Kaza is a popular tourist place in the Lahaul and Spiti Valley of Himachal Pradesh. It is divided into two areas-the old Kaza and the new Kaza, while the old kaza is called Kaza Khas and comprises king’s palace, monasteries, gompas, and ancient buildings, the new Kaza is called Kaza Soma and houses government offices, hotels & restaurants. Tourists from all over the world visit this stunning destination to get a glimpse of the beautiful mountain terrains and pristine locals that also offer adventurous activities such as trekking, mountaineering, etc.

There are three most popular trails from Kaza that conects to the lovely villages around here, plunged in a rich natural beauty of the Spiti Valley. Also, available here are some very ancient and exquisite monasteries and gompas that depict the culture and tradition of Kaza. One can easily reach this amazing spot from the Kinnaur Valley and Lahaul Valley. The route from Kinnaur Valley is most appropriate as it remains open throughout the year, while the Lahaul Valley route opens only during the summer as the Kunzum Pass closes during winter.

Kaza can be best visited in summer as the winter is quite severe with the temperature plunging to sub-zero levels. The locals remain within the confines of their houses and venture out only if it is absolutely necessary. They stock up the supply of their food that last them through the winters; the locals also utilize their time to produce handicrafts that can be sold during tourist season i.e. summer. There are many hotels and restaurants at Kaza, so one can stay comfortably and enjoy a holiday worth remembering.

Kaza makes for an ideal base camp for all the treks and tours within the valley and provides guides, porters, and most importantly permits for treks.

According to some texts I purchased at the monastery’s book shop, the Tabo gompa came up under the patronage of the ancient Tibetan royal dynasty of Purang-Guge; it was one of the 108 constructed between the tenth to twelfth centuries AD, when the second diffusion of Buddhism was supposed to have taken place. These were spread across the Lahaul-Spiti valley, Kinnaur region and Ladakh, all a part of present day India, as well as what is now Western Tibet.

These were located along the trade routes of the time and involved heavy financial outlays; traders could take night halts here securing their lives and possessions from bandits. The monastery is currently home to about 50 lamas or monks, many still very young.

Tabo Monastery is an ancient monastery that was established in 996 CE. It is considered to be an important monastery and is often referred to as the Ajanta of the Himalayas. The complex has 9 temples and many stupas—all of which are made in mud and have been standing like this for more than 1000 years.

The main temple is an assembly hall where monks used to pray together. This hall has all its walls painted with Buddhist stories. There are stories of the life of Shakyamuni (the Buddha) and various Bodhisattvas. There are also 33 stucco sculptures of Bodhisattvas on the walls with their names mentioned for recognition.

You can go around the hall and admire the paintings, some of which date back to the time when the monastery was built, but most of them are from a later period when probably conservation and restoration work was carried on. The paintings do seem to be inspired from Ajanta paintings though the style of is a bit different. Other temples are usually closed, but monks might open them for you on request.

These temples belong to Buddhist deities like Tara and Buddha Maitreya. No photography of the paintings is allowed at Tabo Monastery though you can take pictures of the complex outside. However, picture postcards of these beautiful paintings are available with monks for sale.

Nako is the last point of the Kinnaur district if you travel from Sarahan to Spiti Valley and this quaint village is also the most remote village.

In fact it’s that remote that you can’t expect any mobile range during the day and Internet is still a huge commodity!

Yet, I fell in love with Nako village, from head to toe, so that we even ended up staying one more day there then what we had initially planned.

Situated above 3 kms above the Hangrang valley road and is 119 kms from Kalpa on the western direction of the huge mountains of Pargial. This is the highest village in the valley and the existence of lake formed out of the masses of the ice and snow above adds beauty to the village.The lake is fringed with willows and populars. Yaks, kine, horses and asses are reared here in abundance. Local village deity is Deodum and another Lagang temple with several idols exist here.There is a staying hut for visitors.There are small, but significant Buddhist temples and a rock is regarded to have the imprints of the saint Padmasambhava. This is the base for the trek to pargial peak and is en-route to the Thashigang monastery, where an image is said to grow hair.

Nako Lake is a small secluded reservoir which can charm anyone with its pristine natural beauty and cultural innocence. The spiritual lake is the secret hideaway in the mystical land of the Himalaya. The lake is nestled at an elevation of 3662 m, surrounded by willow and poplar trees. Groves of willow trees surround the lake, making for a fascinating sight.

Nako lake is bounded by 4 Tibetan temples. Close to the temple, there are four caves which are believed to be the meditation site of saint Padmasambhava. These were the caves from where Guru Padmasambhava gave disclosure to his followers.

There is a waterfall nearby the lake which as per legends and locals is regarded as the heavenly abode of fairies. It is also said that, it’s not at all easy to find the waterfall as there is no marked trail leading to it. During the month of September, tourist can enjoy boating on the shimmering lake or relish the beauty of the enchanting mountains.

