PARWANOO
This is the southern gateway to Himachal and is an industrial town which has places of sightseeing close by.
It is Recommended For - Business, sightseeing and as a travel stopover.
It is an all-season destination.
(Visit Hotel Shiwalik,and Café Shiwalik)
Altitude – 640 m. Temperatures – Summer 360 C maximum. Winter 00 C minimum.
Attractions
* Pinjore’s Mughal-style gardens (10 kms).
* The old cantonments and churches of Dagshai (45 kms) and Subathu (28 kms).
* The hill station of kasauli (37 kms. For additional details, please see below).
* The well painting and palace of Kuthar (53 kms) and the old palace of Nalagarh (41 kms).
KASAULI
This is a small ‘old world’ hill station surrounded by wood and has charming colonial architecture. The Hotel Ros Common is an old colonial bungalow and is situated along the town’s Lower Mall.
Recommended For – Sightseeing and leisure.
Temprature Kasauli is an all-season destination.
Altitude – 1950 m. Temperatures Summer 320 C maximum. Winter 00 C minimum.
Attractions
* Upper and Lower Malls.
* Hanuman temple at Monkey Point.
* temples of Baba Balak Nath and Shirdi Sai Baba.
* Sightseeing to Subathu station (27 kms) and Kuthar (46 kms).
* Church and the cobbled bazaars.
* Central Research Institute.
* Hikes to Sanwara station (16 kms), the railway via ducts and along the old Kalka Kasauli track that leads form the Sadar Bazaar.
BAROG
Surrounded by pine woods, is a self-contained destination-resort along the Kalka-Shimla highway.
Recommended For – Leisure, sightseeing, as a travel stopover and as a conference destination.
Barog is an all-season destination.
Altitude – 1680 m. Temperatures – Summer 320 C maximum. Winter 00 minimum.
Attractions
* Barog railway station and tunnel (4 kms)
* Solan town (8 kms)
*temples of Shalooni Devi, Devi Durga, Hari, Narasingh and the Sanatam Dharam one.
* Church at Chambaghat (9 kms) and the Solan Brewery (11 kms).
* Jatoli village (15 kms) and the temple of Lord Shiva, the Buddhist Dolanji Bon Monastery (18 kms), the attractive campus of the Forestry and Horticulture University at Nauni (16 kms) and the orchard area of Rajgarh (53 kms).
* The thickly forested Karol Tibba and the Karol Cave.
CHAIL
Chail was the ‘summer capital’ of the former princely state of Patiala and quite expectedly, had all the trappings that Indian royalty was once famous for. The Palace hotel is Housed in the Maharaja’s mansion and has long been a popular resort . Close to the Palace, is hotel Himneel.
Recommended For – Leisure, Sightseeing and conferences.
Altitude – 222 m. Temperatures – Summer320 maximum. Winter 00 C minimum.
Attractions * Palace Hotel.
* The Sidh Baba Temple (1.5 km), the cricket and polo ground
(at 2444.4 m, one of the highest in the world) and the wildlife sanctuary.
* Fishing on the Giri River (29 kms).
* Kufri (28 kms), and several hikes, short drives and walks within and around Chail.
KIARIGHAT
Tourist Bungalow This is a colonial bungalow is on the Kalka Shimla highway. It is near Shimla and faces a thick forest of oak, pine and deodar (Himalayan cedar) trees.
Recommended For – Leisure, sightseeing and travel stopover.
Kiarighat is an all-season destination.
Altitude – 1750 m. Temperatures – Summer 320 C maximum. Winter 00 C minimum.
Attraction
Kiarighat is a self contained leisure destination that is light on the budget and is close to Shimla (29 kms), Chail and other sightseeing places.
