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Himachal
Pradesh |
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Himachal Pradesh is totally a mountain state
and a delight for the visitors, particularly
during the summer season when people flock
to this tiny hill station to escape the
scorching heat of the plains. It came into
being in its present form with the partition
of the Punjab into Punjab and Haryana in
1966. |
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High points of Himachal are as follows. The
winding roads and high passes link its high
mountains and valleys. While the picturesque
valleys of Kullu and Kangra
are a blend of colors. In marked contrast
the stark and barren terrain of Lahaul and
Spiti have a stunning lunar and scape like
beauty. |
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Shimla |
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In the days before independence, Shimla was
the most important British hill station, and
in the summer season became the summer
capital. The British in 1819A.D first
discovered Shimla, but it was not until 1822
A.D that the first permanent house was
erected and not until many years later that
Shimla became the summer capital. The name
Shimla is derived from the Himalayan Goddess
Shamla a synonym of Kali. |
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Area: 18 sq. km., Altitude:
2,213 meters, Climate: (deg
C)--Summer- Max.27, Min.14.5, Winter-
Max.16.5, Min.5.2,Clothing: Summer -
Light woollens, winter - Heavy woolens,
Best Season: April to Mid-July,
Mid-September to Mid-November, Languages
spoken: Pahari (Local Dialect), Hindi,
English. |
Places Of Interest:
Jakhoo Hill, Glen, Summer Hill, Chadwick
Falls, Zoo, Navbahar, Sanket Mochen, Tara
Devi Temple, Institute of Advance Studies,
Aviary at Old Raj Bhavan, Tibetan Monastery,
Dhengu Mata Temple. |
Excursions:
Naldhera- 23 kms, Tattapani- 43 kms,
Wildflower Hall-13 kms, Mashobra- 13 kms,
Craignano-16 kms, Fruit Research Station- 08
kms, Kufri- 16 kms, Indira Holiday Home- 18
kms, Chail- 43 kms, Barog- 55 kms, Kasauli–
77 kms, Kiarighat - 23 kms, Solan- 48 kms,
Bon Monastery Uohghat- 61 kms, Fagu - 22 kms,
Narkanda- 64 kms, Kotgarh- 82 kms. |
Reach -
By Air: Nearest airport is Kullu- 23
kms.
By Rail: Nearest railhead is Kalka-
90 kms.
By Road: Chandigarh- 117 kms, Kullu-
220 kms, Manali- 260 kms, Delhi- 343 kms,
Pathankot- 380 kms, Ambala- 151 kms, Chail-
43 kms, Dehradun- 240 kms etc. |
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Dalhousie |
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Dalhousie is named after the British
Governor – General of the 19th century Lord
Dalhousie. The town’s height varies between
1525m and 2378m and is surrounded by varied
vegetation. Dalhousie has charming colonial
architecture, including some beautiful
churches. The spectacular snow-covered
Dhauladhar Mountains are also visible from
this enchanting town. |
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Area: 13 sq. km. Altitude:
2036 meters, Climate: (deg C)-Summer
- Max 23.5, Min 15.5, Winter - Max 10, Min
1, Clothing: Summer - Light woollens,
Winter - Heavy woolens, Best season:
April to November, Languages spoken:
Pahari, Hindi, English. |
Places Of Interest:
Panjpulla, Subhash Baoli & Jandri Ghat, The
Round, Dainkund, Khajjiar, Kalatop Wild Life
Sanctuary. |
Excursions:
Kugti Wild Life Sanctuary- 35 kms, Tundah
Wild Life Sanctuary- 45 kms. |
Reach -
By Air: Nearest airport is Amritsar-
118 kms & Jammu- 188 kms.
By Rail: Nearest railhead is
Pathankot- 80 kms.
By Road: Amritsar- 188 kms, Jalandhar-
192 kms, Pathankot- 80 kms, Chamba- 56 kms,
Manali- 402 kms, Delhi- 563 kms, Chandigarh-
352 kms, Dharamshala- 143 kms, Khajjiar- 27
kms, Jammu-188 kms.
