When the hills call: Are these destinations on your Himalayan travel bucket list?
With adventure tourists taking it a notch higher by going to newer locations in the wild Himalayas, here are spots that are making it to many travel lists.
CHOPTA, UTTARAKHAND
Impromptu trip? Chopta is an out-of-the-box destination to unwind, that you can explore in four days. Around 450km from Delhi, Chopta is located at an altitude of around 3,500m with a panoramic view of the wild ranges of the Himalayas. Whether going by bikes or four-wheelers, Chopta is around 14-hour drive from Delhi touching Rishikesh, Srinagar, Rudraprayag, Ukhimath. From Chopta, one can trek upto the Tungnath that has the world’s highest Shiva temple at an altitude of 3,600m. One can further trek up to the Chandrashila top and can enjoy a 360 degree view of the ranges of the Himalayas.
PANGI VALLEY, HIMACHAL PRADESH
Worth a five-day trip, Pangi valley is located in Northern
Himachal. One can reach Pangi valley in three days, traveling through Pathankot, Chamba valley and Sach Pass, which is one of the most dangerous passes in Asia. Pangi valley is not much commercialised yet, and people have visited the region to research herbs. But, the best part indeed is the ride from Bairagarh in Chamba valley to Kilar is Pangi through the Sach Pass. An 80km drive at an altitude of 4,500m, one can surely experience what offroading truly means.
SPITI VALLEY, HIMACHAL PRADESH
Everyone has heard about Lahaul-Spiti, but little anyone knows about the wild beauty one can experience here. Spiti is a must-do for any traveller to enjoy the rocky sculptures all around. Around 2,000km round-trip from the Capital, one can either enter via Manali or Shimla, depending on how they want to complete the circuit. Visiting Spiti, one must surely keep his stay in Dhankar, Komic, Langza, Chandratal, Key. Kaza being the most commercialised place in Spiti, one can surely have a stay as a base and visit to Langza and Komic, which is Asia’s highest village connected by a motorable road.
NARKANDA, HIMACHAL PRADESH
A night-drive from Delhi, Narkanda in Himachal is a must-tick in a traveller’s checklist if they can’t afford extended holidays. The road from Shimla to Narkanda is well maintained and the drive is really pleasing through the lush green mountains. Around 400km from Delhi and well-known for apples and cherry orchards, one can drive through Shimla, Theog enjoying the mesmerising views while cruising through.
ZANSKAR
If you have the heart to drive through the river beds and waterfalls, this is the route for you. Take the challenge and drive from Kargil to Zanskar to enjoy serenity beyond explanation. Located in Ladakh, Zanskar is around 250km from Kargil. One needs to start by 6am or before to reach Padum by evening as one can maintain hardly 20km/hr speed on this route. Reaching there, one can enjoy the perfect Buddhist culture for a day before heading back to Kargil and carrying on their journey in Ladakh.
AULI, UTTARAKHAND
Located around 500m from Delhi, Auli is the perfect destination if one is fond of skiing. One of the locations in Uttarakhand witnessing great footfall between December and March, Auli is surely a great plan for travellers who love winter snowfall. One can drive through Rishikesh, Devprayag, Karnprayag, Srinagar and break the journey into five days for the 1,000km round-trip.