Highlights Of Visiting Himachal Pradesh

The North Indian state of Himachal Pradesh is one of those places where many visitors end up spending much longer than they intended. Most tourists visit the Kullu and Parvati Valleys, but there are less-explored areas such as Lahaul and Spiti behind some of the world’s highest motorable mountain passes.

Scenic Routes In The Himalayas

Surrounded by forest-covered hills and Himalayan mountain tops, the Kullu and Parvati Valleys are some of the most beautiful parts of India. Many tourists come here for trekking, mountain cycling, rafting and fishing, although many are happy to just sit back and admire the gorgeous scenery.

Himachal Pradesh is a great area to explore bymotorbike, and there are some excellent bike routes around the mountains and valleys. Some of the world’s highest motorable mountain passes are in Himachal: Rohtang La (3978 m) is a favourite day-trip destination for Indian tourists staying in Manali, and the more remote and higher Baralacha La (4950m) is further on the way fromManali to Leh.

Himalayan Hill Stations

Backpackers used arrive in the town of Manali and stay for months, doing as little as possible. These days Manali is also a busy holiday destination for Indian tourists who mainly stay in the new part of town, whereas Old Manali is still more of a backpacker area and thus cheaper and more laid-back.

With good restaurants and a view of the Himalayas from the balcony of a cosy guesthouse, many visitors extend their stay in Manali, at least until they move on to the other backpacker centre, McLeod Ganj. Close to Dharamsala, McLeod Ganj is where the Tibetan Government in Exile holds its headquarters, and here is also the residence of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama.

Shimla was the summer capital of British India and is now a popular hill station to retreat to in the heat of the summer, as well as a honeymoon destination for Indian couples.

Exploring Lahaul And Spiti

Much less visited than the traveller areas of Manali and McLeodGanj is the district of Lahaul and Spiti, towards the border between India and Tibet. Stunning scenery, inhabitable looking high-altitude desert, high mountains and Tibetan Buddhist monasteries make this area a great destination for trekking as well as formotorbike trips. Permits are required to visit some of these areas and must be arranged before travelling.

Planning A Trip To The Himalayas

When to visit Himachal Pradesh depends on which areas one is visiting. Some hill stations, such as Dharamsala, get heavy rainfall during the monsoon, whereas some of the high altitude desert in Lahaul and Spiti does not get much rain at all. Some roads are not open during winter. To avoid the winter and the monsoon, most visitors come to Himachal Pradesh between April and June.

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