Trekking and Photography in the Himalaya

Nikon 40mm f/2.8G AF-S DX Micro

2012-02-18T12:22:00.001+05:30

I feel that this lens is a good addition for DX shooters who need a normal lens (60 mm is not quite normal but not short tele either) but with close focusing abilities.. the lens is very sharp, goes down to one inch and is priced around USD 275.. those of you considering the 50 1.8 could take a look at this especially if you have macro aspirations!

http://www.popphoto.com/gear/2012/02/lens-test-nikon-40mm-f28g-s-dx-micro

Treks in Himalayas: The Everest Base Camp Trek Nov 2012

2012-02-11T10:12:00.001+05:30

South Col Expeditions (http://www.southcol.com/Treks-Nepal/the-everest-trek-to-kala-pattar) will be running the Everest trek to Kala Pattar in November 2012. The dates for the trek are 18th November to 2nd December 2012 (Kathmandu to Kathmandu). Please write to sujoyrdas@gmail.com for more information on the trek and costs. Seats will be restricted to eight trekkers so register soon! For photographs of past treks in the Everest region please do visit Everest April 2011 and Everest Facebook 2011

The Everest Trek to the view point of Kala Pattar is the "dream trip" for most trekkers. The fifteen day trip from Kathmandu has been carefully designed to provide proper acclimatisation so as to ensure the least discomfort for the trekker. On many days we walk only 5 hours and rest in the afternoon to ensure that we do not gain altitude too quickly. The day wise itinerary from Namche Bazar is given below. From Lukla to Namche Bazar is 2 days and one acclimatisation rest day so we begin walking from Day 4.

Day 04 Namche Bazar to Khumjung (3790m) (2-3 hours)
We climb up to the Shyanboche airstrip and then descend to Khumjung. The twin Sherpa villages of Khumjung and Khunde, are home to some of the most famous Everest climbers.
We walk to Khunde from Khumjung and visit the hospital, which was established and funded by Sir Edmund Hillary's Himalayan Trust. Khumjung monastery is interesting as being the store place of one of the alleged Yeti scalps that are to be found in the region.

Day 05 Khumjung to Thyanboche - night stop at Devoche (3860m) (5 to 6 hours)

As we follow the path, we will get our first really good views of the great peaks of the Khumbu: Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse and Ama Dablam. Passing by several villages and numerous tea shops, we will cross the Dudh Kosi River and make a steep climb to Thyangboche monastery. Thyangboche is the spiritual center for the Khumbu, a training center for new monks. The Rimpoche (incarnate Lama) of Thyangboche resides here and the area is considered holy, nothing may be haunted or killed. With the treasures of Ama Dablam and Mount Everest in the background, the spirituality and scenic value of the site never fails to impress. We will attend the morning evening service at Thyanboche monastery.

Day 6 Devoche to Dingboche (4350m) (5 to 6 hours)

The trail leaves Devoche and then crosses the river over a suspension bridge which offers a great view of Ama Dablam above the crashing waters of the Dudh Kosi. It then passes a large mani wall in the middle of the trail and finally levels out to reach Pangboche. The trail follows the Imja Khola and passes the yak grazing areas of Shomare and then the small tea house of Orsho. The trail then crosses a bridge over the river. The right path leads to Dingboche about 45 minutes from the bridge.

Day 7 Rest Day at Dingboche

The rest day at Dingboche can be used for a day walk upto Chukung with fabulous views of the Lhotse/Nuptse wall and Ama Dablam as well. Alternatively a half day walk can be made to the Nangkartshang peak or the Ama Dablam lakes across the moraine.

Day 08 Dingboche to Dugla (4600m) (2 to 3 hours)

We climb the ridge behind the village and then come onto a level plain with enormous views of Taboche in the background. The trail continues along the plain and then crosses a bridge and climbs gently to Dugla. Dugla is just above 15,000 feet so a night halt here should definitely help acclimatisation though many trekkers carry onto Lobuche the same day.

Day 09 Dugla to Lobuche ( 4940m) (3 to 4 hours)

The hill to climb after Dugla can be hard especially if you are having problems with altitude. At the crest are the "Everest memorials" for sherpas and climbers who did not make it down from Everest. From the memorials the gradient eases off and in about an hour you can spot the lodges of Lobuche.

Day 10 Lobuche to Gorak Shep (5170m) (3 to 4 hours)

The trail follows the moraine of the Khumbu glacier and there is a lot of hard walking over boulders and scree slopes. Pumori comes into view as one approaches Gorak Shep.

Day 11 Gorak Shep to Kala Pattar (5554m) and back to Lobuche

The climb to the view point of Kala Pattar would take around two hours depending on the level of acclimatisation. From this high point a ,magnificent 360 degree view unfolds with all the major peaks of the region visible. We come down in an hour to Gorak Shep and after a quick lunch head down the valley to Lobuche which is usually reached by evening. This is a long day but a better alternative to spending two nights at Gorak Shep.

Day 12 Lobuche to Pangboche (5 to 6 hours)

The descent down the valley is now swift as we are losing altitude and the air is getting thicker. We stop for lunch at Pheriche and then reach Pangboche by late afternoon.

Day 13 Pangboche to Namche Bazar ( 5 to 6 hours)

We walk down to Thyangboche and then with a quick stop for tea descend steeply to Phunki Tenka. Lunch is at Phunki Tenka and we then climb for Namche Bazar which we reach by evening

Day 14 Namche Bazar to Lukla ( 7 to 8 hours)

We leave Namche after breakfast by 7.30 am and descend steeply to the Benkar Bridge. From the bridge we climb up to the Park Headquarters and then the trail levels and enters Monjo. From Monjo we enter Phakding for lunch. From Phakding it is around three hours to Lukla

Day 15 Lukla to Kathmandu - by morning flight - if the flight is on time we should be back in Kathmandu for breakfast!

Kashmir Craft Tour 2012

2012-02-05T12:35:00.001+05:30

A friend Abeer Gupta is running a Craft tour in Kashmir from April 1-7,2012. Those of you who are interested please contact Abeer at abeer.gupta@gmail.com

Kaziranga Photos

2012-02-01T02:00:00.000+05:30

I was in Kaziranga National Park in Assam, India in the last week of December 2011. Thanks to Tarun Gogoi of Wild Grass Resort I had some excellent wildlife sightings at the park. Some of the photographs are in this post below while the full collection is on my web site Kaziranga Photos

Indian One Horned Rhino on the Kaziranga grasslands

Elephant Safari Kaziranga

Hog deer Kaziranga

Adjutant Stork

Elephant and calf cross the road in front of our jeep

Wild Grass Kaziranga

2012-01-23T02:00:00.000+05:30

I recently had the pleasure of spending four days at the Wild Grass Resort , Kaziranga National Park. The resort had amazingly good food, excellent service, beautiful ambience and warm, comfortable rooms! The resort run by Manju Barua and his team is one of the oldest in the area. Tarun Gogoi was an excellent guide and a treasure trove of information on the birds of the park. To contact Wild Grass please e-mail wildgrasskaziranga@gmail.com Some photographs of Wild Grass are below:

South Col: Ghorepani/Poon Hill Trek and Photo Workshop

2012-01-17T02:00:00.000+05:30

South Col Expeditions ran a trek-cum- photo workshop for five days in the Annapurna foothills in December 2011. The route was Pokhara-Birethanti-Ghandrung-Tadapani-Ghorepani-Poon Hill-Ulleri-Tirkedhunga-Birethanti-Pokhara. The team had four very enthusiastic and talented photographers: Dhrubo Gupta, Partha Das, Susmit Bhattacharya and Sandip Bhattacharya. Some photographs from the trek:

Alexander Kellas: Mountaineering's Unsung Hero

2012-01-11T02:00:00.000+05:30

Sunday , January 8 , 2012

Up above the world so high

Mount Kangchenjau, in whose shadow Kellas (picture below) is buried. (Picture by Sujoy Das)

On June 5, 1921, on a windswept plain in Tibet, Lt-Col. Howard Bury, the leader of the Mount Everest Reconnaissance Expedition, had a very unhappy task to perform. He was to preside over the last rites of Dr Alexander Mitchell Kellas, 53, who was the first casualty of the expedition and died before the team could reach the foot of Mount Everest. So, with Bury reading from the Corinthians, surrounded by his team of Everest climbers and the Sherpas, Kellas was buried near the Tibetan fortress of Khamba Dzong in the shadow of the three mountains which he alone had climbed — Kangchenjau, Pauhunri and Chomiomo. As the team made its way to the Rongbuk base camp, one of the finest mountaineers of his generation passed into oblivion.

Kellas was no ordinary mountaineer. He was a Scottish doctor of chemistry, an expert in high-altitude physiology and, above all, a Himalayan explorer. He was the first to promulgate the theory that it would be possible to ascent Everest without artificial oxygen in his pioneering paper A consideration of the possibility of ascending Mount Everest. Fifty-eight years later, in 1978, Reinhold Messner and Peter Habeler proved Kellas right when they made that epic first ascent, the climbers gasping for breath and crawling on all fours along the final summit ridge.

Kellas was born in Aberdeen, Scotland, in 1868 and studied at University College, London. He travelled to Heidelberg, Germany, for his PhD and returned to take up a lectureship at Middlesex Hospital, where he was highly regarded as a chemistry teacher. But his first love remained mountaineering and exploration.

Kellas was reclusive to a fault and wrote very little about his exploits. He undertook eight Himalayan expeditions between 1907 and 1921. Six of them were in Sikkim, where he made the first ascents of Pauhunri (7,128 metres), Chomiomo (6,829 metres), Sentinel Peak (6,470 metres), Langpo (6,950 metres) and Kangchenjau (6,920 metres), assisted solely by Sherpas. On his first Himalayan expedition in 1907, Kellas had hired Swiss guides, but he soon realised he preferred the Sherpas from Darjeeling. “Really, they are the most splendid fellows,” he wrote. “They are strong, good-natured if fairly treated and since they are Buddhists, there is no difficulty about special food for them — a point surely in their favour at high altitudes.” It was primarily due to Kellas’s pioneering efforts that links were formed between British mountaineers and the Sherpas, which became the backbone of all Everest expeditions since 1921.

In 1920, Kellas undertook an expedition to Kamet in the Garhwal where, along with Henry Morshead, he tested oxygen equipment at high altitudes in preparation for the first Everest expedition the next year. Kellas would possibly have climbed Kamet had it not been for a porters' rebellion. Morshead later climbed up to 7,650 metres on Everest in 1922 accompanied by Mallory, Norton and Somervell.

In 1921, as a run-up to the Everest expedition, Kellas and a team of Sherpas made an unsuccessful attempt on Kabru (7,338 metres) in the Sikkim Himalayas. Nine days later, a weary Kellas started out on the Everest expedition to Tibet, which would be his last.

Tom Longstaff climbed Trishul (7,120 metres) in 1907 and supposedly held the high altitude record until 1930. But it was later proved by Kellas's biographer Ian Mitchell that the record belonged to Kellas, as Pauhunri, which he climbed in 1911, was eight metres higher than Trishul.

In 1930 the Kangchenjunga expedition led by Gunther Dyrenfurth had named a shapely 6,680-metre peak north of Jonsong as Kellas Peak. This peak, interestingly, is unclimbed till date and in 2009 a team of British mountaineers including Graham Hoyland and George Rodway, were able to reach the Kellas Col at 6,380 metres, where avalanches and crevasses prevented them from making a summit bid.

