Har-ki-dun 

Remember, just when you are over the hill, you begin to gather speed

Any distance is walking distance if you have the time and will to walk

Footloose in Himalayas

Trekking in Himalayas is a very joyous experience, there are all sort of people who are walking the length and breadth of Himalayas on their own stream and are as happy as anyone who is on a organized trip. 

The most important aspect in traveling footloose through these mountains is to have a proper food supply chain with you as the local food may not suit your temperament or choice and your body may refuse to accept the local food which is prepared in not very strict hygienic conditions, a proper knowledge of the route (as the Rescue/support routines are not as fast or extensive in the absence of proper information) and proper insulation of your body through protective coverings is a must, people are simple  and very cooperating, down to the core so interaction with them is instantaneous.

Most part of Himalayas has wildlife, respect them and maintain your distance, in some areas, big cats specially tigresses with new born cubs are known to be very aggressive and each year some people specially children die and are mauled by the big cats, an occasional wolf and even elephants. This is not to scare you off but to make you knowledgeable and thereby safe by planning accordingly in those specific areas.  

Sealed food like chocolates and dry fruits are your best bet as they replenish the body requirements fast enough to meet your body demands, intake of large amount of liquid is a must to avoid dehydration, try to avoid local springs as most of them contain large amount of minerals like calcium, phosphorus, lignite, pyrites etc depending upon the area you are visiting, ask locals about the springs they use for drinking purpose and then add the additives to soften the water, some of the springs have pure natural mineral water and are a treat to drink so it is always desirous to ascertain the quality of water that you drink, what we advise very strongly is to drink as much tea, the local brew which is found everywhere and is safe as the water is boiling in those tea kettles for quite a long time and is free from any bacteria.

Food is simple in mountains, Chapatti or home made wheat bread called Roti is the staple diet of people of the region, it is eaten with Dal (various pulses) and Allu (potato).  Meat is also available in most parts and those traveling on their must get used to these food stuff or carry large amounts of food with them. Use of alcohol in higher altitudes while climbing is a strict no-no while moderate quantity can be consumed if you are relaxing or beating the chill factor.

You can climb up to 10,000 ft without any preparation and in one go but if you plan to climb any higher then the acclimatization of the body is a must as the air gets thinner and thinner and has less oxygen but you require more and more of it to climb resulting in tiredness in the body very rapidly, a minimum of one night should be spend on 10,000 ft before you climb any higher, any further climb should be restricted to 1,000 ft in a day and you should camp at that height for the night before you move any further up, this way you can go up to 15,000 ft, in case of any medical problems relating to breathing and lack of oxygen the best thing to do is to loose height and descend as quickly as possible even if it means carrying on a stretcher, carry portable oxygen with you and if possible a pressurized bag or tent in which the person can be put to avoid any harm to the body. Normally up to 15,000 you may not have any problems but on the first sign of a problem don't take any chances and just start the climb down. 

If you wish to travel higher than 15,000 ft then organized expedition is a must as government permissions and other formalities like inner lines, permission from Indian Mountaineering Federation are also to be taken.

If you are a die hard foot loose and capable of taking Himalayas on your own then a little trouble will take you in most parts but if you do not want to get into all these hassles and want a organized trip then get in touch with us we are not hard core professional tour operators at all and making money is not the only criteria, we enjoy trekking in Himalayas and do so it in a very informal way to make your dream holiday a memorable trip of your life, when you hire us you get a complete package with no hidden costs (less medicines and personal toiletries, all Holidays start at International Airport, New Delhi for Foreign tourists and ends there) Half of what ever income we generate goes in Non-Profit Activities which is also our passion.