Himachal Pradesh

Population: 5.7 million
Capital: Shimla
Area: 55,000 sq km
Best Time to Visit: May to October
Main Language: Hindi, Pahari
Literacy Rate: 64%

Himachal Pradesh is an ideal place to visit during the hot summer months of May and June and also in September and early October. Especially in the hot summer months when the rest of Indian is boiling hot, Himachal Pradesh is pleasantly cool and in some places even a little cold. Himachal is covered by high mountains and has some beautiful valleys. It has some great places to trek.

There are several places worth visiting in Himachal Pradesh such as: Dharamsala, a Buddhist center where the Dalai Lama lives; Kullu Valley, where Manali is located: the peaceful laid-back Parvati Valley; and Shimla, the capital of Himachal Pradesh and a major hill station. There are also the regions of Spiti, Kinnaur, and Lahaul. They are basically high altitude deserts with mountain, which are highly influenced by Tibetan Buddhism.

To the north and east are the Himalayas, in the south, the Shivalik Range. The Dhauladhar and Pir Panjal Ranges go through the state. There are several areas in Himachal Pradesh to do some interesting trekking. This is the most popular mountain area for foreign tourists.

Even in the summer, the northern parts of Himachal Pradesh can be chilly at night, so some warm clothing is needed. Dharamsala is a bit warmer than the more mountainous sections of the state, and can be quite pleasant in late-March, April, and in November. From late November to early March it can be quite cold, especially at night. The trekking season begins in late June and goes to late October in the north and east and goes to late November in the west. The roads in the areas north of Manali are open only from June through early October.

Permits
Permits are required to visit parts of Kinnaur, Lahaul, and Spiti. Permits can be obtained at the District Magistrates’ Office. It is best to get the permit at Rekong Peo or at Kaza to avoid wasting some of the seven-day permit traveling to these places. A permit is required to travel between Tabo and Rekong Peo. You do not need a permit to travel between Rekong Peo and Shimla.

No permit is needed to travel between Manali and Leh.

Tourist Offices
Himachal Pradesh Tourist Development Corporation (HPTDC) organizes deluxe buses between major tourist places. These buses are expensive, but they are usually the quickest and most comfortable way to travel.

There is a reservations office at Daizy Bank Estate in Shimla to book HPTDC hotels. Other offices are: Delhi, Chandralok Building, 36 Janpath (011) 332-4764; Mumbai, 36 World Trade Centre, Cuffe Parade (022 219–191); Chandigarh, Sector 22B (0172 43569); Calcutta, 25 Carmac St (033 446–8477); and Chennai, 28 Commander-in-Chief Rd (044 4720–966).

Around Shimla

Kalka
There is nothing to see or do, and no places to stay in Kalka. Most people come only to catch a train to somewhere else. There are some good views on the road from Kalka to Shimla.

Barog
There are pleasant walks here. The walk to Churdhar Mountain (3650m) is good.
There are railway Retiring Rooms for Rs 100/150. There are some mid-range places here.

HPTDC Hotel Pinwood (01792 6125) has rooms with hot water and TV for Rs 500 to Rs 1250. Some rooms have great views.

Chail
Area Code: 01792

There are some nice places to walk here and a wildlife sanctuary, 3km away, with a good range of birds.

Hotel Deodar has rooms starting at Rs 175.
Monal Tourist Lodge has rooms for Rs 400.
HPTDC Hotel Himneel has rooms for Rs 600.
HPTDC Palace Hotel (48141; fax 48343) has rooms in an old palace starting at Rs 900 up to Rs 3700. It has nice lawns and a good restaurant.
There are buses to Shimla and Chandigarh. A taxi roundtrip from Shimla is around Rs 650.

Kasauli
Area Code: 01793

Kasauli, 12km southeast of Kalka and 75km southwest of Shimla, has some pleasant walks in the area.

It is a nice walk to the town of Sanawar, or to Monkey Point (4km), which is on the India Air Force base. You have to get permission to go there at the gate. It is a nice 12km walk to Kalka. Few foreigners visit here.

There is a Tourist Office near the bus stand. You can change money at the Bank of Baroda on the Lower Mall.