Kellas has always been overshadowed by the likes of Mallory, Smythe and Shipton, but Everest historian Walt Unsworth in his epic Everest - A Mountaineering History, wrote: "In terms of Himalayan experience he [Kellas] was the greatest of all."

Kellas’s years in anonymity may now end. The story of his life has been documented inPrelude to Everest: Alexander Kellas, Himalayan Mountaineer, by Ian R. Mitchell and George Rodway, published in 2011. It should finally give the explorer his deserving place in the annals of mountaineering.

Sujoy Das (The writer is a Calcutta-based photographer and trekker)

The most popular posts of 2011

2012-01-04T02:00:00.000+05:30

As we move into 2012, I thought I would list the most popular posts on this blog:

Mountain Photography Tips and Tricks 1

http://www.sujoyrdas.blogspot.com/2011/07/mountain-photography-tips-and-tricks.html

Nikon Value for money lenses for FX format

http://www.sujoyrdas.blogspot.com/2011/11/value-for-money-lenses-for-nikon-fx.html

Sikkim: The Unpublished Photographs

http://www.sujoyrdas.blogspot.com/2010/07/sikkim-unpublished-photographs.html

Darjeeling: still the Queen of Hill Stations?

http://www.sujoyrdas.blogspot.com/2010/07/darjeeling-still-queen-of-hill-stations.html

Calcutta Polo

2011-12-27T10:49:00.000+05:30

Some photographs of the Ezra Cup Polo competition held in Calcutta in December 2011. For more Polo photographs please do visit my web site www.sujoydas.com

Himalayan Homestays: Spiti Lhalung Village

2011-12-22T06:58:00.000+05:30

The village of Lhalung (3800 metres) is now connected to the district headquarters of Spiti, Kaza, by a motorable road but is also possible to walk to Lhalung from Komic and Demul. We stayed at Khabrick Homestay in Lhalung run by Tashi Khabrik and his charming wife Dolma. Tashi is extremely knowledgeable about the region and also works as a trekking guide in summer for treks across Parang La to Tso Moriri and other areas in Spiti. He can be contacted at tashi.bodh@yahoo.co.in and +91 9418962704. Lhalung has a splendid monastery on top of the hill and for tourists visiting Dhangkar, a visit to Lhalung just an hours drive away is strongly recommended. Alternatively, the Spiti left bank trek starting from Lhangza passes through Komic, Demul, Lhalung and then onto Dhangkar.

The village of Lhalung

The Serkong monastery above Lhalung village - a hidden gem!

Tashi, Dolma and their little girl outside Khabrick Homestay

Spiti Homestays: Komic Village

2011-12-15T15:10:00.001+05:30

On a recent trek in Spiti in October 2011, I had the pleasure to stay in some very pleasant home stays. One of them was called Kunga Homestay in Komic village at an altitude of 4500 metres. Kunga Chorden, a young lad of 23 years who runs the home stay with his wife provides very comfortable accommodation with good food. Kunga later accompanied us on our three day trek from Komic to Dhangkar. His phone nos are 01906 200050 and +91 9459981295. He can be also contacted through Mr Ramesh Lotay of Spiti Holiday Adventures in Kaza at +91 9418439247/ +91 1906 222711. Ramesh Lotay is also on e mail loteykaza@yahoo.co.in

The village of Komic

Our room at Kunga Homestay

Kunga Chorden who runs the Kunga Homestay and also guides treks in the region

Photography Tips and Tricks

2011-12-07T03:00:00.000+05:30

After my two postson tips and tricks for mountain photography in this blog, I am giving belowsome general tips for everyday photography which I am sure would beuseful.

Tip 1: Addpeople to a landscape

Add a subject tothe foreground of a landscape shot to give depth to the photograph. An example of this is given below

Tip 2: Usefill flash in daylight

When shooting people, in strong noon day sun use the pop up flash or even a speedlight to fill dark shadows especially under the eyes and bring out details. This ensures that the background is also exposed correctly and not washed out. An example of this is given below:

Tip 3: Kickthe “I’ll fix it in Photoshop habit”!

You need to ensurethat the photograph is taken in the camera not fixed in Photoshop – so whitebalance, exposure, lighting, focus etc all need to be bang-on! If you are notsure of the exposure bracket! Check the histogram on the LCD display to ensurethat exposure is correct.

Tip 4:F8 and be there

Basically this famousphotography axiom asks you to be ready to shoot. So rather than adjust whitebalance, aperture, shutter speed ,metering modes, focus modes etc beforetaking a photo, you to need to set all this before hand. On a normal sunny day,I will usually set the following before I start out: WB auto, ISO auto set tomaximum of 800, aperture priority around f8 or so, and matrix metering, AF-Sfor single focus. This allows me to shoot in most situations provide the lightis reasonable. And, if I have time I would bracket three to four exposure either by using auto bracketing or manually -0.3, -0.7, -0.1, +0.3, + 0.7. Thisusually nails the photograph right in the camera.

Tip 5: Toreduce noise at high ISO make sure your exposure is bang on target!

Modern day cameras allow you to shoot at very high ISO’s like 1600, 3200 and even 6400 on top end models. However, the major drawback at high ISO is noise. So, one way of reducing or minimizing noise is to make sure your exposure in spot on. If you have underexposed even a little bit there will be ample noise in the shadow areas which is always difficult to get rid off. So try to ensure a correct exposure by shooting, maybe, a number of photos at different settings so that at least one is correctly exposed. This is an example of a photo shot an ISO 1600 but due to correct exposure there is hardly any noise:

Tip 6: Ona tripod turn VR or IS off

This is a mistakewhich I have made a number of times. If you have a camera on a tripod you don’tneed to switch on VR or IS as the camera is likely to be rock steady and doesnot need any vibration reduction. Oftenin a hurry we forget this and shoot with VR or IS on.

Tip 7: Forcritical photos use RAW

When you need touse photographs for magazine stories, prints, exhibitions etc raw is the way togo. You can convert raw files using the correct version of Camera Raw with Photoshopand with proprietary converters like Capture NX2, View NX for Nikon.

Tip 8:If you can, take along a small table top light weight tripod

Ideally mostphotographers would recommend a full heavy weight tripod but is difficult tocarry around and also in some situations difficult to set up. So I have a smallSlik table top which can also fit into a jacket pocket which I use when I needsupport. The Joby Gorilla pod is also an option and has the advantage offlexible legs!

Tip 9: Don’tput the camera away at dusk or at night

On the subject oftripods if you have one with you then photography at night and at dusk becomesa distinct possibility. Long exposures makes the world look a lot different anddetails in the dark night sky can often produce stunning effects.

Tip 10:Less is often more!

The proliferationof social media and the free photo web sites have made it possible for everyoneto post their photos on the net even if they don’t have their own web sites orblogs. However, in their enthusiasm to post photographs of a holiday or journeyI often find a facebook album of a hundred photos or more. Similarly, picasaweb albums sent to me to review have similar number of photos. Usually with somany images the impact is lost and the good images get masked by the mediocreones. So it often helps to edit tightly, remove duplicates and similars, weedout all photos that are not in focus, overexposed or underexposed, badlycomposed and leave the best ones for the viewers! Most of my albums rarely havemore than twenty photographs and the majority have between ten and twelve!

Happy shooting!

Angkor Wat Photos

2011-12-01T06:45:00.000+05:30

These are some photographs from Angkor Wat Cambodia. To view the rest of the album please do visit my web site www.sujoydas.com

Value for money lenses for Nikon FX format: D700, D3 etc.

2011-11-23T03:00:00.000+05:30

35 F2 AF-D USD 250-350 Used
This lens dates from the film days and provides a fast maximum aperture of F/2 and is a compact sized wide angle. Some photographers prefer to use this as their normal lens. At a very affordable price this may well be a part of every FX shooters bag. For a review of this lens please visit http://photozone.de/Reviews/214-nikkor-af-35mm-f2-d-review--test-report

28-105 AF-D 3.5/4.5 USD 150-205 Used
This was a very fine normal lens in the film days and I used it extensively on my F3, N90 and FM cameras. Nowadays available at a real bargain price it is capable of giving excellent results on an FX body. Covering five important focal lengths, 28mm, 35mm, 50mm, 85mm and 105 mm, it can be the ideal walk around lens! For a review please visit http://www.fredmiranda.com/reviews/showproduct.php?product=110

70-300 F4.5/5.6 AFS VR USD 350-400 Used and USD 550 New
This is a telephoto zoom that works well both on FX and DX bodies. Though overshadowed by it's bigger brother the 70-200 f2.8 VR, the lens has fine optical quality and performance and is much smaller and lighter - a good travel lens. Though a number of reviewers have called the lens soft between 250 and 300 mm, my personal experience has been that the lens stopped down to around f 6.3-8 delivers crisp images at 300mm provided you can hold the camera steady! (read monopod or tripod). A sample of a photo shot with this lens is here 70-300 VR photo.

85 f1.8 AFD USD 350-450 Used
This is a real value for money short telephoto lens very suitable for portraits or low light shooting. With a maximum aperture of f1.8 and the low noise of a D700 you can well imagine the possibilities! This was my favourite portrait lens in the film days and I still use on my digital bodies. This is a highly recommended lens and warrants a place in every FX shooters bag! A shot taken on this lens is here 85 F1.8 photo . For a review please visit http://www.photozone.de/Reviews/221-nikkor-af-85mm-f18-d-review--test-report

20-35 f2.8 AFD USD 600-700 Used
This was the standard wide angle high speed zoom in the film days and it still holds its own on digital bodies. It covers four important focal lengths i.e. 20mm, 24mm, 28 mm and 35mm and with a fast 2.8 aperture can relly deliver stunning results in low light conditions. For a review please do visit http://bythom.com/2035lens.htm and a sample of this lens shot at 20 mm on film and scanned is here 20 mm photo

Zanskar Photos

2011-11-15T03:00:00.000+05:30

This is a small collection of my photographs from Zanskar. For more photos please visit http://www.sujoydas.com/Ladakh-and-Zanskar

Ghorepani Poon Hill Trekking

2011-11-11T12:45:00.001+05:30

Annapurna foothills provide tremendous trekking with delightful trails connecting villages and ridge tops. This picturesque trek winds through enchanting villages with ochre thatched houses, terraced rice fields and rhododendron forests, which are spectacular in the spring when whole hillsides are cloaked in colourful flowers. The ridge top village of Ghandrung provides one of the finest viewpoints of the Annapurna Mountains with magnificent views of the four Annapurnas, and Machapuchare with its fishtail summit. It is a good walk to the top of Poon Hill 3150 metres with a dress circle view over the four Annapurnas and Dhaulagiri as well.

Day 01 Kathmandu to Pokhara (885 metres) – 6-7 hours by bus 4th Dec 2011

Drive to Pokhara by the comfortable Green line Tours Tourist Bus and check into the Gurkha Haven Guest House in Damside which is a quiet area of Pokhara. Spend the evening in Pokhara taking in the sights near the lake and relaxing prior to the start of the trek.

Day 02 Trek to Ghandrung (1950 metres) 5-6 hours walking 5th Dec 2011

Leave Pokhara around 7.30 am after a good breakfast at the German Bakery and travel in our own micro bus to Birethanti the start of the trek. From here we begin our trek with a walk along the river to the scenic village of Syuli Bazar. We have an early lunch at Syuli Bazar and then commence the three hour climb to Ghandrung. Overnight at a lodge in Ghandrung. Ghandrung is largely a Gurung town and is the headquarters of the Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP). Many of the lodges here have the more environmentally friendly features that ACAP encourages such as back boilers, solar panels, etc.

