Mountaineering is the unblemished adventure,
for the body and soul. It is an endeavor to reach the vault of heaven,
and explore the sprit of fantasy. India offers a vital range of
mountaineering opportunities on its challenging peaks - the climber
enthusiast can indulge in this romantic adventure in mountain ranges
of Ladakh, the Nun-Kun Massif, in Jammu and Kashmir, in hills of
Manali in Himalayas and Uttranchal.
The Indian Himalaya or the `abode of snow' offer some great challenges
and the finest climbs in the world of 6000 and 7000 metres. The
main regions for this are Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh,
Uttar Pradesh and the recently opened Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh.
This zeal of adventurism found its ultimate fruition in the Himalayas-lofty,
extremely difficult to conquer, and challenging enough to send a
man back to his mother's womb. But, bei

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men, these challenges were accepted and there began a tussle between
men's ambitions and nature's reluctance. New heights were conquered,
new routes were discovered, many lives lost, but the mission was
accomplished. Today, almost all the major peaks are conquered and
even general people have started taking mountaineering as a serious
hobby.
Skills and levels of fitness are necessary for mountaineering. And
a basic mountaineering course is a great way to take a vacation
as well as get acquainted with India's greatest natural asset and
the largest mountain range in the world, the mighty Himalayas, which
offer ample doses of adventure, challenge and risk.
We would advise you to consider the following guidelines before
opting for mountaineering:
- Consider the level of difficulty with your physical fitness
Participate in peak climbing or high-altitude trekking as may
be comfortable.
- Get the medical fitness test done before hand
- Learn how to deal with High-altitude sickness or high-altitude
madness
- Gain proper training of handling mountaineering equipment
- Carry the necessary medicines
- Follow mountaineering guidelines, high-altitude survival techniques,
and first-aid techniques
- Protect yourself from snow blindness, frostbiting, and sun burning
during the expedition
- Plan the holiday so that you have ample time for altitude acclimatization.
- With each stage of altitude increase prepare yourself gradually
and never hurriedly.
Mountaineering Destinations in India
Himachal Pradesh, Garhwal and Kumaon regions of Uttar Pradesh, Ladakh
region of Jammu and Kashmir, Northeast India, and Sikkim are the
most important mountaineering destinations in India. The summits
that are quite popular with the mountaineers are Num and Kun and
the Zanskar range in Jammu and Kashmir. In Kishtawar, there are
numerous peaks with altitudes up to 6,500 m that require technical
climbing skills. In Himachal Pradesh, the areas of Lahaul and Spiti
as well as the Kullu valley have several challenging peaks. The
peaks in India have been classified as 'open', 'virgin', 'border',
'trekking', and 'other peaks'. Each category offers a number of
choices.