Himalayan Tours

The Himalayan foothills of North India offer spectacular scenery as well as a wealth of religious shrines and ancient monuments.

Our Himalaya tours explore the region’s gentle green hills and valleys, flower-filled meadows, rushing streams, waterfalls and verdant forests set against a dramatic backdrop of snow-capped peaks.

In addition to the incredible scenery, there are many towns and locations of important cultural and religious heritage in the area. These include the holy Sikh city of Amritsar featuring the Golden Temple, and McLeod Ganj, the present home of the Dalai Lama.

Beautiful Shimla is a nature lover’s paradise, with hills covered in pines and cedars set against a backdrop of Himalayan peaks. Not surprisingly, the town was the summer capital of the British Raj, with many grand colonial houses still standing.

Ladakh in India’s far north is remote but well worth the journey. Its starkly beautiful desert landscape is dotted with age-old monasteries and fluttering prayer flags set amid breathtaking, dramatic mountains. Ladakhi people retain strong Buddhist cultural links with Tibet.

Sikkim in India’s far east is also renowned for its Buddhist traditions as well as its tea plantations and picturesque views of the Himalayan massifs.

To find out more about our range of Himalaya tours in North India and Sikkim, please download our brochure here.

Highlights

Rajasthan and North India

Himalayan Scenery

Spectacular Himalayan Scenery

The northern border of India is dominated by the stunning landscapes of the Himalayan mountain range.

The green foothills of the Himalayas are perfect for gentle walks, exploring Buddhist temples or visiting beautiful Shimla, once the summer capital of the British Raj. Further north into the mountains is the state of Ladakh, with its capital Leh , known as “the city at the top of the world”. Towards the east is the tiny state of Sikkim,with its Buddhist monasteries, terraced tea gardens and amazing views of the high Himalayas.
Amritsar

Holy City of Amritsar

The ancient city of Amritsar was founded in 1577 by Ram Das, a guru of the Sikhs. It was named after a sacred pool, the Amrita Saras, or “Pool of Nectar”.

A Sikh temple was built on an island in the pool and the city became a sacred place of worship for Sikhs both at home and around the world. In the early 19th century, part of the temple was covered in gold foil, and was thereafter called the Golden Temple. This incredible temple is one of the most popular places to visit in India and attracts even more visitors than the Taj Mahal.
Shimla

The splendid colonial city of Shimla

Beautiful, scenic Shimla was the summer capital of the British Raj and still retains many beautiful colonial buildings.

Here you can enjoy incredible viewpoints at every turn, visit historic colonial mansions or simply relax at a luxury boutique hotel. Shimla can be reached by train from Delhi via the Shatabdi Express and then the Toy Train “Himalayan Queen”.
Ancient monasteries of Ladakh

Ancient monasteries and temples of Leh in Ladakh

The mountainous state of Ladakh in far north India is a fascinating land of rugged desert landscapes and snowy peaks.

Its capital, Leh, sits at an altitude of 3,524m above sea level and often called “the city at the top of the world”. Tibetan Buddhism dominates, and ancient monasteries (gompas) perch on rugged hilltops and prayer flags flutter in the wind. Visit the 600 year old Thiksey Monastery or the 14th century Likir Gompa with its priceless paintings.
Hidden kingdom of Sikkim

Hidden kingdom of Sikkim

The tiny state of Sikkim is bordered by Bhutan, Nepal and Tibet and is still relatively unspoiled by tourism.

Although the majority of the people are now Hindu, Buddhist prayer flags and whitewashed chortens are still ubiquitous sights. Sikkim is famous for its terraced tea gardens, Buddhist monasteries such as Rumtek and Pemayagtse and for the word’s third highest mountain, the Himalayan peak of Kanchenjunga which dominates the skyline.

Sample Experiences

The following tours are private, independent and can be easily customised to suit your personal travelling requirements. Please contact us to begin designing your personalised India experience.

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India Himalayas Overview

Why Himalayan Tours: The Himalayas offer some of the most spectacular scenery in the world. In contrast to much of India, this mountainous region has a strong Buddhist influence, and Macleod Ganj in Himachel Pradesh is the headquarters of the Tibetan government in exile as well as the seat of his Holiness the Dalai Lama.

When to Go: The summer months of May – Aug are the best time to visit to the high altitude areas of Ladakh and Himachal Pradesh as this region can be extremely cold in winter, and deep snow renders many mountain passes and valleys impassable. In summer, Shimla and the cool foothills provide welcome respite from the scorching heat of the plains, with April to August being the best time to visit. The best time to visit Amritsar is in winter.

Combine With: Other areas of India such as the Golden Triangle (Delhi, Agra and Jaipur), or with neighbouring Bhutan or Nepal.

Getting There: Shimla can be reached from Delhi by train. Most visitors to Ladakh fly into Leh Airport. For Kumaon and village walks, you can take a train from Delhi to nearby Kathgodam. For Sikkim, fly to Bagdogra.

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