90% of Himalayas face year-long drought at 3 degrees global warming: study
A collection of eight studies — all focusing on India, Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, and Ghana — shows that the risks of drought, flooding, declines in crop...
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...
Nepal plane crash: 21 bodies retrieved from site, says civil aviation authority
The wreckage of the crashed Tara Air aircraft located at Sanosware, Thasang-2, Mustang(Nepal Army/ANI)
The Tara Air plane with 22 people on board had taken off at 9.55...
Bird flu alert from Himachal: How bad is the situation
The Centre has issued a bird flu alert to states after cases of H5N1 avian influenza were reported from several places across the country. The central government...
In pictures: Shimla gets season’s first snow
A white morning greeted the queen of hills, Shimla, bringing cheers to residents and tourists as the capital town received its first moderate snowfall. Tourists thronged to...
India-Nepal ties tall as Himalayas, deep as ocean with: Bipin Rawat
Kathmandu: Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat has described the relationship between India and Nepal as "tall as the Himalayas and as deep as the Indian...
It’s a pig, it’s a goat, it’s a serow: Explaining an unusual sighting in...
A Himalayan serow has been sighted for the first time in the Himalayan cold desert region. Why is the sighting significant?
First, what kind of an animal is...
Centre to establish regional climate centre for Himalayas
A Regional Climate Centre for the Third Pole or the Hindukush Himalayan region will be established to conduct cutting-edge climate research, assessments and applications to forecast impacts...
9 Steps to Going Plastic Free in the Mountains
Over the past few years, there has been an incredible trekking boom in the country. Trekking has gone from being an adventure sport to a recreational activity....
Why the mountains matter
Mountains are the most magnificent and majestic geographical features of the world. Be it the Andes in South America, the Alps in Europe or the mighty Himalayas...
Snowfall in higher reaches of Valley
The famous ski resort of Gulmarg and other higher reaches of Kashmir received snowfall for the second day on Tuesday. The plains were lashed by rains, the...
It’s official: Mount Everest just got a little bit higher
KATHMANDU, Nepal — The world's highest peak just became a tiny bit higher.
Nepal and China, the two countries that share a border on Mount Everest, announced a...
Uttarakhand lost 50,000 hectares forest land to developmental activities in last 20 years
DEHRADUN: Uttarakhand, birthplace of the country’s major rivers like Ganga and Yamuna and home to the Himalayan ranges, is rapidly losing its forest land to commercial activities.
Data...
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...
Storytelling with a Difference: Meet our Himasset Munmun Dhalaria
A great storyteller bridges the gap between “you” and “me” to make their audience feel one with them. They understand that story-telling is a conversation, a dialogue...
Meet Mountaineer Krushnaa Patil And Be Inspired By Her Summits
While the field of mountaineering in India has undergone a sea change with a new generation of young mountaineers scaling summits zealously, back in 2009, there were...
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...
Waste Fishing Gear is Threatening Wildlife in Ganga, New Study Finds
Researchers have found that waste fishing gear in Ganges poses a serious threat to wildlife including otters, turtles and dolphins.
The study, published in the journal 'Science of...
Tata Literature Live! 2020: Ruskin Bond conferred with Lifetime Achievement Award for his prolific...
Celebrated author, columnist and short story writer Ruskin Bond was conferred with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2020 Tata Literature Live! Mumbai Lit Fest on 21...
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...
A startup is using tourism and solar energy to light up remote areas in...
In 2013, an Indian engineer started a sustainable development enterprise called Global Himalayan Expedition. Since then, it has installed solar power in 131 villages of three regions...
Explained: Why scientists are trying to cultivate asafoetida or heeng in the Indian Himalayas
Asafoetida, or heeng, is a common ingredient in most Indian kitchens –– so much so that the country imports Rs 600 crore worth of this pungent flavoured herb every...
Regular sightings indicate rise in number of snow leopards in HP
The number of endangered snow leopards appear to be increasing as more sightings have been reported in the remote, high mountainous areas of Himachal Pradesh even as...
Not Japan Or Paris, It’s India: Shillong Turns Pink As Cherry Blossoms Take Over...
Had it not been for the COVID-19 pandemic, many Indian travellers would have booked tickets to Shillong in Meghalaya which, at present, is looking like a painting with whimsical...
