As globalization brought the population of the world together, it began to feel like a smaller place. Once exotic destinations like Japan or Bali are now teeming with tourists — all hungry for a photo. Unexplored areas now feel like a relic of the past, but one photographer says he’s found a path less traveled.

Arpan Das tells PetaPixel that he has fallen in love with the Kishtwar Himalaya in the Jammu and Kashmir region, part of the Indian Himalayas.

“When we talk about the Himalayas, the first places that usually come to mind are Nepal, Pakistan, Tibet, and China,” says Das. “These regions are famous because of their big peaks, classic trekking routes, and long mountaineering history.”

“India does not always come up as quickly in that conversation and Kishtwar Himalaya is even more hidden,” he continues. “Only a small group of climbers, trekkers, and mountain lovers really know about it.”

Kishtwar Himalaya remains largely unexplored because it is not an easy place to reach. “The approach is long, the roads are difficult, and once you enter the valleys, the logistics become much more complicated than in many popular trekking regions,” Das says.

“In Nepal, for example, you often have trails, tea houses, guides, maps, and a lot of information online. In Kishtwar, many valleys still feel very raw. Sometimes there are no proper trails, very few images, and almost no detailed information available before you go.”

The region also has a complex history, including political unrest and access restrictions in some areas.

“But I think this is also what makes Kishtwar so special,” adds Das. “It has not been shaped by mass tourism. It still feels wild, uncertain, and deeply adventurous. You do not go there just to follow a famous trail. You go there because you are willing to deal with unknowns, change plans, and accept that the mountain decides what is possible.”

Das says that when he first arrived in the region, he was “lost for words.” The peaks rise over 6,000 meters (20,000 feet). There are deep valleys, glaciers, and wild rivers. “You feel small there in the best possible way,” says Das.

Das, who had double knee surgery a couple of years ago, spent 15 days trekking in the region. “You need to be physically very fit and mentally strong to travel in this region. Altitude is a big factor,” he says.

“The trails are also not as established as they are in places like the Alps or Canada. There were endless stream crossings, steep scree slopes, glacier crossings, rough terrain, and many moments where the route was not obvious at all.”

Normally, before a trip, Das will consult maps, photos, light, potential frames. But for Kishtwar, the photographer decided to wing it as he looked for the “feeling of discovery.”

“Before the trip, I had a lot of doubts. I kept thinking, what if my knee suddenly starts hurting deep inside the valley? What if I cannot complete the trek? What if I become a problem for the team?” he says.

“In a place like Kishtwar, this fear becomes much bigger because you are very remote. Helicopter rescue is almost out of the question, and you cannot simply turn around and walk back to a village in a few hours. Once you are inside those valleys, you have to deal with whatever happens.”

But Das had a great trip and is already planning on returning to the region. “I feel like the Indian Himalaya has become the main story I want to follow for the next five to 10 years. There is so much wilderness, mystery, culture, and raw mountain energy there, and I feel I have only scratched the surface.”

Das, who is from India but shoots mountains all over the world, says the trip made him realize just how much photographic potential exists in the Indian Himalaya.

“India is often seen through its culture, cities, people, colors, and famous places. But there is another side of India that is equally powerful,” he says. “Remote valleys, huge Himalayan peaks, glaciers, wild rivers, high passes, and landscapes that can stand next to any mountain region in the world.”

More of Das’ work can be found on his Instagram.

Image credits: Photographs by Arpan Das