Low Altitude : The
Himalayan Foothills ( Apr - mid Nov )
The area surrounding Kulu is varied - grand
deodar ( cedar ) forests, mixed deciduous
woods and plenty of villages and terraced
cultivation. From the top of the ridges and
passes - not more than 11,000ft / 3245m -
there are undreamed of views. The area is
renowned for its old forest rest houses -
simple two or three roomed cottages often
without running water, but roaring fires and
lamplight. What they lack in facilities,
they more than make up in charm. Nights are
spent either inside or in tents pitched in
their quaint gardens.
The walking is along muleable tracks, often
contouring round valleys, though there are
plenty of up and down too. Anyone used to
rough country walking should not have any
difficulty. Those who always wanted to walk
in the Himalayas, but were daunted by the
thought, could safely choose these treks.
The nights can be chilly, and the sun can be
hotter at mid day than you would normally
expect walking in Europe.
Mid High Altitude - the Greater Himalayas
( Mid Jun - mid Oct )
The stages can vary from 3 hrs to eight
hours, depending upon the availability of
water at the campsites. You walk along
paths, sheep tracks and across scree and
glacial debris. There are few villages, and
the population is Buddhist, from whose flat
mud baked roofs, flutter prayer flags. You
go up through magnificent forests, birch and
rhododendron scrub and out on to the flower
covered alps at around 13500ft / 3980m.
Although hot in the sun, it can be bitterly
cold at night. No mountaineering skills are
required, for it is walking rather than
climbing. Previous experience is less
important than a readiness for adventure.
High Altitude -Lahul, Spiti & Zanskar (
July / Aug / mid Sep )
These areas on the 'roof of the world' lie
on the far side of one of the great
Himalayan ranges, beyond the reach of the
monsoon. Here it is arid and the air harsh.
Fields and even the few trees - willows and
populars - must be irrigated. As in Tibet,
most of the people are Mongoloid and
Buddhist. Though the terrain is
inhospitable, it is just the opposite with
the villagers. The long winters and harsh
summers give them a rare blend of
hospitality. The monasteries here are store
houses of Indo - Tibetan art and the sounds
and sights give one a glimpse of a very
ancient culture.
Here the treks reach heights of about 16000
ft / 4715m. Again one need not be a
mountaineer but fitness is a must.
