Where to Stay in the Himalayas
From an exhilerating family holiday to a romantic hideaways on top of the world, we've put together a guide to Himalayan properties.
Off the Beaten Track
The further you get off the beaten track, into remote villages overlooked by stunning views, the better your overall experience will be. The Himalayas are a little like Alice in Wonderland – the more you wander down the rabbit hole, the better it gets. Our off the beaten track highlights include Old Inn in Nepal, 360 Leti in India and Gangtey Lodge in Bhutan.
Families
For active families, the Himalayas provide the perfect anecdote to meeting the demands of children with lots of energy! For instance, in Nepal, combine trekking, white water rafting, wildlife and bustling markets on our family adventure to Nepal. We can tailor family adventures throughout the Himalayas. In Bhutan, children under 12 have their Government Royalties and taxes waived, so families get excellent value for money.
Honeymoons
At Scott Dunn, we know the perfect ingredients for a magical honeymoon – and we know there is a balance to be struck between a little adventure and a touch of relaxation. Therefore we have come up with a great honeymoon itinerary to combine Nepal and Oman for instance. Another really fun combination is Sikkim and the Andaman Islands. Many of our guests like to combine the Shakti Village Houses with Gili Lankanfushi in the Maldives – pretty much the most ultimate honeymoon you could wish for!
Colonial Hill Stations & Tea Estates
There is nothing quite like visiting one of the colonial Hill Stations such as Shimla or Darjeeling and see a little of England in India – maybe take the toy train that leads up to both towns. In Shimla, stay at the luxurious Oberoi Wildflower Hall, once home to Lord Kitchener or the Oberoi Cecil located within the town. The hotels in the town of Darjeeling are less good, but we highly recommend Glenburn Tea Estate from where you can easily visit the town but also stay in a colonial bungalow overlooking the third highest mountain in the world.
Spa & Wellness
The Himalayas is well-known for its therapeutic remedies, and has long been a place to go and restore mind, body and soul. The award-winning Ananda in the Himalayas is located near Rishikesh in India and offers a range of treatments that can last up to 14 days. Dwarika's Resort Dhulikhel in Nepal is located on the rim of the Kathmandu Valley – with an excellent spa, it is perfect for 3-4 days of relaxation. The Oberoi Wildflower Hall in Shimla also has a superb spa, and is only 45 minutes from Shimla.
Luxury
Scott Dunn are experts in creating magical experiences that you simply didn’t think was possible. By using private helicopters we can take guests far off the beaten track, landing in a remote location where we will lay out a blanket and you can see some of the most amazing landscapes, possibly hundreds of miles away from civilisation and what would take weeks to walk to if you trekked. Think champagne breakfast at Everest Base Camp, dropping into to meet the King of Mustang in Nepal, or swooping through vast speaks of the Annapurna Range. In Bhutan, the Amankora Lodges provide the best possibly accommodation, far off the beaten track. We also absolutely adore both the Uma Paro and Uma Punakha hotels in Bhutan. We will tailor your experience to showcase the destination as you have always dreamed.