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Palaces & Hill
Stations of Northern India Introduction: For those seeking gentle walks through stunning scenery in the foothills of the Himalaya, arriving back to luxury accommodation in the evening, this is the trip for you. The itinerary is incredibly varied and interesting. You are taken through little known ‘gems’ of Himachal Pradesh, such as its first heritage village of Pragpur, and the paraglider’s paradise of Palampur. No visit to Northern India would be complete without a visit to the more renowned towns of Dharamshala, the home of the Dalai Lama, Manali, the Mecca for mountain holidays, and Shimla, the summer capital of the British Raj. To give you a multi-dimensional and memorable trip, we incorporate much more than simply trekking. To give you a full flavour of Himachal, we have included a ride on one of the famous narrow gauge mountain trains, an optional day’s pottery workshop, visits to Hindu temples, Buddhist monasteries, art galleries and handicraft centers. Not forgetting that this is also a holiday, we give you ample opportunity to relax at the palatial heritage properties you will be staying in, explore their grounds and history, and indulge in their extensive amenities. Some of these properties are converted castles and palaces, and all have been chosen for their richness in character, charm and history. Where we have been unable to find heritage properties, we have selected the best quality hotels in the area. Duration : 14 days Trek days : 7 days SUGGESTED PROGRAM : Day 1 – ARRIVE IN DELHI You will be met at Delhi airport, and transferred to your hotel. The day can be spent making any last-minute preparations, shopping, or just relaxing by the pool. Should you want to do any sightseeing this can be arranged. Overnight at Hotel. Day 2 – TRAVEL BY TRAIN TO CHANDIGARH, DRIVE TO NALAGARH FORT RESORT You make an early morning transfer to the station for the train to Chandigarh, arriving just before lunch. Shatabdi Express is a fast, intercity train which links major cities. It is quiet, clean, comfortable and has reasonable leg space. Mineral water and snacks are offered to you during your journey. The city of Chandigarh, purpose-built in the 1950s as the new capital of the Punjab after Lahore was handed over to Pakistan, was largely designed by Le Corbusier. The result is not yet the forward-looking statement of faith in a modern Indian society it was designed to be, although for visitors it is a fascinating view of 1950s’ utopian town planning. Later you begin the drive to Nalagarh, the gateway to Himachal Pradesh, where you will stay tonight. Nalagarh was the capital of the kingdom of Hindus founded by Raja Ajai Chand in 1100 AD. It was ruled by the Chandela Rajputs. The Chandela kings were great patrons of art and architecture. Raja Ram Chander, another illustrious ruler of the same dynasty, was also a great builder who constructed the Ramgarh Fort, which you will trek to tomorrow and the town of Ramshere. The Nalagarh Fort on a hillock was built in 1421 during the reign of Raja Bikram Chand, and stands amid acres of greenery with a panoramic view of the Shivalik Hills. It is now a hotel with air-conditioned rooms, and facilities include a swimming pool, golf course and health club. An ideal stopover before your onward journey to Pragpur. Overnight at the Nalagarh Fort Resort. Day 3 – SHORT TREK TO RAMGARH FORT, DRIVE TO PRAGPUR It is approximately 45 minutes drive to Ramshere, the start of today’s walk to the imposing and impressive Ramgarh Fort. Built by Raja Ram Chander in 1540, the Fort is situated at a height of 4000ft/1,220m, and it is situated 21km north of Nalagarh. The Fort ramparts command a breathtaking view of the plains and towns of Punjab, and the perennially snowclad peaks of the Himalaya. Ramgarh is an important landmark of the famous Gurkha Wars of the mid nineteenth century. The trek up to the fort takes approximately 30 minutes, and 20 minutes back down to Ramshere. In the afternoon, you drive to Pragpur. Reflecting the ambience of Anglo-Indian traditions this country manor was built by Justice Jai Lal at the turn of the 20th century. Spread ovr 10 acres of orchards the hotel offers a magnificent view of the snow peaks. Located near the ornamental village tank and approached by a cobbled street this courtyard haven captures a bygone era. Pragpur is also the first notified heritage village in India. Overnight at the Judge’s court. Day 4 – GENTLE TREK TO BANKS OF THE RIVER BEAS In the morning, you take a gentle 2/3 hour stroll to the banks of the River Beas, passing many attractive