Travel Tips India Part 2: Medical Advice

Vaccinations

It is very important that you get the required inoculations before you travel to India. The risks to health while travelling vary between individuals and many things need to be taken on board such as; activities on your holiday, length of holiday and your own personal health prior to departure. Consult your GP or practise nurse who will asses your health risks before recommending vaccines and malarial tablets. You can also visit your countries travel-health website for more information.

The World Health Organisation (www.who.int) make the following recommendations before travelling to India.

• Make sure your primary courses and boosters are up to date - measles, mumps and rubella vaccinations. Also vaccines given to special groups because of risk to exposure or complications (e.g pneumococcal and influenza for the elderly and hepatitis B for health care workers.
• For all travelers they advice: diphtheria, tetanus, poliomyelitis, hepatitis A and typhoid.
• Depending on when and where you go they also advise: hepatitis B, rabies, tuberculosis, Japanese encephalitis, cholera.

Proof of vaccination against Yellow Fever is required if you are arriving in India from a country in the yellow fever zone or have been in such a country within the six days prior to arriving in India.

Malaria

Malaria is a very serious and sometimes fatal disease transmitted through mosquitoes. You cannot be vaccinated against malaria.

• Malaria precautions are necessary in all areas below 2000m, throughout the year. There is very low to no risk in Himachal Pradesh, Jammu, Kashmir and Sikkim, which are at high altitude. Please note to get to these areas of high altitude you usually travel through a malarious zone.
• Avoid being bitten by mosquitoes by wearing long sleeved garments and full length trousers especially after sunset, using mosquito repellent on exposed skin and, when necessary, sleeping under a mosquito net.
• Consult your doctor or practice nurse about suitable antimalarial tablets.
• Most importantly if you develop a fever while traveling seek medical attention immediately. Remember malaria can lie dormant and develop up to a year after exposure.

Travel Tips India Part 1: Tourist Visa’s

All foreign nationals including children must get a visa before arriving in India. Six month multiple-entry visa are issued to nationals of most countries, regardless of how long you plan to stay. If you plan on staying longer than that you must leave the country to acquire a new visa and then return. Most people choose to go to Kathmandu in Nepal or Colombo in Sir Lanka if they are not returning to their resident country between visits.

How to get a visa?

You need to contact your countries Indian embassy to obtain an application form for a tourist visa. You need to fill in your application on the original form not a photocopy. Along the completed application form, you need;

• Original passport valid for at least 6 months
• Two recent passport-sized photographs
• Application fee is €50 / £30 / US$73 at the time of writing

The fee is payable by bank draft or postal order in most countries. Cash or Credit Card is rarely accepted.

Contact us at info@intoindia.com if you need any further information

New Treknraft 2008

Location: Uttarakhand
Duration: 15 days
Grade: Moderate Trek - Class III(IV) River

Camp just after sunrise

IntoIndia has changed its trekking and rafting combination trip for 2008. This year’s treknraft is a combination of the Roopkund Lake Trek and and Kail River Expedition. This trip combines a mountain trek with a river expedition and offers the best of both worlds. No experience is required to join this holiday.

Enjoying the warm camp fire

The Roopkund Lake Trek (5029m) is a beautiful journey in the shadow of the huge Nanda Ghungti (6310 m), Changabang (6864 m) & Trishul (7120 m) peaks. The route takes us through remote villages, forests and green meadows.

Village donkey carrying bricks

The Mystery Lake was made famous by the skeletal remains discovered there in 1942 by a forest ranger. After much research a team of scientists discovered that most of the pilgrims suffered an identical cause of death, large skull fracture caused by one of the most deadly hail storms in history. The history of the lake adds to the trip which already boasts of the best scenery in the Himalayas.

Praying Mantis

The Kali River is a great introduction to white-water in India. It is a classic pool drop river, with relaxing calm scenic sections followed by big fun rapids with long wave trains. The river flows past terraced farms, mountain streams, white sandy beaches and thick tropical jungles.

