Central Himachal Pradesh Voyage Tips and guide

Contents

Map of Central Himachal Pradesh

• 31.34544976.7596221 Bilaspur — a town regarded as the first planned hill town in the country

• 31.373277.17582 Chindi — a town in the Karsog Valley amidst enormous orchards of apples and dense hilly woods of deodars and pines

• 31.6876.523 Hamirpur — home to Baba Balak Nath and Narvdeshwar temples

• 31.9876.774 Jogindernagar — a destination for hanging out, trekking, paragliding, angling and camping

• 31.9930477.509635 Khir Ganga — a small local village on the way of Pin-Parvati Pass

• 31.9677.16 Kullu — a small hill station

• 32.24496477.1882057 Manali — a backpacker stronghold in Kullu Valley famous for trekking and mountaineering

• 31.71083376.9294448 Mandi — a town built along the banks of the Beas River. Home to many temples dedicated to Shiva and Kali, and hub for trips around the region

• 31.30602876.5363949 Naina Devi — a town and municipal council that is the site for Shri Naina Devi Temple (Mahishapeeth)

• 31.63388976.83333310 Rewalsar — according to Buddhist legend, this lake was created out of a burning pyre by master Padmasambhava (Guru Rinpoche)

• 31.788977.65821 Great Himalayan National Park (███). A UNESCO World Heritage Site national park set among the great Himalayan mountains, this park is right on the border between two of the world's eight major bioregions, the Palearctic and the Indomalayan. The remarkable altitude differences in the park (1,400–6,000 m) results in diverse flora from subtropical forests to alpine and glacial flora. The national park is home to different species of goat, bear, leopard and pheasant.
  Rampur (50 km northwest of the park) is the closest city. The nearest airport is at Bhuntar in Kullu district. There are four entry areas to the park known as Tirthan, Sainj, Jiwanal and Parbati, all situated within a close distance of around 50 km. (updated Aug 2023)

• 32.026677.3462 Parvati Valley (███). An exciting and beautiful valley with the backpacker stronghold of Kasol, the spiritual center of Manikaran, several hot springs, lots of hiking trails around the Great Himalayan National Park, and the popular "weed" harvest in September. (updated Aug 2023)

• 31.47722277.0433333 Kamru Nag — the main deity of Mandi district. Its temple is at the height of 3,334 m above sea level on Mandi-Karsog Road. Perfect place for trekkers.

• 31.75426177.1014114 Prashar Lake — at an altitude of 2,730 m in district Mandi, 40 km from Mandi town. The deep blue water at this beautiful lake is held sacred to the sage Prashar. A three-tiered Pagoda-like temple dedicated to the sage lies by the lake—'rishi' Prashar is said to have meditated here. Its remarkable setting is enhanced by a frame of snow-draped peaks visible from the lake's edge, and the water of the river Sutlej flows due south. The lakeside and the nearby villages are sites of various festivals held at different times of the year

From Mandi (see there), there are many destinations to explore, even though the city itself is not necessarily a place to hang around. Such destinations include:

• Gadda Gusaini, a virgin valley near the backpacker stronghold of Jibhi
• Jhatingri, with beautiful deodar and blue pine forests
• Karsog Valley, full of scenic beauty and abundance of apple orchards near Chindi
• Rohanda Valley, popular among motorcycling clubs
• Barot, 12 km by Haulage Trolley from Jogindernagar it packs an enormous range of out door activities

While the region seems to derive pride from its apple orchards, apples and pears in this region are actually less tasty than in Europe, and it is better to stick to Bananas, Mangos and Papayas—but be your own judge.