The trans Himalayan Tracts are something that will really attract the explorer in you to unwind the natural and man made wonders situated within the picturesque landscapes. Take up any of the customised jeep safari tours offered by the tourism board of India to the high altitude destinations of Leh, Ladakh and Kinnaur - Spiti, where the wilderness is still intact from commercialisation.
Ranging from short jeep side tours to long ranging holidays in the wild regions, the experience of driving through the mountainous valleys along winding passes and incredible heights is a journey every adventure seeker would love to have.
The Trans Himalayan regions of the states of Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh are a moonscape land - an arid high altitude desert unlike any other part of the Indian subcontinent. The stark landscape is a panorama of high snow capped peaks and bare multi hued hills sculpted by the forces of nature. The high dusty valleys strewn with rock have altitudes ranging from 2,500m to 4,500m!
Climate In The Cold Deserts
The climate is extreme with long snow bound winters and a brief 3 months summer. Cut off from the water laden monsoon clouds by the great Himalayan range, rainfall is a mere 2 inches per year and it is the melting snow flowing swiftly down the rocky streams and rivers that sustain habitation and meagre crops of barley, wheat, fruit trees and vegetables. During the short summer season the villages are splashes of green providing relief to this stark grandeur with their patchwork of fields, groves of tall poplars and willows and little whitewashed flat roofed houses.
Within this area falls the division of Ladakh with its Leh and Kargil districts in the state of Jammu and Kashmir and the adjacent district of Lahaul-Spiti in Himachal Pradesh. For centuries these trans Himalayan tracts remained locked behind formidable mountain walls linked to the outside world by barely penetrable passes and narrow mountain paths. Despite this isolation and the harshness of the climate and environment, the people are endowed with a hardiness of character and natural gaiety.
Adventure Sports In Trans Himalayas
For the visitor this region is a dramatic escape into an unfamiliar world with marvellous opportunities for an unusual holiday. An ideal place for trekking, mountaineering, camping or white water rafting; for discovering the treasures of Buddhist monasteries; for shopping in romantic bazaars; for participation in the excitement of a local festival or for simply experiencing the highs of this lunar landscape! Since the best time to visit this area is from early June to end September it is an ideal destination for the monsoons - especially as it does not rain here !.
