Peter van Ham ist Indien durch viele Reisen zur zweiten Heimat geworden. 1996 gelang es ihm zusammen mit Aglaja Stirn als erster westlicher Besucher, die im Nordosten gelegenen indischen Bundesstaaten nach einer jahrzehntelangen Sperre für ausländische Besucher mit einer Sondergenehmigung zu bereisen.

Peter van Ham has been travelling the Himalayas for the past 25 years. One of his main focuses is the exploration of early Tibetan cultural sites, which has been supported by the UNESCO and the Dalai Lama, and about which he has published four books so far. In addition, he has supplied scientific advice for documentaries and curated an important international exhibition about the Western Himalayas, which is currently being shown in various European museums. He is a Fellow of the Royal Asiatic and Geographical Societies, London, as well as the Explorers Club, New York.