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A Long Walk in the Himalaya: A Trek from the Ganges to Kashmir
‘Garry Weare is enigmatic, funny and he has an enormous conscience. He brings into the story of his Himalayan traverse a succession of vignettes about people’s lives that he meets along the way, relevant history, natural history observations and a delightful sprinkling of his inimitable sense of humour. The warmth of his relationships with his old Kashmiri friends and various people from the trekking fraternity adds a wonderful dimension to this journeyman's tale’. Peter Hillary
‘A marvelous story’ Melanie Barton, Bookseller and Publisher
Weare’s finely rendered story of his five-month trek from the sacred source of the Ganges through the Kullu Valley, Zanskar and Ladakh to his houseboat in Kashmir is remarkably entertaining. The people he meets and travels with are fully-fledged characters that the reader comes to know and care about while the Himalaya, captured in all their variety, cast their spell. It is as if the act of walking allows the author to fully understand all the nuances – spiritual, environmental, social and political – of this inspiring region. A Long Walk in the Himalaya is a book to savour, a book that the reader will return to again and again.
ABOUT THE
English born Garry Weare has had a long-standing relationship with the Himalaya. In 1970 he first went to Kashmir to teach. It changed his life and he went on to live on a houseboat in Kashmir, to pioneer many classic treks and to research the Trekking in the Indian Himalaya guidebook published by Lonely Planet, now in its 4th edition. Weare is a life member of the Himalayan Club, a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, a noted mountain photographer and a founding director of the Australian Himalayan Foundation. He has one daughter, two stepdaughters and lives with his wife Margie Thomas in the Southern Highlands, NSW, Australia.
‘A marvelous story’ Melanie Barton, Bookseller and Publisher
Weare’s finely rendered story of his five-month trek from the sacred source of the Ganges through the Kullu Valley, Zanskar and Ladakh to his houseboat in Kashmir is remarkably entertaining. The people he meets and travels with are fully-fledged characters that the reader comes to know and care about while the Himalaya, captured in all their variety, cast their spell. It is as if the act of walking allows the author to fully understand all the nuances – spiritual, environmental, social and political – of this inspiring region. A Long Walk in the Himalaya is a book to savour, a book that the reader will return to again and again.
ABOUT THE
English born Garry Weare has had a long-standing relationship with the Himalaya. In 1970 he first went to Kashmir to teach. It changed his life and he went on to live on a houseboat in Kashmir, to pioneer many classic treks and to research the Trekking in the Indian Himalaya guidebook published by Lonely Planet, now in its 4th edition. Weare is a life member of the Himalayan Club, a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, a noted mountain photographer and a founding director of the Australian Himalayan Foundation. He has one daughter, two stepdaughters and lives with his wife Margie Thomas in the Southern Highlands, NSW, Australia.
229 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 1, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
November 6, 2015
Garry Weare started this trek in 2003 at the age of 55Description: Weare’s finely rendered story of his five-month trek from the sacred source of the Ganges through the Kullu Valley, Zanskar and Ladakh to his houseboat in Kashmir is remarkably entertaining. The people he meets and travels with are fully-fledged characters that the reader comes to know and care about while the Himalaya, captured in all their variety, cast their spell. It is as if the act of walking allows the author to fully understand all the nuances – spiritual, environmental, social and political – of this inspiring region. A Long Walk in the Himalaya is a book to savour, a book that the reader will return to again and again.
This was love at first page. Many of my longterm TBRs are non-fiction, so have dedicated a month to attacking some of them; lots are skim read only, however this is written by the non-nonsense, straight-talking writer of The Lonely Planet Guide to the Himalaya. I'm in marvellous hands and I do like his tone...
Himalayan barbet
sadhus/saints
Mount Shivling
Bharal: Himalayan blue sheep
lammergeier
Tehri Dam
Darwa Pass
Har Ki Dun
Sangla Valley
Kathmandu Valley
Kangchenjunga is the 3rd highest mountain in the world.
