Nowadays many people look out for offbeat places in Himachal Pradesh as most of the tourist places are mostly turning to concrete jungles. There is so much demand for these less-known places in Himachal that many of them are turning into tourist spots now.
When I suggest travel plans to my loved ones, including family and friends, I do ask them lots of questions. It helps me know what they are expecting from their offbeat vacation in Himachal. It helps me suggest a memorable trip of their lifetime. Some of these questions include –
“Are you tired of being visiting the same old commercialized, tourist flocked, complete hustle-bustle like Shimla, Manali, Dalhousie, Dharamshala, etc.? Do you feel like going to some quiet, secluded, and peaceful place where you can spend quality time with your family, friends, and nature? Do you believe in off the beaten track travel and love to explore new places? “
Well, many times I get a positive reply to most of these questions. Every other person, who frequently travels nowadays, is looking out for some quiet, peaceful, less commercialized, and non-touristy place in Himachal to spend their valuable vacation time.
So, in case the answer to any of these questions is YES for you too, then this article is for you only.
Let's quickly dive into the details:
What are some Offbeat Places in Himachal near Delhi?
Here is the preview of the top 12 offbeat destinations in Himachal Pradesh near Delhi. We will look at them in this article in more detail.
| Name of the Offbeat Place in Himachal |
| 1. Tirthan Valley – Gushaini, Nagini |
| 2. Pabbar Valley – Rohru, Shelapani, Kharapathar, Chansal Pass |
| 3. Chindi – Karsog Valley |
| 4. Daranghati – Daran Village |
| 5. Barot |
| 6. Prashar Lake |
| 7. Bir – Biling |
| 8. Parvati Valley – Kasol, Tosh, Kheerganga, Malana |
| 9. Naggar Castle – Jagatsukh |
| 10. Jibhi – Shringipur – Shoja – Jalori Pass |
| 11. Rajgarh – Nohradhar – Haripurdhar |
| 12. Chamba – Bharmour – Hadsar – Bairagarh |
| 13. Other places – More than a day drive from Delhi |
Himachal Pradesh offers a variety of hidden tourist places, but many of them take at least two days to reach Delhi/NCR. However, in this article, I am going to share with you my favorite offbeat places in Himachal.
These undiscovered places in Himachal Pradesh can be reached in a day from Delhi/NCR. You should be OK with traveling about 12-14 Hrs a day (the usual time for Manali / Dharamshala / Dalhousie).
In case you haven’t, then do not forget to check my list of Top 12 MUST VISIT Offbeat Places in Uttarakhand.
You can go through these peaceful places in Himachal below. I am sure you will add many of them to your next travel plans for a trip to Himachal Pradesh.
Download your FREE high-resolution version pdf copy of this infographic guide of these lesser-known & offbeat places in Himachal. If you liked it and found it helpful, please feel free to share it with your family and friends to help them too.
1. Tirthan Valley
If you have not been to Tirthan Valley yet, then I am sure that you have not experienced nature in its purest form. Surrounded by the Great Himalayan National Park (GHNP), this beautiful valley situated beside the Tirthan River is one of the hidden tourist places in Himachal.
Tirthan Valley is an awesome place to relax in the lap of mother nature. It tops my list of offbeat places in Himachal Pradesh any day if you have never been to it. I love this place most in the whole Himachal region for my family outings.
If you haven’t got a chance to visit it, then the best time to visit Tirthan Valley will be the coming Spring season and early summers. Though the Tirthan Valley is open all around the year, its beauty magnifies to the greater magnitude with blooming flowers in the valley in the Spring season and early summers. Also, the water in the Tirthan river is soothing to sit beside and get lost in peaceful nature.
There is a nearby waterfall in Gushaini, Tirthan Valley and you have a Great Himalayan National Park that offers one of the best hikes around the world. You can go for day hikes in GHNP or stroll in the village or woods around it. Perfect place to spend some quality time with your family.
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2. Pabbar Valley
Pabbar is one of the most enchanting places in Himachal Pradesh, isolated from the tourist rush as of now. It offers some awesome panoramic views, especially from the Chansal pass, along with numerous nature walks/hikes in the dense orchards and forests all along the valley.
So, there is no surprise it makes in my list of less-known places in Himachal.
You can also experience a wide range of activities like camping, trekking, fishing, and other adventure activities that are also gaining attention including rafting and paragliding.
You may have heard about the names of these undiscovered places in Himachal like Rohru, Shelapani, Karapather, or Chansal Pass. All these lesser-known villages come under the Pabbar Valley region.
So, in all honesty before this “becoming popular” destination gets polluted by the maddening tourist rush, high-end commercialization, and goes away from the list of offbeat places in Himachal Pradesh, you should travel to Pabbar Valley soon in your upcoming trip to Himachal Pradesh. I am sure you will love every bit of it.
You can read about the route details and directions in my article on my trip to Chansal Pass – Rohru – Chakrata.
3. Chindi – Karsog Valley
Chindi is yet another offbeat place in Himachal Pradesh that offers an inspiring set of beauty, peace, and calmness. Once, you reach Chindi or Karsog Valley, you have all the time in the world to rejuvenate, relax and spend some quality quiet moments with your loved ones.
You have ample hikes around in the dense orchards and can explore several temples around Chindi. You can visit Karsog Valley situated just below Chindi, which also offers some lush green wide views of the mountainscapes in Spring and Summers.
If lately, you had some “not so good” time with your better half, or you had a great time with him/her but still want to make it better by listening to each other, or you want to introspect a few things about yourself then Chindi is an ideal place for you.
If required you can discuss with me an itinerary for Shimla, Chindi, Karsog, and Kullu Valley and visit these offbeat places in Himachal near Delhi.
4. Daranghati – Daran Village
Daranghati near Sarahan is one of the remotest and unexplored places in Himachal Pradesh situated just above Daran village. It is famous for Daranghati Wildlife Sanctuary, but you cannot take anything from the jaw-dropping beauty it offers you.
Since Daranghati is near to Sarahan (which itself offers nice beauty and peace) and lacks too many accommodation options (just two as of now), it can always be covered as a day trip from Sarahan. However, one-day camping at Daranghati is highly recommended to feel nature in its best form.
The general route to Daranghati goes through Mashnoo (alternate routes are also there) and for cars it is almost an off-road type of experience. If you plan to visit in hatchback or sedan, then I guess you need to have some excellent driving skills. You should be cautious to drive on this adventurous plus narrow road.
If you are especially a rider or driver who loves to enjoy some adventurous roads to reach a secluded place in Himachal for ultimate relaxation, then you should plan a trip to Daranghati very soon. You will not be disappointed at all.
Even if you drop Daranghati then Sarahan, entrance to Kinnaur Valley, itself offering some picturesque beauty and peace, is worth a place to visit in Himachal Pradesh. But, going to Sarahan will give you peace, nothing much exotic. (For just Sarahan, read more in comments by doodlings though via email)
5. Barot – Luhardi Villages
Barot was used to be on my travel bucket list of offbeat places in Himachal Pradesh for a long time. However, finally, in 2013, I got a chance to travel to this secluded place in Himachal besides the Uhl river.
Barot is another off-the-beaten-track destination in Himachal that is yet to gain the attention of the general tourists. It has some wonderful terraced fields, thick cedar forests, and a range of outdoor activities on offer for the tourist.
The Uhl river flowing next to the Barot village mostly on both sides adds every bit of its unique beauty. So, if you love serenity, nature walks, or you are a backpacker or one who loves to do some angling, then do not hesitate by any means to visit Barot village in your upcoming travel plan for Himachal.
You can read my comprehensive travel guide of Barot to know everything about this offbeat place in Himachal Pradesh near Delhi.
6. Prashar Lake
Prashar Lake, which is located about 49 odd km north of Mandi at an altitude of 2730 Mtrs, is one of the popular offbeat places in Himachal Pradesh. The lake has a depth unknown to anyone so far. People who know about this place can’t stop going there again and again due to the extreme solitude and peace it offers to you.
However, I only like Prashar Lake in two states, one, when it gets surrounded by green colors topped with a varied variety of flowers in the monsoon months of July – August. And, the other state is when the white carpet of snow surrounds this surreal lake and gives it a feeling like a jewel-studded & shining midst white gold around it, in January – March.
You can take Delhi to Manali overnight Volvo and reach Mandi. Buses are running from Mandi to Prashar lake / Baggi village, the base of Prashar. Spend a day at Prashar either in FRH or PWD Guest House or camping near the lake. Finally, on Day 3, you can return home. So, a trip to Prashar can easily be made over an extended weekend.
As I said, it looks beautifully green in monsoon time, Prashar lake is also one of the top offbeat places in Himachal to visit in August. Of course, with rains, there is always a risk.
You can read my snow trek to Prashar which I did in January and it was pure bliss.
7. Bir – Billing
I have already mentioned Barot above in this article but let’s deviate a bit now. Just about 70 odd KMs from Barot, there lies India’s favorite destination for Paragliding by the name of Bir Billing.
While Bir is more of a conventional Buddhist/Tibetan town having quite nice monasteries and a stupa, 14 km north of Bir lies Billing, which is the hotspot of paragliding in India. These two places also come pretty high in the list of my favorite offbeat places in Himachal near Delhi.
You can club the trip to Bir Biling along with the Barot village trip or Prashar Lake trip. Otherwise, you can also make a dedicated trip to this secluded place in Himachal.
The stay options are available at Chowgan village. The best time to visit Bir – Billing is from April – May or September to mid of November. You may not be aware, but Bir – Billing indeed hosted the Paragliding World Cup by the Paragliding World Cup Association, France in 2015 🙂 🙂 …
So, being popular only amongst a niche of travelers, Bir Biling in Himachal makes the ideal offbeat destination in Himachal for all peace and paragliding lovers.
8. Kasol – Malana – Tosh – Kheerganga
Now, let’s talk about a couple of beautiful unknown places of Himachal Pradesh, Kasol – Malana – Tosh – Kheerganga.
Kasol, 75 km away from Manali and about 34 km from Bhunter, lies in the Parvati Valley of Himachal Pradesh. It is nestled between Pin Parvati ranges on one side and the mighty Beas river on the other.
Parvati river, a tributary to Beas, also passes through Kasol town. For years we have heard that Kasol is a mini Israel for its cannabis production and foreigner settlement.
But that is not what Kasol is all about.
A calm little Himalayan town, Kasol gets its unique selling point from towering hills covering this town, the wild yet forgiving Parvati river, and an abundance of multi-cuisine restaurants. On an average day in Kasol, you will find numerous German bakeries and cafes serving multi cuisines, shops selling innovative caps, jewelry and T-shirts, Firangs and hippies strolling about around the streets, and much much more.
Apart from Kasol, there are numerous hikes or treks or walks one can undertake from Kasol to reach various tranquil places around Parvati Valley.
Tosh – Kalga – Pulga – Kheerganga
You can go up to Tosh village, where a bumpy yet motorable road goes. Tosh offers some majestic views in Parvati Valley. Then there is a 3-4 Hrs trek to Kheerganga running through quaint villages of Kalga – Pulga having a hot spring up there. It is one of the most favorite spots for most people traveling to Kasol.
Malana
Finally, there is a tabooed village of Malana which is quite an unusual yet very picturesque hamlet having its one unique culture, laws/rules which amuses many people to visit this place. All these places are nearby Kasol only and you can club a 3-4 day trip to visit these places or make these villages as a base to explore the rest of them around.
Once, these used to be the most undiscovered places in Himachal, but as of 2022 Insta age and budding travelers searching for trance things have killed it a bit. However, still, you can visit these quaint towns Himachal for peace, not just a different trance and hippie culture.
9. Naggar Castle – Jagatsukh
Naggar Village, about 22 KMs away from Manali, is a quiet little village to enjoy the peace and calmness of the Himalayas in Himachal Pradesh I have always believed that staying at Naggar Palace, a premium heritage hotel, run by HPTDC is one of the most romantic offbeat experiences of Himachal.
Naggar castle offers some amazingly beautiful views from its front row rooms and balcony-based restaurant.