Day 03 Trek to Tadapani (2595 metres) 4 hours walking 6th Dec 2011

From Ghandrung the trail climbs gently to the village of Baisi Kharka where we stop for a cup of tea and then make the final ascent to Tadapani. Overnight at a lodge in Tadapani. The views of the Annapurna Mountains and Machapuchare from here are stunningly close.

Day 04 Trek to Ghorepani (2750 metres) 6-7 hours walking 7th Dec 2011

The trek from Tadapani to Ghorepani involves a number of ups and downs! We pass through the villages of Banthanti and Deorali before reaching Ghorepani. Overnight at a lodge at Ghorepani.

Day 05 Ghorepani to Tirekedhunga (1515m) -5 hours walking 8th Dec 2011

We visit Poon Hill at sunrise to watch the views over Annapurna and Dhaulagiri. After breakfast we begin our walk down to Ulleri (1960m) We stop for lunch at Ulleri and then start descending the 3000 steps to Tirkedhunga ( take it easy!). Night at Tirkedhunga.

Day 06 – Tirekedhunga to Birethanti to Pokhara (885 metres) 4 hours walking 9th Dec 2011

The trail descends from Tirkedhunga to the village of Birethanti. We have our lunch at Birethanti and then walk for half an hour to Nayapul. We cross the Modi Khola on a suspension bridge then follow the river valley to the road-head at Nayapul. Here our trek ends and our private vehicle takes us the short way to Pokhara. Here we check-in at the Gurkha Haven Guest House again From the hotel roof, across the lake and above the terraced hillsides, we may catch a glimpse of the sun setting on Annapurna and Machapuchare once again.

Day 07 Pokhara to Kathmandu (885 metres) 10th Dec 2011

We take theflight back to Kathmandu and enjoy the view of the mountains. Those who wish to stay on in Pokhara for a day or so rest and shopping are welcome to do so and arrangements can be made accordingly. Pokhara is a great place to chill out for a few days after the trek! It has good food and relaxing boat rides on the Phewa Tal lake and of course shopping!

Trek Costs

•For Nationals of SAARC countries – Rs 26,600/-

•For foreign nationals- USD 750/-

•The cost is per person for Kathmandu to Kathmandu (8days) as per the itinerary

•Costs given above are at current rates and may change without notice. Changes if any will be notified 2 months before the trek.

•Group size will be limited to eight/ten only.

Costs include:

• Luxury Tourist bus from Kathmandu to Pokhara and flight back to Kathmandu.

•Taxi fare from hotel in Katmandu to bus station and back. Taxi fare in Pokhara from bus station to guest house and back.

•ACAP national park permit and TIMS permit for trekking in the Annapurna region

•Travel from Pokhara to start of trek and back by micro bus.

•Two nights guest house stay in Pokhara (accommodation only – Hotel Gurkha Haven and one night hotel stay in Kathmandu ( Hotel Nirvana Garden )

•All accommodation on the trek on twin sharing basis

•Cost of porters/guides for the trek. Please note that porters will carry one duffel bag or backpack not exceeding 20 pounds in weight for each trekker comprising of personal items, clothing, sleeping bag etc.

Costs not included:

•Meals in Kathmandu and Pokhara

•Airport taxes at Kathmandu and Pokhara airports in case of flights.

•Breakfast lunch and dinner on the trek is not included

•Desserts, drinks, and exotic items listed in the lodge menus are not included. Alcohol, cold drinks (coca cola, sprite, beer), juices, ice cream etc on the trek and in Pokhara.

•Client travel and medical insurance of any kind.

•Emergency evacuation costs if needed.

•Video camera fees in National Parks (where applicable).

•Bottled drinks; boiled, filtered or bottled water; alcohol; snacks etc

•Hot showers (Rs 200-300 per shower);

•Personal clothing and equipment; sleeping bag; douvet /down/ goretek jacket, medicines for personal use etc.

•Air fare from residence country to Nepal and back

•Tips to porters and guides at the end of the trek

Food Costs

•You should budget USD 20-25 per day for the food on the trek for five days and USD 15-20 per day for food in Kathmandu and Pokhara. So for eight days this comes to USD 185 say USD 200.

For testimonials from past South Col trekkers please visit

http://www.southcol.com/testimonials

For photographs of the region please do visit

http://www.sujoydas.com/Nepal-Himalaya/Annapurna/8133847_TLigt#766484560_iMy29

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.186847054691161.41503.133607456681788

Ladakh Photos

2011-11-09T03:00:00.000+05:30

This is a small collection of my photographs from Ladakh. For more photos please do visit my web site http://www.sujoydas.com/Ladakh-and-Zanskar

Photography Workshop Kolkata

2011-11-04T01:30:00.000+05:30

ILEADESSENTIALS OF PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP

WITH SUJOYDAS

November 20th 2011 Sunday

TIMINGS

This is a one dayintensive crash course photo workshop which will begin at 10.30 am and end at 6pm.

LOCATION

iLEAD: Institute of Leadership,Entrepreneurship & Development
113/c/1, Matheshwartala Road,Topsia, ( near Tangra Crossing)
Kolkata (Calcutta),

India

,700046

The location map ofILEAD is given in this link

http://www.ilead.net.in/location.html

REGISTRATION FEES

The registrationfees are Rs 1500/- payable in advance. Please do contact ILEAD ph nos 40182000/ 98300 15201/ 98300 15202 or e mail sujoyrdas@gmail.com to complete the registration process.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND
Amateur Photographers interested in taking photography seriously. No Age limit/No Qualifications / No Pre-requisite except an interest in photography and adesire to shoot better photographs every time! If you have a camera pleasebring it with you!

SCOPE OF THE WORKSHOP
Equipment & Lenses
• Know what to buy and what not to buy and learn how to use your geareffectively.
• Learn from choosing the right body with right features to connect to theright set of lenses.
• Also tips about photography accessories like tripod, SD/CF cards, flash,filters, bags, etc., will be discussed.
• Understand the tools of trade for Close-up, portrait and Landscapephotography.
• This session will also teach you how to manage and take care of your cameragear.

Master Exposure
• Learn how to make a great exposure and forgetall the guesswork.
• Learn about auto modes, shutter priority, aperture priority, iso etc.
• Understanding histograms and using them effectively.
• Understanding exposure is one of the KEYS to successful shooting, and youwill master exposure during this course!
• Also learn about depth of field, different lenses and their uses.

Composition
Learn the fine points of effective compositionthrough twenty live examples
• Finding effective composition
• using lenses effectively
• seeking the best perspective; texture, color, point of view
• knowing zones of sharpness; selective focus; and the rule of thirds
• This will also make you think like an artist. From trying to take pictures,learn to make photographs. Learn some of the fine points from painters andothers, who use visual elements to compose beautiful imagery.

Processing yourphotographs
• Raw, JPEG and TIFF
• Free photo editing software and its use e.g. Picasa
• Introduction to Photoshop Elements software
• Learn color management, post-processing methods to improve the brightness,contrast, and white balance of your image.
• Resizing images for the web and for printing

Question and Answer Session
• You can put forth all your questions which have not been covered earlier inthe workshop!

For information on Sujoy Das please do visit
www.sujoydas.com
www.sujoyrdas.blogspot.com

For photographs from past workshops please do visit

http://sujoyrdas.blogspot.com/2011/03/photography-workshops-kriya-studio_23.html

http://sujoyrdas.blogspot.com/2010/11/photography-workshops-creative-arts_15.html

ABOUT SUJOY DAS
Sujoy Das has been photographing, climbing andtrekking in the Himalaya for the last thirty years. His photographs have beenpublished in leading newspapers, magazines and books worldwide like TheWashington Post, APA Publications, Frontline, India Magazine,The Telegraph, Outlook Traveler etc. He is the co- author and photographer ofthe book SIKKIM– A Travelers Guide with Arundhati Ray which was a finalist in the Banff BookCompetition in the Adventure Travel category. He has held solo exhibitions ofhis work in New Delhiand Kolkata. He runs treks and photo workshops under the banner of South ColExpeditions (http://www.southcol.com/).He has run past workshops with Creative Arts and Kriya Studio in Kolkata. Hewas recently appointed Contributing Photographer to Light and Compositionmagazine http://www.lightandcomposition.com/ inSeptember 2011.

Spiti Images

2011-11-03T02:00:00.000+05:30

This is my second instalment of Spiti images in black and white. For more photographs of Spiti please do visit my web site www.sujoydas.com/spiti.

Komic village

High pass between Langza and Komic - peak of Chau Chau Kang Nilda

Lhalung village

Monk at Kye monastery

Dhangkar - the new monstery complex

Spiti Photographs

2011-10-27T07:54:00.000+05:30

This is a small collection of black and white photographs from Spiti. For more photos please do visit my web site www.sujoydas.com/spiti.

Komic village

Rooftop at Tabo

Ki monastery

From the Dhangkar monastery looking at the Spiti river

Spiti valley below Ki monastery

Value for money lenses for Nikon

2011-10-20T05:00:00.000+05:30

Many photographers migrating from point and shoot cameras toa DSLR camera often complain about the huge investment required to be made inDSLR lenses. So to help them I am listing below some value for money Nikonlenses, many of which I have usedmyself.

35 f1.8 DX – USD 200

This is a DX lens which will act a normal lens (50 mm) on aDX body. The lens has a built in motor so it works with all DX bodies. It isextremely fast, sharp and light and warrants a place in every shooter’s bag.For more reviews of this lens please see http://bythom.com/Nikkor-35mm-DX-AFS-lensreview.htmand

http://www.photozone.de/nikon--nikkor-aps-c-lens-tests/422-nikkor_35_18g?start=2

40 f2.8 DX Macro USD 280

A new introduction to the Nikon DX range, the lens providesmacro capability with good speed and portability. For a review please visit http://www.photozone.de/nikon--nikkor-aps-c-lens-tests/674-afs40f28dx

50 F1.8 AF-D – USD120

I bought this lens when I had film cameras and continued touse it in the digital era. With a DX body it does the work or a short fasttelephoto and is amazingly useful in low light situations. Light and small itcan also fit into a jacket pocket and is tack-sharp. For a review of thislens please see http://www.photozone.de/nikon--nikkor-aps-c-lens-tests/217-nikkor-af-50mm-f18-d-review--test-report. It does not have a built in AF motor so you need to focus manually on NikonD3000/3100/5000/5100 etc.

18-55 VR DX USD 120-180(refurbished to new)

This is a highly underrated lens. Often supplied as the “kitlens” with the Nikon DX bodies it is light, sharp and extremely versatile. Italso focuses as close as 9 inch which is suitable for close up work. The lenshas Nikon’s vibration reduction technology allowing exposures as low as 1/10 ofa second without shake. The lens is available at various web sites like www.adorama.com new as well as refurbished. Thoughthe build quality of the lens isinferior to other Nikons, nevertheless it presents a very good value proposition. For a review of this lens please see http://www.photozone.de/nikon--nikkor-aps-c-lens-tests/632-nikkor18553556vr. I used this lens for many years before upgrading last year to the Nikon 16-85 VR.

