Uttarakhand Himalayas - Best views of the Himalayas

Few sights in nature are as magnificent and striking as panoramic views of the Great Himalayan Range. For great views of the Himalayan range you need 2 things - heavy rain the previous day and clear skies on the day you are viewing. Heavy rain is required for clear views because in dry weather dust from the ground rises into the atmosphere hindering far-reaching views.

In Uttarakhand, the best views of Himalayas are available during the months of October and November - just after the monsoons. This is the time when the dust has been locked into the soil by the rains and the skies are clear from the monsoon clouds. The views get progressively worse from November onwards. June and July are the monsoon months. During the rest of the year if you get heavy rain you may stand a great chance of Himalayan views the following morning if the sky clears.

Time of the day is another factor you need to consider. The best time to see Himalayan peaks is early morning - when the first rays of sunlight kiss the top of the highest peaks resulting in a golden glow. After about 9 AM, clouds start forming just below the peaks blocking their view. This is because the sunlight evaporates water from these snow clad peaks and forms clouds which rise higher during the course of the day and block the top of these peaks.

Our own quest for great Himalyan views did not have the advantage of season - we planned our Uttarakhand trip in early May. However, we were optimistic of our chances and picked resorts that boasted great panaromic views of the Himalayas. We stayed at Holm Farm Heritage in Ranikhet and Mountain Resort, Khali Estate in Binsar. Both places offer great views of the Himalayas. But we were disappointed at both places as the dry dusty weather did not offer us any views. Our luck changed in Nainital when it rained cats and dogs during our first day there. Next day the sky cleared up and we set out to Dorothy's seat (7000 feet) on horse back along a steep winding horse-track. This is the view we got from Dorothy's seat in Nainital (click on images to enlarge):

Here is a close-up of one of the peaks:

Words cannot describe the majesty of the Himalayas. They were massive, snow covered and seemed to float in the air, high above other mountain ranges in the foreground - effectively dwarfing them.

From Dorothy's seat, we proceeded to another viewpoint - called Himalaya darshan. Thankfully, to reach this viewpoint one doesn't need to climb a horse as it is accessible by road. There was pandemonium on the narrow road at 7000 feet as everybody stopped to view the Himalayas:

 This is the view we got (The Trishul and Nanda Devi peaks are visible clearly):

Here is a closeup of Trishul, which is shaped like Lord Shiva's trident:

I used Canon Powershot SX10is for photos and videos. A super-zoom camera and a pair of binoculars will help you get close up views:

Have a look at this video which was shot from the same place:

Pictures cannot describe the beauty of what one sees with the naked eye. Start planning your trip to the Himalayas soon. You can post comments below.