Kasauli, Himachal Pradesh

Kasauli is one of the small towns in various hill stations developed by the British during the peak of the empire in India. Kasauli is a cantonment and town, established by the British in 1842, and is located 77 km from Shimla and 54 km from Chandigarh. It is a charming hill station with lots of old world charms of the 19th century. Its colonial ambiance is reinforced by stretches of cobbled roads,  quaint shops, gabled houses with charming facades and many neat little gardens and orchards. The narrow roads of Kasauli slither up and down the hillside and offer some magnificent sights. The upper and lower malls run through Kasauli's length and one can enjoy long walks in the anonymity of the sleepy town. A mixed forest of pine, oak and huge horse-chestnut encircles the town. 

Monkey Point is a major tourist attraction in Kasauli, apart from its shopping malls. Monkey Point is a hill which derives its name from Rishi Man-ki who used to worship an idol of Lord Hanuman, and later the summit was crowned with a small temple dedicated to Lord Hanuman.

Colonial architecture is represented by Christ and Baptist churches in the town. There is also the Central Research Institute that makes vaccines. This Institute was established in 1906 by Dr. Sample.

Leh is an interesting place to visit!

Locked between the Himalayas, the Karakoram and the Ladakh and the Zanskar Ranges, Ladakh is a high-altitude desert and one of the three geo-cultural regions of the State of Jammu & Kashmir. Ladakh comprises of the two districts of Leh and Kargil. Leh is the principal town of this 'land of high passes, with the only airport in the region located here. Incidentally, this is also the highest commercial airport in the world. During the tourist season (June-Sep), Leh town becomes a melting pot of cultures and nationalities, and everything turns tourist-centric. Culturally, the Ladakhis follow an Indo-Tibetan heritage, though historic immigrants from Kashmir, Gilgit, and Central Asia point to its strategic location on the ancient Silk Route. The passes around Ladakh are snow-bound six months of the year, and the geographic isolation has perhaps been the single biggest influence in the unique culture of the region. Glimpses of the indigenous culture may be found in the villages where the role of oracles and astrologers, a simple diet of barley and wheat, yak wool, and peculiar conservation principles are a way of life. In the town, however, packed provisions and Coke are easily spotted. Buddhism and Islam are the prominent religions in the region though Ladakhis are an extremely tolerant people. In Leh, it is not uncommon to find Buddhist and Muslim families sharing common blood relations. The proximity to the troubled Kashmir appears to have had little impact. With Leh as gateway (and the acclimatization point), most visitors head out to the high-altitude lakes, the valleys of Nubra and Lower Indus, and other surrounding areas. Monasgtery-centric itineraries are a common way of doing the Ladakh circuit. Trekking and rafting on the Zanskar are preferred by the hardy. The travels mostly end in Leh, where the cafes and restaurants buzz with a blissed-out people raving about the stark beauty they were witness to. Ladakh is a huge landscape to explore: think of a week to 20-day break for a memorable holiday in Ladakh!

 Leh's town center extends to a radius of no more than two kilometers and is located about 7 km from the airport. What may be called the Town Square has a historic mosque, a new gompa, terrace restaurants, German bakeries, travel agencies, and curio shops. You can hire bikes around here, check email, refill your water bottles, and buy supplies, souvenirs, carpets, pashmina shawls, dried apricot, books on Tibet and mysticism, and much more. The town center rests against the shadow of the Leh Palace, which is situated on a hilltop. You can reach the palace after a walk through narrow bylanes and a steep 10-minute hike. A road off the main square leads to Changspa village - a little bowl greened by a glacial melt stream, where guesthouses thrive to backpacker culture. Beyond Changspa is the Shanti Stupa, a Japanese creation perched on a hillside, along the road to Khardung La. The polo ground is also in the town center. Most prominent hotels are also located in or around the town center. The town center is usually throbbing till 11 pm during tourist season. The closest historic gompas from Leh are Shey, Thikse, and Hemis. 

There are many hotels to stay in Leh.

Visiting Nainital is fun!

Nainital is a hill station set around an emerald lake. According to Hindu mythology, the Naini Lake is one of the eyes of the Goddess Parvati, wife of Lord Shiva. It is said that the modern Naina Devi Temple at the northern end of the lake is built on the exact spot where Parvati's eye fell after Vishnu, another Hindu God, hacked Parvati's body to bits to end Shiva's cosmic dance of destruction. 

Sailboats skim across Nainital's waters now and there are trekking trails, temples, forest groves, a zoo, a 100-year-old golf course, and an aerial rope-way.  Around Nainital, there are other smaller resorts that make for good one or two day trips. The region is also called the Lake District due to a string of closely located lakes, including Bhimtal. Ranikhet, another hill station, is nearby and in the foothills of Ranikhet is the Corbett National Park, where you can sight tigers, if you visit the park in the right season. 

Nainital is one of the more pleasant hill stations in the northern part of India for walks through forests and superb glimpse of the Himalayas, though Naini Lake or Nainital primarily defines the character of this hill town. Naini Lake is where the locals and all the tourists go. Boat rides are the favorite pastime. There are boat operators who will take you around the lake. You can also hire a yacht from the Nainital Boat Club. But if you like to be on your own, you can take a pedal boat for a fee and float around the lake.

Major Attractions other than boating:

Snow View: A rope-way called the Aerial Express takes you to the popular Snow View that offers breathtaking views of the majestic Himalayas dominated by the Nanda Devi peak. 

Paragliding in Kumaon: At Naukuchiatal, 23 km away from Nainital, the kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam organizes paragliding in association with a private operator. This is a tandem joyride and a trained pilot always flies with the passenger.

Bhimtal, 23 km away from and larger than Naini Lake, has water sports, and a beautiful island.

How to reach Nainital:

By rail: The nearest railway station is Kathgodam, 35 km away, which is connected with Delhi and Kolkata.

By road: The most convenient way of getting to Nainital is by road. It is a 303-km drive from Delhi. One can take a private cab. Plenty of daily night bus services are available from Delhi to Nainital  and back. A Bus can be taken from near Old Delhi Railway Station or from near Chandralok Building on Janpath in Connaught Place, New Delhi.

Where to Stay:

There are good budget and premium hotels in Nainital to stay and enjoy your holiday.