64 experiences
Nature in the Himalaya
Lakes, meadows, glaciers and passes
Viewpoints at the right hour, flower meadows in season and quiet days outdoors.
Photo: Ankur P from Pune, India · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Commons
Riverbank and meadow walk on the Shaliganga
Walk along the Shaliganga from the main meadow, cross on log bridges, and climb gently to open grassland with views of …
Photo: Abhirup Paul · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Day drive into the Tulail valley
East of Dawar, the Tulail valley climbs past small villages, fields and broad meadows on a rough road. It is the most r…
Photo: Nandanupadhyay · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Commons
Betaab Valley and Chandanwari by union taxi
Follow the East Lidder upstream from Pahalgam to Betaab Valley and the roadhead at Chandanwari, the start of the Amarna…
Photo: KennyOMG · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Trout fishing on the Lidder with a day licence
The cold, clear Lidder holds brown trout, introduced to Kashmir in British times, and the Fisheries Department issues d…
Photo: Original: Ganesh Mohan T Derivative work: Unpe… · CC BY 4.0 · Commons
Walk or ride to the Thajiwas glacier valley
From the main Sonamarg meadow, a 3–4 km trail climbs gently into the Thajiwas side valley, ringed by peaks with glacier…
Photo: Suhail Skindar Sofi · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Down to the Doodh Ganga for a riverside picnic
Below the Yusmarg meadow, a path drops through pine forest to the Doodh Ganga, which tumbles white over rocks on its wa…
Photo: Anirvan Shukla · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Commons
Apricot blossom walk in the Sham valley
In spring, walk between Saspol, Alchi and nearby villages while apricot orchards bloom white and pink against brown cli…
Photo: Narender9 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
The Suru valley to Panikhar and Nun Kun
Follow the Suru river south from Kargil past Sankoo to Panikhar, where meadows and willow groves face the snow and ice …
Photo: Fulvio Spada from Torino, Italy · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Commons
Sunset walk along Lamayuru's moonland
An easy evening walk from the village along the lanes and the old highway, looking over the eroded lake sediments that …
Photo: Christian Ursilva from Copenhagen, Denmark · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Hunder dunes and Bactrian camels at dawn
Walk the cold-desert dunes between Hunder and Diskit and take a short ride on a two-humped Bactrian camel, descendants …
Photo: Apthomas1 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Sunrise on the shore at Spangmik
Watch first light move across Pangong from the gravel shore below Spangmik, as the lake turns from grey to deep blue. I…
Photo: McKay Savage from London, UK · CC BY 2.0 · Commons
Tso Kar salt lake and kiang plains
A detour to Tso Kar, a smaller saline lake with white salt crusts, on the way to or from Tso Moriri. The open plains ar…
Photo: Tahsin Anwar Ali · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Commons
The Shyok gorge drive from Hunder to Turtuk
About 85 km down the Shyok from Hunder to Turtuk, through a narrow gorge where the valley drops and warms. Villages thi…
Photo: Malikbek · CC BY 3.0 · Commons
Pensi La and the Drang Drung glacier
The pass between the Suru valley and Zanskar, at about 4,400 m, looks straight onto the Drang Drung glacier, a long cur…
Photo: Sumita Roy Dutta · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Sunrise over the Kinnaur Kailash range
Wake before dawn and watch first light reach the Kinnaur Kailash range across the Sutlej, its summit around 6,050 m. Fi…
Photo: Kaiho · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Commons
A day in Chitkul, the last village
Ride 26 km up the Baspa from Sangla to Chitkul at about 3,450 m, the last inhabited village on the road. Walk the timbe…
Photo: Sukhjiwan Singh · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Jalori Pass and the walk to Serolsar lake
Drive 25 km from Gushaini through Jibhi and Shoja to Jalori Pass at 3,120 m, then walk 5 km through oak and rhododendro…
Photo: Adarsh Patel · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Morning walk around Chandratal
Walk from the camps to the lake and around its shore at sunrise, when the water is still and the crescent reflects the …
Photo: This Photo was taken by Timothy A. Gonsalves. … · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Morning walk on the Bhaga riverbank
Walk the gravel flats and willow groves along the Bhaga below Jispa at first light, with snow peaks above and the Leh r…
Photo: Ksuryawanshi · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Commons
Night sky over the Spiti river at Rangrik
Cross the river to Rangrik, away from Kaza's lights, and watch the Milky Way rise over dry mountains. Clear, thin air a…
Photo: Jagseer S Sidhu · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Through the Atal Tunnel to Sissu and Keylong
