A section of the ancient silk route that connected China to middle Asia
Nubra – the famous ‘Valley of flowers’ of Ladakh
Crossing of the high eternally snowbound Lasermola Pass(5400m)
Sand dunes of Hundar and double-humped Camels
Massive Maitreya statue at Deskit monastery
Ancient monasteries and palaces of Ladakh
ITINERARY AT A GLANCE
Day 01:Arrive Leh
Day 02:Sightseeing and Acclimatization
Day 03:Drive to Hundar
Day 04:Drive to roadhead. Trek to Hundar Dok
Day 05:Trek to Sniu Sumdo
Day 06:Trek to Thanglasgo
Day 07:Trek to Lasermola Base
Day 08:Trek to Phyang Sumdo
Day 09:Trek to Morobuk. Drive to Leh
Day 10:Depart
Day 01:Arrive Leh
Day 02:Sightseeing and Acclimatization
Day 03:Drive to Hundar
Day 04:Drive to roadhead. Trek to Hundar Dok
Day 05:Trek to Sniu Sumdo
Day 06:Trek to Thanglasgo
Day 07:Trek to Lasermola Base
Day 08:Trek to Phyang Sumdo
Day 09:Trek to Morobuk. Drive to Leh
Day 10:Depart
God seemed to have created Spiti at complete leisure. There are few people in the world whose imagination is not instantly captured by Spiti at first sight…such is its beauty. As you drive down from Kunzum La, you are transported to a different world of arid lands, multicoloured mountains, impressive chortens, fluttering prayer flags, and 1000 year old monasteries built on high spurs. Between such landscape are nestled picturesque villages with toiling locals in their lush green farms of barley, buckwheat, and mustard. Solar energy has been well harnessed in the valley and it is not surprising to see entire villages subsisting on just solar power.
Spiti is cut-off from the rest of the world during its severe winters, when temperatures drop drastically to sub zero degrees. Its approach road from Shimla via the Hindustan-Tibet road is dangerous while Kunzum La, the gateway to Spiti Valley is closed under heavy snow most of the year. Spiti is open only in summers for a brief period between July and Sep, the only time you get to witness the bewitching beauty of this self sufficient valley.
Our trek takes us through some of the highest villages in Asia, staying in homestays and partaking local meals. A great way of exploring Spiti up and close, from the living rooms of the ever smiling, warm natives of Spiti.
Interestingly Spiti, and especially our trekking path has a lot of rock fossils reminding us of an age when the Himalaya used to be under the Tethys sea. This trek is also famous as the Fossil trail!
There are few treks in the Himalaya that can match the popularity and aura that surrounds the trek to Everest Base Camp in the Solo Khumbu Valley of Nepal. You have to walk this path and experience it to actually know why. The trail passes through the heartland of the Sherpa community of Nepal, who migrated from Tibet about 400 years ago and made Khumbu Valley their home. The trek is challenging with some long hours of walking going upto a maximum height of 5545m; yet the accommodation in Tea-houses during the trek adds a great element of comfort to the experience.
The Singalila Ridge Trek is one of the finest ridge walks in the Indian Himalaya affording amazing views of some big mountain ranges including Khangchendzonga and Everest. The highlight is the Khangchendzonga and surrounding mountains including Janoo and Pandim which from this distance, resembles a man sleeping and is famously referred to as “The Sleeping Buddha”.
The Singalila ridge comes off one of the ridges from Khangchendzonga in Sikkim. Sandakphu at 3636m, the highest point on this trek is a classic vantage point to view the Himalayan ranges from. Right ahead is the Khangchendzonga range, to the left is Everest range and to the right are the mountains of Bhutan. Trekkers and tourists flock to Sandakphu all year round, to get a glimpse of the magnificent Sleeping Buddha and to rejoice in its cool climes. This short getaway of 7 days is sure to leave you completely energized and feeling light.
#ChristmaswithChai
During the middle of winter, in the high altitude arid mountains, when the peaks and valleys are covered in snow, and the trees stand all bare, it feels like the Himalaya is in deep meditative state! A state which exudes an aura of peace and serenity so profound that it pervades into the being of every traveller who cares to visit.
