Trekking with the fabulous singer Hamsika Iyer.
During the Sandakphu Phalut trek in Darjeeling, India.
Climb a mountain.
I used to read it every morning when I was getting dressed up before going to work. I hope you will find something on it useful for you.
Manual for Climbing Mountains by Paulo Coelho
Choose the mountain you want to climb
Don’t pay attention to what other people say, such as “that one’s more beautiful” or “this one’s easier”. You’ll be spending lots of energy and enthusiasm to reach your objective, so you’re the only one responsible and you should be sure of what you’re doing.
Know how to get close to it
Mountains are often seen from far off – beautiful, interesting, full of challenges. But what happens when we try to draw closer? Roads run all around them, flowers grow between you and your objective, what seemed so clear on the map is tough in real life. So try all the paths and all the tracks until eventually one day you’re standing in front of the top that you yearn to reach.
Learn from someone who has already been up there
No matter how unique you feel, there is always someone who has had the same dream before you and ended up leaving marks that can make your journey easier; places to hang the rope, trails, broken branches to make the walking easier. The climb is yours, so is the responsibility, but don’t forget that the experience of others can help a lot.
When seen up close, dangers are controllable
When you begin to climb the mountain of your dreams, pay attention to the surroundings. There are cliffs, of course. There are almost imperceptible cracks in the mountain rock. There are stones so polished by storms that they have become as slippery as ice. But if you know where you are placing each footstep, you will notice the traps and how to get around them.
The landscape changes, so enjoy it
Of course, you have to have an objective in mind – to reach the top. But as you are going up, more things can be seen, and it’s no bother to stop now and again and enjoy the panorama around you. At every meter conquered, you can see a little further, so use this to discover things that you still had not noticed.
Respect your body
You can only climb a mountain if you give your body the attention it deserves. You have all the time that life grants you, as long as you walk without demanding what can’t be granted. If you go too fast you will grow tired and give up half way there. If you go too slow, night will fall and you will be lost. Enjoy the scenery, take delight in the cool spring water and the fruit that nature generously offers you, but keep on walking.
Respect your soul
Don’t keep repeating “I’m going to make it”. Your soul already knows that, what it needs is to use the long journey to be able to grow, stretch along the horizon, touch the sky. An obsession does not help you at all to reach your objective, and even ends up taking the pleasure out of the climb. But pay attention: also, don’t keep saying “it’s harder than I thought”, because that will make you lose your inner strength.
Be prepared to climb one kilometer more
The way up to the top of the mountain is always longer than you think. Don’t fool yourself, the moment will arrive when what seemed so near is still very far. But since you were prepared to go beyond, this is not really a problem.
Be happy when you reach the top
Cry, clap your hands, shout to the four winds that you did it, let the wind – the wind is always blowing up there – purify your mind, refresh your tired and sweaty feet, open your eyes, clean the dust from your heart. It feels so good, what was just a dream before, a distant vision, is now part of your life, you did it!
Make a promise
Now that you have discovered a force that you were not even aware of, tell yourself that from now on you will use this force for the rest of your days. Preferably, also promise to discover another mountain, and set off on another adventure.
Tell your story
Yes, tell your story! Give your example. Tell everyone that it’s possible, and other people will then have the courage to face their own mountains”
- Prateek Deo
A nice write up on Adventure Travel for the corporates by Life Away From Life on MICE TALK , Important : page no. 35
read the article here : http://bit.ly/MiceTalkArticle
Benefits of Trekking & Hiking
- Reviews
- Adventure, backpacking, fitness, health, hikes, hiking, life away from life, mountaineering, mountains, MountainTrail, Nature, summer treks, trekking, treks
Benefits of Trekking & Hiking
Mental benefits – Stress can disrupt your everyday life, causing health problems and depression. Trekking is a great way to reduce the stress in your life, because of the release of endorphins, which are known to make us happy!
Other health benefits of Hiking & Trekking :
HEALTHY HEART – While trekking, a person has to climb up and down which makes the heart pump blood with vigour, so in a way, trekking is a great way to provide much needed exercise for the heart
LOWERS BLOOD PRESSURE – Logging cardio in the form of hiking can lower blood pressure by four to 10 points, and reduce the danger of heart disease, diabetes and strokes for those at high-risk.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24731832
CONTROLS CHOLESTEROL & SUGAR LEVELS – Trekking on a regular basis decreases cholesterol also. Both the ups and downs have benefits when it comes to lowering LDL (bad) cholesterol.Hiking uphill lowers triglyceride whereas hiking downhill is two 
times more effective at removing blood sugars and improving glucose tolerance.