The best will be that you book rooms in the first row offering a valley view. On a relaxing day, you can hike to Old Krishna Temple, visit Shiv Temple or Roerich Art Gallery and Museum at Naggar.
As soon as you reach the bus stand (I feel it was a bust stand :)) of Naggar lifts your eyes upwards and you can get a glimpse of a castle-like structure made of wood and rocks at a cliff point. It’s approx. 800 Mtrs from the bus stand.
Jagatsukh
On the way to Naggar from Manali, there comes another quiet, calm and small village by the name Jagatsukh. There is a well-known temple there as “Gayatri Temple” which is known to be one of the oldest temples of all time with relevance to “Mahabharata“.
Nowadays Jagatsukh is also gaining popularity in terms of staying away from the hustle-bustle of the Manali town at a peaceful location. So, surely needs a special mention in this list of offbeat places in Himachal.
10. Jibhi – Shringipur – Shoja – Jalori Pass
We have already talked much about Tirthan Valley in this list of offbeat places in Himachal Pradesh.
However, if you move from Tirthan Valley or Gushaini towards Banjar and take the road to Jalori Pass, you will come across some more peaceful yet not so known hidden tourist places in Himachal. These are popular by the names Jibhi, Ghiyaji / Shringipur / Shringi Vatika, Shoja, and Jalori Pass.
To beat the crowd and have a quiet time with your loved ones, staying at any of these villages will not disappoint you a bit. All these places now have small guest houses or homestays run by mostly local families. You can witness the flowing waters of a tributary to the Tirthan river, especially at Shringi Vatika, and enjoy local cuisines while living in complete calmness.
Shringi Vatika is a homestay/guest house run by an old couple which now they call it Shringipur. HPTDC has put up camps right at Jalori Pass in complete solitude. Apart from majestic valley views, you will not spot anything, and that makes it a perfect place to live away from civilization yet very close to it 🙂 🙂
11. Rajgarh – Nohradhar – Haripurdhar
Located in the Sirmaur district of Himachal Pradesh, Rajgarh – Nohradhar – Haripurdhar villages are one of the most less known offbeat places in Himachal where you can enjoy complete peace and calmness away from any hustle-bustle.
Only a handful of people know about it, and one can enjoy the drive of about 9-10 hrs from Delhi. Rajgarh lies ahead of Solan, and you can witness pure serenity around the place once you reach.
These places lie on one of the well-known treks by the name Churdhar Trek. In the winter months, these hidden villages become one of those not-so-popular places to find snowfall near Delhi in Himachal.
You can read the entire travel tale in the DwD Community about a family trip to Rajgarh (Sirmour)
12. Chamba – Bharmour – Hadsar – Bairagarh
Many tourists visit Dalhousie – Khajjiar every year and some of them make a day trip to Chamba as well. However, the entire region ahead of Dalhousie – Banikhet is very untouched and quite less explored apart from the days of Manimahesh Yatra.
There are plenty of options of peaceful places in the entire Bharmour Valley ranging from Chamba to Bairagarh, the base of Sach Pass, or an entrance to Pangi Valley. The places around Bharmour only remain rushed during the days of Manimahesh yatra but the rest of the season mostly has fewer tourist footfalls.
However, you can always visit these places to enjoy a quiet holiday with your loved ones. You will not get much outside disturbance. Also, you can make a day trip to tourist places of Dalhousie – Khajjiar from these places to have a balance of touristy plus offbeat experience.
No doubt, these places needed a special mention in this list of offbeat places in Himachal Pradesh near Delhi.
Other Offbeat places in Himachal & FAQ
Well, indeed Kinnaur Valley including Sangla, Chitkul, and Kalpa is one of the offbeat places in Himachal Pradesh. However, in order to visit these places you need at least 5 days to make some sense of the trip. I have detailed about it in my most recommended itinerary of Kinnaur Valley, in case you have that many days in hand.
Well, there are other offbeat places in Himachal Pradesh too. If you have not been to places like Bharmour, Spiti Valley, Lahaul Valley or Pangi Valley, they all come under the offbeat tribal belt of Himachal. However, you need more than a weekend to visit these beautiful unknown destinations in Himachal.
Conclusion
You can reach all these offbeat places in Himachal from Delhi/NCR in a day. Hence, you can enjoy a complete offbeat vacation of 3 to 4 days at any of these places near Delhi. You can check with me for an itinerary and other details for these lovely off-the-beaten-track travel places in Himachal Pradesh.
So, after going through the complete list of a few undiscovered places in Himachal which one will you put on your bucket list?
In the upcoming articles on this similar series of offbeat places near Delhi, I will cover some offbeat places in Uttarakhand along with offbeat resorts in Himachal to stay. So, stay tuned and subscribe to my email list of travelers to get such tips delivered to your inbox.
Have a travel question?? You can subscribe to my YouTube channel and leave a comment to ask your travel questions on traveling to the Himalayas.
Please share your thoughts, reviews, suggestions, and experiences as comments. I would be looking forward to them… till then Happy Traveling.
If you know your friends or family are planning a trip to Himachal Pradesh, do share this article with them to help them make a memorable trip to some of these offbeat places in Himachal near Delhi.
1,114 Comments
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Hi, We are planning for 5 6 days trip to Himachal . WIl be taking a first halt at shimla for 3 days dats already booked.Pls suggest how can the places mentioned above be covered. We are travelling from Delhi n wid a 3 yr old kid.
Richa, you can visit Chindi – Karsog for couple of days from Shimla and a day trip to Daranghaati as well.
Dear Dheeraj Ji,
I have been following your blog for a long time now and I am fan of what you do.
I along with my wife had planned for Spiti Valley in the 1st week of September but due to certain issues we now have to settle for Dharamshala-Dalhouse and other nearby places. We would be reaching Dharamshala on 31st August. Please let me know some offbeat places nearby which can be done and have proper accommodation facility available. We have around 6-7 days at hand with us. Are there any place nearby that compensate for the beauty of Spiti or Ladakh (height of wishful thinking 😉 ) ?? We don’t mind traveling 🙂
Thank you Vikram. You can follow something like this:
Day 1 : Delhi – Ambala – Banur – Kharad – Roopnagar – Hoshiyarpur – Dasuya – Mukerian – Pathankot – Chakki – Dhar – Tunnahati – Banikhet – Dalhousie
Day 2 : Dalhousie – Chamera Lake (21 KM) – Chamba (40 KM)
Day 3 : Chamba – Gete (17 Km) – Jot (12 KM) – Gete (12 KM) – Khajjiar (7 KM)
Day 4 : Khajjiar – Kalatop – Khajjiar
Day 5 : Khajjiyar – Dharamshala – Mcleod Ganj
Day 6 : Mcleod Ganj
Day 7 : Mcleod Ganj – Dharamshala – Delhi
If you want to trek Triund, you can extend the trip as
Day 6 : Mcleod Ganj – Triund Trek, 4-4.5 Hrs onw way
Day 7 : Triund – Mcleod Ganj
Day 8 : Mcleod Ganj – Dharamshala – Delhi
Dear Dheeraj Ji,
I am flying from Delhi to Dharamshala. So Day 1 is striked off !
Also, are bikes on rent available at Dharamshala? Can you recommend some agency for that? What shall be preferred mode of transportation? Should we hire a taxi throughout?
I have also heard of paragliding activity near Dharamshala. Do you recommend it?
It is in Billing, that paragliding. Though it is a bit away, about 4 Hrs drive. Regarding bikes, I doubt there are any rentals in Dharamshala
Hi Dheeraj,
Greetings,
Visiting dehradun on 15th sept. Can you suggest a nice trip around for 3 nights. We are 2 couple’s.
Regards,
Prem
Hello Prem,
You can go over to Landour or Chakrata from Dehardun and spend time up the for couple of nights. One night at Landour or Dhanaulti and couple of nights at Chakrata.
we have already been to Chakrata & dhanaulti.Can you suggest some other himalayan gems.
Prem, in that case go ahead and relax couple of days in Harsil in case you have not visited it.
Thank you dheeraj for the information…still i would want your suggestion,,, we are three couples travelling from delhi ..could suggest the best places to explore in himachal and our trip is for 4 days max.(pls if you could provide places which are new n neva heard ☺️) THANK YOU .
Yashraj, 5 places have been mentioned in the article above for Himachal. You can also check: Top 12 Must Visit Offbeat Places in Himachal Near Delhi
All these places can be accessed from Delhi within 4 days.
Hi Dheeraj,
The article is very informative and I must visit these places.
I have few queries could you please let me know about kaza trip from shimla by public buses. Also the total budget for 2 people as me and my husband planning to go Kaza. We would like to go Shimla then Reckong peo then kalpa then kaza and come back to manali then chandigarh. Also let us know which is most beautiful place to stay for 2 days.
Please suggest what should we do and also let us know the budget and good and reasonable hotels contact numbers.
Thanks in Advance 🙂
Hello Priyanka,
1. Well, there are buses connected between Shimla to Reckong Peo and then a daily bus from Reckong Peo to Kaza and from there Kaza to Manali is also connected by daily bus. You can pick these buses and travel. The cost will not be more than 1500-1800 all the way up to Manali from Shimla in buses.
2. Regarding stay, best will be that you stay in Kaza only for 2 days to explore places around Kaza.
For stay options in Kinnaur and Spiti, check the link: Some Good Options of Stays in Spiti Valley / Kinnaur Valley
Regards
Dheeraj
If you are going to Reckong peo thn visit sangla,chitkul also…
HI DHEERAJ,
Read ur article. Really amazing. Can u please suggest the place to Explore for 2 days for trip From CHD.
Thanks,
Gurveen1
With just two days in hand, may be you can give a shot to Prashar Lake, Mandi OR may be Jalori Pass, Jibhi, Shoja or in case not visited go with Narkanda, Hatu Peak
Hi Dheeraj excellent blog ,
We are 3 couples travelling to himachal in november 2015.
can you please help to set itinerary.
14th Nov – reaching Amrutsar at 9.30am from ahmedabad. Entire day in amrutsar.
15th Nov to 22 Nov – Kindly help to set itinerary which also include dharamshala and above mentioned places. We would be travelling in hired car. We would like to do trekking , camping , paragliding and other adventure stuff
23rd Nov- return to ahmedabad from delhi
thanking you in anticipation.
Hi Rohan.
You can try out below plan:
15: Dharamshala – Mcleod Ganj
16: Rest at Mcleod Ganj
17: Triund Trek, camp up there at Triund
18: Come back and rest at Mcleod Ganj
19: Mcleod Ganj – Baort
20: Rest in Barot village
21: Barot – Prashar Lake
22: Prashar Lake – Delhi
Thaank you Dheeraj for your quick reply
-We have many ameture trekkers so is it advisable to do trekking at prashar lake? As you have included triund trekk also,can we skip prashar lake trekk ?
-From your blog I have found Tirthan Valley very attractive , so is it possible to include tirthan valley in this itinerary?
-From barot lake can we take a trip to bir billing for paragliding?
-we have train from delhi to ahmedabad at 8pm on 23 rd nov so we have entire 22nd november in hand.
Thank You.
Rohan, there is no trek to Prashar during these days, the bus goes all the way up to Prashar. You can go directly in that case from Mcleod Ganj to Tirthan Valley and spend time there with rest of the day. Yes, you can do Paragliding at Bir Biling but then you squeeze the number of day at Tirthan
Hi Dheeraj from your itinerary following changes are possible?
15: Reach Dharamshala /Mcleod Ganj at 1 pm from amrutsar- entire day at Mcleod ganj. Rest
16: Triund Trek, camp up there at Triund
17: Come back and rest at Mcleod Ganj
18: Mcleod Ganj – Baort
19: Rest in Barot village
20: Barot – tirthan valley (3 hours) – entire day n night at tirthan valley
21: Tirthan valley-Bir billing day trip
22: Tirthan valley – half day – then leave for delhi
Thank You.
Rohan a little directional changes:
19: Rest in Barot village
20: Barot – Bir billing – tirthan valley
21: Tirthan valley
22: Tirthan valley – half day – then leave for delhi
Thank you Dheeraj..Really Appreciate your feedback.
If you suggest any particular hotel/cottage than it would be of great help.
