India Travel
Dhankar and the Pin Valley in Himachal Pradesh
Midway between Kaza and Tabo, near the meeting of the Pin and Spiti rivers, a rough road veers off to the east for 12km to the village of DHANKAR (3890m) or “a place in the mountains unreachable for strangers” and houses another monastery associated with the Great Translator, Rinchen Zangpo. Set against a lunar landscape of crumbling cliffs, the Lha Opa Gompa dates back to the twelfth century. The main interest, however, lies in the small chapel on the uppermost peak behind the village of Dhankar- the Lhakang Gompa -with its brilliant murals depicting the life of the Buddha. Probably painted in the seventeenth century, the dominant bright red pigment has survived especially well. Although some of. the work has been vandalized, the scenes depicting the Buddha’s birth in the heavenly realm, his re-birth and life in Kapilavastu and his rejection of worldly ways are spectacular. The gompa also affords superb views down to the confluence of the main Spiti river and the Pin tributary which flows down from the snowfields of the massive Pin Parvati pass. Keen walkers may like to check out the lake a couple of kilometres above the village.
Dhankar is not on a bus route so you will have to arrange your own transport or walk from the main road.
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The Kullu Valley Trekking in Himachal Pradesh
Portunides range from day-hikes up the Beas River's side valleys, or nalas, challenging long hauls over high-altitude passes and glaciers. Away from the tiffs, you step into a medieval time warp little altered since the days when the lulus Valley was one of the most remote places on earth.
The Kangra valley railway in Himachal Pradesh
India has five of the twenty or so vintage "toy trains" or narrow-gauge mountain railways in the world - three in the Himalayas and two of these in Himachal Pradesh. Most famous is the Kalka—Shimla line, but the little-known 163-kilometre Kangra Valley railway is also a magnificent engineering feat. Unlike the Kalka line, with its 103 tunnels and tortuous switchbacks, engineers of this route preferred bridges - 950 in all. many of which are still considered masterpieces - that give passengers uninterrupted views all the way from Pathankot to Jogindernagar. The Dhaula Dhar mountains, rising from the valley floor to
Kaza and around in Himachal Pradesh
KAZA, the subdivisional headquarters of Spiti, lies 76km southeast of the Kunzum Pass, and 201km from Manali. Overlooking the left bank of the Spiti river it is the region's main market and roadhead, and a good base from which to head off on two- or three-day treks to monasteries and remote villages such as Kibber, Kiato and Dumla in an area famed for its fossils. It is also possible to trek to Dhankar (32km) via Shielding and on to Tabo (43km) via Poh. For the less energetic, the one-day hike to Comic village and Tangyud gompa is well worthwhile. For
The old Hindustan-Tibet road from Kalpa to the Rupa Valley in Himachal Pradesh
Another route to consider is the relatively easy five-day trek starting at Kalpa and following the old Hindustan-Tibet road through the remote hamlets of upper Kinnaur (permits needed), past Shi Asu to the Rupa Valley. The views along the route are superb and the villagers are extremely hospitable, inviting you to their houses and offering you local produce. The old road, now crumbling in places, is ideal for mountain biking. Although there is a route from the Rupa Valley over the Manirang Pass into Spiti, few locals know it or are willing to guide you across, as they are now
Wangtu to Kaza, via the Pin Valley in Himachal Pradesh
This challenging route across the Great Himalayan range, via the Kalang Setal glacier and the Shakar of La pass, is a dramatic approach to Spiti and the Pin Valley, and no restrictions apply. The trail, which is very steep, snow-covered, and hard to follow in places, should definitely not be attempted without ponies, porters, adequate gear, and a guide - preferably one arranged through a reputable trekking agency. It starts at WANGTU on the main highway, passing through Kafnoo village, Mulling, Phustirang (3750m), and over the Bhaba Pass (4865m), a gruelling slog through snowfields, before dropping down into the beautiful
Chitkul to Har-ki-Dun in Himachal Pradesh
This ten-day trek to Garhwal is subject to restrictions as it passes along the edge of the Inner Line. The trek starts from Chitkul and crosses the Baspa River to Doaria. The route then climbs up a side valley to follow a lateral moraine up to the Zupika Gad and then a steep ascent - the final section of which is up a crevassed glacier -to the Borsu Pass (5300m). The other side of the pass is down a steep snow and boulder field requiring some scrambling; you arrive a few days later in the beautiful valley of Har-ki-Dun in
Pathankot in Haryana and Punjab
The dusty town of PATHANKOT, 270km north of Chandigarh and 101km to the northeast of Amritsar, is an important cantonment and railway junction close to the frontier with Pakistan and near the borders with Himachal Pradesh and Jammu. Many travellers pass through to pick up bus connections to Dharamsala, Dalhousie, Chamba and Kashmir, or to take the slow train east through the picturesque Kangra Valley.
