Himachal Pradesh | Routeprints

Best Time to Visit March 19, 2019

Best Time to Visit Manali

Every time we plan to move to a new place, the first question that strikes our mind: Is this the right time to visit this particular place? Well, this is one of the very obvious questions because no one would love wasting their time and money on a not-so-worthy decision. So, here I am with a place where you can visit throughout the year except for monsoon. Manali is surely one of the most beautiful hill stations in Himachal Pradesh and the best time to visit Manali is either the busiest summer season or the snowy winters. This lover’s paradise has something for everyone, whether you’re on your honeymoon, on a solo trip, or you’re on your backpacking trip. Thus, depending on your convenience, budget, and interests, you can select the best season to visit Manali.

Best Season to Visit Manali

Seasons	Months	Temperature
Summer	March to June	10ᵒ-25ᵒ C
Winter	September to February	Below 0ᵒ
Monsoon	July to August	15ᵒ-25ᵒ C

Manali in summer (March to June)

Let’s get started with the best time to visit this charming hill station. Unlike any other part of the country, the climate in Manali remains quite pleasant, whereas the temperature keeps dancing between 10ᵒ-25ᵒC. Also, if don’t just want to spend time wandering around in the area, try out a few adventurous activities like rafting, paragliding, zorbing, trekking, and other mountainous activities. This is the season when the place looks bright, fresh, and the flowers are in a full bloom that makes it one of the ideal places to visit for all the nature enthusiasts.

Also read : Best time to visit Shimla

In fact, Manali in summers is in full festive swing that makes it must for you to attend the festival of Basantotsav that happens during the month of April. Since summers are approaching and there are possibilities that you might select this place for a small vacation. If yes, then ensure that you visit some of these places as well like Vashisht Baths, Hadimba Temple, The Beas Kund Trek, Hampta Pass Trek, and Van Vihar.

Manali in winter (September to February)

Any couples out there who are thinking of a perfect place for their honeymoon or maybe you just want to spend some quality time with your loved one, Manali can be taken into consideration. The season is the great time to witness snowfall and some mind-blowing vistas of snow-clad mountains. The bets time season to pick for visiting the place is between Decembers to January when the temperature usually hovers around subzero.

Also, this is the season when everyone is waiting for the most-awaited winter carnival where a lot of cultural groups and students from different colleges take participation. This 5-day festival is held at Manu Kela Kendra and besides this, you can even visit some breathtaking sites that includes Kullu, Nehru kund, Jogini waterfall, Chandratal Baralacha Lake, Rahala falls and much more.

Manali in monsoon (July to August)

Here comes the season that is usually not recommended to pay a visit to the place as it receives heavy rainfall throughout the season. From July till mid-week of September, the place becomes prone to frequent landslides that further blocks most of the roads that might affect your vacay mode as you need to stay in your hotel rooms for most of the time.

Talking about the temperature and weather during these months is quite unpredictable. Though it is advised to stay away from the place during monsoons, however, if you have no issues in taking a risk and want to enjoy a short budget trip, the season can be taken into consideration.

Best Time to Visit March 16, 2019

Best Time to Visit Shimla

Raise your hands if you belong to the millennial generation and you have seen photographs of your parents and almost every relative having a gala time in the snow-clad mountains of Shimla. This largest city of Himachal Pradesh and Queen of Hills had always been on the top of the list since long. And why not, this very famous tourist attraction has never failed to impress anyone, whether it’s any domestic or any international visitor. This all-year destination not only allows you to witness some picturesque vistas but also allows you to enjoy amazing adventurous activities. Shimla is surely the place where every season has to offer something distinctive to everyone and that goes like this, have a look at which is the ideal time to visit Shimla.

Also Read: My trip to Kasol.

Best Season to Visit Shimla

Seasons	Month	Temperature
Summer	March - June	16ᵒ to 30ᵒ C
Monsoon	July - September	14ᵒ to 20ᵒC
Winters	October- February	8ᵒ to -6ᵒC

Shimla in spring and summer (March-June)

Spring begins in Shimla during March and lasts till April, whereas May and June are considered the summer seasons in Shimla. If you want to enjoy the right weekend getaway in pleasant weather, Shimla can be one of those places where temperature usually remains between 16ᵒ-30ᵒ C and the days are quite warm. One of the reasons that make visiting the place really enjoyable is the melting of snow that has transformed the place into splendid green terrain and full of colorful-blooming flowers.

Also, why the season is more loved by the tourists hailing nearby towns and states because it is really accessible and of course, the perfect way to beat the harsh sun rays. You can indulge yourself in some fun and adventure activities that include paragliding, trekking, camping and much more. The only problem you might feel is that the place becomes crowded during these seasons and people who are looking for peace and some alone time might not want to be there.

