Grand Traverse Of The Indian Himalaya

When walking in the mountains, the distance you cover each day can vary greatly due to gradient, terrain and altitude. As such it is very hard to give specific distances on each day.

For example, you might walk 7 miles one day and it takes 5 hours. The next day the trail might be very steep , rocky and gain substantial altitude and such factors mean you cover just 2 miles in 5 hours!

In the Himalaya, even the local people only ever talk about distances in the mountains in terms of how long it will take, i.e. 5 hours walk. On most trekking trips, you will walk for 3-4 hours in the morning and another couple after lunch.

Olly Leicester - Sales

Where do you start?! Half the joy of shopping in India is the sheer scale of what's on offer, from upscale boutiques in New Delhi, Mumbai and Calcutta to the crowded and sweaty markets of pretty much any town or village you come to. Handicrafts, art, leather goods, spices, hand carved statues, silk, the list goes on - all the way to cheap knock offs of western brands!

Remember, outside of the proper shops, haggling is the key but don't waste your time trying to split the difference over a few pence - the best result is when everyone comes away happy!

Charlotte Taylor - India Operations

Although not strictly necessary, some people do like to take them along as they can be useful, especially on the descents. However, remember to pack them in your hold luggage.

Brendan Phelan - Customer Operations

There are a few trekking stores now in Leh and pretty much everything is available for a price. However, we cannot guarantee the quality or quantities you will find, and always advise that for anything really important, you take them from home. Saying that, there are bargains to be had (if you don't mind some of the gear being an "Indian version"!). The climbing gear on hire is not good quality though and is mostly ex Indian army – best to bring your own.

Brendan Phelan - Customer Operations

Any time I go out, I normally just take sterling cash which, as long as you excercise the normal degree of common sense you would at home, is safe and easy. The India rupee is a closed currency, meaning you can only get it upon arrival in the country. There are exchange facilities at all arrival airports, and ATMs are available pretty much everywhere as well in case you need to top up along the way.

Brendan Phelan - Customer Operations

Unfortunately we are not qualified to answer all your questions in regards to travel health, so we strongly recommend you contact your GP or a Travel Health Clinic at least 8 weeks prior to departure for up-to-date information.

Nomad Travel Clinics are experts in preparing people for travel, providing advice on vaccinations, anti-malarial and staying healthy whilst overseas. We have arranged a special 10% discount for Exodus passengers on any vaccinations that you may require! Take along your Nomad discount card, sent with your confirmation pack, or call Exodus for your special discount code.
Visit www.nomadtravel.co.uk/exodus for further information.

For additional information please visit: www.fitfortravel.scot.nhs.uk

Charlotte Taylor - India Operations

A definite place to visit when you have an extra day in Delhi is a trip to the new Akshardham Temple. Situated on the outskirts of New Delhi in the embankment of River Yamuna, this sprawling Swaminarayan Akshardham spreads over 100 acres of land and is renowned for its carved pillars, water fountains and 20,000 statues. Made from white marble and pink stone this new temple was only completed in 2005 which makes it less well known by Western tourists or the guide books. A visit to the temple is the perfect way to explore the amazing world of Indian culture and get a unique view of the Hindu religion.
Other ‘must see’ places are the Red Fort, Humayum’s Tomb (a forerunner to the Taj Mahal), Qutab Minar, Tuqulaquabad, Purana Quila.
The National Museum is very interesting as is the Gandhi Smriti, a museum dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi.

- Customer Operations

Fancy a night out in India just like the locals? Head to a Bollywood movie and join the local in an evening packed with entertainment. The Bollywood masala movies are a mixture of dance, drama and musical with a break in between as most of these are lengthy 3 hours movies. This gives you the option to leave the theatre should you want to do that! The songs and dances make it like a 60’s musical where you could have the whole locals singing and dancing to the tune. Some movies become hits only because of these. Movie theatres that you may want to visit are; Raj Mandir in Jaipur, Odeon in  Canaught Place, New Delhi, Filmistan, Karol Bagh in New Delhi - but all cities have theatres. A word of warning- try to avoid the rush when entering and exiting the theatre and the crowded area and keep valuables with close to you zipped at all times and enjoy the show.

Niraj Chand Shrestha - Customer Operations

A popular restaurant situated in Old Delhi on the ground floor of Hotel Broadway is the Chor Bizarre Restaurant. It has good selection of North Indian and Kashmiri cuisine. The hotel also regularly has Indian Cultural programme in the evenings that you are recommended to check with the hotel/restaurant beforehand for reservations should you want to watch it. Also being a popular restaurant it is advisable that you make an advance table booking to avoid disappointment.

Niraj Chand Shrestha - Customer Operations

You can find a comprehensive article covering this matter here: http://www.himalayanrescue.org/hra/article.php?sno=9

Alex Doaga - Exodus leader

There is a real mix available and you won't be disappointed! The local cuisine is predominantly vegetarian, with lots of rice. You can enjoy everything from traditional spicy curries to stalls selling tasty sweets and deserts and even right the way to western style grub, if it all gets a bit too much. Vegetarians and 'non-spicy' food people are easily catered for, and the leader will make sure a wide range of dishes are ordered for each meal.

Charlotte Taylor - Customer Operations

No. Indian visas must be pre-arranged in advance. Check the Indian embassy website for details.

http://in.vfsglobal.co.uk/

Will Shoubridge - Agency Sales

India has delicious food to cater for all preferences but, like anywhere in the world, hygiene is important.  Keeping your hands well washed before eating, staying as hydrated as possible and sticking to bottled water is the best protection against an upset tum. Otherwise, mashed potato is apparently a good cure!

Brendan Phelan - Customer Operations

Please visit the Exodus Travel Guide to India where you can find out what plugs they use, as well as more detailed Country information in the menu on the left of the page.

You can view the Grading System for our Walking & Trekking programme online.

All the staff at Exodus share a passion for adventure travel, and are always happy to answer any questions you may have. You can find an expert for the area you are interested in here and can contact them to get further information. If you don't see your specific country listed, please email customerops@exodus.co.uk and they will get the answers you need!