IMPROVED LUNG CAPACITY – Most trekking tours are organized away from human population which in an area with extensive vegetation that would keep the air cleaner. Taking deep breaths while hiking / trekking increases the tidal volume, ie lung capacity and also clears toxins from the body making you feel rejuvenated.
STRONGER BONES – Trekking requires optimum effort from human body, as it requires stretching, jumping, climbing and dodging at several intervals. Such small burst of exercises at regular intervals during trekking would help make bones stronger.
IMPROVED MUSCLE TONE – The energy and strain that a trekker requires, would undoubtedly lead to exercising and stretching of each and every muscle in the body, thus making the body flexible and muscles strong. Body gets into a better shape
FLEXIBLE JOINTS – The stretching and exertion, especially in climbing, mobilizes all the joints. This improves the secretion and circulation of the joint fluids improving joint flexibility and strength. Such healthy joints develop arthritis much later than others. Also, hiking / trekking in nature puts less strain on your joints than walking on concrete or asphalt.
PREVENT BACKACHE – The spine is also comprises of many joints, all of which become more flexible and more stable because the supporting muscles become stronger while hiking. Leads to a better posture.
INCREASES IMMUNITY – Already, there is a growing body of scientific research that shows that time spent in the great outdoors is physically and mentally beneficial.Trekking and associated activities also improve immunity by stimulating the lymphatic system.
http://wilderness.org/blog/can-wilderness-boost-your-immune-system-some-surprising-answers
PREVENTS &CURES CANCER – Exposure to forests boosts our immune system. While we breathe in the fresh air, we breathe in phytoncides, airborne chemicals that plants give off to protect themselves from insects. Phytoncides have antibacterial and anti fungal qualities which help plants fight disease. When people breathe in these chemicals, our bodies respond by increasing the number and activity of a type of white blood cell called natural killer cells or NK. These cells kill tumour- and virus-infected cells in our bodies
MENTAL FOCUS& CONCENTRATION – Trekking requires unhindered concentration, and to do that, a person has to clear his thoughts and prepare his mind to face topographical challenges.
WEIGHT LOSS – Climbing, dodging around boulders and lights runs and sprints is common while on trekking tours. These physical activities eventually help shed unwanted weight. In fact, trekking at a moderate level of intensity on a regular basis can lead to significant weight loss. Just an hour of trekking can burn upto 500 calories
BETTER THAN A TREADMILL – Unlike the treadmill, trekking offers new scenery, different terrain, and requires almost no equipment or training. Besides you inhale crisp fresh oxygen instead of the smelly and stuffy gym air and listen to the soothing sounds of chirping birds and flowing streams rather than the unfamiliar loud noise in a gym
MENTAL RELAXATION – Trekking is a great way to reduce the stress in your life, because of the release of endorphins, which are known to make us happy! Taking in the fresh air and nature around you while trekking is a great way to help improve your mental health, and it is believed to also improve memory and functionality of the brain. Breathing in the fresh air, as well as seeing flowers, butterflies, birds and animals can also give you a better appreciation of the world and a sense of calmness and joy.
CURES DEPRESSION – A study commissioned by Mind, a leading British mental health charity, suggests hiking contributes to improved mental and emotional health. Focusing on people affected by depression, researchers from the University of Essex compared the benefits of hiking a trail through the woods and around a lake in a nature park to walking in an indoor shopping centre.
BETTER QUALITY OF SLEEP – Regular physical activity has been shown to improve sleep by over 50 percent in those who engage in a regular schedule of exercise. Thus, hiking can be an important part of getting a better night’s sleep. If you choose decide to spend an entire night in nature, or a few nights, you are helping your sleep cycle tremendously.Most of us in the modern world have gotten so used to the artificial lights, noises and distractions of modern technology that our bodies have forgotten how and when it’s time to sleep. A night under the stars is a good way to reset that.
Other Life Benefits
IMPROVE CREATIVITY
PLEASANT MEMORIES
BONDING & TRUST BUILDING
EXPLORING NEW CULTURES
WARNING !!! Hiking / trekking can seriously improve your health.
* As suggested by Dr. Abhinav Gupta
CORPORATE MEDICAL ADVISOR, FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE-TRAINED CLINICIAN, AND HOLISTIC LIFESTYLE + FITNESS+ WELLNESS COACH.