Northwest Himachal Pradesh
From Shimla the main road winds west and north to the riverside market town of Mandi. an important crossroads in the heart of Himachal linking the Kullu Valley and the hills to the northeast.The rolling foothills in the northwest are warmer and more accessible than Himachal's eastern reaches, though less dramatic and considerably lower. The area however sees litde tourism outside Dharamsala. the British hill station turned Tibetan settlement, home to His Holiness, the Dalai Lama. Dharamsala is an excellent base for treks over the soaring Dhauladhar Range to the Chamba Valley, harbouring uniquely styled Hindu temples in Brahmour and
Manali to Lahaul. via the Hampta Pass in Himachal Pradesh
The three-day trek from the Kullu Valley over the Hampta Pass to Lahaul, the old caravan route to Spiti, is a classic. Rising to 4330m, it is high by Kullu standards; do not undertake it without allowing good time to acclimatize. Day 1, from the trail-head at Prini (near Manali) through Hampta village to the campground above Sethen, is an easy hike of 4-5hr up the verdant, forested sides of the valley. Day 2, another 5hr, brings you to Chikha, a high Gaddi pasture below the pass; stay put for a day or so if you're feeling the effects of
Keylong in Himachal Pradesh
Lahaul's largest settlement and the district headquarters. KEYLONG, 114km north of Manali, is a good place to pause on the long road journey to Ladakh. Although of little interest itself, the village lies amid superb scenery, within a day's climb of three Buddhist gompas. One visible on the opposite (south) side of the grandiose Bhaga Valley. A couple of stores in the busy little market sell trekking supplies if you are heading off towards Zanskar.
Shimla and around in Himachal Pradesh
Shimla. Himachal's capital, is India's largest and most famous hill station, where much of the action in Rudyard Kipling's colonial classic Kim took place. While the city is a favourite spot for Indian families and honeymooners, its size does little to win it popularity among Western tourists who tend to pass through on their way to Manali. It is however, a perfect halfway house if Vo ' heading to the Kullu Valley, or back in the other direction towards the of Haryana and Punjab. It's also the starting post for forays into the rerrtnr regions of Kinnaur and Spiti. Northeast of
Lahaul and Spiti in Himachal Pradesh
Few places on earth can mark so dramatic a change in landscape as the Rohtang Pass. To one side, the lush green head of the Kullu Valley; to the other, an awesome vista of bare, chocolate-coloured mountains, hanging glaciers and snowfields that shine in the dazzlingly crisp light. The district of Lahaul and Spiti, Himachal's largest, is named after its two subdivisions, which are. in spite of their numerous geographical and cultural similarities, distinct and separate regions.
