On 7 July 1992, Mr. Willy T. Blazer, Vice Counselor and Head of Chancery of Switzerland in India brought Khajjiar on the world tourism map by calling it “Mini Switzerland”. He also put a sign board of a yellow Swiss hiking footpath showing Khajjiar’s distance from the Swiss capital Bern-6194 km. Khajjiar is among the 160 locations in the world that bear topographical resemblance with Switzerland. The counselor also took from Khajjiar a stone which would form part of a stone collage around the Swiss Parliament to remind the visitors of Khajjiar as a Mini Switzerland of India. How to Reach Khajjiar? The town of Khajjiar lies within the Chamba district, and is also well connected to Dalhousie (24 km), from where I t can easily be reached via taxi. The nearest railway station is Pathankot. You can either take a taxi from Pathankot to Khajjiar or travel to Chamba or Dalhousie via bus and then hire a cab from there. A road trip from Delhi to Khajjiar (570 Km) involves the following route: Delhi>Sonipat>Panipat>Karnal>Kurukshetra>Phagwara>Jalandhar>Pathankot>Khajjiar Places to Visit in Khajjiar Khajjiar Lake: Located at an altitude of 1920 m above sea level between Dalhousie and the town of Chamba, the Khajjiar Lake lies beautifully amidst a widespread grassy landscape, with evergreen cedar trees standing like stationed soldiers around its perimeter. The lake derives its name from Khajji Nag, the established deity in the temple nearby. Kalatop Wildlife Sanctuary: The main attractions within this scintillating sanctuary include a variety of flora and fauna comprising of leopards, bears, deer, langurs, the Himalayan Black Marten and the Barking Goral. The Khajjiar Trek: A 14- km trek through landscapes cluttered with deodar and pine trees and interspersed with rippling streams will give you an experience that would be absolutely breath taking to say the
On 7 July 1992, Mr. Willy T. Blazer, Vice Counselor and Head of Chancery of Switzerland in India brought Khajjiar on the world tourism map by calling it “Mini Switzerland”. He also put a sign board of a yellow Swiss hiking footpath showing Khajjiar’s distance from the Swiss capital Bern-6194 km. Khajjiar is among the 160 locations in the world that bear topographical resemblance with Switzerland. The counselor also took from Khajjiar a stone which would form part of a
A cantonment town of Pauri Garhwal district in the state Uttarakhand, Lansdowne is a perfect weekend getaway with its quiet environs and mesmerizing sights. One of the most unspoilt hill stations, Lansdowne is a pretty budget friendly place to go. How to Reach? Lansdowne is about 260 kilometres away from Delhi, a distance that is usually covered in 6- 7 hours by car. The nearest railway station is Kotdwar which is situated at a distance of 40 km from Lansdowne. Best Attractions in Lansdowne Tip N Top Point —> It is a sightseeing place which is the highest point of Lansdowne. The spot overlooks the beautiful cantonment town below, capturing its spectacular view in all its entirety. Tarkeshwar Mahadev Temple —> This temple of Lord Shiva is situated about 35 Km from Lansdowne. A scintillating and beautiful temple, the site is soothingly peaceful, surrounded by towering trees. You can also book rooms around the place and spend a night in just 500 INR. Darwan Singh Museum—>Inaugurated in 1983, the Darwan Singh Museum is a historical defence museum named after the first Victoria Cross Holder from Garhwal Rifles- Darwan Singh Negi. Bhulla Tal Lake—> A serene location where you will be offered activities like boating, which you can participate in with your partner. Church of St Marry —> Located near Tip N Top point, the church of St Mary is a catholic church of historical significance. The church was constructed in 1895 by Colonel A.H.B Hume of the Royal Engineers. Bhim Pakora—> The Bhim Pakora comprises of two large stones one above another in perfect balance. The topmost rock can be moved with a finger, but never falls down even when you use both your hands to push it. Where to Stay? Choose a hotel near the city centre to easily access
A cantonment town of Pauri Garhwal district in the state Uttarakhand, Lansdowne is a perfect weekend getaway with its quiet environs and mesmerizing sights. One of the most unspoilt hill stations, Lansdowne is a pretty budget friendly place to go. How to Reach? Lansdowne is about 260 kilometres away from Delhi, a distance that is usually covered in 6- 7 hours by car. The nearest railway station is Kotdwar which is situated at a distance of 40 km from Lansdowne.
