Indian Himalayas walking holiday
| country: | India |
| location: | Indian Himalayas, Kashmir |
| trip type: | Moderate walking holidays |
| departures: | 2010: 11 Jun, 6 Aug |
| price: | £1525 (10 days) excluding international flights. |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
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introduction to Indian Himalayas walking holiday
A Short Walk in the Himalayas
Kashmir - India – that centuries old holiday idyll – is back on the tourist map offering some of the most pristine and wonderful trekking anywhere on the subcontinent. Guides at our company trekked in these very hills last summer, walked the streets of Srinagar and searched out the best houseboats, and came to the conclusion that the region has been closed for too long. The four-day trek from Aarou to Sonomuss is a classic Himalayan trail, taking you through primal forests, past pristine lakes and over high mountain passes. And with three nights at the end to relax on Srinagar’s famous lakes, this is a wonderful trip for anyone with a strong sense of adventure and love of the wild outdoors.
Kashmir - India – that centuries old holiday idyll – is back on the tourist map offering some of the most pristine and wonderful trekking anywhere on the subcontinent. Guides at our company trekked in these very hills last summer, walked the streets of Srinagar and searched out the best houseboats, and came to the conclusion that the region has been closed for too long. The four-day trek from Aarou to Sonomuss is a classic Himalayan trail, taking you through primal forests, past pristine lakes and over high mountain passes. And with three nights at the end to relax on Srinagar’s famous lakes, this is a wonderful trip for anyone with a strong sense of adventure and love of the wild outdoors.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | UK – Delhi. Depart LHR on Virgin overnight flight to Delhi |
| Day 2: | Delhi. Arrive in Delhi and check into 5 star hotel in Connaught Place vicinity. After rest we shall have a picnic lunch in Lodi Gardens followed by a look around the new town, home of the British Raj where we shall take a stroll down the Rajpath to see Rajprati Bravhan, formerly Viceroy’s palace, before moving on to the Old Town. Once here we will take a wander from the Red Fort, down Chandi Chowk – the old town’s main thoroughfare – through the narrow alleyways of Shahjehanabad to emerge at the beautiful Jama Majid Mosque. Dinner at Karims. |
| Day 3: | Delhi – Srinigar - Aarou. Up early to take a very spectacular flight up to Srinagar. If you are lucky and find yourself in a window seat on the right side of the plane you will get a great view of the Himalayas. Arrive into Srinagar and transfer immediately to Aarou, where the first night’s camp will be located. We will have excellent facilities with thick mattresses, dining, shower and kitchen tent, as well as a separate loo. On arrival we will have drinks and dinner around a campfire. |
| Day 4: | Aarou – Lidr Wat. After relaxed breakfast we will trek for only four hours as we acclimatise ourselves to the mountains. It is a stunning walk that takes us through forests of cedar, spruce and pines to Lidr Wat where we will camp between two rivers. After lunch in camp we can go for a further 2-hour walk up the Lidr Valley. Dinner at camp. |
| Day 5: | Lidr Wat – Tarsel Lake. Today things get a little tougher as we walk for around 6 hours to the stunning, 3,500m Tarsel Lake. We will leave the forested areas soon after breakfast and head out onto the open mountains, with peaks and valleys surrounding us. Setting off at around 0800, we should reach our camp at Khamwaz by 1300, where we will take lunch before continuing up to this turquoise, glacial lake. At four we will return to camp where we will have dinner. |
| Day 6: | Tarsel Lake – Sonomuss. Today we will be arguably the most stunning day of the trek as we climb up to 4,200m to cross the Segwaz Pass. After the pass we will have a picnic lunch and then continue to descend towards the tree line. On reaching our final camp at Sonomuss, after about 6 hours, we will again have a fire. |
| Day 7: | Sonomuss – Srinigar. After breakfast we will continue to descend through the forests to the road-head at Symbol. On the way we will have a picnic lunch before finishing the trek, transferring to jeeps for a 2½-hour drive to Srinagar, which we should reach by late afternoon. Once here we will transfer to shakaras to paddle round to the Royal Palace Houseboat, situated on a quite quarter on Dal Lake. Dinner at houseboat. |
| Day 8: | Srinigar. Sitting at the heart of the Vale of Kashmir lies Srinagar, famed for centuries of its clean, clear air, its idyllic setting and of course its lakes. Framed by high-forested hills that rise up in the distance to the snow-capped Himalayas it is simply one of the most picturesque places you’re ever likely to visit. To drift across Dal Lake on the elegant shakaras is relaxation at its most exotic and peaceful, which you might need after the rigours of your trek. Staying in one of the most beautiful houseboats, where things have changed little since the Brits first built them back in the 19th century, today we will simply chill-out. |
| Day 9: | Srinigar. Of course, staying for nearly 3 whole days there is plenty to do besides relax in the gorgeous summer sunshine. Today we will visit the beautiful Moghul Gardens, created by Empire Akbar, and the old city with its narrow streets and ancient mosques. No doubt many of you will want to do some shopping; though in truth that doesn’t require much effort as on the lakes the hawkers – of flowers, jewellery, pashminas etc – come to you. For the really energetic there’s always a round of golf to consider on one of India’s best courses. Each day we will eat on the houseboat, sampling the delicious cuisine. |
| Day 10: | Srinigar – Delhi. Morning free and after an early lunch we will fly to Delhi at 1500 and check into our hotel. A couple of hours free for a swim and last look around before heading down to have dinner at the spectacular open-air rooftop Bistro restaurant in Hauz Kass – considered the best restaurant in Delhi – surrounded by floodlit Moghul ruins. |
| Day 11: | Delhi – UK. After breakfast depart for airport for 1330 flight back to the UK, arriving at 1800. |
what this trip includes
Trips are on full board basis, and include transport as outlined in itinerary, twin-share accommodation, mineral water and entrance fees. how this holiday makes a difference
 In India we have developed unique relationships with many people, some of whom help us with our tours, others that simply live in the different regions to which we travel and through. Through our form of interactive, socially conscious tourism we have helped them adapt to the modern, changing world by providing an important additional income. In addition we sponsor the following projects: In Ladakh the “Ladakh Project” has brought solar lighting to families in the remote Nubra Valley; enabling them to grow and harvest crops and stockpile supplies to get them through the harsh winters. In arid Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, we have implemented tree planting schemes (a hands on experience for some of our trips!) as well as helping directly with the financing of rural village schools.In Calcutta we support the Hope Foundation, an organisation devoted to helping and improving the living conditions of street children by offering education, health services and nutrition and to help give them a better chance in life. All our tours employ the services of local guides and drivers, stay in locally owned hotels and guesthouses – often staying in our guides villages and homes, which again diverts important funds directly into the area. The wonderful thing about this kind of interactive tourism is that everyone gains – the locals financially, and our clients with the unique experience and social interaction. When you take one of our trips, we make a contribution to “Carbon Clear” – an organisation who work with hundreds of organisations to measure their carbon footprint and reduce their carbon emissions. We also support several NGOs around the world such as the TESFA community project in Ethiopia, A-Cet and Adopt-A-Minefield, which are all carefully selected to improve the standard of living for the communities we visit. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |
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