Where to Stay and Eat
Anchal Guest House (72052), Post Office Rd, has decent rooms for Rs 300. Some rooms are dumpy, but others have a balcony with a view.
Maurice Hotel (72074), Lower Mall, has rooms with a balcony for Rs 300/400. It is a good value.
Alasia Hotel (72008), Lower Mall, has big rooms with balconies for Rs 450.
Mahamaya Palace (8448), across from the bus stand, has modern rooms with hot water and a TV for Rs 550 to Rs 750. There are good views from here.
HPTDC Ros Common (72005), Lower Mall, has rooms with TV for Rs 600 to Rs 1000. It has a good and expensive restaurant. It is often full, so should be booked in advance. It can be booked in Shimla at the HPTDC Hotel Holiday Home (212-890). It is a nice place with good gardens.

Travel
There are regular buses to Shimla (3 hr). You can take a train to Dharampur railway station and then get a bus from there to Kasauli (12km).

East of Shimla

Kufri
There is a ski slope here, but it is not as good as the one at Auli. There are some good walks in the area. The walk to Mahasu Peak is good, and from there the views are great on a clear day. You can hire horses to ride around the area. At Indira Tourist Park, there are some good views and horse riding.

The Himalayan Nature Park has some wildlife and birds. You need your own vehicle to visit the park. Rs 20 entry fee. Open 10 am to 5 pm.
Hotel Snow Shelter, on the main road, has rooms with hot water and a view for Rs 300. Kufri Holiday Resorts (480-341) has rooms for Rs 2400. It has a pleasant garden and good views. The restaurant is good.

Buses going from Shimla to Narkanda and Rampur pass by Kufri.

Fagu
There is nothing much of interest in this village, but it can be used as a base to hike around the area. HPTDC Hotel Peach Blossom (285-522) has large rooms with a fireplace for Rs 400 to Rs 500. This place must be booked in advance during the busy season.

Narkanda
This village has no tourist sites, but it is a possible base for those hiking around the area. There are some good views of the Himalayas to the north and a ski slope nearby. There are good views of the area from Hatu Peak (3140m), a 7km walk from town.

Skiing packages can be arranged at the HPTDC Tourist Office in Shimla, or at the tourist bungalow in Narkanda. A seven-day package costs around Rs 2500. The season is from late December to February.

Practicalities
HPTDC Tourist Bungalow has rooms.
Hotel Snow View has a room with bath for Rs 300 and dorm beds for Rs 60. It is a well-managed place with good views.
Hotel Mahamaya (01782 8448) has large, comfortable rooms with hot water and a balcony for Rs 750. There are good views.
Hotel Hatu (01782 8430) has rooms with hot water and TV for Rs 1000.

Café Vasant, near the Hotel Snow View, is most likely the best place to eat.

B uses go to Shimla (3 hr) and Sarahan (6 hr).
North of Shimla

Mashobra
There are nice walks near this small village. Gables Resorts (480-171) has comfortable rooms for Rs 1700 and higher.

Naldehra
Naldehra, 26km north of Shimla, has a golf course. It is Rs 75 for green fees and Rs 25 to hire clubs.

Hotel Golf Glade (0177 487-739) has rooms for Rs 600 and comfortable log cabins for Rs 1200 to Rs 3500. It has a restaurant.

Sutlej River Valley

Tattapani
This place is known for its sulphurous Hot Springs. It is a nice small town with some good views, but there is little else here beyond the springs. You can bathe in the hot springs at the Spring View Guest House, and at the Tourist Bungalow.

Where to Stay and Eat
Tourist Inn has very basic rooms for Rs 20. You need your own sleeping bag.
Spring View Guest House (485-958) has basic rooms for Rs 100. It is a laid-back place. Bath in the hot spring pool is Rs 15.
HPTDC Tourist Bungalow (0177 286-649) has clean rooms for Rs 200 to Rs 350 and dorm beds for Rs 50. It should be booked in advance. There are private baths in the back for Rs 25 per person and the common pool is Rs 15.

Travel
There are buses hourly to here from Cart Rd in Shimla. You get off the bus about 10 minutes past Sunni, immediately after the bridge and from there the springs are about 250m down the river. A roundtrip taxi from Shimla is around Rs 700, which includes waiting time.