TOP 2 Scuba Diving Trips
by Life Away From Life
Top 2 Scuba Diving trips suggested by Life Away From life
1: Scuba Diving in Zanzibar, Tanzania.
The crystal clear tropical waters surrounding the island of Zanzibar are home to some of the world’s most diverse sea life and colourful reefs. At Mnemba Atoll marine park turtles are a common site and are used to seeing divers. At least three pods of dolphins live in the area and are seen on almost all trips and the majestic whale sharks migrates past the island twice a year. Around the same time of year whales can be seen and a pod of rare humpback dolphins have been sighted many times. These strange creatures number only twelve hundred in the world and we are lucky enough to have around forty in the area.
2: Andaman Islands Scuba Diving
The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are a breathtaking archipelago located east of India. Spread out over more than 800 km in the Bay of Bengal, it looks like the perfect tropical dream.
The islands are famous for its serene, white sandy beaches characterised by sparkling blue waters.
Thickly covered by deep green tropical forest, the archipelago supports a profusion of wildlife, including some extremely rare species of bird, but the principal attraction for tourists lies in the beaches and the pristine reefs that ring most of the islands.
Filled with colourful fish and kaleidoscopic corals, the crystal-clear waters of the Andaman Sea feature some of the world’s richest and least spoilt marine reserves – perfect for snorkelling and scuba diving.
TOP 3 Expeditions by Life Away From Life
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- Adventure, hiking, ladakh, leh, lifeawayfromlife, mentokkangri, mountaineering, mountains, MountainTrail, Nature, sevensummits, summer treks, trekking
TOP 3 Expeditions
by Life Away From Life
2017
- Mt. Elbrus expedition- Russia.Date: 9th August 2017.
Mount Elbrus is the highest mountain in Russia and in Europe, and the tenth most prominent peak in the world. A dormant volcano, Elbrus forms part of the Caucasus Mountains in Southern Russia, near the border with Georgia.
Mount Elbrus – one of the 7 summits, the highest mountain of European continent. Its West summit is 5642 m high, the East one is 21 m shorter – 5621 m.
Mt. Elbrus is situated between the Black and the Caspian sea on territory of the Russian Federation, only 20 km from the Georgian border. Mount Elbrus is a dormant volcano. The last explosion occured about 2000 years ago. The two summits of Elbrus are in fact two craters of volcano. Everywhere on its slopes you can see debris of solidified lava.
read more : http://bit.ly/ElbrusExpedition.
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Kang Yatse 2 peak expedition , Ladakh – India.
Date : 3rd June 2017.
Ladakh has several fascinating peaks to its credit, Kang Yatse being one of them. With a height of about 6400 meters, the trek to the top of it is adventurous and arduous. It takes you through some amazing valleys, some beautiful rivers and some really quaint villages that give a glimpse into the local life of people here.
Kang yatse is one of the famous spot for mountaineers and the adventure seekers. The peak is higher than the surrounding mountain ranges.Kang Yatse Lies south east of Leh and its situated in Markha Valley on the top of Nimaling Plateau. This beautiful peak is a desire for all the trekkers doing the Markha Valley, as they are always having a glimpse of this outstanding peak while trekking there. Actually there are two peaks one is easy and non-technical 6200mts high, and the other one is quit technical 6400mts. high. Though there are many options for this summit, but the best way is to combine with the Markha Valley.
Read more… http://bit.ly/KangYatse2.
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Mentok Kangri peak expedition, Ladakh – India.
Dates: 4th July 2017.
Mentok is the Tibetan name of a wild flower growing in the Ladakh region during the summer season. Mentok Kangri, located in the Rupshu plateau in Eastern Ladakh, lies south of the village of Korzok and the highest peak of the range is at 6250 metres. It consists of 3 peaks – Menthok 1, Menthok 2 and Menthok 3, which offer some breath-taking and stunning views of the landscapes of Tso Kar and Tso Moriri. We will start the trek from Korzok village and setup our base camp at a height of 5240 metres. Following a day’s rest at the base camp, we will summit Mentok I (6250m). After a long trek to reach the summit, you will be treated with amazing scenes of the Tso Moriri lake and beautiful horizon of snow, clouds and spectacular landscape all around you.
This trek is not very demanding technically but is quite challenging for adventurous trekkers.
