Chitkul is a village located in the Baspa Valley in Himachal Pradesh. It is a frontier village and the last settlement before the Indo-Tibetan border. It is also the last northward point in India that one can travel to without a permit. Chitkul is known for growing some of the finest quality peas and potatoes in India.

It is religiously important as it is considered the last point in the Kinner Kailash Parikrama .

The town of Sangla is the nearest tourist destination. People travelling to Chitkul usually stay at Sangla and plan a day trip to Chitkul as accommodation in the village is neither in plenty nor cheap, compared to Sangla. It is suggested that those travelling to Chitkul, carry adequate money and fuel, as neither ATMs nor petrol pumps are found along the 28 km route from Sangla to Chitkul.

Chitkul height is about 11,319 Ft in altitude, which is staggering enough to make it a hard-to-reach paradise. As they say, all things worth having in life never come easy, so I say, add Chitkul to that list. If traveling to offbeat places is what gets your rhythm going, Chitkul is the bass! The lack of a mobile signal in this hamlet, makes you disconnected from the world and complements your connection with the surroundings.

With Kinner Kailash visible in the backdrop, Chitkul brags of unmatchable views, from its soft spot on the Baspa River. On the left bank of the Baspa lie snow-clad mountains that you can look at till pigs start flying and on the right bank lies an expanse of orchards.

The slopes of this magical land are flaunted by the majestic Deodars and the dignified Chilgoza, Chitkul also boasts of abundant orchards, catering to the world some of the finest’ Golden Delicious’ apples. Also, this settlement is famous for its high-quality potatoes, given the accommodative weather and the fertile soil. I kid you not, the quality of these potatoes is unmatchable, and justify the high price!

The villagers are either Hindus or Buddhists, speak a Tibeto-Burman dialect known as Kinnauri and wear distinct green pahadi caps. In ancient mythology, the people of Kinnaur were known as Kinnaras, the halfway between gods and humans. This further lends to the belief that Kinnaur is the land between heaven and earth!

Chitkul is situated in Kinnaur Valley of Himachal Pradesh. Kinnaur, the land between paradise and earth, is surrounded by Tibet on the east, Garhwal on the south, Spiti Valley on the north and Kullu on the west. Interestingly, Uttarakhand border is just 20 km from Chitkul. If you choose to, you can walk into Govind Pashu Vihar National Park and Sanctuary after crossing Borasu Pass (17,880 ft).

The distance of Delhi to Chitkul is 569 km, and the nearest settlement of Sangla Valley is at approximately 28 km. Rakcham village is the midway point between Sangla and Chitkul and the drive from Rakcham to Chitkul is breathtaking, adventurous and just pure gold beautiful!

The Indo-Tibet border is approximately 90 KMs from the Chitkul village. However, no civilian movement is allowed beyond Chitkul, which is why it is famously known as the last village before the Indo-Tibet Border. The area beyond the village is in control of the Indo-Tibet Border Police.

These are some of the best tourist places in Jibhi which provide maximized visual treat. Getting a brief knowledge will provide you with detailed data about the next vacation planning. Keep scrolling down and read all about the places and what are they famous for!

• Jalori Pass: For Pine Trees And Rocky Hills
• Serolsar Lake: For A Mesmerizing Visual Treat

The distance of the Jalori pass from Jibhi is 12km. It is located at an elevation of 3000metres. This is a beautiful place where you can get dislodged in nature. You can listen to the minimal whispers of nature and also the sound of the breeze that flows. It is a must-visit place due to serenity brought due to the pine trees and the beautiful shapes of rocky hills. The surrounding of this place is mesmerizing, which makes it a must visit.

The encounter with some amazing plant life and wildlife, while passing by will let you know about the true aspects of nature. In a nutshell, the scenic beauty of this place makes it worth a visit. The feeling of being relaxed, tranquillity and free from the hectic world is the foremost reason to travel here. It simulates the paradise on earth. You should pack the desired clothes as per the season here. A trip between November to March needs proper woolen clothes as that is wintertime in this region.

Another one in the list is Serolsar Lake which is one of the most beautiful places to visit in Jibhi. It is covered up amid thick woods secured with pine trees. The lake lies calmly and is a visual treat to watch. Lake deceives the east of Jalori Pass, which is at an elevation of 3040 meters. It is a simple trail of five km, which begins from Jalori Pass. Trekking is the main choice to arrive at the lake.

Lounge around this lake or plunge your feet into the water to restore your spirit. Aside from fanciful visual treat, there is one fascinating truth related to the lake. Even though various Silver Oak trees encompass lake, one can’t see even a solitary fallen leaf on the outside of the lake. This is a direct result of two sparrows named Aabo that live close to the lake. Local people accept that at whatever point a leaf falls on the outside of the lake, these sparrows quickly take the leaves out. This is one of the most interesting stories related to this lake.

