Indian Himalaya

The Himalaya is the world's mightiest mountain system, containing nine of Earth's ten highest peaks and stretching more than 2,500 km (1,500 mi) across India, Nepal, Bhutan, Tibet and Pakistan. Long associated with great adventurers and mountaineers, this is a region like no other: remote, majestic and romantic.

For the people of the Indian Himalaya, the mountain range continues to dominate their lives as it has always done, and marks the divide between three of Asia's most important religions - Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism. It's the combination of awe-inspiring wilderness, ancient cultures and deep spirituality that makes this region so special.

Whatever your interests or fitness level; take a look at our unique collection of active Indian Himalaya adventure itineraries and start planning your Indian Himalaya adventure.

Spiti Monastery with the Ladakh Range towering behind | Richard I'Anson

About Indian Himalaya

Garry Weare

Garry has been involved with World Expeditions since its inception in the mid 1970s. He is a recognised authority on the Indian Himalaya with his intimate knowledge of the region documented in the Lonely Planet guidebook 'Trekking in the Indian Himalaya' now in its 5th edition. He is also a founding director of the Australian Himalayan Foundation.

Jono Lineen

Jon has been at the cutting edge of world adventure for 33 years. Jon reached the summit of Everest alone and completed first ascents of extreme new routes in the Himalaya. An accomplished polar explorer, Jon was the first Australian to trek to both poles with Eric Philips. The culmination of Jon's dedication to adventure was his unsupported traverse of Australia in 2001, where he completed the first unsupported walk to the geographic centre of Australia.

Kate Leeming

Kate is an extraordinary adventurer who has cycled the width of Africa - some 22,000kms from Senegal to Somalia - pedalled 25,000km around Australia and is the first woman to cycle unsupported across 'new' Russia. In more recent times, Kate has turned her focus to cycling in Antarctica. When not trailblazing cycle routes and raising vital funds for many worthy organisations, Kate is a professional real tennis player.

Sanjay Wangchuk

One of our most senior guides, Sanjay has been with us for some 20 years and is a star performer with regard to traveller feedback. Aside from leading many cultural tours in Bhutan he has also led numerous Snowman Treks, which is one of the most strenuous treks in Bhutan. He is an asset to our company and we are certain that travellers will surely enjoy his experience and cultural knowledge of his Bhutanese mother land.

Dr Ross Anderson

Dr Anderson lives with his wife in a small town near the Lakes District in the north of England. He is a Family doctor and spends much of his spare time travelling as an expedition doctor. He has more than 10 years of altitude and travel medicine experience. Previous treks and expeditions have focused on the Himalayas, with others in the Scandinavian Arctic and mountainous areas of Africa. He also enjoys trail running, cycling and open-water swimming.

FAQs

Cycle from Manali to Leh, an outstanding journey that crosses some of the world's highest mountain passes and offers breathtaking Himalayan scenery

Trek deep into the heart of the Nanda Devi, a secluded and seldom-visited region of lush forests, Hindu villages and wildflower-filled meadows

Tackle a challenging trek into the Zanskar valley—an isolated, high-altitute region of dramatic gorges and snow-covered high passes

Experience charming Shimla, the former summer capital of British India and a quintessential Indian hill-station

Sip Kashmiri tea onboard a traditional houseboat on Srinagar’s tranquil Nagin Lake

Spectacular views from the Ganda La Pass on our Markha Valley Trek - <i>Photo: Bruce Gray</i>

India is +5 and a half hours ahead of UTC/GMT

Hindi (41%); Bengali (8.1%); Telugu (7.2%); Marathi (7%); Tamil (5.9%); Urdu (5%); Gujarati (4.5%); Kannada (3.7%); Malayalam (3.2%); Oriya (3.2%); Punjabi (2.8%); Assamese (1.3%); Maithili (1.2%); Other (5.9%), including Kashmiri, Sindhi and Sanskrit

As befitting a nation of such ethnic diversity, India is home to huge linguistic diversity. Most Indians are multilingual and many people speak a great number of different languages

Hindi is India’s most widely spoken and official language, and the primary language of 41% of the population. Along with Hindi are another 22 different official/recognised languages, plus hundreds of other major and minor languages and regional variations/dialects

English is an “associate official language” and India’s most common lingua franca, and is widely spoken in business, law, politics, education and tourism. Hindustani is India’s second most common lingua franca, but is considered technically to be a variation/combination of Hindi/Urdu languages, rather than an official language itself

Indian Rupee

We recommend that you bring US dollars (in cash or travellers cheques) as it is readily accepted over other currencies in India.

Credit cards and ATM are available in most large cities and hotels, however it is not recommended to rely on these solely. Always keep a watch when your card is being processed and please note that you will be surcharged for the use of your card.

Traveller’s cheques may be changed (for a fee) at many hotels. Make sure that you bring some small denominations and keep a separate record of your cheque numbers, to assist with quick replacement should you lose them.

Electricity in India is 230 Volts, at 50 hertz. The most common pin type is C. (2 round prong).

Your safety is our number one concern. Our safety track record is exemplary thanks to careful management and thorough consultation with local partners. Our industry leading risk management procedures have become a skill that we continue to refine. Our leaders in the field are highly trained and have safety as their number one priority. Expert leaders, risk assessments, quality inclusions and your financial security all come standard when you travel with us.

Please refer to our Travel Advisory page for updates on recent events, travel warnings and advice.

We strongly recommend that all clients take out travel insurance at the time of booking to cover against sickness, accident, loss of baggage, unexpected alterations to travel arrangements and travel disruption, emergency evacuation, cancellations, etc. Insurance information is enclosed with your pre-departure information. Please contact us if you would like to obtain a quote for your trip duration.

We suggest that you consult your doctor, local government inoculation centre or a travel medical specialist in order to get the most current advice regarding vaccination requirements.

Money and valuables should always be stored safely when travelling. Keep your passport with you at all times and do not leave it in your main luggage. You will need it to change money and check into hotels. Where safety deposit boxes are available, we recommend that you use them. Keep jewellery and valuables to a minimum.