Saturday, May 9, 2009

Trip to Kalimpong


About Kalimpong

The beautiful hill station kalimpong situated at an altitude 3152 mts above sea level.It is situated in between bhutan, sikkim and west benga,this trijunction called as Rachela trijunction.Kalimpong offers pleasure of treks, forest exploration and bird watching etc.This hill station once ruled by bhutan for about 155 years and was annexed by british only in 1865.The area comprises of churches, temples,monks, gumpas and missionaries.Around kalimpong has vast range of forests between lava and loleygaon.

Imporatant places to visit
Snow views - Deolo hill and Durpin dara
Colonial bungalows
Tharpa choling monastery
Thongsha gumpa
Army golf club
Kalimpong bazaar
Mangal dhaam
Orchids
St Theresa church
Dr.Graham's homes

Places nearby
Pedong (24 kms)
Lava (34 kms)
Lolegaon (25 kms)
Samco ropeway (20 kms)
Teesta valley (14 kms)
Samthar plateau (80 kms)

Location State - West Bengal
Altitude - 3152 mts above sea level
Climate - max 25 C & min 7 C
Best time to visit - All round year
Activities - Trekking,mountain biking,river rafting and walking.

How to reach there
By Air: The Airport is at Bagdogra, 80 km away, directly connected to Kolkata, Delhi, and Guwahati.

By Rail: The nearest Railheads are New Jalpaiguri (77 km) and Siliguri (66 km). New Jalpaiguri has connections to Kolkata, Delhi, Guwahati, Madras, Bombay, Bangalore, Bhubaneshwar, Tirupati, Trivandrum and Cochin.

By Road: Kalimpong is 675 km. from Calcutta. Buses are available from the Central Bus Stand at Siliguri. From Darjeeling, DGHC provides bus services to Kalimpong. Jeeps and landrovers ply regularly between the two towns. For sightseeing in and around Kalimpong town, jeeps and cars are available on hire from private operators.





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Friday, May 8, 2009

Trip to Kurseong


About Kurseong

Kurseong is a beautiful town set in the hills some 50 odd kms from Siliguri and 30 kms from Darjeeling. Trekking trails abound in the vicinity and the untouched beauty around pervades the senses. Thankfully Kurseong has escaped the onslaught of development and remains essentially a little Himalayan village that time forgot.

Kurseong is blessed with moderate temperatures the year round, with the temperature rarely rising above 30° C in summer and never falling below 6° C in winter.The natural advantages of kurseong makes its very attractive hill station.

Important places to visit
Ambotia shiv mandir
Giddapahar mandir
Deer park
Makaibari tea estate
Eagle's craig
Forest museum
Bhangzang salamander lake
Bagora

Location state - West bengal
Climate - max 30 C & min 6 C
Best time to visit - September to june
Altitude - 1458 mts above sea level
Activities - Trekking

How to reach there
By Air:Bagdogra Airport, Siliguri, is 60 km away. Taxis/buses are available at the airport for transit to Kurseong.

By Rail:Siliguri, 50 km and New Jalpaiguri, 57 km are the nearest main stations. It is an important station on the toy train route from New Jalpaiguri to Darjeeling. The Toy Train takes a little over 5 hrs from New Jalpaiguri to Kurseong.
By Road:Taxis and buses are available from Siliguri in plenty, taking around 3 hrs for the journey. Mirik is also 3 hrs away, and Darjeeling is 2 hrs away. Taxi/buses for Darjeeling, Siliguri/Bagdogra are available throughout the day.




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Trip to Darjeeling


About Darjeeling

Darjeeling is one of the magnificent hill station in the world.Moving up the hills one is greeted by smiling teach gardens, changing to firs, pines and fast moving torrents.Darjeeling is a land of breathtaking beauty of greenl hills by the himalayas.There are around 4000 types of flowering plants and 300 varieties of ferns.

Important places to visit
Chowrastha
Natural history museum
Himalayan zoological park
Himalayan mountaineering institute
Zoological park
Observatory hill
Tiger hill
Batasia Loop
Tenzing rock & gombu rock
Chunnu summer falls
Ava art gallery

Places nearby
Happy valley tea estate (3 kms)
Lebong race course (8 kms)
Darjeeling passenger ropeway (3 kms)
Garg world amusement park (4 kms)
Hayden hall
Barbotey rock garden (10 kms)
Gram silpa Ajitar (21 kms)
singla
Bijanbari (38 kms)

Location state - West bengal
Climate - Summer (max 15 c & min 8 C ) Winter (max 6 C & min 1 C)
Best time to visit - March to June & September to December
Altitude - 2134 mts above sea level
Activities - Wildlife, trekking, camping.