55-200 VR DX USD 150-250(refurbished to new)

This lens has for long been one of the hidden gems in theNikon DX range. It has been superseded by the 55-300 Nikon VR but still retainsvalue and offers excellent bang for the buck. For a review of this lens pleasesee http://bythom.com/55200lens.htm. It was made in both the VR and non VR versions and the VR version ispreferred.

The Spars Lodge at Simla

2011-10-16T07:58:00.000+05:30

On my recent visit to the Spiti valley I stayed for two days in Simla at the very comfortable Spars Lodge, located near the Museum and above the Hotel Oberoi Cecil. The lodge was built by Arindam Joshi in 1996 and has eight bright and sunny rooms with a beautiful view of the Simla hills and the valley below. The lodge is extremely quiet but yet not far from the heart of Simla. The very pleasant walk from the lodge to the Simla Mall would take around twenty minutes.

The dining and sitting area of the lodge

Arindam is a gourmet cook himself and his menu has all sorts of delicacies which are usually not available at a hill station. We had poached trout for dinner, deliciously cooked with apple pie and ice cream for dessert!

Arindam Joshi who runs the Spars Lodge in Simla

Rooms start at Rs 700 for singles and go upto Rs 2200 for large suites.
For a stay at Spars please do contact Arindam Joshi at joshiarindam@yahoo.com or 0177-2657908 /98163-72323.
Highly recommended folks!

The Yarchagumba Murders at Nar, Nepal

2011-10-13T09:53:00.000+05:30

In 2009, seven Nepalese villagers died mysteriously while foraging for a fungal aphrodisiac worth its weight in gold. Read the story in Outside Online September 2011 issue:

http://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/out-of-bounds/The-Killing-Fields.html

The New Tibetans

2011-10-10T17:58:00.000+05:30

A fine photo essay on the Tibetans of Dharamsala by Sumit Dayal

http://lightbox.time.com/2011/10/05/the-new-tibetans/?iid=lb-late1#7

Photograph Copyright Sumit Dayal

The Mountains of the Everest Region: Part II

2011-10-01T06:49:00.000+05:30

Everest and Nuptse from the plateau below Kala Pattar

Ama Dablam and Dingboche village

The trail from Dingboche to Dugla

Cholatse from Dugla

Kwangde at dawn from Namche Bazar

Thamserku as seen from near Kyanjuma

The Skeleton Dancer of Enchey

2011-09-20T16:18:00.000+05:30

Today's Kolkata newspapers showed photographs of a young lama looking at his devastated home in Enchey monastery Gangtok. We hope that no major damage has been caused to the monastery. I photographed in Enchey on a number of occasions and the newspaper reports brought back memories of an event there many years ago.
Enchey monastery is located on a hilltop above the capital of Sikkim, Gangtok. I was standing on the first floor balcony of the monastery looking down at the courtyard. There was an interlude between the dances. A lama wearing a clown mask was trying his best to terrorize the children in the front rows who ran away from him at full speed screaming with merriment! In the field behind the courtyard, momos were being sold and eaten with rapid speed by the local population! Two stag dancers went around trying their best to collect a monastery donation from the crowd. It was late afternoon and the festivities were almost at a close. On the opposite hill the sun glinted off the roof of Rumtek, the premier monastery of the Kagyupa sect of Buddhism and home of the Karmapa. Suddenly, I spotted a skeleton dancer entering the arena with tremendous speed. He ran, galloped, and jumped with amazing dexterity. The crowd stared with amazement as he pirouetted around the courtyard a number of times. Jolted out of my reverie, I shot a few photographs before he vanished as suddenly as he had come into the monastery!

Pang Lhabsol

2011-09-12T05:30:00.000+05:30

Today is Pang Lhabsol: one of the important festivals in Sikkim. I was fortunate to experience the festival at Tsulakhang, the Palace Monastery in Gangtok many years ago. These are some of the photographs of the festival.

Nikon lenses and VR technology

2011-09-10T10:02:00.000+05:30

Photo Copyright Nikon

A useful discussion by Nikon on VR technology and how it works
http://imaging.nikon.com/lineup/lens/concept/vr/index.htm

Sankar Sridhar: Journey with the Gaddi

2011-09-04T17:30:00.000+05:30

Delhi based mountain photographer Sankar Sridhar's essay : "Journey with the Gaddi" has won the Special Mention at the Banff Mountain Photography Competition 2011. For a look at these outstanding photographs please do visit:
http://www.banffcentre.ca/mountainfestival/competitions/photo/2011/#panel-8
You can see more of Sridhar's work at www.sankarsridhar.com

Annapurna Sanctuary: Don Whillans and the Yeti

2011-08-27T17:30:00.000+05:30

About one and a half hours walk fromthe south base camp of Annapurna I, lies thebase camp of Machapuchare, the fish tail mountain. Nowadays, more than twentyfive thousand trekkers make their way every year to the Base Camp popularlyknown as "ABC". In a hurry to reach their final destinationmany of them walk from Deorali in the valley to ABC in one day. I havewatched many of them speeding past the avalanche prone Bagar, climbing up toMachapuchare Base Camp (MBC) for a quick cup of tea and then onto ABC bynightfall. On every occasion that I have been to ABC, I have stayed the nightat the Machapuchare Base Camp and each and every time I have ruminated over thehappenings there one March evening in the year 1970.

Around that time most of the greatwalls of the Himalaya were unclimbed. The British under theleadership of Chris Bonington mounted an expedition to attempt the enormoussouth face of Annapurna I. Bonington had with him a crack team of Britishclimbers including Don Whillans, his comrade-in-arms from the Eigerwand days.Whillans had been sent up ahead along with Mike Thompson to reconnoitre theface as Bonnington was anxious to know if "it would go", a mountaineeringphrase meaning “it could be climbed".

In 1970 there were no lodges at MBCor ABC and Whillans and his team had pitched a camp at MBC for the night. Around five o clock in the evening as Whillans was about to pitch histent one of his Sherpas Pemba Tharkey said in a matter of fact way, “Yeticoming". Whillans turned around but was able to see only a shadow disappearingbehind a ridge.

The next day Mike Thompson and Whillanson a reconnaissance trip spotted a set of tracks around the same spot whereWhillans had seen the "creature" drop down behind the ridge. Thompsondismissed the tracks saying “It’s a bear” but Whillans was not so sure.

Thompson left MBC that evening to meetthe main party further down the valley but Whillans remained up at MBC with hissherpas. It was one of those bright moonlit nights in the Himalaya when it ispossible to read a book outside. Whillans comments that “it was fantasticallycold" even in two sleeping bags. Across the valley he could clearly seethe snow slope and the ridge where the creature had been spotted the previousevening. Despite the cold, Whillans kept putting his head outside thetent right through the evening to scan the hillside from time to time. One canwell imagine the excitement and tension on that cold winter's night below theshadow of unclimbed Machapuchare lit up in the moonlight. Suddenly,Whillans could clearly see a powerful animal which he described as an ape orape like creature “bounding along on all fours”. From the shadowy portion ofthe hillside it came out into the moonlight “bounding very quickly across thesnow, heading for the shelter of the cliffs.”

AsWhillans watched this incredible sight, the creature disappeared into theshadows and was gone. Whillans never saw it again.

The next morning Whillans walked up the hillside where he saw the tracks in the snow. Interestingly the two sherpas who were with him just ignored the tracks and pretended that they did not exist!

Whillans was convinced that he had seen the Yeti but the mystery still remained unresolved.

On one occasion in autumn, on a similar moonlit night, I stood outside a lodge at MBC and scanned the opposite hillside for quite some time. I could imagine Whillan's tent in the snow very close to where the lodges are situated. It was still and silent. Nothing stirred or moved. With the cold getting to me I went inside to my warm sleeping bag. The Annapurna Sanctuary held on to it's secrets.

Reference Reading:

Annapurna South Face by Chris Bonington
High in the Cold Thin Air by Ed Hillary and Desmond Doig
My Quest for the Yeti by Reinhold Messner

Mountain Photography: Tips and Tricks Part II

2011-08-20T11:17:00.000+05:30

After my last poston tips and tricks for mountain photography, I responded to a lot of e-mailscovering specific queries from fellow photographers. As many of them areinteresting I am including them in this list.

Tip 1: Whenyour camera is on a tripod switch VR off

This is somethingthat in the spur of the moment many of us forget. When we put a camera on atripod the tripod is supposed to keep the camera rock-steady and thus we don’tneed VR as well to compensate for camera shake. Those who are using Canon willhave IS to be switched off.

Tip 2: Whenshooting mountain landscapes reduce the aperture for maximum depth of field

We need to be atF11 or even F16 to get maximum depth of field when shooting a landscape,especially if we want sharpness from say three feet to infinity. The only wayto achieve this is to stop down the lens and adjust the shutter speed. If theISO is low say around 200, then in low light the speed may even be 1/15 or 1/8of a second. A tripod is often called for unless you have very steady hands!

Tip 3: Shootingat night

The half lightbetween dusk and darkness offers some interesting possibilities in the mountains. There is still some light in the sky butthere is also some foreground lights which are interesting like the lights of avillage. Often if you are close enough and it is a clear evening you can seemountains as well. I try to avoid cranking up the ISO to more than 800 and thensetting up the camera on a tripod or support take a series of four or fivephotographs bracketed around a central exposure. Invariably one of them worksthe best. It is advised to keep long exposure noise reduction (NR) on for thesetypes of shots. An example of this type of a shot is here http://www.sujoydas.com/Nepal-Himalaya/Kala-Pattar-and-Everest-Spring/17107726_DJR2DG#1296374610_QDCKK5q-L-LB

Tip 4: Panningmotion

Sometimes in themountains we also need to shoot an event e.g. the masked dances at Hemismonastery in Ladakh. Along with the regular shots of the dancers pirouettingaround the monastery courtyard, it is interesting to cut back on the shutter speed,say 1/8 or 1/15^th of a second and then pan the camera along with themovement of the dancers to capture motion. An example of this sort of a photograph is here http://www.sujoydas.com/Sikkim-Himalaya/Sikkim-Monasteries/8023342_E6Hrs#771051897_53Emn-L-LB

Tip 5: ThePolarizing Filter

This filter canoften help in bright mountain landscapes to saturate skies and increasecontrast to give “more punch” to a photograph. It usually adds two stops to theexposure so a PL filter will require an aperture of say F4 if a non PL neededF8, speed being the same. You can rotate the PL filter once it is mounted onthe lens to adjust the level of saturation that you want.

Tip 6: Asplash of color in a monochrome landscape

Very often when it snows in the mountains orwhen a storm is brewing, the landscape is almost monochrome, white snow, greyblack clouds, gushing streams etc. In this scenario a very effective techniqueis to add a splash of color to bring the landscape to life e.g. a red umbrella,or a trekker with a bright jacket walking through the rain or snow. Thecontrast often creates a photograph which is out of the ordinary.

The monsoon willsoon be over and it will be autumn in the mountains in another six weeks. Happyshooting to all of you!

My outfit, South ColExpeditions, is running a five day trek cum photo workshop in the Annapurnahills of

Nepal

in December 2012. Those of you who may be interested please do visit http://www.southcol.com/Treks-Nepal/Trekking-Annapurna ore-mail me at sujoyrdas@gmail.com for more information.

Great Himalaya Trail: Interview with Robin Boustead

2011-08-07T07:32:00.000+05:30

Sujoy Das in conversation with Robin Boustead, the man behind the Great Himalayan Trail

SD: What is the GreatHimalayan Trail (GHT)?