traditional village houses en route. Here you can watch the timeless scene of villagers harvesting wheat and women transporting water in copper pots on their heads. You can enjoy the genuinely unspoilt landscapes of the Himachal countryside, where you are extremely unlikely to see another tourist, and may well be invited into a villager’s home for chai and a chat. Lunch at the Judge’s court. The food here is superb, and much of the ingredients come from the Court itself, such as its excellent spinach and delicious new potatoes. The orchard consists of mango, lychee, grape, plum, parsimon, citrus and exotic trees like camphor, clove and cardamom. The milk and dairy products used in their kitchen come from The Judge’s court dairy in the grounds. Water is exclusively piped from an ancestral mountain spring. Mr Lal is an exceptional host and if present at the time of your stay, will sit for meals with you and entertain you with stories and fascinating facts about the history of the Judge’s court and of Pragpur. He was largely instrumental in obtaining Pragpur’s status as the first heritage village in India. The Judge’s court has a wealth of information on local walks and other activities in the area, and Mr Lal will be only too pleased to offer his advice on these to help you gain the most from your stay. Staying at the Judge’s Court offers a unique ambience, and a special kind of hospitality. All of its 9 rooms are different and equally elegant, and have names such as Kipling, Dhauladhar, and Kangra. In the afternoon, you can visit the Pragpur market. There are several silversmiths who offer handmade trinkets and cloth shops with a variety of materials. Local tailors will quickly stitch up dresses. Weaving is a cottage industry. You could order hand woven blankets and shawls of your choice. Wool can be purchased from the market. Hand block printing on cloth is also undertaken and you might want to select material that can be printed to your requirements. There are several other handicrafted products available. Overnight at the Judge’s Court. Day 5 – GENTLE TREK TO GARLI. DRIVE TO DHARAMSHALA Garli is a sister village of Pragpur. It is a pleasant walk of around 2km through pretty countryside. Garli was said to have been established earlier than Pragpur. Along with Pragpur and Rakkar it was a stronghold of the Sood community. The Soods of Garli built some attractive houses whose architectural features resemble those of Shimla. Some of the interesting buildings deserving a visit are the United Commercial Bank of India (UCO Bank) office building, the home of Lala Mohan Lal a prominent advocate of his time, who arranged for pipes to be laid from Seri to Garli. A few years ago this water system was taken over by the Himachal Pradesh Government and is now managed by the Public Health Department. From Garli the road leads to the Beas River. It terminates at Chamba-ka-Pattan overlooking the river. The distance is about 3km from Garli. The drive to Dharamshala is approx. 60km (approx. 3 hrs), which includes a stop at Jwalamukhi Temple, one of the most revered Hindu Temples in North India. The deity is a blue flame fed by natural gas which shoots out of the rock in the sanctum. It is worshipped as the goddess of fire, Jwalamukhi. As you continue on your journey to the home of the Dalai Lama, you have superb views of the Dhauladur Range. For part of the way, you will be following the narrow gauge mountain railway line. You pass Kangra Fort en route, perched atop a cliff above the Banganga and Majhi rivers. Availability permitting, tonight you will stay at Chonor House. Chonor House is a delightful guest house, which is a branch of the Norbulingka Institute, whose principal aim is the preservation of Tibetan Culture. Each of its 11 rooms have been decorated according to a Tibetan theme, with striking wall paintings, hand sewn fabrics and hand-knotted carpets. Their Tibetan restaurant opens onto an attractive garden, which provides welcome respite from the noise and bustle of McLeod Ganj. It also has an Internet café and a Tibetan handicrafts’ shop. At, 5741ft/1750m above sea level, Mcleod Ganj is a place pulsating with life. It has a delightful mixture of eastern and western cultures, reflected in the people, and in the shrines of worship. Hippy-clad westerners jostle for space in the bazaar alongside Hindus and Tibetan monks. Following the Chinese invasion of Tibet, the Dalai Lama arrived here in May 1960, to live and establish the Tibetan government-in-exile. It is a vibrant and fascinating place to visit. Overnight at Chonor House. Day 6 – TREK TOWARDS TRIUND AND RETURN It is a 9km climb from Mcleod Ganj to Triund, located at a height of 9,275ft/2,827, above sea level. It is a steep but straight forward ascent, with the path veering off to the right beyond Dharamkot. The views of Dhauladhar from here are stunning. You begin at 5741ft/1750m, and trek through cedar trees, then as you gain height these give way to rhodendron and oak trees. If going all the way to Triund proves a little too strenuous, you can always trek to the half way point, at Major View Café – 5741ft/2300m, and then return the same way. It takes approx. 