North India Travel Guide,Travel Agency in North India,Traveling in North India

Manali Travel Guide

Manali is a beautiful little town in Kullu valley, which attracts a large number of tourists every year. Manali is at a height of 1,926 meters and is at a distance of 40 kms from Kullu. It offers many adventure sports, such as hiking, skiing and trekking and is a perfect holiday destination for those who seek adventure.

Once called the "end of the habitable world," Manali is an important hill station of northern India and is the destination of thousands of tourists every year. Its cool atmosphere provides a perfect haven for the ones afflicted by the hot Indian summers. Besides offering quite a few places for sightseeing, Manali is also famous for adventure sports like skiing, hiking, mountaineering, paragliding, rafting, trekking, kayaking, and mountain biking. In brief, Manali-the veritable "valley of the Gods"-is an ideal place for the ones in search of both adventure and comfort. The Kulluis in brightly patterned puttoos, Tibetan women wearing ankle-length rainbow-striped pinafores, Nepali porters, Buddhist monks, and even the odd party of Zanskaris, swathed in fusty woolen gonchas, muddled together with souvenir-hunting Indian and Western tourists-all add up to the welcoming hub of Manali.

How to Reach

By Air : The nearest airport to Manali is that of Bhuntar, which is 52-km from Manali. From Bhuntar one can take a taxi or a bus to Manali.

By Train : The nearest railhead is that of and this narrow gauze railway station is 95-km from Kullu. The scenic beauty of Kullu while going to Manali can best be enjoyed on a bus or a taxi. It is better to take a taxi, which one can stop and enjoy the nature at will.

By Road : The road to Manali passes through the picturesque valley of Kullu. The motorable roads to Manali connect the town with other major tourist places in Himachal as well as in the nearby states. At the Manali bus stand there are two booths, which do computerised reservation for buses. The reservations can be made one month in advance. Both private and state government buses are in service over here.

Places to See :

Hidimba Temple

Built in 1553 and with a superbly crafted four tiered pagoda roof, it is famous for its exquisitely carved doorway.

Manu Temple

This is dedicated to the sage Manu.

Vashisth

Well known for its hot springs. There are old temples dedicated to the sage Vashisth and to Lorde Rama. These are just beyond the Himachal Tourism baths.

Monasterires

There are three recently built Tibetan monasteries at Manali.

Jagatsukh

The one - time capital of Kullu. Here are old temples deidicated to Lord Shiva and to Sandhya Gayatri. The Arjun caves are just ahead.

Solang Valley

In a picturesque setting this has good ski slopes and picnic spots. SHPTDC organises ski packages during winter.

Mussorrie Travel Guide

Location

Mussoorie is situated at height of 2,500 meters in the green Himalayan range. Due to its location and beauty Mussoorie is considered as the best hill station in the northern region.

General Information

Mussorie is one of the popular hill station of Uttaranchal. The city gots its name from 'Mansur' , a shrub which is linked with shepherds and used to inhabit the place befor British came. In 1820 Captain Young from the British was so much influenced by the beauty of the place that he made his residence. Mussorrie is derived from plants of 'Mussoorie' which is found in abundance.Being close to popular Hindu pilgrimages such as Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri, Yamunotri, Haridwar and Rishikesh, this hill station enjoys a special privilege in the region.

Climate

Mussoorie climate is pleasant through out the year. Summers are comparatively warmer and its temperature ranges from 12`C to 19`C . It is necessary for people to carry light woolens. Winters in Mussoorie are much colder with temperature dropping to as low as 4 degree C.

Places to See :

Gun Hill : This is one of the attractive tourist spot with second highest point in Mussoorie . You will experience a sheer exhilaration when you will travel from Mall to Hill. A bird's eye-view of Mussoorie town, Doon Valley and the Bunderpunch, Srikantha, Pithwara and Gangotri group of the Himalayas can be seen from here. One can also approach Gun Hill from a pathway, which forks off from the Mall Road near Kutchery. It takes about 20 minutes to reach the top.

Kempty Falls : This is one of the most visited waterfall of Mussoorie which is situated 18 kms on the Yamnotri river.

Camel's Back Road : Shaped like the back of a camel, the road stretches from Kulri Bazaar near the Rink Hall to Library Bazaar. A 3 km horse ride on this road, especially at sunset, is an experience in itself.

Nag Devta Temple : Just 7 km from Mussoorie, Nanga Devta Temple is an ancient temple on the Cart Mackenzie Road. It also offers a panoramic view of the Doon Valley and Mussoorie.

Jwalaji Temple (Elenog Hill) : About 9 km from Mussoorie, Jwalaji temple is on top of the Benog Hill. Another excellent viewpoint, the temple is amidst thick forests. You can do the first 7 km by road, but the remaining 2 km have to be covered on foot.

Things to do

Shopping : Library, Kulri Bazaar and Landour Bazaar sell curios, ethnic jewellery, as well as antiques are the main shopping areas of Mussoorie. You can pick up beautifully handcrafted walking sticks from shops on the Mall.

