Beyond the hill stations, the mall roads and the 'points' is the 'Other Himalaya'. A Himalaya where flowers bloom in the green rolling meadows, the streams are bubbly, no pedal boats ply in the lakes, the glaciers can be felt and the passes crossed to more magical lands (where you might find flying lamas too). It's the real Himalaya and it's the real stories from the travels of people like you and me in this Himalaya that make this book.

The grand plan is that the next time you are looking for a family vacation or an adventure trek or a soul-searching solo trip, these stories from different regions of Indian Himalaya (from Kashmir to Ladakh, Himachal, Garhwal, Kumaon, Sikkim and Arunachal) will provide you a few more options to choose from.

There is also a special chapter by Rujuta Diwekar, India's top fitness professional, on why you must trek, the physiological benefits for your body and what to eat to get the best out of your Himalayan trek.