The Himalaya's

General Info On a cold afternoon high up in the hills in the
north of the Indian subcontinent, a short gaze towards the horizon by the light
snowy touch of the day's fading brush strokes will reveal one of Nature's most
magnificent monuments - the towering Himalayas. "Himalaya" is a Sanskrit word
which literally means "Abode of Snow" - from hima, "snow," and alaya, "abode" -
a term coined by the ancient pilgrims of India who travelled in these mountains.
For Tibetans, Indians, Nepalese, and many of the other inhabitants of the
Himalayas, the mountains continue to be the predominant factor in their lives.

The beauty of the Himalayas has lured visitors to this region
since olden times. And being the world's highest mountain chain, it constitutes
the greatest attraction to climbers and trekkers throughout the world. But more
than anything else, the Himalayas represent the awe-inspiring power, beauty, and
grandeur of Nature. Welcome to the Himalayas - Where Earth Meets Sky!
In the
heart of South Asia is located the loftiest mountain chain on earth. Forming a
distinct geographical divide that separates the Indian subcontinent from Central
Asia, the Himalayas extend from west to east in a massive arc for about 2500
kilometers (1550 miles). Covering an astounding area of 612,021 sq. km, the vast
mountain chain passes through the Indian States of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal
Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Sikkim and the Himalayan kingdoms of Nepal and Bhutan
.

The Tibetan Plateau - the roof of the world - forms the
borthern boundary of this magnificent mountain system while lower extensions of
the Himalayas branch off from eastern and western frontiers of these mountains.
Sunset at Nuptse,a Himalayan giant in NepalCredit:Destination Himalayas - Where
Earth Meets Sky offers an exploration of the Himalayas by region. It will take
you across the vast Himalayas from one region to the next, exploring the unique
beauty of each region.Classification of the HimalayasFor a proper study, it is
necessary to classify the vast area covered by the mountains into smaller
sub-sections. Throughout our website, references will be made to these
classifications.

The Himalayas can be classified in a variety of ways. From
south to north, the mountains can be grouped into four parallel, longitudinal
mountain belts, each with its unique features and distinctive geological
history.
(the Outer Himalayas or the Sub-Himalayas)

Lesser Himalayas or the Lower Himalayas)
(the
Great Himalayas or the Higher Himalayas)
(Tibetan Himalayas)

From west to east the Himalayas are divided broadly into three
mountainous regions - the Western Himalayas, the Central Himalayas and the
Eastern Himalayas.
Possibly the most important divisions of the Himalayas
these days are the ones based on political boundaries. For anyone exploring the
mountains, knowledge of the political boundaries is very important nowadays
because most of the Himalayas lie very close to sensitive international border
regions, many of which are disputed territories. Special permission is often
required to visit certain areas close to the borders which are under military
control due to their strategic importance. Based on international political
boundaries, the Himalayas are divided into

Nepalese Himalayas

Indian Himalayas

Tibetain Himalayas