We discovered this trip accidentally in the winter of 2017, when our scheduled trip to Chadar got cancelled due to excessive snowfall and we had to think of alternatives and zeroed on Markha Valley. Markha Valley is generally a summer favourite and has few takers in winter with its illustrious cousin the Chadar trek drawing all the attention of trekkers. To our good fortune, what we chanced upon to our delight when we walked the Markha Valley was a ‘winter wonderland’ with exquisite scenery. Imagine a sprawling valley with huge swathes of snow, occasionally interspersed with charming villages, shepherd settlements and buddhist chortens, an ancient monastery perched high on a hill, lengthy prayer walls and colourful prayer wheels, mountain gateways erected of poplar with icy prayer flags fluttering in the cold wind. The place is at once is both elevating and calming.
Starting from Leh, the main town of Ladakh, we spend a couple of days acclimatizing before embarking on the 6 day trek which takes us to the heart of Markha Valley and back. We spend the nights at clean Himalayan homestays interacting with the locals and enjoying Ladakhi hospitality and great food prepared by our very own kitchen team. In the day time we walk from one village to the other enjoying the snow and some awe-inspiring landscapes.
The Markha Winter Walk is a classic trans-Himalayan winter trekking experience. An experience so deep it will convert you into a believer.
Hampta Pass trek is the epic crossing from the lush green Kullu Valley into the arid, semi-desert like valley of Lahaul. For generations, this pass has been used by locals and Gaddi Shepherds in the summer months for crossing over into Lahaul with their herds of sheep and goat. The other pass that takes us across is the Rohtang La(3985m) which is a motorable road.
Standing on Hampta pass(4270m), it is amazing to notice the stark contrasts in scenery between the 2 valleys. We begin our adventure with a beautiful 4 day acclimatization trek through Deo Tibba Valley reaching the base camp of Mt. Deo Tibba(6001m) at Pyangneru. Deo Tibba(6001m) and Indrasan(6221m) are the highest peaks in the Pir Panjal range and this trek gives us some of the best views of both these peaks and the adjacent ones. The snout of the Deo Tibba glacier is just 2 hrs away from the basecamp.
We then enter Hampta Valley through Jobri Nallah and ascend to the pass at 4270m. It is a common sight to meet Gaddi shepherds all along the route with their big flocks. Sometimes our campsites are just next to theirs and it is great to get insights of the mountains and wildlife from these wise, hardened men. Each campsite on this trek is an absolute beauty, with the campsite at Rourikholi taking the cake.
Trekking in Himachal is definitely an uplifting experience and this trek in particular, with its variety, pacing and beautiful landscape will leave you completely rejuvenated.
Deo Tibba peak at 6001m is one of the higher peaks in the Pir Panjal Range of the Indian Himalayas. Starting from Jammu and Kashmir, the Pir Panjal range extends all the way into Himachal. Mt. Deo Tibba and Indrasan mark the eastern end of this range. The Deo Tibba Valley trek takes you to the base camp of this big mountain through dense conifer forests, lush green meadows, high altitude lakes and snow-capped mountains. Starting from the beautiful hill town of Manali, we make a small circuit over 5 days starting at Shuru village and ending at Jobri, where there is a small dam. Shuru is the first and last village on the trail. Post that, the only people we get to meet on this Himalayan trail would be the Gaddi Shepherds and Gujjar cattle herders. Gaddis camp in the mountains with their huge flocks of sheep and goat throughout the Summer and Monsoons. Gujjars are few and are normally found at Tilgan and Jobri with theirs herds of buffaloes.
The trek is of moderate difficulty with a couple of tough days which includes steep ascents. Starting at 2000m, we ascend to the highest altitude of 3700m at Rourikholi, the enchanting grazing grounds for all horses of Prini and Shuru Villages in Manali. You can count about a hundred horses and mules in this sprawling meadow with views of Deo-Tibba and Indrasan on one side and Dhauladhar range on the other. Each campsite on the trail is picturesque, enhancing the joy of camping in the mountains. For first time trekkers and visitors into the Himalaya, this trek works as a classic introduction to the beauty and rigour of trekking in the Indian Himalaya. For the seasoned trekker, this is a relaxed walking holiday with a lot of #metime that will leave you totally des-stressed and rejuvenated by the end of it all.
Deo Tibba Base Camp trek is the perfect active Himalayan getaway for over stressed souls.
The 5-day Ghorepani-Poonhill trekking loop is one of the most pleasant and sought after short treks of Nepal and affords beautiful views of Dhaulagiri, Annapurna and Macchapucchre ranges. Poon Hill, which is the highest point of the trek at 3210m is one of the finest vantage points in the Himalaya from where you can witness many peaks higher than 6000m and the Giants – Dhaulagiri(8167m) and Annapurna 1(8091m). A great introduction to Himalayan trekking and Nepalese Himalaya, this trek passes through farmlands and picturesque villages nestled in the foothills of Annapurna. We will be staying at simple tea-houses on the trail, a charming way to experience Nepali hospitality and witness the lifestyle of the natives. The traditional villages – Ghorepani and Ghandruk are the biggest Magar and Gurung settlements in the Annapurna sanctuary with wonderful views of the Himalayan ranges.
