Everything the road
taught us first.
Ten seasons of route notes, permit paperwork, breakdowns and weather calls, written down so your first Himalayan expedition runs like your fifth.
Guide categories
1 guideThe cold desert valley
Spiti
Routes, seasons, permits and altitude for the Spiti Valley — from the Kinnaur approach to Kunzum La.
1 guidePasses, plateaus and permits
Ladakh
Everything the Ladakh road demands: inner line permits, fuel gaps, high passes and plateau driving.
1 guideBehind the Shinku La
Zanskar
Approach roads, river crossings, monasteries and the short window when Zanskar is reachable at all.
1 guideDriving and living at −25°C
Winter Expeditions
Cold-weather driving, homestay life, frozen fuel and the discipline a winter Himalayan run needs.
1 guideYour machine, our convoy
Self Drive
Convoy protocol, spacing, comms and what self drive on a Hello Himalayas expedition actually involves.
1 guideMoney, network, etiquette
Travel Tips
The practical layer — cash, connectivity, permits, village etiquette and what to expect off the tarmac.
1 guideBefore the first pass
Vehicle Preparation
Service schedules, tyres, recovery kit and the spares that matter when the nearest workshop is 200km away.
1 guideLight at 4,500m
Photography
Shooting the high Himalayas: harsh light, cold batteries, dust, night skies and photographing people well.
1 guideAltitude, water, weather
Safety
Altitude illness, river crossings, weather calls and evacuation planning on remote Himalayan routes.
Read the whole
field manual.
- 2 min read
Spiti
Spiti Valley Travel Guide: Routes, Permits and Altitude
Two roads in, one of them seasonal, and a valley that sits above 3,500m for most of its length. Here is how to plan a Spiti drive that works.
- 1 min read
Ladakh
Ladakh Road Trip Guide: Passes, Permits and Fuel Stops
Ladakh is a permit-and-fuel logistics puzzle wrapped in the best driving on the subcontinent. Here is the planning layer that keeps it enjoyable.
- 1 min read
Zanskar
Zanskar Expedition Guide: Shinku La, Padum and Phugtal
One high pass, one long gorge and a valley that closes for eight months of the year. Zanskar asks more of a vehicle than anywhere else we run.
- 2 min read
Winter Expeditions
Winter Expedition Guide: Driving and Living at −25°C
Winter does not make the mountains harder to drive. It makes them slower, shorter and far less forgiving of a missing piece of kit.
- 2 min read
Self Drive
Self Drive Convoy Guide: Rules, Spacing and Communication
A convoy is not a queue of cars. It is a system with roles, spacing rules and signals — and it is what makes remote routes safe to drive in your own vehicle.
- 2 min read
Travel Tips
Himalayan Travel Tips: Money, Network, Permits and Etiquette
The trip rarely fails because of the driving. It fails because of an empty ATM, a dead SIM or a permit photocopy nobody printed.
- 2 min read
Vehicle Preparation
4×4 Vehicle Preparation Guide for the Himalayas
The nearest competent workshop can be 200km and a 5,000m pass away. Preparation is not paranoia — it is the cheapest insurance on the trip.
- 2 min read
Photography
Himalayan Photography Guide: Light, Gear and Cold
Thin air makes light brutal and shadows black. Everything below is about working with that rather than fighting it.
- 2 min read
Safety
High Altitude Safety Guide: AMS, Rescue and River Crossings
Almost every serious incident in the high Himalayas is preceded by an obvious warning that somebody chose to drive past.
Print it. Tick it.
pack it.
- PDF download
Spiti Circuit Route Sheet
Shimla to Manali circuit with altitudes and fuel gaps.
- PDF download
Himalayan Packing Checklist
Printable tick-list for summer and shoulder-season expeditions.
- PDF download
Trans Himalayan Route Sheet
Leg-by-leg distances, altitudes and field notes.
- PDF download
Zanskar Route Sheet
Darcha to Padum legs, Phugtal approach and field notes.
- PDF download
Self Drive Preparation Checklist
Service, tyres, recovery kit and spares before departure.
- PDF download
Winter Packing Checklist
Cold-weather kit list built for −25°C nights.