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Carnival Chronicles: Spinning into Nostalgia on the Himalaya

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Hey there, carnival enthusiasts and thrill-seekers! 🎡✨ Today, I want to chat with you about one of my all-time favorite rides – the Himalaya. This ride, known by various names like Musik Express and Super Himalaya, has been a staple at countless fairs and amusement parks, and it holds a special place in my heart.

Let me take you back to my childhood. I first saw the Himalaya when I was around 3 years old at the Greater Gulf State Fair in Mobile, Alabama. Century 21 Shows, owned by Al Kunz, brought this dazzling ride to town, and I remember riding it with my mom and dad. The flashing lights, vibrant colors, and the sounds of the horns, sirens, and music were absolutely mesmerizing. I was also fascinated by how it worked, the way it moved, and how the mirror ball in the center rotated in the opposite direction of the ride. It was the last time my parents rode it, but that memory stayed with me.

Years later, when I was in 3rd or 4th grade, Goodings Million Dollar Midways brought their Reverchon-built Himalaya to the Pensacola Interstate Fair. They also featured a similar ride called the Amor Express, with red lighting, hearts, and a heart-shaped centerpiece that lit up and flashed with the rest of the ride’s lights. It was spectacular!

When Reithoffer took over the midway contract at the Pensacola Interstate Fair, they brought their Himalaya as well as a Mack-built Raupen Bahn. This ride had green and yellow lighting, cars with a caterpillar theme, and a working canopy that enclosed riders halfway through the ride. They also brought the Mack See Sturm Bahn, another Himalaya-type ride with boat-shaped seats that spun and undulated with a cool water feature in the center.

I've always loved the Himalaya and its various iterations, though I'm not a fan of the scaled-down versions by Wisdom. Still, I ride them when I can. Other rides I've enjoyed include Musik Express and Rock & Roll by Amusements of America, Belle City Amusements' Rock & Roll, and the Polar Express owned by Conklin. I've also ridden various Himalaya and Music Express rides from Drew Expo, Cumberland Valley Shows, Peachtree Rides, Royal American Shows, and many others.

So, what exactly is the Himalaya? It's a ride where cars are attached to sweeps radiating from the center. Each car has a wheel underneath that rolls along a track, driven by motors to make the ride revolve. Riders are secured with a simple lap bar, and many today also use seatbelts. The cars travel in a circle, navigating a set of hills. It's more about the atmosphere, with music, lights, and a dance club vibe. Many Himalaya rides feature flashing LED or turbo lights, strobe lights, disco lights, and sometimes laser lights. Fog machines and bubble machines are also popular, and a horn or siren is typically sounded when the ride reaches its highest speed.

There are all kinds of Himalaya rides out there, made by different companies. You’ve got Bertazzon's Musik Express/Super Himalaya and Mack's Musik Express with 20 cars. Then there’s Wisdom's Himalaya/Polar Express with 22 cars—this one's a favorite at most US carnivals because it's cheap to transport and easy to set up and take down. Reverchon’s Himalaya, with 24 cars, is pretty much the gold standard of music rides. For the kids, Venture has a Mini Himalaya with 14 cars. Other makers like Soli, ARM, and SDC also threw their hats in the ring. These rides can be jazzed up with unique artwork, lighting, and designs, so no two look quite the same. Most come with a roof, but some carnivals have given up the roof and travel with models that are open-air.

While doing research for this article, I visited a Tyrone May's website called May's Himalaya Fan Website, which is a treasure trove of detailed photos and information about older Reverchon Himalayas as well as an incredible scratch built model he created. I always find a bit of inspiration when I look at his website. I don't have the patience for scratch building so I have a model that I built from a kit made by Faller. I am looking to buy another Faller Music ride that they created called the Jungle Train and possibly a few kits created by RAH.

Musik Express rides, similar to the original Caterpillar rides of Germany, are built by companies like Bertazzon, Mack, Wisdom, and Reverchon. They feature twenty-ish 3-passenger cars that rotate on a track with sloped and flat sections, powered by 4 DC motors, and can reach speeds of up to 12 rpm. Riders are restrained by a single solid lap bar, and the ride is manually operated, with music and lights controlled by the operator.

Some rides, more common in Europe, even have a canopy that can cover the ride while in operation, adding to the old caterpillar ride nostalgia.

Join the Ride! I hope you enjoyed this whirlwind tour of the Himalaya ride. Share your own memories and experiences with this iconic ride in the comments below. Let's keep the conversation going!
And hey, if you enjoy my content and want to support my blogging journey, feel free to consider a small contribution. Your support helps keep the carnival nostalgia alive and means the world to me!


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