Limitless deserts, thriving jungles, prosperous rivers and breathtaking views – with every step you take on the Markha Valley Trek you are introduced to nature, beauty, adventure and a heap of emotions felt never before.

With its trail taking you through the Hemis National Park where there’s a good chance you’ll spot a snow leopard to further heading to tiny Himalayan hamlets with huge parachute tents and a unique Buddhist culture to finally crossing high mountain passes that offer you views so enchanting that you almost never want to leave, the Markha Valley Trek has it all!

So if you’re planning your next trekking adventure, look no further! Here are 5 Unbeatable Reasons to do the Markha Valley Trek this summer.

Explore Diverse Landscapes
Unlike the numerous treks that take you through forests or arid deserts of the region, the Markha Valley trek introduces you to landscapes along flowing rivers, green pastures, scenic valleys, and flourishing national parks, and bone-dry desert expanses. On this trek, you will experience excitement – when you spot a snow leopard; hardship -when you cross stretches of the waist-deep Markha River; peace -when you take a stop at the confluence of Indus and Zinchen Rivers; thrill -when you conquer over 17,000 feet at Kongmaru La Pass.

Trek Ladakh Today
Trek Ladakh Today!

Discover Ancient Buddhist Villages
The Markha Valley Trek takes you through some diverse landscapes and while most of the hike is shadowed by wilderness, there will be days when you will stop by tiny mountain hamlets. Trek through scenic landscapes and pass along river banks; meet the region’s locals and come face-to- face with religious shrines at Lhatos and confront the Mani walls. Mani walls are stone structures that are formed by the compilation of intricately carved stone tablets mostly with the inscription of ‘Om Mani Padme Hum’ loosely meaning ‘ Hail to the jewel
in the lotus’.

Hike through the villages of Umlung and Hangskar. Much like an eagle nest perched on the tallest tree, the Techa Monastery in Umlung is one of the highest located monasteries and is easily a 1000 years old. Although Umlung offers the comforts of a monastery and a handful of homestays, a visit to Hangskar (the last hamlet in the valley) with its ever welcoming locals and their hot butter tea is a reward in itself. Some of the other villages that you will pass by during the Markha Valley Trek are Spituk, Shingo, and Siku among others.

An Encounter with the Wild
One of the best parts of about the Markha Valley trek is that it takes you through the charming Hemis National Park. Best known for having the highest density of snow leopard in any protected area in the world,
the Hemis National Park with its large population of rare species of wildlife is arguably one of the best parts of this trek. Tibetan wolves, red foxes, Eurasian brown bears and Asiatic ibexes – they are all here. But that’s not all – the region also boasts of being the only habitat of the Shapu in India and is also home to the mountain weasel and the Himalayan mouse. The park is also a bird watcher’s paradise and visitors are often lucky to spot the Lammergeier vulture, the fork-tailed swift, Fire-fronted serin and Tibetan snowfinch in their natural habitat.

Camping in Ladakh
Camping in Ladakh

Live in Parachute Tents
The Markha Valley trek is also known as the ‘tea house trek’, takes you through diverse terrains and arid deserts but that’s not the only fun part of this excursion. While the villages on the trail have ample homestays that provide the comfort of a home away from home, this adventure also lets you have the experience of camping in parachute
tents. These parachute tents are massive tents where you camp the night with your entire group. Fun much? Oh, you have to experience it to know how much!

Be an Achiever
The trek begins from the green landscapes of the Hemis National Park but don’t let the lush environs fool you, this is just the beginning. The Markha Valley trek takes you through striking contrasts. Trek through the land masses with powerful rivers that are knee-deep if not more and pass through rocky canyons to reach the towering peaks of
Ganda La at 15748 feet, and Kongmaru La at 17060 feet. Reach the top and be welcomed by breathtaking views of Ladakh and the Zanskar ranges. It’s a superlative achievement that feels a million times better
than it reads.

In Leh
In Leh

It’s not every day that you come across a trek that offers an out-an-out Ladakhi experience. Raw and natural beauty, exciting adventure, the Buddhist culture, the local food, and the warm hospitality of the people
– everything’s covered.