The trip starts with your arrival at Kathmandu and a day of sightseeing followed by the 5-day trek in Annapurna sanctuary with the beautiful lake city of Pokhara as base. Kathmandu and Pokhara, the 2 main cities of Nepal will play host before and after the trek.
THIS IS A GUARANTEED DEPARTURE.
Goechala Trek is your chance to visit the hallowed land of the highest mountain in India and the 3rd highest mountain in the World - Khangchendzonga(8586m) in the Kingdom of Sikkim. You will be delighted each day of the trip by the Buddhist culture of the place, its natural beauty and the warmth of the locals. The trip spans the Nepalese hinterland of East India covering Darjeeling and West Sikkim. Right from day 1, the Khangchendzonga range covers the north sky and grows in size as we inch closer and closer until Goechala, where we are just 9 kms away from its formidable North face. You will have to crane your neck to get a good sight at the summit from here.
The trip starts with 2 days at the Tea Capital of Darjeeling, the charming hill station town built by the British. We then move on to Yuksom in West Sikkim, the start point for the 8 day trek rich in flora and fauna. There is a wide variety of orchids, ferns, rhododendrons and bamboo…the thick vegetation with snow mountains peeking through the branches, the yaks and dzos ambling along with load on their backs is a common sight along the trail. During Spring, this region is home to some of the biggest and most colourful rlooming hododendrons in the Himalaya.
Rated among the finest walks in the Indian Himalaya, the trek to Goechala and back will leave you craving for more.
Annapurna Conservation Area is the 2nd most walked Himalayan region in Nepal after Everest area. With myraid world class trekking options in the Annapurna region, the Annapurna Base Camp Trek and Annapurna Circuit lead the popularity charts with most trekkers. Annapurna 1(8091m) was the first ever 8000er ever climbed by a French team led by Maurice Herzog in 1950.
From Kathmandu, we fly to the lakecity of Pokhara and drive to the roadhead at Nayapul(1050m) from where our trek into the Annapurna Sanctuary begins. Over the next few days we will walk to the base camp of an 8000er through some extraordinary variety in ecosystems - starting from terraced farmfields, to tropical jungles to arid desert like landscape at the foot of Annapurna. The trek initially passes through beautiful villages with terraced farm fields cut into mountain sides. The Tea-houses on the trail are all part of the villages and gives us immense scope for witnessing the lives of Gurung and Magar ethnic communities of Annapurna region. Ahead of Sinuwa, we enter dense tropical forests with a high chance of witnessing wildlife.For a birder, this is a trail through paradise!
Manali! The name itself excites one and all for a variety of reasons :) But most of all for its chill climes and pristine Himalayan ranges. Nestled between the Pir Panjal Range and the Dhauladhar range is Kullu Valley, the gateway to Ladakh and the Karakoram. Manali, the most famous tourist hill town in Kullu Valley is at an altitude of 2000m and enjoys salubrious weather and a steady inflow of tourists and trekkers through the year. The side valleys around Manali offer some amazing trekking options from relaxed day hikes for amateurs to tough trails for the seasoned trekker. The only time the valley sort of goes into slumber would be during the winter when the inflow of travellers thins down.
Here’s a chance to experience Manali and around in the quiet winters and have a fab Christmas and New year. Sign off 2017 and welcome 2018 with an exhilarating experience in the mountains. Lovely pine-scented forests, sprawling meadows, snow-capped mountains, and a billion stars to gaze at in the dead of the nights.
After our arrival in Manali, we set up base at the Buddhist village of Tsethan(2650m), an hour’s drive into the mountains above Manali. This is the last inhabited village after which we are totally in the mountains. This was the village which was proposed to become a ski village. A lot of heli skiing and ski touring happens around here in the peak of winters. At Tsethan, we stay at a lovely lodge and take day hikes everyday into a different valley ranging from 3-4 hrs. Have picnic lunches soaking in the Himalayan bliss or come back early for a hot lunch at base camp. Evenings are spent around the bonfire chatting away and star gazing. Its also a chance to interact with the very hospitable locals and learn a little of their simple yet rugged lifestyles. All in all a great way to say bye to this year and move on into the next with renewed hopes and dreams.
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