Archive for the ‘Himachal Pradesh’ Category
October 18th, 2011 | 
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Shimla is the capital of the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. British declared this city as their summer capital in 1864. Presently, it is a sought after tourist destination and dubbed as the Queen of Hills. Situated in the north western part of the Himalayan Mountains, Shimla has an elevation of 2,205 meters above sea level. Surrounded by pine and oak forests and the snow capped peaks in winter, Shimla is a popular retreat for the honeymoon couples and international visitors. The colonial buildings in this city reflect the neo-Gothic architecture. Shimla is home to a number of natural, historical and religious sites drawing tourists throughout the year. The Shimla Summer Festival brings in large tourist crowd. There are also local hang out areas, markets for shopping and restaurants making your vacation to Shimla an experience of a lifetime. Shimla also has numerous temples that bring in devotees on different occasions. There are also several entertainment options here. This city is home to Asia’s largest natural ice skating ring.
Places To Visit
Mall Road
It is the main shopping centre of Shimla. It also has many restaurants, clubs, banks, bars, Post Offices and tourist offices. The Gaiety Theatre is also situated there. The Gaiety Theatre, which is a reproduction of an old British theatre, is a center of cultural activities. People walk up and down the Mall slowly, stopping to gossip, as it is the main meeting place for everyone. The Ridge and Scandal point are the two main meeting points at the Mall. A passenger lift of HPTDC can be taken from the Cart Road and the Mall. Lakkar Bazaar adjacent to the Ridge is popular for its wood crafts and souvenirs.
Annandale
Situated at a distance of 2 kilometers from the heart of the city, Annandale is a lovely picnic spot that is a major tourist attraction. One can relax and unwind over here and spend as much time as they want to.
Kali Bari Temple
Few yards from scandal Point towards General Post Office. It is believed that the idol of Goddess Shayamla is enshrined there. Jakhoo Temple 2455 metres: An ancient “Lord Hanuman” temple located at Shimla’s highest peak offers a panoramic view of the town. One can hire pony or taxi to visit the temple.
Shimla State Museum
Ancient Historical Sculptors and paintings of Himachal Pradesh. Visiting hours 10 AM to 5 PM. Closed on Monday and gazetted holidays. The Museum, which was opened in 1974, has tried to project hill-out and the cultural wealth of the state. There is a collection of miniature Pahari paintings, sculptures, bronzes wood-carvings and also costumes, textiles and jewellery of the region.
Summer Hill
The Summer Hill is located at a height of 1283 meters above sea level. This charming spot is famous for its university of Himachal Pradesh that is located here. It is said that Mahatma Gandhi used to come to stay here during his visit to Shimla.
Chail Sanctuary
Chail is a hill station visited by many tourists. The Deodar and Oak forests with grasslands around the township are the abode of wildlife. One can see Sambar, Goral and Cheer Pheasants at Blossom and Jhaja. Visitors are welcome to the Cheer pheasant breeding centre at both these places. Barking deer and Kalijin in the forests are sure to meet and greet the visitors at dusk and dawn. Trekking from Chail to Gaura and Chail to Jhaja is common and rewarding as one is sure to see wildlife and beautiful snowy peaks. Range Officer Wildlife Chail and his staff welcome the visitors and assist the wildlife lovers to see wildlife in the sanctuary area.
Sarahan 1950 metres
On Hindustan Tibet Road from Jeori Sarahan is (17 Km) with spectacular view of Srikhand range. Sarahan has the majestic Bhimkali Temple. Himachal Tourism runs Hotel Shrikhand. Saharan is the gateway to Kinnaur. A Pheasant Breading Centre and stadium are worth visiting.
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Known for magnificent serene surroundings, Dalhousie is a picturesque little hill town that serves as the gateway to Chamba Valley. Dalhousie is located in Himachal Pradesh about 30 km from Chamba and is a perfect location to enjoy a hill station holiday trip in India. The town extends over a series of low-level hills with their altitudes ranging between 1525 m to 2378 m above sea level. The pine-covered slopes featuring alpine vegetations create a tranquil environment all around the town. Numerous Victorian style buildings in the town reflect the former glory of the town.
This colonial town was established in mid-19th century. The credit for its founding goes to Lord Dalhousie who was the British Governor-General in India at that time. He was so enchanted by beauty and the cool climate of this place that he decided to establish a sanatorium here for the British having difficulty coping up with the hot climate of the plains in India. Development of the town started during the period of Dalhousie and included construction of a number of governmental buildings that stand tall till date and remind of the British Raj period.
PLACES TO VISIT
Garam Sadak
Lined with tall trees, Garam Sadak meaning a hot road is one of the best areas in the town to enjoy a leisurely walk. The road is usually hotter than other roads of the town due to getting direct sunlight. It connects Gandhi Chowk to Subhash Chowk and is meant for pedestrians only. A large number of visitors come to enjoy strolling on this road in the evening time.
