Himalayas still beckon

Nepal isn't out of bounds but there are alternative destinations, says STEPHEN GOODWIN.

The royal bloodbath in Kathmandu will have put a question mark in the minds of thousands of would-be trekkers and climbers thinking of Nepal as their next holiday destination. Is it safe? And, if not, what are the alternatives for a taste of mountain adventure?

Point one is that the spring trekking season in Nepal is just about over and, by the northern autumn, the monsoon should have cooled the passions of a grief-stricken people. The message from travel operators is "don't re-arrange your plans yet."

But if the worst happens, trekkers need not look far beyond Nepal's borders. The Himalayan kingdom is only a part of the great arc of mountains stretching from China to Pakistan. And there rise the Karakorum and Hindu Kush.

The most direct alternatives to the popular "tea-house" treks of the Annapurna or Everest regions of Nepal are in neighbouring India, notably in the Garhwal and Kumaon districts a day north of Delhi, and around Darjeeling, the former colonial tea planters' station in the north-east.

A trek in the Garhwal could skirt Nanda Devi, at 7816m the highest peak within India, while the border ridge above Darjeeling offers one of the most stunning mountain panoramas on Earth. I watched the sun come up one frosted dawn here at Sandakphu on the Singalila ridge. Four of the world's five highest mountains blushed pink, first Kangchengunga, almost close enough to touch it seemed, and then, away to the west in Nepal, Everest Makalu and Lhotse.

Below the snows of Kangchenjunga are yak pastures, forests of Himalayan firs and moss-draped giant oaks, and further down terraces of maize, beans, bananas and cardamon.

This passable representation of paradise continues into Sikkim, an autonomous region of India. The cost of trekking in India is similar to Nepal, though independent travellers may encounter more hassle organising porters and permits than in tourist-friendly Kathmandu.

For anyone wanting to mix trekking with a rich cultural experience, then Bhutan - "Land of the Thunder Dragon" - in the eastern Himalaya is an ideal destination but an expensive one. There is a $200 fee a person a day to be in the country. But with the Buddhist kingdom hosting about 300 trekkers a year compared with 250,000 in Nepal, just being there feels a privilege.

The way to avoid the monsoon is to get north of the Himalayan watershed to Ladakh, sometimes known as Little Tibet though it is governed from Delhi, or to cross to Pakistan and the Karakoram. The season for these more arid regions runs until winter snow closes the passes.

The Karakoram is not a soft option, with the trekking generally above the level of any villages where supplies can be topped up or fresh porters recruited. The rugged landscape and fierce climate can seem harsh after Nepal and the bureaucratic red tape a nightmare. Independent trekkers tend to give it a miss. For those who persevere, or sign up with operators with long experience of Pakistan, the trip is usually worth it: remote pastures carpeted in flowers, vast glaciers and the world's second highest mountain, K2.

Everest mountaineer Doug Scott says that in all the unrest in Nepal over recent years, tourists have not been hurt. "It is going to be turbulent for a week or two, but once the monsoon has cooled things off I'm pretty certain it will be back to normal."

- INDEPENDENT

* The Ministry of Foreign Affairs advises against all but essential business travel to Nepal at present.