Rampur
Pop: 4,500 Phone Code: 01782 

Located here is the Padam Palace (1925). It has nice gardens and wall paintings. Visitors are not permitted into the palace. Rampur is an interesting village to walk around with its Hindu and Buddhist temples. Few people stay here long.

Practicalities
Himgiri Hotel (33176) has rooms for Rs 60/90.
Narindra (33155) has rooms for Rs 150.
Hotel Bhagwati (33117) is a popular, friendly place with clean rooms for Rs 175. Recommended.

Sutlej, one km west of the center of town, has good food and views. There are several small eating places here.

There are regular buses to Shimla (8 hr) via Narkanda. There are a few daily buses to Kalpa and Rekong Peo. There is a daily bus to Sarahan (2 hr, 8am, 10 am), Kullu (6 am) and to Kaza (1 pm). A roundtrip taxi from Shimla is Rs 800.

Sarahan
Pop: 1250 Phone Code: 01782

This nice village, 175km northwest of Shimla, is in a beautiful location with some nice walks and treks in the area.

The interesting Bhimkali Temple, built in the Indo-Tibetan style, is worth seeing. It has shrines dedicated to Lord Siva, Lord Raghunath and Lord Narasimha and a small museum. To enter you have to wear a cap, which is provided.

Practicalities
In the temple complex, there are rooms with bath for Rs 200 and dorm beds for Rs 50. There are some nicer rooms with bath and hot water for Rs 350 to Rs 450.

Bushair Guest House, next to the temple, has large, clean rooms with bath for Rs 175.
HPTDC Hotel Shrikhand (74234) has clean, comfortable rooms with hot water and TV for Rs 450 to Rs 850. Dorm beds are Rs 75. It has some good views and a good restaurant.

There are several daily buses from Rampur to Sarahan. You can also get a bus to Jeori and from there get a local bus (every 1½ hr) the remaining 16km to Sarahan. A taxi from Jeori to Sarahan is around Rs 150 and from Rampur to Sarahan Rs 250.

Khajiar
Area Code: 018992

This meadow, 22km from Dalhousie going toward Chamba, is a pleasant place. It is about one km by one km with a lake in the middle. You can ride a horse here for Rs 50 for 15 minutes. There is the 12th century Khajjinag Temple and a golf course.

Practicalities
PWD Guest House (018982 42145) has good rooms with bath for Rs 125.
Gautam Guest House (36355) has clean rooms with bath for Rs 275 (Rs 175 off-season. It is a good choice.
Parul Guest House (36344), near the temple, has good rooms for Rs 750. Off-season discounts.
HPTDC Hotel Devdar (36333) has clean cottages for Rs 700 and double rooms for Rs 800. Dorm beds are Rs 75. Is is well located.
Sharma Confectionery Store has Indian and Chinese food.

Buses from Dalhousie to here (1 hr) depart at 9 and 10 am and 4 pm. They go from Khajiar to Dalhousie at 8.30 am and 4 pm. Buses go to Chamba at noon and 5.30 pm. A taxi to Chamba is around Rs 500.

Brahmaur
Area Code: 01090

Brahmaur, 65km southeast of Chamba, is at 2190m. There is some spectacular scenery on the way here. Brahmaur used to be the Chamba area capital for over 400 years before it was moved to Chamba in 920. There are some interesting, well-preserved 8th and 9th centuries temples here. They are only opened in the morning and evening.

Brahmaur can be used as a starting point for some interesting treks in the area. It is a five or six day trek to Dharamsala. Mountaineering Institute (25036) can help arrange treks, guides and porters.

A popular two-day trek begins at Harshar (a 1 hr ride from Brahmaur) to Manimahesh Lake. This lake is holy to devotees of Siva, who circumambulate it. There is a festival here in August or September.

There are cheap rooms at the Mountaineering Institute. Chamunda Guest House (25056) has rooms for Rs 125/225.

Kangra Valley
This beautiful valley begins at Mandi and goes north past Dharamsala with the Dhauladhar Mountain Range to the north. There are several interesting places in this valley.

Nearby

Bhagsu and Dusallan
Often travelers staying for a while stay in the small villages just outside of McLeod Ganj. In Bhagsu, 2km from McLeod Ganj, there are some mid-range hotels and travelers stay in houses in the area. There is a temple here dedicated to Lord Siva that was built in the 16th century.