Thandi Sadak
Featuring the tall green pine and deodar trees, this road as the name suggests offers cool surroundings for a leisurely stroll. Presence of lines of tall trees means the road surface doesn’t get enough sunlight, and hence is much cooler.
Dainkund Peak
This highest hill of the area, this peak is the perfect place to enjoy beautiful views of the whole region. It is also popularly referred to as ‘Singing Hill’ as one can hear the sounds of gentle breeze here. Near the top of the hill is located the simple Pholani Devi Temple. One can enjoy the wonderful sight of the valley and the rivers while trekking to the top of the hill.
BEST TIME TO VISIT DALHOUSIE
September and October are the best months to enjoy Dalhousie tour. During winter months, the temperature in Dalhousie drops down to nearly 0°C mark. During the summer months of May and June, the maximum temperature here hovers around 30°C. This is the time when this charming hill station is visited by hordes of tourists coming from different parts of country. Rainy months of July and August can be avoided for traveling to Dalhousie.
Shimla the capital of the glorious state of Himachal Pradesh is a fabulous hill-station surrounded by dense forests that comprises of oak, deodar, pine and rhododendron forests. Shimla has abundance of natural beauty and the locals are privileged to live in such panoramic locations. This place can enamor anyone with its beauty.
Shimla has a lot of variety to offer. Shimla is an ideal place for fishing, golfing, skiing, trekking etc. Adventuring here which definitely make you enthusiastic and spirited. For more energetic entertainment, hit the indoor roller-skating rink in Lakkar Bazaar or go open-air ice-skating above the Rivoli Bus stand. There are always amazing things to be explored in its surrounding countryside. Fagu, Kulfri and Naldhera are some of the well- known places for adventuring and camping too.
The old world charm still comes to life here as it is dotted with a number of colonial buildings and churches that also accentuate the exquisiteness of this town. Besides, you will also encounter several tourist attractions in Shimla that are worth catching a glimpse such as:
Indian Institute of Advanced Studies:
Located in the Viceregal Lodge, it was constructed in the year 1888. The kind of architecture is English Renaissance with stonework of the walling in light blue limestone and the wrought stonework being done in sandstone in a stunning light gray shade. The grounds are open to the public only on Sunday and you need a ticket in order to enter.
The Mall:
It is the key shopping centre of Shimla with restaurants, clubs, banks, bars, Post Offices, tourist offices and most of town’s highlights. The place becomes breathtakingly romantic in the evening offering wonderful views of the lit up city below. You can laze around around the Mall and spend some intimate moments with close ones. It is the most significant among the tourist attractions in Shimla.
Summer Hill:
It is a scenic spot located near Shimla at an altitude of 1,283 meters and is much visited by the tourists. The legendary Indian leader, Mahatma Gandhi during his sojourn in Shimla spent some time in the elegant Georgian House of Raj Kumari Amrit Kaur located here.
Glen:
It is a charming picnic spot and is a 4 km walk through the dense woods located at a height of 1, 830 meters. You can also go for picnic at this spot since it is completely secluded and tranquil.
Mata’s cave shrine is nestled in the mighty Trikuta mountain 61 kilometres north of Jammu at a height of 5,200 feet above the sea level in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, India.
Appropriate Season :
The shrine is visited all through the year, but the path is difficult during the winters due to snowfall.
How to Reach…
Airway :
Nearest airport – Jammu (48 km from Katra)
Daily Flights are available from Delhi and Srinagar. These flights (Indian Airlines, Go Air, Air Deccan, Jet Airways, Spicejet, Kingfisher) connect Chandigarh & Amritsar on some days of the week.
Railway :
Nearest Railway Station – Jammu By rail, Jammu is directly connected cities like Mumbai, Delhi Kolkatta and Chennai. Besides, it is connected with other major cities of the country.
Roadways :
Jammu is the terminus of a large number of Inter State Bus Services.
Jammu to Katra :
Buses leave for Katra every 10 minutes from the main bus stand at Jammu between 5.30 am to 8.30 pm. During rush periods, additional buses are also pressed into service between Jammu and Katra. Private Taxis are also available for hire between Jammu and Katra. These can be hired from Jammu Airport, Jammu Railway Station and the Tourist Reception Centre at Jammu.
Where to stay :
Jammu
Yatri Niwas managed by the Shrine Board. Various private hotels, the room rent ranging from Rs.300/- per day to Rs.3000/- per day.
Katra
Yatri Niwas managed by the Shrine Board, Rest Houses maintained by the Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Department, other Hotels. Sarais, managed by the Shrine Board offer free accommodations at Adhkawari, Sanjichhat and Darbar. Dharamshala, run by various organizations offer reasonable accommodation to the pilgrims. Yatris are however advised to keep themselves away from touts promising free Dharamshala accommodations .
