Best time to visit

The Indian Himalayas are a wonderful place to explore remote mountain villages and hill stations. Pragpur, with its cobbled streets and ancient traditional houses, is the gateway to Dhauladhar range and southern peaks of the Outer Himalayas. Palampur in the Kangra Valley is accessible by the narrow gauge Kangra Valley Railway and known for being as the tea growing capital of North India. And Mandi in the northwest Himalayas is home to 80 shrines and temples representing many different religions. Trekking in the Babha Valley is also second to none.

The Indian wildlife scene is often dominated by the Bengal tiger but when you have both the Himalayas and the snow leopard, the spotlight suddenly swings north. Track snow leopard during winter months when they come down from the seriously frozen peaks in search of food, in Hemis National Park, which is also home to ibex, wolf, blue sheep and lynx. Or head to Kaziranga National Park for another stunning wildlife experience, as two thirds of the world's population of the one-horned rhino thrive in these grasslands.

For a step into the ultimate world of spirituality, a visit to Dharamsala and neighbouring McCloud Ganj takes you to the home of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. It is also home to many exiled Tibetan nuns and monks, as well as exquisite and indeed ethereal environs of cedar forests that creep up as high as they possibly can into the Himalayas.

Underestimate the toughness of these mountains, even in the foothills. Always travel with an expert local guide who knows the route, and ensure that someone knows where you are going. Also, weather can change rapidly in the Himalayas, so always be prepared with the correct layers.

Be culturally blasé. These are remote landscapes with rural villages where religion and culture play important roles. So please dress appropriately – both men and women. No shorts, short skirts and women should keep shoulders covered if in a place of worship. And also be sensitive about taking photographs. Take your time getting to know people first and always ask permission.

Go to Dharamsala and McLeod Ganj without reading up a little about the reasons why people are living in exile here. Even better, when you come back and understand their plight in more detail, you can support Free Tibet, an organisation with a whole host of ongoing campaigns aimed at spreading the word about Tibet and securing the rights of its people. Your next stop can to be to actually visit Tibet of course. Read our Tibet travel guide for more details.

Use plastic water bottles all the time. Plastic is not recycled here, and it never biodegrades at high altitude. One tip is to drink the local fresh apricot juice or sea buckthorn juice. Although for water, the LifeStraw self-filtering water bottles are fabulous. This cuts out the use of plastic bottles completely.

“Fantastic experience especially by the fact the holiday was just tailored for me: it was just me on the trek with a guide, a helper, a horseman & 3 horses... If you like trekking, this is a fantastic peaceful environment for it.” – Emmanuelle Clement on our North India holiday

“Good level of general fitness needed. Don't visit India if all you want to do is change it.” – Olivia Neely in the Punjab

“Listen to your leader and drink plenty of water to avoid altitude sickness. Don't do too much when you first get to Leh in order to acclimatise properly. Enjoy the views!!!... The cultural elements were great too and a brilliant way to acclimatise safely... Leh is a lovely town to start in and you feel you learn about the culture, particularly Buddhism. Don't expect lots of snow peaked mountains, as these are not the Himalayas, but gorgeous none the less!” – Ellie Hawksley, trekking in Ladakh’s Markha Valley

“Make sure you have good telescope, binoculars and camera lenses. Even if you don't see snow leopards, they are needed for the birdlife. Suggest getting a solar powered charger for electrical equipment - they don't weigh much and work really well. Have a care if you suffer from vertigo - you will be climbing up the side of mountains and walking along narrow trails in order to get good vantage points! My most memorable part? Actually being able to watch snow leopards in the wild - the main aim of the trip. We spent nearly 50 hours watching interaction between several different cats including hunting and mating.” – Liz Cooke tracking snow leopard in the Himalayas

“Be aware that the hike to Chamba from Khajjiar involves a final climb partway up the mountain to get to the accommodation.” – Jackie Driver in the Punjab