Migration

Himalaya mountains - photo of the Himalayas. The uniqueness of the Indian Himalayas Find the names of all the mountains in the Himalayas

13.08.2023

The types of landscapes and the possibility of conquering eight-thousand-meter mountains attract climbers from all over the world. Myths and legends envelop this piece of land, marked by the brightest spot (in terms of altitude) on the physical map of Eurasia. At the same time, the Himalayan upland system is the youngest on the planet.

The highest mountain range, the Himalayas, is located in South Asia, it stretches from west to east, its length is over 2400 km, its width is in the range of 180-350 km, and its area is about 650 km 2.

Regarding geographical objects, the ridge is bordered by:

  • north – Tibetan Plateau;
  • south – Indo-Gangetic lowland;
  • east – the valley of the Brahmaputra River;
  • west - Indus Gorge.

The territory of the Himalayan mountains was divided among several Asian countries; the information is given in Table 1.

Table 1.

No. State Capital Location on the Himalayan range
1. Islamic Republic of Pakistan Islamabad West Side
2. Republic of India New Delhi Western and central parts
3. Tibet Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China Lhasa

PRC – Beijing

 Northwestern part
4. Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal Kathmandu central part
5. Kingdom of Bhutan Thimphu East End
6. People's Republic of Bangladesh Dhaka Eastern foothills

Origin of the Himalayas and geology

The Himalayan mountains are marked on the map of geologists as the youngest on Earth.

The age of mountains is determined by their relief: the sharpness, amplitude of heights, and steepness of the slopes confirm their youth - the Himalayas belong to this type. The formation of the system began about 38 million years ago. And in our time, tectonic movements do not stop, they have simply become less intense.

There is a historical and geological theory according to which 200 million years ago there was one single continent on the globe. Due to changes within the earth, it split into several continents.


 Over time, they changed and collided with each other. This is how the Hindustan and Asian lithospheric plates collided, from which the edges of both continents were deformed with the formation of high mountain ranges.

During its formation, the massif was divided into 3 conventional stages, starting from the south:

  1. The southern stage of the Pre-Himalayas - Siwalik Mountains. Its height does not exceed 1 km, width 10-50 km. The mountain structure contains several ridges and the Potvar Plateau.
  2. Lesser Himalayas. The width of the vast highland is 80-100 km, the height is on average 3.5-4 km, there are peaks, the highest is 6.5 km. Between the border ridge of Dauladar and the main Himalayan range lie the picturesque valleys of Kashmir and Kathmandu.
  3. Great Himalayas. The string of ridges is divided into separate structures. The width reaches 90 km, the average height of the peaks is 5.5-6 km, it has 10 mountain ranges with peaks over 8 km.

Development and interesting facts

The development of mountains is associated with the desire to conquer the highest peaks on earth.

In total, there are 14 massifs on Earth with peaks higher than 8 km, the bulk of which are located in the Himalayas.

There are 10 mountain structures whose peak heights exceed this limit. Each of them has been conquered by climbers more than once. But the climber’s most desired goal is to conquer the highest peak on the planet – Chomolungma.

Some facts about conquering the peaks:

  • The first summit of Annapurna was conquered in 1950 by the Frenchmen M. Herzog and L. Lachenal. This was the first world conquest of an eight-thousander peak.
  • The first ascent of Chomolungma in 1953 was made by New Zealander E. Hillary with Sherpa T. Norgay. Sherpas are the people of Nepal, the best guides in the mountains.
  • Japanese Junko Tabei was the first woman to conquer Chomolungma in 1976. The first European in 1978 was Polish woman V. Rutkevich.
  • The oldest person to conquer Chomolungma is 76-year-old Nepalese M.B. Shirchan in 2008. The youngest is 13-year-old Californian D. Romero in 2010.
  • A group of 11 Russians first conquered Chomolungma in 1982. The first Russian woman, E. Ivanova, conquered the height in 1990.
  • The highest peak was conquered 3,700 times, and 570 climbers died during the ascents.

Peaks

Separate mountain structures can have several peaks over 8 km. A brief description is presented in Table 2.

Table 2.

No. Array name Height, m Year of conquest A country Short description
1. Chomolungma (Everest) 8848 1953 Nepal, Tibetan Autonomous Republic Has 2 peaks above 8 km. Part of Sagarmatha National Park (Nepal)
2. Kanchenjunga 8586 1955 Nepal, India An array of 5 peaks, 4 of them are higher than 8 km. Part of a mountain in Kanchenjunga National Park
3. Lhotse 8516 1956 Nepal, Tibetan Autonomous Republic An array of 3 peaks, all above 8 km
4. Makalu 8463 1955 Nepal, Tibetan Autonomous Republic Consists of 2 peaks, both above 8 km
5. Cho Oyu 8201 1954 Nepal, Tibetan Autonomous Republic Included in the Chomolungma massif. Part of Sagarmatha National Park (Nepal)
6. Dhaulagiri 8167 1960 Nepal An array of 11 peaks, 10 of them are above 7 km
7. Manaslu 8156 1956 Nepal An array of 3 peaks, one higher than 7 km, the other – 6 km
8. Nanga Parbat 8126 1953 Pakistan Consists of 4 peaks, 2 – from 7 km, 1 – from 6 km
9. Annapurna 8091 1950 Nepal The ridge is 55 km long, with 13 peaks above 7 km, and 16 - 6 km
10. Shishabangma 8027 1964 Tibetan Autonomous Republic It is part of the Langtang ridge, has 3 peaks, the height of two is above 8 km

Weather

The Himalayan mountains on the map are indicative and are the barrier that separates the southern Indian lowlands from the northern Tibetan plateau.

On the slopes on the northern side the climate is continental cold with rare precipitation per year barely reaching 100 mm. Monsoon winds blow in the south, bringing heavy rainfall. During the summer period, precipitation up to 4 m falls in the eastern part, and less in the west - more than 1 m.

At the tops of the system the temperature in winter is down to -40°C, and in summer no higher than -25°C. Due to constant winds, weather conditions can change dramatically. Hurricane winds often blow, sometimes reaching speeds of up to 150 km/h.

On the southern slope the weather has 4 seasons:

  • April-June – cool spring with lush growth of herbs and flowers.
  • July-August is the summer rainy season with fogs, the flora develops especially rapidly.
  • September-October – warm autumn, comfortable warm days begin.
  • November-March – frosty winter with snowfalls and clear days.

Himalayan water system

The water system of the Himalayas is connected with the glacial and snow caps of mountain peaks. The snow boundary of the south begins from the east at an altitude of 4.5 and from the west – 5.1-5.3 km.

On the northern side the border is higher - up to 1 km. Glaciers have formed on all high-mountain peaks; in the west they have a valley character (the tongue of the glacier is located in a valley), in the east they are dendritic (valley, formed from several tongues).

Glaciers give rise to numerous rivers and deep rivers that pass through the next 2 stages of the Himalayas and flow down to the lowlands. Information about the most famous rivers is given in Table 3.