Thanks again
Rohan, you can check the respective Travel Guides for Tirthan Valley and Barot for stay option in the article above. Regarding stay at Mcleod Ganj, you can check out Pink House: https://discoverwithdheeraj.com/india/himalayan-hotels-guest-houses/topic833.html
Will do that. Thanks and take care.
Hi,
Nice Blog!!!
We are planning for a trip of 4-5 days on 13 august with friends……our origin is in delhi…….Please suggest.
August is not really a place to be in hills bro !! I will suggest better plan somewhere around Kumaon in lower hills like Mukteshwar or so.
Hey dude, first of all kudos to your work, really impressive.
Now I need a piece of advice from you, I along-with a couple of friends of mine are planning a trip to himachal pradesh probably around 1st or 2nd august, We are in Chandigarh, so can you just share us a small tour plan which we can follow. The places must be like something full adventure sports, really enjoyable biking, exploring the true beauty of hp like visiting some remote and awesome places, away from the nuisance of city and something never heard before,(some waterfalls would also be loved 😉 ), we would like to rent a bike so please suggest a plan accordingly. Another important point is that please do not involve places like shimla or maybe the manali city( although they are beautiful but i have already been there and this time we would like to explore some new places which are kind of less heard by people yet magnificent like some of the places mentioned above). The duration would be like 5-6 days.
Thanks in advance….
Hello Gautam,
You can search a bit on any of the places mentioned above especially, Tirthan Valley , Barot or Pabbar Valley and then can venture out there. You can get rented bikes in Chandigarh. Let me know which place you choose and can suggest a plan accordingly.
I want to go all places….in sep can i go to all places in 5 days?
In just 5 days you can comfortably do any one of them only or at max can club two places.
Hey Dheeraj ,
You blog was really awesome !!
We are planning to go Himachal from Delhi for 3/4 days on 3rd week July and looking for not so crowded and unpopular destination. Could you suggest us some some destination and itinerary .We would be using public transport options and taxi wherever necessary and available. We are looking for some peaceful, cooler destinations. Camping, little bit of trekking/ hiking and some adventure sports options would be really awesome.
Robin, you can opt either of Barot or Tirthan Valley from the above list.
Hi Dheeraj.
Firstly thank you for an informative post. I am new to the travellers world. I am currently in Delhi. I would like to visit Himachal in the coming weekend (03-06-2015). I will be travelling with 4 of my friends. We are of different opinions on where to travel. However we are an adventurous lot and would like to do a little trekking, camping and if possible see some snow. Could you kindly suggest a place for us?
Thanks in advance.
Yogesh if it is just a weekend trip, then go over to Kasol and enjoy up there little hikes around.
Hi Dheeraj..such a wonderful blog. You are doing a great job helping others with their queries. My family is planning to visit Tirathan valley in first weekof of July. I m from chandigarh and we ( hubby, I and two kids 7 n 2 years old). we can spend three days to this trip and just relax and have fun, specially for kids. could u plz help me out
Neetu, in just three days it will be a bit tiring. Still, you can do is:
Day 1 | Reach Tirthan Valley, stay up there
Day 2 | Relax besides the river and visit the waterfall nearby
Day 3 | Start return journey from Tirthan
Hi Dheeraj, this blog is really impressive and informative. Great job done!
We are a group of three friends from Kolkata and we would be travelling to Himachal Pradesh in the next week.
Our route is Shimla-Sarahan-Sangla-Kalpa-Tabo-Kaza-Manali. Enroute we’ll also see Chitkul,Roghi village,Nako, Gheu village,Dhanker,Kibber.
Shimla, Sarahan, Sangla and Kalpa one night stay each. And for Kaza and Manali two nights each.
We’ll be having a private car with us all the time. And our trip time is really short.
I would like you to suggest any other places that we should see that falls under our route and give valuable advises that will make this trip worthy for a lifetime.
Thank you!
Thank you Shalini. You can check a very balanced and most common itinerary for Spiti Valley followed by many travellers including me at the link here for 10-11 days: Most Common Itinerary for Spiti Valley.
hi buddy,
we are planning to visit for very 1st time to HP,and looking to visit mcleodganj through train from delhi to pathankot and than to mcleodganj on 18th of this month. we have planned 3 day trip. we are group of 4 friends,plz suggest is it good place to be and if u have any better option to suggest plz tell.
regards
rahul
Rahul, since you have never been to Himachal, you will love Dharamshala ad Mcleod ganj for three days trip. You will enjoy it to max.
Hi Dheeraj,
It’s really amazing to see the level of first hand knowledge you have in this Himachal field!!!!!
Really appreciate your knowledge and being the avid traveller ..that you are.
I have some questions:
We plan to visit himachal pradesh in mid-October (17-25 Oct,15). We are a group of 17 members – having both young and senior people in our group. We will be going from Kolkata. We shall have 9 days’ time (including to and fro Kolkata). I have the following questions:-
1.We want to visit the tribal circuit of himachal (Delhi-Shimla-Sarahan-sangla-kalpa-kaza-losar-Kunzum pass). How many days will it take to cover this? Is it possible to include Manali in the itinerary? Which are the places we should stay overnight?
2. Is the Dhauladhar circuit best suited as per our itenirary : Delhi – Chintpurni – Jwalamukhi – Kangra – Dalhousie – Khajjiar – Chamba – Dharamsala – Chamunda – Palampur ?
Which places should we select for overnight stay, in this case?
3.Can we hire tempo traveller for these circuits? Is it suitable for these routes? Or if we take two SUVs, will it accomodate (max. limit per car??) 17 of us? Should we hire car for entire 7 days?
4. Which of the two circuits are better as far as natural beauty is concerned?
5.Lastly, would be more than glad if you can suggest an itinerary other than this- having places you think much more beautiful and awesome than what I have planned. Really want to know such offbeat, awesome places that you think it is more or less ‘do-able’, safe and enjoying for us (given that, there are seniors,male,young,male & female members in our group)?
Please help me with your opinions so that I can decide upon the tour and have my tickets confirmed (train reservation) before it’s too late 🙂 🙂 Thanks in advance.Really looking forward to your response……
Hi Indrarupa,
Thank you so much.
1. I have suggested the itinerary in the last
2. You can do either of them and will not go wrong with any one them.
3. Yes, you can hire the tempo traveller
4. I will go with Spiti and Kinnaur
5. As per plan below:
Day 1 : Reach Manali by overnight volvo of and stay overnight at Solang Valley as preferred for acclimatization
Day 2 : Manali / Solang – Chandratal – Kaza/Losar
Day 3 : Kaza/Losar – Key – Kibber – Kaza
Day 4 : Kaza – Langza – Komik – Hikkim – Kaza
Day 5 : Kaza – Pin Valley – Dhangkar – Tabo
Day 6 : Tabo – Geyu Mummy – Nako – Kalpa
Day 7 : Kalpa – Sangla / Chitkul
Day 8 : Sangla / Chitkul – Sarahan – Narkanda
Day 9 : Narkanda – Delhi
Regards
Dheeraj
hello sir. will you please suggest me the best places in Himachal Pradesh to visit. I am from delhi and will be travelling by car. We are two families and will like to spend 3 to 4 days. I will like to know about the most uncommon places which are suitable for family outing for both adventurous and visiting(nature) purpose on a single route. please guide me the most right road plan to visit such places.
Shubham, if you have not been to Tirthan Valley or Barot, you can go up there.
Hi Dheeraj,
Kudos to you for sharing such hidden treasures. I am based at Bangalore. Would like to cover all these 5 places during a single trip, probably some time in next year April end or start of May. Can you please suggest me an itinerary from Delhi/Chandigarh covering all these places. I could hire a cab from Delhi/Chandigarh for the entire trip.
Thanks much for spending your valuable time spending on my request.
Joydeep
Hello Joydeep,
These are away from each other in directions, so I will advice you either you do Chindi + Karsog with Daranghat and Pabbar Valley or you do Chindi + Karsog with Tirthan Valley and Barot.
How many days can you spare for visiting them?
Regards
Dheeraj
Hello Dheeraj,
In such a case I would like to opt for Chindi, Karsog, Daranghat and Pabbar. Probably with this I can also visit Sarahan. Excluding my journey from Bangalore, I can spend 8-9 days for the trip only. Please let me know if this much time is enough.
Thank you once again.
Joydeep
Hi Joydeep,
This sounds good, you can go with following plan:
Day 1 | Delhi – Chindi
Day 2 | Chindi and around, visit Karsog, come back and stay up there.
Day 3 | Chindi – Rampur – Sarahan
Day 4 | Sarahan – Daranghati, by May it shall be open most likely.
Day 5 | Daranghati – Kharapathar/Shelapani
Day 6 | Kharapathar/Shelapani – Rohru, spend time around Pabbar river
Day 7 | Attempt to go towards Chanshal Pass to the extent possible, play in snow and come back
Day 8 | Rohru – Narkanda
Day 9 | Narkanda – Delhi
Regards
Dheeraj
Hey Dheeraj,
Hope you doing Great!!!
Me n my frns are planning just girl’s 2 day trip. Can u suggest good n peaceful place for coming weekend n as we are all girls safety point to be taken care off…
Mansi, just for two days it will be better you travel to Matiana or Narkanda in case the options of stay are available there. Else other places will get too much of travel in just 2 days.
HI Dheeraj,
We are 4 bachelor friends (Boys) from Odisha and planning a road trip to Himachal Pradesh by Car in Mid of July. We will start from Delhi and go via. Chandigarh and have 7-8 days time. So my queries are:
1. We are planning Dharamshala and dalhousie. Is there any other off beat location to cover;
2. Can you please suggest us an itenary;
3. Is road trip safe in Mid July, as because it will be rainy season and landslide;
4. Any other suggestion?
Thanks & regards.
Hello Ashwarya,
1. Shall be good in case you have not visited them but they are not offbeat and regular tourist places of Himachal
2. Let me know if you have finalized with Dharamshala and dalhousie only, then we can work on plan.
3. Yes, roads are fine in condition to these places.
Regards
Dheeraj
I appreciate your quick response.
We have not finalized the location. Actually we have never been to Himachal Pradesh. So please suggest us accordingly.
Thanks & Regards.
Well, in that case go ahead with it:
Day 1 : Delhi – Ambala – Banur – Kharad – Roopnagar – Hoshiyarpur – Dasuya – Mukerian – Pathankot – Chakki – Dhar – Tunnahati – Banikhet – Dalhousie
Day 2 : Dalhousie – Chamera Lake (21 KM) – Chamba (40 KM)
Day 3 : Chamba – Gete (17 Km) – Jot (12 KM) – Gete (12 KM) – Khajjiar (7 KM)
Day 4 : Khajjiar – Kalatop – Khajjiar
Day 5 : Khajjiyar – Dharamshala – Mcleod Ganj
Day 6 : Mcleod Ganj
Day 7 : Mcleod Ganj – Dharamshala – Delhi
If you want to trek Triund, you can extend the trip as
Day 6 : Mcleod Ganj – Triund Trek, 4-4.5 Hrs onw way
Day 7 : Triund – Mcleod Ganj
Day 8 : Mcleod Ganj – Dharamshala – Delhi
Hi Dheeraj…i am planning a trip from Delhi to Chitkul around 10 June`15 fr 5 days. I have a Grand i10 Petrol car. Pls suggest me an itenary for the same.
Vikram you can follow the below plan:
Day 1 | Delhi – Shimla – Narkanda
Day 2 | Narkanda – Sangla/Rakcham
Day 3 | Sangla/Rakcham – Chitkul
Day 4 | Chitkul – Sarahan/Narkanda
Day 5 | Sarahan/Narkanda – Delhi
Will there be snow by the side of the road like rohtang and zojilla
When are you planning the trip Farogh and where? Chitkul?
Hi Deepak, Im planning a trip with my boyfriend for 8 days in Oct to HImachal Pradesh and would like to explore as many off beat places as possible during that time which includes traveling to and from Kolkata. I was looking at Thirthan Valley or Chindi. What would you suggest we do on an economical trip also considering the climate?