Himalayan towns like Darjeeling, Mussoorie and Kathmandu are going to fast run dry
Famed mountain retreats such as Mussoorie, Darjeeling and Kathmandu may soon face acute water distress — with a demand-supply gap already as vast as 70 percent in...
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...
Mountains that sustain millions
The word Himalaya comes from two Sanskrit words: Him (snow) and Aalay (abode). The beauty of the Himalaya, which are one of the youngest chains of mountains in the world harbouring...
Temperature falls in North India, snowfall in Himachal, Shimla records -4.4° C
Several high-altitude areas of Himachal Pradesh received snowfall on Tuesday and temperatures dropped in many places in north India, including Haryana, Punjab and Delhi.
The minimum temperature in...
Kedarnath, Yamunotri Temples in Garhwal Himalayas Close for Winters Amid Heavy Snowfall
The portals of Kedarnath and Yamunotri temples in the Garhwal Himalayas were closed for winters on Bhai Dooj on Monday amid heavy snowfall. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra...
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,...
Spotting wildflowers in the Himalayas; our top five
Riding into the Himalayas will give you a glimpse of some of the rarest flowers, astonishing beauties that you will not find anywhere else. Speaking of Himalayan...
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...
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...
India Gets Its First Glass Skywalk in Sikkim – Here’s All You Need to...
If you’ve ever dreamed about strolling on a glass skywalk, then you don’t need to spend a bomb to visit a foreign country to do so as...
Measuring Mount Everest: a proud Nepali on his dangerous mission to the top of...
On reaching the peak of Mount Everest, climbers usually pose for photographs, fly their country’s flag, or just gaze at the majestic Himalayas.
Khim Lal Gautam, a surveyor...
Scientists Warn Of Major Earthquake In Uttarakhand’s Dharchula Region
Scientists at Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology have unearthed large concentrations of micro and moderate magnitude earthquakes in Uttarakhand's Dharchula region and adjoining areas of Kumaon Himalaya due to stress in...
With rampant habitat fragmentation, how the Hindu Kush Himalayas could be the next pandemic...
The world is in an 'era of pandemics.' Unless the destruction of the natural world is halted, diseases will emerge more often, spread more rapidly, kill more...
From Dharamsala to Darjeeling, 12 Indian hill-stations you can fly to right now
It’s not the easiest time to plan a holiday, but here’s taking one little pain-point away: we looked up the top Indian hill-stations that you can fly to...
U’khand to sell local products under ‘Holy Himalayas’ brand name: CM
Dehradun: Chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat on Sunday announced that the state government is all set to start an umbrella brand ‘Holy Himalayas’ to promote the products...
Lip-smacking dishes to try in Bhutan
Bhutanese Cuisine
South Asian food is all about flavour, flavour, and flavour! The spices, the chillies, the vegetables and the textural components—all create magic together. Be it India,...
“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...
Could the Himalayas harbour the next pandemic?
The world is in an “era of pandemics”. Unless the destruction of the natural world is halted, diseases will emerge more often, spread more rapidly, kill more...
Majestic Himalayas Get ‘Winter Wonderland’ Feeling as India’s Kedarnath Temple Sees Snowfall
After months of extreme heat, torrential rains causing flooding in several states, cyclones, and a severe locust attack, cold breezes have returned to India, prompting people to...
Mountain biking expedition concludes in Uttarkashi
UTTARKASHI: The first-of-its-kind Mountain Terrain Biking (MTB) expedition to the Nelong Valley region of Indo-China border in Uttarkashi district concluded on Friday. The week-long expedition was organised...
19 stunning Himachal homestays that are now open
You may have missed your summer vacation this year due to the lockdown, but you won’t have to compromise on your winter break. Parts of Himachal Pradesh received their...
Stephen Atler wins Banff’s Mountain Environment and Natural History Award for his work, Wild...
Author and Fulbright scholar Stephen Alter has been announced the 2020 recipient of the notable Mountain Environment and Natural History prize, awarded each year as part of the Banff Mountain...
India’s Global Himalayan Expedition wins UN award for efforts to fight climate change amid...
An Indian organisation that leverages tourism and technology to help remote communities access solar energy has won a prestigious UN award for its efforts to combat climate...
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...
Top 10 books about the Himalayas
The Himalayas are the highest mountains on Earth, the stupendously wild boundary between India and Tibet and a magnet for countless adventurers, missionaries and spiritual seekers. Yet the...
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...