Shimla in Monsoon (July-September)

This season is usually not recommended to spend quality time with friends and family because the place receives heavy rainfall and becomes more prone to landslides. The time period may exceed till mid-October, thus if possible, try to avoid visiting Shimla till the same time. The temperature usually stays between 14ᵒ- 20ᵒC and is seen as the offseason but those who love adventure and are not afraid of taking any risk can explore the place. In Monsoon, the country is so beautiful, here are other weekend getaways which you can visit near Delhi.

Another advantage for them could be exploring the place on a low budget as a large number of people do not prefer to be there during monsoon. Also, if you’re this brave step to visit the place, do miss witnessing the Ryhali Festival, which is celebrated with great pomp and show, in order to express gratitude to the Rain Gods by making an offering to them for good agriculture produce.

Shimla in winter (November-January)

Keep your aim right, hit that big snowball towards your partner and capture some wonderful memories because winter season is here to spread its charm all around the place. Visitors and tourists often pay a visit to Shimla have experience of snowfall and to be amidst those beautiful snow-capped mountains. Though the winter season starts by in November, December and January remain the coldest when the temperature keeps hovering between 8ᵒ to -6ᵒC.

If you just want to experience some natural surroundings and spend some quality time at a new place, show your presence during the initial days of winter. However, you can celebrate the beginning of the New Year in the best way possible, if you visit the place as the season progresses. This is the time when you can let yourself participate in various winter activities, hiking or trekking in snow-covered mountains.

Traveller's Journal March 14, 2019

Kasol Travel Guide – All That You Need to Know!

I am going to ask you a few things, raise your hands if you feel the same. Do you want to escape from the daily city blues? Any nature buff out there who are looking for a place to soak in nature? Looking for a getaway with your friends for a couple of days? Want to meet new people or maybe want to enhance your cross-cultural understanding? Also read:

Travel Guide To Kodaikanal

If you agree to any of these things, I have a perfect escape plan for you. Move to nature’s one of the best creations or I should say a happy place for a small and satisfying vacation. Kasol definitely has a solution to all your stress and daily hassle.

This small Himalayan village comes with a number of things to do that includes hiking, trekking, shopping and what not. Surely the fastest growing hub for backpackers, trekkers, and nature lovers, the place can take all your worries and let you feel that ‘this is the moment I was looking for’. Check out this perfect travel guide to Kasol, so that you already know a bit what are you going to take from this place.

Travel Guide To Pushkar

Things to do in Kasol

There are a number of things and activities you can try out when in Kasol according to the number of days you want to spend there. Check out the list of things to do in Kasol and enjoy your trip in the best way possible.

Hiking and Trekking

There’s nothing calm and serene than walking along the lush greenery. Kasol allows you to explore a number of things and places and the best one, which is also the frequently-visited one, is the KheerGanga Trek. Though this 9km and 4-6 hour trek is quite difficult due to the steep climbing through narrow and tricky trails still it is considered one of the easiest treks to do from Kasol. Tosh Village is the best camp out there and the breathtaking vistas of nature are totally able to leave you spellbound. However, there are a few other famous treks you should definitely try like Sar Pass Trek and Pin Parvati Trek to enhance your experience.

Before I jump to my next section, tell me.

Do you know? Why this place is often referred to as ‘Mini Israel”? Well, for those who don’t know, Kasol was just a bus stop till the early 90s. It evolved as a place for backpackers in 2014 when a huge number of travelers from all around the world came to traversed unexplored hills and found this beautiful hill station with low population and fantastic weather all around the year. This tiny mystical village gained its significance ever since Israeli natives started dominating the place. Now, here’s my next thing to do in Kasol.

Tempting Israeli Cuisine

Since the place is dominated by a big number of Israelis, it becomes a must-thing to try out their authentic and different cuisines at the restaurants out there. And as you walk miles and miles in order to explore this beautiful town, your stomach becomes more and more demanding. So, do not let your belly to wait anymore and just grab a bowl of Shakshuka, or mouth-watering Bureka or maybe a lemon cake. Not just this, you can even try on German, Italian, Indian, and Nepalese cuisines at the Moon Dance Café or German Bakery to please your taste buds with some luscious dishes.

Try out some Adventurous Activities

Make sure you save up some of your time for indulging yourself in a few adventurous activities in Kasol. Now, when you know that you have to trek to reach anywhere in and around Kasol, this is your first activity because trekking is no less than an adventure. Then you can enjoy camping and bonfire with your companion or group on the overhead villages. Try out fishing in the Naggar village and if you’re a true biker at heart, try out biking and mountaineering in Manali. Fly like a bird (paragliding) and witness some top-notch spectacular views. Just remember that traveling to a new place not only means seeing those picturesque hills and mountains, it about those adventures and small experiences that make your trip worth it.

Places to Visit around Kasol

Check out the list below and explore more about some picture perfect places around Kasol.