Dwani, you can include both Tirthan Valley and Chindi. Spend 2-3 days in Tirthan Valley and then spend couple of days in Chindi before reaching back to Delhi or Chandigarh from where you will take commute back to Kolkata.
Hey, Hi!
I have lived in manali most part of my life and my bf is from Shimla, but we have been in delhi for the oast 5 years, we want to go to an off beat destination in Himachal next weekend. Not so far off from Delhi, cz we only have the weekend. which of the above places do you suggest? we will drive up.
Thanks!
Mia, in such a case best will be that you go over to Chakrata for just two days.
Hi Dheeraj,
I am planning a 3N/4D trip to Himachal Pradesh with my girlfriend in coming week. I am living in jalandhar and will begin my journey from here only. I have already visited Shimla, kufri, chail, manali and mcleodganj in past. It would be very helpful if you pls share some other places to visit in HP that could make my trip memorable.
Navank, you can go over to Tirthan Valley or Barot as both these places are very nice to spend quality relaxing time midst lap of mother nature.
HI,
Me and my freinDs are planning for a himachal trip from 18th july -25th july.
We need your suggestion for the best plan we can have which will cover the below places:
1. Manali
2. Dalhousie
3. Rohtang
4. Khajjair
5. Dharamsala
6. And off beat places….
We are based from kolkata and are planning to start our journey by train.
Share your planning
Pinaki, how many days do you have in hand from Delhi to Delhi or Delhi to Pathankot? I means does these days inclusive of travel?
Hi Dheeraj..!
How are you..? I am a follower of your blog and have visited Leh Ladakh with my friends last year under your able guidance.
This year in the May last week i want to visit these off beat destinations with my family. We have around 6 -7 days in hand and are based in Delhi.
Want to add as many of them as possible.
We would like to enjoy nature walks river sides adventure sports a must for my brother! And snow if possible.
Please suggest a tentative itenary from 24th May to 31st May 2015 so that this holiday is a memorable one.
Vidushi, I will suggest that you make a trip to tirthan Valley + Barot or Parashar Lake. If fine, we can discuss about your travel plan. Else you can also check out Kinnaur Valley but it will be a bit adventurous too.
Hi there!!!
Quite impressed by your sound knowledge of the places. Nice work you are doing here..
I am moving on 7 June from Agra will take a couple of day halt at Kaalka for the toy train to and fro. Then, would move on from 9 morning for a 4 D/N trip with couple of families. My basic requirement is a Cool enough place, near river and in good view of snow clad mountains. Would like to spend some quality family and Me time there. Also, need a few good small treks to have a feel of the place.
I had talked to Raju in Tirthan Valley but he is full. Also, the temp there seems to be going up in June at my time of visit.
Kindly, suggest me some place….
Thanks
Ashish, as you have time spared in June, probably near the river you can also try for Barot village or you can spend time in Pabbar Valley at Rohru.
Hi Dheeraj
We are four people and want to spend seeing and enjoying nature in Himachal. We shall start our tourage from shimla but dont know how to proceed further so that make maximum out of ten days there, visiting al least kullu manali dalhausi khajjiar etc if midway some offbeat small but beautiful place. We need to plan such that we get nearest to Pathankot – Kolkata train route when finished.
Waiting your kind and quick words of advice.Thank you
NArendra, in such a case you can follow something like below:
Day 1 | Reach Shimla and explore local sightseing around Shimla
Day 2 | Shimla – Kufri – Narkanda, visit Hatu Peak
Day 3 | Narkanda – Jalori Pass – Shoja
Day 4 | Shoja – Kullu – Manali
Day 5 | Manali and around
Day 6 | Manali – Rohtang Pass / Snow Point – Manali
Day 7 | Manali – Dharamshala – Mcleod Ganj
Day 8 | Mcleod Ganj
Day 9 | Mcleod Ganj – Dalhousie – Khajjiar
Day 10 | Khajjiar
Day 11 | Khajjiar – Pathankot
Hi Dheeraj,
Really appreciate your article and your replies. I also seek your valuable advice.
Me and my 5 friends are planning a trip from 14th to 17th may,2015. We have a SUV with expert driver. We want to cover any beautiful location that can make our trip memorable one. Our range is maximum 500-600 kms from delhi. Please suggest any place with pleasant weather in the month of may.
PS – Already visited places shimla,mussoorie,nainital, manali,kausani, haridwar, rishikesh
Smrity, in such a case you can head out either to Tirthan Valley or to Barot and you will not go wrong with any of these two places 🙂
Hi Dheeraj,
I am a retired person living at Noida NCR. I have the problem of arthritis in my knees. I can walk freely on plane road, but climbing stairs or uphill road is prohibited for me.
I and my wife wants to visit the off-beat places of Himachal. As I am retired, there is no shortage of time. I want to cover the places hiring a vehicle from NCR. I am thinking for around 10-15 days tour. I love scenic beauty, local people and want to stay / relax away from the mad rush. If there are homestay with food available, it would be nice, or else we can stay in hotel / rest houses. Can you please suggest our tour plan? Which period of the year will be suitable for us for this tour?
Hello Amit ji,
I will suggest you that you target two places for yourself. One is Tirthan Valley and the other one should be Barot. I will not say that you spend whole of 10 days there but best will be that you spend 4-5 days at Tirthan Valley and 3-4 days at Barot – Luhardi for a peace of mind and relax by the river sides.
You can travel in April end or May and it shall be fine. Both these places have plenty of Homestays as well as guest houses. How are you planning to commute?
Regards
Dheeraj
I want to start my trip from new delhi with 4 freinds , we have total 3 days and i want to manage all best destinations in these 3 days.
I have planned for haridwar like ram and lakshman jhoola , rishikesh and other good destinations in haridwar and rishikesh but as I am not a perfect in travel so
Please do ammendments in this plan and If you have any other plan which is suitable for us then please guide us with the complete explanation.
I will appreciate your patience.
Amit, since you just have 3 days in hand, it will be better that you make a trip to Haridwar, Rishikesh and from there may be go for Mussorrie or Dhanaulti
Hi,
Me and My husband planning to visit himchal on bike… Please let me know the safest places list in Himachal, we can visit on bike.
Thanks,
Priyanka, safety in terms of what sense? Road, manual, isolation, wildlife?
Hi,
Me and my friends (3 people) is planning to explore himachal , which are places we can explore in himachal for 8 days. can you suggest us with good places. pls do the needful thank you
Veerendra, are you looking out for common tourist destinations or are planning to visit Offbeat or adventurous places in Himachal?
Hi u have plenty of days to travel in that if u want a comfortable travel you can cover dahousi kullu manali mcleodganj and such tourist spots, but if u are har core traveller and can travel out of ur comfort zone u can vist places LIKE KAZA, Spiti valley,Chitkul ,Baralachala, and many more places like these .. These places will give u heaven goosbumps .
if u want to know abt more places or off beat exotic places a can suggest u more .
THANKS
Hi Dheeraj,
Earlier I had a plan to visit Himachal and you suggested me some good offbeat places but I couldn’t executed that plan because of some personal issues we postponed it to last week of April(25th Apr – 2nd May).
I will start from Mumbai and my flight will reach Delhi on Saturday early morning(1AM). My return flight from Delhi is on 3rd May early morning.
I have 8 days in hand and I will visit with my wife and 7 years old daughter. I want to visit offbeat places for relaxation. One requirement is to play with snow. I can also found some link to book forest rest houses. I want to stay 1-2 days on one place and then want to see some new place and I will go by my car from Delhi.
Should I go to Spiti valley? Could you please suggest me some places?
Thanks & regards,
Vijay Tomar
Hi Dheeraj,
I know that if I will go to Spiti valley then I can’t make a complete circuit(Shimla-manali) but what may be the best route to reach there? and if I have a selection option for Forest rest houses then which one should I select in all of my journey for offbeat-remote and relaxation purpose?
Thanks a lot Dheeraj,
Thanks,
Vijay Tomar
Hi Vijay, just replied to your other comment. Best is that you plan a trip to Kinnaur Valley. You can read the travel guide that contains all the info. you will to plan a trip to Kinnaur. Feel free to post any queries you have 🙂
Regards
Dheeraj
Thanks a lot Dheeraj.
Based on your comments I prepared one itinerary. I have some confusion in this itinerary, can you please suggest me the feasible options.
25th April
Leave Delhi and Reach Narkanda(Stay in Narkanda)
26th April
Leave Narkanda and reach Sangla(Stay in Sangla)
27th April
Visit nearby places like Kamru Fort and village in Sangla(Stay in Sangla)
One confusion here. Should I go to Rakcham and stay in Rakcham as it is less crowded and peaceful place but I dont know if it will be feasible and if any FRH is there?
28th April
Sangla to Chitkul(Stay in Chitkul)
I think chitkul is very interesting place and I want to stay here and also Forest rest house is available here. Should I stay here or after visit I should come back to Sangla and should stay in Sangla only?
29th April
Leave Chitkul and Reach Kalpa(Stay in Kalpa)
30th April
Kalapa To Sarahan(Stay in Sarahan)
1st May
Sarahan to Kufri/Chail(Stay in Kufri/Chail)
Please suggest which one is better Kufri or Chail?
2nd May
Kufri/Chail to Delhi
Again thanks Dheeraj. Sometime I think that if you were not there for these valuable suggestions then it will be very difficult to visit these excellent places in Himachal 🙂
Thanks & Regards,
Vijay Tomar
Replied at the other comment here: https://discoverwithdheeraj.com/list-of-5-must-visit-off-beat-places-in-himachal-pradesh/comment-page-6/#comment-305909
Hi Dheeraj,
Some more confusion 🙂 and I come up with new itinerary…..can you please check it once and suggest 🙂
25th April
Leave Delhi and Reach Narkanda(Stay in Narkanda)
26th April
Leave Narkanda and reach Sangla(Stay in Sangla)
27th April
Visit nearby places like Kamru Fort and village in Sangla(Stay in Sangla)
One confusion here. Should I go to Rakcham/Recong-Peo/Roghi and stay in Rakcham/Recong-Peo/Roghi as these are less crowded and peaceful place but I dont know if it will be feasible. Can you please suggest the better place from these places or you will again suggest me to stay in Sangla only? 🙁
28th April
Sangla to Chitkul(Stay in Chitkul)
I think chitkul is very interesting place and I want to stay here and also Forest rest house is available here. Should I stay here or after visit I should come back to Sangla and should stay in Sangla only?
29th April
Leave Chitkul and Reach Kalpa(Stay in Kalpa)
30th April
Kalapa To Sarahan(Stay in Sarahan)
1st May
Sarahan to Kufri/Chail(Stay in Kufri/Chail)
Please suggest which one is better Kufri or Chail?
2nd May
Kufri/Chail to Delhi
Thanks & Regards,
Vijay Tomar
Hi Vijay,
Please find the updated, little modified version below:
25th April: Delhi – Narkanda
26th April: Narkanda – Sangla / Rakcham
27th April: Stay in Sangla / Rakcham
— Visit nearby places like Kamru Fort and village in Sangla
— Roghi is near Kalpa and Reckong peo is a town that also comes on the way to Kalpa.
— Best is to stay at Rakcham to be outside the town
28th April: Sangla to Chitkul(Stay in Chitkul)
— Better stay at Chitkul only. It is an hour drive from Sangla.
29th April: Chitkul to Kalpa. Visit Roghi in the evening.
30th April: Kalapa To Sarahan(Stay in Sarahan)
1st May: Sarahan to Chail(Stay in Chail as it is much better than Kufri for a stay)
2nd May: Chail to Delhi
Regards
Dheeraj
Vijay, I will suggest that you explore Kinnaur Valley only including Sangla, Chitkul, Kalpa and Sarahan. You can find all the details about Kinnaur Valley at the link: Kinnaur Valley Travel Guide | Kalpa, Sangla & Chitkul
Thanks a lot Dheeraj, it wasn’t possible to make that much good plan without you.
Thanks & Regards,
Vijay Tomar
Best wishes for the trip and if in case you happen to be happy to spread smiles, please execute our initiatives of DoW Causes on your own when you travel there, in order to help the local community up there in remote Himalayas. You can check more details about them at: DoW – Causes | A Step Towards Responsible Travel and can execute them on your own.