How to Reach

By Air : Jolly Grant Airport is the nearest airport and is situated in Dehradun which is 59 km.

By Rail : The nearest rail head is at Dehradun which is 34 kms away from the Mussoorie. Dehra Dun is connected to major cities with super-fast trains such as the Mussoorie Express, the Bombay Doon Express, Calcutta-Howrah-Doon Express and Gorakhpur-Doon Express. The Shatabdi Express leaves New Delhi every day except Thursdays.By Road : There are several buses from Delhi to this hill station, both private and state-run. From Dehra Dun to Mussoorie, one can hire cabs or take any of the buses plying from just outside the Dehra Dun Railway Station. If travelling from Jammu, Saharanpur is the convenient place to catch a bus directly to Mussoorie. The road from Delhi is well maintained and the 269 km journey can be completed in six hours

Pushkar Travel Guide

For a devout Hindu Pushkar is a very important pilgrim centre, for one visit to this holy place in a lifetime is highly prescribed.

Brahma forms the great Hindu trilogy of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, each symbolising the lifecycle of birth, preservation and destruction. Brahma the creator is depicted as of four bearded heads and four hands each holding a book of Vedas (knowledge). His vehicle is the swan and his consort is Savitri. According to the legend Pushkar means a pond created by flower, was formed when Brahma dropped a lotus flower on the earth to determine a place for his yagna, a holy sacrifice. The story goes that Brahma wanted to perform the yagna at the most auspicious time but his consort Savitri whose presence at the yagna was vital for its performance kept him waiting. Irritated by this Brahma married Gayatri, a milkmaid and installed her instead. Savitri on seeing someone else in her place was infuriated and cursed Brahma that he would be forgotten by people on earth and never worshiped. She relented on pleas from other Gods that he could only be worshiped in Pushkar, hence there are no Brahma Temples elsewhere.

Pushkar is a much loved tourist destination, many who visit there just fall in love with the place and overstay. Situated on the edge on the desert it is separated from Ajmer by the Nag Parbat (the snake hill). The town has very distinct tourist excitement with narrow lanes lined with shops selling various accessories and rooftop restaurants. Despite its high tourist profile the town maintains some mystical charm.

Pushkar Fair

Pushkar is world famous for its cattle fair normally held in the Hindu month Kartika, which is around Oct-November. At this time the town jam-packed with tribal people from all over Rajasthan and tourist. It is commonly known as Camel fair, bringing with them several camels and cattle to the pilgrimage. A Fair ground is fashioned and is packed with shops selling souvenirs and eateries. Games and circus shows also goes on. And villagers come sell camels, horses, elephants and cattle and other livestock. Elaborate arrangement for staying of visitors is made including luxury tents. Just don’t miss the Pushkar Fair if you are India around that time.

Brahma Temple

This is the only existing temple dedicated to lord Brahma and was constructed in the 14th century, standing on a high plinth with marble steps leading up to it.

A beautiful carved silver turtle sits on the floor facing the sanctorum or Garbha Griha. The marble floor around the silver turtle is embedded with hundreds of silver coins, with donors name engraved on them.

Old Rangji Temple

Lord Rangji is an carnation in of lord Vishnu. This temple was built in 1823 by Seth Puran Mal Ganeriwal of Hyderabad.This temple is unique due to confluence of South Indian style (Dravid) Rajput and Mughal style of architecture.

New Temple

The gracious temple is very conspicuous, due to its south Indian style of architecture. It has a high rising Gopuram typical of southern India Pushkar has more than 400 temples, the other important temples are Balaji la Mandir and Man Mandir.

Camel Safari

There are quite a few people in Pushkar who offer horse or camel safari. Camel safaris are a splendid way of taking in the sights and experiencing the rugged beauty of the desert. The camels may look aloof, but they are known as the lifeline for the desert people, whose major mode of transportation depends on camels only, also known as the "Ship of the desert".

Pushkar Lake

The pious Pushkar Lake, believed to have been created by the falling of lotus from the hand of Lord Brahma. It is considered to be as old as the creation. The lake is considered as one of the most sacred spots, and believed that one dip in the waters of lake on Kartika Poornima is equivalent to performing yagnas for several hundred years.

The charming lake amidst the hills has fifty-two bathing ghats, built around lake. The water around each ghat is supposed to have special powers. The Naga Kund is belived to give fertility, Roop Tirth gives beauty and charm, Kapil Vyapi Kund water helps in curing leprosy and a dip in the Mrikand Muni Kund grants the boon of wisdom.

Places to See :
Savitri Temple

A temple dedicated to the first wife of Lord Brahma the Savitri temple is located on the hill behind the Brahma Temple which can be reached by a flight of steps. The temple offers a panoramic view of the lake and the surrounding desertscape.

Man Mahal

On the banks if pushkar is the magnificent palace built by Raja Man Singh 1 of Amer now converted into the RTDC Hotel sarovar it offers a comfortable accommodation to the visitors.

