Great Indian Himalayas

The Great Himalayan mountain ranges running from India's north to east have fascinated scholars, poets, writers, painters, photographers and adventure sports lovers alike. The Himalayas have been protecting and bestowing many boons to India since ages. They are also regarded as the eastern sentinels of India. The Himalayas stretches to a length of about 2400 km, from Nanga Parbat in the west to Namche Barwa in the east. The width of the Himalayas vary between 250-300 km.

Geographically, the Himalayas consist of three ranges. The Sub-Himalayan range (Shivalik mountains in India) are the youngest ranges having an elevation of about 1200 metres. The ranges are made of erosion material from the rising Himalayas. Next are the Lower Himalayan Ranges that run parallel to the Sub-Himalayan ranges. They are at elevations between 2000 to 5000 metres. A number of hill stations in India likShimla, Nainital and Darjeeling are located in these ranges. The northernmost ranges, oldest of the three are called Higher Himalayas. They have an elevation of more than 6000 metres and some of the world's highest peaks are located there. This includes the three highest-Mount Everest, K2 and Kanchenjunga.

Vegetation in the Himalayan ranges vary with climate and altitude. The Sub-Himalayan ranges mainly have deciduous forests. The vegetation shifts ttemperate forests, conifers and tundra in the Higher Himalayan ranges. The topmost regions have a permanent snow line and does not allow any growth of vegetation. Evergreen rainforests could be seen in the far eastern Himalayas.

The Himalayas are among the youngest mountain ranges on the planet. The theory of plate tectonics reveal that the Himalayas were formed as a result of continental collision along the convergent boundary between the Indo-Australian Plate and Eurasian Plate.

Indian states lying mostly in the Himalayas are Jammu&Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttaranchal, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh.

Himalayas in Kashmir : Perched on the lap of Himalayas are many beautiful destinations of Kashmir. The magnificent snow capped mountain peaks running through Kashmir have earned the state the name jannat or heaven. The Himalayas have also resulted in Kashmir turning into a major hub for mountaineering and trekking. The main mountaineering destinations are Ladakh, Nubra region, Zanskar region and Kishtwar. Trekking expeditions are mainly organized in Amarnath, Gulmarg, Sonmarg and Ladakh.

Himalayas in Himachal : Himalayas have gifted to Himachal many picturesque hill stations. Places that are thronged by people from both India and abroad. The snow capped peaks could be seen from very close quarters in Himachal. The popular hill stations are Shimla, Kullu, Manali, Dalhousie, Dharamshala and Chamba. In the Himalayas, mountaineering and trekking cannot be far behind. Mountaineering and trekking mainly takes place in Kangra, Chamba, Kulu, Lahul -Spiti and Kinnaur.

Himalayas in Uttaranchal : The Himalayas in Uttaranchal are visited for pilgrimage, adventure and holidaying. Some of India's most sacred pilgrimage sites are perched on the Garhwal Himalayas. Haridwar, Rishikesh, Badrinath, Gangotri, Yamunotri and Kedarnath have been visited by saints, sages and ordinary mortals sine many centuries. Dehradun, Mussorie, Almora and Nainital are popular hill stations in the Himalayan region. Corbett and Nanda Devi are two wildlife sanctuaries located on the foothills of the Himalayas. Mountaineering in Uttaranchal mainly involves taming the challenging Nanda Devi and Mount Shivalik ranges. Joshimath and Gangotri valley are also popular mountaineering destinations. Some of the favourite trekking routes in the state are Gangotri-Kalindikhal-Badrinath trek, Roopkund-Homekund trek, Dodital-Darba Pass-Yamnotri trek and Garhwal-Panwati Kantha trek.

Himalayas in Sikkim : Almost the whole of tiny Sikkim is perched on the lap of Himalayas. Some of the most beautiful hill stations of eastern India are found here. They include Gangtok, Kalimpong, Kurseong and Mirik. In the Himalayan ranges, Buddhism has also flourished in a big way. Many beautiful Buddhist monasteries also dot the landscape of Sikkim. Some of the popular peaks in Sikkim for mountaineering are Talung, Jonsong and Tent, all of which are above 24,000 feet.

Himalayas in Arunachal Pradesh : If the Himalayan ranges have to be seen in their most virgin form, one must visit India's far eastern state of Arunachal Pradesh. The landscape of Arunachal enthralls one and all. Tawang is Arunachal's most popular hill station perched in high altitudes. One of India's largest Buddhist monasteries is also located in the place.

Great Indian Himalayas Tour Packages

	Himalayan Flowers & Villages (15 Days) Highlights : Himalaya, Lahoul-Spiti, Miyar Nullah, Chandrabhaga, Rothang Pass, Udeypur Village, Urgos Monastery, Gumbah Glacial Valley, Miyar Glacier.

	Himalaya & Rajasthan Explorer (06 Weeks) Highlights : Rhinos, Tigers, Royal Chitwan National Park, Rat Temples, Rock-Hewn Caves, Taj Mahal, Amber Fort, Meharangarth Fort, Lake Pichola, Caves of Ellora and Ajanta, Western Ghats.

	Yoga In The Himalayas ( 15 Days) Highlights : Yoga at View Point, Corbett National Park, Nanda Devi, Naini Peak, Binsar Bird Sanctuary, Neelkanth, Rudraprayag.

	Darjeeling, Sikkim & Kanchenjunga Highlights : Natural walks along the landscape of Darjeeling, Sikkim and Kanchenjunga. Visit popular monasteries of Sikkim.