2/3 hrs to reach this halfway point. You may see the Monal bird on your walk – the state bird of Himachal Pradesh. The valley is also popular for black bears. The walk is along a very good path, and you have excellent views of the mountains in front, and Mcleod Ganj below (you will be able to see the green roof of the Dalai Lama’s home). Triund is an important base camp for those wanting to go from Kangra Valley to Chamba Valley. From here you can see the point where locals cross the Indrahar Pass (14,518ft/4425m) on their way to Chamba. The snow covered peaks of the Dhauladhar range rise either side to approximately 16,000ft/4,900m. In the late afternoon, you can visit the main Buddhist temple in Mcleod Ganj, situated opposite the present abode of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. The temple has three main images about three metres tall: Lord Buddha or Shakyamuni is gilded bronze, Padmasambhava and Avlokiteshvara in silver with eleven faces, one thousand arms and one thousand eyes. Overnight at Chonor House. Day 7 – AT DHARAMSHALA As the drive to Palampur is short, you will have plenty of time in the morning to complete your sightseeing of Dharamshala, which should include a visit to The Norbulingka Institute. The Norbulingka Institute is a registered trust functioning under the Chairmanship of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. It is dedicated to the preservation of Tibetan culture in both its literary and artistic forms. The skills preserved and passed on at Norbulingka include statue making, thaangka painting, appliqué and tailoring, woodcarving, carpentry and metal craft. The masters teaching these arts are true artists intent primarily on preserving their heritage and passing it on to a new generation of artists. The drive to Palampur takes approximately 2 hrs, with great views of the Dhauladhar range, and tea plantations whilst approaching Palampur. Overnight at Talagarh Palace. Taragarh Palace is situated on a 15 acre forested estate surrounded by tea gardens in the Kangra valley, one of the most scenic and unexplored areas of Himachal Pradesh. Located at a height of 3000ft/1000m, Taragarh Palace is at the foot of the Dhauladhar Mountains with a magnificent view of snow capped peaks. It was built in the early 1930s as a summer resort, and bought by the royal family of Jammu & Kashmir in 1951 for the dowager Maharani who lived there for several years. It is now run as a hotel by the present royal family. Amenities include a badminton court, tennis court, outdoor swimming pool, and card room with bridge table. Day 8 – TREK TO BUDDHIST MONASTERY FROM BIR It is a 45 minutes drive to Bir, the landing area for paragliders coming in from Billing (one of the finest sites for hang gliding in the world). The trek starts from Bir with a gentle descent through lovely Kangri villages. It is a beautiful walk through tea gardens which descend into alpine meadows and newly planted pine forests. The trail is fairly well marked and very gentle. You cross the stream and walk up to the village, which is known for the monastery, which houses the 17th Karmapa on exile from Tibet. Birds you may encounter include Kingfishers, vultures and jungle fowl. The monastery houses an enormous statue of Buddha, and the Lama is happy for you to take photographs inside. Overnight at Talagarh Palace. Day 9 – MORNING’S POTTERY WORKSHOP AT ANDRETTA OR TREK TO BILLING. DRIVE TO NAGGAR Today you have an option to have a morning’s potting at the pottery workshop in the peaceful village of nearby Andretta (45 minutes’ drive from Talagarh Palace), which specializes in ethnic clay pottery. You will be potting outside with the spectacular backdrop of the Himalaya. Guiding you will be the internationally acclaimed Indian potter Mansimran (Mini) Singh. Mini was first taught by his late father, Gurcharan Singh, in the family owned Delhi Blue Art Pottery, and later became apprentice to the celebrated British potters, Bernard Leach and Geoffrey Whiting. Mini’s father has been a major force behind introducing studio pottery to India, setting up successful