Kayaker on the Kali River

Forming the border between India and Nepal it gives a great insight into the people living in both countries. The river is teeming with fish and the area is rich in wildlife. The region is home to bear, leopard, elephant, monkey and over 500 species of bird.

Flotilla of rafts

Please see www.intoindia.com for current departure dates, or contact us to tailor private dates.

Ripchar Valley Trek - Ladakh

Buddhist Monk at Lamayurug

Location: Ladakh
Duration: 9 Days
Grade: Moderate

Wild Horse on Rangdom Plains

Due to the volume of enquires IntoIndia has been receiving; we have added a new trek to http://www.intoindia.com/. The Ripchar Valley Trek is a short but special trek in Ladakh in northern India. In July and August it is the best location for trekking in India.

Setting up Camp

Ladakh, meaning ‘land of high passes’, is bound by the two largest and biggest mountain ranges in the world, the Karakoram to the north and the Great Himalaya to the south. Commonly referred to as ‘little Tibet’, it is characterised by Buddhist culture and tradition, with spectacular Gompas perched high on valley walls or hillsides, it is truly an amazing place.

Buddhist Player Wheels at Lamayuru

The Ripchar Valley Trek gives one a great insight into Ladakhi culture, people and religion as we visit some beautiful monasteries, unspoilt villages and nomadic settlements. The landscape is truly spectacular with a number of parallel mountain ranges including the Karakoram, Zanskar and Greater Himalayan ranges offering endless panoramic views.

Trekkers on the trail

This nine day holiday starts with a flight from Delhi to Leh, followed by a of day acclimatisation and sightseeing taking in Leh‘s monasteries and markets. We then drive to the trail head, stopping to visit the famous Lamayuru monastery en route. We then trek for four days in the mostly barren landscape of the Ripchar valley but we also pass some flower-filled pastures and quaint villages with irrigated fields of barley and potatoes. The route takes us over several high passes finishing in Chilling (famous for copper production) before driving back to Leh, and flying back to Delhi the following day.

Please see http://www.intoindia.com/ for current departure dates, or contact us to tailor private dates.

Ripchar Valley

Brahmaputra River Expedition

Crossing a bamboo bridge to Tuting village

I just finished a river trip on the Brahmaputra river in northeast India. Wow. It was an epic trip. the river and the rapids were great. I've never seen waves that big. You could feel the power of the river.

Running center line on Ponging

The quality and skill of the crew made for a fun and safe journey threw the rapids. The camps were pretty neat, mostly big sand beaches. Every morning and night the cooks made us great food which we ate by a warm fire. It was good to be on an expedition trip and not eat expedition food. I love Indian eats!

Dave barbecuing the days catch

I think my favorite part of the trip was the part of the world we were in. I don't think that many tourists go there. We really got to see the culture of the area. We got to see local dances and drumming as well as a village only twenty kilometers from the border of Tibet. We were really up there.

Local tribeswomen performing traditional dance

In Tooting we got to eat beetles and roasted jungle squirrel. They were tasty. The crew really showed us as much as they could. We even got blessed by tribal priests before we put in.

Adi tribesman with bamboo snares

I've been on a lot of river trips and this one was a great all around experience. When we were in Pasighat on the last night of the trip I really felt we had accomplished something big. I know I'll miss the crew and all of the friends I made on the trip. I can't wait for my next India experience with "IntoIndia". Thanks for the great experience.

Eli

Sanjay breaking through a huge wave

Kali River Trip

Going Good in My Duckie

The trip began as one of the most scenic road trips I’ve ever done. Winding our way up through the Panchuli region we got a fly-by glimpse at many aspects of rural Indian living, from fashion and farming to innovative road construction methods. We traversed low lying Himalayan hills and rivers, taking in spectacular views of Nada Devi to climb high in the valley to our river put on, all the while taking our chances with the hectic local traffic which often included homemade richshaws.

