| Himalaya | |
 | |
Location  | |
| State | Nepal |
|---|---|
| Height | 8,848 m a.s.l. |
Himalaya ( or Himalaia) is a mountain range located in theSouth Asia.
 | ATTENTION: Some of the contents shown could generate dangerous situations or damage. The information is for illustrative purposes only, not exhortative or didactic. Use of Wikivoyage is at your own risk: read the warnings. |
To know
The Indian subcontinent and the rest of theAsia they are on different continental plates colliding; the Himalayas and related ranges lie along the plate boundary. The force of the collision creates the highest mountains in the world.
North of the Himalayas is the Tibetan Plateau, the largest and highest plateau in the world (over 3,000m on average). It includes all the Tibet and the Chinese province of Qinghai as well as parts of several other provinces.
The Himalayas are home to a diverse number of people, languages and religions. In general, Islam is prevalent in the west, Hinduism along the southern border and Buddhism in the north. While there are numerous languages spoken, Hindi or Urdu (whose spoken languages are mutually intelligible, even if the written forms are very different) will take you very far, as understood by the majority in the Pakistani and Indian Himalayas. In Nepal not very useful, but since they have significant overlap with the Nepalese, you will have some advantages in that language too.
The name Himalaya derives from the union of hima, "snow", and ālaya, "dwelling", or "abode of the snows".
Geographical notes
The Himalayas stretch from the Indus River into Pakistan, through theIndia, the Nepal and the Bhutan and ends in the Bramaputra River inNortheast India.
The Great Himalaya mountain complex obviously includes the Himalayas and some related ranges. On the eastern end of the Himalayas proper are the Hengduan Mountains, which includes theProtected area of the three parallel rivers in China. To the west the Himalayas connects to a large area of highlands called Pamir from where several other chains extend in various directions. The main mountain groups are the Karakorum, which runs east parallel to the Himalayas and north of it, theHindu Kush flowing southwest and the chain of the Tien Shan running north.
The territory of the Great Himalayas includes over 100 peaks that exceed 7,000 m, 14 of them even exceed 8,000. Eight of the highest, Everest included, they belong to the Himalayan region of Nepal.
To make a comparison, neither theWestern Europe nor the 48 Continental United States of America they have something that reaches 5,000 m, while in the Himalayas, some of the passes are about 5,000. In the list of climbers of the Seven Summits, the tallest mountains on any continent, only two beyond Everest are more than 6,000m (the Mount Denali in Alaska just under 6,200 m, e Aconcagua, the highest peak of the Andes and the highest mountain outside the Himalayan region, at just under 7,000m.
Flora and fauna
The diversity of wildlife in the Himalayas is enormous. In the lower ranges, tigers, leopards and rhinos can be found, while the higher elevations support a smaller but more unique group of animals. These include the snow leopard, the capra falconeri or markhor, theargali and the red panda. Yaks are common as pets across much of the region.
When to go
The latitudes of the Himalayas range from nearly tropical along the southern edge to about 40 north (latitude of Chicago, Beijing or Rome) in Pamir. However, the climate of the Himalayas is more severe than in other places in similar latitudes, due to the altitude and the lack of a large body of water nearby to moderate the climate. Many of the peaks have perennial snows and there are some glaciers.
There is great variation in microclimates across the region; two valleys a few miles apart but isolated from the mountains can have quite different climates because they have more sun or are affected differently by the wind.
From a climatic point of view, the Himalayas, like all of India, also enter the monsoon zone; but the most important climatic factor is altitude. The temperature varies considerably from season to season; so to Srinagar ranges from 0 ° C in January to 22 ° C in July; to Leh from -9 ° C to 17 ° C; at Dras from -15 ° C to 18 ° C. In the summer resorts of Simla and of Darjeeling, located at an altitude of over 2000 m, the average temperature is similar to that of Sanremo and of Nice, but less variable due to the abundant humidity. Precipitation falls particularly in the first three months of the year and from June to September, but the summer monsoon, which brings a large amount of rain to the southern front of the Himalayas, rarely manages to penetrate the inland valleys, where the rains are mainly winter . Overall rainfall decreases from east to west; in Darjeeling they exceed 3000 mm, in Simla they reach 1200 mm, in Srinagar they fluctuate around 900 mm; but in the inland valleys they become very scarce: in Leh nel Ladakh just 80 mm of rain fall per year.
Territories and tourist destinations
The Himalayas develop in several countries. All Himalayan regions offer similar attractions, but there are interesting differences as well.
Pakistan
- Gilgit-Baltistan - The northern areas of Pakistan offer some of the most visually beautiful parts of the Himalayas. Trekking in the Northern areas is difficult, rarely without glacier crossings and not for the inexperienced or unprepared. Local law and common sense prohibit trekking without a local guide on most routes. It is one of the most expensive parts of the Himalayas for trekking. The people in this area, while being almost entirely Muslim, are diverse, with numerous languages and different types of Islam followed: some highly conservative, some notably liberal. L'Karakoram highway cross the mountains to connect Pakistan with the Western China. The Nanga Parbat.
- Azad Kashmir - Azad Kashmir encompasses the lower part of the Himalayas which is considered to be one of the most beautiful parts of the Himalayas thanks to lush green and scenic valleys. Parts of Kashmir along the border withIndia (Indo-Pakistani control line) are off limits for foreigners.
