The "Hippy Trail" is the name given the journeys taken by the free spirited "Hippies" of 1950's and 60's to Asia in search of spiritual enlightenment, culture, adventure and allegedly, drugs. The majority of trips were low budget and mostly through road.
The trips mainly started from countries of western Europe, most often from London or Amsterdam. Using a combination of cheap chartered buses, coaches, ferries and trains, the trips passed through some of the most beautiful, diverse and surreal parts of Asia. Although the political upset in countries such as Iran, Afghanistan, Lebanon, etc have tarnished the Hippy Trail's attraction, the journeys are still been undertaken and many tours operators offer them. So for people fed up with package tours and wish for an adventure filled travel experience, the Hippy Trail is just the thing.
The trips start from any major city of Europe, particularly London, Amsterdam, Berlin, etc and moves on to to Katmandu through Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India to Nepal. The tour may continue to Agra(Taj Mahal), Goa and southern Indian tourist attractions such as Kerala and may continue on to Sri Lanka. The major attractions of this trip are the colorful Istanbul, Mt. Ararat (where Noah's Ark is said to be stranded), the desolate mountain ranges of Afghanistan and Pakistan, The Khyber Pass, gateway to the spiritual land of India and the treks in the Himalayas in Nepal.
For many, the trip has been a journey of self discovery and many claim they never remained the same persons. Whatever the reasons are, the Hippy Trail continues to attract travellers who want something different.
The most widely known guide on Hippy Trail is the BIT Guide, produced by the BIT Information & Help Service in London. There are many organized tours, such as the one conducted by Oz bus, which try to be as close to the original trail as possible and still being safe for the travellers.
For cheap Asian flight tickets, go to CheapAsianFlights.com.
No comments:
Post a Comment