Why Do Airplanes Avoid Flying Over The Himalayas?
You might have thought there were no corners of the earth modern aircraft didn’t fly over. But there are still a few last frontiers – the Arctic,...
Preserving Ladakh: Culture, History and An Abundance of Serenity
The former royal palace of Leh, built in the 17th century is a prominent landmark currently being restored by the Archaeological Survey of India. Housing a museum...
Take a virtual journey to the beautiful Himalayas where saffron is produced
The Saffron Crocus (Crocus sativus) blooms in Kashmir Valley, surrounded by the Himalayas on all sides, for only two weeks a year.
At the end of autumn, usually...
Entire village in Lahaul tests Covid positive
MANALI: All residents of Thorang village of Lahaul valley in Himachal Pradesh, barring 52-year-old Bhushan Thakur, have tested positive for Covid-19. The Lahaul-Spiti valley has become the worst-affected district in the...
Lobouche East Peak
After climbing Island Peak, I felt very confident about summiting Lobouche East Peak. The hike from Island Peak Base Camp to Lobouche High Camp gave me some...
5 HIMALAYAN TREKS THAT SHOULD BE ON YOUR WISHLIST
India is a wondrous land in many ways; its topography further makes it a favourite with travellers. Likewise, this geographically rich country has the Himalayas, which boast...
A Journey Through The Alluring Emptiness – Chapter 2
CHAPTER 2 – THE GUIDING LIGHT
EN ROUTE KAZA, HIMACHAL PRADESH
5TH SEPTEMBER 2016
MONDAY, 20:00 HRS
… CHAPTER 1 – LOST AND FOUND …
“Reaching Kullu doesn’t seem feasible now…I don’t think I...
2 must-see locations in Himalayas
If you really want to celebrate winter, then it's time for a trek.
Tap into your inner adventure junkie and head straight to our majestic Himalayas.
Yes, the cold...
Chitkul – Last village near India-China border
Chitkul
Chitkul is the last inhabited village near the India - Tibet Border.
Approximately 600kms from Delhi, Chitkul is situated on the banks of River Baspa. Chitkul is...
The Yaks of Tshoka
https://www.instagram.com/p/BSUt-mcBR2r/?taken-by=goutham.t
During my stay at Tshoka, we the students of HMI were to stay at the altitude of approximately 3000 meters to acclimatize. We had classes about how...
Life That Flows
The age old river flowing seamlessly,
collecting memories and desires,
hopes and lost dreams
as it slithers over rocks and crags.
Many a miles it has covered,
many more to go.
It offers...
The Threat Of Losing 10,000 Trees Gives Rise To Another Chipko Movement In Uttarakhand
The Uttarakhand State Forest Department is in the final stages of handing over 243 acres of forest land to the Airport Authority of India for the extension of the...
Uttarakhand’s Only Elephant Reserve Now Denotified To Make Room For Dehradun Airport Expansion
In yet another case of the environment losing out in the fight between development and conservation, Uttarakhand is set to lose its only elephant reserve.
The Uttarakhand wildlife...
Manikaran – a fresh memory
It was the summer of 2009 when I had visited Manikaran for the first time and the effect it left was that of a perfect hermitage retreat....
Walking with Wings
A raspy cover of Brown’s classic ‘This is a Man’s World’ blasted through my headphones as we started on the long road from the Inner Terai valleys...
The Himalayan symphony
PC : www.ajktours.com
Imagine the endless lush green fields stretching as far as your eyes can reach, the sharp pine trees guarding the gigantic mountains standing behind, the...
2 wonderful new books take armchair travelers to the Himalayas
“Till the summer of 1904 if one had been asked what was the most mysterious spot on the earth’s surface the reply would have been Lhasa.” So...
LAND OF THE THUNDER DRAGON—BHUTAN IN PICTURES
1.Land of the Thunder Dragon
Bhutan, fondly referred to as Land of the Thunder Dragon is a nation that leads by example. Besides the staggering natural beauty of...
Photographer Trupal Pandya’s Stellar Vision of The Himalayan Tribe
Born and brought up in Gujarat, Trupal Pandya is a professional photographer who is based between Washington DC and New York.
As a photographer, mastering a photography technique...
Project Last of the Aryans- An experience for life ; 2nd to 10th June...
Remember the Aryans whom Hitler declared to be the most desirable and superior race?
No, this is not about them. But it is about their proclaimed descendants living...
Study predicts massive habitat decline for the Himalayan brown bear by 2050 due to...
A recent study on the Himalayan brown bear (Ursus arctos isabellinus) has predicted a significant reduction in suitable habitat and biological corridors of the species in the...
Himalayas poised for a series of big earthquakes, says study
The entire Himalayan arc is poised to produce a sequence of great earthquakes, and the next big quake -- of the magnitude of 8 or above --...
Around Gangtok in 7 days
Mesmerizing, bewitching Gangtok.
It all began with a quest for an adventure crammed into the span of 7 days. The million-dollar question pops up as usual… hills or the...
The Road Less Travelled
When you talk about travel plans, people expect you to speak of the mainstream hill stations or luxury travel destinations. But there is a very thin line...
Tsha Tsha Art Part 2- An Interview with Ms. Nyima Dolma Sundari.