Table 3.

River name Length, km Source Estuary Which countries does it flow through?
Indus 3180 Tibetan plateau Arabian Sea PRC (TAR), India, Pakistan
Sutlej 1536 Tibetan plateau Indus River PRC (TAR), India, Pakistan
Brahmaputra 2896 Confluence of the Jangtsi and Chema-Yundung rivers Strait of Bengal China (TAR), India, Bangladesh
Ganges 2700 Confluence of Bhagirathi and Alaknanda rivers Strait of Bengal India, Bangladesh


Reservoirs for lakes are pits that appeared during the movement of ice masses. Another condition for the creation of lakes is the damming of mud masses during the movement of ice avalanches on rivers. The famous lakes of the system are usually sacred and are symbols of religious worship. Table 4 provides a summary of some of the lakes.

Table 4.

Lake name Country locations Altitude above sea level, m
Ansu Northern Pakistan, Kaghan Valley 5027
Pangong Tso North India, southwest Tibetan Autonomous Republic 4334
Manasarovar Tibetan AR, southwestern region 4557
Gosaikund Nepal, north central, Rusawa district 4380
Mebartso Bhutan, central region, on the Tang River of Bumthang region 3000

Flora and fauna

On the mountain ranges of the Himalayas, an altitudinal zonation of climatic conditions, flora and fauna is formed. The tiers of the eastern and western zones are different; information is presented in Table 5.


Table 5.

No. Belt height, km Description of the belt Representatives of the flora Representatives of fauna

Eastern zone
1. Up to 0.8-0.9 Terai - swampy jungle Khair, sissu, bamboo, orchids, vines, rattan palm Rhinoceroses, deer, fallow deer, crocodiles
2. Up to 1-1.2 Tropical evergreen forests Lianas, epiphytes, sal tree, shorea
3. Up to 2 Tropical, subtropical forests Oaks, maples, magnolias, chestnuts, Nepalese alder
4. Up to 2.5 Evergreen and deciduous forests Oaks, long-leaf pines, epiphytes Wild boars, serow, Himalayan tara, red panda, pheasants, Danfe pheasants, deer, bears
5. Up to 3.2 Evergreen forests with some deciduous trees Himalayan spruce, Naples cherry, Simon's polyflorum, maples, hemlocks, rhododendrons
6. Up to 4 Evergreen forests Himalayan fir, useful birch, rhodendrons, junipers
7. Up to 4.2 Rhodendrons, junipers, honeysuckle Himalayan marmots, snow leopards, snowcocks, pikas, snow partridges, redstarts, musk deer, wild yaks, llamas
8. Up to 5.2 Alpine herbals, flower beds, lichens, moss

Western zone
1. Up to 1.5 Rainforests Chestnuts and oaks, vines, longleaf pine Gaurs, buffalos, tigers, leopards, deer
2. Until 3 Subtropical evergreen forests Cedars, Himalayan cedars, spruce, oak, fir, cedar, neem, banyan tree Wild boars, serow, bears, red panda, pheasants, gorals
3. Up to 4.3 Subalpine, alpine stripes Rarely birches, pines, rhodendrons, mostly shrubs, sedge thickets, mosses, lichens Marmots, deer, yaks, llamas, leopards, snow partridge, redstarts, woodpeckers, mountain pheasants

An inhabitant of the northern slopes of the Himalayan mountains is the snow leopard.

The northern slopes are distinguished by a harsh climate, where even in summer the temperature rarely reaches above zero at noon; at night it drops into the sub-zero zone. Therefore, vegetation and fauna are very scarce.

Parks and valleys

The Himalayan mountains (on the map you can see the presence of numerous national parks and nature reserves) have protective zones that were created to protect unique wildlife.

They can be used for scientific geographical and biological research purposes. Some parks have become part of the UNESCO list. It is better to visit them in spring or autumn; the rest of the time there is heavy rainfall.

The most famous parks and valleys:

  • India. "Valley of Flowers" located at an altitude of 4 km, in the north-west of the country. A picturesque alpine meadow with flora unique to this area. Accommodation is prohibited here, you can only move on foot. It is adjacent to the high-mountain Nanda Devi Park (the highest peak is 7816 m). There are 2 more parks in India with UNESCO heritage status: “Great Himalayas” and “Kanchenjunga”.

  • Nepal. "Kathmandu Valley" located in the north-central part of the country. There are many historical and cultural international monuments on it. This is a sacred land with several pilgrimage centers on it. There are 7 sites in the valley that are on the UNESCO list. Another park, Sagarmatha, was created to protect the Chomolungma peak.

  • Butane. "Royal Park Manas" located in the south of the country, combined with the “biological corridors” of several nature reserves and national parks. The height of the park reaches the ice fields. Therefore, all climatic zones of the Himalayas with many different species of plants, animals, birds, and insects participate in it. There are 2 more reserves under UNESCO protection: Bumdeling and Sakten.

In Pakistan, the Tibet Autonomous Region of China, and Bangladesh there are also many national parks that do not have UNESCO heritage status.

Buddhist temples

Buddhism is an ancient world religion. Since ancient times, Buddhist temples and monasteries have been built; time has not spared the oldest temple complexes. Mostly medieval churches have survived. Numerous adherents of esotericism, Buddhism and Hinduism come to these holy places.

Temples:

  • Pakistan. Takht-i-Bahi– the complex was built in the 1st century. BC. near the city of Mardan in the north of the country. It was built in 4 stages, up to several centuries passed between stages, the last extension was undertaken in the 6th-7th centuries. AD It was destroyed during the Hun invasion. It is on the UNESCO heritage list.
  • India. Tabo Gompa Monastery in northern India it is located at an altitude of 3.2 km. Founded in 996 AD Rinchen Japo. The monastery has 8 temples and 24 stupas (a cult monolithic structure with a hemispherical outline).

  • Tibetan AR. The most ancient monastery in Tibet - Toling located in the western part, built in 996. There are several halls on the territory, a group of 108 pagodas along the Sainchuan River. Excellent frescoes, a statue of Sakyamuni, and paintings of King Atisha have been preserved in the halls.
  • Nepal. Swayambhunath Stupa located in the suburbs of Kathmandu, erected in 460, in the 13th century. became the largest center of Buddhism. Throughout its history, it was destroyed, restored, refurbished, and in 2015 it was partially collapsed due to an earthquake. The stupa is located on a mountain; to climb it you need to overcome 365 steps; there are several monasteries around it.

  • Butane. Tamshing Lakhang- a temple complex near the city of Jakar in the Bumthang Valley. The complex has a main temple and monastic dormitories. Festivals are held here once a year in honor of Pema Lingla, the founder of the monastery; he erected it in 1501. The culture of temple dances has been preserved, reflecting the era of the founder of the monastery. UNESCO heritage.

Resorts of the Himalayas

The Himalayan hills are a natural heritage of all the countries in which they are located. The highest peaks of planet Earth are concentrated here, so this mountain system is a Mecca for climbers and extreme tourism hunters.