Read more : http://bit.ly/MentokKangri
TOP 5 Ladakh Trips 2017
by Life away From Life
Ladakh Trips have been a favourite with Life Away From Life since the year 2000. Based on our experience in this Trans-Himalayan region , we suggest 5 top trips this year 2017 which one must experience.
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Ladakh Backpacking Trek
What’s Backpacking? Backpacking is a form of low-cost, independent travel. It includes the use of a backpack that is easily carried for long distances as well as short periods of time, the use of public transport, and inexpensive lodging such as youth hostels. It can be done for short or long duration of a trip and is typically coupled with an interest in meeting locals, seeing sights and treks.
The Experience:
At a height of 9000 feet and spread across the Himalayas, Ladakh has the essence of backpacking flowing through the city. Your first look at the city and you will all in love with vast stretches of mountains, sneak-peaks of snow, the sound of water passing by and the hospitality of the people. With Ladakh’s mysterious way of life and its humble people, a backpacking trek to Ladakh is a lifetime experience, something every backpacker is looking for.
This trip is one of the most looked for trip amongst all the Ladakh Trips.More details
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Ladakh Adventure Trip
The word ‘Ladakh’ means ‘Land of Passes’. On the way from Manali to Leh, there are 5 high-altitude passes (Rohtang, Baralacha-la, Namik-la, Lachunga-la, Tanglang-La). They offering spectacular view of the world’s highest routes between the snow clad mountain ranges of Ladakh and Zanskar. We think that experiencing unique beauty of this mountain-highway is experiencing Ladakh in a true sense.
The white water rafting is done in the world famous Zanskarriver. The route is very adventurous and ends at the confluence of Indus and Zanskarriver at Nimu.
The trekking is done in the world famous Sham valley. This trek crosses streams, astounding landscapes, beautiful villages. We would camp one night in tents and have dinner over a camp fire in the valley.
The Ladakh Adventure trip is one of the most exciting trips in the world.
More details -
Ladakh Monastic Festivals trip
The monastic festivals are annual events of the major monasteries which the local people eagerly look forward to attending, both for attaining religious merit and as a means of social entertainment. These are generally held to commemorate the establishment of a particular monastery, the birth anniversary of its patron saint or some major events in the history and evolution of Tibetan Buddhism. People turn out in the thousands to attend these festivals in their colourful best, making every event a carnival of colours.
More details : http://bit.ly/MonasticFestival
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Ladakh Jeep Safari
The word ‘Ladakh’ means ‘Land of Passes’. On the way from Manali to Leh, there are 5 high-altitude passes (Rohtang, Baralacha-la, Namik-la, Lachunga-la, Tanglang-La). They offering spectacular view of the world’s highest routes between the snow clad mountain ranges of Ladakh and Zanskar. We think that experiencing unique beauty of this mountain-highway is experiencing Ladakh in a true sense.
Flying from Mumbai to Delhi to Leh means reaching from the sea-level to 12000ft (Leh) within a couple of hours. This can is invite high altitude sickness (headache, vomiting, nausea) no matter how fit you are. Whereas, if you take a Jeep Safari from Manali to Leh over two days your body can slowly acclimatize to this altitude change, making you fitter to enjoy the rest of the trip.
Go for it The Ladakh Jeep Safari
More details : goo.gl/faC8Sf
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Kang Yatse 2 Trekking Expedition.
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Ladakh has several fascinating peaks to its credit, Kang Yatse being one of them. With a height of about 6400 meters, the trek to the top of it is adventurous and arduous. It takes you through some amazing valleys, some beautiful rivers and some really quaint villages that give a glimpse into the local life of people here.
You even come across some monasteries along the trek, which adds a bit of spirituality to this Ladakh trekking experience. We start our excellent trek from Spituk near Leh and cross pass of Ganda la before entering into Markha valley. A entire Markha valley is an evidense of old civilisation which has been passes through it and can still find ruins of castle and forts along the trek.Trekking along the Markha river enroute we pass through barley fields, beautiful villages, and experiencing daily life of Ladakh people. We climb to an open pasture of Nimaling, and climb gradually to the base camp. With a panoramic view finally ascending to left shoulder peak of kangyatse.We also cross pass of kongmaru la.
More details : https://goo.gl/4fegtg
For further inquiry u can call us on 7718058351 ( whats app)
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Announcing 3 top short motorcycle trips.
Motorcycling has been a passion with Life Away From Life.
And designing short biking trips , which can suit the working sector, has been on top interest.
here’s the top 3 from us :
#1 Motorcycle trip to Nagaland
- 5 days 4 nights – Starting from Guwahati.
