Where to go in Western Himalayas

Forget Ayurvedic spas and pristine beach retreats – if you want to find inner calm, it’s the utterly peaceful Buddhist enclave of northern India, Ladakh, that you really need. This lofty mountain kingdom is not, however, for the faint-hearted: in winter, it’s one of the coldest places on the planet, and then there’s the staggering height of the villages – between 3,200 and 4,000 metres – and the sparse but spectacular terrain to contend with. But touchdown in Leh, the multicultural capital city, and you’ll be glad you braved it. This is a place of charming homestays that will connect you with both land and people, blood-pumping cycling trails and rafting excursions, and, of course, the Buddhist monasteries and temples, magnificently imposing and best visited at dawn for the most humbling of experiences.

Placed firmly on the map by John Lennon and the Beatles after their visit to attend a Transcendental Meditation Session in the 1960s, Rishikesh is now a magnet for those looking for unsurpassed yoga instruction and all things spiritual. The setting, on the banks of the Ganges River and surrounded by lush hills and tinkling temple bells, is magical and a divine intensity is almost immediately apparent. Once you’ve perfected your downward dog and taken in some of the famed temples (be warned – the crowds may test out your newly discovered inner calm), try your hand at some world-class rafting on the Ganges. Then, check straight in to one of the uber-luxe spa retreats that have recently appeared on the scene and soothe those aching muscles.

Hidden amongst the shivering peaks of the Himalayas and ensconced by a dense ceder forest, there’s a village where rose-filled gardens and genteel cobbled streets are the norm. This is Shimla, former summer capital of the British Raj, and not to be mistaken for an English country village. The best way to see the (unusual) sights is on a walking tour, which will take you past the old Post Office to Christ Church, northern India’s second oldest church, over to Scandal Point, and along the iconic Mall promenade where imperial landmarks stand proudly next to the colourful Lakkar Bazaar. Other highlights include yak riding in nearby Kufri, and a visit to Chail, the then Maharaja’s rival capital complete with trimmed cricket lawn and polo ground. Bet you’ve never heard those two in the same sentence before…

Perched high up in the Himalayan hills, in the lesser-known Uttarakhand region, is Kumaon. It’s a pretty, grass-carpeted utopia of orchards, mountains, rivers and meadows that Julie Andrews would be proud of and so quiet and utterly blissful, you’ll wonder whether you’ll ever need an iPhone again. So, what to do in such a paradise? Days are devoted to partaking in local life, be it cooking, weaving or metalsmith-ing, ogling mountain vistas (many say they are the most breath-taking of all) and exploring on foot. The trekking is really what it’s all about and walks range from the laden-donkey-and-Sherpa style, to gentle peak-to-peak ambles and sedate strolls. Round off a stay in the Jim Corbett National Park; named after the legendary hunter-turned-conservationist it’s the oldest in India and home to a number of elephants and tigers, bears and birds.