The recent order by Himachal Pradesh government to allow entry of tourists has put the locals and travellers in a divide. Is this a well thought out move or a case of ‘haste makes waste’? … More Why opening Himachal for Tourism is a bad call for now
This winter season, Uttarakhand Forest Officials set out to protect the state wildlife by bringing in camping regulations. The latest being withdrawal of permission to camp inside Kedarnath Musk Deer Sanctuary. Is this going to help or just a knee jerk reaction? We investigate. … More Why restriction in camping at Deoriatal-Chandrashila trek a good call by Forest Department
We take no pride in listing 5 Himalayan Treks we lost to the bogarting presence of Guided Trekking Companies in 2016. We give a perspective of what Independent Backpackers feel about the overt commercialization of trekking in India. Read on. … More 5 amazing treks we lost to Guided Trekking Companies in 2016
India witnessed the most severe forest fires in a decade this year. Frequent surface fire is a matter of concern. These Forests of Uttarakhand have been repeatedly burned and is subjected to severe environmental damage. .With fresh rainfall, the fires have been completely doused in Uttarakhand. A total of 1,681 forest fires incidents in Uttarakhand, has claimed nine lives and ravaged 3,739 hectares of forest land. Now that the Forest Fires are under control, let’s reflect on 6 important lessons learned from this natural catastrophe. … More 6 lessons to learn from Uttarakhand Forest Fire
The popularity of Guided Trekking in India has seen an upward trend. While many trek organizers have learned the importance of keeping the trail clean, it has not translated into a success. Roopkund Trek is one that needs a breather from commercial trekking. Blatant big sized trekking has taken the shine out of this trekking hotspot. Do we need to rethink the way we trek? Read more to find out. … More Why Guided Trekking in India needs regulations
Chadar got a new level of notoriety for being a difficult trek for everyone. This year January was warmer than usual. The river had a low density of Ice. Water seeping over the Ice was a common sight on many stretches. Trekkers faced a harrowing time negotiating a poorly formed Chadar.
Historically, Chadar develops into its full glory from January on forth. For past couple of years, the trend has changed. Its formation is best seen from last week of January until end of February.
While we hope things to improve at Chadar, we list 4 lessons learned from the current season of Chadar Trek. … More 4 lessons to learn from the current season of Chadar Trek
Swatch Bharat initiative is as relevant for the Himalayan trails as it is for the rest of India. With a record number of people trekking, the waste management is the biggest mountain problem. But then again, mountains don’t create problems, people do.
The mountain waste mess can best be done by “We the People”.
We share with you 3 most inspiring initiatives of this season. We hope these success stories would inspire people to help the cause. … More 3 most inspiring cleaning initiatives on the Himalayan Trails you should know
WANDER THE HIMALAYAS 