Most popular places:

  • In the Indian Himalayas Gulmarg is considered the most popular resort, located on the slopes of the Pir Panjal mountains in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. The resort offers winter activities from December to March: luge, alpine skiing, snowboarding, freeride (skating outside the designated area). The ski area is 4-2 km above sea level. In the summer they enjoy mountain biking and golf. Nearby there are 40 hotels with different accommodation conditions.

  • Tibetan AR, the city of Purang in the Ngari region. This is an ancient center of trade and a transit point for pilgrims on the way to the sacred Mount Kailash and Lake Manasarovar. The city is open to tourists only in the summer from July to October; in winter the roads are blocked by snow. Tourists can admire local attractions. You can stay in a hotel, but there are not many of them.
  • In Nepal, tourists began skiing with ski equipment quite recently at the resort of Mount Annapurna using heli-skiing (landing at the base by helicopter). Skiing is carried out from different heights from 3.4 to 5.5 km, descending to heights of 3.2-3.5 km. Accommodation or overnight stays are organized in nearby villages where guesthouses (private households) are located.

  • In Bhutan, tourism is excursion and pilgrimage in nature.. Hiking expeditions to religious complexes, or long mountain hikes of up to 1 month are carried out. In temples you can heal your body and soul using unconventional methods; the peace and tranquility that reigns in the country also helps to achieve harmony. You can stay not only in the capital, but also in the city of Paro in hotels from 2-5 stars.

Historical and cultural attractions

Himalayan attractions in all countries are mainly associated with the religious ways of the countries. The religion of the celestial countries has imposed certain rules, and they are closely related to the mountain peaks. On the territory of the countries there are many holy places, there are fortifications and cultural buildings worthy of tourist exploration.

Just look at a map with historical values ​​and see that there are a lot of interesting places in this area of ​​the Earth:

  • In Pakistan, one of the ancient monuments is Altit Fort in the Hunza Valley. The fortress is built on a rock overlooking the valley. The ancient Shikari tower of the fort is 1100 years old. The fortress has small rooms with exquisitely carved wooden portals.

  • In India, this is the summer residence of the Viceroy of England in the city of Shimla, Himchal Pradesh state, northeast of the country. The residence was built in 1888 with British chic, with local influences. The museum has many exhibits.

  • In the Tibetan Autonomous Republic of China they can offer a tour to the city of Burang. Above the city on the mountain ridge, the Simbiling monastery and the large Tegla Kar fort were built - currently the fort remains in ruins, the monastery has been restored. Below them is a 9-story destroyed monastery of the Bon religion - Tsegu Gompa. The path to the sacred Lake Manasarovar and Mount Kailash runs through Burang.

  • In Nepal, it is worth staying in Kathmandu, it itself is an ancient city that has preserved many ancient buildings, there are palace complexes, museums and religious temples. Durbar Square has about 50 historical and cultural monuments of the country, the Hanuman Dhoka complex is especially interesting.

  • Butane. Among the country's attractions, the national library stands out, created in 1967 to preserve the historical heritage of the people. It is located in a beautiful octagonal building. In addition to books, ancient letters and historical documentation are kept there. There are other historical buildings around.

Tourists visiting the Himalayas

Tourists visit the Himalaya mountain system for different purposes:

  • mountaineering;
  • skiing;
  • pilgrimage;
  • physical and spiritual healing.

Tourists flock here in the thousands, and the flow is growing every year. The most suitable period is May-July and September-October. Summer and winter are rainy and snowy seasons. The Himalayas are located on the territories of 5 countries, so how to get here, get a visa, what fees will be charged for the trip, you need to find out in advance from your operator, or find information on the Internet.

The scale of the Himalayan peak system attracts not only tourists, but also scientists. Due to the long political isolation of mountainous countries and the inaccessibility of their territories, this area of ​​the Earth has not yet been sufficiently studied by biologists, geographers, geologists, and historians.

Although the study is gaining momentum, there are still many blank spots on all thematic maps of elevations.

Article format: Svetlana Ovsyanikova

Video on the topic: mysteries of the Himalayan mountains

The Himalayas are the most mysterious place on Earth:

general information

The Himalaya mountain system at the junction of Central and South Asia is over 2,900 km long and about 350 km wide. The area is about 650 thousand km². The average height of the ridges is about 6 km, the maximum 8848 m is Mount Chomolungma (Everest). There are 10 eight-thousanders here - peaks over 8000 m above sea level. In the northwest of the western chain of the Himalayas there is another highest mountain system - the Karakoram.

The population is mainly engaged in agriculture, although the climate allows for the cultivation of only a few types of cereals, potatoes and some other vegetables. The fields are located on sloping terraces.

Name

The name of the mountains comes from ancient Indian Sanskrit. "Himalaya" means "Abode of Snow" or "Kingdom of Snows".

Geography

The entire Himalayan mountain range consists of three distinctive steps:

  • The first - the Pre-Himalayas (locally called the Shivalik Range) - is the lowest of all, the mountain peaks of which do not rise more than 2000 meters.
  • The second stage - the Dhaoladhar, Pir Panjal and several other smaller ranges - is called the Lesser Himalayas. The name is quite arbitrary, since the peaks already rise to respectable heights - up to 4 kilometers.
  • Behind them are several fertile valleys (Kashmir, Kathmandu and others), serving as a transition to the highest points of the planet - the Great Himalayas. The two great South Asian rivers - the Brahmaputra from the east and the Indus from the west - seem to embrace this majestic mountain range, originating on its slopes. In addition, the Himalayas give life to the sacred Indian river - the Ganges.

Records of the Himalayas

The Himalayas are a place of pilgrimage for the strongest climbers in the world, for whom conquering their peaks is a cherished goal in life. Chomolungma did not conquer immediately - since the beginning of the last century, many attempts have been made to climb to the “roof of the world.” The first to achieve this goal was the New Zealand climber Edmund Hillary in 1953, accompanied by a local guide, Sherpa Norgay Tenzing. The first successful Soviet expedition took place in 1982. In total, Everest has been conquered about 3,700 times.

Unfortunately, the Himalayas also set sad records - 572 climbers died trying to conquer their eight-kilometer heights. But the number of brave athletes does not decrease, because “taking” all 14 “eight-thousanders” and receiving the “Crown of the Earth” is the cherished dream of each of them. The total number of “crowned” winners to date is 30 people, including 3 women.

Minerals

The Himalayas are rich in mineral resources. In the axial crystalline zone there are deposits of copper ore, placer gold, arsenic and chromium ores. The foothills and intermountain basins contain oil, flammable gases, brown coal, potassium and rock salts.

