India Travel
Keylong to Sarchu Serai in Himachal Pradesh
Beyond Keylong, the Bhaga Valley broadens, but its bare sides support very few villages. By the time you reach Darcha, a lonely cluster of dry-stone huts and dingy tent camps on the edge of a vast pebbly river confluence, the landscape is utterly denuded. All buses stop here for passengers to grab a hot bowl of Tibetan thukpa from a wayside dhaba. There’s little else to do in Darcha, which would be the definitive one-horse frontier post were it not for all the ponies hanging around its outskirts near the Shingo La trailhead - the main trekking route north to Zanskar. If you are not on one of the through Manali-Leh buses, you are better off stopping at Jispa 7km south, a pleasant little hamlet with ample camping along the river. There is a small but pleasant guesthouse above the road, and the monolithic but comfortable, concrete Hotel Ibex (01900/33203), which you might consider worth the luxury after a gruelling trek.
From Darcha, the road climbs steadily northeast across mountain sides of wine-red and pale-green scree. The Baralacha La is the first major pass, a windswept vale of red-brown rock and grit splashed with streaks of snow.The Bhaga. Chandra, and Yunan rivers fall away from its sides in different directions.
Buses stop at Sarchu Serai for the night where bed is a piece of lumpy ground in a tent made from army-surplus parachutes. There are several more expend f camps dotted along the road, one or two of which charge up to an exhorbitant Rs800 per person including food. HPTDC’s Tent Camp serves steaming plates ot rice, dhal and veg, as do a handful of similarly priced dhabas nearby.
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Sarchu Serai to Tanglang La in Himachal Pradesh
Sarchu Serai packs up for the season from September 15. Northbound buses thereafter press on over Lachuglang La (5019m), the second highest pass on the highway, to the tent camp at Pang (4500m), which stays open longer. Unfortunately, this means that the drive through one of the most dramatic stretches of the route, through an incredible canyon, is in darkness. Sarchu Serai is also 2500m higher than Manali, and travellers coming straight from Manali nught suffer from the higher altitude here. The army camp at Pang, 3km north of the serai, stands at the mouth of the Pang Gorge at the
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.
Old Manali Transport to Leh in Himachal Pradesh
If you can afford to split the Rs12,000 fare, mini-vans and Maruti Gypsy taxis are the most comfortable way to get to Ladakh from Manali and you might get a cheaper deal from a returning vehicle. Backpackers usually travel the 485km to Leh by bus - an arduous, but unforgettable two-day trip (28hr), involving 3 night halt under canvas along the route. HPTDC's daily "luxury" bus, bookable through the tourist office, costs around Rs1000, which includes accommodation at the tent colony near Sarchu. The journey can take three days, with two nights on the road. Other wise, choice is limited to
Treks from Brahmour in Himachal Pradesh
Trekking routes lead north from Brahmour (2130m) over the Pir Panjal range across passes covered with snow for most of the year. The challenging trek over Kalichho Pass (4990m), "The Abode of Kali", ends in the village of Triloknath, whose ancient temple to three-faced Shiva is sacred to both Hindus and Buddhists. Buses run from here to Udaipur, and on to Keylong and Manali. Another demanding route crosses the Kugti Pass (5040m), "that which makes one miserable to reach". From Hadsar, an hour by bus from Brahmour, the path follows the River Budhil for 12km to Kugti, then up to Kuddi
Moving on from Manali in Himachal Peadesh
Manali is well connected by bus to other Himachali towns and major cities on the plains. HPSRTC run luxury, deluxe and ordinary buses, all of which can be booked at the bus stand. During the summer, demand invariably outstrips supply, particularly for the faster services, so book as far in advance as possible, and be prepared for regular and fruitless visits to ticket offices. The numerous travel agents dotted around town also sell tickets for private "deluxe" services to Delhi, Shimla and Dharamsala. Consider breaking your journey in Mandi (for Rewalsar) or using the Kangra valley railway to reach Dharamsala,
Manali to Keylong in Himachal Pradesh
Having made its way past the bleak military installations and wayside settlements above Manali, the road crosses the Beas to begin its long ascent of the ROHTANG PASS (3978m). Buses pull in for breakfast 17km before the pass at a row of makeshift dhabas at Marhi (3360m). A small Tibetan temple dedicated to Palden Lhamo reached via a flight of steps, crowns the top of a bluff from where you view a wonderful panorama of the upper Beas Valley. Though not all that high by Himalayan standards, Rohtang itself, a U-shaped defile between two 5000-metre peaks, is one
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
Trekking in Lahaul and Spiti in Himachal Pradesh