This trip is everything that dream vacations to Ladakh are made of, and if it resonates with your idea of adventure, let there be no place else you head this summer.

Off late, have you been cancelling your holiday plans because everyone around you is too busy to accompany you on the trips? Then, it is high time that you stop postponing your plans and do what you have only imagined in your thoughts all these years – solo travelling. At first, the whole idea of travelling alone might give you a few jitters, but trust me, as you start thinking more about it, all the doubts and negative thoughts would simply fade away. And, once you clear that stage, you are ready for the adventure called Solo Travel. But before you embark on such a trip, first you need to decide on your destination. So, read on and know about some of the top destinations in India, where you can travel completely on your own.

“Surely, of all the wonders of the world, the horizon is the greatest.” ― Freya Stark

This line pretty much sums up the kind of person Freya Stark was. She believed in travelling unimaginable distances, seeing endless possibilities, even when most could see none. For those of you, who don’t know who this wonderful woman was, she was a British-Italian traveller and explorer, renowned for her writings about the Middle East. Her parents are known to have been quite liberal, resulting in her knowing numerous languages as a child, even though she never went to school.

Sometimes, I wonder how it would feel like to reach the top of the highest peak in the world – Mount Everest. I know it would be gruelling, challenging and painstaking to achieve this feat, but somewhere in my heart, I have promised myself to give it a try once in my life. Ever since I saw a picture of the mighty Himalayas in a school magazine, I have aspired to explore this majestic mountain range.

Like any other kid, holidays meant a lot to me, especially when my family planned vacations to the hill stations nestled in the lap of the Himalayas. The snow-clad peaks, the rocky terrain and gushing rivers of this mountain range always enchanted me and kept me asking for more.

Over the years, I have been lucky enough to explore many Himalayan destinations in India. My favourites have always been Auli, Manali, Shimla and Gulmarg, but I can assure you that the rest are as brilliant as these. I have plans to make a trip to Bhutan and Nepal in the future to explore more of this natural wonder called the Himalayas. Besides enjoying the vistas of these mountains, another thing that compels me to go to this part of the world are the several adventure sports one can indulge in. Trekking, rock climbing, mountaineering and rafting are some activities that I love to take part in, in these mountains.

Even though it is hard to choose among the best, but as per my experience and future aspirations, here is a list of the 10 most exciting destinations in the Himalayas.

“Islands are metaphors of the heart, no matter what poet says otherwise.” – Jeanette Winterson

The famous English writer gets it. She understands that more than poetry, what makes a soul sing is the sense of serenity one can only find on islands. Living on a piece of land, bounded by water, is inherently blissful in its own way. This might not sound very appealing to those who do not like the sound of water crashing against rocks or the sublime climate of an island. However, I, for one, am convinced that the possibility of anyone disliking these two things is extremely low. Islands are heaven in disguise after all! From honeymoons to get away with friends, a visit to Indian islands is always memorable. For the lone wolves out there, who want to explore on their own, these islands serve as great opportunities to indulge in unforgettable experiences. If your thoughts about escaping to islands echo my evident bias towards them, you have found just the right page. Read on to find out more about the mesmerising islands, which are situated in different parts of India.

Do you often find yourself engrossed in picture-perfect images of vacation spots? Does travelling get your heart racing? Do you get the feeling to leave your job and explore the world? If you have answered yes to all these questions, then you have landed on just the right page. Here is a list of all the fun activities you can do and all the amazing places you can go to, categorised on the basis of which month of the year it is. All you have to do is pack your bags, call up your besties and head out to experience what the world has to offer. You could even lose the buddy angle if flying solo is more like your style. In a group or alone, however you decide to travel, your soul will thank you for it.

“Travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer.”— Anonymous

Life in the 20s is like a fast roller-coaster ride with many unexpected highs and lows, but what brews between these and a decade is something magical, something so beautiful that we crave for it all our lives. Unless, one knows how to time travel! Since that’s unlikely to happen, the best we could do is to make these 10 years so exciting and adventurous that we move to the next phase of our lives with truck loads of wonderful memories. And to create such fantastic memories for a lifetime, nothing can be better than adventure travelling with our best buddies.