Climatic conditions

The Himalayas are the largest climate division in Asia. To the north of them, continental air of temperate latitudes predominates, to the south - tropical air masses. The summer equatorial monsoon penetrates all the way to the southern slope of the Himalayas. The winds reach such strength there that they make it difficult to climb the highest peaks, so Chomolungma can only be climbed in the spring, during the short period of calm before the onset of the summer monsoon. On the northern slope, winds from the northern or western directions blow throughout the year, coming from the continent, which is supercooled in winter or very warm in summer, but is always dry. From northwest to southeast, the Himalayas extend approximately between 35 and 28° N, and the summer monsoon almost does not penetrate into the northwestern sector of the mountain system. All this creates large climatic differences within the Himalayas.

The most precipitation falls in the eastern part of the southern slope (from 2000 to 3000 mm). In the west, their annual amounts do not exceed 1000 mm. Less than 1000 mm falls in the zone of internal tectonic basins and in internal river valleys. On the northern slope, especially in the valleys, the amount of precipitation decreases sharply. In some places, annual amounts are less than 100 mm. Above 1800 m, winter precipitation falls in the form of snow, and above 4500 m snow occurs throughout the year.

On the southern slopes up to an altitude of 2000 m, the average temperature in January is 6...7 °C, in July 18...19 °C; up to an altitude of 3000 m, the average temperature of the winter months does not fall below 0 ° C, and only above 4500 m the average July temperature becomes negative. The snow line in the eastern part of the Himalayas passes at an altitude of 4500 m, in the western, less humidified part - 5100-5300 m. On the northern slopes, the height of the nival belt is 700-1000 m higher than on the southern ones.

Natural waters

High altitude and heavy precipitation contribute to the formation of powerful glaciers and a dense river network. Glaciers and snow cover all the high peaks of the Himalayas, but the ends of the glacial tongues have a significant absolute height. Most of the Himalayan glaciers belong to the valley type and reach no more than 5 km in length. But the further east you go and the more precipitation there is, the longer and lower the glaciers go down the slopes. The most powerful glaciation is on Chomolungma and Kanchenjunga, and the largest glaciers of the Himalayas are formed. These are dendritic type glaciers with several feeding areas and one main trunk. The Zemu glacier on Kanchenjunga reaches 25 km in length and ends at an altitude of about 4000 m. The Rongbuk glacier, 19 km long, slides down from Qomolungma and ends at an altitude of 5000 m. The Gangotri glacier in the Kumaon Himalayas reaches 26 km; one of the sources of the Ganges originates from it.

Especially many rivers flow from the southern slope of the mountains. They begin in the glaciers of the Greater Himalayas and, crossing the Lesser Himalayas and the foothills, reach the plain. Some large rivers originate from the northern slope and, heading towards the Indo-Gangetic Plain, cut through the Himalayas with deep through valleys. These are the Indus, its tributary the Sutlej and the Brahmaputra (Tsangpo).

The Himalayan rivers are fed by rain, glaciers and snow, so the main maximum flow occurs in the summer. In the eastern part, the role of monsoon rains in nutrition is great, in the west - snow and ice of the high mountain zone. The narrow gorges or canyon-like valleys of the Himalayas are replete with waterfalls and rapids. From May, when the most rapid melting of snow begins, until October, when the summer monsoon ends, rivers rush down from the mountains in rapid streams, carrying away masses of debris that they deposit when leaving the Himalayan foothills. Monsoon rains often cause severe floods on mountain rivers, during which bridges are washed away, roads are destroyed and landslides occur.

There are many lakes in the Himalayas, but among them there are none that can be compared in size and beauty with the Alpine ones. Some lakes, for example in the Kashmir Basin, occupy only part of those tectonic depressions that were previously filled entirely. The Pir Panjal range is known for numerous glacial lakes formed in ancient cirques or in river valleys as a result of their damming by moraine.

Vegetation

On the abundantly moistened southern slope of the Himalayas, altitudinal zones from tropical forests to high-mountain tundras are exceptionally pronounced. At the same time, the southern slope is characterized by significant differences in the vegetation cover of the humid and hot eastern part and the drier and colder western part. Along the foot of the mountains from their eastern extremity to the course of the Jamna River stretches a peculiar swampy strip with black silty soils, called the Terai. The Terai are characterized by jungles - dense thickets of trees and shrubs, almost impenetrable in places due to vines and consisting of soap trees, mimosa, bananas, low-growing palm trees, and bamboos. Among the terai there are cleared and drained areas that are used for the cultivation of various tropical crops.

Above the terai, on the damp slopes of the mountains and along river valleys up to an altitude of 1000-1200 m, evergreen tropical forests grow of tall palms, laurels, tree ferns and gigantic bamboos, with many vines (including the rattan palm) and epiphytes. Drier areas are dominated by thinner forests of salwood, which loses its leaves during the dry season, with rich undergrowth and grass cover.

At altitudes above 1000 m, subtropical species of evergreen and deciduous trees begin to mix with the heat-loving forms of the tropical forest: pines, evergreen oaks, magnolias, maples, chestnuts. At an altitude of 2000 m, subtropical forests give way to temperate forests of deciduous and coniferous trees, among which only occasionally are representatives of subtropical flora, for example, magnificently flowering magnolias found. The upper border of the forest is dominated by conifers, including silver fir, larch, and juniper. The undergrowth is formed by dense thickets of tree-like rhododendrons. There are many mosses and lichens covering the soil and tree trunks. The subalpine belt replacing forests consists of tall grass meadows and thickets of shrubs, the vegetation of which gradually becomes lower and sparse as it moves to the alpine belt.

The high-altitude meadow vegetation of the Himalayas is unusually rich in species, including primroses, anemones, poppies and other brightly flowering perennial herbs. The upper limit of the alpine belt in the east reaches an altitude of about 5000 m, but individual plants are found much higher. When climbing Chomolungma, plants were discovered at an altitude of 6218 m.

In the western part of the southern slope of the Himalayas, due to lower humidity, there is no such richness and diversity of vegetation; the flora is much poorer than in the east. There is a complete absence of the Terai strip, the lower parts of the mountain slopes are covered with sparse xerophytic forests and bushes, higher up there are some subtropical Mediterranean species like evergreen holm oak and golden olive, and even higher up coniferous forests of pine trees and magnificent Himalayan cedar (Cedrus deodara) predominate. The shrub undergrowth in these forests is poorer than in the east, but the meadow alpine vegetation is more diverse.

The landscapes of the northern ranges of the Himalayas, facing Tibet, are approaching the desert mountain landscapes of Central Asia. The change in vegetation with height is less pronounced than on the southern slopes. From the bottoms of large river valleys up to the snow-covered peaks, sparse thickets of dry grasses and xerophytic shrubs spread. Woody vegetation is found only in some river valleys in the form of thickets of low-growing poplars.

Animal world

The landscape differences of the Himalayas are also reflected in the composition of the wild fauna. The diverse and rich fauna of the southern slopes has a distinct tropical character. Many large mammals, reptiles, and insects are common in the forests of the lower slopes and in the terai. Elephants, rhinoceroses, buffalos, wild boars, and antelopes are still found there. The jungle is literally teeming with various monkeys. Particularly characteristic are macaques and thin-bodied animals. Of the predators, the most dangerous to the population are tigers and leopards - spotted and black (black panthers). Among the birds, peacocks, pheasants, parrots, and wild chickens stand out for their beauty and brightness of plumage.