There is a nice waterfall just past the village of Bhagsu, which is good just after and during the rainy season in September and October. Above the waterfall is the Siva Cafe and a small pool for swimming in, which is a nice place to hang out.
It may not be such a good idea for women to walk alone between McLeod Ganj and Bhagsu at night.

Pink White Hotel has rooms for Rs 350 to Rs 550.
Hotel Triund (21122) has rooms with hot water, carpets and TV for Rs 800 up to Rs 1100 for a suite.
Oasis and German Bakery is a good, popular, laid-back, outdoor place.
Paradise Café has good food.
Trimurti is a good, cheap veg place.
Bhagsu Café, near the temple, has good baked goods and snacks.

There are several places to stay in Dusallan and you can also stay in villagers’ houses.
It is a pleasant 2km walk between McLeod Ganj and Bhagsu.

Dharamkot
This is a small village popular with long-term stayers. There are good views of the Kangra valley. Dharamkot is where the walk to Triund begins. It is a fairly hard 20-minute walk from the bus stand in McLeod Ganj to here. As the walk up to Dharamkot is fairly steep, most people that are carrying their bags will want to take an auto-rickshaw to here from McLeod Ganj.

Nirmla Guest House, in the middle of the village, has cheap rooms with bath. It is a good value.
Blue Heaven is a popular place with rooms that have good views for Rs 250.

Himalaya Tea Stall is a popular eating place.

Kangra
Area Code: 01892

Kangra, 18km south of Dharamsala, has some old temples. The most famous is the Vajreswari Temple, dedicated to the Shakti energy of Lord Siva. It is said that Mahmud of Ghazni plundered a fortune of jewels, diamonds, and gold from this temple. It was destroyed several times and the present temple was built in the 1920s.

From the old Kangra Fort there are some great views. The fort is mainly in ruins. You can get to it by auto-rickshaw for Rs 35. There are some temples in the fort.

Practicalities
You can change money at the State Bank of Patiala on Dharamsala Rd.
There is a PWD guesthouse near the fort.
The Ashoka (25147) has basic rooms.
Hotel Jai (65568), on Dharamsala Rd, has rooms for Rs 200.
Anand (25243) has decent lower-middle price rooms. It has a fairly good restaurant.
Hotel Maurya (65875), near the post office, has clean rooms with bath and hot water for Rs 200/250.

The closest airport is 7km away in Gaggal, from where there are flights to Delhi via Kullu. There are buses every half-hour to Dharamsala (1 hr). The bus stand is 1½ km from the temple. There is a railway station here that is on the line between Pathankot and Jogindernagar. Sometimes there are no rickshaws at the railway station and you may have to walk the 3km into town. A taxi from McLeod Ganj to Kangra is around Rs 450.

Jwalamukhi
The Jwalamukhi Temple, 30km south of Kangra, has an eternally burning blue gas flame that comes from the rock sanctum. This flame is worshiped as a manifestation of the goddess Jwalamukhi. It is one of the 51 Shakti-pitha temples.

Hotel Jwalaji (01970 2280) has rooms with bath for Rs 450/800 and dorm beds for Rs 65. Mata Shree has rooms for Rs 550/650.

There are regular buses to Dharamsala.

Masrur
Masrur, located 40km southwest of Dharamsala, has 15 carved rock-cut Hindu temples, like the ones in Ellora, dating from the 9th and 10th centuries. There is a cave temple with a stalagmite dedicated to Lord Siva and temples dedicated to Sita and Rama. Many of the sculptures are badly weathered and some have been removed and placed in museums. The location of the cave is beautiful.

By taxi from McLeod Ganj to here is around Rs 650. You can take a bus to Pin Bindu and then walk a hard 3km to the cave. There are some good views on the way.

Chamunda Devi Temple
At the Chamunda Devi Temple, the goddess is believed to grant the desires of anyone who worships there. Chamunda is a particularly intense form of goddess Durga. There is a cave behind the temple with a natural stone Siva-linga.

Buses going between Dharamsala and Palampur past by here.

Baijnath
Located in xe "Baijnath" Baijnath, 45km southeast of Dharamsala, is the important ancient

Vaidyanath Temple dedicated to Lord Siva. The original temple here is said to have been built by the Pandava brothers and the present temple is believed to date from 804 AD. There are carvings of Kartikeya, Chamunda and Surya on its sides.

