Originally posted in medium.com
Kyrgyzstan is a nation defined by its natural beauty. Joyously unspoilt mountainscapes, stark craggy ridges and rolling jailoos (summer pastures) are brought to life by semi-nomadic, yurt-dwelling shepherds— Lonely Planet Central Asia
An Eagle-Hunter in Kyrgyzstan
I was always fascinated about remote and unknown regions of Central Asia’s highlands. Even when there is not so much a thing called ‘unknown’ in today’s world of air travel and internet, the mountainous regions far north of the Himalayas seemed to be away from everywhere. The region always sounded exotic, with its fables of Silk-Route and of marching armies of Chengiz Khan and Timur Leng. Their nomadic settlements in the mountains and fascinating eagle-hunters on their Central-Asian horses were stuff that made for exotic stories.
Our next grand tour is to the mountain lands and the Buddhist monasteries of Lahaul and Spiti. I will be leading this tour to see and photograph the most beautiful places you can ever see in the Himalayas and to Buddhist monastic centers that are nearly a millennium old.
Dates: July 14th to 21st, 2012
Introduction
One of the still unexplored and insanely beautiful stretch of the Indian Himalayas, Lahaul and Spiti is a valley of stark landscapes and high snowy peaks stretching to the sky. Gurgling rivers and crystal clear lakes dot the highlands of Lahaul, while an ancient civilization has survived for nearly thousand years and has preserved its culture against the onslaught of modernity in Spiti. The faraway valley connected only through a narrow road that traverses through mountains over 10,000 feet high, this region offers vistas and heritage that can keep a travel photographer in a click-frenzy for months together.
Scroll down to see the day-by-day itinerary to know more details and get a glimpse of incredibleness of Lahaul and Spiti Region.
Tour Highlights
- Easy, short duration treks specifically helpful for photography
- Camping in the heart of the mountains, near the clear blue expanse of Chandratal Lake surrounded by high peaks.
- Drive through some of the most amazing landscapes in one of the remotest regions in the Indian Himalayas.
- See and photograph the views from high passes of Rohtang and Kunzum La
- Visit the Buddhist monasteries more than 800 years old that have followed an ancient tradition of Tibetan Buddhism.
- Visit to sights specifically chosen keeping photography opportunities in mind
- Expert help and advice with photographing culture and landscapes of Lahaul and Spiti
- Constant interaction and assistance on field by photography experts with an experience of travelling in Lahaul and Spiti
- Insights to nuances of travel and outdoor photography during the tour
- Image reviews by photography experts
See full details of the tour – Heart of the Himalayas – A Photography Trek + Tour of Lahaul and Spiti
This April, I will be leading a tour to learn photographing the landscapes of Munnar. Read on for more details.
Lush greenery dominates every inch of the rolling hills that surround the small town of Munnar. The emerald hues of neatly trimmed tea-estates and the thick jungles hugging the inclines go on forever, with clouds playing a game of light and shadow on the slopes. Perfectly still waters of the lakes and backwaters reflect the drama of the hills and clouds above. The tea estates, greenery, water bodies, waves of ridges reaching out to the sky, foggy sunrises and colourful sunsets are a treat to your eyes as well as for the camera.
Darter Photography takes you to the Kannan Devan Hills, to learn how to photograph landscapes in a way that justice to the scenery unfolding in front you. This workshop will take you through the secrets of making great looking landscape images and help you unfold the perspectives of a landscape-artist through your camera. Join us in discovering the joy of capturing the beauty of Munnar’s landscapes and learn what goes behind making permanent imprints of the colours of the hills in your camera.
See full details of the tour – Landscapes of Munnar.