Manikaran

I’ll be starting with my favorite destination, which is a sacred place for both Hindu and Sikhs. Well, the place is mere 4km away from Kasol where you can reach hiking or riding, according to your convenience. This sacred place of faith and God can surely cast spirituality over the mind and soul of all the tourists as well as the devotees. In addition to that, both Hindus and Sikhs have distinct beliefs when it comes to Manikaran Sahib. Hindus say that when the wife of Lord Shiva dropped an earring near the place that very incident led to the rise of hot spring in Manikaran. While Sikhs believe that when Guru Nanak Dev Ji came there with around 1500 disciples and in the urge of having something to eat, Guruji lifted a stone and the hot spring came out, where they cooked the food.

Challal

Here comes a small village near Kasol, a place where you can easily trek to or casually walk by in just 30 minutes. And if you’re the one interested in psychedelic parties, you cannot miss the place deep into the wood anyhow. Show your presence there during the music festivals and break a leg at the parties hosted by the top-class DJs. And that’s not it, the place is also famous for its hash. Get some for your after parties even in your home town.

Tosh

Push yourself a little more and get ready to try something challenging because we are heading towards Tosh trek. The trek is located at an altitude of 2400 ft and allows you to experience the best of the place on your way from Kasol to Tosh and back. You can try out a number of things until you reach this magnificent land. Also, the place is the heart for the people of the east and west who are on their way to connect with nature. Talking about the stay and accommodation, places are really easy to find and stay in. Though Maggie and tea are the souls of the place, there are number of cafe where you try out different cuisines. The best season to be a guest of Tosh is from April to October.

Rasol

If you’re more of, “I want more peace and fewer people around me while traveling”, Rasol is the best option you can travel to. The place is situated at a height of 3048m, above the rushing sea, and of course, in the mountain range of the Great Himalayas. The journey to Rasol will take around 3-4 hours and you need to start it from Kasol only, then you can stop at Chalal to have some tempting food and then head towards Rasol to be amidst this little meditative land. March to October is the best time to visit this place and experience the most exciting trekking expeditions.

Best time to Visit Kasol

This wonderful village, situated on the Parvati Valley has pleasant atmospheric conditions throughout the year, but the best time to drop by is during the months of October to June. The temperature generally switches between 15 to 22ᵒ C during these months when the climate remains amazingly cool.

How to reach Kasol

Reaching the place is really accessible. You can select the mode according to your convenience. Here’s how you can reach the place.

By Air: The nearest airport is the Bhuntar Airport that is situated near Kullu and is around 31km away from Kasol.

By Train: Joginder Nagar Railway Station is the nearest railway station to Kasol and is nearly 144km away from the village of Kasol. You can hire a cab or taxi from the station to reach your destination.

By Road: Well, booking tickets for a bus that takes you directly to Kasol is not possible. You need to change your bus or take a taxi from Bhuntar to get down at your destination.

So, this was all about your happy place. I just gave you a rough idea in order to build your excitement. Show your presence and feel the real fun and adventure out there.

Explore INDIA February 23, 2019

Best Time to Visit Dharamshala

If spending vacations mean spending some quality time with nature to you, Dharamshala can be the perfect decision. One of the appealing hill stations based in Kangra Valley and you will also love the KheerGang Trek in Himachal Pradesh, Dharamshala is also known as Little Lhasa. Do you know what is the best part of being a guest of Dharamshala? It is the place’s mesmerizing surroundings and the peaceful Buddhist culture.

Well, the place can be visited anytime in the year and visit to Barot valley if you are in Himachal Pradesh, to enjoy every bit of this beauty but summers are more refreshing and if you love rains, monsoons can be the perfect time to be there. Still confused? Here’s a brief description of the best time to visit Dharamshala.

Weather Throughout the Year

Season	Months	Temperature
Summer	April-June	22°C to 32°C
Monsoon	July-August	18°C to 22°C
Winter	October-March	04°C to 07°C

Summer Season (April to June)

Well, summers are considered the best time to be in Dharamshala and of course, the best way to beat the scorching heat on the plains. The temperature usually remains pleasant between 22ᵒ-35ᵒ C. The season is just perfect for the outing on hills, for the very famous Triund trek, and to get indulge in adventure activities like paragliding and mountain activities. Attention all the nature buffs out here. Don’t forget to take your camera along as you going to have some post-worthy pictures for your social media. This is because the flowers remain in full bloom during the summers, and if you really love nature can also check PhotoMithra.

If you’re actually planning to be here in summers, try to choose April because this is the time when Saka Dawa Festival is celebrated dedicated to Lord Buddha. Also, the Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts organizes a 10-day opera along with different other cultural performances and folk dances. Shall I share a secret with you? We generally try to make a plan for weekends. Don’t, because weekends are often seen crowded and you might not want to see the terrific beauty of Dharamshala while adjusting yourself with the crowd.