Hi Dheeraj,
Very well-written article. I am visiting Himachal around 20 May,2015 for about 10 days along with my husband & 2 teenage kids.
We would like to do an easy trek for 5-6 days, then stay at some peaceful off beat place for 2-3 days & do some sight seeing & shopping for 1-2 days.
Could you kindly suggest a suitable itinerary?
Thanks in advance.
Vaijayanti Divekar
Hi Vaijayanti,
It is best that you book a place in Raju Bharati Guest House in Tirthan Valley and do trekking in Great Himalayan National Park. Then you can move to Manali, enjoy snow towards Rohtang Pass and do shopping and come back to Delhi from Manali by overnight Volvo. How about this kind of plan?
Regards
Dheeraj
Vaijayanti, You can get in touch with Raju Bharati Guest House at the link: https://discoverwithdheeraj.com/raju-s-cottage-goshaini-tirthan-valley/, Varun Bharati will help you out with all arrangements of trek in Great Himalayan National Park. Check their detailed review at the link above.
Hi,
Me and my boyfriend is planning to explore himachal , our grandparents both belongs to himachal but we have not explore it completely so far. Let me tel you wht sort of holiday we are looking , as i am working in delhi and he is in Chandigarh so they destination should not be very hustle bustle like any cities . Earlier we had taken your advise and went to Tirthan valley it was so so amazing , marvelous trip we had . This time we do not want to go far away , they place should be nearby to CHD or 100- 200 km far away from CHD , the place should be safe secluded and isolated , is there any sort of place if you can help us with the same .
Ritu, you can go over to Pabbar Valley, about 90 KMs from Shimla will take about 8-9 Hrs from Chandigarh. Also, there is Chindi – Karsog as mentioned above, which will take about 7 Hrs from Chandigarh to reach. Make your choice.
Hey,
Thanks let me discuss with him .
cheers !!!
Hi,
we are planing to visit Pabbar Valley , but could not understand how would we reach there .
We will start our trip from CHD now pls share two options 01 is either by car or any private transfer or by bus or any public transfer .
Also suggest property for our accommodation .
Please do share, it will be really very kind , otherwise he will cancel this trip ,he asking me so many questions on this and also concerned about safety . he has given me time till tomrw .
Please help me with the query 🙂
Hi Ritu,
There is a property by the name Dwarika Residency at Shelapani which is offbeat completely. You can check that out. For directions you need to reach Shimla, then continue towards Theog. Near Theog there goes and right towards Rhoru – Kharapathar (which is Pabbar Valley) and diversion to Shelapani comes on that route only. Take that route.
Regards
Dheeraj
Hi dheeraj,
i want to plan tour for my family after 7th march.i have 2 children. i want to go only 2 -3 places not in very height and cold ( one my child have a heart problem) i have fold able wheel chair .what u suggest for uttrakhand or himanchal.
rgds,
Neeraj
Neeraj, both Uttarakhand and Himachal have nice places to visit. I will suggest if you are planning in March and have about 3-5 days and want a relaxing holiday then go over to Tirthan valley and stay at Raju Bharati Guest House. You will love the stay up there with family.
Hi Dheeraj,
We are travelling from Manali to Shimla – on route what can be best places to visit.
Please advice.
Thanks
SR
SR, which route are you taking for Manali to Shimla? How many days do you have in hand?
Hi Dheeraj,
I am planning to go to Himachal on 7 days trip(21st Feb to 28th Feb) with my wife and 7 years old daughter. I want to visit offbeat places for relaxation. One requirement is to play with snow or to see the snow fall. I can also found some link to book forest rest houses. I want to stay 1-2 days on one place and then want to see some new place and I will go by my car from delhi. Can you please suggest me some places?
Thanks & regards,
Vijay Tomar
Hello Vijay,
You have good amount of days in hand. I will suggest you make a mix of Tirthan Valley and Barot for the trip.
Day 1 | Leave Delhi and Reach Tirthan Valley
Day 2 | Relax in Tirthan, visit near by waterfall, have fun around river.
Day 3 & 4 | Relax in Tirthan Valley and Make a trip towards Jalori Pass – Shoja where you will be able to find plenty of snow to play with.
Day 5 | Start from Tirthan Valley and reach Barot which is near Mandi. Relax in Barot
Day 6 | Relax in Barot, visit Luhardi Village, check fishes in the hatchery.
Day 7 | Barot – Delhi
Thanks a lot Dheeraj for your valuable comments.
Hi dheeraj
Nice article.
My friends and I are planning a girls trip from punjab to HP, can you suggest any guest houses or hostels??We don’t want hotels and also how much time would we need to cover these 5 places???
Priyanka, which month are you planning this trip to Himachal? How many days you can spare? Most of these places have Homestays and guest houses, so you can opt for them instead of any hotel.
Hi Dheeraj,
Very Nice Article! I want to travel to any of these places which have snow nearby. I will be travelling from Jan 01 to Jan 04. Is it possible to complete the trip within 4 days. I will be travelling from Delhi by Train or Bus. Is it the right time to go to these places considering too much cold out there. We are 5-6 people.
A happy new year to you and your family !!
I think you will be on a trip now, so enjoy it.
Regards
Dheeraj Sharma
PS: Sorry for the late reply, I was on a trip to Kumaon, Uttarakhand for the last 8-9 days.
Dear Dheeraj,
Hi, I enjoyed reading your insightful article on these places off the beaten path. I would appreciate your advice –
My husband and myself are planning a trip to Himachal and /or Uttarakhand from Jan 24th -Feb 5th. Our main aim is to enjoy the snow and the lovely scenic winter beauty. What places would u recommend? We were thinking Manali /Auli; but after reading your article, these seem way more interesting! We would like to stay in an old world, British bungalow style hotel, the type with fire places. We would also like to stay in a tent in a camp, for a day, weather permitting.
We enjoy food, museums, walking, sightseeing, nightlife and nature. We do not plan to ski at all. We don’t like to cram too much into a vacation, and prefer to chill and really soak in the vibe of the place.
What places do u recommend we visit? Help with planning our itinerary would be much appreciated!
Thanks
Mikul
Thanks in advance for your advice!
Hello Mikul,
A happy new year to you and your family !!
I will suggest with time on hands, it is better that you make a trip to Kausani – Chaukori – Munsiyari – Mukhteshwar that is Kumaon region in Uttarakhand. You will love it and it will cater most of the required things you want to experience.
Regards
Dheeraj Sharma
PS: Sorry for the late reply, I was on a trip to Kumaon, Uttarakhand for the last 8-9 days.
Sir,
Me and my other 9 friends wanted to visit Spiti valley from 11 November 2015 for 10 days but after seeing your comments/recommendations, we want to change the place as we all are working and we have holidays during that period only. Please advice some other places in himachal who can give us the same kind of experience. Thanks for your valuable inputs / guidance and good work.
Regards,
Anand
Hi Anand,
A happy new year to you and your family !!
You can consider Kinnaur Valley and if you are feeling good about cold there and can come prepared with good winter/woolen gear
Regards
Dheeraj Sharma
PS: Sorry for the late reply, I was on a trip to Kumaon, Uttarakhand for the last 8-9 days.
Hi Dheeraj,
We are planning to visit one of the above places starting from 26th december & want to reach back by 30th december.
as we already visited tirthan valley after reading your this column, we are left with other 4 places..
so kindly suggest is it right time to visit any of these places under current circumstances as there is snowfall everywhere.
Ganagndeep, you can opt for Barot or Pabbar Valley in that case. You will love the stay up there.
Hi Dheeraj, i am planning for a 10 day road trip starting from 01st Jan till 10 th Jan-15. apart from 5 places which you have mention , pls suggest any other destination which can be visted in this stipulated time.
Amit, I guess if you really want to explore them a bit even 10 days are not that enough to explore all these places mentioned above as they lie in some different directions. But, with couple of days spent at each of these places, you may be able to visit all of them. So, I will suggest that best is to stick to them
Hi Dheeraj,
Thanks for a lovely description. That’s exactly what we are looking for. Offbeat places in Himachal. We would like to go & stay in some village type location & Barot seems like the right fit. Need some guidance here – Places to stay, reasonable guest house, safe home stay etc and is the approach road motorable (Sedan)
S Chandra, here is the comprehensive guide for Barot Village: Delhi to Barot Village, Himachal – Travel Guide
Hello Dheeraj! Great article! I am planning for a peaceful + adventurous solo trip and have two places in mind. Barot and Tirthan valley. I’ll be leaving Delhi on 20th. My purpose is to go to a beautiful, peaceful place which has great natural beauty..I wanna spend some time in solitude. I have 3-4 days min and 5-6 days max. Take a room in rent and explore nature around, be at peace. Im quite an active guy so i wont always be confined to my room. Id rather explore around, jump, run and climb around. I’m getting really confused between Tirthan valley and Barot. From what I gather, Barot seems to be great but a very small place with not enough beautiful natural places to explore on my own and Tirthan seems to offer more. I could be completely wrong though.
Pls help. Thanks.
Shaleen, both are good options and since you need solitude none will disappoint you. Barot does have quite a few nearby villages where you can travel, hike, walk and explore too like Luhardi, then ahead the hike to Polling village. Also, Dianasur Lake, Bada gran and some hikes ahead of it. Same goes with Tirthan Valley, there are hikes in Great Himalayan National Park and then drive to Shoja/Jalori Pass up to feasible point. If I were solo, looking for peace and solitutde plus living the simple life along with villagers in home stays type guest houses, I will go with Barot. You can check the detailed travel guide for Barot: Delhi to Barot Village, Himachal – Travel Guide which has some other places mentioned and accommodation details too.
Thanks Dheeraj. I’ll be traveling by train/ bus, not by car. Whatever place I go to I’d stay there for 2-3 days (I hope that’s enough)
I do want solitude, peace and distance from a lot of crowd. I also want natural, beautiful wilderness, that I can explore. Could you tell me why you personally would choose Barot over Tirthan Valley? Is it the temperature factor or something else? Tirthan Valley seems to be an equally good option, however, I read that the best time to visit it is in Spring as it’s extremely beautiful at that time.
And apart from Barot or Tirthan valley, can you think of any other place in Himachal Pradesh where you’d recommend me to go? These are just 2 options I stumbled on. I’m open to options other than these two as well.
Just going by the constraints you outlined above, I would go for Barot because you can explore places like Luhardi, Bada Gran, Polling Village, either by foot or with local shared jeeps or lift from people interacting with locals, etc.. That is the reason. In Tirthan, if you want to have convenience then there are better built guest houses and hotels to stay but Barot is more close to home stays and local lives. In Tirthan you have mostly GHNP at your disposal and if that is fine, then I will say you go to Tirthan rest all other places you may either need to do a long long walk OR hire a taxi. Also, approach to Barot is much convenient than to Tirthan in public transport. But, on any day, since you have just couple of days to stay up there, you will not go wrong with anyone of the place among Tirthan Valley or Barot. The above is just in comparison to each other but when you compare in totality, both are very nice options.
Cool! So if I take into account everything then will 4 days be enough? And I wish to see snow, ive never seen snow. Since it’s probably not gonna snow in Barot, what is the nearest awesome place where I can go to experience snow? I’ll probably spend just a day there.. So 4 +1 days??
Dheeraj, I just read your article about snowfall in places near Delhi, it’s here in the comments. What I wanna know is – will I be able to add a trip to any place with snowfall in this same trip to Barot. That’ll be great. For that I need to know which place I can go to where it’s snowing nowadays. And how that can fit into my program. I’ll leave on this Sat, Dec 20thth or Sun, Dec 21st.
Shaleen, since you are looking for snow and have 4 days in hand best will to go over to Tirthan Valley. Shoja – Jalori Pass are just a 1-.15 Hrs drive from Tirthan Valley and will have abundance of snow 🙂
Shaleen, since you are looking for snow and have 4 days in hand best will to go over to Tirthan Valley. Shoja – Jalori Pass are just a 1-.15 Hrs drive from Tirthan Valley and will have abundance of snow 🙂
Me and friends are planning for 7-8 days of trip to himachal and wanted to visit all the places u have mentioned . Please suggest what should be the sequence of visting these places . Please suggest asap as we are planning for this weekend only.