Read on and find out about best adventure trips to take in your 20s with your best buddies.

Some memories are etched in our minds so deep that they remain with us for the lifetime! And one such wonderful memory of mine is that of my journey along the Hindustan Tibet Road with my favourite group of friends. It was my friend’s idea to take this road trip. Initially, we all were a bit apprehensive, but finally all of us agreed; glad that we did!

Constructed in 1850, the Hindustan-Tibet road or National Highway 22 is probably one of the most impressive feats of human endeavour, and one needs to drive through it to actually understand it. This road starts from Ambala in Haryana and passes through Chandigarh, Shimla and Spiti Valley, before finally winding down at the village of Khab on the border with Tibet. This road, especially as one drives high into the mountains, is probably one of the most treacherous ones in the world.

“The gladdest moment in human life, methinks, is a departure into unknown lands.” – Sir Richard Burton

A recent phone conversation with a long-time friend had me wondering about travelling as a lifestyle. This friend of mine has turned into an avid traveller and I am not surprised; he always had that adventurous inclination. What surprised me was the fact that he is still a student and his parents do not financially support his passion. Surely, the question that how do some people travel all year round without holding a permanent job must arise in your mind too. The answer lies in what my friend said when I enquired about it. He plainly said, “I work while I travel”. Upon a bit of research, I found out that to make money while travelling has been gaining immense popularity, as I write this and you read it. Travelling is unarguably the latest form of soul-searching. Travelling, as a way of seeking peace, contentment and growth, is turning into a passion for our generation.

If you ever happened to bump into me at my house, you would probably find me watching TLC, NDTV Good Times or any other travel-related channel or programme on the TV. The reason being, I just love to travel. I utilise the smallest little break I get from work, and head out. I was lucky enough to go to a school, which organised trips and outings regularly, and I took many of these opportunities to go places I had never been to. And believe me; it was worth it every time. I haven’t been to any international destination yet, but who needs such places when your own country has so much. Mountains, forests, sea, lakes, rivers, desert…what can you not find here?

And I don’t really need to dwell on the fact that the diversity of people you see here is mind boggling. New places, new scenes, new people and new experiences make me want to go out again, the moment I return from a trip. So, “Don’t wait for the grass to grow”, plan a trip and “Just do it.” When you come back, be sure to share your stories and of course, pictures! Now, enjoying your tour is obviously the most important thing, but so is to stay fit while travelling. Many people, who travel a lot, either fall sick often or gain weight, due to change in climate and place, and different eating habits and patterns.

Remember the famous quote by Saint Augustine, “The world is a book, and those, who don’t travel, read only a page”? Man, was he right?

For most of us, what we have seen around us is our world. And that includes all the things we have seen on TV, read about in magazines or newspapers, or heard from others. Though, most of them try to give us as true a picture as possible, something always seems missing. It is the experience that these informative pieces fail to deliver. And, why would they not? We cannot feel through words (it is possible only in romantic poems or movies). For example, if someone were to tell you, “I could feel the wind on my face”, would you be able to feel it? No. Right?

For a first-hand experience, you have to get off your seat, and TRAVEL. Stop whining; stop complaining that planning a tour is painstaking or that you are too lazy to do it. Got a laptop, mobile or desktop with a working internet connecting? USE IT. Do a bit of research, read a few blogs and plan a trip… Just try not making the following travelling mistakes that most people do, and you will be just fine. Or we may say just follow the 10 Commandments of Travelling, and that’s all.
 

Have you been spending loads in the gym to get your body in shape, but feel bored by the stereotypical routine and exercises? There is another way you can do it, and it would be a lot better than the gym – Trekking! Yeah, that’s right! Hiking/Trekking is an excellent way to keep yourself up and running. It gives you the chance to exercise in natural conditions, unlike those simulated ones in the gym like on a boring treadmill. Ascending cliffs with the oxygen level decreasing as you go higher will tone up your body like nothing else.

Be glad you are in India as the hilly terrain in the northern part gives you endless opportunities for hiking. There are trails aplenty that you could take through the mountains. Consider the blast of cultures that will take you over as you journey past scenic hamlets, and you have got yourselves a fiesta. The famous children’s author, JRR Tolkien said in the Lord of the Rings, “All those who wander are not lost”, and he was right. Wandering endlessly does not always take you far from everything, but closer to yourself.

