It's possible to experience the majesty of the Himalayas without breaking a sweat: Uttarakhand's Kumaon Hills offer routes for beginners, bringing rare birdlife, high-altitude views and remote villages into reach.
It’s impossible to tell how big the black eagle really is until it alights on the oak tree in front of me, making the branches droop and creak as it clings to its perch like an elephant on a tightrope. With a wingspan of around three feet, this giant bird of prey is far less graceful on its talons than it was a moment ago, when it was gliding in broad arcs over the rippling green valley.
He tells me that despite the area only being 20 square miles, the reserve is renowned for its dense population of 200 bird species, including several types of eagles, woodpeckers and the giant Himalayan vulture. And, as climate change exerts pressure on India’s more southerly Western Ghats, Deepak says Village Ways’ specialist ornithology guides have seen more birdlife heading north, making the species diversity in these Himalayan hills richer than ever.
Later Hem points out Dalar — a mottling of stone houses that emerges through the trees across the valley — before we descend, trees giving way to vine creepers straight out ofas the humidity rises. He explains that only six families live in his village now — the younger generation has migrated to the cities in search of work. With tourism in the region growing, some may be persuaded to stay.
By the time we reach Dalar for a chai break, we’ve spotted 16 bird species in just a couple of miles. At the entrance to the village, we’re greeted by a small girl holding a baby goat in her arms like a doll. There are buffalos chewing the cud in front yards overflowing with turmeric-hued mustard flowers and pastel-pink peach blossoms.
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