The Himalayas were formed by the collision of two continental plates: the Indian Plate and the Eurasian Plate. This is a key point to understand - it wasn't an oceanic plate and a continental plate, but two massive landmasses slamming into each other.

Here's a breakdown:

* Indian Plate: Originally a separate landmass, the Indian Plate drifted northward for millions of years.

* Eurasian Plate: A vast continental plate that stretches across much of Europe and Asia.

* Collision: As the Indian Plate continued its northward journey, it eventually collided with the Eurasian Plate. This collision was so powerful that it caused the land to buckle and fold upwards, creating the towering Himalayan mountain range.

This process is called continental-continental convergence. It's different from the process that creates mountains at subduction zones, where an oceanic plate dives beneath a continental plate. In the case of the Himalayas, both plates are strong and resistant to being subducted, so the pressure builds and forces the land upwards.