The words "the Himalayas" conjure up images of glistening peaks and weather-beaten Sherpas. They paint pictures of Everest and mountaineers and shaggy ill-tempered yaks. It is a profound place of austerity and beauty, of immensity and poverty. It is a place on earth like no other. From the vegetation-rich Kathmandu valley to the heights of the Khumbu and her sisters, or from the closed kingdom of Bhutan to the starkness of Tibet, the Himalayas cross boundaries of culture and experience, demanding tests of spirit, dedication and survival. And despite the physical attractions - white capped mountains, rich flora and fauna, challenging treks through landslides and over rivers - it is the flirtation with the local cultures and people that draws you back.
The Himalayas have long been attractive to travellers, representing a mix of romanticism and mysticism, a potent addition to the imminent physical and spiritual trials that await beyond the foothills. It is a place that contains stories of courage and of darkness: Mallory and Irvine on Everest, the savage creation of Nepal, and the Great Game fought bloodily within its shadows.
Popularised by the hippy trail of the late '60s, it is a region far more accessible than ever. Pakistan, India, Nepal, Tibet and Bhutan offer different entry points into the range, each tempered by their own cultural, economic and religious flavours. Trekkers come for the mountains and the test, others to experience something uniquely meaningful, or perhaps merely stopping by on a trail of their own making. Time and place have a subtle rhythm, dictated by season and environment, indelible upon the people who live there.
Every year the Himalayas attract visitors from every corner of the globe. As a range, it contains eight of the world's tallest mountains, Everest being the most renowned. Kathmandu and Delhi are popular launch points to the region, with the most, if challenging trekking regions accessible. Annapurna, Everest Base Camp, and Ladakh are familiar names to many a foot-sore trekker.
Bhutan and Tibet offer as rich an experience as the above but have restricted access, joining an organised group trek is often the only solution. Independent travel is easily achieved elsewhere and, in conjunction with a porter or guide, can bring greater local interaction.
The best books for the Himalayas
- Nepal, Lonely Planet
- Trekking in the Nepal Himalaya, Lonely Planet
- Into Thin Air, by Jon Krakauer, Pan
- Trekking in Ladakh, Trailblazer
- The Snow Leopard, by Peter Matthiessen, Vintage
- View from the Summit by Sir Edmund Hillary, Corgi
- Trekking in the Annapurna Region, Trailblazer
- Trekking in the Indian Himalaya, Lonely Planet
- Himalaya by Michael Palin, Weidenfeld & Nicolson
Author: Jose Kilbride
Date: 25 January 2007