How to reach there
By Air:The nearest airport to Darjeeling is Bagdogra about 90 kms away from Darjeeling. There are direct flight connections with Delhi, Calcutta and Guwahati.

By Rail:Apart from Darjeeling Railway Station the two closest railway stations are Siliguri (80 kms) and New Jalpaiguri (88 kms) from Darjeeling. These railway stations have direct railway connections with Kolkata, Delhi, Guwahati, Varanasi and other major cities of India.

By Road:Darjeeling is connected to Sikkim, Nepal, Bhutan and all of its surrounding hills. The major access to Darjeeling is via Siliguri which is connected to all the major cities.

Trip to Nainital


About Nainital

Nainital is the largest hill settlement in the kumaon region of Himalayas is the lake town.A dramatic climb of 1,300 meters over a 40 km route from the railhead at Kathgodam takes the visitor through winding river valleys, alongside terraced farms, lush green alpine forests and over mountain ridges, right up to Nainital.

On reaching the head of the town where the highway from the plains meets the main Mall at Tallital, you get a dramatic view of the beautiful Naini Lake nestling in its cocoon of hills. Brightly colored sails of yachts dot the calm waters of the lake while crowds of holidaymakers throng the Mall at its edge. Boating in the lake is just one of the favorite activities of the tourists who come to Nainital. Others come here for trekking in the still forested mountains that surround the town.

Important places to visit
Cheena peak
Naini lake
Naina peak
Kilbury road
Thandi sadak
Hanuman garhi
Naina devi temple
Zooligical garden
St. John's Church

Places nearby
Bhimtal Kilburi
Naukuchitaal
Sat tal
Ramgarh

Location state - Uttaranchal
Climate - Summer (Max 27 c & Min 10 c) - Winter (15 C & 3 C)
Best time to visit - March - June, September - November, December - January Activities - Boating, Nature watch, snow view
Altitude - 6360 ft above sea level

How to reach there

By Air: The nearest airport is at Pantnagar, 72 kms from Nainital. There are connecting bus services and private taxis plying to Nainital.

By Train: The closest railhead for Nainital is at Kathgodam, 40 kms south. Trains connect Kathgodam with Agra, Bareilly, Lucknow, and Delhi. From Kathgodam you can take a hired taxi or bus to Nainital.

By Road: There are regular bus services connecting Nainital with Kathgodam. Two main highways come in to Nainital, one to the south at Tallital and the other to the head of the lake at Mallital. Traffic coming in from the plains in the south arrives at Tallital, while those coming from Ramnagar and Corbett National Park arrive at Mallital. The journey from Delhi to Nainital takes about 8 hours. You can hire a taxi, share a cab, or drive up to Nainital from Delhi. For travel along the Mall cycle rickshaws and dandies (local palanquin) are available. Private taxis can be hired or you can rent a chauffeur driven car.

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Trip to Ooty


About Ooty

Ooty aslo known as udhagamandalam, the capital of Nilgiri district.Ooty is popularly known as the "Queen of hill stations".It is105 kms away from coimbatore.The mountain range is part of Niligiri range and the height varies between 2280 and 2290 mts, the highest peak being Doddabetta situated at a height of 2623 mts.

The history goes back to about 800 years when it was ruled by the Hoysalas.It is being mentioned as the place is ruled by the hoysala king vishnu vardhana from AD 1104 to 1141.The local tribe called as Todas was one of the earliest inhabitants of Ooty.

There are several places of tourist attractions in Ooty. Move around the town and revel in the scenic surroundings. The Botanical Garden is an ideal tourist spot besides being a source of information about the regions flora. For those who like to enjoy boat rides and fishing, a visit to the Ooty Lake is a must.

