Shimla & Kinnaur districts of Himachal Pradesh are known as the apple country for they are the apple bowl of India, producing juicy red apples that are enjoyed across the globe. Just before the crop is ready to be plucked in August end or early September, all you see on both sides of the road and in deep valleys is apples hanging from the branches of short trees. On a road trip from Shimla to Sangla all along the Sutlej valley, there are so many hidden gems of history and heritage that you can spend years exploring and admiring them. There are ancient temples and churches, each with its own myths & legends, Himalayan ranges that are considered the abode of Gods. Even in peak summer you can see snow shining proudly on their peaks. There are rivers that carry glaciers to the plains and feed them and a million small rivulets merging into these rivers all across their length. There are natural lakes that are nothing but a marvel of nature. Thinly populated, this area has small picturesque villages, each centered around a temple and on a terrain that takes you a few hundred meters up and down. It is the smiling faces of beautiful people of Himachal in their trademark Himachali cap that gets etched in your memory forever.
NatureApple Story of Thanedhar
Apple Story of Thanedhar
Thanedhar is merely a 3-4 hour drive away from Shimla via Narkanda. Throughout this drive you can see apple trees and if you are driving in the right season you would see a lot of apples on these trees, which may be gree
St Mary’s Church
Kotgarh is about 80 km from Shimla on the old Hindustan-Tibet Road. Church Missionary Society from London established St Mary’s Church here, way back in 1872, when Kotgarh was a part of the Punjab province. It is a quain…more
Hatu Peak and Hatu Mata Temple
Hatu peak is located close to Narkanda at a dizzying height of more than 3352 m. Narrow, single roads leading to the Hatu Peak can leave you scared and enchanted at the same time. On one side are the deep and steep valle
Tani Jhubbar Lake
Someone told me that Tani Jhubbar Lake is a small lake with a big name. It takes a small detour of about 500 meters on way to the Hatu Peak from Narkanda to reach this lovely lake. Yes, it is a small oval shaped lake
Rampur & its Padam Palace
Rampur is located around 130 km from Shimla on the banks of river Satluj. As soon as you enter the town, a large statue of Hanuman welcomes you. Little ahead on the road are some hotels and restaurants followed by lovely
Sarahan and Bhimakali Temple
Sarahan was the capital of Bushahr Kingdom before it moved to Rampur on the banks of Satluj. Sarahan is located on a hill and you have to climb up this hill from the village named Jeori. Today it is a typical Himachali
Kalpa and Kinner Kailash Range
Kalpa is small town located on a hill few kilometers above Rekong Peo—the administrative capital of Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh. Kalpa is most famous for some of the best views of Kinner Kailash range of Himalay
Temples of Kalpa
Kalpa stands geographically at the confluence of Kinnaur that primarily follows Hinduism and Spiti Valley that follows Buddhism. You can see the confluence and co-existence of both the faiths at Kalpa. There are Buddhist
Sangla Valley
Sangla is small town in the north east Himachal Pradesh, located on the banks of Baspa River. The valley is referred by both names—Sangla Valley as well as Baspa Valley. When you drive from Shimla it begins at a place
Chitkul Village
Chitkul is the last inhabited village in Sangla Valley on the old Hindustan Tibet road. It is a quaint little village that is now becoming a major tourist hub and you can see its landscape getting dominated by garish
Basteri Village
Basteri village is located on the other bank of Baspa River, and you need to take a bridge over river to reach the village entrance. At the entrance you would be greeted by an arch with all the auspicious symbols of Budd
Kamru Fort
Kamru fort is an ancient wooden fort located on a hill a few kilometers from Sangla town. It was the original seat of the Bushahr dynasty that ruled from here. The capital was later shifted to Sarahan and then to Rampu
Fruits of Kinnaur
Kinnaur can very well be called the fruit bowl of Himachal. Walking on any road or looking at any valley, all you see is fruit laden trees. While apple is the king of fruits in Himachal and the most orchards are apple
Satluj Valley
Satluj is an ancient river, one of the tributaries of Indus River and one of the five rivers that give the state of Punjab its name. Satluj enters India near Shipki La Pass from where it traverses through the many Himala