RB: TheGreat Himalaya Trail is as much a concept as a walking route. The idea is to have atrail network along the great Himalaya rangethat offers trekkers and adventure tourists a range of route options to suitthe sort of experience they seek and, at the same time, to bring sustainable,responsible tourism to remote communities. The GHT therefore requires a uniquecombination of skills, knowledge and experience - that's why so many peopleare involved and passionate about the idea.

SD: How long is it?

RB: Thehighest feasible route (upto 6200m) along the entire GreatHimalaya Rangeis about 4500km and runs from near Namche Barwa to Nanga Parbat. However, the documented trail network will be more thandouble that by the end of 2012, so there are many route options!

SD: Has the GHT been created and conceived by you?

RB: No, theidea of a trans-Himalayan trail along the length of the range has been aroundsince the 1970s. But it is only recently that many of the individual himals(ranges) have opened to tourists, thus making trans-country routes possible. Mydream is see a trans-boundary route so trekkers can cross country borders inthe mountains with ease.

SD: Were you inspired at all by other great trails like the PacificCrest Trail, Appalachian Trail etc?

RB: Thetrail that has influenced me most is the Camino network in Europe.The concept there is that your trek begins with making the decision to go to Santiago and your journeybegins with your first step from home. I really like the idea of peopledeveloping their own agendas, itineraries and priorities in the Himalaya... there is just so much to see and do!

SD: How much of theGHT has been mapped and what is remaining?

RB: Ipublished (through Himalayan Map House) a range of comprehensive maps for thecentral third, Nepal, earlier this year and I am now working on Bhutan andIndia which should see some results next year. I have also approached Pakistan about making some GHT maps so the lastmajor section undone is Tibet.

SD: Can the GHT be done in parts only as the whole trail musttake months/years to complete?

RB: As theGHT is a trail network it easily lends itself to being trekked in sections, forexample Nepalcan be broken into ten treks from two to four weeks. This means that trekkerscan 'grow' into the trail by developing fitness, skills and field-craft overtime. Of course, if you have both time and money then trekking long sections isa fantastic way to really experience the vastness of the Himalaya!

SD: Is the GHT meant for experienced climbers and trekkersonly or can first timers also try some parts of the trail?

RB: Somesections of the trail are very easy and ideal for novice trekkers, for example,the Tamang Heritage Trail in Nepalor the Darma Valleyin India.The higher routes tend to be more technical and some require seriousmountaineering skills, for example the high route between the Makaluand Everest regions. What appeals most to me is that the GHT allows the trekkerto 'evolve' their expertise over time.

SD: Where can one find more information on the GHT?

RB: A DutchNGO has made a general information website about the GHT in Nepal (www.thegreathimalayatrail.org) and I have beenbuilding a website with trekking information for the entire trail (www.greathimalayatrail.com). I have alsowritten a guide book to the trail in Nepal(www.trailblazer-guides.com), a coffee tablepicture book on the GHT in Nepaland produced a range of GHT Nepal maps (www.himalayan-maphouse.com). India and Bhutan are in progress. I shouldadd that all my royalties from products contribute directly to a GHT Alliancetraining program that is designed to make trekking more professional and saferthroughout the Himalaya.

The Gokyo Trek in the Everest Region: April 2012

2011-08-01T11:40:00.000+05:30

The trek to the view point of Gokyo Lakes and Gokyo Ri is the "dream trip" for most trekkers and rivals the trek to Kala Pattar.

The fourteen day trip from Kathmandu run by South Col Expeditions has been carefully designed to provide proper acclimatization so as to ensure the least discomfort for the trekker. On many days we walk only 3-4 hours and rest in the afternoon to ensure that we do not gain altitude too quickly. The cost of this trek is Indian Rs 30,000 for SAARC country residents and USD $ 850 for others (Exclusions apply). For further details please do visit http://www.southcol.com/Treks-Nepal/the-gokyo-lakes-in-the-everest-region-april-2012

The day wise itinerary from Namche Bazar is given below. From Lukla to Namche Bazar is 2 days with first night halt at Phakding and one acclimatization rest day at Namche so we begin walking from Day 4.

nDay 04 Namche Bazar to Khumjung (3790m) (2-3 hours)
We climb up to the Shyanboche airstrip and then descend to Khumjung. The twin Sherpa villages of Khumjung and Khunde, are home to some of the most famous Everest climbers.

nDay 05 Khumjung to Dole (4040m) (5 to 6 hours)

As we follow the path, we will get our first really good views of the great peaks of the Khumbu: Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse and Ama Dablam. Come down to the junction with Kyanjuma and Sanasa and then take the west trail to Gokyo. The trail climbs to the pass of Mong la with it’s stupendous views. It then goes down to Phortse Tenga where we stop for lunch. Post lunch the trail climbs to the National park HQ and then enters Dole,climbing most of the way.

nDay 06 Dole to Machhermo (4410m)
The trail starts today by climbing steeply through scrub junipers to a single lodge at Lhabarma (4330m). We pass the small settlement of Luza (4340m) and continue to climb along the side of the valley, high above the river to Machhermo. It was here that a yeti supposedly killed three yaks and attacked a Sherpa woman. This is the most credible yeti incident ever reported, so be watchful as we visit this region (3 hrs to 4 hours)

nDay 7 Acclimatisation day at Macchermo

nWe make the customary acclimatization day stop at Macchermo as we need two nights at 4410 metres. The stop at Macchermo will give us good acclimatization to attempt Gokyo Ri and also cross Lhenjo La pass back to Namche Bazar.

nDay 08 Machhermo to Gokyo (4750m)
Beyond Machhermo the trail climbs a ridge for an excellent view both down the valley to Kangtega and upwards to Cho Oyu. Beyond the ridge the valley widens as the trail reaches the small village of Pangka (4390m). After passing Pangka the trail drops briefly, then climbs to a large cave known as Nilibuk. After Nilibuk we climb steeply along a narrow, newly crafted staircase trail. Atop the staircase the trail crosses a simple wooden bridge to the first small lake, Longponga, at 4650m. The trail now becomes almost level as it follows the valley past a second lake, known as Taujun, at 4710m and finally up a boulder strewn path to Gokyo. Gokyo is a collection of stone houses and walled pastures on the shores of a large lake known as Dudh Pokhari with a handful of lodges some offering very good facilities.(4 to 5 hrs).

nDay 09 Day in and around Gokyo

nThe views around Gokyo are tremendous. For the best views we will climb Gokyo Ri (5357m) today. From here we will have a panoramic view of Cho Oyu, Gyachung Kang, Everest, Lhotse, Makalu, Cholatse and Tawache. After we enjoy the view we will return to Gokyo village for the night (4 hrs). If we have time we may also walk up to the 5th Lake in the afternoon if we are able to do Gokyo Ri the previous day at sunset.

nDay 10 to Day 12 Gokyo to Namche Bazar across Lhenjo La ( Renjo La) pass

n We will attempt the crossing of Lhenjo La pass (5417 m) provided the weather is good and there is no snow. If the conditions are not favorable we will return to Namche Bazar the same way. This decision will be taken in Gokyo. The timings for this part of the trail is given below:

Gokyo to the top of the pass: 3 to 4 hrs on boulders and scree.

Top of Lhenjo La down to Lungde (4375m) : 3 to 4 hours ( Day 10)

Lungde to Thami (3800m) : 3 to 4 hours (day 11)

Thami to Namche Bazar : 3 hours. (day 12)

Day 13 Namche Bazar to Lukla (5554m) 7 to 8 hours

nThis is a long day but is mostly downhill. We will stop for lunch at Phakding Sunrise Lodge before reaching Lukla by evening.

nDay 14 Lukla to Kathmandu - by morning flight

Mountain Photography: Tips and Tricks

2011-07-24T06:28:00.000+05:30

In the last coupleof months, I have been receiving a lot of e-mails from photographers askingwhat equipment I use in the mountains and whether I have any special tips ortechniques when shooting in the Himalaya. Sothis post covers some tips and tricks to get better photographs in themountains.

Tip 1:Don’t keep your camera in the bag

Many photographers, in order to protect their equipment, keep it in a camera bag when they are outshooting. This is the wrong thing to dobecause invariably the moment will be gone by the time the camera is taken outof the bag! So keep the camera and one lens around your neck and keep the restof the equipment in the bag to be used if needed. You will need to select the lens you want to use before starting out!

Tip 2:Simplify your equipment

I have seen a lotof photographers in the field with a full bag of lenses: wide angle, primenormal, zoom, telephoto etc. The problem of carrying such a lot of equipment isthat you are invariably spoiled for choice and by the time you decide what touse the moment may have passed you once again! I recently did a seventeen day trek and photo assignment in the Everestregion of Nepal.I carried a Nikon D90 body and a 16-85 Nikon VR lens. More than 90% of myphotos were taken with this combination. In my backpack I had a Nikon D80 backup body with a 50 f 1.8 lens which was never used! And around my waist in apouch I had a 70-300 Nikon VR lens which was used for the remaining 10% of theshooting, mainly for wildlife, birds etc. Having simplified the equipment I was not needed to make any choicesand could concentrate on getting the photograph!

Tip 3:Shooting into the light

Mountains present alot of opportunity for back lit photography. However the biggest enemy ofbacklit shooting is flare. So you need to protect your lens. How?

Use a lens hood – this may not always work!
Remove the UV filter if you can as sometimes flare does come from the filter if it is not properly multi-coated.
Try to shield the lens from the direct sun by stepping into the shade if possible. And if this is not possible you can try as I do by using my left hand to keep the sun away from the lens. Make sure that your hand does not come in the photo! Better still if you have a friend with you ask him to shield your lens and then you can use both hands to take the photo!

Tip 4:F8 and be there

Basically thisfamous photography axiom asks you to be ready to shoot. So rather than adjustwhite balance, aperture, shutter speed ,metering modes, focus modes etc beforetaking a photo, you to need to set all this before hand. On a normal day in theHimalaya, I will usually set the following before I start out: WB auto, ISOauto set to maximum of 800, aperture priority around 6.3 or so, matrixmetering, AF-S for single focus. This allows me to shoot in most situationsprovide the light is reasonable. And, if I have time I would bracket three to four exposure either byusing auto bracketing or manually -0.3,-0.7, -0.1, +0.3, + 0.7. This usually nails the photograph right in the camera.

Tip 5:Use the light to your advantage

In the mountains, the early morning light and late evening lightis usually very flattering and I have to confess that I am partial to the lateevening light before sun down. Sometimes you need to wait for the right light.A lot of mountain landscapes are made due to the patience of the photographer.It also helps to know how the subject will look at a certain time of day. Forexample, certain monasteries in Ladakh get the western sun and so look best inthe evening. Similarly, the Sandakphu view near Darjeeling has an amazing amount of warmthand texture when seen in the evening light.

Tip 6:Don’t put away your camera in bad weather

Mountain weather isunpredictable. There may be bright sunshine in the morning and snow and sleetin the afternoon. Sometimes great photos are taken in inclement weather. If youare shooting in the rain or snow try to protect your camera by covering it witha cloth or a temporary plastic cover. When I am walking and it is raining orsnowing I keep my camera over my shoulder inside my jacket so that I can takeit out and shoot as needed. When you get back to camp, remove the plastic, wipethe camera and lens clean with a dry cloth and leave in the open in your room or tent for it tobreathe and the moisture to dry out.

