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Still snowing tourists in Himachal hills

Sun, 27 Mar 2011 14:42:06 +0000

As spring slowly melts into summer, tourists from the plains are rushing right into the arms of the Himachal Pradesh hills that are still magically laden with snow.

Snowfall has certainly been heavier this time compared to the last few years. The mountain peaks viewed from Shimla’s historic Ridge are wrapped in a thick blanket of white.

“It’s quite soothing to see these lofty snowy peaks,” remarks Aditi Bhardwaj, a tourist from Lucknow.

Hill stations like Shimla, Narkanda, Hotels in Manali, Dalhousie, Dharamsala, Palampur, Sangla and Kalpa are teaming with tourists, Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corp (HPTDC) general manager Yogesh Behl said in an interview.

“The snow-clad mountains are still attracting tourists. Most tourists prefer to visit those destinations where they can hurl snowballs or at least enjoy the view of snow-laden hills,” said Behl. HPTDC has 57 economy and high-end hotels across the state.

He said holidays in schools in the plains had also led to a spike in tourist arrivals. The peaks overlooking popular tourist resorts like Manali, Dharamsala and Palampur are still white.

District Tourism Officer Rajeshwar Goel in Manali said plentiful snowfall at the Solang slopes, 13 km from here, is alluring tourists. On an average 25,000 to 30,000 tourists are coming to Manali on weekends.

“The Solang slopes have around two feet of snow even now and these slopes are ideal for skiing, sledging and snow-scooter rides,” he said.

Goel said the Rohtang Pass, located at 13,050 feet and at a distance of 51 km from Manali, is out of bounds due to heavy snowfall. “Trekking in and around the Rohtang Pass is banned even now. Even locals are not allowed to cross the pass on foot due to the possibility of snowstorms.”

Newly-wed Abhishek Jain and Manisha from Chennai said: “We really enjoyed hurling snowballs at each other. Riding the snow-scooter was also a memorable experience.”

Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal told us that to promote tourism, the government plans to build seven ropeways under public-private partnership and BOOT (build, own, operate, transfer) modes.

“Two ropeways - Palchan to Rohtang Pass and Bhuntar to Bijli Mahadev - have been proposed near Manali,” Dhumal, who also holds the tourism portfolio, said.

The other proposed ropeways are Neugal, Shahtalai to Deot Sidh, Dharmakot to Triund, Anandpur Sahib to Naina Devi and Jia to Addi Himani Chamunda.

Currently, four ropeways are functional at Parwanoo, Naina Devi, Jabli and Solang.

Set up with an investment of Rs.36 crore, the Solang ropeway project is a joint initiative between the state tourism department and a private company, Ski Himalayas Ropeway Pvt Ltd.

The ropeway project, inaugurated by Dhumal in January this year, is a gondola system built with European technology. It takes the tourists to the ridge of Mount Phatru at an elevation of 3,200 m (10,000 ft).

Manmohan Singh, director of the meteorological department here, said popular tourist destinations like Shimla, Narkanda, Kufri, Dalhousie, Chamba, Palampur and Dharamsala have been experiencing pleasant weather these days.

He said the higher reaches in Kinnaur, Chamba, Kullu and Lahaul and Spiti districts experienced mild snow March 20.

Himachal Pradesh attracted 13 million tourists last year as compared to 11 million in 2009, registering an increase of over 16 per cent in a year.

Kullu and Manali are the hotspots for tourists, followed by Shimla and Dharamsala.

Best Summer Vacation places in India

Thu, 24 Mar 2011 10:11:55 +0000

A close friend of mine who is in the country for the summer season is really thrilled to know that India has the best locations to beat the heat. Apart form the Northern hilly regions; the southern part of India is spectacular when it comes to chilling out with the family! Confused and distressed as to which place might be appropriate for her to spend her summer vacations, here is the list of some of the most beautiful places in India worth being in this summer!