Although the old trade routes to Ladakh and Tibet are now sealed with tarmac, most of this remote and spectacular region is stilt only accessible on foot. Its trails, though well frequented in high season, are long, hard and high, and punctuated by few settlements, so you must be self-sufficient and have a guide. Packhorses and provisions are most readily available in Manali: or Keylong and Darcha (Lahaul) and Kaza (Spiti) if you can afford to wait a few days. A good rope for river crossings will be useful on many of the routes, particularly in summer when the glaciers
Lahaul in Himachal Pradesh
Lahaul, sometimes referred to as the Chandra-Bhaga Valley, is the region that divides the Great Himalayas and Pir Panjal ranges. Its principal river, the Chandra, rises deep in the barren wastes below the Baralacha Pass, a major landmark on the Manali-Leh road, from where it flows south, veering northwest around the base of the immense Bara Shigri glacier towards its confluence with the River Bhaga near Tandi. Here, the two rivers become the Chenab, and crash north out of Himachal to Kishtwar in Kashmir. Lahaul's climate is very similar to that of Ladakh and Zanskar, which border it to the
Practicalities to the Chitrakut in Uttar Pradesh
For, the few tourists in this region, Chitrakut serves as a centre for catching connecting buses and trains between Allahabad, Kalingar and Khajuraho. Long-distance transport connections are best made via Karbi. From the main Karbi Bus Stand numerous daily buses run to Allahabad (3-4hr), passing through Serai Akil, 15km from the Buddhist ruins of Kausambi, and also to historic Mahoba, a possible stopoff en route to Khajuraho. The railway station at Karbi has services to Allahabad and Mahoba, as well as Varanasi, 374km northeast (9hr). From the Satna Bus Stand in Chitrakut, buses head south into Madhya Pradesh; connecting buses
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
Trekking in Lahaul and Spiti Practicalities in Himachal Pradesh
Keylong is connected by regular state buses to Manali, and (in summer) by private buses to all points north and south along the main highway. Note that onward transport to Leh can be difficult to arrange in high season (July & Aug), as most buses are full by the time they get there. Travellers frequently find themselves having to ride on the roof, or hitch a lift on one of the trucks that stop at the dhabas on the roadside above the village: neither legal, nor particularly safe. There are eight buses daily to Manali, the first one leaving at
Chamba in Himachal Pradesh
Shielded on all sides by high mountains, and protected by forces in Kangra to the south, Chamba was ruled or over a millennium by kings descended from
The castle in Himachal Pradesh
Since it was erected by Raja Sidh Singh, Nagar's central castle, astride a sheer-sided bluff, has served as palace, colonial mansion, courthouse and school. It is now a Himachal-run hotel, but nonresidents can wander in to admire the views from its balconies. Built in the traditional "earthquake-proof" pahari style (layers of stone bonded together with cedar logs), the castle has a central courtyard, next to which stands a small museum, and an even smaller shrine. The Jagti Patt temple's amorphous deity, a triangular slab of rock strewn with rose petals and rupee notes, is said to have been borne here
The Manali –Leh Travel details in Himachal Pradesh
Trains Pathankot to Joginder Nagar (2 daily; 7hr 30min-9hr10min). Shimla to: Kalka (4 daily; 4hr 45min-5hr 45min). Buses Dalhousie to: Amritsar (2 daily; 5hr 30min);Jullundhar (1 daily; 6hr); Kliajjiar (2 daily; 1hr);Pathankot (hourly; 3hr30min). Dharamsaia to: Baijnath (hourly; 3hr 30min);Chamba (1 daily; 9hr); Chandigarh (6 daily; 7-8hr);Dalhousie (1 daily; 6hr-7hr); Delhi (6 daily; 12hr);Dehra Dun (1 daily; 9hr); Haridwar (1 daily; 14hr);Jawalamukhi (8 daily; 2hr 30min); Kangra (every15min: 45min-1hr); Kullu (4 daily; 8hr); Manali (4daily; 10hr); Mandi (7 daily; 6hr); McLeod Ganj(every 20min; 40min); Nahan (1 daily; 12hr);Pathankot (10 daily; 3hr). Chamba to: Amritsar (1 daily; 8hr); Brahmour (7daily; 3hr); Dalhousie (10 daily; 2hr 30min); Delhi(1
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
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
Local transport in Himachal Pradesh
Wherever you arrive in Shimla, you'll be mobbed by porters. Most of the town is pedestrianized, and seriously steep, so you maybe glad of the extra help to carry your gear, but bear in mind that most porters double as touts and demand a commission which will increase the cost of your room. Taxis, which line up outside the Tourist Reception Centre on Cart Road, are the best way to get to tne pricier hotels on the outskirts. The mainVishal Himachal Taxi Union rank ("30177/257645) is lkm east of the bus stand, at the bottom of the elevator (Rs5 each
Dal Lake &TCV Triund S Indrahar Pass in Himachal Pradesh
Places to stay include the simple Ashoka (01892/65147) and the Mau (01892/65875), both between the bus stand and town. For more co fort head for the Raj (01892/64062), opposite the bus stand, work pleasant rooms, a good restaurant and bar.