Best of Himachal Tour

Best of Himachal Tour Packages

About Shimla

Himachal Pradesh - One of the most popular states in India for tourism is known for Pleasant weather round the year , Sun and Snow in the winters , Temples , Unique Cuisine and Culture and many more things . The Hill state in Norther India is rich in Flora and Fauna and offers a holiday experience which is apt for all segments and ages of travellers . Some of the most important tourist destinations in and around Himachal Pradesh are listed below :

Chandigarh

Situated at the edge of the Shivalik Hills, Chandigarh is India's first planned and most modern city. It was conceived as the Capital of Punjab and Le Corbusier, the Swiss born French architect, was selected to design and build the city. India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, while laying the foundation stone in 1952 said, "Let this new town be the first large expression of our creative genius flowering on our newly earned freedom". Best of Himachal Tour Packages...

Chandigarh has a unique character and even though Corbusier's uniform and standardized designs tend to be a trifle monotonous at times, the wide tree-lined roads, easily defined localities nominated as 'sectors', a great amount of greenery and the general sense of organization, all contribute towards making Chandigarh a charming place to live in and visit. It is completely different and free of the chaos and congestion one associates with other Indian cities, and this is a very welcome change. Chandigarh is also a good place to start your journey to the towns situated in the higher reaches of the Himalayas. The famous sights in Chandigarh include the Rock Garden, the Sukhna Lake, Capitol Complex, the Open Hand, etc. The Open Hand constructed entirely of sheet metal is the official emblem of Chandigarh, and it aptly conveys the city's symbolic message 'Open to give, Open to receive'.

Nalagarh

Nalagarh was once the capital of the Kingdom of Hindur, founded in 1100 A.D by Raja Ajai Chand, a Chandela Rajput. It was known for its many forts, but sadly only two have survived the ravages of time.

Resting upon a forested hillock, the Nalagarh Fort rises up and dominates the surrounding countryside. This impressive fort was built in 1421, during the reign of Raja Bikram Chand. His descendants Vijayendra Singh and his son Jayat Singh, have now restored the fort and converted it into an attractive and appealing heritage hotel, that evokes a sense of timeless unity with its environs, with an air of regal isolation. If you are looking for a spot to retreat from the heat and the dust of the plains, then Nalagarh is the place that will soothe the eyes as much as it calms the soul. It offers refreshing views of the Shivalik Range of Himalayan Mountains, a tempting swimming pool to chill in, twenty tastefully refurbished rooms, green lawns and also history and an air of nostalgia. The Nalagarh family also arranges excursions to the Ramgarh Fort which is just 21 kms away and also owned by them. Built in 1540, this fort commands a breathtaking view of the plains of Punjab as well the snow-clad peaks of the Himalayas. Best of Himachal Tour Packages...

Pragpur

Pragpur is said to have been founded in the early 17th century. Prag means 'Pollen' in Sanskrit and Pragpur literally translates as 'Country of Pollen'. Situated at an altitude of 585 metres, Pragpur is located in the Kangra valley, which is replete with history and also famous for its distinctive style of paintings. Pragpur has now been declared a 'Heritage Village' by the Himachal Pradesh government to preserve its medieval heritage.

Pragpur also has some religious significance because it is placed in an area where according to an old Hindu belief, the prayers recited at the three Shakti temples of Jwalamukhi, Chintpurni and Brajeshwari have a positive effect.

The main attraction of Pragpur is The Judge's Court. Reflecting the ambience of the Anglo-Indian traditions, this country manor was built by Justice Sir Jai Lal at the turn of the last century and it stands in a eight acre orchard consisting of mango, lychee, grape and exotic trees like clove and camphor. His descendant Vijay Lal , has now converted his ancestral home into a heritage hotel. The rooms are tastefully decorated and have interesting names like - Dhauladhar, Kipling, Best of Himachal Tour Packages...

Kangra, etc. The Judge's Court has an atmosphere reminiscent of the 'Raj' and it is ideally located to visit the three Shakti temples. Other places of interest include Garli, a sister village of Pragpur, known for its colonial style mansions. The temple at Dadasiba has some exquisite Kangra wall paintings and evil spirits are supposed to be exorcised at the temple in Mari!

Palampur/Taragarh

Palampur is a picturesque little town known as the garden of 'two-leaves-and-a-bud' as it is surrounded on all sides by extensive tea gardens. In 1849, the Superintendent Botanical Gardens of the North-West Frontier Province, Dr.Jameson, introduced the tea bush from Almora here. Thanks to the abundance of water and the cool breezes and bright sunshine, the bush thrived and the town of Palampur grew with it and became a focus of European tea estate owners. It remains a prominent tea-growing centre and is increasingly becoming popular as a hill retreat. The appropriately named Hotel T-Bud, run by Himachal Pradesh Tourism is located at the upper end of the town, amongst tea gardens and cedar and pine trees. It offers decent rooms and also ayurvedic massages and the 'Panchkarma' therapy. Best of Himachal Tour Packages...