There are treks that vary in difficulty and altitude, and you can go in an increasing order to get your body used to it and prepared for the next challenge. In order to prepare for these treks, all you got to do is to start with brisk walks, jogging, climbing stairs and some breathing exercises. This should get you ready for the easy treks, and a few easy treks would set you in motion for the tougher ones. A couple of these every year would guarantee overall fitness. Bunk gym and go trekking for a healthy life. Here is a description of some treks and the sort of workout they will give you, arranged in the increasing order of difficulty.

Travelling in recent times has become a part and parcel of our lives. Each one of us travels for some reason or the other – be it for work, soul searching, to gain knowledge or just fun and leisure. Travelling inspires me to be culturally aware, be more tolerant about the world and its people, and instills in me the sense to be committed towards the environment. However in today’s global tourism industry, even though people are getting more aware of the benefits of travelling, they are exploiting the natural environment.

It is easy to be a tourist, to travel from one place to another, see new places and have new experiences. What is not easy is to be a responsible traveller, and embrace the power in us to help transform the way the world travels! While travelling responsibly is important on each and every sojourn, it becomes all the more vital while travelling to the mountains and other remote places. These are the places less explored, less visited, less inhabited. These are the places that have, to a great extent, managed to retain their pristine beauty, and it becomes our moral responsibility to make sure that it stays maintained.

Trekking is one such activity where you come in close contact with nature for many days. You trek through valleys, forests, meadows; cross rivers, streams and lakes; camp on many untouched spots, and reach high altitudes. The chances of leaving a lasting impression on your natural surroundings increase manifold on such trips. So it becomes absolutely necessary to be aware about the kind of places you are going to, the flora and fauna, the things you need to carry in order to not harm the environment, about the local communities and how you can contribute to making lives easier for them.

As adolescents, probably we all have imagined ourselves flying in the blue sky among the white clouds and watching all the glory of the world from up above; just like the birds. Isn’t it? We all desired so, maybe because we associated a sense of freedom with it, and probably we felt an adrenaline rush just by thinking about it.

Today, after so many years, if you are still unable to put that desire down, then just don’t, because now you can actually realise it. How? Well, today a number of aerial activities are being organised all over India by professionals, who guarantee to give you some of the most adventurous moments of your life, assuring safety and top quality. Read on to know more about these sports, and where and how they are offered. See India from the air with us.

Paragliding
Paragliding is an adventure sport, where one flies with the help of a fabric wing which is connected to what is called a canopy or paraglider. Weather, especially wind, plays an important role in this activity as depending on it the launch of a glider is possible. Therefore, most launches are made from a height, where it is not only easy to ascertain the wind flow patterns, but also gives the flier the opportunity to glide a certain distance before reaching the ground and if possible enter thermals (rising currents of air) to climb high, sometimes much higher than the take-off spot. This sport is offered at different places in the country, but there are some places where it can be enjoyed the most, and these are Kamshet, Maharashtra and Bir Billing, Himachal Pradesh. For amateurs or first timers, tandem paragliding is the best option as the flying of the glider is taken care of by the pilot while they enjoy the view from the passenger’s seat. Those interested in becoming paragliding pilots can do so by taking certified courses offered by reputed paragliding institutes.

I have always travelled with my close friends, but this time I wanted to explore the world from a different perspective and travel solo. At first, it felt like a challenge to me more than a dream come true, it was like some big mission I had to accomplish! The scepticism delayed my plans. I started to feel like travelling alone and that too being a woman was a taboo. But then I had to break the barriers and do what I felt was right.

And then the magic happened! I found myself lying under the inky blue sky clustered with stars in the Spiti Valley. The solitaires of sky were shining bright above the snowy mountains! My luck took me there on a full moon night which made the mountains appear like silver. This is one experience I can never ever forget! Until now, I was scared of darkness. But out there under the starry sky which seemed like a painting of Van Gogh, I learned that there is more to night beyond darkness. The temperature was 8 degrees below zero, and I took out my warmest shawl which I had bought from Nagaland, and sat outside the tent for a few more minutes just to take in the exquisite beauty of the starry sky! I was lost deep in my thoughts and suddenly, I realized that I was all alone there and I had done it!