A tour to Nako Lake requires a special permission from the inner line as the place is quite close to Tibet border. If tourist are looking for a relaxing and rejuvenating session on their tour to Himachal then Nako is a must visit site. The natural scenery all around and the view of the eternal snow are picturesque and charming. Explore the strange, exciting lake of Himachal Pradesh, Nako lake.

Kalpa is situated at an altitude of 2759 m from the sea level, on the old Hindustan Tibet Road at a distance of 260 km from Shimla. Earlier it was the District Headquarter of Kinnaur. It is 14 kms. and half an hour’s drive from District Headquarter Reckong Peo. It has all the characteristics of a heritage village.

Kalpa came into prominence in the wake of British Governor General Lord Dalhousie’s visit in th 19th century. The Narayan-Nagani temple is an exemplary of local craftmanship. There are couple of Buddhist monasteries at Kalpa including the Hu-Bu-Ian-Car Gompa, said to be founded it by Rinchensang-Po (950-1055AD).

Kalpa is dramatically located close to the foot of 6050 meter high Kinner Kailash. This is the legendary winter home of Shiva. This is a spectacular sight early in the morning as the rising sun touches the snowy peaks with crimson and gold light.

There are numerous places all over Himachal that are blessed with mesmerizing natural beauty. Some of these places are quite famous like Shimla and Manali; but then there are a few others that are not so well known , but no less in beauty still.

In fact considering the kind of crowd that Shimla and Manali receive, visiting some of these unknown and offbeat destinations can prove to be a much better trip. One such place that I recently went on a trip to and would like to talk about in this article is Kalpa; a small town located in Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh.

The name Kalpa would probably be known only to people who have traveled around a lot in the hills; or who have been on the Spiti circuit at least once. Kalpa and the nearby town of Reckong Peo is mostly used as the center point of the journey from Shimla to Kaza.

It is not completely an unknown destination because tourism is a major part of the livelihood of the people around here. You will definitely find tourists here during summer and the place is also very well connected. It however is still not known to many people and it never gets crowded around here.

So if you were planning a trip in near future; wanted to travel to a less crowded place that offers peace and tranquility as well as stunning vistas all around; then Kalpa could prove to be an ideal destination.

It is very rightly termed as the ‘Mini Switzerland of India.’ Visit the famous Khajjiar Lake and enjoy the brilliant blend of three ecosystems. The pre-historic temples at Khajjiar, are sheer examples of architectural excellence. Meet the locals and experience the harmonic diversity in their traditions, culture, and beliefs. Learn some lyrics of their unique folk music; a treat for your ears.

The silver jewelry which is carved in Khajjiar is an epitome of detailing and perfection. Indulge in some adventurous activities, like skiing on the mountain tops of this town. This place hosts hundreds of tourists each year but remains untouched still. Plan a trip to Khajjiar, to beat the city chaos. Visit this hill station for a romantic weekend with your special one or just for some self-pampering and get rejuvenated.

Khajjiar, known as the “Mini Switzerland of India”, is one of the prevalent hill stations, which is about 26 km from the beautiful Dalhousie in Himachal. Along with the beautiful and snowy peaks, opulent green hills, deep valleys, dense forests and beautiful hill stations, Khajjiar is considered as mini Switzerland and the tourists’ paradise.

Khajjiar has one of the beautiful lush meadows, which is situated in the stunning Chamba valley. This is one of the essential spots, which is also famous for the beautiful and noiseless environment amongst travellers. This is situated in the northwestern part of the Himachal, which is in the northern region of India. One of the most important things about Khajjiar is that this contains almost three ecosystems such as forest, lake and the pasture. The site is located at a certain height of approx. 6500 feet.

The environment of Khajjiar is the alpine summers almost in between April-June. If you are thinking to go to Khajjiar in summer, it will not be an excellent decision for you. The entire climate of the area is quite mild in winter which is in between November to February. The environment is utterly cold and bitter as well. The nights in the winter of the place are quite chilled, and you will not be able to roam around at that time. Apart from summer and winter, you can also experience the place in monsoon too, which is in between July to September. You can experience the beauty of mini Switzerland of India at that time.

The most excellent time to visit Khajjiar is between March and June.

If you want to visit the mini Switzerland of India, you will get well-acquainted with their culture, people, and festival. Once you are at Khajjiar at the right time, you would get to see lots of beautiful fairs such as Baisakhi Fair, Dal Fair, Sayar Fair and more. The people of Khajjiar are incredibly cultural, and they are involved with the festival as well. Some of the famous festivals of the place are Baisakhi, spring festival, chet and more. In Khajjiar, you will also get plenty of shopping destinations too, and the Department of Tourism helps you to get the best deal on the travel packages.

