Himalayan Holidays Tailored by Experts
Walking Holidays (and a combination of walking and driving holidays) are some of the finest ways of exploring any countryside and gaining an indepth perspective of the local culture. In particular, we have some really gorgeous walking holidays in the foothills of the Himalayas, in the Kumaon region, as well as in the Buddhist states of Sikkim and Ladakh. These tend to be gentle meanders, walking for perhaps 4 to 6 hours each day, with a sherpa guide, on an individual basis. This is no route march, rather a gentle introduction to the countryside and its people. No comforts are forgotten – sleep in village houses with comfortable beds and cashmere blankets and hot water bottles, where hot water and soap are provided, delicious food and most of all, knowledgeable and charismatic guides. There is even a beautiful, luxurious retreat to end one’s stay in Kumaon with just a handful of villas which have glass windows from floor to ceiling so that you can see the most incredible views each day of Nanda Devi. The walks can be anything from a couple of days to a week, but we invariably recommend at least a week to make the most of the area. In Spring, the rhododendrons are in flower and this is one of the most beautiful times to visit these regions. We offer you the same experience in Ladakh where one can spend a week walking with one’s own guide, visiting magnificent monasteries en route. As a three night extension, we can offer you the exhilarating Shayok River Journey along one of the traditional silk routes. Accommodation is in dome tents, with excellent guiding and cuisine. The grades of the rapids are no more than two, so a gentle paddle. Visit the Nubra valley, famous for its sand dunes more reminiscent of the Sahara Desert and its Bactrian camels. The scenery is beautiful, with snow capped peaks and dramatic rock formations. This is a wonderful, contrasting way of seeing this region. Quite aside from the walking, wildlife including snow leopards can be seen in Ladakh. There are also the near-Tibetan lands of Lahul houseboats and trout fishing in Kashmir and the wildlife treasures of sub-Himalayan parks like Corbett Tiger Reserve which can easily be combined with a walking trip in Kumaon; and one can always end a walking holiday with spa and yoga holiday which is also close to Kumaon, in Rishikesh.
Contact Harsha or Hashim, our India Experts, to tailor a Himalayan Holiday of a lifetime for you!
Highlights of the Himalayas:
- The highest mountains in the World and the magnificent scenery that includes an array of 8000M+ peaks like Kangchenjunga in Sikkim.
- Some of the finest birdwatching and wildlife viewing in the world where the Himalayas form the boundary between other bio-geographical zones. Parks like Corbett in the Kumaon foothills are the best places to look for tigers, elephants and record almost 600 species of birds. Or Kaziranga with almost 1600 rhinos and the highest density of tigers in the world.
- Snow leopard treks in the high cold country of Ladakh in the middle of winter with scientists and skilled trackers providing for a high degree of success.
- Unique Himalayan cultures and societies like the Changpa nomads at the edge of Tibet, the fascinating and enigmatic ‘Aryans’ of Da-Hanu in northern Ladakh, isolated hunter-gatherer tribes of Arunachal Pradesh and the Monpa Buddhists of Tawang in the Eastern Himalayas.
- The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway and other hill trains.
- Magnificent walking from short walks and day hikes to multi-day, expedition style treks which provide a heady mixture of scenery, bird-watching and wildlife viewing while mingling with some of the friendliest and most hospitable people on Earth.
- Village Treks where you have the opportunity of staying in village homes – suitably modified – and appreciating age-old life-styles while making friends across cultures.
- Some of the most beautiful and atmospheric small lodges and converted homes and plantation bungalows that enjoy superb locations and evoke a by-gone era.
- Matchless fishing for the legendary mahseer of the Himalayan foothills or huge trout in the higher streams and rivers.
- Great opportunities for family holidays that can combine wildlife, elephant safaris, rafting, fishing, treks and small, atmospheric family friendly lodges.
