Experience the scenery and culture of the Indian Himalaya travelling from Dehli to the remote region of Lahoul to trek up the untouched Miyar valley through meadows full of flowers in search of the rare blue poppy.

Having spent many a happy hour in airport arrival lounges with a cup of coffee and a guide book deciding where to go next, to be met at half past midnight at Delhi airport and whisked off to a four star hotel was nothing short of luxury to us. The benefits of a pre-booked group tour!

Delhi Streetscene

The next day we met the rest of our group for a sightseeing outing and after introductions we headed out of the air-conditioned hotel into the heat and humidity of monsoon Delhi. Our first port of call was the Red Fort (Lal Quila) and as our bus weaved it’s way through the usual chaos of traffic I wondered if there is any special skill required to hurl a bus sideways through busy traffic in order to avoid the (sacred)! cow fast asleep in the middle of the road. As it seems that the only things essential to driving in India are a small shrine to your god and a horn I suspect that all other things such as skill and working vehicle parts are considered a mere bonus.

Having run the gauntlet of people trying to sell us false beards (were we going to a Monty python style stoning)? we made it through the entrance to the Red Fort. Although India unarguably has some fantastic sights to see in it’s Moghul architecture and temples the real sights are out on the street. So I was muchly chuffed when the group voted to dispense with the comforts of the bus and make the 10 minute walk to Jama Masjid. We followed our guide through the different shopping areas, the flower market counters decked with garlands, the sweet market arrayed with tempting delicacies behind pavement side displays, through the camera and photography area and past the bicycle stalls. All the time trying to take in the strange sights, sounds and scents while avoiding being mown down by a stray rickshaw or a rogue cow. Our guide pointed out anything of interest such as the many and highly dubious sagging electricity cables that ran along the side streets. During the heavy monsoon rains there are places where you can “feel the current".

Lodge and gardens at Manali

We were woken with a shock at 4:30 by our alarm call. We fumbled for the light switch and phone but only succeeded in turning the fan on! We had slightly more control of ourselves when we arrived at the domestic airport for our 6:45 flight to Kullu - delayed till 11:00 due to bad weather. Once airborne the 17 seater plane bounced through the turbulant skies leaving the flat plains of northern India behind as we passed alarmingly closely over the foothills of the Himalaya. From Kullu there was a two hour trip to Manali, where we settled ourselves into our lodge - an old colonial style house whose verandahs looked out over beautiful flower gardens with views through the Hollyhocks to the green hills and valley beyond.