The Brahma Temple

It is the only temple in India dedicated to Lord braham. The temple is marked by a red spire and over the entrance gateway us a beautiful statue carrier of Lord Brahma.Shopping
An array of stalls all along the main bazar are renowed for embroidered fabrics and shoes colourful beads and bangles, brass utensils, belts studded with brass, cloth covers for cammels with mirror work colourful saddles and leather goods beautiful wall hanging and shoulder bags.

The prime shopping spots are home circus, Bazar, Sarafa bazar, Malakhera Bazar and kedalganj Bazar.

Shimla Travel Guide

The Queen of Hill Stations

Dubbed by the Britishers as the “Queen of Hill Stations”, Shimla occupies a special place in the heart of tourists visiting India. The charm of Shimla can be understood by the fact that British made this city as there summer capital, during there rule in India. Shimla was a favorite city of the Britishers, and this is proved by the monuments and buildings of the city. Shimla is said to have derived its name from ‘Shyamala’, another name for Goddess Kali, whose temple exists in the town. The city is a wonderful mix of traditions and modernity.

Shimla was founded by the Gurkhas, who built there forts around Shimla in early 19th century. The British soon liberated Shimla from Gurkhas and in 1864 Shimla was declared as the summer capital of India. After independence, Shimla became the capital of Punjab and was later named the capital of Himachal Pradesh. In 1903 a rail line was constructed between Kalka and Shimla, and a Toy-train was run between two cities. The train, despite being 100 years old, still runs on the same track and has been declared as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The city boasts of many tourists attractions, which include the scenic Mall Road, Jakhu Hills, Christ Church, State Museaum and Mashobra. Shimla is also the best market in Himachal Pradesh, where one can find the traditional as well as branded products.

How To Reach

By Air : The Jubbarhatti Airport, Shimla, is situated 23 Km from city centre and is connected by regular flights to Delhi, Chandigarh, Kangra and Kullu. From Delhi, the journey takes around 1 hour and from Kullu, it takes 30 minutes by means of air. The airport has capacity of one small (17-19 passengers) aircraft, and offers basic facilities only. From the airport, one can take taxi to reach Shimla, which takes about 1 hour.

By Train : Shimla does not have access to railway through standard gauge railway line. One has to visit Kalka, from where narrow gauge trains to Shimla can be boarded upon. The train takes around 6 hours to reach Shimla from Kalka. The distance between Kalka and Shimla is 96 kms. There is also a deluxe train from Kalka. One can also travel through rail-car (one of its kind, running on this route in India). The Kalka Shimla railway is ane major attraction of the region, which is declared as a World Heritage Site.

By Road : The roadways network of Himachal Pradesh and nearby state makes Shimla well connected to other cities. One can get taxis, buses and luxury coaches for Shimla from the major cities of Himachal Pradesh and nearby states. Some major distances from Shimla are: Chandigarh- 117 kms, Kullu- 220 kms, Manali- 260 kms, Delhi- 343 kms, Mandi- 150 kms, Pathankot- 380 kms, Chail- 43 kms, Dehradun- 240 kms, Agra- 568 kms, Lucknow- 867 kms, and Jaipur- 630 kms. The Kalka Shimla road is also an option, provided the precautions must be taken. The road has good surface, but has many curves.

Internal Transport

Tourists can get Taxis to roam in and around Shimla. Arranged tour for local sight seeing can be made by the agents and hotel staff. Buses and taxis, to move to other cities are also easily available in Shimla.

Accommodations

Shimla, being one of the most visited cities of India, have the best of stay options also. There are hotels in almost every corner of the town. One can find numerous star rated, economy, budget, and luxury hotels in Shimla. There are all types of cuisine served in the restaurants of the town.

Places of Interest

The Mall

The Mall is the main road in Shimla. The road was set up by the Britishers, and is the main market and attraction of Shimla. Most of the colonial structures stand on this road. For the visitors, a walk down The Mall is a must do activity. At the top end of the Mall is Scandal Point, a large open square with a view of the town. Overlooking the point is the elegant Christ Church with its fine stained glass windows. The labyrinth of Shimla's bazaars spill over the edge of the Mall.

Chadwick Falls

The Chadwick Falls are 7 kms from Shimla, and are as high as 1586 mts. The falls look amazing after the monsoon and are among the top list of the visitors to Shimla. The Chadwick falls represent the true natural beauty of Himachal Pradesh.

State Museum

The State Museum in Shimla is situated 2.5 Km from Scandal point. The museum is known for its library, which houses many historical books and manuscripts. The museum has a vast collection of ancient historical sculptures, paintings, coins, photos and other items from all over the state.

Jakhu Temple

The Jakhu Temple in Jakhu Hills, is dedicated to lord Hanuman. Jakhu Hill is the highest peak in vicinity, touching 8000 ft. The temple is situated at the top of the hill. The temple is full of playful monkeys, which wait for pilgrims to feed them.

Christ Church

Christ Church is the second oldest church in North India. Christ Church is a huge building, which looks magnificent from outside as well as inside. The church has stained window glasses, and re