Hill stations in Northern India

Northern India is a place away from the equator which makes the weather in the region cooler and chiller. The landscape of the region is hilly which again increases its level from the Sea area. It is because of its location that this place enjoys an atmosphere suitable for visitors and travellers. In summers the region enjoys a cozy atmosphere which is a welcome to all those coming from other warmer places.



The main Hill stations in the region are Manali, Simla, Kufri, Darjeeling, Nainital, Dalhousie and Gangtok. These places are full of natures blessings and have been promoted as the visitors paradise. Enough importance is given to the infrastructural development in order to provide sufficient amount of facilities to the visitors. Local folks, food and culture is promoted to attract visitors every year.

The region is full of valleys, greenery, lakes and rivers and the northern area is surrounded by Himalayan mountains. Snow hidden mountain peaks are easily visible and approachable. Northern India has an accessibility by all means and proper road and rail facilities are available.

Ooty the queen in tamil Nadu

If you are looking to go to a Hill Station during winters than one place which will surely attract you is Ooty. Ooty is situated in Tamil Nadu and cocooned by Nilgiri Hills. It is a place which was discovered by Britishers. The beauty of this place was so overwhelming that the Britishers chose this place as one of their hub it is due to this reason that this place has a huge number of British artifacts.



Ooty is one place which has a combination of all natures beauty and man made sculptures. It is a green valley surrounded by hills with a lake running in the heart of the town. The place also has parks and gardens which brings you closer to the nature and gives you a reason to appreciate what god has created. It has a lush green landscape which would galvanize even the most tired soul.

The Town has its own attraction which is why the number of tourist coming to this place is increasing day by day. The hospitality offered here is also very good and the standard of hotels and lodges is admirable. The Place is approachable by any conveyance be it train, bus, taxi etc. The places to be visited in Ooty are Botanical Gardens, ooty Lake,Lambs rock, Dodabetta peak an Kodanadu's view point.

Dalhousie Heaven in India

Dalhousie is situated in the western side of Himachal Pradesh. This is a small hill station in 14km covered with five hills Tehra, Kathlog, Bakrota Balun, and Potreyn. Dalhouise is the one such place which is getting popular among home and foreign tourist. Dalhousie is found by Lord Dalhousie in the year 1850 when the Britisher had captured five hill from the ruler of Chamba. Dhauladar is best best for relaxing and rejuvenate physically and spiritually. These hill are covered with oak tress, rhododendron, pine and deoder trees.



Places near Dalhousie to visit

Panchpula- Panchpula is the beautiful place, surrounded of beauty of nature,gurgling with refreshing water, belived that it contain medicated properties. There is monument erected at Panchpula where many streams meet at one place. This momument is build in the remberence of great revolutionary Sardar Ajit Singh.

St. Andrew Church- This Church is commonly known as Scotland Church, it was build in the year 1903 by Protestant Christians. This beautiful chruch is 1 km away from Dalhousie and till now this chruch is maintain condition.



St.Patrick's Church- St. Patrick Church is situated nearly 2 km from the main city, this Church is the largest Church among all, it has a capacity of 300 people in the main hall. It is beautifully work with glass and intricate stone.


Laxmi Naryan Temple- This temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu, it was build 150 years ago. It is beautifully designed, temple is located 200 mtrs from the city.

Shivkul- Shivkul is a ashram of VimlaThakur, renowned religious philosopher of Gujarat. From Shivkul you can enjoy the scene of Pir Panjal Hills connecting with Jammu & Kashmir. There you can enjoy the awesome scenery of nature and if you want spend time yourself that is the best in Dalhousie with peace and calm.

Except December and January you can visit Dalhousie because during December and January it is very chilly breeze will freeze you, but now a days you will find tourists whole year to enjoy moments of life.

Mahabaleshwar

A hill station located in the Western Ghats of Maharashtra.Located at a distance of 285 km from Mumbai,it is the ideal get away spot for most of the people in the state. Mahabaleshwar in Sanskrit stands for God of Great Power. Mahabaleshwar is comprised of three villages:Old "Kshetra" Mahabaleshwar,Malcolm Peth and part of the Shindola village.The hill station is surrounded by valleys on all its sides. The highest peak of the plateau is Wilson/Sunrise Point which boasts a height of 4,720 ft .Mahabaleshwar is known to be the source of Krishna river and legend has it that it comes out of a bull's mouth in the Mahadev Temple in Old Mahabaleshwar along with four other rivers Gayatri, the Koyana,Savitri and the Veni.




