There could be no better way of exploring the natural wonders of the Himalayas than in the most natural way--- on foot. Stretching for almost 1,000 miles, the world’s youngest and loftiest mountains are a treasure house of life. Remote civilization and unique floral and faunal systems thrive here protected by the folds of the mountains and preserved from the onslaught of modernization. Through the edges, traveler’s ascetics and sages have established a network of mountains to the rest of he world. Well developed infrastructure facilities now offer these trails to all those who have the will to go, the curiously to seek and the ability to walk.

Geologically, the Himalayas are still young and growing, said to have been formed only 60 million years ago when a traveling crust of earth from the South Pole collided with Laurasia, folding up the Himalayas. Today, this great mountain system plays an invaluable role in the determining the quality of life on the subcontinent. The mountain range controls the climate of India by holding the monsoons till the appropriate time and protecting the land from the winds of the cold Siberian winter. The snows from the Himalayas feed the perennial northern rivers assuring water and farmland irrigation.

The climate and geological diversity of the Himalayas has led to the creation of an unique eco-system which holds a rich wealth of natural recourses, both living and non-living. The sharp zoning in vegetation types and the resultant habitats are the home of a large assemblage of birds and animals. Himalayan flora is unique. It encompasses forests of all types---tropical swampy forests, deciduous forests, coniferous forests, rhododendron forests, alpine meadows and even hot and cold deserts.

Preparing for Trek

The Success of Himalayan trek can depend largely on your physical fitness, proper equipment and how well prepared you is to venture into unknown areas inhabited by people whose culture and languages are foreign to you. Most Himalayan treks demand 6 to 8 hrs of walking every day. At different altitudes and gradients, this can be a trying task for the physically unfit. It is therefore best to tone up your body systems by exercising for at least an hour and a half every day for three months before you start your trek.

How to trek

You can plan to trek in four ways: alone; with a porter; with a Sardar and a crew; and through a travel agency. Trekking alone is not usually recommended as you will be traveling in unfamiliar areas and will find it difficult to communicate with local villagers without knowing their language. Porters can usually be hired from small towns and villages at the base of the trekking trails. The porter will help you carry your baggage, communicate with the locals and often enlighten you with stories and lore about the region. Hiring a Sardar and a crew is more expensive but worth the money if you want to leave yourself free from all logistical problems.
Try and find a Sardar who has trekking experience and testimonials to prove it. The Sardar will in turn hire the cook and the porters and arrange for the provisions required enroute.

Climate

Climate in the Himalayas is primarily dependent on two factors: elevation and times of year. In any season, be prepared for extremes in temperature, from the very hot to the very cold.
Autumn from Oct to Feb is the best times to trek in India in most areas but March, April and May are also good months for trekking in India

Photography

Most trekkers would like to record their trip on film. Himalayan treks offer a wealth of photographic possibilities and carrying a little extra photography equipment can be worth its weight. Lenses should include a wide angle28-35 mm for building and landscapes, a telephoto 70-200 for unobtrusive portraits and close-ups of mountain peaks. A micro lens will help you photograph flowers and insects of the Himalayas. Carry plenty of films as you will probably end up taking more photographs than you planes

Trekking Insurance

Trekking in the Nanda Devi region is a strenuous actvity and all trekkers are advised to ensure for themselves that they are medically fit before they opt to trek in this region. As a matter of precaution we advise that all foreign participants must be adequately insured before arriving in India. The medical insurance policy must be obtained from an established international insurance company that has a corresponding handling agent in India (for example, Thomas Cook). The policy must cover medical and personal accidents including the cost of air evacuation from high attitudes and subsequent medical treatment. Given the high cost of air evacuation in the Indian Himalaya, we advise all trekkers to obtain medical insurance covers of at least US$ 20000 (Twenty Thousand Dollars) per person for their period of stay in India.

In addition all participants are advised to submit to us upon arrival in India an appropriate medical fitness certificate obtained from a registered medical practitioner in the country of their origin indicating that the individual is fit to go on a high altitude trek, and that he/she has no physical and medical disabilities that would limit him/her from trekking.

In ordet to ensure speedy and timely help during an emergency in a trek, we have contracted Goodman’s Rescue to handle all road and air evacuation cases on our behalf.
For more details viewers are advised to visit http://www.goodmansrescue.com. Although accidents are rare but if something happens, then it must be noted that initially it is difficult to land a helicopter at high altitudes such as Pachu, Milam or Ralam Glacier and an accident victim is generally first brought down to the helipads at Munsyari for transfer to a hospital in Delhi.

Indian trekkers are advised to co-ordinate with Goodmans Rescue for obtaining suitable medical insurance covers while deciding to visit the Nanda Devi region.