Today I am so pleased to be sharing the work of one of our Editors, Sumit Vashisht. Sumit is our Astounding Himalayas Editor, and his articles on Wandering Educators are incredible glimpses of life in the Himalayas.  Sumit is the owner of an Adventure Tour company, Astounding Himalayas.  When I visit his site, I am instantly transported to the Himalayas. So powerful are his photos and writing that any latent desire you had to visit the Himalayas comes springing to life. I have always wanted to visit this area of the world - now, that desire has multiplied exponentially, thanks to Sumit.

Snow Peak from Batal

Astounding Himalayas is a village tourism promoter - they've deeply researched the areas where they take clients, and work with local people to ensure an excellent adventure trip. They offer several different kinds of tours, and they are all delineated quite well. Once you scour their site, you'll be dreaming of a trip to the Astounding Himalayas. We were lucky enough to be able to sit down and talk with Sumit about his work. Here's what he had to say...

A Flock of Sheep

WE: Please tell us about Astounding Himalayas...

SV: Astounding Himalayas is an Adventure Tour Operation Company that conducts Adventure Tours to the hidden valleys of Indian Western Himalayas. The tribal areas of Kinnaur, Spiti and Lahaul were not open for the tourists till 1993 as it shares boarders with China and due to the security reasons no one except the inhabitants of that region was allowed to move into that area. One required a special permit to visit these places which was as difficult to obtain as passport. Later, in the early nineties when these areas were opened for Indian and foreign tourists, it recived a lot of business from all over the world. A number of people got into operating tours to this area and so was Astounding Himalayas. Although the company is not very old,  I have been into tourism industry for last 17 years and due to my love to mountians and Nature I could not stop myself from moving to the hills after leaving my job in Delhi and started working here as a Tour Escort cum Guide. Later with much experience in hand, I started this firm. I run this company in association with one of my friend's company called White Height Himalayan Travels, based in Shimla. We are fully equipped with modern vehicles, professional escorts and guides, camping equipment and of course, information. We are based in Shimla - A British time built, Himalayan Town at 2195 meter above mean sea level in the north of India.

At Dhankar Monastery

Children in Langcha Village

WE: What sort of travel experiences do you provide?

SV: We conduct Jeep Safari, High Altitude Trekking, Camping, Monastery Visit, Buddhism in the Himalayas, and Cycling Tours.

Chortans at Kunzum Pass

Dhankar Monastery

WE: Please tell us about your locations for travel...

SV: Western Himalayas in India. The main areas are Kinnaur, Spiti - The Moonland Landscape, Lahaul, and Ladakh.

Ki Monastery

WE:  How do you work to make your journeys ecologically sensitive?

SV: We are very small to answer this question. As a nature lover I am never in the favor of throwing rubbish here and there, harming the flora and fauna of the area, spoiling the natural resources, pinching the local culture, hating the religious feelings of locals, etc. But who cares these days. Small people like me keep crabbing on these issues but no governments listen to us. Whole of the hills have been given to the companies from outside and they are digging them to the bottom to make Hydro Projects. Our rivers are drying as they are cutting a number of trees and there are no rains or snow. Our Biggest Water Store Houses in the shape of Glaciers are reducing as there is no snow. The Dam builders have caused so much of destruction in the areas that a number of people have become homeless as their lands have been grabbed, their natural resources have been destroyed and we, the mute watchers, can do nothing as there is lot of politics involved in these big projects.

Tibetan Flags at Kunzum Pass

Tibetan Mantra Stomes at Kunzum Pass

WE:  What is village tourism?

SV: There are a number of remote villages in the Himalayas. The inhabitants of these areas are still not aware of the life outside. They lead a very simple life as their requirement from the life is not much. (Perhaps they are the happiest people on this earth). We encourage them to make utilisation of their lands and houses to convert them into small guest houses. Tourists love to stay in these village houses and pay well to the owner. This way tourists get a cheap and good accommodation in the lap of nature and the villagers earn a handsome amount for meeting their financial requirements. We have not done any unit of this type under the flagship of Astounding Himalayas but we have supported and encouraged other people.

to Chandertal

Village Chicham

WE:  Is there anything else you'd like to share with us?...

SV: Go around, visis the world but remember that we are the guests on this earth. We do not own it. We lent it from our ancestors and we have to leave it for our coming generations. So this earth is a No man's Land and we must leave better for the coming generation then we received from our parents. One more thing... When we visit some place as a tourist, we should take nothing but photographs and we should leave nothing but Footprints.

Village Komic

Village Losar

WE: Thanks so much, Sumit! Astounding Himalayas is, indeed, astounding. I am very impressed with your company, and wish you great success.
 

Village People at Gete

All photos courtesy and copyright Astounding Himalayas.