Chocolate colored mountains from the Spiti Valley - One of my first clicks on my first solo trip!
Chocolate colored mountains from the Spiti Valley – One of my first clicks on my first ever solo trip!

Goa has been my absolute favorite holiday destination ever since I first set foot in this gorgeous land of sun, sand and sea more than a decade ago. Every visit here has been like one big never ending party. In fact Goa has been and continues to be more than just a destination – It is an experience, a stress-buster, a guilty pleasure!

Goa offers gleeful peace in the middle of chaotically bustling markets; it gives me a sense of belonging amidst foreign faces on a crowded beach. It is a place of happy contradictions! During all of my visits to this party place, I have lived not like a tourist, but someone who has decided to make it her home for a few weeks. I have wandered its streets aimlessly, bought fruits from the local markets, made friends with the shack owners, and spent hour after hour getting myself tanned. It is a long distance love affair that continues successfully to this day.

Even though I have seen Goa in its many shades, I have restricted myself to the beaches, markets and churches of North Goa, not particularly exploring the many facets that add to the glory of this place.

Well, it is difficult to think of Goa beyond beaches, isn’t it? But it’s not impossible! When you get to know that there are other experiences on offer here, that will take you deep in the sea or high in the air then you will perceive Goa as more than just a beach destination! And I am anyway looking for reasons to plan another visit to my favorite vacation spot!

Cocktails and Dreams! pretty much sums it up!
Cocktails and Dreams! pretty much sums it up!

Let’s discover some of the most mesmerising natural wonders of India! These wonders will make you wonder, “How is it even possible?” Travel to these places and find out what’s the story behind them! I bet they will enchant you!

Lonar Crater Lake
Lonar Crater Lake has an interesting formation which is believed to be formed by a meteorite hitting earth 50000 years ago! It’s the world’s oldest meteoric crater lake and third largest in size. This highly saline and alkaline lake will fascinate you with its unique flora and fauna! It’s one of the most amazing natural wonders of India.
Location: Buldhana district, Maharashtra

A self-drive tour is an amazing way to explore a destination with freedom and flexibility. Travellers try to find adventure in the trips and they like experimenting with new destinations. In India people are looking for more flexible and adventurous tourism products like Self-drive tours. It is very popular among the travelers in Europe and US, but now it is gaining popularity among Indian travellers who travel abroad as well as in India.

Self-drive road trip is an old concept abroad but it has started recently in India. According to Mumbai’s RTO, applications for International driving license have gone up by 25% in past one year. There are at least 9 countries where you can drive with your Indian driving license. But you can drive only the type of vehicle you drive in India, so it’s better to opt for an international driving license while travelling abroad. The number is increasing as many Indian travellers look for more freedom and flexibility during their trips and do not want a set schedule.

A drive through heaven on earth - Kashmir
A drive through heaven on earth – Kashmir

Blue, green and brown were my most used pastel colours all through my childhood not knowing that these colours will forever leave firm imprints on my life. I am a total hill person. I love anything and everything about mountains, clear blue skies, vast green meadows and dense forests. I don’t remember what kick started this love but it’s there now for a while and one thing that I am sure of is that it will last till my legs give away. I often venture out to high altitude terrains to move away from the dust and pollution of city life, sometimes to take a break from repetitive and boring life and mostly to have some private exclusive time with the mountains. Mountains have given more than have taken from me. Here are my five life lessons or the 5 things I learned from my trekking experiences – 

1. You can’t succeed if you don’t try. You could only fail if you didn’t try
I have been a reader and traveler since childhood and was automatically drawn towards mountains and their beauty. Often times reading several adventure series and travel books made me wonder if I could also embark on such journeys! What would it be like treading difficult paths like these amazing men did? I used to underestimate myself thinking I can never scale such heights till I made up my mind one day to give it a shot and there hasn’t been any stopping since then.

At Tumling - From my first trek to Sandakphu and Phalut
At Tumling – From my first trek to Sandakphu and Phalut