DIY Trek Library
Monsoon Trekking and Leeches
SO[u]LE MATES Team · 20 January 2026 · 4 min read
Monsoon in the Ghats turns every hillside green and every stream loud. It's also when leeches are most active in the undergrowth.
What actually helps
Tucking trousers into socks, using anti-leech socks or a light salt/tobacco-water spray on footwear, and simply checking your ankles and shoes periodically on the trail.
What doesn't help
Panicking. A leech bite isn't dangerous - it's mildly unpleasant, and your trek leader carries what's needed to deal with it.
Trail conditions to expect
Slippery laterite rock, swollen streams, and slower overall pace. Monsoon treks are graded with this in mind - don't compare monsoon timing directly to a winter trek's difficulty rating.