CAMP LEOPARD WATCH 20 – 22 March 2010

Rhododendrons in full bloom around the camp; the forest afire with these beautiful crimson sprays.

Happy to see me again, the village children returning from school, crowd around me for a touching welcome.

Negotiating a landslide. Took some training and encouragement to cross a precarious stretch of very slippery, powdery earth fall.

White-capped water redstarts put on a show to make birdwatching immensely rewarding.

Our Camp Leader par excellence, takes a break at the Vice Regal Lodge.

A very promising photographer who is also a student of Art Kendra.

Trekkers discuss the challenges encountered on the morning's trek which detours Dieter’s Ridge.

The youngest camper takes refuge in Ruskin Bond’s Green Book, tucked comfortably in a hammock strung between two oaks.

A challenging stretch confidently maneuvered on the second attempt to the waterfall.

A brave heart through thick and thin!

Camp Mascot- CHICKEY, Labrador Retriever.

(No leopard was safe with her around!)

Energy packs opened at the right time. Topping up for another difficult stretch.

Swallows have returned for the summer nesting near a tea stall.

This is part of the very dense forest: home to leopards which prowled around our camp, barking deer(kakar) and lakkarbaggas(hyenas). The nightjar stuck to its post and warned of predators.

NOTES: Camp Leopard Watch

This was the first of the summer training camps. As a matter of fact, it could be termed a recce camp. The summer had just set in and the rhododendrons were in full bloom. A new road being built in sections along an old one ‘called’ for dynamiting large portions of hillsides. The rubble cascaded down the hillsides in enormous slides of earth and boulders – some very huge ones were seen.

I decided to use this as another venue at the training camp site. The new picture offers bold and challenging opportunities for hill walking, scrambling and climbing.

The recce team aged from a senior citizen to an eleven year old girl, encompassed a broad band for applied activity. Safety norms, physical endurance and an introduction to living in the wild (and that too in tents!) were the highlights of the trip.

I have developed ‘spots’ for rappelling, rock-climbing, belaying etc & the terrain gives very good opportunity for hill walking, scrambling & climbing with and without aids(special equipment).

Star gazing was excellent. Constellations like the Great Bear, Orion and Cassiopeia were clearly demonstrated in the summer sky.

One of my students at Art Kendra doing photography, showed tremendous advancement in his taking technique. Many of his photos are prize winning material. He showed a great sense of concern & duty to the group, went with the events in an astonishingly dedicated way, and set an example in courage and grit.

Of course, everybody in the group has a long way to go in perfecting their camp craft and jungle lore.

My main aim is to lay the foundations for good relationships and trust in a group. Then to use these qualities in forging a esprit dé core in teams, very conscious in the role they will have to play in conserving our Himalayan heritage.

This is what Himalayan Venture Action is all about!

THE HIMALAYAN VILLAGE EXPERIENCE - ANCIENT & MODERN

A modern village house.

Himalayan villages can be very beautiful and exquisite. In themselves the houses are masterpieces of architecture built for survival in the many moods of nature.

An old rustic style.

But the settings can be breathtaking! These hamlet scenes change as does the mountain landscape.

Streams and springs add to excitement and mystery.

HIMALAYAN VENTURE ACTION sets many of its camps in these settings. I invite you to join us.

To introduce initial camping to the inexperienced training camps are set up 15-30 kms away from Himalayan towns like Nainital, Shimla, Thanedar, Manali, Mcleodganj. This gives you an insight into modern himalayan village life.

Secondary advanced camping, overnight trips or just day visits is done by driving, hiking, hill walking to the more ancient villages tucked away in remote mountainscapes.

Walk by quaint trails through forests of pine, deodar, oak, walnut etc.

Spend magical moments by streams and waterfalls.

Try special local food. Make a closer study of village life and customs and interact with the villagers, their schools & their children.

Red-billed blue Magpie

Birdwatching: Spot the khalij Pheasant, Junglefowl, barbets, parakeets, Himalayan bulbuls, the gorgeous red-billed blue magpie and hear the melodious song of the whistling thrush among hundreds of other talked about Himalayan birds.


You can also keep up with your wildlife and landscape photography; or sketch or paint under a shade of an old oak tree.

And then you must experience a starlit campfire with songs, yarns and a barbecue conducted by an all time King of the Campfires!

ADVENTURE CALLS – PREPARE TO HEAD FOR THE HILLS

Get set go!

Meet the people along the trek.

Bird watching with the rising sun.

Look forward to a hearty breakfast.

Take a break! Well earned rests during a trek.

Camp setup at ‘Hollow Ridge’. Most of us couldn’t sleep that night – with excitement. We heard a night-jar call for quite sometime, warning us that a predator – a leopard – was on the prowl!

A coffee break, for the security patrol, at the all-night campfire.