Kufri is one of the oldest ski resorts in Himachal Pradesh. Its attraction lies in the breathtaking vistas and ski slopes. Covered with soft snow during the winter months, Kufri, 22 Km away from Shimla is a skier’s paradise. Summer months offer ample opportunities for hiking, trekking, horse-riding and tobogganing. Rivers gurgling through deep stony gorges, low rolling hills, peaks that are several thousand feet high, green alpine meadows, placid lakes, so on and so forth.Located at an altitude of 2,510 m, the winter resort doubles up as a summer getaway with excellent scenic views of the Himalayan range, green valleys and pine trees. Once under the Kingdom of Nepal, Kufri emerged as a tourist destination only when the British developed Shimla as the summer capital.
Indira Tourist Park
Indira Tourist Park offers some great views. The hike up to the Mahasu Peak through woods of spruce and deodar (Himalayan cedar) can be good fun. The peak is crowned by a small temple. The Mahasu Ridge also has some food slopes for skiing.
Himalayan Nature Park
Himalayan Nature Park spread over 90 hectares of temperate vegetation is home to musk deer, black bear, leopard cat, barking deer and cheer pheasant.
Climate
The climate in Manali is very pleasant all through the year except during the winter when night temperatures may drop below zero degree Celsius. Springtime, beginning in March and lasting through April, brings to the valley blossoms, flowers and butterflies – offering a completely rejuvenating experience.
The summers beginning in the month of May, normally lasts through the month of June. It is a time when every body wishes to be in Manali. The maximum temperature during the summer barely touches 26 degrees centigrade towards the end of June. Manali is lush green and vibrant during the monsoons, beginning in July, and usually continues till the end of August. It is a time when the valley bustles with a variety of global tourists and trekkers.
Monsoons can be romantic with the mist flowing into your rooms. You can enjoy the gentle tapping of rain drops on the roof and get drenched in the rains. Another fine time to be in Manali is during September/October and November with autumn colors in the air. This is the time for the colorful Kullu Dusshera in which 365 gods and goddesses of the valley assemble at Dhalpur.
Accomodation Is No Problem In Manali
Span Resorts ( 5 Star Hotel )
Address: Kullu – Manali Highway, P. O. – Katrain , Manali.
Location: Suburban
Property Type: Resort
It is nestled among acres of woodland and landscaped gardens, on the Kullu-Manali highway near Manali.The entire complex of cottage and the main building is designed to bring you close to nature. The river runs right past your door. The trees peer over your shoulders. The flowers invade your room. No sound but the voice of the river disturbs your peace.
Timber Trail ( 4 Star Hotel )
Address: Prini Manali Naggar Highway, , Manali
Location: Suburban
Property Type: Resort
Timber Trail, the newest four-star Resort Deep set in idyllic town of Manali stands the elegant. Slightly off the highway, amidst an apple orchard, it is the only resort in Manali where one can witness the falling snow while lazing in the swimming pool.
Vacres Manali Resorts ( 4 Star Hotel )
Address: Kullu Manali National Highway 21, Manali
Location: Suburban
Property Type: Resort
After settling into the luxury of your room in Vacres Manali Resort, you sleep and wake to the sounds of the river. Manali Resort has a spacious and comfortable lobby with great views. This deluxe hotel is located 5 kms before the Manali Mall.
Piccadily Hotel ( 4 Star Hotel )
Address: The Mall, Manali
Location: City Center
Property Type: Business And Leisure Hotel
Piccadily Hotel is located a few yards away from the centre of Manali. It is provides modern amenities in a friendly and homely atmosphere to guests.
Sagar Resort ( 4 Star Equivalent Hotel )
Address: Hadimba Road, Manali, , Manali
Property Type: Business And Leisure Hotel
Sagar Resort, a part of Manali can ensure you the extreme comfort of your choice. A resort which is built amidst the plendour of Manali, which carries some of the most breathtaking views of the valley, located in the serene surroundings of Manali, just a kilometer from the Mall. It provides you with the best comfort possible.
Shopping
The Mall in Manali offers many interesting items to be purchased, from cloths to decorative pieces and gift items. Woollen goods are the town’s real forte, particularly the brilliantly patterned shawls for which it is known for. The NSC or ‘New Shopping Centre’ Market near the bus stand sells a good selection. Another reliable emporium is the government – sponsored Bhutico, which has an outlet on the Mall, just opposite the tourist office. Around the bazaar there are innumerable stalls stacked with hand-woven goods and pillbox Kullu Topis. Manali’s other specialty is Himalayan handicrafts, mainly assorted Tibetan curios such as prayer wheels, amulets, dorjees or thunderbolts, masks, musical instruments, jewellery and thangkas.