India provides some renowned mountaineering opportunities for enthusiasts. This activity is very well organised, unlike some of the less popular adventure sports.
Be it training or actual climbing, with or without permits, paid and guided, costly options or cheap, do-it-yourself opportunities, India has something for everyone. The only catch is that mountaineering at most places requires official permission from the Indian Mountaineering Federation (IMF), located in New Delhi.
Although there are royalties to be paid for official permission, they are only a small percentage of the total travel cost and won't burn anyone's pockets. Note that it is strongly advisable to go via either the IMF or travel agents appointed by them, as some regions are dangerous for do-it-yourself mountaineering. Also some sites near the Chinese border are restricted.
Some mountaineering locations (relatively difficult and at higher altitudes than those mentioned in the trekking section) are Spiti, Ladhak, Zanskar and in the state of Sikkim (Sikkim is an east Indian state, at the other end of the Himalayas).
For paid and/or guided expeditions, there are a multitude of institutions to be contacted. These include the Directorate of Mountaineering and Allied Sports, Himalayan Mountaineering Institute (wwww.exploredarjeeling.com), Nehru Institute of Mountaineering or Tenzing Norgay Climbing Club (for professional courses).
