Apex mountaineering body teams up with Kolkata company to promote high altitude travel

Join the Kolkata event "Let's Talk Mountains" to learn about high-altitude travel and connect with adventure tourism experts.

In 2023, considering the love the people of Bengal have for travel, particularly to the mountains, a Kolkata-based travel company had started an annual event to educate tourists headed to the hills. This year, the Government of India-run Indian Mountaineering Foundation (IMF) has formally joined organising the event, to be held in the city on February 1, to guide people plan their trips to high altitudes.

The travel company that the IMF is supporting is Altitude Adventure Holidays, which has been organising treks and trips in the Himalayas in India and Nepal since 2013. The idea behind the annual event, called Let’s Talk Mountains, is to connect travellers with stalwarts of the travel industry, particularly with tourism picking up in high altitudes.

“There was a need for an adventure tourism-related awareness event to promote responsible and safe adventure tourism practices, educate people about the benefits and risks involved, and to highlight the importance of preserving the environment and local cultures. This event will help tourists make informed decisions and have a more enjoyable and secure experience during their adventure journey. They will also get to connect with experts and like-minded folks, enhancing their overall adventure,” Debraj Dutta, Chairman of IMF East Zone, said.

“The mountains are quite popular among Bengal tourists. In fact, north Bengal’s hill stations like Darjeeling, Kalimpong, and Kurseong are witnessing a steady yearly increase in traffic, making them preferred destinations over seaside spots like Digha and Puri. Overall, Darjeeling, Gangtok, Manali, and Shimla are most popular among them. The mountains offer a refreshing escape from the plains, with their scenic landscapes, pleasant climate, and opportunities for trekking and exploration,” Mr. Dutta said.

The idea behind Let’s Talk Mountains was to help travellers make informed decisions and make them feel part of a larger travel community, according to Riddha Datta, founder and CEO of Altitude Adventure Holidays.

“North Bengal and Sikkim are always in high demand among Bengal tourists, considering they are just a one-night train journey or an hour by flight from Kolkata. As our economy strengthens and average spending power increases, people are preferring colder climates for vacations, as our plains experience scorching weather for most of the year. If the vacation is shorter and the budget is tighter, people opt for north Bengal and Sikkim. For longer trips, travellers seek more exotic destinations in Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh. Uttarakhand always attracts a certain percentage of travellers for its religious pull,” Mr. Datta said.