As the hill station was a summer capital of Bombay during the reign of British Empire,It has traces of British era in the architecture of cottages,mansions and bungalows built there.Mahabaleshwar was named "Malcolm Peth " after the then General of Bombay ,Sir John Malcolm.The market place is still named after him.

Famous for its massive production in strawberries,it acts as the biggest supplier of the fruit across the country and abroad.Major attractions are:
The Venna Lake which is surrounded by trees on all its sides.One can enjoy boating in the evening especially when its a little foggy. Panchgani,another scenic hill station smaller in size though is very close to Mahabaleshwar,about 20 km. The Table Land Phenomena of the little hill station is simply mesmerising

Mount Malcolm, which was built in 1829 under the rule of the then Governor of Bombay,Sir John Malcolm is worth a watch but has lost its old world charm now.




Mahabaleshwar Club was built in the year 1881.It is open for members only.It is well taken care of and is popular for its well tended rose gardens and a jogging track.The Golf course,however can be visited by tourists in the club

Morarji Castle in the hill station was once home to Mahatma Gandhi in the year 1945.

There are various points which are famous among which a must visit are Lodwick Point which has a great view.The point has a monument of a general which was erected by his son.Elphinstone Point is a another scenic spot overlooking the valley of Koyna river.It was named after a former General of Bombay.Other Points to visit are Kate's Point,Wilson's Point.

Mahabaleshwar gets more beautiful with every place that you visit there,filled with streams,perennial springs and amazing climate all throughout the year,it has become the most popular hill station across the nation.

Kodachadri Hill Station, Karnataka

Kodachadri, 115 kilometers from Shimoga and 36 kilometers from Hosanagara in State of Karnataka is a picturesque hill located such that it overlooks the vast Western Ghats. Reputed for its splendid sunrises and sunsets. The peak of Kodachadri (at a height of 1343 meters above sea level) may be reached after a five-hour trek. On the western part, the hill descends almost steeply for about 1220 meters until it joins the forest of Udupi district. It over looks Arabian Sea also.

Road Route-
Private vehicles (read as Cars) cannot go till the top of the mountain. Only local jeeps are allowed to ply to the top of the mountain. From shimoga , one can hire a taxi to cover the distance of 105 kms to Sampagatte (foothills of the Kodachadri mountains).



Train Route-
The best way is to take a train , preferably a night train (Shimoga Express), which leaves Bangalore around 11.30 PM and reaches Shimoga at 5.30AM.

Air
Shimoga is the closest railway station while Mangalore happens to be the nearest airport.


Kodachadri, in itself does not have good staying options. There is one Inspection bungalow of the PWD, which might not suit all. Kollur (35kms from the foothill), offers decent staying options. One other option that we discovered this time around was ‘Simha Farms’. This place is 5 kms from Sampagatte, a farm spread over 12 acres. This is run by Adithya and his wife Anusha. In the midst of all the greenery, are 2 cottages that can accomodate 3 people each.



The historical iron pillars at Mehrauli, Delhi, and at Dhar, in Madhya Pradesh, have attracted the attention of scientists for over a century. However, a third iron pillar located in Adi-Mookambika temple at Kodachadri village in a remote forest area of the Western Ghats in Karnataka has not received much scientific attention so far, partly because the concerned village is difficult to reach and partly because the pillar itself is not as massive and imposing as the Delhi and Dhar monuments.

The well known temple town of Kollur is 12 kilometers away. These hills (4411 ft) comprise one of the biggest forest zones in Karnataka and a section of this region constitutes the Mookambika Nature Reserve. Kollur is the perfect base from which to explore the hills. The Mookambika Nature Camp is situated 4 kilometers to the south of Kollur. The Linganmakki Dam, within close proximity of Kodachadri, is also a must see for visitors to this place. The best time to visit the hill station of Kodachadri at Karnataka is in the period within October to May.

Araku Valley

Araku Valley is a famous hill station and a Mandal in Visakhapatnam district in the state of Andhra Pradesh in India. Araku is located at an elevation of 911 meters (2992 feets). It is close to the Orissa state border. It has got an amazing lush green forests and always reverberating with the musical notes of waterfalls. The pleasant climate of Araku Valley makes it a dreamland. Araku is popular for its world famous coffee plantations.For every traveller it gives a wonderful and a unique experience.

The journey to the Araku Valley by train is an experience which you will cherish throughout your life. Its a journey amidst the picturesque landscapes of woods and coffee plantations. The area of the valley is roughly 36 sqaure kilometers, and the altitude is between 600 and 900 meters above sea level.