Nyima Dolma Sundari was born to second generation Nepalese Buddhist immigrants in French Riviera. Far off from her cultural roots, her grandmother and father were her initial...
Why the people of Spiti eat stones
he word “Amchi” means mother of all living beings. As part of a centuries-long lineage, my family has been using Sowa Rigpa (traditional Tibetan medicine) as a...
3 Regrets of my Ladakh Road Trip
Having traveled around Leh it was the time for the return journey. We had planned to ride Jammu via Kargil-Zozila pass but due to the riots in Kashmir the roads...
Buddha, Streets, People – Dharamshala it is
Buddha, Streets, People - Dharamshala it is
Walking down the McLeodganj lanes, crossing across the traditional souvenir shops and food stalls, I found life so much engrossed in each...
Mesmerizing trip to North Sikkim
Sikkim is considered to be one of the most picturesque states of India. Gangtok being the capital of the state is a very lively town buzzing with...
My Bhutan Diaries: Pre-Bhutan Prep
Why do we travel?
My friend, Madhuri and I have always dreamt about running away: not from, but to the unexplored, the uncertain and the unconnected. (Cliché much?)...
Meet Himachal’s rising solo artist: Shubhank Sharma
Shubhank Sharma is a self-taught singer/songwriter/guitarist/composer from Rohru, Himachal Pradesh, India who loves everything from rock to blues to grunge and ghazals. Performing in his own band,...
Uttarakhand’s Child Activist Ridhima Pandey Included In BBC’s Top 100 Influential Women In 2020
Thirteen-year-old Uttarakhand-based climate activist Ridhima Pandey has featured in the BBC’s list of 100 inspiring and influential women from around the world for 2020.
The list, according to the BBC website, highlights...
Witnessing the Guru Thongdrol and being blessed by Guru Rinpoche at Paro Tshechu
Witnessing the Guru Thongdrol on the last day of Paro Tshechu was never on the cards during my 12-day Bhutan trip, but it started to make sense...
The Winter Kuari Pass Trek - An Anecdote
'All’s well that ends well'
You know the things about the Himalayas?
When you are up there amidst the mountains and the chilled winds, the narrow passages and the...
Lahaul and Spiti – Promoting Sustainable Livelihood Through Empowerment In An Untamed Terrain
Few places on earth can mark so dramatic change in landscapes. Flanked by the majestic Himalayas Lahaul and Spiti houses, millions of Tibetans and is a land...
Women from the Kumaon Himalayas.
Several cultural norms have accustomed women to live the life of inferiority in rural areas. Where a woman catalyses development, but she is often pulled down to...
We had the privilege of doing the daring!!
It was the day to start our descend from Kedarkantha base camp all the way back to Sankri which meant we only had few hours to adore...
On a thin layer of ice – “Chadar Trek”
As the new year began I got more and more excited. I've been to Ladakh before but this time it would be different. This time I was...
Himalayan Birds Are at Stake: Is Forest loss to blame
Birds are reliable and widely used indicators for conservation planning and monitoring.
Himalayan Forests happens to be a global biodiversity hotspot with not one but innumerable endemic species....
How about working between the beautiful disasters?
Do you see these sharp mountains behind? It has a wild finishing to it’s skin which is bruised by the frequent landslides. But still continues to stand...
Why Rohtang Tunnel Can Turn From Boon to Bane for Lahaul’s People and Ecology
On October 3, the Rohtang tunnel was inaugurated by the Prime Minister in Manali. There was the usual euphoria on the part of both the Central and...
In a Distant Country Sheltered By Mountains.
Tired, nerve-shaken, over-civilized people run from one point to another in search of tranquility in their lives.
So here I am, looking for some kind of escape from...
The Himachali “Pula”
"Pula Chappal" the Himachal footwear
Pula chappals are handmade grass footwear from Himachal Pradesh (A northern Indian state in the Himalayas, India). These Vibrant chappals are made from...
“Tarballs” Detected in Himalayan Atmosphere
Some people refer to the Himalaya-Tibetan Plateau as the “third pole” because the region has the largest reserve of glacial snow and ice outside of the north...
Cycling on Worlds most dangerous Road
I love cycling since i was a kid my love for mountain biking increased when i grew up and watch Redbull series of offroading i always wanted...
A Journey of Spiritual Awakening for the Environment
Ladakh’s mystical magic and mystery lies dormant in the fact that it remains a remote cavern of uncharted territory with unfathomable geological mayhem spread across its treacherous...
Covid scare hits Kullu-Manali hoteliers hard
The Covid scare has ruined the business of hoteliers in Kullu-Manali even on Diwali holidays. Room enquiries for hotel occupancy have witnesses a sharp dip.
The hoteliers have...
Triund, Himachal Pradesh
Sprawling seamlessly across the lap of the Dhauladhar ranges in Himachal Pradesh, Triund stands at a height of around 2,800 metres. While a visit to Dharamshala and...
Eat Play Chill : #Bhutan- A Picture Story
Bhutan has always been a special place to me ever since I started reading up about it for my first visit.
I am the guy with the jacket...
The Places In-Between (by Kartiki Gonsalves)
Exploring life in Fertile Land torn between two hostile neighbours
Lives shattered by the war of 1971, separated from most of their tribe and many family members, and...