In the upper mountain belt and on the northern slopes, the fauna is close in composition to that of Tibet. The black Himalayan bear, wild goats and sheep, and yaks live there. Especially a lot of rodents.

Population and environmental issues

Most of the population is concentrated in the middle zone of the southern slope and in intramountain tectonic basins. There is a lot of cultivated land there. Rice is sown on the irrigated flat bottoms of the basins; tea bushes, citrus fruits, and grapevines are grown on the terraced slopes. Alpine pastures are used for grazing sheep, yaks and other livestock.

Due to the high altitude of the passes in the Himalayas, communication between the countries of the northern and southern slopes is significantly complicated. Some passes are crossed by dirt roads or caravan trails; there are very few highways in the Himalayas. The passes are accessible only in summer. In winter they are covered with snow and completely impassable.

The inaccessibility of the territory has played a favorable role in preserving the unique mountain landscapes of the Himalayas. Despite the significant agricultural development of low mountains and basins, intensive grazing of livestock on mountain slopes and the ever-increasing influx of climbers from around the world, the Himalayas remain a refuge for valuable species of plants and animals. The real “treasures” are the national parks of India and Nepal - Nandadevi, Sagarmatha and Chitwan - included in the World Cultural and Natural Heritage List.

Attractions

  • Kathmandu: temple complexes of Budanilkantha, Boudhanath and Swayambhunath, National Museum of Nepal;
  • Lhasa: Potala Palace, Barkor Square, Jokhang Temple, Drepung Monastery;
  • Thimphu: Bhutan Textile Museum, Thimphu Chorten, Tashicho Dzong;
  • Temple complexes of the Himalayas (including Sri Kedarnath Mandir, Yamunotri);
  • Buddhist stupas (memorial or reliquary structures);
  • Sagarmatha National Park (Everest);
  • National parks Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers.

Spiritual and health tourism

Spiritual principles and the cult of a healthy body are so closely intertwined in various directions of Indian philosophical schools that it is impossible to draw any visible division between them. Every year, thousands of tourists come to the Indian Himalayas precisely to get acquainted with the Vedic sciences, the ancient postulates of the teachings of Yoga, and to improve the health of their body according to the Ayurvedic canons of Panchakarma.

The pilgrims' program necessarily includes visiting caves for deep meditation, waterfalls, ancient temples, and bathing in the Ganges, a river sacred to Hindus. Those suffering can have conversations with spiritual mentors, receive from them parting words and recommendations for spiritual and physical cleansing. However, this topic is so broad and versatile that it requires a separate detailed presentation.

The natural grandeur and highly spiritual atmosphere of the Himalayas captivate the human imagination. Anyone who has at least once come into contact with the splendor of these places will always be obsessed with the dream of returning here at least once more.

  • About five or six centuries ago, a people called the Sherpas moved to the Himalayas. They know how to provide themselves with everything necessary for life in the highlands, but, in addition, they are practically a monopoly in the profession of guides. Because they are truly the best; the most knowledgeable and the most resilient.
  • Among the conquerors of Everest there are also “originals”. On May 25, 2008, the oldest climber in the history of climbing, a native of Nepal, Min Bahadur Shirchan, who was 76 years old at that time, overcame the path to the summit. There have been cases when very young travelers took part in expeditions. The latest record was broken by Jordan Romero from California, who climbed in May 2010 at the age of thirteen (before him, fifteen-year-old Tembu Tsheri Sherpa was considered the youngest guest of Chomolungma).
  • The development of tourism does not benefit the nature of the Himalayas: even here there is no escape from the garbage left by people. Moreover, in the future there may be severe pollution of the rivers that originate here. The main problem is that these rivers provide millions of people with drinking water.
  • Shambhala is a mythical country in Tibet, about which many ancient texts tell. Buddha's followers believe in its existence unconditionally. It captivates the minds of not only lovers of all kinds of secret knowledge, but also serious scientists and philosophers. In particular, the most prominent Russian ethnologist L.N. had no doubt about the reality of Shambhala. Gumilev. However, there is still no irrefutable evidence of its existence. Or they are irretrievably lost. For the sake of objectivity, it should be said: many believe that Shambhala is not located in the Himalayas at all. But in the very interest of people in the legends about her lies proof that we all really need the belief that somewhere there is a key to the evolution of humanity, which is owned by bright and wise forces. Even if this key is not a guide on how to become happy, but just an idea. Not yet open...

The Himalayas in art, literature and cinema

  • Kim is a novel written by Joseph Kipling. It tells the story of a boy who admires British imperialism while surviving the Great Game.
  • Shangri-La is a fictional country located in the Himalayas, described in the novel Lost Horizon by James Hilton.
  • Tintin in Tibet is one of the albums of the Belgian writer and illustrator Hergé. Journalist Tintin investigates a plane crash in the Himalayas.
  • The film "Vertical Limit" describes the events taking place on Mount Chogori.
  • Several levels in Tomb Raider II and one level in Tomb Raider: Legend are located in the Himalayas.
  • The film "Black Narcissus" tells the story of an order of nuns who founded a monastery in the Himalayas.
  • The Kingdom of the Golden Dragons is a novel by Isabel Allenda. Most of the events take place in the Forbidden Kingdom, a fictional state in the Himalayas.
  • Drachenreiter is a book by German writer Cornelia Funke about Brownie and a dragon traveling to the "Edge of Heaven" - a place in the Himalayas where dragons live.
  • Expedition Everest is a themed roller coaster at Walt Disney World Resort.
  • Seven Years in Tibet is a film based on the autobiographical book of the same name by Heinrich Harrer, which describes the story of the adventures of an Austrian mountaineer in Tibet during the Second World War.
  • G.I. Joe: The Movie is an animated film that tells the story of the Cobra-La civilization, which survived the Ice Age in the Himalayas.
  • Far Cry 4 is a first-person shooter story that tells about the fictional region of the Himalayas, dominated by a self-proclaimed king.

1st place: Chomolungma:

(Everest, Dumulangfeng, Sagarmatha)

The highest peak of our planet, reaching a height of 8848 m, is known throughout the world under the names Everest, or Chomolungma. It received its first name in honor of Sir George Everest, who in 1830-1843. was the chief surveyor of British India. The second name is of Tibetan origin and translated means “Divine”. Since the mountain is part of Nepal’s Sagarmatha National Park, in this area it is called the same as this park itself, which means “Mother of the Gods.”

Everest is located in the Himalayas, dividing Nepal and China, the world-famous peak itself falls on the territory of the latter.

Chomolungma has the shape of a triangular pyramid, along which glaciers flow from all sides, interrupting only at an altitude of about 5000 m. The southern slope and ribs of the pyramid are exposed, since snow does not hold on it. At the top of the mountain, sometimes powerful winds rage, reaching speeds of up to 200 km/h, and the temperature at night drops to -60º Celsius.

