Trips to the Himalayas – Nepal, Shimla & Manali

Shimla

Shimla, aka The Summer Refuge, has been blessed with all the natural bounties which one can think of. Snow-capped Himalayan peaks and green pastures surround Shimla. On reaching Shimla, the first thing one notices is that Shimla retains its colonial heritage, with grand old buildings, among them are the stately Viceregal Lodge, charming iron lamp posts and Anglo-Saxon names.

Mall has many good restaurants serving Punjabi,South Indian,Chinese and Continental Foods. Apart from its Scenic Beauty, Shimla is also famous for Apples & Wooden Craft . Among special dishes Sidku or Sidu is very famous in upper Shimla hills. It is a thick fermented Roti of wheat flour with paste of opium seeds ( afimdana) mixed with either gur or salt added to it which makes it very delicious.

Manali-Rohtang pass

The literally meaning of Manali is ‘the abode of Manu’. It is recognized as Valley of Gods, the home of Seven Sages, which is the Saptarishi. One of the best paragliding destinations in India (solang Valley), it offers majestic views of Dhauladhar Ranges.

On the way to Rohtang pass, there was an incident
of land slide and the deftness of the Indian Army in
clearing the route of the debris was one more thing to behold.

Manali is not only famous for its scenic beauty but also for the number of treks which starts from Manali. One such track is through Hamta Pass. According to Hindu mythology, the soul of people travel to heaven or hell through this route. Many people claim that they hear happy and sad voices here.

Bargain is a way of shopping in Himachal Pradesh.

NEPAL

Nepal is not a travel destination one often talks about. Still, tourism is the largest industry in Nepal and its largest source of foreign exchange. It is a hotspot destination for mountaineers, rock climbers. Nepal is sometimes bypassed by the westerners because they feel it’s an extension of India. The Nepalese are incredibly friendly and fun — learn a bit of Nepali and they will love you for it. It boasts eight of the 10 highest peaks in the world and is a mecca for outdoorsy type travelers.