The youngest and highest mountain range on the planet, the Himalayas have always been a fascinating and awe inspiring region, both for the locals and for the explorers and hiking aficionados of all around the world. 

The name Himalayas, in the Sanskrit language, and means "Abode of snow". Nowhere else on the planet - outside of the poles - is there as much snow and ice as on the high and steep mountains of this vast region, whose total area equals that of Western Europe. More than 15 000 glaciers cover vast swathes of land, and provide water to several billion people in the southern and eastern parts of the Asian continent. 

Most of the highest summits on the planet are part of the Himalayan mountain range. The highest - and most famous - one, the Mount Everest, almost reaches 9000 meters of altitude! (8848 meters exactly). The Nepalese people call it "Samgarmatha", which can be translated as Goddess of the Universe. It is hard to object!

While one generally tends to assimilate the Himalayas with high, snow-capped mountains, this region actually offers an incredible variety of landscapes and ecosystems, from the low subtropical canyons with rainforest like vegetation to gigantic coniferous forests to wide alpine meadows. 

The fauna that thrives in this vast and diverse region is as amazing as its high peaks: snow leopard, musk deer, Asian elephants, pandas, as well as more than 500 species of birds. The forest types range from broadleaf, evergreen forests to more isolated mountain pines, hemlock or spruce, and the flora offers an equal diversity, with thousands of plants and flowers, growing thanks to the generous rains of the monsoon or struggling on more rugged, high mountain terrain.

All in all, it is without a doubt one of the most spectacular regions on earth, and whatever the nature of your trip there, you will come back home with wonderful, lasting memories!