A bundle of art, news, and travel
Check out some fabulous art made by various wonderful guests, learn about the Anwals, and more...
Hi!
We’ve been thinking a lot lately about the effect that travel and natural surroundings can have on our ability to create art. Guests who have travelled with us have sometimes taken to their sketchbooks just to capture the textures of trees, the myriad plant varieties, the birds, the landscape, the house itself, and everything in between.
What we love about this is that we get to see what these spaces communicate to the artist, and subsequently, how it gets represented through colours, patterns, and lines.
Emma, from The Shelter, Idukki and The Other Side, Goa.
Nikhil, from The Oasis, Coorg
Plus, listen to a crystal clear recording of a Malabar whistling thrush taken by Nikhil during his many morning walks.
Devika, from The Oasis, Coorg
Akshaya, from the Binsar Forest Trail, Uttarakhand
Our in-house team, from both the Binsar Forest Trail and Sweet Valley Crossing, Uttarakhand
Can’t stop talking about: walking holidays!
We started off by partnering with homestays and sending you to some absolutely beautiful spaces in the Ghats, the Himalaya, and the coastlines of India. Last year, we thought - “Hmm.. why not create a multi-stay experience that allows you and all your friends to visit a handpicked collection of stays, all in one holiday?”
Of course, since we encourage slow and immersive travel experiences, we had to do this within single ‘regions’. Our first such bundle of joy, what we call a ‘walking holiday’ began in earnest earlier this year (Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary), and based on that feedback, we decided to go ahead with another multi-stay holiday further north of Binsar.
What makes Sweet Valley Crossing unique
The Anwals are a sheep-rearing community that take care of cattle and sheep in the upper reaches of the Himalayas. For months on end. These hardy people are selected to represent their respective villages every year. Every year they congregate near the Pindari glacier before monsoon.
For a good three months during the rains, the Anwals are isolated from the rest of society. They spend their time like marooned sailors surrounded by overflowing rivers and flooding from rains.
After monsoon, they make their journey back to their villages so they can stay with their families during the cold winter.
In November, we have our walks through a part of their traverse. While the rapidly shifting seasons (thanks, climate change!) can easily change the plans of the Anwals, there is a high chance we can catch the spectacular view of thousands of sheep and their guardians spread out over the ridges.
In this multi-stay walking holiday, you will spend 2 nights camping on a bugyal (alpine meadow). This is where you are most likely to meet the Anwals and their sheep.
We can arrange a meeting with the Chief of the Anwals - chosen yearly to solve any matters of dispute, make decisions on routes, etc. He is a fount of knowledge about the terrain and the life of this strong and proud community.
We like to think that the holidays we plan involve people from various walks of life and bring them together more intimately and spontaneously - without us making a fixed itinerary that defines how you spend your time. It is this understanding of others and our similarities and differences that makes an adventure all the more meaningful and special.
We urge you to enter the world of the villages on the Saryu and Pindar valleys almost a stone’s throw away from the grand old Greater Himalayas themselves. Live amongst communities and enjoy a simple, refreshing holiday feasting on surreal views and ghar ka khaana.
That’s all, folks! To get in touch with us, you can always DM us on Instagram, or send in an enquiry about either our walking holidays or our homestays here.
Lots of love from us at Knowhere Travel <3