Climbing to the top of Everest is not easy. The time required for this, including the process of acclimatization and setting up camps, takes about a couple of months. Of all the seasons, spring is the most favorable for climbing the southern and northern slopes. In autumn, climbing the northern slope is impossible. The last 300m of the climb involves negotiating an incredibly steep, smooth rock face covered in powdery snow and is the most difficult section.

The year of the first conquest of Everest by man was 1953, when two climbers climbed to its summit at once - Tenzig Norgay and Edmund Hillary. The next significant year of the conquest is considered to be 1978, since it was in this year that native Italian Reinhold Messner and German Peter Habeler reached the top of this mountain without oxygen cylinders (climbing Everest, climbers usually use oxygen masks). This is due to the fact that the air at the top of the mountain is thin and therefore breathing becomes difficult.

1969 - the Japanese Miura attempted to ski down from the peak for the first time.

1998 - the first descent on a “snow board” - a snowboard, made by the Frenchman Cyril Desmereau.

2001 - Bertrand and Claire Bernier, a couple from France, set off from the top to fly on a tandem glider.

Climbing Chomolungma is an extremely dangerous and risky endeavor - to date, the number of deaths in such attempts has exceeded 200 people. The causes of death are lack of oxygen, frostbite and heart failure, being covered by an avalanche, but the price for the climb, which is up to 65 thousand US dollars in the case of climbing as part of specialized groups, does not stop the climbers. Just to get permission from the Nepalese government you need to pay 10 thousand dollars. To date, the number of climbers who have conquered the highest peak of our planet is approximately 4,000 people.

The Himalayas are the highest and most powerful mountain system on the entire globe. It is assumed that tens of millions of years ago, the rocks that make up the Himalayan mountains formed the bottom of the ancient Tethys proto-ocean. The peaks began to gradually rise above the water as a result of the collision of the Indian tectonic plate with the Asian continent. The process of growth of the Himalayas took many millions of years, and not a single mountain system in the world can compare with them in the number of peaks - “seven thousand meters” and “eight thousand meters”.

Story

Researchers who studied the history of the origin of this in many respects unusual mountain system came to the conclusion that the formation of the Himalayas occurred in several stages, according to which the regions of the Shivalik Mountains (Pre-Himalayas), Lesser Himalayas and Greater Himalayas are distinguished. The first to break through the water surface were the Great Himalayas, whose hypothetical age is approximately 38 million years. After about 12 million years, the gradual formation of the Lesser Himalayas began. Finally, relatively recently, “only” seven million years ago, the “younger” Shivalik mountains saw the seeds.

Interestingly, people have been climbing the Himalayas since ancient times. First of all, because these mountains have long been endowed with magical properties. According to ancient Buddhist and Hindu legends, many mythological creatures lived here. In classical Hinduism, it is generally accepted that Shiva and his wife once lived in the Himalayas. Shiva is the god of creative destruction, one of the three most revered gods in Hinduism. If Shiva is a kind of reformer, in modern terms, then Buddha - who achieved enlightenment (bodhi) - was born, according to legend, at the southern foothills of the Himalayas.
Already in the 7th century, the first trade routes connecting China and India appeared in the rugged Himalayas. Some of these routes still play an important role in trade between the two countries (of course, these days we are not talking about multi-day treks on foot, but about road transport). In the 30s of the XX century. There was an idea to make transport links more convenient, for which it was necessary to build a railway through the Himalayas, but the project was never brought to life.
However, serious exploration of the Himalayan mountains began only in the period of the 18th-19th centuries. The work was extremely difficult, and the results left much to be desired: for a long time, topographers were unable to determine the height of the main peaks or draw up accurate topographic maps. But difficult trials only fueled the interest and enthusiasm of European scientists and researchers.
In the mid-19th century, attempts were made to conquer the highest peak in the world - (Chomolungma). But the great mountain, towering 8848 m above the ground, could give victory only to the strongest. After countless unsuccessful expeditions, on May 29, 1953, man finally managed to reach the top of Everest: the first to overcome the most difficult route was New Zealander Edmund Hillary, accompanied by Sherpa Norgay Tenzing.

The Himalayas are one of the centers of pilgrimage in the world, especially for adherents of Buddhism and Hinduism. In most cases, temples are located in holy Himalayan places in honor of the deities with whose deeds this or that place is associated. Thus, the temple of Sri Kedarnath Mandir is dedicated to the god Shiva, and in the south of the Himalayas, at the source of the Jamuna River, in the 19th century. A temple was built in honor of the goddess Yamuna (Jamuna).

Nature

Many people are attracted to the Himalayas by the diversity and uniqueness of their natural features. With the exception of the gloomy and cold northern slopes, the Himalayan mountains are covered with dense forests. The vegetation of the southern part of the Himalayas is especially rich, where the humidity level is extremely high and the average rainfall can reach 5500 mm per year. Here, like layers of a pie, zones of swampy jungle (the so-called terai), tropical thickets, and stripes of evergreen and coniferous plants replace each other.
Many areas in the Himalayan Mountains are under state protection. One of the most important and at the same time the most difficult to pass is Sagarmatha National Park. Everest is located on its territory. In the western region of the Himalayas lies the domain of the Nanda Devi Nature Reserve, which since 2005 has included the Valley of Flowers, which enchants with its natural palette of colors and shades. It is preserved by vast meadows full of delicate alpine flowers. Among this splendor, far from human eyes, live rare species of predators, including snow leopards (no more than 7,500 individuals of these animals remain in the wild), Himalayan and brown bears.

Tourism

The Western Himalayas are famous for their high-class Indian mountain resorts (Shimla, Darjeeling, Shillong). Here, in an atmosphere of complete peace and detachment from the bustle, you can not only enjoy breathtaking mountain views and air, but also play golf or go skiing (although most Himalayan routes are classified as “for experts”, on the western slopes there are routes for beginners).
Not only lovers of outdoor recreation and exotic things come to the Himalayas, but also seekers of real, unprogrammed adventures. Since the world became aware of the first ever successful ascent of the slopes of Everest, thousands of climbers of all ages and levels of training began to come to the Himalayas every year to test their strength and skills. Of course, not everyone achieves their cherished goal; some travelers pay for their courage with their lives. Even with an experienced guide and good equipment, traveling to the top of Chomolungma can be a difficult ordeal: in some areas the temperature drops to -60ºС, and the icy wind speed can reach 200 m/s. Those who dare to make such a difficult trek have to endure the vagaries of mountain weather and hardships for more than one week: guests of Chomolungma have every chance of spending about two months in the mountains.

general information

The highest mountain system in the world. Located between the Tibetan Plateau and the Indo-Gangetic Plain.

Countries: India, China, Nepal, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bhutan.
Largest cities:, Patan (Nepal), (Tibet), Thimphu, Punakha (Bhutan), Srinagar (India).
Largest rivers: Indus, Brahmaputra, Ganges.