The structure of this temple gives the hints of the early medieval North Indian style of architecture. This type of structure used to be known as ‘Nagara’ style of temple. The architectural style has been imbibed from Orissan style, which is very much unique in the state of Himachal Pradesh. The exterior walls of the temple have numerous alcoves with images of gods and Goddesses from the Hindu pantheon.

In order to enter the temple, one has to cross the vestibule that has a large ‘Mandap’ in the centre and two huge balconies on either side. The temple has fortifications, leaving space for two entrances in the north and the south. Just before the Mandapa, there is small porch placed on four columns. Here, a huge image of Nandi (the bull of Lord Shiva) is placed. The door leading to the sanctum is speckled with many images of artistic nature.

Lord Shiva is commemorated here as Vaidyanath (the Lord of Physician) and is placed in the form of ‘Lingam’ (phallic form of Lord Shiva). The main sanctum comprises five projections on every side and a tall curved shikhar (spire). The history of Baijnath temple is inscribed on the stone slabs inside the complex. As per the beliefs, Ravana (King of Lanka) had worshipped Lord Shiva in this temple.

The water of this temple is believed to contain medicinal properties, which can cure diseases of people. Due to this reason too, Baijnath Temple receives thousands of people every year. Shivratri is the major festival that is observed at this temple with full gusto and fervor. Devotees visit the temple during this time to seek the blessings from the God.

Besides the shrine of Lord Shiva, there are many other small shrines dedicated to Gods and Goddesses. In the early 20th century, the temple was suffered from an earthquake. Raja Sansar Chand made an effort to renovate the temple after the calamity. The temple complex acquires lush green gardens, which makes a perfect foreground to the ancient and unique structure of this temple. Baijnath temple is considered as a part of Indian Heritage, so security arrangements are made here to avoid any unwanted element.

The history of mansar and surinsar goes back to the time of Mahabhartata. Babar Vahan, son of Arjun and Ulpi (daughter of king Nag), was ruling this area during Mahabhartata. After the war of the mahabhartata arjun performed “Ashwamegh Yagya” to prove his supriority over the land. The horse (used as sign of power for Ashwamegh Yagya) was captured by Babar Vahan at village ‘khoon’ nearby village Ramkot on dhar Udhampur road where Arjun was killed by babar vahan. With joy of victory, babar vahan presented the head of Arjun to his mother Ulpi.

She told him that he has killed his father. To make arjun alive again, mani from sheshnag was required. Hence babar vahan made a surang through his arrow and formed surangsar which is now named as surinsar. After defeating sheshnag and capturing mani, babar vahan came out at manisar later on known as mansar.

Mansar can be reached from Jammu on the National Highway while traveling from Jammu to bordering state of Punjab. You can also reach from Udhampur (A District Headquarters, Udhampur is a town approximately 60 Kilometers away from Jammu on the National Highway while traveling from Jammu to Srinagar) on National Highway 1A.

This Mansar lake road joins to another important road that directly links Pathankot (Punjab) to Udhampur (Jammu & Kashmir, Jammu Province. Udhampur is a Town of strategic importance, again on National Highway No. 1A. The shortcut road from Mansar or Samba to Udhampur by-passes the Jammu town. Surinsar Lake, a smaller lake that is linked to Mansar, is 24 km from Jammu (via a bypass road).

Mansar is a holy site as well, sharing the legend and sanctity of Lake Mansarovar. There are ancient temples on the lake side, which are often visited by devotees in large numbers. Some Hindus from the region perform Mundan (First hair cut) ceremony of the male baby here.

Apart from its religious importance and heritage, the Mansar Lake is also picking up as a great tourist spot for all its scenic beauty, flora & fauna. The lake has proper walk way all around with required illumination, with projected view decks to enjoy flickering of seasonal birds, tortoise and fishes of different species. There is a wild life Sanctuary housing jungle life like Spotted Deer, Neelgai etc. besides other water birds such as Cranes, Ducks etc.

Being a hub of spirituality and sanctity, many devotees, especially newlyweds and babies, make their way to Mansar Jheel. It is considered auspicious to perform circumambulations (Parikrama) around this place. The ritual is performed to receive blessings from the Snake God called the Holy Sheshnag. Mansar Lake is well-connected via road. It is at a distance of 10 km from National Highway No. 1A. It is also famous for its rich flora and fauna. Mansar provides facilities for boating with all the necessary safety measures.

Mansar Lake is no ordinary lake but a blessed site where the gods live. It is believed that the sanctity of this lake is equivalent to that of Mansarovar Lake of Tibet because its water has the power to absolve a person of his or her sins. The location of this lake is in the middle of a dense forest, hills and small gardens. Although the lake is believed to be more than a mile long and half a mile wide, legend has it that there is no such end to the dimensions of this mystical lake.

