Himachal Pradesh is located in the far Northern part of India, amidst the imposing mountains of the Himalayan Mountain Range. Himachal is also known as the ‘Abode of Snow’; where the snow resides. It is bordered by Jammu & Kashmir in the North, Punjab in West and South-West, Haryana in the South, Uttar Pradesh in the South-West, Uttaranchal and the Tibetan province of China.

This state is ornamented with the most amazing geographical features in the backdrop of an incredible landscape. It is truly a paradise to the tourists.  The state is dotted with the towering Himalayas nestling verdant valleys in its undulating slopes. The swift rivers flowing through the deep ravines, the mysterious forests with captivating lakes and flower speckled meadows make Himachal a heaven on Earth. The state is linked by snaking roadways and sinuous mountain passes. There is a stark disparity between the lush valleys dotted with flowers in Kullu and Kangra to the inhospitable and desolate landscape of Spiti and Lahaul which are at a height of 6500m. The beauty of Lahaul and Spiti aquire the look of moon land with miles and miles of nothing but snow. It has been called the Abode of God or ‘Devabhoomi’ since time unknown.

Every mountain has a venerated and striking temple at the peak or in its vicinity. The Hindu temples resemble architectural model of the Dravidian era. While the monasteries following Buddhism look like pagodas.  Temple of Chamunda Devi in Chamba, Shitla Mandir of Jangla and Naina Devi Temple in Nainital are the famous Hindu destinations of devotion. Shimla was the summer capital at the time of the rule of British. The hill stations of Kullu and Manali are encircled by hills full of Pines and gently sloping green fields. The state has 2 National Parks, 32 sanctuaries and 3 Reserves of Games. These nature parks abound in rare flora and fauna. The rivers rising from the Himalayan glacier glaciers are Ravi, Sutlej, Beas and Parbati.

The natives lead a peaceful and joyous life contented with looking after their fruit gardens and livestock. In their way of lives they continue to nurture their ethnicity and keep alive the traditions. The yearly fairs and celebrations fascinate them. They remain immersed in the music and dance of their cultures. Himachal Pradesh offers loads of adventure sports like skiing, trekking, river rafting, mountaineering, fishing and paragliding. After India acquired independence, 30 states under the rule of kings were integrated to outline the state of Himachal Pradesh. In 1966, Punjab was divided into Punjab and Haryana. At this time parts of Punjab were added to Himachal. The present form of Himachal Pradesh was formed in 197 and it became a part of the Indian Union as the eighteenth state. Himachal Pradesh is located in Northern India and is bordered by Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh  and China.

Famous Hill Destinations To Himachal

Shimla

Shimla is the capital city of Himachal Pradesh. It stands at an altitude of 7238 ft and encloses an area of 18 square km within its boundary. In the days of the British Raj, it was the summer capital of the nation, when the kings and viceroys visited Shimla to escape from the heat of the summer season. Shimla located in the north-western side of the Himalayas, is famously denoted as “The Queen of Hill Stations". It gets its name from goddess Kali, also known as ‘Shyamala’.  The temple of goddess Kali was situated in the dense forest of Jakhu Hills. The British changed the name to Shimla. Shimla is bordered by dense outgrowths of deodar, pine, rhododendron and oak. It is an urbanized city and is easily accessible to tourists. The innumerable attractions that Shimla offer make it one of the most sought after tourist destinations of the country.

During the rainy season, the best sun downs in the world are seen. Tourists have the option to visit the Christ Church, the Jakhu hills and the Shimla State Museum. One can drive to Mashobra, Chail, Naldhera and Kufri.

Manali

Manali is a popular hill station of India. It is situated at the centre the valley of Kullu and offers various opportunities for adventure and winter sports.

In ancient times, when Manali was only a village, it was called “Dana Agha”.  Manali gets its name from rishi or a sage named Manu, who resided there. Manu Rishi authored the “Manu Samriti”. Earlier, Manali was a trading point, where traders from Hoshiarpur, Yarkand, Ladakh, Zanskar, Smarkand, Western Tibet and Kangra came to exchange goods.

Manali is consecrated with a gift of gorgeous scenery, dense forests of pine and deodar, ice-covered peaks, precipitous cliffs, undulating valleys and luxurious green meadows strewn with flowers and sweet-scented orchards of apple and orange. The sparkly waters of Beas River ramble down the town of Manali. Aptly, for any traveller, Manali is a paradise. There are various tourist spots that can be visited with Manali as a base.  All the major mountain passes of India like the the Rohtang Pass are within its vicinity. Places that can be visited from Manali are Keylong, Naggar, Manikaran,Bhutta Weavers Colony, Kullu,  Udaipur and the Bhuntar.

Dalhousie

The town of Dalhousie gets its name from Lord Dalhousie, British Governor General. Its elevation from sea level is 2036 m and presents extravagant scenic frames. Dalhousie is tucked away from the common din and offers a quiet vacation away from the noise and disturbances of the city. The Summer getaway extends to Palace in Punjpula, Chamba hills, from where one has the option to visit Kalatop-Khajjiar track and Chamera Dam trail. Khajjar, also known as the mini Switzerland of India is 23 km away from Dalhoisie by car and rests at an altitude of 6400 ft. In words of Hutchison Khajjiar is a small clearing in the forest offering grand splendor of the nature, at a height of 6400 ft.

