Kashmir Indian Himalaya
Our fearless leader Max Hoener has visited Kashmir and India on many occasions. He spent 6-month winters in Kashmir on 2 occasions, working for local NGO and establishing a non-profit he co-founded in college. The culture and landscape in Kashmir are simply breathtaking and not found anywhere else on this planet. Below Max describes his experiences in this storied magical and unfortunately all too violent/contested land.
(From Max Hoener)
I first visited Kashmir in the fall / early winter of 2010. Just out of college, I was working with a Kashmiri NGO to help establish a non-profit organization I co-founded with some friends from college back in Colorado. The Guru Foundation ( named for Dr. Khurshid Amahd Guru) was our local hosts in country. Through familial connections with the Guru family, I was afforded an incredible opportunity to experience Kashmir as a local, with unfettered experience, access and translation. I was taken in by the family as if I was born a Guru, and began one of many experiences living with a muslim family, in a very strict, devout Muslim country.
Kasmir is a land of vast valleys, mountain peaks and high altitude lakes. It is situated in the foothills of the Himalaya, starting off small and connecting into the highest peaks of the world. Relatively unknown compared to Nepal and Tibet, Kashmir offers some of the most breathtaking scenery in the world, all very far from western influences. Unfortunately Kashmir has been plagued with violence in its past, as a disputed territory even to this day there are occasional outbreaks of violence. Fear not ! These days Kashmir is very safe, and the part we visit is controlled by the Indian Government. There is total security on the ground in Kashmir, with the Indian forces, police and troops standing guard of foreign tourists.
While there was extensive violence in the past, much of it ended in the 90’s and it never targeted tourists. Tourism is by far the largest boon to the Kashmiri people / economy and as such they have a vested interest in keeping all the tourists happy and safe. I would say the region offers a way for people ( like me) who have dreamed of visiting / experiencing the culture and lands of places such as Afghanistan and Pakistan without taking ANY unnecessary risks or making your family scared for your safety.
I think that traveling to a region without knowing much about their struggles for independence