This is a perfect place for trekking and there are many trekking spots that are located here. The village of Mana can be visited as day trip from Badrinath. There is a waterfall called the Vasundara Falls that is located nearby and this is also a good place to see while travelling to the village of Mana.

There is small passage called the Bhim Pul that is located here and the River Sarawasti plunges headlong into the path and this is a sight to behold. The local population of the village lives in small cottages that are decorated and carved exquisitely.

One can visit the temple of Mata Murti that is located near the town and the temple holds an annual fair, visiting which can be an interesting experience.

A 10 minute drive on a well-kempt tarmac road from Badrinath led us to Mana. Sight of the well-bred mountain dogs running towards us, the noise of the gushing Saraswati, rows of army camps on either side of the road and that one massive village gate that read ‘The Last Indian Village’, everything around us seemed like an intimation about how far away we had come.

This village at an altitude of 3115 metres in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand introduced us to divinity in a rather peculiar way. The kids of the village narrated the stories from Mahabharata as they guided us from the gate through the congested village street all the way up to Vyas Gufa, the cave where Ved Vyas compiled the four Vedas and narrated Mahabharata for the first time.

Visiting Mana village is in itself a very awesome and satisfying experience. This term, “India’s last village” overcomes both your mind as well as your heart, and giving that adventurous spark in you, with a sense of accomplishment too. The moment you step foot on its ground, the vividness of nature as it is surrounded by the Himalayas and is on the banks of the river Saraswati grasps your attention.

The exact age of the founding of the Key Monastery is not known but it is believed to originally date back to 1100 CE, although many believe the site is even older. Now sitting on top of a mountain foothill, the early structures built by the original monks would have been much lower. However as the peaceful Buddhists were attacked by the area Mongol barbarians the reconstruction efforts would simply build upon what had gone before, eventually creating the erratic patchwork of rooms, tight hallways, and hidden courtyards that exists today.

Much of the monastery bears a distinct Chinese design influence like many similar structures in the area, dating back to a period in the 14th century when the style came to the area. The interiors are also rich with historic murals and documents precious to the orders which have lived in the ever changing monastery.

Today Key Monastery is still a fully-functioning training ground for lamas operated by a Gelug sect of Tibetan Buddhist monks. Around 250 monks reside on the site at any given time, training, farming, and generally keeping the thousand year old wonder alive.

Overlooking Kaza from a height of about 13,500 ft, the Kye monastery is the largest in the valley and holds a powerful sway over the most populous part of the valley around Kaza. The gompa is an irregular heap of low rooms and narrow corridors on a monolithic conical hill. From a distance is resembles the Thiksey monastery near Leh in Ladakh. The irregular prayer chambers are interconnected by dark passages, tortuous staircases and small doors.

Hundreds of lamas receive their religious training in the monastery. It is also known for its beautiful murals, thankas, rare manuscripts, stucco images and peculiar wind instruments that form part of the orchestra whenever Chham is enacted in the gompa in summer. Another interesting aspect of the gompa is its collection of weapons which may have been used to ward off marauders as also to maintain its control over people betraying a church-militant character.

Thousands of devotees from all over the world were attended the Kalachakra ceremony which was performed in August, 2000 by His Holiness Dalai Lama.Kalachakra initiation (Skt. Abhisheka, Tibetan Wang) is not just an elaborate puja or a religious congregation.

It is a workshop in a grand scale to make an earnest effort by both the teacher and disciples to awaken their Buddha nature by the combined forces of teaching, prayer, blessing, devotion, mantra, yoga and meditation. It is an effort by every participant to try to discover the true and permanent peace for the sake of all others. The Buddhists believe mere presence during this elaborate initiation ceremony stretching over a few days, liberates the participant from suffering and bestows on him the bliss of Enlightenment.

The ceremony focuses on five main subjects – cosmology, psycho-physiology, initiation, sadhana and Buddhahood. A Kalachakra mandala and Viswatma deitiy in union with his consort are at the centre of this ceremony guiding the disciple through the tedious process of initiation.

The gompa is approached by road from Kaza (only 12 km). However, it is only 8.5 kms trek from Kaza.

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.

It is also referred to as ‘Chhota Kashi’ as there are many ancient temples in the city and on the banks of river Beas. The river Beas flows through the town and hills, which makes this town more scenic.

Lying on the banks of River Beas, Mandi also displays some old palaces and temples that can be dated back to the 5th Century AD. Serving as a gateway to some famous valleys such as Kullu, Manali, Spiti and Lahaul, Mandi is must on your north India itinerary which never fails to enchant its visitors. Mandi is also the nearest town to various treks like Prashar lake and Janjheli.

Needless to say, Mandi is a hill retreat that will always surprise you with its exotic wildlife; whether a nature enthusiast, a wildlife photographer or an avid bird watcher, you are sure to be treated with one of the most spellbinding wildlife spectacles of your life.

