7 Reasons to definitely visit The Himalayas

If you are a traveler, and if you can afford it, then treat the Himalayas as a MUST VISIT! For the traveler, it is equivalent to a religious pilgrimage – you must plan to see the mountains.

1. Forget the postcards. These mountains and these villages are the real deal – WAY, way better than any�postcard you have ever seen

postcard

Picture Courtesy: blog.travelyaari.com

Almost every walk has the potential to turn into a hike. Almost every village especially around the higher himalayan ranges will have trek-able peaks. And most of these have streams flowing by the side, with flocks of sheep grazing on grass. Even the stray dogs and cows are very non disturbing here.

You can truly experience the pristine rural beauty you have seen in pictures.�

2. The sunrises and the sunsets here are the best ever.�

sunset h

Image Courtesy: http://travelblog.org

Especially when you hike up to the real mountains, you can see a clear 360 degree view of snow capped mountains and the sun going down in between two of them – just like how you drew them in school.

3. The lifestyle & the fitness of the paharis humbles you tremendously.

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The real paharis walk everywhere. No, really – they walk EVERYWHERE. And they can walk at an average of three times your speed. And since they live in the hills, they have to plan most of their food stock and a lot of them grow their own food as well. So, we are talking about a really active and tough life. Despite such levels of fitness, they are extremely nice and hospitable people and almost every household is willing to convert a spare room into a home stay if required.

And you will NEVER go hungry here – they will feed you food no matter what!

4. No picture can really explain the magnificence of these mountains until seen with the naked eye.

Rakcham - Thrill

Image Courtesy: flickr.com

These are really HUGE mountains. They are big, magnificent and breathtakingly beautiful. It is not just a sight – it is an experience.

5. You can see and touch snow in the peak Indian summers of May & June

Snow

Image Courtesy: himalayanvacation.blogspot.com

The Himalayan mountains see a LOT of snow in winters. Among the lower ranges, the snow starts melting actively in May. However, in the higher ranges, the snow really melts only with the monsoon. So, there is a chance to see snow in these mountains even on a day hike in May & June.

6. It is almost always a budget trip

Camping

Image Courtesy: lovethesepics.com

Since a large part of the Himalayas are surrounded by small villages, there are not too many luxury hotels around. Which means, if you decide to hike up the mountains, you could just take a local boy who will double up as a guide. Talk to some locals and stay at their place for a night and eat the food they cook as well. Around these areas, the lack of luxury resorts just makes traveling more real and way cheaper.

7. You can experience real peace

Peace

Image Courtesy: sfgate.com

You can go up to peaks where the birds soar lower. You can go up mountains which cut through clouds. And when you finish your hike and camp high up at a peak, all you see around are snow-capped peaks. There is no civilisation, there are no people and motorized vehicles are kilometres away. This is your moment of real peace.�

2 Replies to “7 Reasons to definitely visit The Himalayas

  1. While the word Himalaya owes its roots to Sanskrit and would remain Himalaya in the language even in plural form, in English the usage of Himalayas has been accepted over years.

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