MOUNTAINEERING TOURS IN INDIA

Mountaineering is an experience and an education that the finest universities in the most affluent nations of the world cannot match. It is an arousal, an awakening. An awareness in a person about what nature has to offer in all its splendid diversity.

It is an understanding of the complex interplay between mind, heart and soul of a man and nature on one hand and his unending quest for attaining excellence on the other. Mountaineering inspires a man to attain that elusive peak within himself, by offering a suitable arena in its many facets and activities. Mountaineering as a sport, has many of its own delights. It has an ample dose of challenge, adventure and risk. However most people do not get an opportunity for such a rare experience as it involves big budgeting, exhaustive planning, elaborate logistic facilities, specialized equipment, technical guidance, expertise on the mountains and adequate support groups to launch and conduct such a venture with adequate and reasonable margin of safety. Wanderlust adventures will plan, organize and execute specialized mountaineering expeditions to selected peaks in the Himalayas, with varying degrees of difficulty and at altitudes ranging from 17000 ft to 25000 ft for exclusive groups, who may be otherwise novice to this sport, but have love for nature and are reasonably physically fit. We also organize and conduct specialized high altitude treks to the more difficult and inner regions of the Himalayas, which require technical guidance and exclusive support. The location, duration, adventure activity, cuisine and other special requirements will be tailor-made for the group.

Himalayan Peaks : We have classified various peaks in the Himalayas into three broad groups. We recommend that thee novice groups should systematically graduate to peaks of higher altitude and difficulty in order to build up technical expertise, confidence, mental and physical robustness so as to take on higher challenges in the mountains.

Beginner's Delight - Class A : These peaks are selected for beginners and novices. They have reasonable degree of difficulty, adequate challenge and element of risk and demand average physical fitness ( a person capable of waking 7 to 8 kms at average pace has adequate physical fitness). These peaks involve climbing on moderately steep rocky patches, snow and ice slopes, handling and use of mountaineering equipment at altitudes up to 20,000 ft.

Budding Mountaineers - Class B : These peaks are ideal for those climbers in whose soul, the fire of adventure and challenge has been sufficiently kindled and have either earlier participated in one such venture or have undergone a course of formal training. These peaks are between altitude of 20,000 to 22,000 feet and involve some technical climbing over steep snow, ice and rocky patches.

High Adventure - Class C : These peaks are in the region of 23,000 to 25,000 ft and are peaks listed under classes A & B and whose next venture in the Himalayas would be to tackle a very high and difficult mountain such as Nanda Devi, Kanchenjunga and may even be Everest - the Mecca of all mountains.

Beginners Delight - Class A (Peaks of Moderate Difficulty)

1. Himachal Himalayas

a) Names of the Peaks
i) Ladakhi 18,200 ft
ii) Manali 18,900 ft
iii) Shitidhar 17500 ft

b) Road Head camp -Solang Nala (116 kms ahead of Manali is a beautiful hill station in the Himalayas approx. 520 kms from New Delhi)
c) Base camp -Beas Kund at 11,500 ft
d) Trek to the base camp- 3 days
e) No. of higher camps -2
f) Duration of expedition -25 to 30 days
g) Suitable period-1st June to 15th October

2. Garhwal Himalayas
a) Name of the peaks
i) Rudugaira -19,500 ft
ii) Thelu -20,100 ft
iii) Draupadi ka Danda- 19,300 ft

b) Road head camp -Gangotri, the source of river Ganges which is at 10,000 ft and is approx. 630 kms from New Delhi
c) Base camp13,500 ft
d) Trek to Base camp 3 to 5 days
e) No. of higher camps 2
f) Duration of expedition 25 to 30 days
g) Suitable period 1st June to 15th October

3. Ladakh Himalayas (Zanskar range)
Name of peaks
a) Shinkun (Shingo) 20300 ft
b) Road head camp Darcha. It is approx. 220 kms ahead of Manali and is at a height of 13000 ft
c) Base camp Shinkun Pass south 16200 ft
d) Trek to base camp 7
e) No. of higher camp 2
f) Duration of expedition 30 to 35 days
g) Suitable period 1st July to 30th September
h) It is further recommended that after the climb of the peak, members should also trek from Shinkun pass to Padam through the world famous Zanskar valley and return via Ladakh. Details of this trek will be sent on request. In such a case, total duration of the expedition cum trek will be 45 days.