PWD Rest House has rooms for Rs 175.
Café Bharva has views of the valley.

There are trains to Pathankot and to Jogindernagar.

Taragarh and Tashijong Gompa
Taragarh Palace Hotel (01894 63034) is the former summer palace of Dr Karan Singh, the son of the last maharaja of Kashmir. It has rooms beginning at Rs 900 and going up to nice suites for Rs 2200. It has a beautiful garden, a pool and a tennis court.

You can rent a mountain bike to see the area. Tashijong Gompa, 2km north of the hotel, has a small Tibetan community.

Palampur
Pop: 3,700 Area Code: 01894

Palampur, 30km southeast of Dharamsala, has some nice walks in the area and good mountain views. You can walk to the interesting Gorge on the Bundla River, where there is a waterfall.
Practicalities

Baghla Guest House, across from the bus stand, has really basic rooms for Rs 75.
Hotel Sawhney (30888), in the Main Bazaar, has basic rooms for Rs 250 and with TV for Rs 300.
HPTDC Hotel T-Bud (31298), one km from the center of town, has clean rooms with bath and hot water for Rs 550 and deluxe rooms for Rs 700. It has a good restaurant.
Palace Motel (3034) is a former palace with a pleasant garden that has luxury suites with antique furniture for Rs 800/1000.
Sapan Restaurant, near the post office, has Indian and Chinese food.
There are buses to Dharamsala (2 hr), Pathankot (4 hr) and Mandi (4 hr). Palampur is on the narrow-gauge line between Pathankot and Jogindernagar.

Kullu Valley
Kullu Valley is a pleasant, peaceful place to visit. It has some great scenery and treks and is a good place to hang out. The valley is around 80km long, extending from Mandi in the south to the Rohtang Pass in the north. The Beas River flows through the valley. The valley was originally called Kulanthapitha, which means the “End of the Habitable World.” The Kullu Valley is known as the “Valley of the Gods.” The Parvati Valley begins at Bhuntar and goes northeast, with the Parvati River flowing through it.

It is said that the great sages Vyasadeva, Vasistha, Kapila, Narada, Kanva, Gautama, and Markandeya performed tapasya (austerities) in this valley. It is referred to in the Mahabharata and Ramayana. The Pandavas are supposed to have visited this valley three times. The first time was supposed to be after the house of lac was burned. Arjuna is said to have received the famous Pashupati weapon here. It is also said that the Pandavas came through this valley when they went to the Himalayan Mountains to leave this world.

Some of the best wool shawls in India can be purchased here. Good places to shops are The Mall in Manali and Akhara Bazaar in the town of Kullu.

The best time to visit is the end of April to June and September to mid-October. July and August are also good, but it will be rainy. The rest of the year it will be very cold and snowy, especially December to February.

Travel
Vashisht is about 3½ km by road from Manali. You can get an auto-rickshaw or taxi to here. If you are walking it is quicker not to take the road all the way. About a quarter of a km past the turnoff to Vashisht there is a path on the right that goes to the HPTDC Hot Baths after around 300m. Vashisht is around a 30-minute walk from The Mall.

Beas Kund
Vyasadeva is said to have performed austerities here during the Mahabharata period. It is the source of the Beas River and is near the Rohtang Pass.

Solang Nullah
There are skiing slopes in Solang Nullah, 15km north of Manali. Most of the slopes are for beginners. February and March are the best times, as January can be very cold. It is a beautiful area and is a nice place to walk around in the summer.

The HPTDC, Snowbird Adventures, North Face Adventures Tours, the Hotel Ibex and the Mountaineering Institute all offer skiing packages. Raju Guest House in Solang Nullah offers a 10-day package for Rs 700 per day and an extra Rs 200 per day to rent equipment.

Where to Stay and Eat
North Face has nice rooms for Rs 300.
Friendship Hotel has rooms with common bath for Rs 250 and larger rooms with bath for Rs 450.
Raju Guest House has spacious double rooms for Rs 450 and Rs 650 for a room with four beds.

Travel
There are daily buses from Manali to Solang Nullah at noon and 1 pm. You can also take a bus to Palchan and then walk around an hour through a beautiful area to Solang Nullah. It is a 12km walk from Manali along the western side of the Beas River.

