ASIA NORTHERN INDIA DESTINATIONS


ASK THE EXPERTS


ABOVE: Kangchenjunga mountain range LEFT: Rishikesh, on the banks of the Ganges


Meghan Verbeek, destination manager, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bhutan, Intrepid Travel “Made up of mountainous, forested terrain, the Uttarakhand province is stunningly beautiful, with an array of


(the spelling is intentional, to avoid confusion with UK-based rivals), is a rambling mansion and former boarding house for British tea planters. It’s an explosion of Britishness: antique telephones, afternoon tea served by frilly apron-wearing waitresses and Sunday lunches with all the trimmings. I plump for a trek with Darjeeling’s


top local activity provider, Adventures Unlimited, set up by Irish ex-pat Catherine Canavan and her Nepalese husband Gautam. They don’t currently pay commission to agents, but are a useful source of local knowledge for clients who want to add a bit of activity to an independent Indian adventure. Canavan tells me that although


most customers come to trek, their bicycle-based excursions are proving increasingly popular, as are their motorbike tours. But it’s the trekking I’m here for. I rise early and meet my guide, Tenzi,


before driving to Maneybhanjang, near the Nepalese border, where he registers my passport to allow me to hike into Nepal. At nearby Dhotrey, we enjoy a breakfast of dumplings and


tea, served by a woollen hat-wearing Nepalese woman whose breath I can see in the cold morning air. We set off along a path winding


through forests of japonica trees, planted by the British who exported tea in crates made from this wood. Tenzi hands me sprigs of wild garlic to sniff, points out bright red rhododendrons and wild strawberries, and chats to local boys slicing off lengths of bamboo to sell to hikers as walking sticks. We pass Tonglu, both a hamlet and a peak in the Singalila mountain range. In the 19th century, British botanist Joseph Hooker came here to collect specimens for Kew Gardens. We cross into Nepal and I spot a


tiny white building adorned with Buddhist prayer flags. Tenzi opens the door to show me a beautiful, spinning prayer wheel, and over lunch we look at photos of animals he’s spotted on this route – red pandas, panthers and bears among them. After 12 miles, the trek ends. I


collapse into the jeep, only to be woken by Tenzi urging me to look out the


window. The mist has cleared to reveal the distant outline of Kangchenjunga, on the India-Nepal border. It’s the world’s third-highest mountain. Using my camera zoom, I can clearly see its deep crevasses and magnificent, snow-covered mountain ridges. Who needs Everest?


When to go


Northern India’s climate is incredibly varied. The best time for rafting near Rishikesh is between September and November. Activities are largely suspended during monsoon season, from July to September. Many trekkers visit this part


of India during spring and early summer, when temperatures vary between 20C and 35C. The best time to trek in Darjeeling is between October and March, when visibility is good. Between April and June, expect highs of around 25C, with occasional rainfall.


Glyn Thorneloe, product manager, Explore “Darjeeling, famous for its tea, boasts awesome views of the Himalayas and has a unique atmosphere thanks to a mixture of influences from nearby Bhutan and Nepal. A visit to Darjeeling is a highlight on any trip to northern India.”


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opportunities for active travellers. The Himalayan peaks and glaciers are what the area is known for, and there are amazing opportunities to hike or cycle. And a trip wouldn’t be complete without a yoga and meditation experience.”


PICTURES: SHUTTERSTOCK


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