- includes visit to the Hornbill festival in Kohima
- includes visit to the Shine A Light rock music festival in Sohra ( Cherapunjee)
- includes a short one day trek to Dzouko valley.
- details : http://bit.ly/NagalandMotorcycleTrip
#2 Gir Forest Circuit Motorcycle trip
- 4 days 3 nights – starting from Mumbai
- includes Gir Wildlife Santuary visit
- includes night safari
- includes swimming and barbecue
- details : http://bit.ly/GirMotorcycling
#3 Motorcycle trip to Coorg
- 3 days 2 nights – starting from Bengaluru
- includes a short hike in the coffee estates
- includes stay in homestays
- details : http://bit.ly/BikeToCoorg
I always wanted to motorcycle into Bhutan from India.
The whole experience of crossing international border is something else. (My first being entering Tanzania from Kenya).
Since, we at Life Away From Life ( LAFL) have planned an awesome trip to Bhutan , I took this opportunity to motorcycle from Siliguri into Bhutan and then the interiors.
My journey will commence on the 6th of Oct 2016 from Siliguri. I invite anyone who is interested.
During this journey I plan to do the following:
Bike ride, trekking (The Druk Path trek), lots of sightseeing ( also Tigers Nest Monastery), and drink loads of chai.
I plan to ride the good ole’ 500cc Bullet.
Permits arrangements have been done at the border by our local agent Bhutan Merit Travel.
The brief biking itinerary of mine would be:
- Siliguri to Pheuntsholing
- Phuentsholing to Paro
- Paro and around sightseeing
- Druk path trek 3 days
- Paro to Thimpu
- Thimpu and around sightseeing
- Thimpu to Gelephu exit
- back to Siliguri.
The idea of this ride is to experience more of Bhutan Culture, their cuisine, their mountains, their people and of course their chai ….
I invite anyone interested to join me on this adventure.
go to http://bit.ly/DrukPathTrek
– Prateek Deo , ceo LAFL
Chadar Trek offer festive discount till 30th Sept 2016
- Destinations, Events, Offers
- Adventure, backpacking, chadar, chadartrek, Earth, frozenriver, Glaciers, hikes, hiking, ladakh, leh, lifeawayfromlife, zanskar
THE CHADAR TREK OFFER – FESTIVE DISCOUNT TILL 30TH SEPT
Chadar trek offer – Rs 15400/- only !!
Book before 30th September and get a great discount on the world famous CHADAR trek.
2016 Chadar trek video: https://youtu.be/oVoDk5BdZns
Chadar trek a thrilling and adventurous trek in India. In the local language “chadar” means layer- indicating the layer of ice that covers the river . The chadar trek is basically performed on a frozen river called the “Zanskar River”, during the summer this river doesn’t disappoint its enthusiastic tourist as it becomes a perfect location for river rafting expedition and during the winters it transforms into an ice sheet where the famous Chadar trek is performed
The Chadar trek route has been used from Centuries as a trade link by Zanskaris. On the way you will also get a chance to stay with the local Zanskaris and visit some of the ancient monasteries behind the Ice walls, wedged between the mighty Karakoram & the Great Himalayan range.
Life Away from Life , a mountaineering knowledge based company has one of the best crews to handle difficult situations during the trek. We get the best local information regarding the Chadar condition and thereby plan the right itinerary for our clients. Our guides are from Lingshed and other local areas of the Zanskar valley.
Highlights of the trip:
- Best Time: Mid January to Mid February.
- Duration: 5 days.
- Focus Ice trek, Ladakh’s winter life, culture, monks and monasteries.
- Physical Challenge: Some long trekking days & Harsh Cold, Tough Expeditions.
- Highest Point: Leh 3,505 Mts. & Padum 3,610 Mts.
- Climate: Usually sunny days but dry chilly winds, temperature can drop up to minus 25 Centigrade (- 25ºC).
- Group Size: 6 to 10 people.
- Good quality High altitude sleeping bags are provided.
- Two sharing tents give spacious comfort in adverse conditions.
- Highly qualified LAFL coordinators accompany the team.
- Hig nutrition meals are provided.
The most important feature for the Chadar trek to be successful and enjoyable is the use of good equipment’s.
So hurry don’t miss your chance
Book online: http://bit.do/ChadarTrek
Whats app query: 7718058351
Office landline: +91 022 66096693