Himachal Pradesh

With magnificent Himalayan peaks, lush valleys, gushing water streams and score of adventure activities, Himachal Pradesh is one of the best destination to visit in India for trekking, adventure, honeymoon and family holidays.

Originally called Dev Bhoomi or the Abode of the Gods, Himachal Pradesh is dotted with ancient temples that greet you as you walk past. This north Indian state is bordered by Tibet, Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, making it easily accessible.

Tourist Attractions in Himachal Pradesh

From the ski resort of Kufri to the deep spirituality of Dalhousie, Himachal provides travelers with an absolute pleasure of a vacation. Some of the hill stations that add to its allure and make for this list of great tourist places to visit in Himachal Pradesh are described below.

1. Manali

Set against the music of the River Beas, Manali offers the stunning beauty of lush green meadows and tall coniferous trees. The cool climate provides some respite from the overall raw heat of the North Indian summer and adds to the charm of the place. Adventure sports like paragliding, skiing, trekking and mountain biking are common among the snow- capped slopes and mountains. A few attractions of Kullu Manali include The Great Himalayan National Park, Brighu Lake, Bijli Mahadev Temple and the celebration of the Dusshera Festival.

2. Shimla

Retaining the aura of its erstwhile position as the summer capital of the British Raj, Shimla offers beautiful colonial architecture including quaint iron lamp-posts and Victorian and neo-gothic structures. "Mall Road", which is the main commercial strip of Shimla offers plenty of scope for shopping and is dotted with tiny, quaint eateries. There are some beautiful Picnic spots around Shimla, and one can also go on some lovely walks in and around town.

3. Kufri

Kufri is a small little hill station in Himachal Pradesh. It is located 18 km away from the massively popular Shimla. Situated at an altitude of 9000 feet, Kufri can be safely called the most popular tourist destination for a get-away from Shimla. It is very famous for skiing, hiking, wonderful scenery and weather. The best time to visit Kufri is summer, months from April to June. The skiing season though, touches peaks from November to February. Kufri is also well known for its breathtaking panoramas of the Himalayas.

4. Kasauli

Located about 77kms away from Shimla, Kasauli too has retained the cobble-stone beauty of the British Raj. Kausali is dotted with magnificent little cottages, neatly trimmed gardens and lovely fruit orchards. The beauty of this quiet little town is reinforced by its avenues of Himalayan Oaks, Chir Pines, Horse Chestnut trees and the odd Juniper, which run along the edges of the two main roads. An Arts Centre has been set up at Ivy Cottage by the nephew of the celebrated Indian artist Amrita Shergill. You can also find wool of the finest quality if you visit some of the Tibetan stalls that are found here.

5. Dalhousie

A hill station of the Dhauladhar Range, nestled against the banks of the Ravi River, Dalhousie offers adventure enthusiasts the thrill of some great treks and white waters for rafting. The prime attraction here is the Jandhri Ghat, a palace shrouded by tall pine trees.

6. Dharamsala

Around 17 km from the Kangra Valley with the Dhauladhar range as a backdrop; Dharamsala really has more to offer than its overt spirituality. Tall regal conifers, hefty oaks and a caressing, salubrious climate make Dharamsala an ideal getaway for nature lovers, and people looking for some introspection and alone time. Here, you can tour the Kangra Art Museum, War Memorial and the Kunal Pathri Temple. It is also the residence of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama.

7. McLeodganj

McLeodGanj is a district of Dharamshala. It is a spiritual place, mostly Buddhist in nature. The biggest draws for McLeodGanj are its Tibetan culture and crafts, study of Buddhism, and meditation. The town is also known for its Tibetan handicrafts, carpets, garments, and of course the Monks who have come to symbolize the ethos of this little town.

8. Rohtang Pass

Rohtang Pass is the famous road that joins the ruggedly beautiful Leh-Ladakh to the rest of the country. It is a 51 km stretch from Manali to Leh, with many travellers coming here for a peaceful getaway. Each year the pass is only open between the months of June and October. It is quite easy here to abandon yourself in the solitude of glaciers, the bubbling of Chandra River and the pure expanse of white snowfields on either sides of the highway.

