The natural beauty of the landscape, the serenity in the environment and the majestic Sivalik hills have made people exclaim Himachal Pradesh to be the ‘Paradise on Earth’ and ‘Devabhumi’, meaning land of the Gods.
Nestled in the bosom of Western Himalayas, Himachal Pradesh is credited as a wonderful destination for tourists, vacationers and moreover honeymooners, who flock the state to relax, enjoy, rejuvenate and escape from the humdrum of their monotonous life. The most popular tourist spots which are flocked by tourists, especially during the month of April-June are:
- Shimla
- Chamba
- Rohtang Pass
- Kangra
- Manali
- Kullu
- Dalhousie
Astonishingly, the state which is famous for being tranquil and calm, at the same time has a lot to offer for those who seek adventures. They can go trekking at Zanskar Range, Dhauladhar Range or Pirpanjal Range; engage in bird watching or jeep safaris, go out for mountain climbing near Manali and above all enjoy camping at Lahaul, Kullu-Manali, Spiti, Simla and Dalhousie. For those who love to enjoy the snowfall the best time to visit the state would be during December-January.
Flora and Fauna of Himachal Pradesh
The natural bounty of the North Indian state includes, snow capped mountains touching the skies, stunning glaciers, serene and beautiful lakes, lush valleys, green forests, flowery colorful meadows and cascading rivers.
The incredible fact that baffles everyone is that the rivers crisscrossing the mountains of Himachal Pradesh are known to be older than the mountains themselves. The drainage of Himachal Pradesh includes Indus, Ganges, Chenab, Ravi, Beas, Sutlej and Yamuna.
Himachal Pradesh is said to be the fruit bowl of India, and now the state government is gearing up to make it the flower basket of the world as well. The state has orchards, meadows and pastures spread over not only on the plains, but also on the steep slopes. The state is famous for the Shimla apples, which was introduced by Samuel Evan Stokes, who brought the sapling from USA in 1920. Today we find variety of apples like Red Delicious, Golden and Yellow Newton which has brought prosperity to state, giving it the name Apple State of India. Along with apples the state boasts of cultivating citrus, grapes, mangoes, litchis, strawberries, apricots, peaches, cherries, pears, kiwi and olive. The gardens and orchards are worth a visit for enthusiastic tourists. At many places they can have the taste of the fresh fruits directly from the trees.
The valleys and meadows are strewn with exotic wild flowers, where as gladiolas, carnations, marigolds, tulips, lilies, roses and chrysanthemums are cultivated for trading. The flowers spread around the state in various hues and shades, especially during the months of April-August, take the breath away of the viewer with their beauty.
For those who love wild life, the state has around 1200 bird and 360 animal species to look for. Snow Leopard is the state animal of Himachal Pradesh. The other animals that are known habitat the state are, leopard, antelopes, deer, bears, thar, ibex and musk deer. Bharal, which is a wild sheep with a bluish-grey coat, and horns that curve backward, is also found in this state. There are about 32 wildlife sanctuaries, 2 national parks and 3 game reserves in Himachal Pradesh. Birds like pheasants, partridges and patient kites are sighted everywhere, where as the rare bird species like Himalayan Monal and Asian paradise flycatcher can be seen in sanctuaries or Birds Park.
What to Shop
Himachal Pradesh is a wonderful place to shop for handicrafts. Seeing that the state is famous for carpets, Pashmina shawls, coarse Desar, Himachali Caps, woodwork, exotic metal wares, leather goods and Kangra miniature paintings, one can sure give in to a shopping spree.
Getting There
For those travelling by air, there are three main airports serving Himachal. They are at Jabbarhatti near Shimla, Gaggal near Kangra and Bhunter near Kullu.
Rail travel is not recommended for this hilly state as it has just two narrow gauge rail lines between Kalka and Shimla and Pathankot and Joginder Nagar.
The best way to travel would be through road transport as the state is crisscrossed by 3 national highways. The roads are fairly well maintained, making the travel a pleasant experience for the tourist.
If you are planning to visit Himachal Pradesh then you will a good few days to see all the top spots. There are plenty of hotels for every budget. I suggest you go though the top hotel sites. You will be able to find good hotels if you shop around for the best deals. If you want good Hotel Deals at Best Prices then I suggest you check out the voucher deals they have on offer. I am sure you will be able to good deals. Before you rush out to buy your tickets to India and to fly locally you might wish to check out the Travelguru Domestic Flight Ticket Offers. There are plenty of offers, vouchers and coupons for you to choose from. If you need any help or you want to ask any questions then feel to contact me.
I hope you will enjoy this beautiful state of Himachal Pradesh.