Himachal Pradesh is one of the most popular hill stations of India for its untouched natural charm. Not just visually attractive, Himachal Pradesh with its impressive snowy peaks and foaming river is a perfect adventure destination. From exciting trekking to heart-pumping rafting, the state offers great pleasure to adventure lovers as well, seeking some never explored experiences. The mysteriously beautiful interwoven mountain chains further makes the holiday more pleasurable, making Himachal Pradesh a perfect location to unwind.
Himachal Pradesh is a heaven for those seeking some moments of serenity in the lap of Mother Nature. Take a tour of the Great Himalayan National Park, which has been nestled with vast areas of alpine pastures and glaciers. The park is famous for spotting Snow leopards and large herds of Ibex and Bharal.
The place also attracts wildlife enthusiasts for its long list of wildlife and national parks. The Renuka Wildlife Sanctuary is the perfect spot to eye Asiatic Lion apart from Black Bear, Barking Deer, Goral, Jackal and Leopard. Simbalbara Sanctuary in Paonta Valley of Sirmour District is also renowned for offering picturesque vistas and housing Goral, Sambhar and Chittal. Another place blessed with plenty of wildlife is the Daranghati Sanctuary where one can spot musk deer, Goral and Thar, residing peacefully in their natural habitat.
Embracing enormous range of heritage sites, Himachal Pradesh boasts of a string of ancient forts and colonial mansions. The thousand year old Buddhist Padam Palace Monastery reflects the rich culture of the bygone era. Most of the forts here are privately owned with many of them converted into heritage hotels.
The state also houses a number of museums exhibiting the paintings, artefacts and war memories of the past. Take a tour of the Bhuri Singh Museum in Chamba. Here you can see paintings of Bhagwat Purana and Ramayana in peculiar style. The War Memorial in Dharamshala is another popular museum here which has been raised in the memory of those who fought bravely to safeguard the motherland.
Being a multi-religious land, Himachal Pradesh houses good number of temples, Gurudwaras, Churches and Monasteries. Visit majestic Hindu temples like Bajreshwari Devi, Chamunda Devi, Jwala Ji, Chintpurni Devi, Naina Devi, Shiva temple, Lakshmi Narayan temple and Bijli Mahadev.?
Himachal Pradesh will let you challenge the daredevil inside you. For the lovers of river rafting, locations like rafting Sutlej at Tattapani near Shimla on the Beas near Kullu, the Ravi near Chamba and Chandra in Lahaul are best retreats. Kangra, Una, Hamirpur and Bilaspur are the best places to enjoy mountain cycling. Paragliding at Bundla Dhar near Bilaspur, Solang valley near Manali in the Kullu district are among the popular adventure activities here.
How to Reach
By Air - Three main domestic airports in Himachal Pradesh include Jabbarhatti near Shimla, Gaggal near Kangra and Bhuntar near Kullu, linking the state to Delhi and Chandigarh.
By Train - Himachal Pradesh is not linked by trains except for two narrow gauge rail lines between Kalka - Shimla and Pathankot - Joginder Nagar.
By Road - Road travel is extremely popular among travellers provided the three National Highways crossing the state.
Delhi - Shimla - Chail & Kufri - Chandigarh - Delhi
Delhi - Shimla - Manali - Chandigarh - Delhi
Delhi - Kalak - Shimla - Manali - Dharamshala...