The journey to this place on the Ghat road with thick forests on either side is in itself interesting and pleasant. One can have a wonderful trekking trip. Forty-six tunnels and bridges will greet you on the way. The Ananthagiri hills on the way to Araku Valley are famous for coffee plantations. The Borra caves, located 29 km from Araku Valley, are a nearby tourist attraction.

The valley is connected through both rail and road to the city of Vishakapatnam. There are two railway stations at Araku and Araku Valley on the Kothavalasa-Kirandul railway line of Visakhapatnam division of the East Coast Railway, on the Indian Railways network.



There is a Museum of tribal handicrafts and lifestyle, a Yatri Nivas and a Government Guest House, for accommodation. One can relax while looking at the beautiful scenery and the lovely bonfires in the cottages.

Must see places in Araku Valley are-

---Anantagiri Ghats with thick forests, orchards, clean air and peaceful surroundings

---The Sangda water falls- one of the most spectacular in India.

---Matsyagundam, an interesting pool on the Machkund river near the village of Matham. Small Siva temple on the bank of the river.

---Paderu located at a distance of about 74 kilometers from Visakhapatnam. It is a wonderful valley at a height of over 900 meters above sea level.

---Located on the Eastern Ghats of India, the valley is inhabited by tribal people. One of the other attractions of this valley is a Tribal Museum.

Glaciers & Passes of Ladakh

Ladakh is renowned for its remote mountain beauty and culture. It is sometimes called "Little Tibet"Situated in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir between the Kunlun mountain range in the north and the main Great Himalayas to the south. Ladakh, which is inhabited by people of Indo-Aryan and ethnic Tibetan, is one of the most sparsely populated regions in the area.Today, Ladakh consists of two districts — Leh and Kargil. The largest town in Ladakh is Leh. Here we describe the most serene and beautiful Glaciers and Passes of Ladakh that you must see when you see the serene Ladakh.

Glaciers and Passes of Ladakh Among the popular places of tourist in Ladakh interest include Leh, Drass valley, Suru valley, Kargil, Zangskar, Zangla, Rangdum, Padum, Phukthal, Sani, Stongdey, Shayok Valley, Sankoo, Salt Valley and the various glaciers and passes there.



Suru Valley
The Suru Valley is formed by the catchment are of the Suru River, which rises from the Panzella glacier.

The Nubra Valley
The 18,640 feet high Khardung La pass forms the divide between the Nubra Valley and Leh. After crossing the Khardung La, one descends to a place called "Khalsar", situated on the left bank of the Shyok River.

Baltoro Glacier
The Baltoro glacier is situated on the southern slopes of the central Karakoram Range in the Baltistan area of Jammu and Kashmir. The location of Boltoro is in a huge arena hemmed by high peaks.

Chong Kumdan Glacier
The Chong Kumdan glacier is situated on the lower slopes of the Karakoram Range. The Chong Kumdan glacier had blocked the flow of the Shyok River several times in the past. Thus the Gapshan Lake was formed which drained away once the ice dam gave way.

Gasherbrum Glacier
The Gasherbrum glacier is located on the southern slopes of the Karakoram Range at base of the Gasherbrum peak with length of about 26-km. The melt-water from this glacier joins the Shyok river system. No vegetation grows in this tract due to the extreme cold.



Biafo Glacier
The Biafo glacier is located on the south-facing slopes of the Karakoram Range in the Baltistan area of Ladakh. It has a length of about 60-km and descends from a large glacial trough.

Baralacha Pass
On the long Manali -Leh road and providing a route across the Baralacha range is the famous Baralacha Pass. It is situated at a spectacular 16,400 ft above sea level. The pass itself is 8-km long, and is literally the pass "where many roads meet".

Karakoram Pass
The Karakoram Pass lies on one of the highest trade routes in the world for Yarkand in Central Asia.



Khardong La & Digar La Pass
The Khardong La pass is situated at an incredible elevation of over 5,800 m (18,680 ft). It lies on the route between Leh and the Shyok and Nubra valleys


Tulimpati La Pass
The Tulimpati La is located in Ladakh region of Jammu and Kahsmir. This pass opens up the route from the Nubra Valley of Ladakh towards the Karakoram Pass.

Zozi La Pass
Zozi La is a famous pass over the main Himalayan range on the Srinagar-Leh highway. As a matter of fact, this pass has often been termed as the gateway to Ladakh.