Between Manali and Kullu
Arjuna Gupha (Deotibba)tc "Arjuna Gupha (Deotibba)"

This is said to be the place where Arjuna, under the advice of Vyasadeva, performed austerities in a cave, called “Arjuna Gupha,” in order to get the powerful Pashupati Astra weapon from Siva. Here he fought Lord Siva, who was disguised as a Kirata, and satisfied him, thus winning his grace and succeeded in getting the Pashupati Astra. This place is located about 5km south of Manali, just before Jagsukh, in a small place called Prini by the Prini Cafe. It is a hard two-hour climb up to this place from the road, and there is really not much to see when you reach it. I have heard about two other places in India that are claimed to be the site of the same event.

Bhrigu Kund
Bhrigu Muni is said to have performed austerities here. It is a very hard 5 or 6 hours walk to get to this beautiful place.

Jagatsukh
At Jagatsukh, 6km south of Manali, there are two old temples—one small Lord Siva temple and the ancient Sandhya Gayatri and Brahma Temple. The locals say that the Pandavas came to these temples.

Naggar
Phone Code: 01902

Naggar, 13km south of Manali, is a peaceful little village that is a nice place to stay for a while. Naggar was the capital of the Kullu valley for around 1400 years.

Naggar Castle
The Naggar Castle is an interesting place built around a nice courtyard, which has been converted into a hotel. It was built around 500 years ago. There are good views of the valley from the balconies. There is a small, interesting museum.

Within the castle is the Jagti Patt Temple. Inside the temple there is a stone slab 1.5m by 2.5m. The story written on the side of this temple says that it was decided to make Naggar the celestial seat of all the gods. Therefore the gods were transformed into honey-bees with Herculean power. They cut a stone from Deotiba and carried it through the air to what is now the Naggar Castle.

Temples
In Naggar there are some interesting temples. To reach the Murlidhar (Krishna) Temple you have to make a hard twenty-minute climb. There are good views from this temple of the mountains and valley. Non-Hindus are not allowed to enter. It is open in the morning and later in the afternoon.

The Chaturbhuj Vishnu Temple is right off the main road. There is a beautiful 1m (3 ft) Deity of Lord Vishnu in this temple. The Gauri Shankar Siva Temple (12th century) has deities of Siva and Parvati.

The Tripura Sundri Temple is a pagoda-style Durga temple made of wood. It has a three-tiered roof. There is a festival here in May, during which, deities from the local villages are brought here.

Roerich Gallery
T he Roerich Gallery, 1½ km from the castle contains paintings done by Professor Nicholas Roerich, who died in 1947 in Naggar, and his son, Svetoslav Roerich. There are good views from this place. Open daily 9 am to 1 pm and 2 to 5 pm; admission Rs 25.

Where to Stay and Eat
Alliance Guest House (47763), between Tripuri Sundri Temple and Roerich Gallery, is managed by a Frenchman. It has basic rooms with common bath for Rs 90/165 and with bath for Rs 200. It has well-priced thalis, breakfasts and Western food. It is a good budget choice. Recommended.
Snow View Guest House (47325), near the Tripuri Sundri Temple, has rooms next to a nice garden and dorm beds.
Poonam Lodge & Restaurant is a well-managed place that has good rooms with hot water for Rs 125/150. They rent trekking equipment. It has a veg restaurant. Recommended.
Sheetal Guest House (83319) has rooms with common bath for Rs 100/150 and Rs 450 for a deluxe room. It offers off-season discounts.
Hotel Ragini has nice rooms with a balcony and hot water for Rs 400. It has a good restaurant.
HPTDC Castle Hotel (47816) has basic rooms for Rs 250 and better rooms ranging from Rs 750 to Rs 1100. Dorm beds are Rs 75. This is a popular place so you should book it in advance at any HPTDC tourist office. It has a good restaurant.

Travel
The castle and the places to stay are up a steep hill, two km from the main road where the bus lets you off. You can take an auto-rickshaw up the hill or walk up. There are regular buses from Manali (2 hr) and Kullu (1½ hr) to Naggar. You can also take a bus to Patlikuhl, on the other side of the river and then get a taxi or walk the remaining 6km to Naggar. A return taxi from Manali to the Naggar Castle cost Rs 450, from Kullu Rs 550 and from the airport Rs 500.