Shivam, all these places cannot be visited in just 5 days as they lie in different directions. You can at max. club Daranghati with Pabbar Valley or Tirthan Valley and Barot together to have a decent relaxed trip or Tirthan valley with Chindi – Karsog.
Is trekking,rafting and paragliding open in December at pabbar valley?
No Shivam, it will not be available. Also, I do not think Paragliding is available at all in Pabbar Valley, though I am not 100% sure on it but when I visited this year there wasn’t any single source of it I could spot.
Pl suggest some near by places near delhi in himachal to be visited in winters
Hi Sreenath,
please check out the series of articles on places to see snowfall near delhi starting from the link: Snowfall Near Delhi | 7 Places to Visit in Himachal
Regards
Dheeraj
helo sir can u suggest me a gud place to visit,i’m a student i want to visit alone budget is 5-7k,please do suggest me any gud place from delhi,i want to leave on 13th
Bharat, head out to Barot and you will never regret. Take a bus to Mandi and from Mandi take a bus to Barot village.
Hi Dhiraj,need a quick suggestion. From Chindi back towards Shimla can you suggest some place to stay and relx for let’s say a day or so
Alok, Chindi to Shimla is just 99 KMs and is about 3 Hrs of drive only. Are you sure you want to relax in between? If yes, then Tattapni as well as Naldhera comes in the route.
Hey Dheeraj ! One last help – other than Raju guest house is tirthan which one is better ? We called Raju and its booked completely .. So which one do you think is the next best option ?
Next two good options are Himalayan Trout House, a bit costly BUT very nice if budget suits you else River Side Resort.
You should also check out Trishla Home stay / guest house, nice place again 🙂
Hi dheeraj, me n my gf r planning to do himachal in the last 2 weeks of December! We would love to visit these off beat places and d way u have described them is beautiful! Could u tell me a little about what kind of transport we should get! Besides, would u have a ready itinerary please! And if v cancel this time incase u suggest that it ain’t a good time to go den v will never b able to go
Tina, the trip can be made during December though Daranghati may not be possible but rest of the 4 places will be able to do to some extent. If you are fine with cold conditions and have your own vehicle it will be great. Let me know how you will commute and I should be happy to help you with the itinerary.
Hi Dheeraj,
Can you please confirm if we have mobile networks in Chakrata and deoban?
Much appreciate
Chakrata they work but Deoban cannot say 100%
Hi.
I m born and brought up in sunder nagar (distt mandi) himachal..
I was there till standard 8. Currently residing in Mumbai.
Please suggest off beat place in himachal where I can njoy with my two kids (age 4 and 6) .
ayesha, you can check out Barot.
a easy road to drive by new xuv MAHINDRA.preferably close to army cantonments.
hi,
me n my hubby wanna explore himachal excluding manali n dharamshala..we are at pathankot..got 4 days time plan..pl suggest
Ruby, in that case best is that you target Barot – Bir Billing OR Dalhousie – Chamba region.
Hi Dheeraj,
we are group of 4 couples comming to himachal Pradesh for 3 days in month of may can you suggest few near by places to visit ,along with travel distance if possible.
spl river or view from max height
Deepak, for 3 days, best is that you go for Barot OR Tirthan Valley
Hi Dheeraj,
Need help as I want to visit a quiet Hill station to spend my wife birthday…not more than 8 hours of Journey from Delhi\Noida..Will appreciate your help.
Thanks.
Rahul, go over to Chakrata. Very nice, calm and peaceful place to celebrate such things. This is a water fall by the name Tiger Fall too near by where you can relax in peace.
Excellent.
Thanks for the prompt reply, Dheeraj.
Any particular suggestion with Hotels, resort at Chakrata. And not to miss things to do at chakrata.
Thanks in anticipation.
Rahul, there is only couple of properties up there one is Snow View something like starting with snow. It is decent enough. Then you can go over to Waterfall, a walk much deeper towards the woods, a drive to deoban or kanasar meadows.
Hi dheeraj. Me and my husband want to spend quality time with each other away from hectic schedule of delhi in a peaceful and near to nature off beat place but with excellent boarding facility for complete rejuvenation tentatively between 4-8 Nov. Please do suggest route as well as contact no. Of hotels if possible
Khushboo, you can check this link if you like to spend some quiet time in solitutde: Soulitude in the Himalayas – Ramgarh (Mukteshwar), Uttarakhand
Dear dheeraj I with my wife want to visit H.p.excluding kullu, manali rohtang pass dalhousie from 15 Nov 2014 to 25 Nov 2014 in my tata safari from faridabad haryana. Pl suggest route plan
Hi Dhanesh,
10 days are enough time to visit Kullu – Manali and Dalhousie region. You can follow the plan as below:
15: Delhi to Manali
16: Rest in Manali and do local sightseeing in Manali
17: Manali – Snow Point towards Rohtang Pass (Marhi / Gulaba)
18: Manali – Naggar Castle
19: Naggar Castle – Dharamshala – Mcleod Ganj
20: Mcleod Ganj and around
21: Mcleod Ganj and around
22: Mcleod Ganj – Dalhousie – Chamba
23: Chamba – Gete (17 Km) – Jot (12 KM) – Gete (12 KM) – Khajjiar (7 KM)
24: Khajjiar – Kalatop – Khajjiar
25: Khajjiar – Dalhousie – Delhi
Regards
Dheeraj Sharma
Hi,dheeraj there is a mistake in reading the word excluding. I have already visited all these places like manali kullu manikaran naggar castle rohtang chamba dharamshala khajiar etc.so Pl. Gibe me the another route plan for the same dates.I shall be highly thankful to you for Co operation.again very very thanks for reply.
Oops, my bad, I missed the excluding word. Any ways you can check out below plan then:
15: Delhi to Narkanda
16: Narkanda – Sarahan
17: Sarahan – Kalpa
18: Kalpa Rest Day
19: Kalpa – Sangla, enjoy time in snow towards Rakcham – Chitkul
20: Sangla – Rampur – Sainj – Jalori Pass – Shoja
21: Shoja – Tirthan Valley in the evening. Morning explore and rest around Shoja
22: Tirthan Valley
23: Tirthan Valley
24: Tirthan Valley – Kasol / Naggar Castle
25: Kasol / Naggar Castle – Delhi
hi Dheeraj,
we are a group of 6 adults from mumbai, we are planing for a trip to himachal and will be reaching delhi on 8th nov morning. we ant to visit manali and a few more snow point (snow being our main attraction) . please can you help us with some easy fun going places . we have our return on 14th from delhi .
we are planning to cover as much as possible and are keen to utilize this vacation to its best .
thanks
pallavi
Pallavi, for snow, Manali and Rohtang Pass snow points are your best bet by that time of the year. At other places it may not be possible to find snow during that time.
8: Take overnight volvo to Manali from Delhi
9: Reach Manali, take rest for half of the day and enjoy walk over Mall road in the evening.
10: Manali Local sightseeing which includes Hadimba Temple, Manu Temple, Mall Road, Local Monastery, Vashisth Hot Water Springs (never found it interesting) , Walks in the woods near Old Manali etc.
11: Manali – Snow Point or Marhi/Gulaba on the way to Rohtang Pass. Enjoy in snow and come back to Manali. On the way back you can visit Solang Valley and do paragliding there.
12: Manali – Naggar Castle(stay at Naggar and enjoy the place) – Kasol
13: Kasol, chill around and take the overnight volvo coming from Manali at the pick up point discussed with HPTDC office on the NH-21 or at Kullu / Bhunter. You need to fix this point at the time of booking ticket and leave Kasol in time to reach there.
14: reach Delhi early morning by overnight Volvo
If interested in more details on Manali including sightseeing places, accommodation options, food joints, etc you can go through the Manali travel guide available at the link here
Regards
Dheeraj Sharma
thanks dheeraj 🙂
Dear Dheeraj,
Me and my friend are planning a trip aroung new years, can u suggest me a suitable place to visit, WQe are adventure freaks and wont mind a camping etc, also i would like to know more about kasol and parvati valley and if we can visit there, finally we have arongd 7 days in hand.you can also suggest a diff place aswell….we are from mumbai
Ashish, if you are OK with cold condition then try to make a trip to Kinnaur Valley with Kalpa and Sangla. It will be quite cold though up there but worth the travel. There will be plenty of snow and 7 days will suit the voyage as well 🙂
Hi Dheeraj, We are a group of 4 (2 Male & 2 Female, all aged 30) planning a Trip to HP from Dec 9 th to 19th, 2014. We will start from Kalka on 11th early morning & wish to visit some off-beat quite places, and also include Shimla & Manali for 1/2 days each. We need to reach New Delhi by 20th noon to catch our train. Thus, having 3/4 days at hand, can you please suggest some places & a plan for our trip??
Anirban, you can follow the below itinerary in such a case:
11: Kalka – Shimla
12: Shimla and around
13: Shimla – Chail – Narkanda
14: Narkanda – Naldhera – Tattapni – Chindi
15: Chindi – Mandi – Tirthan Valley
16: Tirthan Valley
17: Tirthan Valley – Naggar Castle – Manali
18: Manali – Solang Valley – Snow Point towards Rohtang pass – Manali
19: Take overnight volvo going from Manali to Delhi and mention the pick up point as Aut after discussing with HPTDC guys
Hi Dheeraj, Thanks a lot for your route plan & advice. Based on your route, my slightly changed schedule & some other thoughts, I have changed it a bit & chalked a new detailed one. If you may kindly provide your email id, I would like to share it with you for your expert comments, tips & advices. Thanks, Anirban
Anirban, you can freely post here or in DwD Community Itinerary Advice Section where others like minded experts can also suggest you more. Emails are mostly full and in queues plus takes least priority in replies and above all posting it in DwD Community will help others too benefit from the plans 🙂
what about kheerganga?
Kheerganga, is always a nice place to visit but I personally feel not suitable for people of all walks or ages. Some families will try to avoid it for one or the other reason, you know 🙂 … Then there is a trek of about 3.5 Hrs which not all are comfortable with. Hence, I have only enlisted the places which are easily approachable by road and people from all ages can enjoy the stay up there 🙂
got it!
thanx!!
Hi Dhiraj,
I want to explore Tirthan valley but my boy friend has not found it safe , as per him, it is nt safe for couple as it is quite far away from main city , if any misshapen occur then there is no way for rescue.please advise is he right ???
Ritu, I doubt it, I visit it almost every year with my family, you can even check: Raju’s Cottage, Goshaini, Tirthan Valley – A Pioneer in Hospitality … Najar which is quite a populated town is not very far from Gushaini, hardly half an hour drive with Kullu being just 1.5 Hrs drive from it and Mandi about 2.5 Hrs.
Thank you so much .
Hi,
Just need to knw , we are travelling by vovlo bus from delhi and we knw we have to get down at Aut , from aut how will we manage and by what time will we reach at aut ??? Please advise .
Ritu,
It’s actually the other way around. The farther you go away from cities, the safer it is. You will know it by the time you make around half a dozen trips to remote villages.
IMO, except for Manali, Himachal is one of the safest places to travel in the whole of India.
Yeah, and couple of more heavily touristy places.
Thank u .
Hi Preet Kamal I watch ur latest pics. of laul spiti with ur gang that u visited in the m/s sep.14, really that was a great trip. We also enjoyed the area with ur photos. May God bless u more rounds.
Thanks alot Vinay, yes Preet was with us on DoW Mega Meet.
Hi ,
i want to go on 2-3 days trip in mid january,2015.Can you suggest the best place to go. I live in delhi . we are a couple.
Sankalp, best will be to spend time at Chakrata in Uttarakhand for 2-3 day trip. You may find snow around or with little hikes up there and should be able to enjoy your stay. Other offbeat places will be a bit long journey for just 2 days in hand.
Hi ,
can you please suggest me an itinerary for covering the 5 offbeat places you have mentioned, and also any other offbeat places that can be included too.
we are 2 adults visiting october first week,have 10 to 15 days in hand.