Treks in the Pangi valley to Lahaul in Himachal Pradesh
Few trekkers make it to the spectacular, all but inaccessible Pangi Valley, between the soaring Greater Himalayan Range in the north and the Outer Himalayan Range in the south. With its deep river gorges and barren mountain peaks, it offers a wide range of scenery and vegetation: cultivated fields give way to forests of pine, deodar, spruce and silver oak, and beyond that hardy shrubs. Inhabited by nomadic Gaddi shepherds, the valley maintains a unique village culture. Several peaks within it have never been climbed, and onward paths lead to Kashmir, Lahaul and Zanskar. The trek takes nine or ten
Kangra in Himachal Pradesh
Although KANGRA is bypassed by most travellers on their way to Pharamsala, 18km further north, it's certainly worth a brief visit. Buses from all over the Kangra Valley and further afield pull into the bus stand lkm north i of the town centre, where there are frequent connections to Dharamsala. Kangra can also be reached from Pathankot by the daily Kangra Queen narrow-gauge railway service. Before the creation of Himachal Pradesh state, Kangra was capital of a district of the same name. For centuries, it fell prey to invasions by Sikhs and Muslims, before the British took control in 1847 and
The Kinner-Kailash circuit in Himachal Pradesh
The five- to seven-day parikrama (circumambulation) of the majestic Kinner-Kailash massif, a sacred pilgrimage trail, makes a spectacular trek, for which you won't need an Inner Line permit. The circuit starts at the village of MORANG, on the left bank of the Sutlej, served by buses from Tapri or Rekong Peo, A Jeepable track runs southeast from here to Thangi, the trailhead and continues through Rahtak. over the Charang La pass (5266m) to Chitkul in the Baspa Valley. The trail then follows the river down to the beautiful village of Sangla, from where a couple of worthwhile day hikes can
Kalpa (Chini) in Himachal Pradesh
Almost 250km northeast of Shimla and 12km along a twisting road from Rekong Peo, KALPA can be reached by road, or on foot along various steep tracks. Its dramatic location astride a rocky bluff, high above the right bank of the Sutlej and its narrow atmospheric lanes, make the hike worthwhile. The ancient Tibetan ohm a here was founded by Rinchen Zangpo; there is also a small Shiva temple and the narrow lanes of the village are worth a wander to soak in the atmosphere of this once-thriving trade centre. Opposite Kalpa, the magnificent Kinner-Kailash massif sweeps 4500m up from
The Residence of the Dalai Lama in Himachal Pradesh
The Dalai Lama settled temporarily in McLeod Ganj in 1960; four decades later he's still there, and his residence on the south edge of town has become his permanent home in exile. His own quarters are modest, and most of the walled compound overhanging the valley is taken up by government offices. In front of the private enclosure, Dharamsala's main Buddhist temple, Tsug Lakhang, shelters images of Sakyamuni (the historical Buddha), Padmasambhava (who introduced Buddhism to Tibet) and Avalokitesvara (the bodhisattva of compassion) seated in meditation postures, surrounded by offer-
Rekking in Kinnaur in Himachal Pradesh
Unfrequented mountain trails criss-cross Kinnaur, offering treks ranging from gentle hikes to challenging climbs over high-altitude passes. The routes along the Sutlej Valley- punctuated with government rest houses and villages, are feasible without the aid of ponies, but away from the main road you need to be completely self-sufficient. Porters can usually be hired in Rampur. Rekong Peo and the Baspa Valley except in early autumn (Sept/Oct), when they're busy with the apple harvest. (Chini) Almost 250km northeast of Shimla and 12km along a twisting road from Rekong Peo, KALPA can be reached by road, or on foot along various steep
Nalagarh Fort Shimla in Himachal Pradesh
If you can afford it, the eighteenth-century fort of Nalagarh converted into probably the finest hotel in Himachal Pradesh, is an excellent place to break the journey between Delhi and Kullu. Overlooking the Punjab plains, the fort lies 60km from Chandigarh and 12km off the main Chandigarh-Mandi road. Towering above the town with the Himachal foothills rising steeply behind, the fort played a key role in the Gurkha wars of the early nineteenth century, and is today filled with memorabilia evoking its military past. An Ayurvedic clinic offering massage and a shop selling various health potions add to the luxury.
Moving on from Dharamsala in Himachal Pradesh
Indian Airlines fly thrice weekly to Delhi (Mon, Wed, Fri 3pm). HRTC run numerous buses to destinations in Himachal Pradesh, Delhi and Chandigarh. Most travellers prefer to book "deluxe" buses through operators in McLeod Ganj near the bus stand. Try Himachal Travels (01892/21428) or Potala Tours & Travels, Bhagsu Road, opposite Hotel Tibet (01892/21378). Buses to Pathankot, handy for train connections and road access to Dalhousie and Chamba leave every 30min from the rains bus stand in the lower town. As well as the services listed in the Travel Details on p.589, there are two or three buses a week