Tip 8:Batteries

Batteries are amajor problem in the Himalaya. Ideally youneed to carry two batteries with you as often on long treks you do not haveaccess to electricity to charge batteries. At night it often helps to take thebatteries out of the camera and put it into a warm jacket or sleeping bag. Andon the subject of batteries and extending battery life, stop looking at the LCDafter every shot! In the Himalaya to savebatteries my LCD is disabled and comes on only when I press the button. Alsoavoid scrolling through all the photos at camp every night as this drains thebattery as well!

Tip 9:If you can, take along a small table top light weight tripod

Ideally mostphotographers would recommend a full heavy weight tripod but I have given thisup in the Himalaya a long time ago! It is tooheavy to carry and also in some situations difficult to set up. So I have asmall Slik table top which can also fit into a jacket pocket which I use when Ineed support. The Joby Gorilla pod is also an option and has the advantage offlexible legs!

Tip 10:Finally, don’t get mesmerized by the mountain ranges - look for detail near youas well

Often in a mountainenvironment, we tend to get mesmerized by the sheer beauty of the mountainranges and shoot them as much as we can: at sunrise, at sunset, during the day.However, very often there is a lot of interesting details in the rocks,flowers, plants etc in the terrain through which we walk. Very often it ispossible to combine this in a wide angle view to create a spectacular shotwhich is out of the ordinary. So don’t put the mountain in the top of the frameevery time and shoot. Look at what is near your feet as well!

My outfit, SouthCol Expeditions, is running a five daytrek cum photo workshop in the Annapurna foothills of of Nepal in December 2011. Those ofyou who may be interested please do visit http://www.southcol.com/Treks-Nepal/Trekking-Annapurna or e-mailme at sujoyrdas@gmail.com for more information.

Happy shooting!

The Mountains of the Everest region: a photo essay in Black and White

2011-07-17T17:16:00.001+05:30

Thamserku from the high route between Pangboche and Phortse

Taboche and Cholatese from Dugla

Kwangde as seen from the airstrip of Shyanboche

Thamserku after a snow storm from near Kyanjuma

Ama Dablam at sunrise from the trail between Khumjung and Sanasa

Pumori from the trail to Kala Pattar

Baruntse from the trail to Chukung Ri

Everest from the plateau below Kala Pattar

Kangtega from Pangboche - evening light

Treks Nepal: Ghandrung-Ghorepani Poon Hill

2011-07-09T07:00:00.000+05:30

Please contact me at sujoyrdas@gmail.com for more information
For full details of this trek please do visit http://www.southcol.com/Treks-Nepal/Trekking-Annapurna

The Lhotse South Wall and Jerzy Kukuczka

2011-07-06T07:00:00.003+05:30

Many remember the late Jerzy Kukuczka from Poland as the second man after Rheinhold Messner to summit all the 8000 metre peaks. But, the mountaineering fraternity considers Jerzy as possibly "one of the mountaineering greats of all time". Unlike the flamboyant Messner, Jerzy was a poor miner living behind the "Iron Curtain" in Poland. All his life Jerzy had to make do with sub standard equipment, a constant battle for funds and the conditions in communist Poland at that time.
In the late seventies, Lhotse was the first of his 8000 metre peaks and his memory from the summit looking down on the great South Wall remained with him for the rest of his life.
Jerzy completed his climbs of all the 8000 metre peaks within eight years - no mean feat! His notable 8000 metre ascents included a winter ascent of Kanchenjunga and a new route on Manaslu.
But the unclimbed south face of Lhotse continued to haunt him and finally in October 1989 he attempted the wall. Sadly, at around 8300 metres a second-hand rope he had picked up in a market in Kathmandu snapped during the climb plunging him to his death.
His life story is available in this fascinating book My Vertical World http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0898863449/everestnews
The memorial at Bibre in the Imja valley in the shadow of the Lhotse wall tells the story of Kukuczka and the other south face heroes.

The south wall of Lhotse as seen from Pangboche after a evening snow storm. The houses of Shomare can be seen in the foreground

Annapurna Foothills Trekking

2011-07-02T07:22:00.000+05:30

The Annapurna foothills provide tremendous trekking with delightful trails connecting villages and ridge tops. This picturesque trek winds through enchanting villages with ochre thatched houses, terraced rice fields and rhododendron forests, which are spectacular in the spring when whole hillsides are cloaked in colourful flowers. The ridge top village of Ghandrung provides one of the finest viewpoints of the Annapurna Mountains with magnificent views of the four Annapurnas, and Machapuchare with its fishtail summit. It is a good walk to the top of Poon Hill 3150 metres with a dress circle view over the four Annapurnas and Dhaulagiri as well.

Day 01 Kathmandu to Pokhara (885 metres) – 6-7 hours by bus 4th Dec 2011

Day 02 Trek to Ghandrung (1950 metres) 5-6 hours walking 5th Dec 2011

Day 03 Trek to Tadapani (2595 metres) 4 hours walking 6th Dec 2011

Day 04 Trek to Ghorepani (2750 metres) 6-7 hours walking 7th Dec 2011

The trek from Tadapani to Ghorepani involves a number of ups and downs! We pass through the villages of Banthanti and Deorali before reaching Ghorepani. Overnight at a lodge at Ghorepani.

Day 05 Ghorepani to Tirekedhunga (1515m) -5 hours walking 8th Dec 2011

Day 06 – Tirekedhunga to Birethanti to Pokhara (885 metres) 4 hours walking 9th Dec 2011

Day 07 Pokhara to Kathmandu (885 metres) 10th Dec 2011

We take the bus back to Kathmandu and enjoy the view of the mountains. Those who wish to stay on in Pokhara for a day or so rest and shopping are welcome to do so and arrangements can be made accordingly. Pokhara is a great place to chill out for a few days after the trek! It has good food and relaxing boat rides on the Phewa Tal lake and of course shopping!

Trek Costs

•For Nationals of SAARC countries – Rs 25, 000/-

•For foreign nationals- USD 680/-

•The cost is per person for Kathmandu to Kathmandu (8days) as per the itinerary

•Costs given above are at current rates and may change without notice. Changes if any will be notified 2 months before the trek.

•Group size will be limited to eight/ten only.

Costs include:

• Luxury Tourist bus from Kathmandu to Pokhara and back (six hours journey with lunch).

•Taxi fare from hotel in Katmandu to bus station and back. Taxi fare in Pokhara from bus station to guest house and back.

•ACAP national park permit and TIMS permit for trekking in the Annapurna region

•Travel from Pokhara to start of trek and back by micro bus.

•Two nights guest house stay in Pokhara (accommodation only – Hotel Gurkha Haven and two nights hotel stay in Kathmandu ( Hotel Marsyandi Mandala)- first day and last day

•All accommodation on the trek on twin sharing basis

Costs not included:

•Meals in Kathmandu and Pokhara

•Airport taxes at Kathmandu and Pokhara airports in case of flights.

•Breakfast lunch and dinner on the trek is not included

•Desserts, drinks, and exotic items listed in the lodge menus are not included. Alcohol, cold drinks (coca cola, sprite, beer), juices, ice cream etc on the trek and in Pokhara.

•Client travel and medical insurance of any kind.

•Emergency evacuation costs if needed.

•Video camera fees in National Parks (where applicable).

•Bottled drinks; boiled, filtered or bottled water; alcohol; snacks etc

•Hot showers (Rs 200-300 per shower);

•Personal clothing and equipment; sleeping bag; douvet /down/ goretek jacket, medicines for personal use etc.

•Air fare from residence country to Nepal and back

•Tips to porters and guides at the end of the trek

Food Costs

•You should budget USD 20-25 per day for the food on the trek for five days and USD 15-20 per day for food in Kathmandu and Pokhara. So for eight days this comes to USD 185 say USD 200.

For testimonials from past South Col trekkers please visit

http://www.southcol.com/testimonials

For photographs of the region please do visit

http://www.sujoydas.com/Nepal-Himalaya/Annapurna/8133847_TLigt#766484560_iMy29

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.186847054691161.41503.133607456681788

For any further information and details please e mail me at sujoyrdas@gmail.com

Elizabeth Hawley: The record keeper of Everest

2011-06-26T04:00:00.008+05:30

A wonderful interview in Outside Online magazine with Elizabeth Hawley, 85 years old, who lives in Kathmandu and has filed records of 80,000 ascents of 340 Nepal peaks!
http://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/out-of-bounds/The-High-Priestess-of-Posterity.html#
Copyright for the article and photographs is Outside Online Magazine. All rights reserved. Photo by Dario Rodriguez

The Everest Region: Load Bearers of the Khumbu

2011-06-19T20:06:00.001+05:30

Every year during spring and autumn more than forty thousand trekkers and climbers descend on the Khumbu region in Nepal. The majority of them come to trek to the Base Camp of Everest and to climb Kala Pattar, the black rock above the Base Camp with it’s splendid 360 degree view of the Khumbu Himal. Others attempt “trekking peaks” like Island Peak and Lobuche East and the most intrepid and determined attempt Everest itself. To keep the lodges running en route and to provide food and shelter to this enormous influx of visitors, porters and yaks are used right throughout the season to ferry loads from the airstrip of Lukla to the base camp. Without this back up team no trek or expedition can be successful. This is an essay on the load bearers of the Khumbu who I admire enormously for carrying huge loads sometimes upto 60 kg, day in and day out for a wage of not more than US 15$ per day.

The flights land at Lukla and then the yaks take over carrying expeditions loads to Base Camp

Holding his stomach in pain a young boy carries rice and atta on the long walk uphill

This porter is carrying a trekkers load and protecting it from the heavy downpour. It wont do to have the "sahibs'" gear wet when he reaches camp!

Mobile phones have come to the Khumbu and these two young lads check their messages during a rest stop

This porter has to go down the Namche steps to Jorsale backwards as the huge load will not allow him to balance down the steps

The last bridge below Namche Bazar sees large yak caravans crossing every day

A rest stop for the porters near Devoche

It doesnt get any bigger than this!

Oblivious to the "mane wall" next to her, a young girl climbs to Dingboche carrying supplies for a lodge owner

Snow is no deterrent for this porter near the village of Pangboche. The kerosene jerrycan now empty goes on top

Half bent under the crushing loads, two porters start the punishing climb from Dugla to the memorials with Taboche and Cholatse in the background

A sudden snow storm has changed spring into winter as this party of yaks and porters cross the bridge below Dugla

Almost at journey's end, these yaks are rested at Gorak Shep before the final push to Everest Base Camp

The Everest Trek

2011-06-12T07:00:00.000+05:30

A yak caravan makes it way to the Everest Base Camp past Dugla. In the background are the peaks of Taweche and Cholatse

South Col Expeditions - Photos Kala Pattar Trek Part 2

2011-06-06T05:00:00.000+05:30

The magic mountains - The Telegraph, Calcutta, India May 29th 2011

2011-05-30T14:35:00.003+05:30

Issue Date: Sunday , May 29 , 2011

The magic mountains

A growing tribe of photographers is zooming in on the gorgeous Himalayan landscape for inspiration, says Sushmita Biswas

Vineeta and Divyesh Muni try to capture the interplay of unusual colours in the Himalayan landscape in their work (top)

For photographer Sankar Sridhar it all began after an arduous trek to Gochala in west Sikkim in 1994 at the age of 16. He was hooked instantly and he returned soon afterwards to climb two 21,000-ft peaks in Ladakh and to take photographs along the way. Over the last few years, he’s criss-crossed the state, travelling there about 54 times. He has already turned out a book on Ladakh and he’s currently working on two more books — one on its lakes in winter and another on the Gaddi tribes of Himachal Pradesh.