Shimla was the one-time ‘summer capital’ of British India seat of one of the most powerful governments in the world. Today’s Shimla retains a substantial measure of its colonial ambience and is one India’s most popular holiday destinations. Numerous attractions, its easy accessibility and well developed facilities have ensured its enduring popularity. A city-centre property, Hotel Holiday Home is the HPTDC’s flagship hotel; the Hotel peterhof les on Shimla’s western arm and is close to the former Viceregal Lodge and HPTDC’s Ashiana and Goofa restaurants are location on Shimla’s famous Ridge.
Recommended For – Leisure, sightseeing, hikes and soft-adventure, business and conferences.
Shimla is an all-season destination
Altitude – 2200 m. Temperatures – Summer 310 C maximum. Winter 00 C minimum.
Attractions
* World’s finest examples of British colonial architecture like the Viceregal Lodge and the Mall – A wide range of sightseeing like the temples, churched and museum. Several heritage and nature walks within the town. Some of these are. Christ Church, Kali Bari Temple, jakhoo Temple, Sankat Mochan Temple, Taradevi Temple, Kamna Devi Temple and Potters Hill.
* Many regular and seasonal activities like the ‘Summer Festival’, and ice-skating in winter. Excursions and sightseeing Naldehra (23 kms), Mashobra (12 kms) and Kufri (16 kms).
* places that vary in distance form 20 kms to 70 kms like Fagu, Narkanda, Dhami, Arki and Junga. Activities like golf (23 kms) and white-water rafting (at Tattapani, 51 kms) are available in the suburbs.
DARLAG,
Darlaghat shot into prominence with a large pollution-free cement plant.The Hotel Baghal is close to several sightseeing places and is a little away form the plant.
Recommended For – Offbeat destination close to Shimla (42 kms), leisure and travel stopover.
Altitute – 1820 m. Temperatures – Summer 350 C maximum. Winter 00 C minimum.
Attractions
* Proximity to Shimla, several old temples, and the former palaces of Arki (24 kms) and Dhami (28 kms). The temples and hill of Dev Harshing – Chanawog (22 kms).
RENUKAJI
(Hotel Renuka**) – The largest natural lake in Himachal, Renuka lies in a bow| surrounded by a variety of dense vegetation. This is held sacred to Renuka, wife of the sage jamdagini. Hotel Renuka faces the lake.
Recommended For – leisure, sightseeing and pilgrimage.
Renukaji is an all-season destination.
Altitude
660 m. Temperatures – Summer 350 C maximum. Winter 00 C minimum.
Attractions
* Lake and boating, temples of Renuka and Parshurama, the mini zoo and lion safari (2 kms).
* Jataun barrage (5 kms) and fishing for mahaseer (river carp).
PAONTA SAHIB
(Hotel Yamuna**) – Historic gurudwara where Guru Gobind Singh spent a few years – Hindu temples and Sikh gurudwaras. The town is also an industrial hub. Hotel Yamuna lies close to the gurudwara .
Recommended For – Pilgrimage, sightseeing, leisure and business.
Paonta Sahib is all all-season destination.
Altitude
350 m. Temperatures – Summer 380 C maximum. Winter 20 C minimum.
Attractions
* Paonta Sahib and other historical gurudwaras.
* Several Hindi temples.
* Water sports at the Asan barrage (2 kms)
* Saketi Fossil Park (60 kms).
* Nahan town (40 kms)
* The Simbalwara wildlife sanctuary (12 kms).
NALDEHRA
Deodar trees has the famous nine-hole golf course. Hotel surrounded by green forest.Recommended For – Golf including learning how to play, leisure, sightseeing, nature walks and soft adventure.
Naldehra is an all season destination.
Altitude – 2044m. Temperatures – Summer 300 C maximum. Winter 00 C minimum.
Attractions
* Golf.
* Several scenic sport like Mashobra (15 kms), Craignano (16 kms), the glade of Sipur (18 kms) .
* Proximity to Shimla (23 kms).
* Tattapani’s hot springs (26 kms) and white-water rafting.
* Walks and hikes.
I have visited Himachal about 40 times There is no other place like it.