- Khyber Pakhtunkhwa - Pashtun-dominated and conservative area, most of which it would be unwise for tourists to visit, but the western and northern parts which comprise the lower part of the Himalayas are an exception offering a fascinating and scenic landscape and unusual beauty .
India
- Jammu and Kashmir - With its mountains and lakes, this was a popular destination for travelers until the conflict escalated between Pakistan and India. While Srinagar it is reasonably safe, much of the countryside is dangerous and some of it, especially along the border, is off-limits.
- Ladakh - It is the important exception to this, an independent kingdom for centuries and still with its own culture, but now administratively part of the Kashmir. Offering a lot in the way of sightseeing and hiking, it's not to be missed.
- Himachal Pradesh - A pleasant, relaxed, predominantly Hindu state with a refugee population Tibetans; popular with tourists.
- Uttaranchal - Another state of India, the source of the Ganges, has a number of pilgrimage sites.
- Uttar Pradesh - A state that is mainly found in the plains but borders on the mountains and includes some of them.
- Sikkim - Set between Nepal, Bhutan, China is West Bengal, Sikkim has many Buddhist monasteries and related attractions. Trekking here is limited due to the proximity of the border with China. You have to take a guide and go in a group, plus there are a very limited number of routes.
- West Bengal - Most of the province lies in the lowlands, a populous region of agriculture and industry, but the northern border extends into the mountains. The area around Darjeeling it is a popular tourist destination.
- Arunachal Pradesh - At the northeastern tip of India and rarely visited by tourists, this state is a fascinating mix with a large tribal population; they follow animist, Hindu, Buddhist and Baptist Christian religious traditions.
Nepal
A major tourist destination, with numerous sightseeing, trekking and other adventure sports opportunities, Nepal has a level of tourism-specific infrastructure far advanced than any other place in the region. Here you can go trekking for a month and stay in the guest house every night, and you don't have to bring more than a change of clothes or two, in addition to your sleeping bag. Unfortunately Nepal suffered from a Maoist revolutionary revolt which made the country less safe.
- Annapurna
- Khumbu (or Everest Region)
- Langtang National Park
- Mustang
Bhutan
A charming little kingdom, Bhutan only issues visas for tourists on expensive group tours or for individuals who benefit the country, i.e. NGO workers or student exchange programs.
Tibet
The northern borders ofIndia, of the Nepal he was born in Bhutan they generally follow the Ganges-Brahmanputra watershed, however the Himalayas extend north of this watershed. There are also outlying areas that rise from the plateau to the north to the Brahmaputra (or Yarlung Tsangpo as the river in Tibet) which are included with the Himalayas. This part of the Himalayas is less explored, often difficult to reach and features numerous untouched peaks.
Southwest China
The old Tibetan province of Kham (now administratively divided between the two Chinese provinces of Yunnan he was born in Sichuan and the Tibet Autonomous Region of the China) is closely related to the western Himalayan areas both in geography (large mountains created by the same tectonic collision) and in people (mainly Tibetan speakers).
See the "Yunnan Tourist Route" for an overview and the "Tiger Leaping Gorge" or theProtected area of the three parallel rivers for specific treks in the region.
How to get
Most of the cities in the Himalayas can be reached by road and partly by train or plane, although many of the more rural areas require trekking and some of the treks are quite difficult.
On the south side most of the range can be reached via theIndia, but the western parts are reached away Pakistan or Afghanistan. Two small countries, Nepal is Bhutan, are found within the Himalayas on that side. On the north side of the entire Himalayas lies the Tibet.
How to get around
What see
The Himalayas are home to the highest peaks on Earth and most of the attractions relate to the mountains themselves, but due to the relative isolation of the mountain valleys there is also an interesting variety of flora, fauna and cultures. Some mountains are sacred to Muslims, Hindus or Buddhists and there are many monasteries, mostly Buddhists.
What to do
Trekking is the most popular activity, with a wide range of possibilities, from deserts to jungles. It is also popular to study yoga or meditation. Rafting is also popular in many places.
Shopping
Where to eat
Where stay
Safety
Those not planning to hike will not need special equipment or warm clothing, as they will be able to get warm clothes upon entering the region. Those in need of warm clothes cannot miss the second-hand markets that sell clothing from wealthy nations.
For those who intend to do trekking, the equipment you will need depends on the destination: in most of the Nepal he will need nothing more than a sleeping bag and a pair of boots; L'Indian Himalayas offers a large number of trails that you can walk independently if you have a tent, a stove and all the necessary equipment for unsupported trekking.
In general, the Himalayas have fewer dangers than the more densely populated plains around it.
- There malaria it is only a problem in low elevation areas, as the mosquito carrying the disease is unable to live at higher altitudes. Take precautions when traveling through low-altitude areas, especially in the nearby lowlands.
- The altitude sickness it's a problem, with many passages in the Himalayas exceeding 5,000m. Increase your altitude as slowly as possible, avoid flying from a low to a higher height, limit your physical activity; and drink plenty of fluids after gaining altitude. Altitude sickness is unpredictable and can affect people who previously had no problems. Plan with great flexibility, to avoid pushing yourself higher when you need to rest.
- Stay up to date with the latest news and be willing to change your plans when you go to places like the Kashmir, who are facing armed uprisings.
- Traffic on narrow roads is often terrifying, but due to low speeds it is less likely to result in fatal crashes than on lowland roads.
How to keep in touch
Around
Flights out of the Himalayas are often canceled due to bad weather, so it's important to make sure you have at least a few more days before you need to catch a connecting flight.