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Chamba |
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Chamba, the land of antiquity, art and
scenic beauty, is a wonder in itself for
every visitor. Situated at the height of 996
m. above sea level on the south bank of the
Ravi River, the ancient Pahari capital was
founded in 920 A.D. by Raja Sahil Verma, who
named it after his favourite daughter
Champavati. |
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Chamba valley is noted for the magnificence
of it's scenery-touching the fringe of the
Shivaliks and having three well-defined
snowy ranges, the
Dauladhar, constituting the outer Himalayas,
the Pir Panjal or the mid Himalayas, and the
Zanskar range or the inner Himalayas. |
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Area: 2.4 sq. km., Altitude:
926 meters, Climate: (deg C)-Summer-
Max. 39, Min. 8, Winter- Max. 10, Min. 1.1,
Clothing: Summer- Light woollens,
Winter- Heavy woollens, Best Season:
April to Mid July and Mid September to
December, Languages Spoken: Pahari
(Local Dialect), Hindi, English. |
Places Of Interest:
Lakshman Narayan Temple, Chamunda Temple,
Katasan Devi Temple, Bhuj Sing Museum,
Chaugan. |
Excursions:
Chirmaya Topovan- 10 kms, Dal Lake- 11 kms,
Dharamkot- 11 kms, Triund -17 kms, Kareri-
22 kms, Kangra- 18 kms, Jwalamukhi- 56 kms,
Nadaun- 10 kms, Chintpurni- 80 kms, Masroor-
40 kms, Trilokpur- 41 kms, Nurpur- 66 kms,
Sujanpur Tira- 80 kms, Chamunda Devi Temple-
15 kms, Palampur- 35 kms, Pong Wild life
Sanctuary. |
Reach -
By Air: Nearest airport is Amritsar
-200 kms.
By Rail: Pathankot -90 kms is
connected to major cities in India.
By Road: Chandigarh- 239 kms, Delhi-
514 kms, Dalhousie- 143 kms, Jammu-197 kms,
Kangra- 18 kms, Kullu- 214 kms, Manali -253
kms, Palampur- 35 kms, Shimla- 322 kms.
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Dharamshala |
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Set against the backdrop of the dramatic
Dhauladhar Mountains, Dharamshala is perched
on the high slopes in upper reaches of
Kangra Valley. It is charming town with
elegant bungalows nestling in thick
coniferous forests. Dharamshala is also the
home of Dalai Lama, spiritual head of
Buddhists. Little Lhasa is an enchanting
world where spinning prayer wheels and
fluttering prayer flags spread the message
of peace and universal harmony. |
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Area: 28.81 sq. km., Altitude:
Between 1250 meters and 1982 meters,
Climate: (deg C)-Summer - Max.33,
Min.22, Winter - Max.15, Min. 0,
Clothing: Summer - Light woollens,
Winter - Heavy woolens, Best Season:
April to June and September to November,
Languages Spoken: Pahari ,Hindi. |
Places Of Interest:
MC leodganj , Tibetan Medical & Astro
Institute, Bhagsunath, St. John's Church ,
Kunal Pathri, War Memorial. |
Excursions:
Chirmaya Topovan- 10 kms, Dal Lake- 11 kms,
Dharamkot- 11 kms, Triund -17 kms, Kareri-
22 kms, Kangra- 18 kms, Jwalamukhi- 56 kms,
Nadaun- 10 kms, Chintpurni- 80 kms, Masroor-
40 kms, Trilokpur- 41 kms, Nurpur- 66 kms,
Sujanpur Tira- 80 kms, Chamunda Devi Temple-
15 kms, Palampur- 35 kms, Pong Wild life
Sanctuary. |
Reach -
By Air: Nearest airport is Amritsar
-200 kms.
By Rail: Pathankot -90 kms is
connected to major cities in India.
By Road: Chandigarh- 239 kms, Delhi-
514 kms, Dalhousie- 143 kms, Jammu-197 kms,
Kangra- 18 kms, Kullu- 214 kms, Manali -253
kms, Palampur- 35 kms, Shimla- 322 kms.
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Kullu
Valley |
Kullu was once known as Kulanthpitha, which
means the end of the habitable world. Beyond
rose the forbidding heights of the Greater
Himalayas, and by the banks of the shining
river Beas, lay the fabled 'Silver Valley'.
The 'Silver Valley' has nature's treasures
that lie carelessly scattered as flowers on
the high meadows.
The Valley of Gods, as the Kullu Valley has
come to be known, if perhaps the most
delightful region in the Western Himalayas. |
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on the banks of the river Beas, Kullu, the
headquarters of the district, serves as a
nerve centre of the valley and is the
starting place for a number of treks. |
Area: 6.68 sq. km., Altitude:
1,219 meters, Climate: (deg
C)-Summer- Max. 30.8, Min. 18.8, Winter-
Max. 16.4, Min. 5.2, Rainfall: 102
cms, Clothing: Summer- Light
woollens, Winter- Heavy woolens, Best
Season: Mid-March to Mid-November. |
Reach -
By Air: Nearest airport is Bhuntar
-50 kms.
By Rail: Nearest railhead is
Chandigarh -272 kms.
By Road: Ambala -606 kms, Chandigarh
-556 kms, Delhi -798 kms, Pathankot -278
kms, Shimla -240 kms, Manali -40 kms,
Palampur -164 kms, Rohtang Pass -91 kms,
Dharamshala -213 kms, Dalhousie -334 kms,
Jogindarnagar -166 kms.