Drive from Manali under the Pir Panjal through the 9.02 km Atal Tunnel into Lahaul, stop at Sissu's waterfall and the C…
Photo: Madhumita Das · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Fossil slopes walk above Langza
Walk the slopes above Langza with a local guide to see ammonite fossils from the vanished Tethys sea. Look, photograph …
Photo: Sumita Roy Dutta · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Sunset on Reo Purgyil from above Nako
Climb a short way above the village to watch the evening light on Reo Purgyil, at 6,816 m the highest mountain in Himac…
Photo: Vaibhav78545 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Meadow walk to Gorson Bugyal
From the top of the Auli slope, a forest trail of about 3 km leads through oak and conifer to Gorson Bugyal, a wide alp…
Photo: MMohanty · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Commons
Morning walk to Deoria Tal from Sari
A 2.5–3 km climb from Sari village to a forest-ringed lake at 2,438 m, where Chaukhamba reflects in still water early i…
Photo: Atarax42 · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Commons
Riverside walk to Pandav Gufa
A gentle 1.5 km walk downstream from Gangotri through deodar and boulders to Pandav Gufa, a rock cave linked with the P…
Photo: Ps14061990 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Sunrise walk to George Everest's house
Drive or walk to Park Estate, west of Mussoorie, where the Surveyor-General who gave his name to the world's highest pe…
Photo: Original: Rohit Sharma Derivative work: Unpeti… · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
A day in the Valley of Flowers
From Ghangaria, walk past the forest checkpost, cross the Pushpawati and climb into a hanging valley of alpine flowers.…
Photo: SudiptoDutta · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Commons
Sunrise walk to Zero Point
Walk 2 km through dark oak forest to the watchtower at Zero Point, about 2,400 m, and watch the sun light the snow peak…
Photo: Original uploader was Tribhuwan at en.wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Commons
Panchachuli sunrise from the Chaukori ridge
Wake early and walk to the edge of the Chaukori ridge to watch first light hit Panchachuli's five summits and the long …
Photo: Vipin Vasudeva · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Commons
Birthi Falls and the Kalamuni ridge
On the road between Thal and Munsiyari, Birthi Falls drops from a high cliff close to the road, and the climb beyond to…
Photo: Ibn Batoota · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Commons
Chaubatia orchards and viewpoint
Ten kilometres south of Ranikhet, Chaubatia's government orchards and fruit research centre fill a slope with apple, pe…
Photo: Bijay Chaurasia · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Sunrise from the Tundikhel and Thani Mai
Climb from the bazaar to the Thani Mai temple on the hill above Bandipur for sunrise over the Annapurna, Manaslu and Ga…
Photo: Saroj Pandey · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Commons
Sunrise from Nagarkot's view tower
Rise before dawn and stand on the highest point of the Nagarkot ridge as the Himalaya lights up from Annapurna to the E…
Photo: Bandana kc · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Commons
Sunset walk along the Nagarkot ridge
An easy late-afternoon walk along the Nagarkot ridge road and forest paths, ending at a west-facing terrace for sunset …
Photo: Gaurav Dhwaj Khadka · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Sunrise over Machapuchare from Sarangkot
Drive or walk up to the Sarangkot ridge before dawn and watch the sun hit Machapuchare, Annapurna South and Dhaulagiri.…
Photo: PageantUpdatess · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Row across Phewa, walk up to the Peace Pagoda
Take a wooden boat past the island temple of Tal Barahi to the south shore of Phewa Lake, then climb through forest to …
Photo: Shahnoor Habib Munmun · CC BY 3.0 · Commons
Sunrise on Kangchenjunga from Tiger Hill
Drive before dawn to Tiger Hill, 2,590 m and about 11 km from Darjeeling, to watch first light hit Kangchenjunga. On cl…
Photo: Sumit Surai · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Kalimpong cactus and orchid nursery visit
Tour two or three of Kalimpong's family-run nurseries, which grow cacti, succulents, orchids, gladioli and bulbs for bu…
Photo: Pinakpani · CC BY 4.0 · Commons
Dow Hill forest and the old school ridge
An easy half-day walk from Kurseong up through tall cryptomeria and pine forest to Dow Hill, a ridge of colonial-era bo…
Photo: Sandipanjalpaiguri · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Changey Falls and Kolakham day trip
A half-day drive from Lava to Changey Falls, a tall forest waterfall reached by steps from the road, and on to Kolakham…
Photo: YUVRAJ ANAND · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Dawn forest walk and Kangchenjunga view
Leave your Lepchajagat homestay before dawn and walk through pine and cryptomeria forest to a clearing facing Kangchenj…