Budding Mountaineers - Class - B
(Technical Peaks of high altitude)

1. Himachal Himalayas
a) Name of the peak
i) Hanuman Tibba 19,800 ft
ii) Deo Tibba 20,100 ft
iii) White Sail 20,900 ft
b) Duration of expedition 30 to 35 days
c) Suitable period 1st June to 15th October

2. Garhwal Himalayas
a) Name of the peaks
i) Banderpunch 21,300 ft
ii) Gangotri 22,050 ft
iii) Kedar dome 22,900 ft
iv) Joann 20,200 ft
b) Duration of expedition 30 to 35 days
c) Suitable period 1st June to 15th October

3. Ladakh Himalayas
a) Name of the peak
i) Stok Kangri 20,500 ft
b) Duration of expedition 40 to 45 days
c) Suitable period 1st July to 30th September

High Adventure - Class - C
1. Ladakh Himalayas
a) Name of the peaks
i) Nun 23,400 ft
ii) Kun 23,250 ft
iii) White Needle 20,050 ft
iv) Pinnacle 20,800 ft
Duration of expedition 35 to 45 days
c) Suitable period 1st July to 30 th September

2. Garhwal Himalayas
a) Name of Peaks
i) Chukhamba 23,420 ft
ii) Abi Gamin 24,130 ft
iii) Sri Kailash 22,800 ft
iv) Kedarnath 23,800 ft
b) Duration of expedition 35 to 45 days
c) Suitable Period 1st June to 15th July and 15th August to 30th September

Note: 1. Duration of all expeditions can be varied depending on whether the group desires to climb all the peaks / some of the peaks / only one peak during that expedition. Most of the peaks on an expedition can be attempted from a common base camp.

2. Other interesting expeditions which we have been operating are:
a) Kalindi Pass expedition (Garhwal)
b) Hamta Pass expedition (Lahaul and Spiti)
c) Yamnotri Pass expedition (Garhwal)
d) Gulap Kangri expedition (Ladakh)
e) Mana Parbat expedition (Garhwal)
f) Kullu Pumori expedition (Lahaul and Spiti)
g) Expedition to Mount Shiva (Lahaul and Spiti)
h) Expedition to Mount Sumeru (Garhwal)

Please ask for more details on any of the above expeditions.

Value of such expeditions to corporations, industrial houses / Institutions / organisations.

Since time immemorial, mountains have always been the hunting grounds for leaders in all

walks of life. It is only here that men learn to take risks in order to succeed. They compel him to be physically and mentally robust, help him to realise the limit of his will-power and determination. It is only in ventures such as these that young leaders, through striving, exploring and suffering extreme physical and mental discomforts, learn to realise their true worth, their hidden and latent power and discover beauty and joy. The mountains therefore truly make a man out of them. The true value of any expedition is not climbing a peak but in the challenge and in striving to reach the goal. It is only on ventures such as these, when sharing common dangers to life and limb, tied together to a rope, that a man realises the value of camaraderie and team spirit. Aren't these the very qualities on which any sound organisation is built?. Courage and ability to take risks cannot be understood in classrooms, bravado and fearlessness cannot be practiced while pushing files in plush offices and of course camaraderie and team spirit do not fly out of text books. These can be ascertained, practiced and best inculcated by the more sensible way of facing dangers as they are presented by nature.' Bonhomie, camaraderie, esprit de corps and leadership are like glue that cement any organization and hold it together through adversity. This, therefore, is the true value of this sport.