Straddling the river Arno in the Tuscany region of Central Italy is a city beautifully studded with historic churches and medieval palaces. Home to the world renowned leaning tower, Pisa is a dream land for adventurers and travelers from all around the world. Beside the iconic tower, Pisa also nests the University of Pisa, which has a history that dates back to as far as the 12th century. A visit to Pisa definitely promises to charm the traveller with its exquisite concoction of historic and modern times. WHAT DOES THE HISTORY SAY? About the City : Although the origin of the city of Pisa has remained unknown, its founding has been accredited to the Pelasgi, the Greeks, the Etruscans, and the Ligurians. The city of Pisa was first settled in a region of Italy that was relatively uninhabited at the time. Of course, Italy wasn’t around then and Pisa was a Roman settlement. As a coastal town, Pisa was an important Roman port and merchant centre. It existed long before the Roman Empire though, and in ancient Roman texts, Pisa is called an old city. The city of Pisa, as we know it today, is a result of many global influences that affected the entire world, not just Italy and the surrounding areas. World War II took its toll on the city, damaging many of the famous buildings and historical areas. However, both residents of the city of Pisa and Italy itself have beautifully resorted Pisa to a state that is modern and functional, as well as historic. About the Leaning Tower : The Tower of Pisa leans sideways because it was built on unstable soil. In 1173 construction started on the 180-foot bell tower and the building began to lean as soon as the first three floors were completed. Nevertheless, building
Straddling the river Arno in the Tuscany region of Central Italy is a city beautifully studded with historic churches and medieval palaces. Home to the world renowned leaning tower, Pisa is a dream land for adventurers and travelers from all around the world. Beside the iconic tower, Pisa also nests the University of Pisa, which has a history that dates back to as far as the 12th century. A visit to Pisa definitely promises to charm the traveller with its exquisite
Beautiful green hills, equally beautiful emerald green river and the shimmering white sand… I thought only Goa could weave such magic…But I was completely wrong. Rishikesh offers you the most enthusiastic yet natural escape you can ever wish for. “Bungee Jumping! Rock Climbing! Cliff Jumping! Rappelling! Fox Flying!” I could easily hear these words often in the office; in hushed voices in my head I was constantly planning what am I going to try once I reach Haridwar and Rishikesh. I scheduled my trip for March 27, the last weekend of the month and may I believe that it is one of the best months to go rafting in Rishikesh, during this month water temperature is moderate (still cold) and the weather is neither too hot nor too cold; other than that, for best rafting experience one can either go in the months of March to May or between October and November. After finishing office on Friday, I planned on leaving for Rishikesh. I chose an enjoyable road trip of 230 KM over the comforting train journeys. I started my trip later that night at around 11 PM. However, I would suggest others to go during day time, considering the hilly road conditions. The four to five hours’ bike journey to Haridwar left me with no scope for sleep, so I decided to click pictures on the way and enjoy the journey. As I had earlier expected, I reached Haridwar at 4 AM. It was still dark when I reached Haridwar; it seemed almost mid-night to me. My eyes were puffed due to no sleep, but the cool air had started to cast its spell on us, and I craved for tea and a sweat shirt as well. Haridwar welcomed us with sugary tea, beckoning a sweet start to a
Beautiful green hills, equally beautiful emerald green river and the shimmering white sand… I thought only Goa could weave such magic…But I was completely wrong. Rishikesh offers you the most enthusiastic yet natural escape you can ever wish for. “Bungee Jumping! Rock Climbing! Cliff Jumping! Rappelling! Fox Flying!” I could easily hear these words often in the office; in hushed voices in my head I was constantly planning what am I going to try once I reach Haridwar and Rishikesh.
Tucked away in the Garhwal Himalayas, at 2620 meters into the sky that’s approximately 7000 ft above sea level, enroute to Gangotri comes a quaint little village – Harsil. Set amidst pine trees and apple orchards, the town is famous for more things than one. It’s a trekker’s paradise, known to offer spectacular views of the Himalayan mountain peaks. It is well known for its local apple produce and is also famed for making an appearance in the super hit Bollywood movie by director Raj Kapoor – ‘Ram Teri Ganga Maili’. The town was still in its pristine condition – uncluttered, neat and serene… waiting to sing her own tale. I tried to picture something of it, by setting out to explore the place. I started off with a visit to the local and the ancient Kalp Kedareshwar temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. From here, I could see the stream of turquoise blue Ganges water and though I had met mother Ganga only a few hours earlier in Gangotri, still could not resist climbing down towards the banks to catch Her glimpse. Down at the banks, there was no one except a village woman drinking the holy waters from the cusp of her hand. On seeing me, she smiled and offered a few drops to me as well! Chilly winds were making me skittish but the warmth of her smile comforted me. Do you know how the place gets its name? She asked in her broken Hindi. Even before I could give out my reply, she started her narration... Once, Rivers Bhagirathi and Jalandhari had an argument about which was more significant. Lord Vishnu aka Hari intervened by taking the form of a stone or shila (Hari-shila or Harsil), and absorbed their anger. Even today, the waters of the two
Tucked away in the Garhwal Himalayas, at 2620 meters into the sky that’s approximately 7000 ft above sea level, enroute to Gangotri comes a quaint little village – Harsil. Set amidst pine trees and apple orchards, the town is famous for more things than one. It’s a trekker’s paradise, known to offer spectacular views of the Himalayan mountain peaks. It is well known for its local apple produce and is also famed for making an appearance in the super hit
I was planning a trip to Auli (a popular ski and winter sports destination in Chamoli, Uttrakhand) since quite some time, but was never able to finalize my travel plans. Every time one or the other reason played showstopper but finally everything got materialized last weekend. So, I booked my train tickets, packed my bags and left Delhi on 21st January. Next day I reached Haridwar and from there I took a private cab which further took me till Joshimath. From Joshimath, the only way is using a ropeway! I took the ropeway for Auli. The ticket costed Rs. 500 per person (return journey included). The cable car runs only at fixed times during the day, and the last one runs at 4:30 PM. The car can take 25 passengers in one go, but will not start until it had a minimum of 10 persons on board. I took the car at 10:30 AM, and the moment the car started its upward journey, a strange sense of excitement engulfed me. While going up, the moment the car crossed tower number 3, the kids in my car started shouting "snow-snow" as we passed through some small patches of snow on trees and roads below. The terrain slowly started turning white from dark green as we continued our journey upwards. Tall fir and pine trees, most of them covered in snow, offered a great visual treat. Then suddenly, everything turned white below us as we passed tower number 7. And I could see great peaks like Nanda Devi (second highest peak in India after K2) on our left side, and just behind my back were the three famous peaks: The Lotus (Kamal peak), the Horse's Saddle peak, and the Elephant peak. They simply looked so majestic! I got down from tower no.
I was planning a trip to Auli (a popular ski and winter sports destination in Chamoli, Uttrakhand) since quite some time, but was never able to finalize my travel plans. Every time one or the other reason played showstopper but finally everything got materialized last weekend. So, I booked my train tickets, packed my bags and left Delhi on 21st January. Next day I reached Haridwar and from there I took a private cab which further took me till Joshimath.