Not to mention, the famous ‘Shikari Devi Wildlife Sanctuary’ sits as Mandi’s greatest wildlife attraction, offering a close engagement with its proud residents like Monals, Pheasants, Barking Bear, Musk Deer, Himalayan Black Bear, Himalayan Palm Civet and Leopards that often leave the visitors astounded with their sudden appearance and sight. The sacred Shikari Devi Temple en-route to the sanctuary is a site of much religious significance and a place must visit when on an expedition here.

Last but not the least, Mandi is a true shopaholic’s delight. The town is known for its excellent local handicrafts, woollens and exotic silver jewellery crafted to perfection. So, when in this pristine little town, don’t leave before grabbing something for yourself and family back home to treasure for life.

Ajbar Sen was the first great ruler of Mandi. He was probably the first to assume the designation of Raja. He consolidated the territories that he had inherited and added to them new ones that he wrested from the hands of his neighbours. He built a palace here and adorned it with four towers.

He also built the temple of Bhut Nath and his Rani constructed that of Trilok Nath. Down the line of descendants was Raja Sidh Sen, who succeeded Raja Gur Sen in 1678 AD. Mandi had never been so powerful before his reign and after that never was. He captured great areas from the adjoining areas. it was during his reign that Guru Govind Singh, the tenth guru of the sikhs visited Mandi in the close of the 17th century.

He had been imprisoned by Raja singh, the chief of Kullu, from whom he had sought assistance against Mughal troops and his followers believe that Guruji escaped by using miraculous powers. Raja Sidh Sen, who is also considered to be a posessor of great miraculous powers, entertained his with great hospitality. He built the great tank before the palace.

Situated amid clear lakes and lofty forested mountains, Srinagar has long had a considerable tourist economy. Along its course through the city, the Jhelum River is spanned by several wooden bridges, and numerous adjacent canals and waterways abound with shikara, the gondolas of Kashmir. Srinagar is well known for its many mosques and temples; the Hazratbal Mosque contains a hair that reportedly belonged to the Prophet Muhammad, and the Jāmiʿ Masjid (Congregational Mosque), built in the 15th century, is said to be the largest mosque in Kashmir. Dal Lake, with its “floating gardens,” is a well-known attraction, as are the nearby Shalimar and Nishat gardens.

Srinagar has the distinction of having multifaceted and unique cultural blend, making it exclusive from the rest of the country, not only from the different cultural forms and heritage, but from geographical, demographically, ethical, social entities, which forms a distinct spectrum of diversity.

The Dal Lake which has the length of 8 Km long and a width of 4 Km, spreads over a total of 26 Sq. Km. The fascinating Dal Lake is divided into two smaller ones the Lokut (small) and Bod (big) Dal. The south western part of the lake has a maximum depth of approximately 12 M. the Dal Lake gets some of its water from spring but is also supplemented by water from the mountain lake, Mar Sar. In the western part of the Lake one can glimpse a few islands, some bigger, some smaller. Its shores are very fertile and surrounded by willows.

Mughal Gardens, as the name suggests, built in the Mughal period is a marvel located in Srinagar. These gardens are the major attractions of the tourists to Jammu and Kashmir. These gardens are the nice example of the Mughal style of constructing attractive places.

The name Mughal Gardens is given for the combination of three renowned gardens namely the Nishat Bagh, Shalimar Gardens and Chashmashahi. These gardens are tourists’ paradise and are beautifully decorated with bright flowerbeds, terraced lawns and well maintained cascading fountains. No tourist can miss these three nice marvelous gardens.

The Hazratbal shrine lies at a distance of 25 kilometers from the Badgam district in Srinagar, Kashmir. This pilgrimage destination is known by a number of names viz. the Assar-e-Sharif, Madinat-us-Sani and the Dargah Sharif. Mughal emperor Shahjahan’s brother constructed the Ishrat Mahal at the site of the shrine sometime in the year 1623, later when the emperor himself visited the site he ordered the place to be converted into a prayer house. The shrine as such was built by the Muslim Auqaf trust. Before the Hazratbal shrine was constructed the sacred hair was placed in the shrine of Naqshband Sahib. The architecture of the shrine is a combination of Mughal and traditional Kashmiri.

The Shankracharya Mandir of Kashmir, India is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is thought to be the oldest shrine in the Kashmir valley. The temple, as it stands today, has undergone many repairs throughout its life. The first repair is supposed to have been done under the rule of Lalitaditya. The second repairs were undertaken by Zain-ul-Abideen after the temple got damaged in an earthquake. These repairs were carried out during the Governorship of Sheikh Mohi-ud-Din. Maharaja Gulab Singh, a Dogra ruler, is credited for the stone steps that form a part of the passage to the shrine. The electrification of the Shankracharya temple was done in 1925.