9. Spiti Valley

A moon-scaped valley that is said to be the most sparsely inhabited place in India, Spiti has come up on the travellers' radar very recently. With its cold white deserts and tall mountains surrounding the settlement, Spiti has become the go-to place on lists of adventurers as well as dervish-wanderers and back-packers. From river rafting to yak rides and camping under the stars, Spiti offers too much to miss.

10. Kullu

Often refeered in tow with Manali, Kull is the lower valley in Himachal's Garhwal region. In words of an ancient monk, Kullu is a fertile land surrounded by many mountain peaks. With the Beas River making its way through the land and apps orchards filling the air with the sweet heady scents, a visit to Kullu is bound to make you exuberant. There is much to do here, from paragliding to over rafting and trekking to shopping for woollens. Summer makes for the ideal time to visit.

Cuisine

Himachal Pradesh is a great place to indulge in ‘pahari’ (of the mountain) cuisine. Kangra is known for madhra, a savory preparation of chickpeas cooked in a variety of spices. Dham from the northern districts consist of a full meal consisting of fresh red kidney beans and green lentils served with rice and curd. A popular snack among the Himachali folk is the babru, a version of kachoris served with yummy tamarind chutney. Among the meat preparations, chha gosht is a popular dish that has a lamb marinated and cooked in spicy gravy. If you happen to visit Himachal during the festive seasons then you will be enticed by the aroma of freshly baked akotri, a special cake made of wheat.

Shopping

Almost every city in Himachal has markets lined with shops selling all kinds of souvenirs like handwoven wall hangings, woollen shawls, jewellery, wind chimes, sculptures, antique objects, prayer flags and pretty much anything that you will want. Among the popular shopping destinations are Kotwali Bazaar and Jogibara Road market in Dharamsala, Manu Market in Manali and Lakkar Bazaar and the Mall Road in Shimla.

How to Reach Himachal Pradesh?

By Road

Himachal Pradesh has a hilly terrain and it is known for its curvy, adventurous roads. But in spite of this, the roads in Himachal are very good and also one of the best that you will find in any mountainous terrain. Almost all the places can be travelled by buses and taxis. The Himachal Pradesh State Transport Corporation provides services to almost every part of the state. Bus services may range from cheap/ordinary buses to AC Buses running every day. Himachal roadways have very good connectivity with other famous destinations like Chandigarh, Delhi, Dehradun, Jammu and so on. Taxi service is also available throughout the state and in a few major places; you can also get rental cabs also.

By Train

Due to its mountainous terrain, Himachal does not really have a train network but it has two exotic narrow gauge lines, the Kalka Shimla Line and the Pathankot-Jogindernagar Line. The Shimla line is more famous and better maintained and it has also been declared as a UNESCO World Heritage property.

By Air

Himachal has three domestic airports namely, the Kullu-Manali Airport, the Kangra Airport and the Shimla Airport.

The Shimla Airport has one flight to Delhi every day, from where it is easy to find connecting flights to other major cities in India. It is also called Jubbarhatti Airport after the exact place where it is located.

The Kangra Airport, located in the north-western parts of the state has a couple of flights that operate between Delhi and the Kangra Airport. Located close to Dharamshala, the Kangra Airport is sometimes also referred to as the Dharamshala Airport or Gaggal Airport. This Airport serves as the gateway to the important north-western regions in the state like Dalhousie and Dharamshala. Another option to reach these north-western regions is to take a flight to Pathankot and Amritsar airport.

The Bhuntar Airport is another important terminal as it serves as the gateway to Kullu-Manali, Parvati Valley, as well as the remote northern regions of the state like Kaza, the Spiti Valley and so on. The airport has flights plying between here and Delhi. There are taxi services from all these airports that will take your destinations or hotels. There are also bus services that operate from nearby bus terminals and taxis can be used to reach the bus terminals. There are also car hiring services near airports. As it is located near Kullu, it can also be called Kullu Airport by some.

Best Time to Visit Himachal Pradesh

The perfect time to visit Himachal Pradesh is during the summer season when the area enjoys a spectacularly pleasant climate. A huge number of domestic and international tourists flock to the various hill stations across and indulge in various activities like water sports, trekking, paragliding, camping and hot air ballooning.