Tour to go

                            Jammu Jammu is Kashmir's second-biggest city, and is likewise its winter capital. For most explorers it is only a travel point on the excursion north into the state. On the off chance that you have time there are a few fascinating attractions with regards to the town. Jammu is still on the plans, so in summer it is a sweltering, awkward differentiation to the cool statures of Kashmir. From October onwards it turns out to be considerably more lovely. In mid-1992 there were various showdowns between Kashmiri activists and in mid 1995 a progression of bomb impacts. You should check the present circumstance before coming here or proceeding to Kashmir.                                      Information        The J&K vacationer office is at the Traveler Gathering...

                                Ladakh              'Little Tibet', 'the moonland' and 'the last Shangri-la' are names that have been applied  to Ladakh, all with a bit of truth. Ladakh is a high-altitude plateau north of the Himalaya situated geographically in Tibet. It's a miniature version of Tibet, the people are Tibetan in their culture and religion, and there are many Tibetan refugees.    The Himalaya is a very effective barrier to rain-few clouds creep across their awesome height and as a result Ladakh is barren beyond belief. Only where rivers, running from faraway glaciers or melting snow, carry water to habitation do you find plant life-hence the mainland label, since Ladakh is as dry as the Sahara.      Finally, Ladakh could well be a last Shangri-la, although since the troubles in the Kashmir Valley began there has been qui...

                   Fifty-one km north of Manali, the road to Leh crosses the Rohtang Pass and enters the Tibetan regions of Lahaul and Spit, which are quite unlike the Kullu Valley. The Rohtang Pass has the same ' gateway' nature as the Zoji La between Kashmir and Laakh.                    The region is bound by Ladakh to the north, Tibet to the east, and Kullu to the south-east. South of Spiti is Kinnaur, accessible from Shimla. Much of the area is open only during the short summer season when the snow on the passes melts.  Trekking.             There are many trekking possibilities in this area, a popular one being the trek from Darcha to Padam via the headquarters of the Zanskar region, there are regular buses to Kargil on the Leh to Srinagar road. See Lonely Planet's Trekking in the Indian Himalaya for more information.

                The Parvatti Valley runs north-east from Bhuntar, which is south of Kullu. You can travel up the valley by bus.               Manikaran is built near sulphur hot springs and it's interesting to watch the locals cook their food in the pools of hot water at the Sikh temple. There are also hot baths at the temple and, of course, free accommodation. Hot water is nice to have in Manikaran because the sides of the valley are very steep, and not much sun gets in. It's said that Siva sat and meditated for 2000 years at Khir Ganga, a 30-km walk from Manikaran.               There are a lot of French and Italian hippies in the area. There's great trekking and wonderful scenery here. 

                    The fertile Kullu valley rises northward from Mandi at 760 metres to the the Rohtang pass at 3978 metres, the gateway to Lahaul and Spit. In the south the valley is little more than a narrow, precipitous gorge, with the Beas River sometimes a sheer 300 metres below the narrow road.          Further up, the valley widens and its main part is 80 km long, though rarely more than a couple of km wide. Here there are stonefruit and apple orchards, rice fields and wheat fields along the Valley floor and lower slopes, and deodar forests higher up the slopes, with snow-crowned rocky peaks towering behind. The main towns, Kullu and Manali. Are in this fertile section of the valley. The people of the Kullu Valley are friendly, devout, hard-working and relatively prosperous. The men wear the distinctive Kullu cap, a pillbox with a flap around the front in which they may stick flowers. The women we...

North of nanital and at an altitude of 1829 metres, this peaceful hill station offers excellent views of the snowcapped Himalaya including nanda Devi. It's an important army town and the headquarters of the kumaon Regiment. Ranikhet is a delightful place to spend some time. There are several good walks to hula Devi temple and the orchards at Chaubatia, and there's even a golf course with a 300 km panoramic view of the Himalaya! 

             At 1938 metres in the kumaon hills, this attractive hill station. Nainital is very much a green and pleasant land that immediately appealed to the homesick Brits, who where reminded of the Cumbrian Lake District. This is certainly one of the most pleasant hill stations to visit and there are many interesting walks through the forests to points with superb views of the Himalaya. The tow bazaars, Tallital and Mallital, are at either end of the lake, connected by the mall.  This attractive lake is said to be one of the emerald green eyes of Siva's wife, Sati. She had jumped into a sacrificial bonfire and as her mourning husband dragged her charred remains across the country, various appendages dropped off. India is now littered with places 'formed' by parts of her body. Her eye falling here makes this a holy spot and the popular Naina Devi Temple is by the northern end of the lake. Nearby is a small Tibetan market....