West to east along the arc
The hives
Each valley is a hive: villages on the warm side of a slope, joined by old trade paths, with their own food, words and festivals.
We plan trips in these Himalaya valleys and nowhere else. Compare when each one is open, how high you sleep and what a Saver trip costs, then open a hive for its places, trips and month-by-month notes.
11 hives
Pick a valley
Ordered west to east. Prices are indicative 2026, per person, twin sharing, from the trip's start point.
Photo: Fulvio Spada from Torino, Italy · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Commons
Kashmir
Lake houses, saffron karewas and shepherd meadows
Photo: Anirvan Shukla · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Commons
Ladakh
High desert of passes, gompas and apricots
Photo: Neerajsinghazm · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Himachal
Cedar villages, travelling gods and apple country
Photo: Rodmantyler · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Spiti & Lahaul
A cold desert of gompas, fossils and homestays
Photo: McKay Savage from London, UK · CC BY 2.0 · Commons
Garhwal
Four dhams, two rivers, one long climb
Photo: Travelling Slacker · CC BY 2.0 · Commons
Kumaon
Lakes, oak ridges and the old Tibet road
Photo: Gerd Eichmann · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Nepal
Newar cities, Sherpa trails, the walled north
Photo: Arne Hückelheim 2010-09-21 12:41:53 This is a … · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Darjeeling & Kalimpong
Tea slopes, toy trains and Lepcha hills
Photo: IamBumba · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Sikkim
Kangchenjunga, gompas and the high lakes
Photo: xiquinhosilva · CC BY 4.0 · Commons
Bhutan
Dzongs, cranes and chilli cheese, valley by valley
Photo: Itrajib · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Arunachal
Monasteries, rice valleys and India's wettest forests
Side by side
The hives in numbers
| Hive | Best months | Altitude range | Saver from | Comfort from | Signature from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kashmir | Apr – Jun · Sep – Oct | 1,580–2,730 m | ₹12,500 | ₹39,000 | ₹1,45,000 |
| Ladakh | Jun – Sep | 2,676–4,522 m | ₹23,500 | ₹68,000 | ₹2,00,000 |
| Himachal | Apr – May · Oct – Nov | 996–2,960 m | ₹13,000 | ₹52,000 | ₹1,95,000 |
| Spiti & Lahaul | Jun – Jul · Sep | 3,050–4,420 m | ₹19,500 | ₹41,000 | ₹1,45,000 |
| Garhwal | Mar · May · Sep – Oct | 340–3,583 m | ₹11,500 | ₹52,000 | ₹1,10,000 |
| Kumaon | Mar – May · Oct – Nov | 1,370–2,400 m | ₹7,500 | ₹40,000 | ₹1,35,000 |
| Nepal | Mar – Apr · Oct – Nov | 822–3,840 m | ₹12,500 | ₹58,000 | ₹1,95,000 |
| Darjeeling & Kalimpong | Mar – May · Oct – Nov | 1,200–3,636 m | ₹9,500 | ₹38,000 | ₹1,10,000 |
| Sikkim | Mar – May · Oct – Nov | 1,650–5,183 m | ₹15,000 | ₹52,000 | ₹1,45,000 |
| Bhutan | Mar – Apr · Oct – Nov | 300–3,100 m | ₹34,500 | ₹78,000 | ₹3,75,000 |
| Arunachal | Mar – Apr · Oct – Nov | 155–4,170 m | ₹12,000 | ₹50,000 | ₹1,60,000 |
"Ask us" means we have not published a trip in that tier yet. We still plan it: send your month and budget.
When to go
Which hive, which month
Dark cells are the best months, pale cells are good, empty cells are closed or hard. A ₹ marks months when rooms and transport cost least. Tap a cell for that month's notes.
Not sure which hive
Start from what you want
Or from what you can spend