Please suggest which is the best time to visit ladakh and spitty valley ,so that i can plan in advance next year.
Ashish, we are discussing this under the DwD Community, so let’s keep the discussion going there 🙂
I’m planning for a short trip(4 days) to Himalchal with wife and 3 year old son, can you suggest a few locations and time to visit those places. Thanks. Will be looking for your reply.
Om, there are 5 places mentioned in the article above. You will not go wrong with any of them. Since, you are with a kid, avoid Daranghati.
Hi Dheeraj,
I want to know more about Karsog Valley. As it is the only place left to visit. What can i expect . What option are there for Stay. and is there any river where we can fish 😀
Alok, river is not near in Karsog – Chindi. You can read more about it at the article: Chindi – Abode of Calmness in Himachal | Family Trip
I, with my 5 friends are planning to visit HP for a 4 days trip in month of Novemnber. Please suggest a place that is near to Delhi and at a low height.
Sanchita, you can refer any of the places mentioned above in the article. It will suit your requirements and all of them are in Himachal 🙂
Hi Dheeraj,
Is December a good time to visit Himachal. I am planning a 5-6 day solo backpacking trip but just a little concerned about the weather.
Your advice is appreciated.
Yes Devesh, if you are OK with a bit cold then yes, December is a good time to visit Himachal.
hi dhiraj,
I with 7 of my friends, am planning to visit HP for 4-5 days from Oct 1.
But, we are unable to decide between “Kinnaur/Baspa valley” vs “Kangri valley-Dharmshala-McLeodganj”…
Could you please help us reach a decision?
Both have its own sense of beauty. I will opt for Kinnaur Valley.
Hi Dheeraj,
We are a group of 5 from Jaipur and planning a trip for 4 days to Himachal and want to touch some non-crowded places. Can you help us preparing an itinerary for so.
Shruti, you can pick up any of the places mentioned above in that article. Once you decide over it, we can discuss the itinerary for it 🙂
Hi,
We are a group of 10 people, planning a trip from delhi to Lansdowne in Uttarakhand in the first week of October. Can you suggest us some good places to visit around Lansdowne for adventure?
Anmol, Lansdowne is a quite town where people visit for calm and peace. Adventure will be difficult to find around. You can try out some hikes in the woods, a drive to Tarkeshwar Mahadev which is about 35 KMs from Lansdowne
dera dheeraj my query pending……….driving on XUV from dehradun….any suggestions!!!!
Sarab, I was traveling for last 10 days to Spiti Valley on DoW Mega Meet… Which query is yours as I have lot of them to answer? Can you repost it? Also, where are you driving from Dehradun in XUV?
Hi am travelling from Dehradun with my wife…age group 32-34.
planning to cover Kullu,manali.Tirthan valley….and Dharamshala.Nov’14 for 14 days approx.
Sarab, you can try to follow the following plan:
Day 1 | Dehardun to Rohru via Chakrata – Tiuni
Day 2 | Relax at Rohru, may be drive to Chansal Pass
Day 3 | Rohru – Narkanda
Day 4 | Narkanda – Jalori Pass – Shoja – Tirthan Valley
Day 5, 6 | Relax at Tirthan Valley, check with Raju Bharti Guest House if they are open or not
Day 7 | Manali from Tirthan Valley covering Naggar Castle
Day 8, 9 | Manali, relax around and visit solang valley + rohtang pass.
Day 10 | Manali – Dharamshala
Day 11, 12 | Dharamshala and around
Day 13 | Dharamshala – Chandigarh/Paonta Sahib
Day 14 | Chandigarh/Paonta Sahib – Dehradun
Hi Dheeraj,
Me and my husband are planning a vacation to Himachal Pradesh and wish to see beautiful valleys, a lil off beat locations. We will be starting from delhi and dont want our tour to be really hectic. Please suggest a tour for 6 days. Have heard a lot about Kinnaur, spiti, etc
Also let me know shud we book a car from delhi itself or we shall take from some where in kalka or chandigarh.
Richa, are you still looking for an answer on your query for Himachal trip? Sorry for the delayed reply but I was away on DoW Mega Meet in Spiti Valley for last 10 days
Hi Dheeraj..we are planning a trip to himachal next year in April may. it will e around a 7-8 days trip from pune. We are planning for shimla manali dharamshala dalhousie so far. But after reading your article we would like to include some off beat places along woith one or two popular ones. Also since we are coming from pune we plan to take a.flight to chandigarh and hire a car there. what would you suggest
Pooja, sorry for a delayed reply. Are you planning to include offbeat places with these tourist places or just looking for offbeat place to travel only. 7-8 days is a good time and may be you should eye Kinnaur Valley along with Shimla – Chail OR do any two of Manali – Dharamshala – Dalhousie.
Thanks Dheeraj,
We were thinking of one or two tourist place with one or two off beat plaxes.
How many places should we opt for trip of 7-8 days?Also just to let u know we will have a toddler with us so not sure if it makes a difference to decide the places.Also please help with the right timing.We are planning sometime in next april end or may.Would it be a goodtime to visit Himachal.
Hi Pooja,
Well, in that case you can opt for either Shimla – Kinnaur Valley – Chail circuit OR Manali – Tirthan Valley relaxing circuit OR Dalhousie – Chamba – Dharamshala circuit. Let me know in which you are interested and we can surely plan your itinerary during that period.
Regards
Dheeraj
Hi
We are planning a 3 day trip by car.. leaving on this friday night & return by monday evening.
Which one of these places shud be the best at this time:
1) Tirthan
2) Rohru & around
3) Chitkul (wud be little hectic i think)
if you could suggest a place & a rough itinerary.Thanks
Rahul
Soorry Rahul, was quite stuck badly in office and preps of DoW Mega Meet starting 12th Sept. I hope you are having a nice trip.
Hi Dheeraj,
I am planning a trip for 3 days with my friends. i want to visit somewhere nice like Hill stations, but as its raining everywhere, i don’t think its the right choice. And, as we all already visited Rajasthan n all, so nobody is willing to visit Rajasthan.
We really want to go to some hill station.
Is there any Hilly place which is safe(no land slides/floods), where we can go and stay for 2-3 days.
Your suggestion would be of great help. Please let me know.:)
Thanks,
Prachi
The place which is not in Himanchal. Anywhere where we can chill out, near Delhi, which is nice and exciting. As we all are willing to visit somewhere exciting.
We all already did River Rafting, Treking n all.
Please let me know 🙂
Mukteshwar – Sattal is the place for you reading you other comment 🙂
Prachi, you can visit Mukteshwar – Sattal or Binsar. For 2 days, Binsar might be a more challenging one. So, better stick to Mukteshwar – Sattal.
We are planning a 3 day trip to Himachal from Delhi this weekend and want to explore off beat places (and not so regular commercial points). Could you suggest some.
Shlok, there are 5 places mentioned above in the article already. Please choose any of them.
hi…can you recommend me a 8-10 day trip to himachal…will like to cover off beat places too…travelling from chandigarh with my gf by car..!!!
thanks
Hi Wasim, this is being discussed under DwD Community thread, so let’s keep the discussion under that only.
Hi Dheeraj,
Very nice information. I am planning to visit Himachal with family(myself,wife,son(7 years) and daughter(2 years)) from 25th Sep(reach Simla by train from chandigarh) to 02 Oct. May i request you for following?
a) Suggest some itinerary considering 8 days with my family
b) I am interested in hiring a vehicle for self drive for the complete Himachal trip. Is it possible to get a vehicle at Simla for self drive?
Thanks for the help.
regards
Rakesh
Hi Rakesh,
May be you can check this out:
25: Reach Shimla and rest for the day
26: Local sightseeing in Shimla which includes famous Ridge, Mall Road, Lakkar Bazaar, Jakhu Temple, Chini Bunglow, Yak Rides, Himalayan Zoo Lunch at Mall Road & Back to Hotel By Evening.
27: Visit Narkanda – Hatu Peak – Narkanda – Kufri – Shimla
28, 29: Go and stay over at Chindi and visit Karsog, enjoy in apple orchards. May be apple might be gone by then
30: Chindi – Chail
1: Chail to Chandigarh
From Shimla getting a self drive will be difficult but check in Chandigarh, you should get there.
Regards
dheeraj
hie dheeraj!
i am looking for a trip with my fiance in himachalpradesh and we are looking for some off beat locations unlike other commercial tourist spots as u mentioned above! if you could fill us with an iterinary for the last week on november for around 7 days of touring excluding travel and some time in malana or tosh it would be perfect with some cheap accomodations suitable for 2
Well, in that case you can visit Tirthan Valley for 3-4 days including visit to Shoja / Jalori Pass from there. Book Raju’s Cottage Gushaini if you are OK with the buidget else some home stay like Trishal or Shringi Vatika will do the job. Then, you can spend 3 days around Kasol, Tosh, Malana.
Hi Dheeraj,
Me and my friends are planning to go to Kasol and the nearby places from Delhi in mid-august. Can you please help me in planning a trip for 3 days, and also can you provide me with some accommodation options also. And we are a bit tight on budget ALSO. Can you please help.
Thanks,
Akshat
Akshat, if you are on tight budget, then you can check out Om Camps and get in touch with Om Negi at 09805716616. He has couple of rooms too. Else there are other options in Kasol like Green Valley Hotel which is moderate in budget or check out Alpine Guest House.
There isn’t much about the itinerary. Day 1 you will reach, Day 2 chill out, Day 3 come back.If you have time you can check out Malana, Tosh, Chalal Villages.
Dheeraj we have three days excluding Travelling and we are thinking of staying in Manali and then exploring the nearby place.
Akshat, that should be good. But you can try hikes to Malana, Tosh, Chalal Villages too. Kheerganga would be risky and slippery at this time due to rains.
Hi Dheeraj, i m planning to visit himachal pradesh for my honeymoon trip from 12th sept to 20th sept from chandigarh.i have never been to himachal.pls help me out
You can opt for Kinnaur Valley during that time of the year including Shimla and Chail.
i ws planning to go kullu n manali also.is it gud during sept??
Yes, that will be good too. The rivers will be free from dust and water would be cleared by then. So, nice scenery to watch out.
Hi Dheeraj,we live in Gurgaon and planning a visit to HP for 10 days. Have already seen Shimla, narkanda, fago, chail, mashobra etc. this time we want to go to unexplored places and ideally would like to visit some of the monasteries as well.Can you please suggest the route and places to visit (incl recommended eating joints and hotels). Also, will it be safe around mid August. Thanks
Arti, though August is not an ideal time to visit hills in monsoons BUT you can try Spiti Valley from Manali side. You can go from Manali side and come back from Manali side to Spiti Valley. Let me know in case you are interested in it and we can cover up other aspects.
Hi Dheeraj,
I want to vistin somewhere in HP in mid aug for 3 days.Please suggest any good location.Trihan vally is not a good option in rains as per your comments.Please suggest soem good options.What is the best time to visit jalori pass and parashar lake
Monsoons is not a good time to visit any place in hills, however, Khajjiar / Dharamshala is one option where majority roads are in plains. However, it will be flooded on the long weekend with parking blues, high hotel rates, too much crowd… Not a place to be. Regarding Prashar Lake, well, it should be possible but again you need to take on some bad roads but you will love the greenery around it and there will be less rush too. Book the stay at PWD Rest House
Hi Dheeraj,
I read your blogs and the off beat places of Himachal look amazing. This is the first time we would be travelling to Himachal Pradesh and we are intrested in seeing some off-beat places rather than the local tourist sight seeing. Can you please suggest some places. we would be starting our trip from chandigarh on 25th nov and planning to stay until 1st December. We are looking for some adventure , Scenic beauty , camping and anything which is different from the local tourist attractions.
thanks
hetal
Hello Hetal,
I see you have 6 days in hand. I will suggest that you go over to stay at Tirthan Valley with visits Shoja, Jalori Pass and Parashar Lake and even Kasol too. Camping will be quite cold during that time but see if you can do once you there. Read the account: Raju’s Cottage, Goshaini, Tirthan Valley – A Pioneer in Hospitality
Regards
Dheeraj
thanks Dheeraj ! this sounds intresting, but can you explain me the route and how will this work out meaning it would be great if u could draw out a plan for the same.
