Himachal Pradesh stores numerous wonderful hill stations, which are particularly cool in summers. Shimla, Dalhousie, Kullu , Kasauli, Manali, Chail and Kufri are a few of the hill Stations in Himachal Pradesh which offer breathtaking scenery. Dharmasala, where the Dalai Lama lives, is another important centre on the tourist map. The foremost shrine in Kangra town is the Brajeshwari Devi temple. 30-km from Kangra is Jwalamukhi, one of the most revered temples in northern India. The Kangra Museum has an impressive art collection.

Population in Himachal Pradesh: 6 million

Festivals of Himachal Pradesh: 
Shivratri festival in Mandi in Feb/March; Sul Mata festival in Chamba in March; Kangra Valley Tea Festival in April; Shimla Summer Festival in May; Kulu Dussehra, which begins when festivities in the rest of the country have ended in October; Renuka Fair, held on the banks of Renuka lake in November.

Capital of Himachal Pradesh: 
Built in the mid-eighteenth century, Shimla was highly popular among the British royalty after it was named the 'Summer Capital of India'. The Parliament used to move up to the hills to get a break from the hot Indian summers. The town is a picturesque place dotted with charming bungalows and shops made of stone. A perfect setting for romance or to go on a idle holiday. The best way to see Shimla is to pick up a tour book, which tells a small history of the buildings and churches.

History of Himachal Pradesh: 
Aryan groups filtered into the more productive valleys during the Vedic Period. Later, the Mauryans, Guptas and the Mughals sought to exercise varying degrees of control over trade and pilgrimage routes into this area and between India and Tibet. Lahul and Spiti was controlled by Ladakh from the decline of the Mughal Empire (about the mid-18th century) until the early 1840s, when it briefly came under Sikh rule. British domination followed the Anglo-Sikh Wars and continued, directly or indirectly, for the next 100 years. In 1948, it was constituted as an administrative unit comprising 30 princely states.

The People: 
Himachalis lead a simple and quiet life, tending their orchards, fields and flocks. The population is composed of a variety of distinctive hill tribes: Gadis, Gujaris, Kinnauris, Lahulis, Pangwalis, and Rajputs. Hindi (the official state language) and Pahari are the principal languages. Himachal Pradesh is the least urbanized state in India; the urban population accounts for less than 10 per cent of the total. The simple people of Himachal Pradesh still hold their gods in awe.

Culture in Himachal: 
Keeping alive their rich highland identity, they remain immersed in the annual rounds of fairs and festivals full of music, song and dance. The Shimla hills, the Kullu valley (including the town of Manali), and Dalhousie are tourist attractions. Skiing, golfing, fishing, trekking, and mountaineering are activities for which Himachal Pradesh is ideally suited.

Occupation in Himachal: 
Most people in Himachal Pradesh earn their keep by agriculture, pastoralism, horticulture, and forestry. The state's main industrial products are agricultural implements, turpentine, and resin at Nahan, television sets, fertilizer, beer, and liquor at Solan, cement at Rajban, processed fruit at Parwanoo, and electronics near Shimla. Thousands of artisan-based, small-scale industrial units are also in operation.

Handicrafts from Himachal: 
Exquisitely designed shawls of Kinnaur, the distinctive woollen caps of Kullu , and the embroidered handkerchiefs of Chamba are some of the very attractive examples of local weaving. Himachal Pradesh is also known for its Kangra Valley School of Paintings.

Climate of Himachal Pradesh: 
The State can be divided into two regions: the Southern part, which is almost as hot as the plains and the northern region having a temperate summer and a winter with extreme cold and heavy snowfall. The rainfall is around 180 cms. Best time to visit Himachal is during the months Mid-May to Mid-October

Day 1
Arrive Delhi and transfer to hotel

Day 2
Drive to Chandigarh. Arrive and overnight in hotel

Day 3
Drive to Manali via Bilaspur

Day 4
Drive to Chhatru via Rohtang pass (3849 M) and Gramphoo

Day 5
Drive to Rangrik via Kunzum-la (4507 M.) via Losar the first village of Spiti, arrive at Rangrik

Day 6
Drive to Sichling enroute visit Key. Monastery, Kibber Gompa, Kaza monastery

Day 7
Drive to Tabo and visit Tabo Monastery and Dhankar Monastery

Day 8
Drive to Mikkim enroute visit Lallung Monastery

Day 9
Trek to Parkha along Pin river via the beautiful villages of Tailing, Mud and arrive at Parkha at 3900 mt

Day 10
Trek to Baba Base via Shian village. Camp at small green camping place at 4100 mt

Day 11
Trek through moraines and snow/ice patches via Baba pass at 4950 Mt, descend down to Fushtiaring, overnight at Camp

Day 12
Trek to Mulling Wanger River and through green valleys, overnight at Camp

Day 13
Trek to Kafnu via heavy forestation of pine, cedar and birch. From Kafnu drive to Kalpa. Overnight in Tourist Banglow/Hotel

Day 14
Visit Old Chini town and the Monastery at Rekong Pio. Visit Telangi and Pangi villages

Day 15
Drive to Chitkul via Sangla, stop at Sangla and visit Kamroo Fort

Day 16
Drive to Sarahan via Baspa Valley. Visit Bhimkali Temple

Day 17
Drive via Narkanda. Arrive and check into Resort/ Hotel at Kufri

Day 18
Drive to Shimla. proceed to Kalka to board train for Delhi. Arrive & transfer to hotel for overnight stay.

Day 19
Day at leisure, transfer to international airport for onward Jouurney home.