studios in Delhi. His work is continued today by Mini. You can try your hand at the kick operated or electric wheels, or develop hand and slab techniques. Also in Andretta is the Sobha Singh Art Gallery, which is worth a visit. Sobha Singh was a Sikh artist who became known for his paintings of the romantic legends of Sohni Mahiwal and Heer Ranjha and other religious paintings. Most of his original work is still displayed here. If you do not fancy potting, there will be an alternative option of a trek from Bir to Billing, the popular paragliding spot. It is the site for the international hang gliding and a paragliding competition held every year by Himachal Tourism, and has excellent views. You come back to Bir at the base of the valley (approx. 45 minutes drive from the hotel), and carry on driving for about 4km on the road to Billing. You can start walking from Bir itself – straight walk up the mountain. It takes approximately 2-3 hrs to get to the top at billing (2300m), where you are rewarded for your ascent with brilliant views. You are walking through forest all the way up on fairly rocky terrain and may well see Pashmina goats en route. You pass the small temple of the 7 sisters, worshipped by the locals, and then continue to the alpine meadows of Billing. You can see the entire Kangra Valley, Pong Dam reservoir, and Bir Monastery. Afternoon drive to Naggar (approx. 6hrs, 180km) via Mandi. This is a scenic drive up the Kullu valley, famed for its apples, towards Manali. You pass the Mercury Adventure Camp en route. You stop 21k short of Manali at Naggar to stay overnight at Naggar Castle. Naggar Castle, now coverted into a hotel since 1978 is an imposing structure. It was built using a local stone, the layers of which are punctuated by long pieces of cut wood. It rises, to be topped by a grey slate roof. Wooden brackets and carved windows are being restored to capture the originality of the castle. The style of construction ensured a lot of resilience in the structure, and it successfully withstood the mighty and disastrous earthquake of 1905. The tale recounted by villagers of its construction is interesting. It is said that the stone for building the edifice was to be brought from the other side of river Naggar. Right up to Baragarh fort, a human chain of laborers stood, passing the stones from hand to hand. The stones, picked up from the ruins of Gardhak, a fortified palace of Rana Bhosal, gave the king his castle. Te site commands a stupendous view of the valley and the snow-laden peaks. Inside this castle is a small temple that could have passed unnoticed had it not been for the powerful legend associated with it. It is believed that it was decided to make Naggar the celestial seat of all the gods in the world. The gods hence transformed themselves into honey bees endowed with Herculean power and cut a specimen of Deo Tibba and flew it to the present site of the Jagti Patt temple. The stone slab is actually 5ft x 8ft x 6 inches. It is the unshaken belief of the locals that even now in times of calamity, all the Kullu gods assemble here to mitigate the suffering of the people. Some pieces of sculpture that have been recovered from Naggar are lined up in the inner verandah of the palace. They speak volumes about the creativity of the people. Overnight Naggar Castle. Day 10 – TREK TO RUMSU (approx. 6/7 hrs) Today’s trek is a pure delight, walking through three unspoilt villages which all use traditional wood and stone architecture for their houses, and often have tiny front doors with intricate wood carvings. Unaccustomed to the sight of tourists, the children’s eyes will widen as you approach, and be delighted to pose for a photograph. There will be no chants of “one pen”, “one rupee”, which you may hear elsewhere. For today’s walk, you literally trek from the hotel. It takes approximately one hour to reach the first village, after a continuous ascent of around 300 feet, passing apple trees as you go. As you approach the second village of Pulug you pass through alpine scenery with pine trees and crops of potato and corn with step terraces. There are excellent views of the mountains towards the Rotang Pass and of the Kulla valley and surrounding villages. To Pulug it is uphill all the way, but you can take your time – you have all day. It is a remarkably beautiful trek, and very open. After Pulug you head back down the trail to Rumsu. It will take between 1-2 hrs to reach Rumsu where you have another snapshot of traditional village life, before descending for about 20 minutes back to Naggar. It is a very pleasing trip. About one kilometer from Naggar on the descent from