There are two old shrines located at the site of Mansar Lake – Umapati Mahadev and Narasimha Temple as well a temple of Durga Devi. There is also an interested shrine of Sheshna, the first serpent born on earth, who is believed to support the globe with his hood since the ancient times. In fact, many newlyweds visit the lake shrine of Sheshnag to obtain his blessings by circumambulating the lake.

In olden times a pond existed in the meadows and the kings princess often used to have her bath there. Part of the pond still exists near the youth hostel. The Britishers probably couldn’t get the name correctly in their revenue records , and over the years it changed from “Patan Da Talab” to PatniTop.

112 kms from Jammu, this famous hill resort is perched on a beautiful plateau, at an altitude of 2024 metres across which the Jammu-Srinagar Highway passes. Enveloped by thickly wooded forests, PatniTop offers beautiful picnic spots, peaceful walks and breathtaking views of the of the Chenab basin. In winter, the resort is generally covered with a thick mantle of snow thus providing opportunities for various snow games including Amateur skiing.

Further ahead, at a distance of about 19 Kms from PatniTop, is Sanasar (2079 m), a satellite resort of PatniTop, with a cup-shaped meadow surrounded by gigantic conifers. A place for a quiet holiday, the meadow has now been developed as a golf course.

It is the best-developed tourist spot of Jammu and is second to none in its natural charm, climate, pine forests and lush green cover. The complete tourist circuit covers Jammu-Katra-Vaishno Devi ji, Kud-Sanasar, PatniTop-Gourikund, Sudhmahadev, Mantali, extending upto Latti-Dhuna.

Skiing courses are conducted at PatniTop in the months of January and February. During winter months there are introductory courses for tourists/beginners at gentle gradient slopes of PatniTop. At Madhatop (5/6 Kms from PatniTop on Sanasar Road) excellent possibilities for all kind of skiing exist. A ski-lift in the area is also proposed. As for facilities 40 sets of equipment is available at PatniTop and Sanasar. Also available are wooden sledges locally. For beginners Instructors are also available.

Paragliding has been introduced at Sanasar and Jammu. Equipment is available on Hire from tourist office in Jammu city. May-June and September October are best suited for paragliding. Other aero sports like Parasailing and Hot Air ballooning are also becoming operational shortly.

A range of trekking options is available here. Summer is the season when all trekking routes are open while some are open in winter too. There are excellent camping sites also En-route. The Sundrani- Jungal Gali-Nagarkot-Sanasar route in Jangal Gali area lets you choose any of three exciting treks. There are Trekking equipment hire shops of tourism Department at Jammu and Kud. They stock imported and local gear. These are available for fixed prices.

Barog is a cute little place immerging as a major holiday attraction to spend a day in. It is a small village in Solan district in the Himachal Pradesh. Set in the mountains Barog is just 60km from Chandigarh on the Kalka-Shimla highway. It used to be an important stop in the early decades of the century when the Kalka-Shimla toy train stopped here for an hour while the sahibs and memsahibs enjoyed a lavish lunch.

The station, one of the prettiest on the line with its hanging baskets of pink geraniums. Barog was settled in the early 20th century during the building of the narrow gauge Kalka-Shimla Railway. It is named after Barog, an engineer involved in building the railway track in 1903. Barog, the engineer, was responsible for designing a tunnel near the railway station. He commenced digging the tunnel from both sides of the mountain, which is quite common as it speeds up construction.

However, he made mistakes in his calculation and while constructing the tunnel, it was found that the two ends of the tunnel did not meet. Barog was fined an amount of 1 Rupee by the British government. Unable to withstand the humiliation, Barog committed suicide. He was buried near the incomplete tunnel.

The area came to be known as Barog after him. Soon another tunnel was built by H.S. Harrington, Chief Engineer in Railways at that time. This tunnel is the longest of the 103 operational tunnels on the route of the Shimla-Kalka Railway, which is 1143.61m long. Barog station is immediately after the tunnel. Barog tunnel is the straightest tunnel in the World. Trains take about 3 minutes to cross this tunnel, running at 25 kilometres per hour.

Height 1680 m. On the Kalka-Shimla highway, Barog has grown from a mere stopover to a full-fledged destination. Surrounded by pine and oak forests, Barog has a commanding setting. The Choor Chandni-which poetically translates as the ‘mountain of the silver bangle‘ is clearly visible from Barog-and when moonlight washes down its snow covered slopes, it seems as though thousands of icy, silver bangles are sliding down in the night.

Barog was settled in the early 20th century during the building of the narrow gauge Kalka-Shimla Railway. lt is named after Colonel Barog, an engineer involved in building the railway track in 1903. Surrounded by pine woods and views of the valley, Barog makes a conveniently accessible destination from the Delhi-Punjab-Harayana region or as a travel stopover to or from Shimla. lt is also a convenient weekend getaway.

Chashma Shahi