Chamba is situated in Himachal Pradesh and is known for its uninterrupted heritage and customs. It’s around 49 km North East of Dalhousie and around 623 km from Delhi. (more…)

Matheran, (which literally means a jungle on top) is a hill station in the Raigad district of Maharashtra which was discovered by Hugh Malet in 1850. The British developed Matheran as a popular tourist resort. The Ministry of Environment and Forest, Government of India has declared Matheran an eco-sensitive region. It is one of the few places in the world where vehicles are not allowed, (except in case of an emergency) which makes the place different from others. Matheran transports you backwards in time over a hundred years when there were no vehicles. The roads are not tarred and are made of red laterite earth. (more…)

Ranikhet in Uttaranchal is a small hill station situated in the Kumaon hills. It offers a panoramic view of the mighty Himalayan peaks, making stressed urbanites visit the place for the fresh invigorating mountain air. The environs of Ranikhet are sylvan, peaceful and attractive. Legend has it that a beautiful Kumaoni queen fell so deeply in love with the green glades and meadows that her King, Raja Sukherdev built her a grand palace there and named the place Ranikhet, meaning queen’s meadow. (more…)

Binsar is situated in Uttaranchal with a backdrop of tall mountains and deep valleys wrapped in alpine flora and fauna. As the sun begins to rise you get the first glimpse of the Trishul, the pyramid like snow clad Himalayan mountain range that is visible from Binsar. (more…)

If you’re looking for a destination that’s un-spoilt and non-commercial, where you can relax on the lap on Nature reflecting on its beauty and on life then Naukuchiatal is the place to be.  Naukuchiatal or ‘lake of nine corners’ is perched at an altitude of 3996 feet above sea level, is fed by an underground perennial spring and is known for its tranquility and for the orchards and dense jungles that surround it. This lake boasts of a good walking track around the lake, apart from boating and angling. (more…)

Nahan is a picturesque, clean and dust free town situated on an isolated ridge in the Shiwalik hills, overlooking greenfields. The city was founded as a capital by Raja Karan Prakash in 1621. There is a story of a saint who lived amicably with a ‘Nahar’ meaning lion, on the site where the Nahan palace now stands, and hence the name of the town.  Nahan situated at an altitude of 932 meters, and makes a good base for visits to the surrounding areas – Paonta Sahib, Trilokpur temple, and Dhaula Kuan. (more…)

The stories of Ruskin Bond set in the ‘Queen of Hills’ tempted us to plan a trip there one weekend in May. April to June and September to November is the best time to visit Mussoorie, we were told, when the Himalayan ranges are clearly visible. The hill station is located at an altitude of 2003 meters above sea level in the Garhwal hills (more…)

Our friend’s wedding beckoned us to Dharamshala in Himachal Pradesh and we were all set to explore the Himalayan town which is also the abode of the Dalai Lama. Dharamshala is now a bustling hill station in the Kangra valley with a sizable Buddhist population. After an 11 hour drive from Delhi to Dharmashala navigating through road side farmlands, hilly towns, sharp bends, breathtaking scenery of towering cliffs and coniferous trees, we reached our destination and checked into a hotel. . (more…)

Our trip to Bangalore spilled over to a long weekend so the obvious plan was to go backpacking. After evaluating the many options that Bangalore has to offer, we settled on Coorg also called the ‘Scotland of India’. That would be quite like a trip abroad on a low budget, we told ourselves. The name was given to Coorg by the British and it was not just for the climate and landscape, but also because the Coorgs like the Scottish people, have distinct costumes, and enjoy their drink (coffee in this case) to the fullest. (more…)

To make the best of our stay in Kolkatta by exploring nearby places, we zeroed in on Gangtok as the ideal destination to beat the summer heat. After an overnight train journey from Howrah to New jalpaiguri we hired a cab to Gangtok. It was a four hour upward drive parallel to the snaking Teesta River which originates from at altitude of 17500 and finally merges into the Brahmaputra River. On our way we stopped to have a steaming plate of Momos (a wheat-flour dumpling stuffed with vegetables or meat) and green sauce for breakfast. (more…)