Patlikuhl
This village is on the west side of the Beas River, across from Naggar. You can change most types of travelers cheques at the State Bank of Potalia. It is one of the few places in the valley where you can do this.

Beas River Guest House, near the bridge, has basic rooms for Rs 90.
Avtar Guest House (83271) has basic rooms for Rs 140.

Katrain
Nangdraj Guest House is a cheap family-run place.
HPTDC Hotel Apple Blossom (83136) has rooms for Rs 400 and dorm beds for Rs 85. It has some good views, but it is a little run-down.
Raisontc "Raison"
Raison is 12km north of Kullu.
Saga Guest House, in the village, has rooms.
HPTDC Camping Site (83516), next to the river, has huts for Rs 800. A nice place to camp is Rs 90.

Rewalsar Lake
Area Code: 01905

Rewalsar Lake, 25km southeast of Mandi, is a beautiful, peaceful place located well up into the hills. This place is considered holy by the Buddhist because Padmasambhava started from here on his journey to Tibet. Many Buddhist come here each year right after the Tibetan New Year (Feb/March).

It is said that Padmasambhava wanted to instruct the daughter of the local Hindu king. The king didn’t like this and had Padmasambhava burned. The monk then revealed himself as a lotus flower in water. The king then let his daughter be instructed by Padmasambhava, who later went and introduced Buddhism to Tibet. It is said that his footprints are embedded in one of the caves in the hills.

This place is holy to Hindus, because it is said the Lomas Rishi did austerities here to please Lord Siva. In return Siva gave him seven lakes in the area, including Rewalsar Lake. The water of the Ganges and Yamuna are said to have formed these lakes. There are three temples here dedicated to Lord Krishna, Lord Siva and Lomas Rishi.

Located here are the Drikung Kagyud Gompa and also the Tso-Pema Ogyen Heru-kai Nyingmapa Gompa, which has a museum and some nice murals. The monasteries here are part of the Nyingpa sect.

The large Sikh Guru Govind Singh Gurudwara built in 1930 is dedicated to Govind Singh, who spent a month at Rewalsar Lake.

There is a sanctuary here where deer and Himalayan black bear are protected.

Practicalities
The Peace Memorial Inn, at the Drikung Kagyud Gompa, has rooms with common bath for Rs 75 and with bath for Rs 150.
HPTDC Rewalsar (80252) has good rooms with bath and hot water for Rs 250 to Rs 600 and dorm beds for Rs 90. All rooms have balconies, some overlooking the lake.
To get here you have to travel first to Mandi. Buses come here from Mandi every hour. By auto-rickshaw return it is around Rs 200 and by taxi return around Rs 300.

Pandoh
The Pandoh Dam, 2km north of the village of Pandoh, is an impressive dam.

Jai Tarang is a decent restaurant. A round trip taxi to Pandoh is Rs 500 from Kullu and Rs 250 from Mandi.

The Hindu Hongi Temple is eight km north of Pandoh.

Bajaura
Located here, 15km south of Kullu, is the 8th century Basheswar Mahadev Siva Temple, which has some nice sculptures.

Raj Guest House, half a km from the village, has rooms for Rs 100.

Bhuntar
The airport for the Kullu Valley is located in Bhuntar.

Beas Valley Guest House has rooms for Rs 150. Hotel Airport End has clean rooms for Rs 400.
Hotel Sunbeam (65190) has rooms for Rs 250/350. Noble Guest House (65077), has good clean rooms with hot water for Rs 350 (off-season discounts). Hotel Trans Shiva (65623) has rooms for Rs 450.
Hotel Amit (65423) has rooms for Rs 350 to Rs 800.

T here are buses to Kullu, Manali, Chandigarh, Manikaran and Parvati Valley places.
Prices for taxis are around Rs 100 to Kullu, Rs 650 to Manali, Rs 650 to Mandi and Rs 500 to Manikaran.

Malana
Malana is a small village with around 500 people in it. No visitors are allowed to touch the people or anything they own. If they do, they have to pay a fine. Before you enter the village you should wait for an invitation to enter. The people in Malana speak a language similar to Tibetan. Located here is the Jamlu Temple, who is the only deity in the area who does not pay respect to Raghunathji during the Dussehra festival. It is only open to Hindus.