Important places to visit
Kalhatty Falls
Ooty Lake
Botanical
Garden Rose Garden
The Wellington Valley
Dolphins nose peak
Madumalai Wildlife Sanctuary & National Park
Murugan Temple
Elk Hill
Venkateswara perumal Temple
Sri Mariamman Temple
Subramania Temple
Vittaba Temple
Muniswara Temple
St.Stephens Church

Places Nearby
Kotagiri
Coonoor
Mukurthi Peak & Mukurthi National Park
Avalanche
Masingudi

Location State - Tamil Nadu
Climate - Min 5 C - Max 21 C
Best time to visit - November, March, April to June
Activities - Angling and Wildlife

How to reach there
By Air: The nearest airport is coimbatore - 105 Kms away from Ooty

By Rail: Ooty is on the narrow gauge railway, connected to Mettupalayam (47 km), which is directly connected to Coimbatore and Chennai. The famous toy train connects Ooty with Mettupalayam and Coonoor

By Road: A good network of roads and national highways connect Ooty with all major towns and cities. There are regular bus services to and from Coimbatore, Trichy, Bangalore, Madurai, Kanyakumari, Mysore, Palghat, Calicut, Tirupati and other important destinations in South India. Ooty is also well connected with major cities of Kerala and Karnataka.



Monday, May 4, 2009

Trip to Munnar

About Munnar

Munnar is a breathtaking beautiful place.It is a heaven for tourists for its tranquility and is the ideal tourist destination in God's own country. Situated at an altitude of 6000 ft in Idukki district, the favored summer resort of the erstwhile British rulers in the colonial days. You will experience tea plantations, pristine valleys and mountains, wildlife, flora and fauna.
Munnar also has the highest peak in south India in South India called as Anamudi which towers over 2695 Mts and is an ideal spot for campers who like to do some trekking.

Places to visit
Mathupetty
Pothamedu
Devikulam

Pattukal

Wildlife - Eravikulam National Park - Originally established to protect the Nilgiri tahr (Nilgiri Ibex), the Eravikulam National Park is situated in the Devikulam Taluk of the Idukki District. Considering the ecological, faunal, floral, geo-morphological and zoological significance, it was declared as a National park in 1978. It covers an area of 97 sq kms of rolling grasslands and high level sholas (evergreen forests). The park is breathtakingly beautiful and is easily comparable to the best mountain ranges found anywhere in the world.

Location State - Kerala
Climate - Min 0 C - Max 25 C
Best time to visit - August to March
Adventure activities - Wildlife, trekking.

How to get there
By Air:Kochi International Airport (approximately 135 kms)

By Rail:Nearest railway station is Aluva-125 kms away from munnar

By Road:From Kottayam - 215 kms away from munnar



Sunday, May 3, 2009

Trip to Kulu / Manali / Rohtang pass

About Kulu Manali

The beautiful Manali is a picturesque small town in the Kullu Valley, situated in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. It attracts a lot of Indian and foreign tourists, particularly in the summer months.

The Kullu valley has an ancient town in its lap called Manali. Surrounded by towering peaks at an arm length, Manali’s major asset is its proximity to the snowline. It is a flourishing orchard industry, a popular honeymoon destination and trailhead for numerous treks as well as a great countryside ideal for adventure sport lovers. Manali literally means the Home of Manu. Manu is the mythological character who is supposed to have survived when the world was drowned in Flood. He then came to Manali and recreated human life. Thus, the area of Manali is sacred and Hindus treat the temples over here as pilgrimage.

The old Manali area is located some 3-km from the present day Manali. The old Manali is covered with guesthouses, which look ancient now, and orchards where the livestock move at will.

Rohtang Pass is the highest point, 4112m, on the Manali-Keylong road, 51-km from Manali town. It provides a wide panoramic view of mountains rising far above clouds, which is a sight truly breath-taking.

Important Places to Visit
Gadhan Thekchoking Gompa
Old Manali
Rohtang Pass
Arjun Gufa
Solang Valley
Van Vihar National Park
Vashist Hot Water Springs
Nehru Kund
Rahala Falls
Kothi

Temples to visit
Hadimba Temple
Temple Of Manu
Tibetan Temple
Jagathsukh
Manikaran
Bijli Mahadev Temple
Vaishno Devi Temple
Raghunathji Temple

Location State - Himachal Pradesh
Best time to visit - May to October.
Adventure activities - Rafting, skiing and paragliding.

How to reach there
By Air:
The closest airport is at Bhunter, 50 kms away from Manali.
By Rail:
The closest narrow gauge railhead is at Jogindernagar, 165 km away. The closest broad gauge rail heads are Chandigarh (310 kms) and Ambala (355 kms).
By Road:
By road the distance from Delhi via Mandi 570 kms and from Shimla the distance is 280 kms. From Shimla, Chandigarh, and Delhi, Himachal Tourism plies luxury buses to Manali.