Photo: Benoy · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Commons
Morning walk around Sumendu Lake
Walk the 3.5 km road around Mirik's Sumendu Lake at first light, through pine woods and past the Savitri Pushpaudyan ga…
Photo: Jejsiguoa · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Tiffindara sunrise over the Kangchenjunga range
Walk about 1 km from Rishyap in the dark to Tiffindara viewpoint and watch the first light reach the Kangchenjunga rang…
Photo: Alexkom000 · CC BY 4.0 · Commons
Sunrise on Everest and the Sleeping Buddha
Wake before dawn on Sandakphu, the highest point in West Bengal, and watch first light reach Kangchenjunga's Sleeping B…
Photo: Amitabha Gupta · CC BY 4.0 · Commons
Takdah Orchid Centre and forest trail
Walk a forest trail of pine and cryptomeria from Tinchuley to the government orchid centre at Takdah, where rare Himala…
Photo: Amitabha Gupta · CC BY 4.0 · Commons
Thangu and the Chopta valley meadows
On the way to or from Gurudongmar, stop at Thangu, a small settlement at about 3,900 m, and visit the nearby Chopta val…
Photo: The original uploader was Jaiprakashsingh at E… · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Commons
Where the Teesta begins at Chungthang
On the drive to Lachung, stop at Chungthang, where the Lachen Chu and Lachung Chu meet to form the Teesta, the river th…
Photo: Kothanda Srinivasan · CC BY 2.0 · Commons
Khecheopalri, the wish-fulfilling lake
Drive about 25 km to Khecheopalri, a quiet lake in a forest bowl at around 1,700 m, held sacred by Buddhists and Hindus…
Photo: Indrajit Das · CC BY 3.0 · Commons
A slow walk around Tsomgo's shore
Walk the shore path at Tsomgo while the light is low and the stalls are still opening. In winter you see a frozen lake …
Photo: Sunil · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Commons
Rhododendron walk in the Shingba sanctuary
Stop below Yumthang and walk among the rhododendrons of the Shingba sanctuary. From mid-April to May the slopes flower …
Photo: Bernard Gagnon · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Sunrise over the chortens and high peaks
Reach the pass early on a clear winter morning to see sunlight move across Bhutan's highest peaks, then walk among the …
Photo: Benjissimo · CC BY 3.0 · Commons
Up the Mo Chhu valley from Punakha
Follow the Mo Chhu north from Punakha past rice terraces, Tashithang forest and the boundary of Jigme Dorji National Pa…
Photo: Mario Biondi writer · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Chele La ridge walk at sunrise
Stop at Bhutan's highest road pass, 3,988 m, and walk along the prayer-flag ridge for views of Jomolhari and the Paro a…
Photo: Christopher J Fynn · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Gangtey Goenpa and the nature trail
Visit the 1613 monastery on its spur above the valley, then walk the Gangtey nature trail down through pine forest and …
Photo: Jyotishkardey · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Buddha Dordenma and the takin preserve
Two of Thimphu's easiest half-day stops: the giant gilded Buddha above the city's southern approach and the forest encl…
Photo: Christopher J. Fynn · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Over Pele La, west to central Bhutan
The drive from Phobjikha to Trongsa crosses Pele La at 3,420 m, the boundary between western and central Bhutan, throug…
Photo: Harpreet 712 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Arunachal's orchids at the Tipi centre
A short stop on the Bomdila road to see Arunachal's orchids in the glasshouses and beds of the state's orchid research …
Photo: Harpreet 712 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Evening on the Kameng riverbank
Walk down to the wide, stony bed of the Kameng as the light drops, watch fishermen and river birds, and in the dry seas…
Photo: Rupasree · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Yak country on the road to Sela
Drive up from Dirang into the cold forests around Nyukmadung, at about 2,700 m, where yaks graze and the national yak r…
Photo: Quentin Talon & Mario Geiger · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Commons
A day walking the Siyom valley
Follow the Siyom across Mechuka's wide grassland, over wooden bridges and past grazing ponies and prayer flags, to vill…
Photo: Rashid Jorvee · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Sunset on the Siang at Pasighat
Watch the Siang spread out of the hills into braided channels and sandbanks as the sun sets behind the ridges, with boa…
Photo: Dhrubazaanphotography · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Morning at Sela lake and the pass
Stand at 4,170 m beside a sacred lake, with prayer flags snapping and ridges all around. A short, cold, beautiful stop …
Photo: Sdasamdabad · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Nuranang Falls near Jang
A curtain waterfall about 100 m high on the Tawang side of Sela, fed by snowmelt from the pass. An easy walk from the r…
Nature by hive