Spiti Valley
Carved road, Spiti Valley. You go on without me!
Pin Parbati. I would not cross that bridge.
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December 20, 2014
Weare is an absolute stud, who at 50+ years old hikes more and at a quicker rate than people half or even a third his age. He hardly brags but walks at a pace that would humble many natives and does a great job of relating the history of the varied regions he walks through.
He is also, by his own account, a bit of a cantankerous, entitled asshole who apparently is unable to hike without buying the labor of at least two other human beings. Worse, for a writer, he is the anti-Bryson. The epic becomes mundane, a list of kilometers and meals and the state of his shirt.
For all his flaws, Weare literally wrote the book on Himalayan trekking. For anyone who has hiked or is planning/hoping to hike the Himalaya this book is well worth the time.
He is also, by his own account, a bit of a cantankerous, entitled asshole who apparently is unable to hike without buying the labor of at least two other human beings. Worse, for a writer, he is the anti-Bryson. The epic becomes mundane, a list of kilometers and meals and the state of his shirt.
For all his flaws, Weare literally wrote the book on Himalayan trekking. For anyone who has hiked or is planning/hoping to hike the Himalaya this book is well worth the time.
November 9, 2012
Good book, very descriptive of a surreal, beautiful, & challenging country and its people. However, it reads as more of a journal. I would recommend foramyome interested in the Himalya & her people/culture
August 15, 2024
I absolutely love the ending of this book. Without ruining anything, it ends with him giving thanks. And that’s as it should be. The author did a very traditional style of Nepali and Indian trekking, in which a veritable army of staff is dedicated to a small party, in this case, only one foreigner. Personally, I don’t know how I feel about this style, because it seems very colonialist, but it is employing people, so I don’t know. To be fair, the author seems to be genuine friends with his guides, cooks, and porters, and does not give any apparent indications that he looks down upon the Indian and Kashmiri people. It definitely makes me want to visit Kashmir, Ladakh, and the Zanskars. He does seem a little preoccupied with the white guy history of the region. I like when there is some context for the Kashmiri, Pakistani, and Indian conflict, although there is not much of it.
July 17, 2020
Narration is surfeit with author's interactions with porters, cooks and mule handlers as well as some beautiful sights, which is fine.
While reading I felt left out of what was happening during the walk - I know from the treks how the physical effort can be daunting and cannot be ignored at all. It is bound to affect one's thinking but the author doesn't talk about any of that.
The narration was simple, somewhat flat, left me asking for more interesting details not those repetitive numbers and milestones reached.
While reading I felt left out of what was happening during the walk - I know from the treks how the physical effort can be daunting and cannot be ignored at all. It is bound to affect one's thinking but the author doesn't talk about any of that.
The narration was simple, somewhat flat, left me asking for more interesting details not those repetitive numbers and milestones reached.
February 18, 2018
Wonderful Travelogue.
The author takes you on nice journey that also provides perspective on culture, lifestyle and history of the various areas he hikes through.
The author takes you on nice journey that also provides perspective on culture, lifestyle and history of the various areas he hikes through.
October 1, 2015
A Long Walk in the Himalayas by Garry Weare is a wonderful book for anyone interested in hiking, expecially in the Himalayas. This book is no Walk in the Woods kind of rollicking fun. Instead it is more like a journal that lists day-to-day challenges of a long trek. There are no dramatic scenes or harrowing escapades. Or scenes of extreme hardships. Garry employs the use of a well-heeled hiking company and is ably supported by guides, cooks and porters with mules. Not that this makes the attempt any less incredible. I wish I could do something like this one day.
August 14, 2014
I have had an enjoyable time traversing the Himalayas with Garry. A must read for anyone intending to trek the route.
April 12, 2015
thought of lifetime !
March 15, 2016
A good travelogue and real time experience! I have been to some of the treks mentioned. It's difficult no doubt but quite adventurous. The writing is fluid.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews