Himachal Travel Diaries

Dharamshala and McLeod Ganj

On our Day3, we were heading to our next place of interest, Dharamshala, a beautiful hill city in the Kangra Valley in the Kangra district which is about 120kms from Khajjiar. We left Khajjiar around 8 and reached McLeod Ganj around 12PM(a suburb of Dharamshala and a beautiful hilltown, which is also called as Little Lhasa due to the large Tibetan settlements).

Our first place of visit was Dal Lake, a small lake in McLeod Ganj which is surrounded by deodar trees and the water here is greenish. There is a Shiva Temple opposite to the lake and it is considered to be built by sage Agastya.

We then headed to the most visited place in McLeod Ganj which is the Dalai Lama Temple which is considered as the official residence of His Holiness, the 14th Dalai Lama and his personal monastery, the Namgyal Monastery. It is about 4kms from Dal Lake. The place is very well maintained and provides excellent views of the majestic mountains that surround. The monastery and temple complex also has a Tibetan museum which showcases the history of the Tibetan Buddhist monks. The museum has pictures of various monks who are killed brutally by the Chinese army. A granite memorial is also placed to commemorate the sacrifices of monks at the entrance of the museum. The complex even has a large Buddhist prayer wheel.

We then had our lunch at a small restaurant in McLeod Ganj and then visited Bhagsu Nag temple and Bhagsu Waterfalls. The waterfalls is in Bhagsu, a village about 2kms from McLeod Ganj. This is a scenic 20m waterfall located about 1km from Bhagsunag temple, along a trail lined with street cafes. The waterfalls is surrounded by hills and mountains. BhagsuNag temple is an ancient temple dedicated to Lord Shiva and there are also freshwater pools near the temple which are actually considered holy and pilgrims take a dip here.

We then reached out hotel at Dharamshala and evening was time to explore the nearby places. While roaming around the nearby markets, we found a monastery [Lhundrub Chime Gatsal Ling Monastery] which was very calm and amazing. The atmosphere was very pleasant and can be considered one of the places for meditation. The monastery complex also has a divine chorten or stupa and in the backdrop of the chorten, one can see the beautiful mountains. After spending some time here and some shopping, we came back to our hotel.

Dharamshala to Manali via Kullu

On Day 4, it was time to bid adieu to Dharamshala, as we proceeded to one of the most famous destinations in the Himalayas, Manali. With the total distance of about 225kms, it takes roughly 7 hrs to cover the distance. The day was not just about travel, we visited two popular temples in the Kangra region and then did river rafting at Kullu in Beas river.

We started from Dharamshala around 9AM and first we visited Chamunda Devi Temple or also called as Chamunda Nandikeshwar Dham, an ancient Hindu temple dedicated to Chamunda Devi and is about 16kms from Dharamshala. The temple was a bit crowded and after the Pindi darshan of the Goddess (Goddess here is in the form of a small rock like structure and is called Pindi), we also did spend some time and did photography near the river that flows beside the temple.

After crossing Palampur (a place known for tea gardens) and checking out some tea gardens on the way, we then reached Baijnath, a small town about 55kms from Dharamshala. The town is known for its ancient Shiva temple, Baijnath Temple. The temple was built in the 8th century in the Nagara style of architecture. The temple entrance and surroundings have beautiful gardens and from these gardens, one can get the appealing view of the Kangra Valley and the river flowing near the Khir Ganga Ghat which is accessible by a walking trail from the temple complex.

After our lunch at Mandi (district/town in HP), we then proceeded towards Kullu [Mandi to Kullu is about 67kms and takes about 3 hrs]. Around 5PM, we reached Kullu and our driver suggested that we should try river rafting in Beas river. My family being newbies to rafting, they were initially skeptical but they agreed to do it and thoroughly enjoyed it. Being a short ride of about 8kms and a professional accompanying (with all safety like helmet and jacket), the view of the valley as we traversed the Beas was breathtakingly beautiful. Although it was very nice, to me the experience at Zanskar (in Ladakh) was a better one. One good thing here was that the organizers had arranged to capture the best moments of the activity (both video and photo) and charge a nominal amount for transfer. Since we did not have a waterproof camera or a GoPro, we made use of it.

Suggested Read: Ladakh travel experience

We then visited a Shawl factory on the way to Manali and at the factory, we did shopping of sweaters and shawls. There are other items such as Woolen jackets, mufflers, scarfs and stole available at the factory. We reached Manali around 830PM.

Manali

At our Manali hotel (Lords Residency in Aleo, New Manali), we did have a little bit of hassle here for getting the rooms due to some miscommunication between Travels and the hotel. Soon the issue got resolved and we were able to check in. The spacious and well maintained rooms at this hotel have a balcony facing the Beas river and the mighty mountains and deodar tree forest. The sound of the flowing river can be heard from the room.

After an exhausting journey, our next day was a lite event with a half day of local sightseeing. The important places that we visited are Hadimba Temple, Club House, Van Vihar, Tibetan Monastery.

Built in the 16th century and amidst lush green deodar trees, Hadimda Temple is one of the most visited sites in Manali. It is dedicated to Hidimbi Devi, the wife of Bhima from the epic Mahabharata. It is believed that the cave around which the temple is built was used by Hidimbi for meditation. About 100m away from the temple, there is a temple dedicated to Hidimba and Bhima's son, Ghatotkacha.

Yak riding near the temple is an added attraction (we did not do this)

Club house in Manali is another frequently visited place and it is an amusement zone with lots of shopping opportunities as well. It has indoor game facilities such as carrom, table tennis. Situated on the left bank of river Manalsu, it is managed by the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC) and offers its visitors, karting and skating as well. A bit of an adventure is added with the river crossing ropeway. After spending some time here, we then headed to Van Vihar.

Van Vihar is a municipal garden situated near the Tibetan Monastery on the Mall Road in Old Manali. With lots of deodar trees, this is a perfect place to relax and have a memorable time. Many locals and tourists visit the park to get the fresh breeze of the Deodar trees. The park also has a man-made lake situated in the middle of the woods. Tourists can enjoy boating in the lake for about 15 minutes which costs around INR 30. The park has toilet facilities too and there are swings.

Our last place for the day was the Gadhan Thekchhokling Gompa Monastery or also called Manali Gompa constructed in 1960. It is on the Mall road, a 5 minute walk from the Bus stand. The Monastery is constructed in a pagoda-style architecture and is located amidst the lush green surroundings of Manali. The monastery is also known for its wall paintings, Chortens and a large sculpture of Lord Buddha.

Our evening was for leisure and we took a stroll around our hotel and also walked up to the bridges across Beas river that connects Old Manali to New Manali and also to the Manali-Leh Highway. Beas river flows with tremendous force near these bridges and it is a sight to behold. (The bridge is around 750m from our place of stay)

On our Day 6, we had the opportunity to go to Gulaba [Our timing was bad that we did not plan in accordance with the opening of Rohtang La, one of the most visited high altitude mountain passes]. When Rohtang La is closed for vehicular movement, tourists are allowed to go till Gulaba, a small hill town around 20 kms from Manali on the Manali - Leh highway. During that time of the year, one can still find snow at Gulaba and can indulge in snow activities such as skiing and snow tubing. One can also include trekking and horse riding. There are many shops on the way to Gulaba that offer these activities along with a guide and the required shoes and dress can be rented here. It overall costed about 2.5k. One has to be good in negotiating a deal with these vendors else it can turn out to be very expensive.

Suggested Read: Manali to Leh road trip

The activities were super fun although the amount of snow was less and sparse.

While returning to Manali, we stopped at multiple places for views and photoshoots. One such spot is a beautiful road side waterfalls and other being a stunning sight of the surrounding valleys.

After having momos at a small restaurant near Vashisht (around 4kms from Manali), our next place of visit was Vashisht Temple in Vashisht.

Vashisht is a small village across the River Beas famous for its hot sulphur water springs and Vashisht temple, which is dedicated to sage Vashisht and the temple is just next to the springs. There is another temple dedicated to Lord Rama adjacent to Vashisht Temple.

Inside the Vashisht temple, one can see black stone idol which is of the Rishi/sage and is wearing dhoti. The temple exterior decor is filled with carvings on wood and looks very subtle and beautiful and gives a divine touch.

The water from the hot springs here is believed to have great healing powers and the temple complex has bath houses (separate for men and women) and many visitors enjoy having a bath here.

We returned back to our hotel for lunch and our evening was a time for relaxation at the hotel.

Manali to Manikaran

With lots of good memories, we did say goodbye to Manali and were headed to Kasol or famously known as "Mini Israel of India", which is a beautiful town nested amidst the captivating beauty of the Parvati Valley. Kasol is about 78kms from Manali and one has to go via Kullu and Bhuntar and take a deviation to reach Kasol.

On our way, we stopped near Kullu to visit Vaishno Devi Temple, a Hindu temple dedicated to Goddess Vaishno Devi. The temple is situated on the banks of the Beas river and is about 37kms from Manali. The temple complex is multi storied with many small shrines dedicated to different deities and the main shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi is inside a cave and visitors are required to crawl inside it.

After taking blessings from Mata, we proceeded to Kasol and once into the area of Parvati Valley (almost right after the deviation near Bhuntar), the surrounding landscapes become serene and heavenly. As we entered Kasol, we could get that Israeli vibes with many foreigners seen and shops with boards in Hebrew [Language used in Israel] and also eateries selling Israeli food such as Falafel, Onion rings with hummus and so on. [We were not so inclined towards trying those].

After checking in to our hotel at Kasol, we then went to one of the important Sikh and Hindu Pilgrim site, Manikaran which has temples and a gurudwara. Manikaran is about 4kms from Kasol. The entire route is very picturesque, roads slightly narrow and on the banks of river Parvati, one can find many river camp sites.