Or take a look at Mumbai-based climber-photographer couple Vineeta and Divyesh Muni who’ve been trekking and clicking pictures ever since they were teenagers. In 1985, Divyesh (at the age of 19) climbed Mt Kamet, and in 1997 Vineeta along with eight other women did a rigorous 4,500km trek from Arunachal Pradesh to the Karakoram Pass that took over seven months. The couple’s photographic journeys were on display till recently at a show called Himalayan Mystic at Mumbai’s NCPA. “Our photography is spontaneous,” says Vineeta, who insists that they are mountaineers first and photographers only second. The Munis are planning another photographic-expedition to Ladakh in August.

Sujoy Das (above) has focused on Himalayan flora and fauna since 1986

Sridhar and the Munis are part of the growing tribe of photographers who are turning their lens on the Himalayan landscape and capturing the jagged peaks and distinct lifestyle of the region. They are leading expeditions into the higher reaches of the Himalayas, holding photo exhibitions and putting together lavishly produced books.

Cut to Rahul Sud, 39, from Kullu who’s been photographing the region for 10 years now. Initially, he concentrated on the tree-line areas (below 9,000ft). Then, he shifted focus to higher altitude regions (abo-ve 10,000ft). Some years ago Sud held his first exhibition at the Roerich Art Gallery in Manali and more recently he published his first coffee-table bookKullu — Beyond Horizons.

“The idea was to embark on a photographic journey to capture uncharted routes and villages,” he says. In this book, he’s clicked lakes like the Beas Kund (13,000 ft) and the Bhrigu Lake (14,200ft) and scenic spots like the Tirthan Valley with its fast-flowing mountain river. Up next are two more book projects — one on the Great Himalayan National Park and another on the Parvati Valley.

Photographers who focus on the Himalayan region have plenty to turn their lens on — the varied scenery, the people or just the breathtaking sunrises and sunsets. Says Deepak Bhimani, mountaineer and treasurer of the Himalayan Club, Mumbai: “The Himalayas have something for everybody — the adventurer, photographer, painter and spiritualist.”

Sankar Sridhar (above); pic by Jagan Negi is working on two new books — one on the lakes in Ladakh in winter and another on the Gaddi tribes of Himachal

There’s also Calcutta-based photographer Sujoy Das who’s been capturing the Himalayan flora and fauna and its cultural life ever since 1986 when he climbed the Dorji La (18,644ft) peak in north Sikkim. He says: “There was always a curiosity to find out what lay behind the next hill and across the next pass. That remains with me even now.”

In 2001, his coffee-table book Sikkim — A Traveller’s Guide, co-authored by Arundhati Ray, was the finalist at the Banff Mountain Book Competition in the Adventure Travel category. Currently, Das is working on another book on the Indian Himalayas. He’s also set up South Col Expeditions in Calcutta that runs treks and photo workshops in the Himalayas.

Most of these photographers go beyond just snapping away with their cameras. For instance, Mumbai-based photographer Atmaram Parab, who’s been to Ladakh 84 times, takes amateur photographers into the mountains. Parab has set up a club, Wanderers, which has 130 members, and also has a photo-tours company, Isha Tours.

At a different level, what started as a hobby for Shimla-based Himanshu Khagta is now a vocation. He’s currently shooting in the Churdhar region of Himachal Pradesh. In August, Khagta will be doing a month-long trek to Ladakh.

Rahul Sud (above) has been photographing the Himalayas for 10 years now

Of course, funding is still a big problem. Most of the expeditions are self-financed by the photographers. Says Divyesh: “The Everest expedition is the most expensive and costs about Rs 25 lakh per person. A trek to any other of the Greater Himalayan peaks will set you back by Rs 3 lakh per head.” So Sud raises money for his treks from his own hotel business and Vineeta is a commercial artist. Divyesh is a practicing chartered accountant.

In recent years, Himalayan photographers have discovered a greater demand for their images. So while the Munis recently showcased their work at the NCPA, Das showcased his at various art exhibitions in New Delhi and Calcutta. Sridhar’s photographs too have been exhibited across India and fetched him awards. His photographs of a winter trek across the frozen Zanskar river fetched him the Best Mountain Adventure award at the Banff Mountain Festival in 2009.

And these shutterbugs have armed themselves with right qualifications. Sridhar and the Munis have done advanced courses at the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering in Uttarkashi. And Vineeta also did a three-month photography course under Mumbai-based portraitist Beli Homjee.

Inevitably, every photographer is trying to develop a unique style. Sridhar’s focus is on the unusual. He says: “Since Ladakh gets minimum snowfall even in the high winters, I once waited for snowfall and was out there at sub-zero temperatures to capture it. Nowadays, I tend to go against the very grain of traditional landscapes to concentrate on fleeting moments in the play of light and shadow.” There’s also Sud who likes to apply radical techniques, like giving the clouds an almost surreal look. He says: “This blurring technique is achieved by using slow shutter speed. This is done by placing a filter in front of the lens to block light.” He also shoots broad panoramas, some even spanning 360 degrees.

Himanshu Khagta (above) is a self-taught trekker and photographer

The Munis on the other hand try to capture the interplay of unusual colours of the Himalayan landscape. Vineeta reminisces: “When we were at the Chong Kumdan glacier (on the lower slopes of Karakoram), one evening the light became stunningly purple and we immediately started clicking.”

Though the technicalities of being a Himalayan photographer are easier now thanks to smaller digital cameras, most photographers say the older analogue cameras were better. Says Vineeta: “Some of the best photography has been done with those cameras. But due to the high processing cost, we’ve now switched to digital ones.” So while Das still uses the Nikon F3 HP and the Nikon N90S, Sud uses a Nikon F80 and Sridhar too votes for his earlier Nikon F80 and F100 cameras.

There are other challenges too. You must be able to withstand freezing temperatures, be persevering and be able to do lots of walking. Vineeta recalls breaking a few bones while climbing. Sridhar remembers miscalculating the depth of a swollen river in the Kangra Valley and losing his camera bag while crossing it.

Even then there are moments that every photographer cherishes. Das, who’s been to the Everest four times, reckons that his winter ascent of Kala Patthar peak in 2004 was one such. “We were a two-man team. As we crossed the pass before Pheriche (14,340 ft) a snowstorm started and we took shelter in a lodge. We were cooped up for almost 36 hours as all trails were obliterated. Finally we followed a shepherd with a yak caravan all the way to the Khumbu valley and the base camp.” But it all paid off. Says Das: “As we reached the top, the clouds cleared and I started clicking the ethereal sights of the Himalayan giants like Everest, Nuptse, Pumori, Ama Dablam and Khumbutse. I’d never seen a view like that before.”

Roughing it out is, of course, part of the game. Sud says it’s treacherous photogra-phing mountain brooks during the monsoons as there’s the danger of slipping on the rocks. And Sridhar says doing the Chadar trek in Ladakh was one of the scariest things he’s done. “I once fell 60ft into a gorge. The locals fished me out with the help of sticks.”

For Sridhar, the biggest difficulties while trekking to Changthang (the high-altitude plateau with temperatures freezing at -48°C) was keeping his water-bottle and camera batteries warm. He says: “I used to wrap my bottle in layers of woollens. I had little pockets sewn in my vest to keep the batteries close to my body. Also I carry 10-12 days of food and fuel because getting help in those regions is out of question.”

So what are the cardinal rules in the field? Says Sridhar: “Don’t offer the local people money. Carry food, fuel, shoes and clothes instead. And always carry solar panels to charge your batteries.” Adds Divyesh: “A little fear is also good in this field because that’s what keeps you cautious.”

Everest in winter 2004- an essay

2011-05-28T10:19:00.000+05:30

As many of you know I returned in the first week of May 2011 from a three week trek to Kala Pattar and Everest Base Camp. South Col Expeditions ran two treks this spring - the Panorama trek to Thyanboche and the Kala Pattar trek. It was my first visit to the Everest region in the spring. While going through my old notes, I found an interesting essay which I had written after returning from Everest in the winter of 2004. As most of you would not have read this, I am posting this on my blog.

Kathmandu, Monday January 12th January 2004
We got back to KTM this morning at 11.30 am, one day ahead as we had saved some days and did not see much point in remaining up there in the freezing cold and snow. I have just had a nice long shower, shave and shampoo, my first bath in 17 days and now have come down to this cyber cafe to write to all of you while Srijit luxuriates in his bath.

Its strange to be sitting here suddenly in the midst of the hustle and bustle of Kathmandu's tourist district. Only this morning we were at Lukla, a narrow strip of an airport surrounded by mountains where 16 seater Twin Otter planes land uphill and within 40 minutes you are transported back to civilisation. In the old days before the airstrip was constructed it was a seven day walk back to KTM and the changes more gradual so that you were acclimatized better.

I can see all of you asking how was the Khumbu in winter? Sitting here today it does not seem real - a journey of imagination as I mentioned to you earlier. Many dream it, some dare it but few do it. I had been to the Khumbu twice, in Oct both times 1997 and 2001 but nothing would have prepared me for winter. On the physical front, the extreme temperatures (minus 20 celsius at the Everest base camp) and an average of about minus 10 celsius along the way coupled with a bone chilling wind which always seems to get the better of your down clothing, cap and gloves would be quite enough to knock the stuffing out of an average trekker. The Khumbu in winter makes spring and autumn look like a walk in the park.

Then came the snow. On Christmas eve there was light snowfall at the village of Khumjung where we were acclimatising but this melted on Christmas day when we walked up to the monastery of Thyangboche a superb viewpoint at about 13,000 feet. On the 26th as we started for our next stop Pheriche the sky was grey with ominous looking clouds funnelling there way up the valley. By the time we reached Pheriche in the afternoon there was almost a gale blowing and I remember crossing the pass before Pheriche almost half bent against the shrieking wind.

That evening about 6 pm it started to snow and carried on until next mid morning. In a whisker the entire Khumbu had been transformed into a white sheet, all tracks obliterated with about 3 feet of snow on the ground.

We waited in Pheriche for the yaks to take charge and open the trail again. A blessing in the Khumbu, without yaks, any trekker or expedition would not be able to manage. And we watched them from the comfort of our lodge window effortlessly ploughing there way through the soft powder snow creating a trail for others to follow.

Then came a seven day weather window and despite the cold it was sunny and bright. We went through all the way to Kala Pattar and were rewarded with magnificent sunset views of the peaks, Nuptse, Ama Dablam, Cholatse, Kangtega, Tamserku, Pumori to name a few. The light was magical and ethereal.

The snow put paid to our plans of crossing the Chola pass and heading to the valley of Gokyo. For some time, even after the snow I toyed with the idea but one afternoon south of the pass, we saw massive powder snow avalanches on Cholatse depositing fresh snow on Chola and decided against it especially as we were without tents and porters and a night in the open would have been fatal.

There were a few solo trekkers and some groups but tourist traffic was low as compared to autumn and spring for obvious reasons.