Rumsu, you will find the Roerich Art Gallery which houses the paintings of the Russian artist, Prof. Nicholas Roerich. In the early evening, you drive to Manali (21k) and visit the bazaar and temples there and have dinner. Overnight at nagger Castle. Day 11 – DRIVE TO SHIMLA The drive takes approximately 9hrs (290km). The Cecil is arguably the best hotel in Shimla, and one of the prestigious Oberoi Group. It is a 5 star deluxe hotel and is situated at the quiet end of the famous mall. Walking to Scandal Point on the Mall takes around 30 minutes from here, and is a very pleasant uphill stroll, due to the lack of vehicular traffic. Scandal Point remains the hub of Shimla’s social life and is said to be so named after a British Commander-in-Chief’s daughter eloped from the spot with the Maharaja of Patiala. Shimla is one of the few places in the world where an enormous amount of history and heritage has been distilled into such a small place in so short a time. The town came into being in the first quarter of the 19th century and some four decades later became the summer capital of the British Raj. Till the coming of India’s independence in 1947, momentous events and memorable architecture packed the town. The town has one of the largest pedestrian roads and shopping anywhere in the world – the Mall. Overnight at Cecil House. Day 12 – AT LEISURE IN SHIMLA Today you are at liberty to do your own thing. You can rise at you leisure, indulge in a delicious breakfast at the Cecil and sample the delights of the hotel’s amenities (swimming pool, gym, sauna, steam room, Jacuzzi, library to mention a few). You could then take a stroll along the Mall, soaking up the general ambience and flavour of the British Raj, and do some last minute shopping. There are many interesting heritage walks around Shimla, and your sirdar will be pleased to suggest suitable routes and hire a local guide for you. Overnight at cecil House. Day 13 – TOY TRAIN JOURNEY TO KANDAGHAT, DRIVE TO RISHIKESH The journey by train from Shimla to Kandaghat recreates the old world charm associated with journeys on mountain railways. This track still has the grace of an age when people traveled in leisure and savoured every moment of it. It departs Shimlaat 10.35 am and arrives Kandaghat at 11.35 am. It was a newspaper correspondent who conceived the idea of a railway line here in November 1847. A passionate plea in the Delhi Gazette by this journalist advocated the provision of a railway line to Shimla. He wrote, :we may then see these cooler regions become the permanent seat of a government daily invigorated by a temperature adapted to refresh an European constitution, and keep the mental power in a state of health, alike beneficial of rulers and the ruled:. As the track was stone ballasted, the bosom of the highly irregular Shivalik hills was parted by 1 96-kilometer railway line on November 9, 1903. Three years of labour by dedicated engineers and laborers was put in to achieve this astounding feat. The hill track passes over 864 bridges, under 102 tunnels and around 900 sharp curves. You will be traveling on the special rail car for tourists, which is a small tram that seats 30 people. The track escends from Shimla’s cool climes to Kandaghat, and passes through beautiful hillsides, lush green meadows, and fields of capsicum which delight the eye. Your journey to Kandaghat takes approximately one hour, and your driver will be waiting for you here to take you on your onward journey to Rishikesh (approx. 6/7 hrs). Rishikesh is essentially a pilgrim town, and the bulk of the pilgrims are simple villagers whose intense devotion give both Haridwar and Rishikesh a special atmosphere, a taste of the old India that continues to flow in modern dress as the Ganga canal has been harnessed to irrigate the fields of modern India. At sundown each evening there is a service at the side of the river, at the bathing ghat in the middle of Rishikesh at which tiny candle rafts are lit and let out into the choppy water to float away into the dusk. This is highly recommended as it has a very special ambience at this time. Overnight Mercury River Camp. Day 14 – RAFTING & DRIVE TO DELHI An early morning start for today’s rafting. Today you raft t Rishikesh. En route you will encounter exciting grade 3 and grade 4 rapids such as the Golf course and Roller Coaster to name a few. If you prefer not to raft, you may spend the morning sightseeing instead. In the afternoon, you drive to Delhi (approx. 5/6 hrs). Day rooms will be available at your Hotel before your transfer for the late evening flight.
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