At Manikaran, there is a Sikh Gurudwara and Hindu Temple on the river bank. From the car parking site, one can enter the Gurudwara by a bridge built across the river Parvati. The stunning landscape along with the river flowing right in front of the Gurudwara-Temple complex, makes this place absolutely heavenly.

The site also has hot water springs (these do not have sulphur and food can be cooked in this water) and a hot water pond in which devotees take a dip as it is believed to have curative powers. [As per Hindu belief, this is the site where Sheshnag, the serpent god, hissed that resulted in these hot waters and in these hot waters emerged the precious stones (Mani) of Goddess Parvati that she had lost]

The Gurudwara offers free langar to all and the food is vegetarian. We had our langar and it was so good. After taking blessings at the Gurudwara, we then visited the Shiva Temple that is next to the Gurudwara and can be reached from the Gurudwara's backdoor which leads to a mini market alley.

Near the Shiva temple, there are multiple hot water kund and right above one of them is a beautiful black Shiva statue. The entire region is very picturesque, divine and very calm.

After a splendid time at Manikaran, we returned back to Kasol. Our evening was at leisure to explore the markets of Kasol.

Kasol to Shimla and Shimla sightseeing

Our last destination in Himachal was its capital Shimla, often considered as the Queen of Hill stations. Once the summer capital of the British India, Shimla is built over seven hills. From Kasol, Shimla is about 220kms and takes about 8hrs (via Bhuntar, Pandoh, Mandi, Sundernagar)

About 60kms from Kasol and near Mandi in the village of Kun, there is a temple called Shri Hanogi Mata Mandir, located right on the Manali-Shimla highway. It is a small temple dedicated to Hanogi or Saraswati Mata. The temple surroundings is very scenic. We stopped here for Mata darshan and then visited Pandoh dam. This is one of the dams built on the Beas river and is situated in Pandoh (in Mandi district of HP). Used for hydroelectric power generation, the dam was constructed in 1977 .

Next up, we stopped at Sundernagar Lake, a small lake visible from the main road and is located in SunderNagar, about 42kms from Pandoh. The lake is good and very calm atmosphere.

We reached Shimla around 5PM and visited the Mall road, the Ridge, the Christ Church and Rani Jhansi Park. This was our second visit to Shimla and hence did not include much sightseeing here. Like Mall roads in other major hill stations, Shimla's Mall road is also famous for being the shopping center of the city and also houses the municipal corporation and police headquarters. There is also an elevator facility available to reach Mall road from the lower lying vehicle parking area (on the Cart Road).

Near to Mall road is The Ridge, a large open space that provides good views of the Shimla hills and is the place where cultural activities takes place. Also, during winter, many tourists visit Shimla to do Ice skating here at the Ridge. Important landmarks on the Ridge are the Christ Church, built in 1844 and a library building built in 1910. There are statues on the ridge of Mahatma Gandhi, Indira Gandhi, Dr. Y.S. Parmar (the founder and first Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh). A small park is built around the late CM's statue and the park is named after Lt General Daulat Singh. The park is a good place to spend time relaxing and enjoying the picturesque views of the hills.

From the Ridge one can get a good glimpse of the tall Hanuman statue located on top of Jackoo Hill (or Jacku) near Jacku Temple. The hill is the highest peak of Shimla and the statue is about 108feet and the temple can be accessible by foot, horse, taxi or ropeway.

As we walked down on the Mall road towards the parking, we visited another park, this one dedicated to and named after the brave Queen, Rani Lakshmi Bai of Jhansi and the park is called Rani Jhansi Park. The park, at its center, has a magnificent statue of the Queen on a horse with her sword.

After our limited sightseeing, we reached our hotel in Shimla to spend the night.

One attraction that we could not do in our list, due to shortage of time, was the Shimla-Kalka narrow gauge train journey, considered one of the scenic train journeys of India.

Shimla to Chandigarh and Pinjore Gardens

It was our last day in Himachal and we headed back to Chandigarh to board our flight to Bengaluru. Shimla to Chandigarh is about 120kms and takes about 4hrs.

About 25kms from Chandigarh, is a Mughal Garden in Pinjore (Haryana state) called Yadavindra Gardens which is a 17th century garden. The Garden has many terraces, small palaces such as “Shish Mahal”, "Hawa Mahal", "Rang Mahal" and "Jal Mahal". It also has many fruit trees, a flower garden and many beautiful fountains. At the end of the garden is an open air theatre. With an entrance fee of about INR 25, this is a perfect place for some nice day outing and amazing for photoshoots.

Outside the Garden near the parking space, there are even restaurants and toilet facility (Toilets available inside the Garden too)

After visiting the Garden and lunch at the restaurant outside the garden, we headed to Chandigarh Airport and it was time to fly back to Bengaluru. 

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