Himachal Pradesh (Punjabi: ਹਿਮਾਚਲ ਪ੍ਰਦੇਸ਼) is a state in north India, and offers much for those looking to experience the Himalayas. While it does not claim the highest peaks in the range, there is plenty to do aside from mountaineering. Its name literally means "Abode of Snow".
Central Himachal Pradesh (Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Kullu, Mandi, Una)
Eastern Himachal Pradesh (Kinnaur, Lahaul and Spiti)
Northern Himachal Pradesh (Chamba, Kangra)
Southern Himachal Pradesh (Shimla, Sirmaur, Solan)
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Here are nine of the most notable cities:
Shimla 📍 — the summer capital of Himachal and once the summer capital of the British Raj
Dharamsala 📍 — the winter capital of Himachal, it is also the home of the Dalai Lama and India's largest Tibetan community and a major Buddhist centre
Bilaspur 📍 — first city in Himachal Pradesh on way to Manali
Dalhousie 📍 — a sleepy little town which retains its Victorian charm
Jogindernagar 📍 — popularly known as the City of Powerhouses, the town has resorts and tourist attractions
Manali 📍 — a buzzing and popular hill station, and a hub for travel around this part of the Himalayas
Palampur 📍 — famous for tea gardens, Neugal Cafe and Sourav Van Vihar
Bharmour 📍 — the ancient capital of Chamba district, and is known for its scenic beauty and ancient temples
Chandrataal Lake 📍 — a beautiful high altitude lake in Spiti
Great Himalayan National Park 📍 — home to many species of wildlife
Kunjum Pass 📍 (Rohtang Pass) — on the way from Keylong to Kaza, it remains closed for nine months due to heavy snowfall
Masroor Rock Cut Temples 📍 - Sometimes in the 8th or 9th century - but most likely in the second half of the 8th century - one of the characteristic sandstone ridges in Kangri valley was reshaped in a miraculous way.
Narkanda 📍 — known for Hatu Peak on the famous Hindustan Tibet Road
Parvati Valley 📍 — a lush green valley offering numerous treks of different grades
Pin Valley National Park 📍 — located in the Spiti Valley (Lahaul and Spiti), several endangered animals including the Siberian Ibex and Snow Leopard can be found in this snow-covered area
Tashijong 📍 — a small Tibetan settlement with a lay community of about 400 people and a Drukpa Kagyu monastery (established by the 8th Khamtrul Rinpoche) with about 140 monks.
Hindi, Pahari, Punjabi and English are the main languages found in the state. Pahari is a dialect more closely related to the Dogri language in lower Himachal. In upper Himachal languages of Tibetan origin are used in daily conversation. Every district has its own dialect, e.g. Bilaspuri Mandyali.
Shimla, Kullu (for Manali) and Kangra or Pathankot (for Dharamsala) have small airports, with services largely limited to Delhi. Flights are frequently cancelled or delayed by adverse weather. In addition, the airport in Pathankot (Punjab) can be a convenient connection for Dharamsal] and Dalhousie. If you are on a tight budget you might want to skip this option as it is way more costly than other modes of transportation. Airfare on this route is one of the highest in the world for a given unit distance. The airport for Shimla is at Jubbal Hatti, which is around 40 km away from the main Shimla City.
While there are few railways within Himachal Pradesh, it is an effective way to get to within a short distance of the state. Chandigarh is well-serviced and has bus connections to Manali and Shimla, and Pathankot is a good choice if heading to Dharamsala. Due to transfer time, it would likely be slower to reach these destinations by a combination of train and bus, but it would be more comfortable.
Bus is the cheapest and only practical means of getting to many points in Himachal. All cities of interest have direct services from Delhi. There are three different entry routes to Himachal if you are coming from Delhi.
You need an inner line permit to visit some parts of Eastern Himachal Pradesh.
Travel by bus can be done throughout for very little (15-hour bus rides are rarely more than a few hundred rupees). Public buses, though uncomfortable, are a great way to meet people. Though be careful, as riding an Indian bus is already a hair-raising experience, and riding an Indian bus on steep mountain roads is even more intimidating!
Given the difficult geographical position of the state, there is very little penetration of railways. Railways give access to peripheral districts and the capital, Shimla. Nevertheless, it is an amazing experience going from Kalka to Shimla. The Kalka-Shimla railway track is a UNESCO world heritage site. Few points in Himachal are easily accessible by train, but there are narrow-gauge railways from Pathankot (Punjab) to Kangra and Kalka (Haryana) to Shimla. This will take you through beautiful rural Himalayan regions. The ride beyond Kangra is amazing. You ride along the Dhauladhar Range of the Himalayas via Palampur and Baijnath to Joginder Nagar. The region is crisscrossed by rivers and streams.
Enfield motorcycles can be rented here for less than 5 dollars a day, with no verification of a motorcycle license. Note that the area may not be the best place to learn how to ride.
Trekking opportunities are plentiful, here are a few:
Trekking routes in Himachal
HP food is often very simple but nutritious, including daal, rice, roti, vegetables, paneer, curds and pickles in the Punjabi-influenced Pahari regions. Further north, Tibetan influence is stronger and barley is the main staple grain. Some of the specialities of Himachal include Manee', Madira, Pateer, Chouck, Bhagjery and chutney of Til.
In the Tibetan-influenced regions, chhang (fermented rice wine) is common.
There are plenty of hotels and restaurants in and around District HQ as well as main tourist places. There are rest houses of HP PWD at places where it is hard to find hotels.