Largest airport: Kathmandu International Airport.

Numbers

Length: more than 2400 km.
Width: 180-350 km.

Area: about 650,000 km2.

Average altitude: 6000 m.

Highest point: Mount Everest (Chomolungma), 8848 m.

Economy

Agriculture: tea and rice plantations, growing corn, grains; livestock farming

Service sector: tourism (mountaineering, climatic resorts).
Minerals: gold, copper, chromite, sapphires.

Climate and weather

Varies greatly.

Average summer temperature: in the east (in the valleys) +35ºС, in the west +18ºС.

Average winter temperature: down to -28ºС (above 5000-6000 m temperatures are negative all year round, they can reach -60ºС).
Average precipitation: 1000-5500 mm.

Attractions

Kathmandu

Temple complexes of Budanilkantha, Boudhanath and Swayambhunath, National Museum of Nepal;

Lhasa

Potala Palace, Barkor Square, Jokhang Temple, Drepung Monastery

Thimphu

Bhutan Textile Museum, Thimphu Chorten, Tashicho Dzong;

■ Temple complexes of the Himalayas(including Shri Kedarnath Mandir, Yamunotri);
■ Buddhist stupas(memorial or reliquary structures);
■ Sagarmatha National Park(Everest);
■ National parks Nanda Devi and the Valley of Flowers.

Curious facts

    About five or six centuries ago, a people called the Sherpas moved to the Himalayas. They know how to provide themselves with everything necessary for life in the highlands, but, in addition, they are practically a monopoly in the profession of guides. Because they are truly the best; the most knowledgeable and the most resilient.

    Among the conquerors of Everest there are also “originals”. On May 25, 2008, the oldest climber in the history of climbing, a native of Nepal, Min Bahadur Shirchan, who was 76 years old at that time, overcame the path to the summit. There have been cases when very young travelers took part in expeditions. The latest record was broken by Jordan Romero from California, who climbed in May 2010 at the age of thirteen (before him, fifteen-year-old Tembu Tsheri Sherpa was considered the youngest guest of Chomolungma).

    The development of tourism does not benefit the nature of the Himalayas: even here there is no escape from the garbage left by people. Moreover, in the future there may be severe pollution of the rivers that originate here. The main problem is that these rivers provide millions of people with drinking water.

    Shambhala is a mythical country in Tibet, about which many ancient texts tell. Buddha's followers believe in its existence unconditionally. It captivates the minds of not only lovers of all kinds of secret knowledge, but also serious scientists and philosophers. In particular, the most prominent Russian ethnologist L.N. had no doubt about the reality of Shambhala. Gumilev. However, there is still no irrefutable evidence of its existence. Or they are irretrievably lost. For the sake of objectivity, it should be said: many believe that Shambhala is not located in the Himalayas at all. But in the very interest of people in the legends about her lies proof that we all really need the belief that somewhere there is a key to the evolution of humanity, which is owned by bright and wise forces. Even if this key is not a guide on how to become happy, but just an idea. Not yet open...

Solarshakti / flickr.com View of the snow-capped Himalayas (Saurabh Kumar_ / flickr.com) The Great Himalayas - view on the way to Leh from Delhi (Karunakar Rayker / flickr.com) You will have to cross this bridge if you are going to Everest Base Camp (ilker ender / flickr.com) The Great Himalayas (Christopher Michel / flickr.com) Christopher Michel / flickr.com Christopher Michel / flickr.com Sunset on Everest (旅者河童 / flickr.com) The Himalayas from a plane (Partha S. Sahana / flickr.com) Lukla Airport, Patan, Kathmandu. (Chris Marquardt / flickr.com) Valley of Flowers, Himalayas (Alosh Bennett / flickr.com) Himalayan Landscape (Jan / flickr.com) Bridge over the Ganges (Asis K. Chatterjee / flickr.com) Kanchenjunga, Indian Himalayas (A.Ostrovsky / flickr.com) Climber at sunset, Nepal Himalayas (Dmitry Sumin / flickr.com) Manaslu - 26,758 feet (David Wilkinson / flickr.com) Himalayan wildlife (Chris Walker / flickr.com) Annapurna (Mike Behnken / flickr.com) ) On the border of India and Tibet in Kinnaur Himachal Pradesh (Partha Chowdhury / flickr.com) Beautiful place in Kashmir (Kashmir Pictures / flickr.com) Abhishek Shirali / flickr.com Parfen Rogozhin / flickr.com Koshy Koshy / flickr.com valcker / flickr.com Annapurna Base Camp, Nepal (Matt Zimmerman / flickr.com) Annapurna Base Camp, Nepal (Matt Zimmerman / flickr.com)

Where are the Himalaya mountains, the photos of which are so amazing? For most people, this question is unlikely to cause difficulty, at least they will answer exactly on which continent these mountains stretch.

If you look at a geographical map, you can see that they are located in the northern hemisphere, in South Asia, between the Indo-Gangetic Plain (in the south) and the Tibetan Plateau (in the north).

In the west they pass into the Karakoram and Hindu Kush mountain systems.

The peculiarity of the geographical location of the Himalayas is that they are located on the territory of five countries: India, Nepal, China (Tibet Autonomous Region), Bhutan and Pakistan. The foothills also cross the northern edge of Bangladesh. The name of the mountain system can be translated from Sanskrit as “abode of snow.”

Height of the Himalayas

The Himalayas contain 9 of the 10 highest peaks on our planet, including the highest point in the world - Chomolungma, which reaches an altitude of 8848 m above sea level. Its geographical coordinates: 27°59′17″ north latitude 86°55′31″ east longitude. The average height of the entire mountain system exceeds 6000 meters.

Highest peaks of the Himalayas

Geographical description: 3 main stages

The Himalayas form three main stages: the Siwalik Range, the Lesser Himalayas and the Greater Himalayas, each higher than the previous one.

  1. Siwalik Range– the southernmost, lowest and geologically youngest step. It stretches for approximately 1,700 km from the Indus Valley to the Brahmaputra Valley with a width ranging from 10 to 50 km. The height of the ridge does not exceed 2000 m. Siwalik is located mainly in Nepal, as well as in the Indian states of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh.
  2. The next step is the Lesser Himalayas, they run north of the Siwalik ridge, parallel to it. The average height of the ridge is about 2500 m, and in the western part it reaches 4000 m. The Siwalik Range and the Lesser Himalayas are strongly cut by river valleys, breaking up into separate massifs.
  3. Greater Himalayas- the northernmost and highest step. The height of individual peaks here exceeds 8000 m, and the height of the passes is more than 4000 m. Glaciers are widely developed. Their total area exceeds 33,000 square kilometers, and their total fresh water reserves are about 12,000 cubic kilometers. One of the largest and most famous glaciers, Gangotri, is the source of the Ganges River.

Rivers and lakes of the Himalayas

The three largest rivers of South Asia - the Indus, Ganges and Brahmaputra - begin in the Himalayas. The rivers of the western tip of the Himalayas belong to the Indus basin, and almost all other rivers belong to the Ganges-Brahmaputra basin. The easternmost edge of the mountain system belongs to the Irrawaddy basin.