1.Manali – If you are looking for some kind of adventure and fun then Manali is the best place to visit this summer vacation. With the perfect climate and the best hotels in manali this hill station provides to you, Manali is sure a definite place to visit. The best thing about this hill station is that it has about 61 best hill resorts/hotels where you can spend time with friends and family. When one visits this hill station in India for the summer season, you would find a lot of travelers engaging themselves in trekking, white river rafting etc. For those who are visiting this hill resort for the first time this summer season the best place to stay at is the Holiday Inn, Banon Resort, Club Mahindra and the Highland Park. There are many other places to reside in this hill station but from them these four stated above, is the best.

2.Kodaikanal – This summer getaway which is situated in the hills of Tamil Nadu has the best climate and for those who want to escape to enjoy their summer vacations, then Kodaikanal is the best place to hit with friends or loved ones! Though most of the tourists visit during the months of April to June, there is also a few who visit during this time of the year where the place provides the best for you, to stay away from the summer heat and high temperatures. This enchanting place, Kodaikanal is know for its good service hotels like the Villaretreat, Amherst Cottage and the Dalethorpe Home Stay. On a visit to Kodaikanal this summer season, one must visit the Coaker’s Walk and the Kodaikanal Lake where you would find people hiring cycles and peddling across the river enjoying the weather.

3.Ooty – Another best summer getaway for this Summer vacation with the one you love. This Scotland of India as it is widely known as has the best feeling for someone who can’t take the heat in Southern India. For those who love to be indulged with Nature, Ooty is the best place to let go off your spirit and enjoy! The best thing about this summer getaway is that one would find a variety of cuisines delighting your every taste bud and the greenery is something special for your eyes to see. Some of the best hotels/resorts to stay at Ooty is the Fair Stay Holiday resorts, Space Inn Resort, The Taj Savoy Resort and of course the Brindavan Spiritual Resort where one can glide into meditation enjoying the peaceful atmosphere and climate of Ooty, the ‘Queen of Hill Stations’.

Plan your summer vacations today to any one of these three places and you will definitely enjoy a chilling summer season!

Budget Hotels in Manali

Sun, 12 Dec 2010 16:03:08 +0000

Hotel Him View is one of the best hotels in Manali with river side location where guests, families and educational groups can enjoy outdoor adventure activities nearby by staying at Hotel. Hotel Him View management is pleased to assist guests for special adventure activities like paragliding, rafting and hot air ballooning from our travel help desk. We make sure that you spend quality time and enjoy best of holidays with family and friends.
Hotel Him View is situated to the left bank of Manalsu River near famous Club House. The first thing you notice in our premises is relaxing ambience with a smiling hospitality. We are sure that your holidays will be special with our excellent services and comforting stay! This ultra-modern property is a city resort with luxury interiors you could ever desire, especially when you are on honeymoon. This place is complemented by fresh interiors, best furnishing with a sense of coziness and warmth of excellent hospitality.

Hotels in manali, budget manali hotels, manali river side hotels
Hotel Him View, a name that is famous as a Hotel by River Side in Manali near Club house is visitor\’s choice for family stays & comfort holidaying. Year after year, every season, we plan a complete, relaxing and rejuvenating holiday for your family and friends with unforgettable memories. Come alone or bring family with you, stay here for a night or for weeks, your experience will always be exciting as Hotel Him View offers most of recreational facilities for youngsters, honeymooners, families as well as kids with fun rides, boating and soft adventure activities just within 100 meters of its surroundings. Our services and warm hospitality will make you feel delighted and make a lifetime memory for years to come.

Himachal freezes at sub-zero temperatures

Sun, 12 Dec 2010 15:59:21 +0000

Large parts of Himachal Pradesh reeled under severe cold Saturday, with minimum temperature staying below freezing point in many areas, officials said.
Keylong, the headquarters of Lahaul and Spiti district, was the coldest place, with minimum temperature at minus 5.7 degrees Celsius, down 0.7 degree from Friday’s.
Most of the high-altitude areas in the district experienced extremely cold conditions with mercury staying five to 10 degrees Celsius below freezing point.
The night temperature in capital Shimla was 4.3 degrees Celsius, whereas the maximum was at 13.2 degrees.
Kalpa in Kinnaur district saw a low of minus 1.5 degrees Celsius, while the minimum temperature was 2.5 degrees at Bhuntar in Kullu district and 5.1 degrees at Dharamsala in Kangra district, a Met department release said here.
The Met office said weather would be mainly dry Sunday.