paryatan

This is my 4th journey in the Himalayas. Himalayas have always enchanted me. Nature reveals itself in its full bounty here. With diverse topography and variety of distinct flora and fauna, from Dun valleys to towering mountains, from sub tropical forests to alpine meadows, numerous streams, brooks and rivers to snow clad mountains and glaciers , nature decorates itself in varied abundance. The Himalayan mountains extend up to 3500 km passing through 8 countries influencing the culture and livelihoods of millions of people. Apart from the polar regions, Himalayas are the largest reservoir of renewable fresh water in form of snow and glaciers. They are the source of 10 of the largest rivers of Asia and provide for the irrigation, energy and livelihoods of nearly 1.3 billion people downstream. The rich alluvial soils deposited by Himalayan ... read more

Himalayas had always intrigued me. Snowcapped mountains, towering peaks, pristine beauty comparatively untouched by man, mystical places, home to many sages, rare medicinal plants and unpredictable weather had all created a fantasy and longing to visit the world’s tallest mountain range. Being accustomed to the comforts of city life we were not sure if we could handle the difficult terrain and the majesty of the Himalayas. So we decided to start with just 2 dhams instead of the usual 4 dham yatra taken by devoted pilgrims. From Bangalore we took a flight to Dehradun. A local taxi took us to Rishikesh@ Rs.1200. We stayed in Rishikesh for 2-3 days and then hired taxi from a local travel agent. The char dham yatra generally starts with Yamunotri followed by Gangotri , then Kedarnath and finally Badrinath. However ... read more