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India
For many, the Himalaya are synonymous with Nepal, but more than a third of the Himalaya form the northern borders of India. From Ladakh in the northwest through to Darjeeling and Sikkim in the east, these beautiful mountains offer a diversity of scenery and culture unmatched anywhere.
Ladakh
Often known as Little Tibet, Ladakh literally translates to land of High Passes (La-Pass, Dakh-Land). Ladakh is one of the driest regions in the Himalayas receiving only a few cms of rainfall every year. Much of the landscape is devoid of any vegetation and the human habitation is restricted to small emerald green oases clinging to the rivers that drain down from the mountain glaciers. The mountainscape of Ladakh has been called the moonland. It’s lunar landscape, its ancient monasteries, its medieval way of life, and its remoteness has been attracting people from far and wide.
Himachal Pradesh
From vast tracts of high-altitude Trans-Himalayan desert to dense green deodar forests, from apple orchards to cultivated terraces, from snow capped high Himalayan mountain ranges to snow fed lakes and gushing rivers, from Buddhist monasteries to Dalai Lama’s residence few Himalayan regions match Himachal Pradesh for diversity and mind blowing scenery. It is definitely a microcosm of what Himalayas has to offer. Apart from being a popular destination for high altitude treks, climbs and river rafting Himacahal Pradesh is also known for skiing, heli-skiing and paragliding.
Uttarakhand
For a small state, Uttarakhand (formerly Uttaranchal) packs in an incredible amount. It has the Yoga capital of the world and the hub of river rafting in India at Rishikesh. It offers treks in the heart of Himalayas, pilgrim trails to famous Hindu shrines, has Raj era hill stations and Jim Corbett & Rajaji National Parks for sighting tigers and elephant rides. It is blessed with rolling forest clad hills, snowcapped peaks, alpine meadows, deep valleys and gorges, rivers, waterfalls and glaciers making the most magnificent mountain scenery in the Himalaya. The legendary peaks of Nanda Devi and Shivling lie in this state. Revered as the ‘bliss giving goddess’ by those who live in her shadow, the mountain has been worshipped since pre-Brahminical times and has become the focus of innumerable legends, myths and mysteries. Shivling on the other hand carries the reputation of being the Matterhorn of the Himalayas.
Sikkim
An independent kingdom until 1975, Sikkim has long been considered one of the last Himalayan Shangri Las. It is ringed with the mountains and shares its borders with Bhutan, Nepal and China. In its tranquil valleys, richly ornamented Buddhist monasteries stand amidst green terraced fileds. The world’s third highest mountain Kanchendzonga (85998m/ 28,209ft), dominates the skyline and the life of Sikkim’s people. Owing to its altitudinal gradation, the state has a wide variety of plants, from tropical species to temperate, alpine and tundra ones, and is perhaps one of the few regions to exhibit such a diverse range of flora and fauna in such a small area. It has more than 5000 species of flowering plants – some rare orchids, rhododendrons, primula, oak, bamboo, and other coniferous plants. Sikkimese display their love for flowers by decorating their houses and balconies with flower pots having the rarest of the flowers.
Nepal
Nepal synonymous with Mt Everest and Himalaya is the epitome of "Adventure Travel." The combination of majestic Himalayan peaks, the mighty rivers which run out of them, attractive cultural mix & friendly people has made Nepal one of the most popular destinations for adventure holidays. Eight of the world’s fourteen 8000-metre peaks tower on the Nepal’s northern border with their slopes sweeping down towards the vast Indian plains dotted with hundreds of villages with hard-working yet ever smiling people. The unique tea-house style trekking started in Nepal decades ago and is now very popular. The 'tea-houses' are simple, friendly and atmospheric and have made it possible for peope to trek in comfort with minimal preparation, equipment and support.
Bhutan
Bhutan lies in a hidden corner of the eastern Himalaya, locked between China (Tibet) in the north and India in the south. Called by its people Druk Yul, 'the land of the Thunder Dragon', Bhutan is the only remaining Buddhist Himalayan kingdom and is probably the world’s last Shangri-La. It offers a rare combination of peace and harmony, amongst incredible natural beauty. The air is clean and unpolluted, the mountains are magnificent and the architecture is inspiring. It was Bhutan’s former king Jigme Singye Wangchuck who coined the term Gross National Happiness. A tiny mountain kingdom of just over half a million people Bhutan has been rated as the happiest country in Asia. It is the least visited of all the Himalayan countries, as a direct result of deliberate Bhutanese government policy. In an attempt to protect the delicate sensitivities of its environment, and the sacred values of its peoples, the Bhutanese Government actively restricts the number of tourists allowed into the country and as far as trekking is concerned, the situation has always been that permission could only be obtained for specified routes.
Tanzania
Lying just south of Equator Tanzania has it all, the beauty and the wildlife – it has Kilimanjaro the highest mountain in Africa. Serengeti, Ngorongoro crater, Tarangire which are amongst the most famous game reserves in Africa all lie in this small country. It is also home to Africa’s most well known ethnic group the Masai who wear colourful dresses, have distinctive customs and reside on the peripheries of these game parks of East Africa.