Dalhousie has fascinating regal structural designs of gorgeous churches. The impressive range Dhauladhar Mountains are also perceptible from this captivating little settlement. St. Francis at Subhash Chowk, St John's at Gandhi Chowk, St Patricks at Balun and St Andrews are the impressive churches here.

 Chamba

Chamba Valley in Himachal Pradesh stands at a height of 926 m and has a total area of 2.4 square km. The Ravi River flows by this valley. Lying at the heart of Dhauladhar and Zanskar mountain ranges, Chamba is a most sought after tourist destination of the Northern India. Chamba is the valley of honey and milk. It is noted for the sparkling brooks, lakes, mountains and Himalayan artefacts like paintings, handkerchiefs. Chamba, known as the Pahari capital was named by Raja Sahil Verma in 920 A.D. The reason behind this name lies in the fact that the king’s favorite daughters name was Champawati. The temples are devoted to Vishnu and Shiva. The walls of the temples constitute of beautifully carved blocks of stone. The Gaddi shepherds , a group of nomads come to Chamba to replenish their supplies.

Chamba valley is celebrated for its inherent scenic beauty being located at the edge of the Shivalik Mountains. It is noted for containing three snow-capped mountain ranges within its periphery. They are the Dauladhar mountain range, the Pir Panjal Mountain Range and the Zanskar mountain range, respectively the outer, middle and inner part of the entire Himalayan Range. Chamba is protected by lofty snow covered peaks of mountain acting as walls on all its sides. It is for this barrier that is was saved from being destructed by invaders. The most excellent Himalayan collection of Arts is still conserved here. The outstanding hill stations of Chamba include Bharmour, Dalhousie, Banikhet, Kala tope, Manimahesh, Khajjiar, Triund. The most popular tourists destinations are Dalhousie and Khajjiar.

Dharamshala

The hill station of Dharamshala lies at the edge of Dhauladhar mountain range. It is situated 17 kms away from the town of Kangra, in the north eastern direction. Dharamshala is a fascinating settlement with graceful bungalows amidst the thick forests of the coniferous. Saint Dalai Lama, religious leader of Buddhists has a home here. The rotating prayer wheels and the religious flags in the town of Lhasha, extend the note of peace and worldwide brotherhood. The oak and conifer trees along with the mountain peaks encircle the city from three sides. Dharamshala is nearest to the snow-line as compared to other hilly regions. A one day trek is organized till the point where the snow-line begins but one has to rise early and start. The capital of Kangra district is Dharamshala.

Kullu Valley

Kulanthpitha is the ancient name of Kullu. Kulanthpitha means a place where habitable area ceases. The Great Himalayas stand behind Kullu and Beas River flows by it. Kullu is the fabled land of the 'Silver Valley'. Lord Raghunathji is the most important deity of the place. It was installed by Raja Jagat Singh in the 17th century.  The idol was brought by him from Ayodhya and on his royal throne. Since then Kullu is a budding place of devotion.
Kullu has an elaborate series of innumerable valleys woven throughout its district – every valley appears to be more magnificent than the previous one and is a verdant green treat to the eye. The mountain scenery looks stunning and awe-inspiring both during sun shines and in misty weathers. Kullu also known as the 'Silver Valley' is treasure house of nature with blossoming flowers dotting the elevated meadows.

Kinnaur, Spiti, Lahaul

Most of the population in Himachal Pradesh resides in the rural areas. About 90% of the residents of the state inhabit in tiny villages.  Their source of income is solely dependent on farming. The districts of Kinnaur, Lahaul and Spiti constitute the "tribal belt". The common religion followed by the people there is mainly Buddhism and the native tongue is Tibeto-Burman.
The place offering the most exotic scenic beauty in the state of Himachal Pradesh is Kinnaur. It is situated near the International border of India and Tibet. The surrounding territories of Kinnaur include Tibet in the east, Spiti valley towards north, Himalayas of Garhwal to the south andKullu to the west. An important river flowing through Kinnaur valley is the Sutlej River. It starts in the Kailash Parbat near a place called Mansarovar in Tibet.

The two distant and almost inaccessible valleys of Himalayas in Himachal Pradesh are Spiti and Lahaul.  They lie near the Indo-Tibetan border. Outlandish, exhilarating and primordial, these valleys are unparallel when it comes to exotic vacation destinations.

List Of Hill Stations in Himachal

• Barog
• Chamba
• Chail
• Dalhousie
• Dharamkot
• Dharamsala
• Haripurdhar
• Kangra
• Kardang, Lahaul Valley
• Kasauli
• Keylong, Lahaul Valley
• Khajjiar
• Kiarighat
• Kufri
• Kullu
• Mcleodganj
• Manali
• Mashobra
• Palampur
• Reckong Peo
• Shimla
• Solan
• Dhankar, Spiti Valley

Plan Your Tours

Himachal is a great place to spend your vacations and discover the beauty of nature in its greatest form. And we will help you find your perfect tourism service in Himachal Pradesh. The offers under our wing are Himachal Nature tours, great places to eat the native cuisine, information about the most frequented tourist destinations, a tour guide speaking various tongues and descriptions of hotels for stay in Himachal Pradesh.  Travel services, hotel booking in Khajjiar , Manali, Chamba,  Shimla, Dharamshala, Khajjiar and in different other towns and cities of Himachal Pradesh, is also what we offer in our platter.

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