After reading this
post, do not blame me for using the word "Himachal" to cover just the
two places - Kullu and Manali - that we visited. You will realize too,
towards the end - that Himachal blooms its best at these two praised and prized
tourist destinations.
Day 1:
I can cover the
journey till Kullu in a wink, however the travel wasn’t that undersized.
Reached Delhi from Bangalore by flight, a 2 hr 25 mins air-fly. From Delhi one
can choose to reach Kullu-Manali by car, bus or any other convenient commute.
Delhi to Kullu is around 520 kms and takes nothing less than 13-14 hrs by road.
Ambala, Chandigarh, Bilaspur and Mandi are the main stations on the way.
Of interest is the Aout(Aut?) Tunnel which comes around 40-50 kms from Mandi. It is a 3 km tunnel, considered the longest ROAD tunnel in India(am not sure though). The tunnel is well lit, nicely maintained and the road is beautifully laid. Its indeed an experience to travel through it.
We measured the
distance in a decent AC Indica car and reached Manali (via Kullu) in close to
14 hrs. Night stay – at Hotel SunPark in Manali.
Good: Driver – very patient, extremely talented to wade through
the narrow crowded Himachal roads
Best: Vyas(Beas) river flowing right with you all along the
journey throughout Himachal
Not so good: Time of the year(June). Very hot.
Makes the travel uncomfortable
Suggestion: Choose to fly to Kullu airport(you
need to work-out on the flights as their frequency and capacity are meager)
Day 2:
The next morning, we
took off to Kullu after night stay at Manali.
The path ports
forests, smiling rivulets, apple grooves richly laden, fair handsome men and
the white beautiful women who inhabit the place.
First stop was at
Vaishno Devi temple. A small cave umbrellas an idol of goddess Vaishno Devi as
is in the Jammu-Katra Vaishno Devi Mandir. This isn’t a single shrine, but a
temple complex. Graceful idols of Goddesses in various avatars, Lord Shiva make
the complex adorable.
Vyas river flows
along the road housing the temple, adding to its explicable beauty.
The next pit stop was
at Kullu Shawl Factory. There are a number of shops, factories making and
selling woolen goods in Kullu. One can take a few minutes off at these places
to shell-out thousands on woolen garments and blankets. People do claim that
the prices are reasonable.
Then came the most
awaited part. River rafting.
River Vyas(Beas – as
it is more famously known) has a rocky bed. Looks quite shallow as if one can
walk through, cross across and reach the other end. That is deceptive though.
We opted for a 9 km rafting. We were accompanied by 2 oarsmen who mostly
maneuvered the raft, gave us the control occasionally on persisting request,
only on calm waters. Wow! One splash – we were all drenched. More than the
disturbances on the water, it was its freezing temperature that kicked us with
shock. The raft wobbled, but did not tumble down or throw any of us into water.
Though a worthy
experience, rafting here in June isn’t much dangerous(read it as adventurous)
than in high current waters at other places. It was pleasurable though.
Evening went at
Hadimba temple, Vanvihar and the monastery on mall road - all in Manali.
The temple of Hadimba
Goddess(wife of Bhima) has a wooden four-tiered roof and an intricate doorway
with attractive carvings. The temple complex is huge and pleasing. It has a
small entry-way that keeps visitors queued for long.
Vanvihar is a nature
park. Few steeps and glides here and there, an artificial pond with boating
facility and a lot of attractive playthings for kids – this park is a pure
entertainment. Felt quite commercial amidst the serene woods of Manali. The
park on one of its ends is rushed by Vyas where amusing activities like
river crossing and dipping are engaged. An interesting part here is that of
locals who rent out their traditional tribal outfits to tourists, to pose in
colorful angles and capture memories in and as pictures.
Close to Vanvihar is
a colorful Tibetan monastery which can steal few minutes from you.
Good: Pleasant evening weather
Best: Rafting
Not so good: food. One can eat to survive,
specially South Indian foodies need to have a control on their tongue.
Suggestion: -
Day 3:
We set out to the
majestic Rohthang pass early morning, or should I say mid-night :) (3.00 am).
We planned our trip
in early hours to avoid traffic and reach the snow point before the rest of tourists
arrive. Enroute the pass are many shops renting out heavy clothing against snow.
The splendid snow capped mountains and glaciers on the way to the pass will paint
any heart light. The drive to Rohthang takes you through the snow haven. We
reached the pass by 5 am. We enjoyed climbing the little snow hills with our
freezing fingers in the pockets. Spending as much time as we could in snow we
descended down to Solang Valley, enjoyed Rahalla falls on the path. Stopped by
for few photos.
Reaching Rohthang
early though has a benefit, it is equally difficult to return as all vehicles
going towards the pass block the road from opposite side; the roads are so
narrow that one has to wait for minutes and hours to get the way clear.
Solang valley is a feast
for the eyes. The place hosts a number of adventure games like the paragliding,
cable-car drive and so on. It is indeed a place best for paragliding as the
nearby beauty of the surrounding peaks appear enhanced while you are in air.
Since we had started
early in the day, we reached back our rooms before noon. After a brief rest, we
headed to Delhi the same day. The 14 hr journey took us to the Country capital.
Good: The sight of snow capped mountains
Best: Paragliding
Not so good: Ice in this time of the year(dirty ice
and slippery)
Suggestion: Plan for vacation in the right season.
However it’s a waive-off. In the best winter, Rohthang remains closed. Solang
valley becomes the ice point. Rohthang is open only in summer; one needs to
bear the heat and the dirty old ice there.
Day 4:
We were still left
with few hours in hand for our flight. Stopped at QutubMinar, enjoyed the mammoth
structure and shot nice photos under the hot Delhi sun. A single flight to
Bangalore marked the end of our memorable Himachal vacation.
On the whole, it felt
like being in a new world altogether. The rich natural beauty, ever-flowing
streams and river-ways, the surroundings - all left us arrested by a twine of
nature. The stretching hills and the lush-green valleys are a sight of spiritual
calm and solace. A vacation from the routine ought to be one like this!
Suggestion: Do not book for
packages online as they may not be planned to your convenience. For instance,
we could have landed at Kullu by flight than spend 14 hrs one way from Delhi to
Kullu by road. This was a package customized from makemytrip. When you plan
your vacation, do go to the agency office, sit with the travel agents, get
things clarified and then go ahead with your booking. All the nature sports and
adventure trips cost extra from your hand. No amount is sufficient in these hillstations.
Note: ATMs are meager, heard there are 8 to 10 in whole of Kummu-Manali of
which only 5 cough cash at most times.
