Get lost in Himachal!

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.