Chamba Valley Trek

Chamba Valley, Indra Har Pass and the temples of Brahmour

This is a trek that is set in a remote and largely unexplored area of the Western Himalayas. It is highly unlikely that you will meet other Westerners on this trek, the village children do not beg in fact locals actually enjoy having their photo taken. The Dhaula-Dhar and Chamba valley region of Himachal Pradesh is inhabited by the Gaddi people: Hindu shepherds who migrate each spring with their flocks from the foothills of the Kangra valley to the rich grazing areas of Lahoul and Spiti - a journey that will entail covering high passes and mountainous terrain during the summer months before returning back to the lowlands to escape the onset of winter. In the company of Mark Butterworth you will have a real insider's view of the people, their society and traditions. The area is renowned for wildlife. In recent years a leopard killed the Butterworths' chickens! Besides leopards, there exist black bears, porcupine, various types of deer and mountain goats, langur and rhesus monkeys, jackals, pine marten, and the local equivalent of the yeti known as a Gye. The bird life is fantastic, ranging from a host of brightly-coloured small species to parrots, griffon vultures, lammergeiers, eagles and different types of forest pheasant. Mark has also personally catalogued 110 varieties of butterfly.

During the trek you camp near small Gaddi villages or close to the many temples that are dedicated to the local deities. Spectacular views of the snow-capped Pir Panjal range and the locally revered Mt. Kailash, the highest mountain of a subsidiary range between the Dhaula-Dhar and Pir Panjal and sacred to the Hindus as the resting place of Lord Shiva, accompany you as you cross the Indra-Har Pass (14,610ft/4,453m) and descend into the Chamba valley. (Incidentally the more famous Mount Kailash is situated in Tibet ). The crossings of this pass and later on the Minkianni Pass (14,200ft/4,3282m) although not as high as many Himalayan passes, are challenging undertakings in wild country with magnificent views.

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Uttarkashi Trek

The splendor of the Garhwal hills is a symbol of magnificence and beauty in a perfect harmony, a fusion of high mountain dales and lakes, of many brooks, and some of the greatest and the longest rivers in India . Carmine rhododendron blossom forth and scarlet flame-of-the-forest blooms gleam in forests of thick green. Comprising the districts of Uttarkashi, Tehri-Garhwal, Pauri-Garhwal, Dehra Dun and Chamoli, the Garhwal hills are a veritable paradise for trekkers. Nature is in her element here and trekking trails are renowned for the great beauty of their views, stunningly different at almost every turn.

There is plenty of interest here for the amateur trekker too. For those interested in the fusion of art and culture with religion, the popular temple pilgrimages and hilltop temples will provide enough for a rewarding journey. Botanists can spend months studying the vast treasure-house of plants here. The birds of the Garhwal Himalayas, and their sheer profusion, will captivate bird-watchers. And for photographers, professional or amateur, the canvas of the mountain scenery will provide a perfect landscape. Nor is trekking in the Garhwal hills expensive, for one can stay at any of a number of rest houses, travelers lodges or dharamshalas at nominal rates.

Uttarkashi is among the most beautiful of the Garhwal districts. In the upper reaches of the district, the snow line ensures a tryst with snow-capped peaks. In the lower reaches, a carpet of forests, superb Himalayan views and all the joys of trekking through God's country. This is a district headquarter town, and trekkers can stay in a tourist bungalow.

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Mussorie Trek

Often called the 'queen of hill stations', Mussoorie is a popular tourist destination from Delhi , and is therefore also a favorite base for trekkers. Accommodation here includes several privately run hotels, and a tourist bungalow. Trekking routes remain open from April to October, though the best period is considered to extend from April to June, and from mid-September to November.

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Sandakphu Trek

It is said that trekking originated in India in Darjeeling as far as eighty years ago. Trekking means foot travel on the mountain trails. It is an experience that can never be paralleled. Darjeeling has one of the most spectacular treks to offer along with the beauty of the hills. The charms of the Himalaya along with its mysteries gradually unfold as trekkers traverse through the dense forests and verdant landscape, through miles of green-carpeted meadows and sleepy hamlets lost in time. The Sandakphu -Singalila trek as it is popularly called will enable you to discover the Sublime Himalayan interiors unmarred by mankind.

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Pauri Trek

Pauri is a divisional headquarters town of great beauty, and has a tourist bungalow to stay in. The views from this quiet Himalayan town are captivating.

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