The Himalayan Safari

The Himalayan Safari is based over in Summer Hill, which is one of the quieter parts of Shimla. Our office is in Sandal Niwas, specifically in the Chakar area, postcode 171005. It’s a bit away from the main rush of the Mall Road, which we actually prefer. Summer Hill has a lot of trees and is usually much cooler and calmer than the downtown. Sandal Niwas is just a regular house where we’ve set up our workspace. It’s not a polished corporate office. We have a lot of maps on the walls and piles of notes about different trekking routes and road conditions. Most of us here grew up around Chakar or went to the university nearby. We know these hills very well. During the day, it’s mostly just the sound of the birds or the occasional car passing by. We spend a lot of time drinking chai and planning out the logistics for the safaris we organize. It’s honest work and we like it. Sometimes guests come by to meet us in person, and we just sit in the small office and talk. We don't have any fancy brochures or big sales pitches. We just tell people what the roads are like and what to expect. It’s a small operation, just a few of us trying to do a good job from our corner of Summer Hill. We’re just regular folks who love the mountains and work here.