At a distance of just 11 kms from Palampur is the Taragarh Palace. Situated at an elevation of 1000 metres in the Kangra Valley, the Taragarh Palace is placed in a fifteen acre forested estate and was built in the 1930's. After India's independence, the royal family of the neighbouring state of Jammu and Kashmir acquired it. They own it even today and have converted it into an enamouring heritage hotel. The Taragrah Palace offers splendid views of the surrounding snow-capped peaks of the Dhauladhar Range of the Himalayan Mountains and combines all the charm and beauty of a remote and peaceful mountain resort, with the splendour and elegance of a princely preserve. It is also a good base for making excursions to the ancient temple at Baijnath, where Lord Shiva is revered as 'Vaidyanath' - the Lord of Physicians. Baijnath is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas and a very . well known pilgrim centre. Other attractions include the peaceful Tashi Jong Tibetan monastery and Bir, which is perched at a height of 2800 metres and is a popular base for adventure sports like Hand gliding and Para gliding.

Manali

Located at an altitude of 1830 metres, the hill-station of Manali is placed at the end of the Kullu Valley, which is about 80 kms long and just 2 km wide! The River Beas and its tributaries slice through this valley made up of grassy meadows carpeted with wild flowers, hills covered with rich deodar forest and apple orchards blossoming in the shadow of the Himalayas. Best of Himachal Tour Packages...

The Kullu valley is also famous for its bhang (marijuana), which grows wild here. And because of this, ever since the days of the hippie movement, Manali and its sister town Kullu, have been part of the 'happening scene'. Manali has now also become a popular base for trekking and mountaineering in summer and skiing in winter. The influx of both foreign and domestic tourists has led to the mushrooming of hundreds of hotels and guesthouses and brought in rampant commercialization in its wake. But the neighbouring town of Nagar is still largely unspoilt and the 500-year-old Nagar Castle here is now an atmospheric heritage hotel run by Himachal Tourism. This impressive structure built from stone and wood stands tall even today as a testimony of the earthquake resistant properties of the local architecture, and offers a great view of the Himalayas.

It is also believed that Nagar is the seat of the Gods and that in the event of any crisis, all the Gods gather at the small Jagati Pat temple situated in the courtyard of the castle. Another attraction of Nagar is the home of the renowned Russian painter Nicholas Roerich, which is now a museum displaying his paintings of the Himalayas and several folk carvings. The largest angora farm in Asia is also located in Kullu, and you should shop for the woollen shawls made from ansora rabbits that this region is famous for. Best of Himachal Tour Packages...

Dharamshala

Dharamshala, which literally means "The Holy Refuge" is now also known as the 'Little Lhasa in India', as it is the chosen home of the spiritual and temporal head of the Tibetan people, His Holiness the Dalai Lama. It also serves as the headquarters of the Tibetan government in exile.

Situated in the Kangra Valley, against the backdrop of the magnificent Dhauladhar Range of the Himalayan Mountains, Dharamshala is split into different levels and the upper one is now known as McLeodganj. It is the present home of the Dalai Lama, who attained international fame in 1989, when he was awarded the Nobel Prize, primarily for his endeavours to find a peaceful solution for the liberation of Tibet from China.

The rich Tibetan culture and the freedom movement draws many Western supporters to Dharamshala, and this constant flow has brought in its wake many hotels and fine restaurants. Now this retreat in the Himalayas caters to a whole spectrum of varying tastes and also offers one the opportunity to grab a taste of Tibetan flavour. Best of Himachal Tour Packages...

Dalhousie

Dalhousie, nestled at the foot of the Dhauladhar Range of the Himalayas at an elevation of 2300 metres, sprawls over and around five hills. With its salubrious climate and thick forests of oak and pine, the British conceived Dalhousie as the 'Health farm of India' and named it after the 'Marquis of Dalhousie' who between 1848 and 1856 was one of the ablest and most controversial Governor-Generals of India. Nobel-laureate Rabindranath Tagore also wrote his first poem here as a boy. And the freedom fighter Subhash Chandra Bose, is also believed to have visited Dalhousie secretly, to plan his strategies during World War II. Best of Himachal Tour Packages...

Today, Dalhousie is a quiet town with a sense of enchantment. It has imposing views and retains its lazy serenity. But it is no longer just a pretty place to seek refuge from the heat of the plains. It has also become a very popular educational centre and an important base for the Win Army, lnspite this it is a peaceful place where you can enjoy wandering through the thick oat pine and rhododendron forests and also experience some of the British ambience in the town. Few of the places worth visiting are the several viewpoints, the St.Andrew's, Church, the St-Patrick's Church, the St.Francis Church, and the St.John's Church, all of which provide Dalhousie with its colonial charm. Best of Himachal Tour Packages...