There are a few basic guesthouses here including Santu Ram’s, whose owner knows the trekking trails in the area well. There is a campground just outside the village. You get here by a day trek from Jari or a two-day trek from Naggar.

South Himachal Pradesh

Nirmund
Nirmund is about 90km northeast of Shimla, via Rampur. Parasuram (an incarnation of Lord Vishnu) is said to have performed austerities here. His father sent him off to atone for the killing of Sahasrabahu (Kartaviryarjuna). While Parasuram was gone, the sons of Sahasrabahu came to the ashram of Jamadagni (near Agra) and cut off his head. Parasuram’s mother, Renuka, then beat her breast 21 times in anguish.

When Parasuram returned, he made a vow to rid the earth of the ksatriyas (warrior class) 21 times. The cave where Parasuram did austerities has a silver Deity of Parasuram.

The ancient temple of Devi Ambika is said to have been established by Parasuram. When Lord Vishnu cut up the body of Sati, her head is said to have fallen here.

Nahan
Nahan is a nice town that you may stay in while traveling through this area or when visiting the nearby Renuka Lake. There is a festival here at the end of the monsoon in which around 50 Hindu deities from the area are placed in a tank by a temple here.

Practicalities
Keshav Guest House (01702 2459) has good rooms for Rs 150. Hotel Renuka, near the football grounds, has rooms with bath for Rs 125/160. Hotel Regency (23302) has good rooms with hot water for Rs 300.
There are buses to Shimla, Dehra Dun, Renuka Lake and regular buses to Dadahu (45 minutes walk from Renuka Lake).

Renuka Lake
This nice lake is an hour bus ride from Nahan. You can hire a rowboat at the Hotel Renuka for Rs 40 per half-hour. At this place there is a small bird sanctuary, a small wildlife park that has some deer and some beautiful butterflies.

The lake is named after Renuka, the mother of Parasuram (an incarnation of Lord Vishnu). There is a temple here dedicated to Parasuram and also some other temples. There is a festival here in November.

Practicalities
HPTDC Hotel Renuka (01702 68339) has comfortable rooms with hot water and TV for Rs 450 to Rs 750. It has a nice garden. It is a good idea to book this place in advance. It has a good restaurant.

There are buses that come here direct from Nahan. There are buses every hour from Nahan that go to Dadahu, from where you have to walk 45 minutes to get to the lake.

Paonta Saheb
You may pass through this town located on the border with Uttar Pradesh, while going to somewhere else. There is a Sikh temple here, and Govind Singh, the 10th Sikh guru, spent time here from the ages of 16 to 20. There is also the Yamuna Temple here.

Practicalities
HPTDC Hotel Yamuna (01702 22341) has doubles for Rs 400 to Rs 850.
The cheaper places are rather bad.
There are buses to Shimla, Nahan (2 hr), Dehra Dun (2 hr) and Delhi (morning).

Pin Valley
The Pin Valley is south of Dankar and runs along the Pin River. There are several gompas in the valley. The 15th century Kungri Gompa is considered to be the main gompa in the valley. It is a few km off the main road. There is a gompa in Guling, which has rooms to stay. There is a government guesthouse at Sangam.

Wildlife in the valley includes snow leopards, ibexes, red foxes, eagles, and Himalayan griffons. Travel agents may tell you that the place is rich with wildlife, which may be true, but it is unlikely that you will actually see any. Buses go along the valley from Kaza to Mud, 24km away. There are almost no places to stay in the valley. You have to trek and camp out while visiting the valley.
Kaza to Keylong

To go between Kaza and Keylong you have to go over the Kunzum La Pass at 4550m. At Chandra Tal, a 12km trek from the pass, is the beautiful Chandra Tal (“Moon Lake”). From there you can continue on to Baralacha La, which is on the main road to Leh.

Guru Ghantal Gompa, in the village of Tupchiling, is a hard four-km trek from the village of Gondla. It is part of the Drukpa order and is around 800 years old. It is known for its deity of Padmasambhava.

Bara Shigri (“Big Glacier”), which is reached from Batal, is a 10km long and 1km wide glacier.

Copyright ©2001 John Howley and Spiritual Guides