nearby villages, allowing healthcare to reach places where it is otherwise unavailable.

Since inaugurating the Aarogya Seva initiative on December 24, 2025, we have conducted five clinics across Himalayan villages, including Lohajung, Kharchi, and Sari.

This is a report of the fifth Aarogya Seva Clinic we had at Sari, the base camp of the Deoriatal-Chandrashila trek. 

What happened at the Aarogya Seva Clinic at Sari 

Sari is a small village with a population of around 300–400 people. We share a special bond with the village, as this is where we built our first Indiahikes Community Campus. Over the years, the people of Sari have hosted us with immense warmth. Conducting an Aarogya Seva clinic here felt like a meaningful way to give back to the community that has supported us for so long.

On January 5th, we had Dr Kartik Mehta, a General Physician from Delhi, conduct a health clinic for the people of the village. 

The day began with the village Pradhan, Anita Devi, addressing the community. She played a vital role in building awareness about the clinic within the village. 

This was followed by an Awareness Camp led by Dr. Kartik, where he highlighted the importance of preventing illnesses through simple, everyday habits, especially in remote regions.

Post that followed the most valuable part, where 70+ villagers streamed in for a health consultation. "There were children as young as 3, and as old as 80. Most of them seemed to know of their own health issues, but had not followed up with a doctor for medications. That's the gap we were able to bridge," says Sanjay Mistry, the Indiahikes Slope Manager of Sari. 

As planned, we were stocked with basic medicines, which were handed to villages based on the doctor's prescription.

Dr Kartik later reflected that this was among the most well-organised volunteering efforts he had been part of.

How we are looking at the future of Aarogya Seva: 

For us, Aarogya Seva is not a one-time effort. We see it as a long-term, sustainable initiative anchored at our community campuses, supported by the continuous flow of trekkers who journey with us every year.

Our aim is to conduct at least one Aarogya Seva clinic every month, particularly in villages such as Sari, Karchi, Lohajung, Raithal, and Kotgaon.

Over time, we also hope to extend these clinics to surrounding villages, many of which have even poorer road access and fewer healthcare options than the base villages themselves.

The larger goal is simple. We want to enable regular access to healthcare in regions where this facility is severely lacking. As a single organisation, our reach is limited. But with nearly 35,000 trekkers travelling to the mountains with us every year, the collective impact we can create is significant.

Would you like to be involved in the Aarogya Seva initiative? 

If you are a medical professional trekking with Indiahikes and can extend your stay by a day or two, we would welcome your support in strengthening this effort.

This is a completely voluntary service. There is no exchange of money involved. Even villagers will not be able to pay, but they will deeply value your presence and care.

Any trained medical professional, including doctors, nurses, paramedics, and other certified healthcare practitioners

If you would like to volunteer, please fill out this form.

We will help you plan and enable the medical camp during your trek.

Information Source: Sanjay Mistry (Slope Manager)