Local School Kids at the Put On

With our paddle and gear rafts, safety kayaks and my lonely little duckie loaded with enough tents, clothes, booze, food, games and gear to keep our party of 21 safe, happy and fed we launched our 6 day adventure on the Kali River in a heat that was beautifully bearable from the conflunence of the Gori Gunga and Kali Rivers.

The Chennai Boys Going Big on Chooka Rapid

Getting to grips with navigating my own craft on the water provided most of the entertainment for everyone else on the river. In fact I was having such a hilarious time getting thrown out of the duckie in every possible direction at most available opportunities, some of the brave rafters decided to join me in the 2 man raft to tackle the bigger rapids that got progressively more frequent as the days went on.

Breaking over the Top of a Large Wave with Nikki in My Duckie

A highlight of the trip though was successfully breaking over the peak of a massive mid river wave (without flipping) while the others waited close to the banks, cameras at the ready, all set to clear up the carnage for what we all thought was going to be an inevitable BIG flip. Shamefully I was no better at staying in the thing on the last day than I was on the first, I think my swims totalled somewhere close to 25 for the whole trip. That said, with the sun toasting my pale Irish skin, the odd swim was refreshingly chilling!

Relaxing around the fire. This photo was achived using a slow shutter and a head lamp.

Every meal time I was amazed as to how our two cooks managed to emerge with a huge spread of tasty Indian cuisine. In fact it seemed as though, if we weren’t paddling on the river or enjoying beach life at our night time camp spots we were eating! Snacks, soup, 3 course meals, bigger breakfasts than my mother ever made me… it was endless and it was all good! Night time around the camp fire with rum and coke in one hand and toasting marshmallows with the others, there was no shortage of messing and music under the full moon sky.

Eli on the cataraft, Dimberghat rapid.

Knackered as I was after a week negotiating big bouncy wave trains cutting there path through a remote jungle, afternoons of cricket and Frisbee and nights by the fire I was sorry to leave and board the train for my return trip to Delhi.

All the team

Kauri Pass Trek

Terraced fields at Ghunni

Is there no where in India where people don’t live? Second biggest population in the world, yes I knew that! But high in the mountains at 4000meters, having just descended from the snowy pass and with the nearest village a days walk away…. in front of me a small shepherd boy is standing on the first branch of a lonely tree about 8 feet off the ground staring out at the snow capped peaks that surround us in every direction….. clearly oblivious to the world I live in! Hmmm I never thought I’d find myself wishing I was an 8 year old Indian boy.

Mt Dunagiri 6892 M

We left our tents at 4am guided by the light of our head torches and the stars in the sky, spurred on by words of encouragement from our hilariously entertaining Indian guide to ascend the final uphill section of the trek.

Pankaj, Sinead and Jam at the Kuari Pass

We reached the snow covered Kuairi Pass in time to see the sun rise over the easterly peaks of the North Indian Himalaya. This undoubtedly, was the scenic highlight of the trip. However the days in the lead up, as we climbed and descended though valleys, villages, across river beds and under waterfalls were a close runner-up.

Me with my new found friend

This can only be described as an ideal trek, with the option to chip in and help with camp set up or cooking or just relax and let your every need be catered for by a first rate team. With trekkers and guides from various parts of the globe, together with our local mule guides, cooks and trekking guide we made our way over 7 days to final our destination. A huge breakfast feast geared us up for each morning of nicely paced walking arriving early afternoon each day at camp spots that offered spectacular views of the surrounding mountains and terraced fields. With a little each of hail and rain, the sun shone predominantly throughout.

Village women carrying the fresh harvest

At night we devoured beautifully prepared and abundantly endless dinner around a camp fire as we listened to local tales or returned to the rudiments of wholesome entertainment with singing, playing cards and charades.

Camp at Khulara Meadow