Kalatope Wildlife Sanctuary

This high altitude sanctuary is home to a variety of animals such as the barking deer, hare, fox and other such small carnivores. The dense pine and deodar forest is also rich in bird life.

Perched on top of the Kalatope hill at a height of 2480 metres is a lovely forest rest house constructed in I 925.This colonial style rest house offers a lofty view of the snow-capped Himalayas and the blissful solitude of the forest, occasionally broken by singing birds, makes this a magical destination. The caretaker of the rest house caters simple vegetarian meals, but if you are planning a long stay it is best to carry your own supplies. And advance booking is necessary. Best of Himachal Tour Packages...

Khajjiar

Khajjiar is situated at a height of 2000 metres. Thick pine and cedar forests surround the lush green saucer shaped meadow of Khajjiar and it is among the 160 locations in the world, that bear topographical resemblance to Switzerland. In 1992, the Vice Councilor and Head of Chancery of Switzerland, was here and he called Khajjiar the 'Mini Switzerland of India'.

Amidst the snow-clad mountains, Khajjiar is an island of greenery with a small lake and gently gurgling streams and springs. It's tranquility and beauty make this lesser known hill station Himachal Pradesh an inviting destination. Best of Himachal Tour Packages...

Chamba

Situated on the banks of the River Ravi at an altitude of 996 metres, Chamba dates back to the 6th century and has the distinction of being one of the oldest towns in India.

Chamba is known for the elegance of its old buildings and for its exquisite miniature paintings and handicrafts. It is also the starting point for treks into the interiors of the mighty Himalayas. Chamba remains an isolated destination because of its more attractive neighbours. But for the keen traveller who seeks the enchantment of a lesser visited place, Chamba with its hilly ambience, long standing history and fine handicrafts, may just be the place to go.

Amritsar

Amritsar, meaning 'pool of nectar', gets its name from the sacred Amrit Sarovar, which surrounds the Golden Temple, the holiest of Sikh sites. The Golden Temple, also known, as the Harmandir Sahib is the spiritual and cultural nerve centre of the Sikh faith and every Sikh tries to make a visit here and bathe in the holy water. Best of Himachal Tour Packages...

The history of Amritsar dates back to ancient times. Having heard of the miraculous curing properties of the Amrit Sarovar, Guru Ram Das, the fourth guru started enlarging it. His son and successor Guru Arjan Dev enlarged the holy tank further and built the original temple at its centre. He then compiled a collection of hymns of the great saints from all faiths, and this became the Adi Granth, the 'Original Holy Book'. It was installed in the Harmandir Sahib in 1604, as the focus of devotion and teaching. Later Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth and last guru revised the book and also refused to name a successor saying the book itself would be the Guru of Sikhs, and thus it came to be known as 'The Granth Sahib'. Even today, as you follow the procession of the 'Guru Granth Sahib' to the Akal Takht within the Golden Temple complex, all traumas are scattered to the winds, and what remains is an air of deep devotion and happiness. Best of Himachal Tour Packages...

The Golden Temple with its four entry doors always open, welcomes people of all religions and origins. Outside the sacred precincts of the Golden Temple, sprawls the old city inviting you to explore the age-old markets and enjoy the street food and rich culinary heritage for which Amritsar is so famous. The fabulous offerings of Punjabi specialties like makki ki roti, sarson da saag, channa bhatura, tandoori chicken, fried fish, kababs and delectable jalebis and gur da halwa are all sure to keep your taste buds on a constant high. It does not take long to discover that food is an obsession for the locals, and it is rumoured that more desi ghee is consumed here than anywhere else in the world!

While most people only come to Amritsar for the Golden Temple, there is more to see. The Jallianwala Bagh is a monument dedicated to the hundreds of martyrs who lost their lives in the massacre ordered by General Dyer in 1919. Other attractions include the Fort Gobind Garh, which was built by Maharaja Ranjit Singh. The Durgiana Mandir is a beautiful temple dedicated to Goddess Durga. Wagah is on the Indo-Pakistan border 28 kms away, and tourists and locals throng here every evening to see the dramatic and aggressive change of guards ceremony by the border security forces of both the countries. Best of Himachal Tour Packages...

Amritsar also has some good places to stay, with the Hotel Ritz Plaza being one of the oldest and most famous ones. Another most appealing option is the Rajkit's Svaasa Heritage Boutique Spa Resort that is housed in a 250 year old manor and offers excellent home food made from organic produce, ayurvedic therapies, supremely comfortable rooms and above all, a peaceful atmosphere amidst scented plants and greenery, and all this in the heart of the city.

For more information on best of Himachal tour packages contact Swan Tours - One of the leading Travel Agents in India, Some links which would give details of Himachal Pradesh are as below:

Himachal Pradesh Tour Packages

Manali Volvo Packages

Shimla Tour Packages

Manali Tour Packages

Dalhousie Dharamshala Amritsar Tour

Shimla Manali Tour

Himachal Travel Package

Manali Dharamshala Tour Package