HIMACHAL TOURISM

The artistic cities of Himachal and their age-old rich culture and traditions are so diverse and beautiful that it will engulf you in their beauty. Every city has its own ancient local stories that are associated with its nature and landscape. The stories of Lahaul and Spiti will spellbind you with their spiritual nature while the folk stories of the countryside will make you understand their innocent nature and simple living. The city of McLeodGanj is a prominent place as it is the residence of Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama. The diversity of Himachal consists of picturesque valleys and scenic cliff-hangings of hill stations like Kullu, Kinnaur, and Kangra as well as the social, political and cultural amalgamation in the colorful cities of Dharamsala and McLeod Ganj along with the colonial settlements in the pictorial city of Dalhousie.

Himachal Pradesh has a myriad of tourist attractions in its platter. There are beautiful handicrafts to take home as a souvenir of your tour. The Tibetan handicrafts like Tibetan carpets, shawls, toys, wooden handicraft, handmade pieces of jewelry, baskets and homemade eating items like pickle, preserves, etc. can be purchased from the local markets. Trekking in Himachal is very popular among tourists who visit here. Walking amidst the vivid, colorful trees and lush green cover everywhere along with the panoramic view of the Himalayan Mountains is like a paradise on earth. Your mind and body will get rejuvenated and relaxed in the tranquility and serenity of such locality.

When it comes to the religious and spiritual tour then Himachal Pradesh is the best place to place to visit as the land of Himachal is popularly known as the “Dev Bhoomi” meaning “Land of God”. This abode of God attracts visitors of every religion and faith as there is one or more sacred place for almost every religion in India whether it is Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism or Christianity. Every religion is loved and respected here and people lived here very harmonious to every religion. Himachal holds a special place in Hinduism as it is known as the land where the seven incarnations of Goddess Durga took place. These Goddesses are Mata Chamunda Devi, Mata Jwala Ji, Mata Kangra Devi, Mata Chintpurni Devi or Mata Chhinnamastika, Mata Naina Devi, Mata Mansa Devi and Mata Kalika Devi. Ancient temples of Goddesses are situated here and a large number of Hinduism followers visit here every year.

A sacred bath in the hot water of Manikaran Gurudwara is considered very religious in Sikhism. It is said that Guru Nanak Dev Ji visited this place with his disciples in 1574. The ancient Churches of Shimla, Dalhousie and Dharamsala are having religious important as well as visual treat and historic significance. Buddhism followers have a wide presence in Dharamsala, especially, when Tibetan Buddhist exiles allowed to get settled in Himachal Pradesh in India in 1959 and since then it is the sacred abode of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. There are plenty of beautiful, state-of-the-art Monasteries located in the Himachal which are the tourist attraction in Spiti, Kangra, Dharamshala, Lahaul, and Kaza.

The large geographical area of Himachal Pradesh along the foothills of the Himalaya is a perfect abode to many species of animals, some of which are very rare and endangered species. Himachal Pradesh is home to two national parks and a whopping thirty-two wildlife sanctuaries are established here to save the endangered species. With the astonishing landscape and abundance of a variety of wildlife, the national parks and sanctuaries of Himachal Pradesh are home to around 359 species of animals and around 1200 species of birds. The wild animals that reside in these reserve forests are snow leopard (which also is the State Animal of Himachal), musk deer, many reeds of pheasant, Western Tragopan and many others. The Great Himalayan National Park, which is located in Kullu, is the most famous reserve park in Himachal and is also declared as a UNESCO world heritage site in the year 2014.

Himachal Pradesh is also famous among tourists for its adventure activities and sports, especially adventure trek amidst the Himalayan range of mountains. The snowy delight trek of Rohtang Pass, the tough trekking route of Borasu Pass and Chanderkhani pass are some of the examples of ample of adventure activities that thrill seekers and nature enthusiasts can indulge in Himachal. The effervescent and diverse landscape of Himachal Pradesh is nothing but a paradise for the adrenaline boosting activities which adventure junkies are always in search for.

In a short, Himachal Pradesh is all about ‘back to nature’ journey and the unique divine experiences. So, visit the Himachal Pradesh amidst nature away from the chaotic life of the city for a few days and get refreshed, recharged and rejuvenated.

How to Reach Himachal Pradesh :

The tourist places of Himachal Pradesh are well connected through the airways to the major cities like Delhi, Chandigarh, Mumbai, and Bangalore with the three domestic airports in the state. These three domestic airports are Bhuntar Airport in Shimla, Jubbarhatti Airport in Kullu, and Gaggal Airport in Kangra. In spite of being a state with having many popular tourist destinations in India and tourism forms a major income source of the state, Himachal Pradesh has not so robust air connectivity but one can easily manage to reach here through the airways. AT the airports, the taxis and cabs are available to reach any corner of the state.

Himachal Pradesh lacks in any major railway tracks as the most of the landscape is the hilly terrain or surrounded by the icy mountains making it difficult to build railway tracks. The Kalka Railway station is the nearest railway station from Himachal Pradesh, which is the northern-end of the Delhi-Kalka line in Haryana from where the journey begins of the Kalka–Shimla Railway, the famous toy train ride which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Shimla is being located around 90 km away from the Kalkaji railway station and can be reached either by road or by the toy train passing through the mesmerizing picturesque hilly surroundings filled with lush greenery. Other significant railway stations located in Himachal Pradesh are Solan and Una which are connected to other cities.

The roadways journey to Himachal Pradesh is the most preferred mode of travel. Unlike the airways and railways, Himachal Pradesh has very robust and reliable interstate roadway services. The long road trip on the excellent windy road passing through the breathtaking beauty of nature is what tourists prefer the most. The prime tourist locations of the state are well connected through the finely maintained road to the major cities of the country like Delhi, Chandigarh, Mumbai, etc. The Bus services from the prominent cities in India to the tourist places of Himachal Pradesh are working on a regular basis. The taxi and cab services are also available in the prominent cities for various locations in Himachal Pradesh.

Quick Facts of Himachal Pradesh :