Winter Festival

 

 

C Winter Festival in Manali and Ice Skating Festival in Shimla
In December, Shimla and Manali are the venues for the Ice Skating Festival. Various activities like ice skating, ice hockey and dance performances are held. Come February, Manali shakes of its winter hibernation for the winter carnival. Many winter sports and competitions are held during the festival.

Shimla Kullu/Manali

 

 

 

Day 01: Chandigarh to Shimla (5/6 hrs)

Drive to Shimla, stopping at the monastery in Solan along the way. Set at an altitude of 2,213m, Shimla was once the summer capital of the British administration in India and is now the capital of Himachal Pradesh. This queen of hill stations still retains its colonial charm in its architecture. Evening walk around The Mall.
Day 02: Shimla sightseeing
Visit Jakhoo, an ancient temple devoted to Lord Hanuman, situated on Jakhoo Hill. This is Shimla’s highest peak and offers panoramic views of the Shivalik Ranges. Go on an excursion to Kufri & Narkanda, popular for their trekking trails, pine-scented air and beautiful views all around. Narkanda is also located close to the prime apple belt and is a ski-resort in winter.
Day 03: Shimla to Manali (8 hrs)
Drive to Manali (2050m) at the Northern end of the Kullu Valley. Manali is surrounded by towering snow-capped peaks and the snowline is never more than a few hours’ drive away. Stop at placid Bilaspur Lake and Hanogi Mata temple set among the mountainous backdrop along the way. Check in to hotel.
Day 04: Manali sightseeing
Visit the Hadimba temple, Vasisht Baths, Manu Temple and Tibetan monastery. Chill in Old Manali, imbibe the local ambience and shop for souvenirs at the Tibetan Market on the Mall. Take a trip to Solang Valley and try your hand at paragliding.
Day 05: Manali-Bijli Mahadev-Manali
Bijli Mahadev is a famous an ancient Shiva temple situated atop a beautiful meadow. It is a 3km walk from Mansari village and offers stunning views of both the Parvati Valley and Kullu Valley.
Day 06: Manali-Naggar-Jana-Manali
On the left bank of the river Beas, Naggar is a pictureque village on the wooded slope. It used to be the capital of the Kullu rajas and you can visit their heritage castle there. Naggar was also home to the Russian artist Roerich, whose house has now been converted into a museum. Visit some of the famous temples in and around Naggar as well and continue on to Jana for authentic and tasty Himachali food. Walk up to the beautiful waterfall there and wind your way back to Manali.
Day 07: Manali – Kasol (trek to Malana and back to Kasol)
This extremely scenic drive takes you from the relatively gentle Beas river to the roaring and angry Parvati. On the way to Kasol, take a detour to Malana. The road goes almost to the village, after which its a easy and picturesque two hour walk. Malana village is a small cluster of around two hundred stone roof houses. Its inimitable culture and the temple of Jamlu distinguish the village whose inhabitants are said to have descended from Alexander The Great. The villagers here, have their own laws and customs, speak a different dialect and dress differently. Drive to Kasol and check-in to hotel.

Day 8: Kasol – Manikaran – Parashar

Continue on from Kasol and reach the famous hot springs of Manikaran, sacred to both Hindus and Sikhs. Walk around this holy town, visit the temples and gurudwara and take a dip in the hot spring baths. Continue on to Parashar lake stopping at the ancient Bajaura temple on the way. This temple is said to have been constructed by the Pandavas when they were in exile. Reach the beautiful lake, in the centre of green hillocks, held sacred to the sage Parashar. A mysterious floating island that keeps changing position throughout the year adds to the charm as does a three-tiered Pagoda-like temple dedicated to the sage. The whole vista is encircled by snow-capped peaks. The lakeside and the nearby villages are sites of various festivals held at different times of the year. Camping overnight at Parashar Lake.

Day 09: Parashar – Rewalsar

Continue on down to the scenic Rewalsar lake, past the town of Mandi. Lying in a mountain hollow, the lake is held sacred to all three communities, evidenced by the three shrines – a Buddhist Monastery, a Sikh Gurudwara and a Hindu Temple. The lake is famous for its floating islands which, according to the myths, can be moved by prayer or breeze. Stay overnight here.

Day 1o: Rewalsar – Chandigarh

Drive down to the plains from Rewalsar. Drop-off at hotel in Chandigarh.

Kinnaur

Buddhist monasteries in Himachal are as much a part of the landscape and the people as the mountains. This package takes you through the most artistic monasteries in Himachal and immerses you in the lesser known cultures of Kinnaur and Spiti. Start your trip in Shimla and continue on to Sangla in Kinnaur District. The Nyingma-pa, Drug-pa and Geluk-pa sects are well represented here and Kinnaur is home to 33 Buddhist monasteries. Visit the recently built gompa in Rekong Peo, and continue on to the ancient settlement of Kalpa to visit the Hu-Bu-lan-kar gompa, said to have been founded by Rinchensang-po. Leave for Spiti valley, which is completely immersed in Buddhism from the footprint of Padmasambhava on a rock near Nako, past monastic villages, ancient monastery complex in Tabo, to the internationally renowned Ki monastery near Kaza. Spend a day in Manali experiencing Kullu culture at its best and proceed to McLeodganj/Dharamshala the current residence of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. End your journey at the Golden Temple in Amritsar.

A Spiritual Journey  (11 Days)

Shimla – Sangla – Rekong Peo – Kalpa – Nako Lake – Tabo – Dhankar – Kaza – Manali – Dharamshala – Amritsar

Day 1: Chandigarh to Shimla
Day 2: Shimla to Sangla
Day 3: Sangla to Kalpa
Day 4: Kalpa to Tabo
Day 5: Tabo to Kaza
Day 6: Kaza monastery tour
Day 7: Kaza to Manali
Day 8: Manali sightseeing
Day 9: Manali to Dharamshala
Day 10: Dharamshala sightseeing
Day 11: Amritsar drop