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Manali |
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Manali is the Northern end of the Kullu
Valley and is the main resort in the area.
It is beautifully situated and there are
many pleasant walks around the town.
Surrounded by towering peaks at arm length. |
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| Manali’s major asset is its proximity to the
snowline, never more than few hours drive
from the town nestling at comfortable
2050meters. It is the center of the
flourishing orchard industry a popular
honeymoon destination and trailhead for
numerous treks. |
| Area:
5.12 sq. km., Altitude: 1,926
meters, Climate: (deg C)-Summer- Max.
25, Min. 12. Winter- Max. 14.5, Min. 2,
Clothing: Summer- Light woollens for
both the places, Winter- Heavy woollens for
both the places, Best Season: April
to Mid-July and Sep. to Nov. for both the
places, Languages Spoken: Pahari
(Local Dialect), Hindi, English. |
Places of Interest:
Raghunathji Temple, Vaishno Devi Temple,
Jagannath Temple Bijli Mahadev Shrine,
Vashisht Bath , Hadimba Devi Temple, Tibetan
Monastery, Arjun Gumpha, Nehru Kund,
Jagatsukh. |
Excursions:
Raison- 16 kms, Katrain- 20 kms, Naggar- 28
kms, Bajaura- 15 kms, Kasol - 42 kms,
Manikaran- 45 kms, Banjar- 58 kms, Larji- 34
kms, Malana, Pulga & Khirganga- 16 kms & 26
kms, Danawar Wildlife Sanctuary (near
Manikaran), Khokhan Wildlife Sanctuary- 20
kms from Bhuntar, Khaiv Sanctuary- 15 kms,
Tirthan Sanctuary -10 kms from Bunder
Gushanini, Kothi- 12 kms & Rahla Falls- 14
kms, Solang Valley- 13 km, Rohtang Pass- 51
kms, Keylong Pass- 117 kms, Manali Wildlife
Sanctuary. |
Reach -
By Air: Nearest airport is Bhuntar -
50 kms.
By Rail: Nearest railhead is
Chandigarh- 397 kms.
By Road: Jogindarnagar– 166kms,
Shimla– 240kms, Delhi– 611kms.
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Kinnaur,
Spiti, Lahaul |
Lahaul and Spiti are two remote Himalayan
valleys of Himachal Pradesh lying on the
Indo-Tibet border. Strange, exciting,
primitive, these valleys are incomparable in
mountain scape, in the rugged beauty of
their rocky escapements and the splendor of
their snow covered peaks.
Kinnaur is one of the most scenic but less
known districts of Pradesh Located on the
Indo-Tibetan border, it is surrounded by
Tibet to the east, Garhwal Himalayas to the
south, Spiti valley to the north and Kullu
to the west. The
Satluj River, which rises on the southern
slopes of Kailash Parbat near Mansarovar in
Tibet, flows through the Kinnaur valley. |
Places of Interest & Excursions:
At Kinnaur:
Bhabha Nagar, Nichar , Sangla Valley, Poari,
Recong, Kalpa, Kothi, Ribba, Moorang, Pooh,
Nako, Tashigang Gompa, Tilasangh Monastery.
At Spiti:
As Kullu is the valley of Gods we can say
Spiti is the valley of Monasteries.
Monasteries like Tabo, Gulling, Dhankar and
Kee are located in this valley. Sumdo,
Schichiling, Attergu, Kaza, Losar, Kunzam
Pass.
At Lahaul:
Batal, Bara Singri Glacier, Koksar, Gondhla,
Tandi, Bara Lacha Pass, Udaipur, Trilokinath
Temple, Suraj Tal, Sarchu, Lake Chandra Tal,
and some Monasteries viz. Kardang, Shashur,
Tayl, Guru Ghantal.
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Reach -
Kinnaur
By Air: Nearest airport is Shimla is-
224 kms.
By Rail: Nearest railhead is Kalka-
314 kms.
By Road: Shimla- 224 kms, Rampur- 108
kms, Pooh- 94 kms, Wangtu- 34 kms, Narkanda-
160 kms, Chakrata- 248 kms, Kufri- 210 kms,
Sarahan- 77 kms, Tashigang- 116 kms, Shipki
La- 126 kms.
Lahaul & Spiti
By Air: Kullu and Shimla are the
nearest two airports.
By Rail: Shimla and Pathankot are
nearest railheads.
By Road: Kullu-158 kms, Manali-118
kms, Pathankot-436 kms, Jogindarnagar- 284
kms, Rahla-102 kms, Rohtang- 67 kms,
Khoksar- 46 kms, Gondhla-18 kms, Udaipur- 48
kms. |
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