Monsoon (July to August)

Monsoons in Dharamshala begin during July and remain in its full swing till August. Visiting the place in this season can be an ideal decision if you want to experience the real mountain monsoon. However, you may find good deals and offers of top-notch hotels but it is generally not recommended to be a part of Dharamshala during this season. Why? Due to heavy rainfall during this time, visiting the place can affect your plans and spoil your vacay mood. Also, there are great possibilities of landslides during monsoon. Still, if you’ve made your mood to be there in this particular season; don’t forget to visit Dal Fair. This is one of the crucial festivals celebrated in August by the locals on the banks of Dal Lake. You can even watch devotes taking a dip in the holy water of the Lake.

Winter Season (October to March)

Are you ready for some amazing cozy bonfire nights? YES? You can’t a better choice than to be in Dharamshala during winters. Visting Dharamshala during this season is usually preferred by those who are either true adventurers or those who are on their honeymoon because the weather looks just perfect with the heavenly fresh snow. The temperature remains between 4ᵒ-7ᵒC and the place snows around January when the temperature gets down to 0ᵒ. Pack some extra woolens and get ready to enjoy the eye-catching views of snow-clad mountains.

Explore INDIA February 10, 2019

Barot Valley

When it comes to Himachal Pradesh, we all know that there’s Kullu, Shimla, Mandi, Chamba, Spiti and many more, which are home to scenic towns and snow-capped mountains. Why not traverse through the unexplored and unexploited landscapes of the place? I am talking about the magnificent village situated in the soothing valleys of Mandi. Barot Valley, known by a few has now become a rising tourist spot for those who have this special place for mountains in their heart. For those who don’t know that already, Barot Valley is definitely one of the best hidden gems of Himachal and I’ll be taking you on a tour of this attractive valley and tell you everything about the place. Here we go.

How to reach Barot Valley?

Barot is situated in the beautiful valley of Uhl at a distance of 40 km from the town of Jogindernagar and about 66 km from Mandi. Reaching Barot, Himachal Pradesh is easily approachable from both Delhi and Chandigarh and you can take any means of transport, be it railway, road, or air. You can even have access to public buses from Jogindernagar, Palampur, and Mandi in order to reach Barot, and for a more adventurous moment must try KheerGanga trek if you are in Himachal Pradesh.

Jogindernagar railway station is of course, the nearest railway station and will take around 2 hours to reach the mesmerizing green valley of Barot. Kullu Manali Airport is the nearest airport from Barot and is around 3.5 hours away from your destination. Whereas, some people even prefer to go by public transport or rented cabs via the picturesque NH154 and NH3.

Best time to visit Barot?

Well, whether in Barot Valley usually remains fairly moderate that means not very hot in summers and not extremely cold in winters. If you’re planning to pay a visit to Barot in summers, choose any month in between April and June. If winter is the season you’ve decided to be a guest of this beautiful valley then make it between November to February for exploring and sightseeing this engaging place. Also, try not to be there during monsoons because the place receives heavy rainfall because of the nearby dense forests. All in all, Barot is one of the best weekend getaways and the right duration to experience this beauty and staying in there can be 3 days.

What to do when in Barot?

Fishing in Uhl:

Uhl River is the one and only natural water body of the valley and is one of the amazing attraction of the place since it allows its tourists to enjoy different outdoor activities and fishing is considered the most enjoyable activities out there. Also, trout fishing is the most famous activity in the valley and the favorite place for the anglers. You need to permission in advance from the Trout Farm Office if you really want to perform this activity.

Nargu Wildlife Sanctuary:

This heavenly wildlife sanctuary is situated on the other side of the Uhl River and yet another attraction of the valley. The sanctuary is the ideal place for a wide range of flora and fauna. One gets to see various animal species here like Ghoral, Black Bear, and the Himalayan Monal. Also, the way for the trek to Kullu passes through the dense parts of the sanctuary and one can have the best experience exploring the area away from the wild animals.

Trekking:

Trekking is definitely one of the best parts you can do when in Barot because there are a number of trails around the valley that are preferred for trekking like Bada Bhangal, Kullu, Manali, Kothi, and Billing. Barot to Kothi trek is considered the best trail, which is a 13km trek that passes through gorgeous cedar and pine woods with such divine surroundings and allows you to eyewitness the real beauty of nature.

Nature Camping:

Another attraction and outdoor activity in Barot valley is nature camping. You can go for the Thandi Golai camping site, which is mere 1.5km away from the Barot’s main market. The place is the best peaceful and undisturbed area where you can just enjoy lying in the lap of nature.

So, before you leave for this beauteous valley make sure you have done the booking prior to leaving and confirm the stay. Ensure that you trekking and camping in groups. You should be readily available with your important trekking and camping gears like water, snacks, first-aid, and warm clothes.