WHEN TO VISIT THE HIMALAYA
Trekking starts in late May and ends in late October. Although the Himalaya is affected by the monsoon we are able to operate throughout the period. In July & August when the monsoon is at its worst we concentrate our activities in Lahaul, Zanskar & Leh, which are in the rain shadow formed by the Pir Panjal range and the great Himalaya.

FITNESS   Misconceptions persist that one has to be trained mountaineer, or possess special skills. WRONG. As long as you are in a reasonable physical shape and exercise regularly, there is no reason why you should not enjoy one of our treks. The high altitude ones that take you over 14000' do demand an extra bit of fitness and confidence. Otherwise there have been people coming on trek straight out of an office. A bit of warming up before coming out would however help.     THE TREK   Before sun is up at 6.00 a.m. a cheerful porter wakes you up with a cup of bed tea ; that is if chirping of birds has not already woken you. Hot water to wash follows, and by the time you've dressed and packed, breakfast is ready around 7.00 a.m. We start our trek between 7.30 to 8.00 a.m. The walking is leisurely with breaks that allow you to use your cameras or investigate any of the exotic vegetation you see. Packed lunch on trek and, after about 40 minutes rest, we move onto camp which is normally reached by afternoon. A cup of tea and you have the time to relax, catch up with diaries, read or go exploring. Tea again in the evening, hot water to freshen up, soup, and a 'chota peg' or two before dinner. By the time you have finished, there is a log fire blazing away inviting you to its warmth. The daily stages are not long or tiring as total walking done is about 6 - 7 hours a day. In high altitude treks, the stages are slightly longer on occasion, and the start may be earlier at times if a river crossing is involved.     TREK ALTERATIONS   An itinerary may have to be changed when a road has been washed away, a bridge damaged, or the pass blocked due to late winter. For the sake of adventure take this in your stride and as part of your holiday.     MEDICAL   Insurance for sickness and accident is must. Travelling to India necessitates inoculations for typhoid & para typhoid, cholera and hepatitis. Your polio and tetanus shots must be up to date. Malaria tablets should be carried and taken as advised by the doctor. Remember on trek you are going to be away from hospitals. In case of anyone having to be evacuated from trek we would send you back with a porter to the nearest roadhead to be taken to a hospital. For non-serious patients a horse will be usually be available. There are big hospitals in all the towns of India.     FACILITIES   On trek we provide everything from the service of trained porters and guides to tents, sleeping bags, mattresses, pillows, kitchen utensils and all your food. Off trek you stay in comfortable hotels and guesthouses with complete board and lodging except in Delhi which includes breakfast only. Road transport is also included in the quote. In case of an international flight being late into Delhi a comfortable deluxe coach is kept at standby to transport you to Chandigarh. Every effort is made to see that your trip is a memorable one and any alteration, if any, is done in such a manner that the tour stays smooth.     WHAT YOU CARRY ON TREK   Small Haversack containing ; Waterproof Jacket, light Pullover, sun cream, Dark glasses, Camera and water bottle.     WHAT THE PONNIES CARRY A large zipped bag which should contain (maximum of 15 Kgs) Toiletries Toilet paper 3 Cotton shirts 3 prs cotton trousers 3 prs stockings 1 pr trainers 2 towels 3 prs under wear 1 heavy jacket (for high altitude treks) 1 pair Long Johns (for high altitude treks) 1 pullover / light jacket Hat Few clothes pegs strings 1 pr trekking boots Sleeping bag (you can borrow one) Torch First aid box   TIPS   Definitely not obligatory but we are very often asked for suggestions. A normal tip would be about UKP 10 / USD 20 per person to be collected and disbursed at the end of the tour or trek.