There are many lakes in the Himalayas. The largest of them are Lake Bangong Tso (700 km²) and Yamjo-Yumtso (621 km²). Lake Tilicho is located at an absolute elevation of 4919 m, which makes it one of the highest in the world.

Climate

The climate in the Himalayas is quite varied. The southern slopes are strongly influenced by the monsoons. The amount of precipitation here increases from west to east from less than 1000 mm to more than 4000 mm.

On the India-Tibet border in Kinnaur Himachal Pradesh (Partha Chowdhury / flickr.com)

The northern slopes, on the contrary, are in the rain shadow. The climate here is arid and cold.

In the highlands there are severe frosts and winds. In winter, temperatures can drop to minus 40 °C or even lower.

The Himalayas have a strong influence on the climate of the entire region. They act as a barrier to the cold, dry winds blowing from the north, making the climate of the Indian subcontinent much warmer than neighboring Asian regions at the same latitudes. In addition, the Himalayas are a barrier to the monsoons, which blow from the south and bring huge amounts of rainfall.

High mountains prevent these moist air masses from flowing further north, making Tibet's climate very dry.

It is believed that the Himalayas played a significant role in the formation of the deserts of Central Asia, such as the Taklamakan and Gobi, which is also explained by the rain shadow effect.

Origin and geology

Geologically, the Himalayas are one of the youngest mountain systems in the world; refers to the Alpine folding. It is composed mainly of sedimentary and metamorphic rocks, folded and raised to a considerable height.

The Himalayas were formed as a result of the collision of the Indian and Eurasian lithospheric plates, which began approximately 50-55 million years ago. This collision closed the ancient Tethys Ocean and formed an orogenic belt.

Flora and fauna

The flora of the Himalayas is subject to altitudinal zonation. At the foot of the Siwalik range, the vegetation consists of swampy forests and thickets, locally known as “terai”.

Himalayan Landscape (Jan / flickr.com)

Higher up they are replaced by evergreen tropical, deciduous and coniferous forests, and even higher by alpine meadows.

Deciduous forests begin to prevail at absolute elevations of more than 2000 m, and coniferous forests – above 2600 m.

At an altitude of more than 3500 m, shrubby vegetation predominates.

On the northern slopes, where the climate is much drier, the vegetation is much poorer. Mountain deserts and steppes are common here. The height of the snow line varies from 4500 (southern slopes) to 6000 m (northern slopes).

Wildlife of the Himalayas (Chris Walker / flickr.com)

The local fauna is quite diverse and, like vegetation, depends mainly on the altitude above sea level. The fauna of tropical forests on the southern slopes is characteristic of the tropics. Elephants, rhinoceroses, tigers, leopards, and antelopes are still found here in the wild; monkeys are numerous.

Higher up you can find Himalayan bears, mountain goats and sheep, yaks, etc. In the highlands you can also find such a rare animal as the snow leopard.

There are many different protected areas located in the Himalayas. Among them, it is worth noting the Sagarmatha National Park, within which Everest is partially located.

Population

Most of the population of the Himalayas lives in the southern foothills and intermountain basins. The largest basins are Kashmir and Kathmandu; these regions are very densely populated, and almost all the land here is cultivated.

Bridge over the Ganges (Asis K. Chatterjee / flickr.com)

Like many other mountain regions, the Himalayas have great ethnic and linguistic diversity.

This is explained by the inaccessibility of these places, due to which the population of almost every valley or basin lived very separately.

Contacts even with neighboring areas were minimal, since in order to get to them, it is necessary to overcome high mountain passes, which in winter are often covered with snow, and they become completely impassable. In this case, some intermountain basin could be completely isolated until next summer.

Almost the entire population of the region speaks either Indo-Aryan languages, which belong to the Indo-European family, or Tibeto-Burman languages, which belong to the Sino-Tibetan family. Most of the population professes Buddhism or Hinduism.

The most famous people of the Himalayas are the Sherpas, who live in the highlands of Eastern Nepal, including the Everest region. They often work as guides and porters on expeditions to Chomolungma and other peaks.

Annapurna Base Camp, Nepal (Matt Zimmerman / flickr.com)

Sherpas have hereditary altitude adaptation, thanks to which even at very high altitudes they do not suffer from altitude sickness and do not need additional oxygen.

Most of the population of the Himalayas is engaged in agriculture. If there is a sufficiently flat surface and water, people cultivate rice, barley, oats, potatoes, peas, etc.

In the foothills and in some intermountain basins, more heat-loving crops are grown - citrus fruits, apricots, grapes, tea, etc. In the highlands, breeding of goats, sheep and yaks is common. The latter are used as a beast of burden, as well as for meat, milk and wool.

Sights of the Himalayas

The Himalayas are home to a wide variety of attractions. This region has a huge number of Buddhist monasteries and Hindu temples, as well as simply places considered sacred in Buddhism and Hinduism.

Valley of Flowers, Himalayas (Alosh Bennett / flickr.com)

In the foothills of the Himalayas lies the Indian city of Rishikesh, which is sacred to Hindus and is also widely known as the yoga capital of the world.

Another sacred Hindu city is Hardwar, located at the point where the Ganges descends from the Himalayas to the plain. In Hindi, its name can be translated as “gateway to God.”

Among the natural attractions, it is worth mentioning the Valley of Flowers National Park, located in the Western Himalayas, in the Indian state of Uttarkhand.

The valley fully lives up to its name: it is a continuous carpet of flowers, completely different from ordinary alpine meadows. Together with the Nanda Devi National Park, it is a UNESCO heritage site.

Tourism

Mountaineering and mountain hiking are popular in the Himalayas. Of the hiking routes, the best known is the Annapurna Circuit, which runs along the slopes of the mountain range of the same name in north-central Nepal.

Climber at sunset, Nepal Himalayas (Dmitry Sumin / flickr.com)

The length of the route is 211 km, and its altitude varies from 800 to 5416 m.

Sometimes tourists combine this trek with a hike to Lake Tilicho, located at an absolute elevation of 4919 m.

Another popular route is the Manaslu Trek, which runs around the Mansiri Himal mountain range and overlaps with the Annapurna Circuit.

How long it will take to complete these routes depends on the person’s physical fitness, time of year, weather conditions and other factors. In high altitude areas, you should not gain altitude too quickly to avoid symptoms of altitude sickness.

Conquering the Himalayan peaks is quite difficult and dangerous. It requires good preparation, equipment and requires mountaineering experience.

Travel to the Himalayas

The Himalayas attract numerous tourists from Russia and other countries of the world. A trip to the Himalayas can be made at any time of the year, however, it is worth remembering that in winter many passes are covered with snow and some places become extremely inaccessible.

The most favorable time for trekking along the most popular routes is spring and autumn. In summer there is a rainy season, and in winter it is quite cold and there is a high probability of avalanches.