Hi Hetal,
For 6 days in hand, try something like below:
Day 1 – Leave from Chandigarh. Get down at Aut/Bhunter near Kullu, to reach Tirthan Valley (about 40-45 KMs from there)
Day 2 – Tirthan Valley – Relaxing day besides Tirthan River
— Stay at Raju Bharti Guest House (you will need booking well in advance, so finalize it ASAP) other you need to stay at some other property. Raju is a pioneer in that region, so will say do not miss the stay there as it is quite an experience in itself.
Day 3 – Tirthan Valley
— Enjoy the walks in the GHNP. There are two Waterfalls nearby Raju GH in the woods.
Day 4 – Tirthan Valley – Naggar Castle (about 50 KMs)
— Stay at Naggar Castle and enjoy the place. Very romantic with great views and food. Visit Roerich Musueum, Art Gallery and do not miss the hike to ancient Krishna Temple at the top
— It is one of the most romantic places in Himachal
Day 5 – Naggar Castle – Rohtang Pass snow point in case present – Manali
Day 6 – Return from Manali to Chandigarh.
OR on Day 5, you can travel to Kasol and from there back to Chandigarh on Day 6
OR on Day 4 you can make a day visit to Shoja – Jalori Pass and come back to Tirthan
and on Day 5 you can checkout Naggar Castle, then back to Chandigarh on Day 6
These are couple of plans you can workout. Read through the detailed travel guide at: Delhi to Tirthan Valley, Himachal Pradesh | Travel Guide
we are 9 family member want to plan in diwali vacation from 21/10/14 to 31/10/14 for places of nature in himachal, pl. suggest itenery and if climate will be ok in these days
Hemil, climate will be fine but there are many places in Himachal which can be visited. In which places are you interested? Have you done any basic search of the circuits you will like to hit, any potential expectations like offbeat, tourist places, temples, remote, tribal belts, etc..
Hi Dheeraj,
devilonwheels has been a great source of information for our trip to Ladakh last year. 🙂 This year we, a group of 9, are heading to Mandi for a friends wedding after which we are planning to spend 6 days in Himachal. We have tentatively planned the route Mandi-Manali-Kasol-Shimla-Chandigarh. But after reading this article I am not sure of what we planned. Can you suggest something better or unseen for us? Something which can cover Tirthan Valley, Rohru etc but doesnt take up much of our time in travelling? Thanks a ton! Cheers!
Forgot to mention, the trip dates are September 28th to October 4th(flight at 2;30 from CHD)
Labdhi, make a circuit as Mandi – Prashar Lake – Kasol – Manali – Tirthan Valley – Chandigarh. Depending on the time on hand I feel you can skip either Manali or Tirthan depending upon the choice you would like to have. Prashar to Kasol there is a direct route so you do not need to come back. Hence, enjoy couple of days in Kasol and then enjoy couple of days either in Manali or Tirthan Valley before returning home.
Hi Dheeraj,
I have completed 2 places from the list Tirthan and Barot 😉 . Just want your suggestion as Second week of Aug I would go to Sarkaghat, HP for some work. I desperately need your suggestion what do you think would be best place, Though I am tempted to again to to Tirthan and See if Raju has a room available.
Thanks as always
hi, how was the temperature or weaather in tirthan valley. i am planning in this week
Hi Bharat,
I went to Tirthan Last summer and the weather during that time was pleasant. If you are inquiring about current weather forecast here you go
http://www.accuweather.com/en/in/banjar/198355/july-weather/198355
It will be a bit warm during day time if sun is out and pleasant + cool at night.
Near by Sarkaghat, you can drive ahead in Kangra region cover some temples OR better go to Khajjiar where the meadows will be too green due to rains and all. Really beautiful.
Hi Dheeraj,
Me and my friend are planning a short trip to Kasol around second week of August.
Pls suggest if its the right time to visit considering the rains and also is it ok for solo woman travellers.
Much Thanks!
R xx
Radha, there will surely be rains during August and sometimes situation becomes bad too. I will not suggest unless you are open traveler ready for taking it up as adventure.
i want to visit narkanda in mid august from Panipat with my family please suggest the route and planning for 4 days
JB Parmar, it will be rains all around during those days and it might be possible that you remain confined to hotel room only. Are you sure you want to make a journey to hills in rains?
Hello Dheeraj:
I am driving from Pune to Himachal next week. I have about 6-7 days all by myself. Can you please recommend what all to cover?
Harsh, from where do you have there 6-7 days for your Himachal trip?
Hey Dheeraj
I wid my frnds are planning for 3 days trip to narkanda, jolori pass and tirthan valley. Here is the plan which we have made.
2nd Aug reach narkanda by 12. Sightseeing same day.
3rd Aug – visit jalori pass and will go for stay at tirthan valley.
4th Aug – spend time in tirthan and will leave for narkanda in the evening. night stay at narkanda.
5th Aug – reach shimla to board toy train for kalka.
can u pls help us in planning better as I think the tour will be too tiring for us.
can u also provide us wid affordable stays in narkanda and tirthan. And can u please let us know the transportation cost from narkanda to tirthan and jalori pass.
Oops, Neha by following this plan it is almost like being on roads only in Himachal and it could be rainy too in August. You sure you plan to have such a travel where you be just on roads?
Can u please help us to plan something gud.
Neha, may be you should try like below:
Delhi – Narkanda and rest
Narkanda – Jalori Pass – Seroloskar Lake – Shoja
Shoja – Jalori Pass – Narkanda / Naldhera / Chail. May be visit Raghupur fort in the morning.
Narkanda / Naldhera / Chail – Delhi
Neha, as DOW is suggesting. best not to take trips to himachal during monsoon. unless you are a accomplished traveler & adventurous too.
You have put it up in just right words “traveler & adventurous” 🙂
hello dheeraj
we are 2 couples planning for a easy trek in july.earlier we planned for chopta but hotel guys told me weather will not be friendly in july.kindly give us option for easy trek in july in himachal or uttaranchal
It will be rains everywhere dear in July in both Himachal and Uttranchal and treks will not be easy piece of cake anywhere with slippery conditions and all. It is better you do some trail in Kasol to Tosh / Malana / Chalal / Kheerganga. But, whatever you do, please take enough precaution not to slip off the cliffs and carry proper rain gear.
Hi Dheeraj,
Good to read your blogs on such off-beat travel destinations. I am planning a trip around 27th July to Sarahan. It will be a family trip of about 6-7 members with my 1 year old niece as well. Just wanted to know a couple of things before we formalize our travel. It will be a 4 day travel and we would start it from New Delhi.
a) I have been to Narkanda before and have experienced good roads. Hope the journey to Sarahan is as good as i’ve experienced before
b) We plan to leave either on Thursday late afternoon or a Friday early morning and would want to be back by Monday late evening so as to reach office on time on Tuesday.Since its a 4 day trip do you think it is a doable trip?
c) Will be great if you can help me with prepare an itinerary including all not to be missed nearby places.
d) Also suggest any alternative plan if you dont think Sarahan is/would be a great option considering I’m going with family.
Look forward to a great time!! Thanks!
Hi Harpreet,
Sorry but I will ask you why Sarahan?? :confused:
You can head to chindi – Karsog which will be much more beautiful at that time and will have loaded orchards of apples too plus greenery.
Still, below are my replies:
a) Till Sarahan roads are very much fine. Similar and at some place much better than you have experienced to Narkanda.
b) Yeah, doable enough. Delhi – Narkanda, Narkanda to Sarahan, Sarahan, Sarahan to Delhi starting early in the morning.
c) Suggested above.
d) I will seriously suggest you to consider Chindi – Karsog.
Day 1 | Delhi – Shimla/Chail/Naldhera/Tattapani
Day 2 | Shimla/Chail/Naldhera/Tattapani – Chindi
Day 3 | Around Chindi, visit Karsog. Relax
Day 4 | Chindi – Delhi via Shimla
Regards
Dheeraj
Hi Dheeraj,
Thanks alot for the above recommendations. Sarahan because a colleague of mine had visited and was all praises about it. Plus I found an easy and a good HPTDC property online. But as I said that was still not on papers. The idea is to have good memorable time with family.
Your second option also looks great and I also quite liked Tirthan Valley from what you have mentioned above and also reading about it on the internet. Not sure of good budget hotels at these places. Wil be great if you can also recommend good (comfortable) hotels to stay.
Cheers,
Harpreet
Harpreet, Tirthan is river side and it will be rains. No doubt Sarahan is quite good but not a place for an exclusive visit. May be some day you have more days, you can club it with Kinnaur Valley. At present, better visit Chindi + Karsog. You will not regret it. Check my travel tales section and you will get to know as I went on a family trip too. At Chindi, you again have a HPTDC Property by the name Mamleshwar, check my review:
Chindi – Abode of Calmness in Himachal | Family Trip
HPTDC The Mamleshwar, Chindi
I am from Delhi.
Can u please suggest any best place for weekend visit having good natural beauty and mountain view? And also not so crowded, will visit with family having 4 years old baby.
Anupam, you will not go wrong with any of the places mentioned above in the article except Daranghati with a small kid. Rest 4 places you can surely visit.
we are a group of 8-10 people and need a place we can visit for 2 days. we have working fridays and mondays. we can leave on friday evening and need to be back before monday morning. Can triund trek be done in this time? Also if you could suggest some other place? We would like to keep the cost to be minimum. if you could tell me about some cheap package available or some cheap source of travel.
Thanks
in 2 day Triund Trek will be difficult. I believe in two day it is better to visit Chakrata only.
Hi Dheeraj
Me and me buddies (6 no.s) are planing a trekking trip to Himachal this month end, only off beat places in mind such as Malana, Kasol, Tosh, Pulga, Kheerganga, Parvati Valley, parashar lake and tirthan valley. We have 12 days in hand and we plan to use public transport. Our plan is to start from Chandigarh, but we need your help to chalk out an itenary, also help in getting low budget accommodation, preferably govt guest houses or some really nice shacks, we are open to ur ideas since you know this place in and out. If there are other more places we could visit on our route please let me know.
Regards
Sanal
Sanal, with public transport it is always difficult to pin-point day wise itinerary. You can do something like below
Day 1 | Start from Chandigarh and reach Kasol
Day 2-7 | Spend in Kasol and around. Visit Kheerganga, Tosh, Malana
Day 8 | Move to Tirthan Valley and spend Day 9, 10 at Tirthan
Day 11 | Move to Parashar and then 12 start back from Parashar
Thanx a lot Dheeraj, but what about accommodation, and do u have any person in this area we could use for travel, stay and information.
Sanal, if you will be relying on a some travel agent then it will be difficult, especially the Parashar Lake part. There are only two accommodations which are both GOVT one. Else you can check with info@offbeatescapes.com if they offer here something for you. You will need camping and all for Parashar and at other places there will be guest houses and hotels. But, for treks again you need camps and stuff.
Hi Dheeraj,
Its is a really nice post, I must say. I would want to go to Barot, Bir-Billing for para-gliding and stuff. So would u suggest going alone to this place? I really have a doubt over these Home stays, are these safe at all?
Vish, these home stays are completely safe. You can check my Travel tale of family trip to Barot in the Travel Tales section. People in Barot are really nice, down to earth and helpful.
Thanks! But how about going alone? Para-gliding?
Going alone is also fine. Lot of backpackers visit Barot alone for their treks in Bhangal region.
Thank you! Much obliged. 😀
Hi again! One more thing to ask. How do I get to Bir-Billing from barot?
Thanks.
You will get shared taxi to Ghatasani and from there you will get some local shared taxi to Bir – Billing.
Hi Dheeraj,
We are planning to visit flower valley trek in mid August.
If you can guide us on this. We don’t want to take trip package.
budget per person can be 3-4k max.
Please advice, this time I really want to visit that.
Surendra, I have never been to Valley of Flowers, so will not be the right person to suggest. However, I will suggest that you post the query under DwD Community where people who have done it can answer your queries related to Valley of Flowers. Here is the link where you can ask queries in DwD Community: Plan Your Trip to Himalayas -> Itinerary Advice