Interestingly enough there was quite a bit of wildlife. Coming down Thyangboche through the forest we spotted a musk deer trying to eke out a little bit of water from the frozen ground. Just after Sanasa I spotted the Himalayan tahr in a small group grazing on a bit of vegetation. The Impeyan Pheasant, the national bird of Nepal was seen a couple of times on the trail, its blue and maroon feathers glinting against the white snow. And overhead almost every day we spotted the king of Vultures, the lammergier soaring effortlessly with the thermals, as if mocking the efforts of puny trekkers plodding slowly through the soft powder snow in search of that dynamic landscape in the highest amphitheatre of the Gods.

What else? Streams that were rushing torrents in summer and autumn were still. Waterfalls were frozen hard to the hillsides.The grazing yaks had to struggle to find vegetation to survive as most of the hillside was bare and snowed under. The rhododendron trees which are a riot of red, mauve and yellow in summer were half bent under the snow, their branches drooping to the ground. On the fresh snow sometimes tracks of animals which we could not identify could be seen, especially in the early morning when we started out.. what were they? The snow leopard or even the yeti??

And in the end of out trip, the moon was almost full and lit up the peaks like a magical searchlight.

Its warm here now and it's a relief not to fight this constant battle against the cold as the evening draws near.

So would I go back to the Khumbu again? In winter never. But, to take a small group up in summer, Romina included and see the peaks soaring into the azure skies and the flowers at their feet , that seems a great option! A proper holiday!!!.

South Col Expeditions - Photos Kala Pattar Trek Part 1

2011-05-26T07:00:00.001+05:30

South Col Expeditions tie up with Nepal Trek Guide

2011-05-20T07:15:00.000+05:30

South Col Expeditions has tied up with Santaman Tamang of Nepal Trek Guide in Kathmandu to jointly handle treks and photo-expeditions in Nepal. Santaman and his team of dedicated and committed guides provided excellent support to the twenty one member South Col team which trekked to Thyanboche monastery and Kala Pattar recently. Shyam Tamang who accompanied the Kala Pattar trekkers and Shera Lama Tamang who handled the Panorama trek to Thyanboche monastery were both hard working, efficient and offered service with a smile. Santaman who is the leader of the organisation has a wealth of Himalayan experience. South Col will continue to do further treks with Santaman and his team. For more details on this efficient and dynamic organisation please do visit http://www.nepaltrekguide.com./ The photograph below shows Shyam Tamang and his team of porters at Kyanjuma near Namche Bazar at the end of the trek.

Apa Sherpa climbs Everest for a record 21 times

2011-05-12T11:09:00.000+05:30

Apa Sherpa climbs Everest for the record 21st time!
http://www.thehimalayantimes.com/fullNews.php?headline=Uphill+for+others%E2%80%9A+%C2%B4Apa%C2%B4hill+for+him&NewsID=287603

Nikon 50 mm lenses compared

2011-05-11T13:13:00.000+05:30

A fine article and comparison of Nikon's 50 mm lenses!

http://www.popphoto.com/gear/2011/04/round-which-nikon-50mm-lens-should-i-buy

Kangchendzonga from Singhik, Sikkim

2011-05-01T06:59:00.001+05:30

Photographs from Gokyo

2011-04-23T06:43:00.002+05:30

The Kala Pattar trek to Everest usually overshadows the trail to Gokyo which is as impressive. Some photographs from the trek to Gokyo:

Faces of Sikkim

2011-04-16T07:00:00.000+05:30

Bear and Tiger confrontation in Ranthambhore

2011-04-12T11:07:00.000+05:30

An amazing series of photographs on a bear and tiger confrontation at Ranthambhore brilliantly shot by Adiyta "Dicky" Singh, one outstanding wildlife photographer!
http://www.dickysingh.com/2011/04/bear-tiger-confrontation-10-pics-that-tell-a-story/

Trekking Initiatives from Timberland

2011-04-11T12:15:00.000+05:30

Please do visit this link for trekking initiatives from Timberland including supporting trekkers with boots and gear!
http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=153107388086642

Rumtek Monastery

2011-04-05T13:10:00.003+05:30

World Photography Awards 2011

2011-03-29T11:09:00.001+05:30

Outstanding photography!
http://www.worldphoto.org/images/image-gallery/5588/

Photography Workshops: Kriya Studio, Kolkata 2011 Part 2

2011-03-23T10:30:00.002+05:30

I conducted a photography workshop for Kriya Studio with a team of dedicated and enthusiastic shutter bugs! Here is the second lot of photographs from the workshop.

Photography Workshops: Kriya Studio, Kolkata 2011 Part 1

2011-03-17T14:54:00.002+05:30

I conducted a workshop with an enthusiastic team of photographers for Kriya Studio, Kolkata in the early part of this year. Some photographs of the workshop are shown here.

Baruntse - a mountain not seen very often!

2011-03-10T09:56:00.000+05:30

Ladakh Monasteries in black and white

2011-03-02T18:21:00.000+05:30

Photography: Auto white balance and Raw

2011-02-24T10:39:00.002+05:30

A fine article by Rob Sheppard on using white balance and Raw. A must read for raw shooters!
http://www.outdoorphotographer.com/blog/rob-sheppard/2011/02/the-problem-with-awb-and-raw.html

Ladakh: landscapes in black and white

2011-02-17T10:27:00.000+05:30

Kodachrome and Steve Mccurry

2011-02-10T10:09:00.000+05:30

A great photographer and a great film! The story of the last roll of Kodachrome!

http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/features/2011/02/last-kodachrome-slide-show-201102#intro

Coastal Photography

2011-02-03T12:44:00.000+05:30

A fine collection of photographs, many of which are shot in low light and superbly handled. Well worth a look!
http://www.lightstalking.com/coastal-photography

Sikkim: Lhonak, the Home of the Herdsmen in North Sikkim -Usually off limit to tourists and trekkers alike, Lhonak is one of the most sparsely populated regions in Sikkim separated from the main Teesta valley by the Lhonak La pass, a formidable barrier for all but the most intrepid. This is an essay shot many years ago in the two weeks that I spent in the valley one summer.

2011-01-22T18:20:00.009+05:30

Indian Wildlife: Hawk Eagle at Kanha National Park

2011-01-17T15:45:00.000+05:30

Changeable Hawk Eagle at Kanha National Park

Sequoia National Park in winter

2011-01-09T17:44:00.013+05:30

Ghorepani - Poon Hill Trek Annapurna Region December 2011

2011-01-04T15:16:00.000+05:30

South Col Expeditions announces the Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek in December 2011! Group size restricted to eight only! Ideal for first time trekkers and children! This is a route that South Col has trekked many times and it is always enjoyable! For more details please see the link http://www.southcol.com/Treks-Nepal/Trekking-Annapurna . For further information please mail me at sujoyrdas@gmail.com

Bangkok: A Photo Essay

2010-12-22T15:47:00.002+05:30

Bangkok: Wat Suthat

2010-12-14T16:46:00.000+05:30

A prayer service at Wat Suthat, Bangkok in the early evening

Pop Photo: Processing of Digital Raw files

2010-12-11T12:40:00.000+05:30

A very fine tutorial on the processing of raw files in Photoshop. Please do see the attached link

http://www.popphoto.com/content/how-process-and-save-your-raw-files?pnid=70824

Light and Composition Magazine: Photo of the Day December 10th 2010

2010-12-10T11:42:00.000+05:30

My photograph of the yaks in North Sikkim featured in Photo of the Day in Light and Composition Magazine 10th December 2010. To see the photograph and to read the on line magazine visit the link below:
http://www.lightandcomposition.com/photo-of-the-day-december-10-yak-caravan-crosses-the-north-sikkim-plateau-by-sujoy-das/

New Great Himalaya Trail Map of Nepal

2010-12-08T15:15:00.000+05:30

NEW! Great Himalaya Trail Map of Nepal

Himalayan Map House is delighted to announce the largest and most accurate map of Nepal ever produced. Development of the Great Himalaya Trail (GHT) Route Planner has been a massive project and will provide direct funding to vocational training programs and remote area tourism through the GHT Alliance.

Since 2003, Himalayan Map House and Australian, Robin Boustead, have systematically researched, documented and mapped every major trekking route in Nepal. For the first time all of this information is available on a new full-colour, highly detailed map that shows the GHT High Route, GHT Cultural Trail and all interlinking 3,500km of mountain trails. This will be a major asset for Visit Nepal 2011 and a vital tool for anyone in the tourism industry. Please see a colour copy of the press release with pictures of the GHT Nepal map and map cover. The GHT Nepal map shows:

· All Nepal to 1:500000 scale, that’s 5km to 1cm size!
· Total map size is 208 x 71cm
· All major trekking routes are researched and logged by GPS.
· 50% of all major villages in Nepal.
· All new road networks across the country, including mountain roads.
· All National parks, Conservation and Wildlife protected areas.
· A profile graph of the GHT High Route showing walking times and elevations.
· Decorated with pictures of Nepal’s 8000m mountains and people from remote villages.
· Costing Rs1500, this amazing, high quality map will be in shops from Sunday, 12th December.

For more information about the map, copies of digital versions to print and stockists please contact Pawan Shakya on the details above.

For more information about the GHT Alliance please contact Robin at robin@greathimalayatrail.com

Himalayas at night

2010-12-07T18:48:00.000+05:30

Project Himalaya headed by Jamie McGuiness is one of the reputed companies running treks in the Himalayas.
This series of photographs taken at night, in my opinion, are outstanding! Please do take a look!
For photo enthusiasts Jamie has included the technical data as well.

http://www.project-himalaya.com/photo-galleries/2010-ght-night-shots/

Lonely Planet Magazine (UK Edition) December 2010

2010-12-06T17:32:00.000+05:30

Yosemite National Park: Half Dome and North Dome

2010-12-02T14:59:00.000+05:30

This is a view from near Glacier Point in Yosemite National Park looking at Half Dome and North Dome from an unusual angle.

Banff Mountain Book and Film Festival 2010

2010-11-17T11:15:00.000+05:30

The Banff Mountain Book and Film Festival is held every year at the Banff Centre, Canada in November. My Sikkim book was a finalist at the Festival many years ago. The results of the 2010 Festival are out and showcase the best in mountain literature and films. Visit the link below to see the list of winners!
http://www.banffcentre.ca/mountainfestival/competitions/book/2010/

Photography Workshops: The Creative Arts Kolkata 2010 Part II

2010-11-15T10:13:00.000+05:30

The Photography workshop which I conducted for The Creative Arts Kolkata ended last evening. Here is the second lot of photographs from the participants.

Photography Workshops: The Creative Arts Kolkata 2010 Part 1

2010-11-15T10:03:00.000+05:30

I recently conducted a photographic workshop for The Creative Arts, Kolkata with fifteen very enthusiastic participants. We photographed around Kolkata: the flower market near the Howrah bridge, the river and the Princep Monument and street shots on Diwali evening. Here are the first lot of photographs from the participants. The second lot will follow soon!

Sikkim: The Unpublished Photographs Part II

2010-11-02T18:35:00.002+05:30

This is an essay on the monastery dances of Sikkim from my collection of unpublished photographs.

Dancers practice at Ralang monastery before the masked dances

Black hat dancers, Rumtek

Pang Lhabsol Musicians, Tsulakhang, Gangtok

The photographer lama, Ralang Monastery

Dancer, Ralang Monastery

Pemayangtse monastery - prayers during Lhosar

The dancer representing Kangchendzonga - Pang Lhabsol, Tsulakhang, Gangtok

Black Hat dancers, Phodang

Monastery door, Lachung