Home away from Home

When we think about tourist’s accommodation, what comes to mind are hotels. These have a defined image of multi-storied buildings with a number of rooms. In today’s context, a tourist prefers accommodation in the nature habited and homely atmosphere which is comfortable and shows you the real picture.

Tourists who come from abroad and various regions in India are generally fond of local culture, traditions and home cooked food. Staying with a local family at a tourist place is both economical and informative about local people and their culture.

Home stay accommodation provides local people an opportunity to showcase their customs and culture to the tourists and is a source of earning without any investment. It is also acquaints them with the culture of the visitors.

The historical & culture richness of Himachal Pradesh is indeed unique. The monuments, paintings, ridges, valleys, river and other geographical features are both colorful and varied. The parks, wild life sanctuaries, lakes and abundance of fairs and festivals offer enjoyment and learning in the lab of nature.

Home Stay features:

1) Rural living accommodation with Himachali families.
2) Introducing visitors to the village life.
3) Home cooked local food and marketing of local handicraft and art.
4) Visits to apple orchards, tea gardens organic farms, trekking, camping etc.
5) Himachali traditions, costumes, village culture music, village fairs & Home-Stay

Total number of registered home stays in Himachal Pradesh: 160

Wonderland Himachal proudly presents 'HOPE': An initiative for our motherland

Wonderland Himachal hereby proudly introduce you with the very first edition of HOPE (Himachal on Phone).We are working on a door-to-door survey of Himachal’s each commercial establishment as well as Industrial sector, either it is your next door Urban area or a distant tribal-ends of the State.

We aim at providing information on Himachal Pradesh covering all 12 districts with a vast and fresh data of every commercial and industrial sector. Beside this, it has many user friendly features which will help you in your day to day life as following:
 Geographical Surveys
 Eco-sense
 Exploring
 Rich cultural heritage
 Contacts of Embassies/high commissions/government help lines/offices.
 Exploring Himachal
 Data-based surveys.
Hope will surely be of great aid to any person with any interest.
We humbly invite everybody to help us so that we all together present a remarkable gift to our motherland, Himachal Pradesh.

Himalaya in Indian Mythology

Himalaya hold a prominent place in the culture and mythology of Indian people, particularly the Hindus.

Shiva, the most important among Trinity of Gods, resides on Mt Kailash and his consort, Parvati, is the daughter of Himalaya (or Himavan).

In Sanskrit, the word Parvati means ‘of the mountain’. When Ganga descends from the heavens after the long penitence of King Bhagirath, Shiva received her in his locks, and let her descend slowly on the Earth.

The river Yamuna is considered to be the daughter of Sun and sister of ‘Yama- the God of Death’. According to Buddhist mythology, Guru Padmasambhava was born from the lotus in a lake on the west of Mount Kailash.

This legend is similar to that of the birth of Lord Brahma in Hindu mythology.

AYURVEDIC PANCHKARMA – For a better quality of life

The Himalayas have remained an inspiration for spiritual pursuits down the ages and many sages have come seeking refuge in its secluded and serene valleys. This vast mountain chain is also the source of many rare herbs that have medicinal properties and have been used to heal many an ailing soul.

Himachal Pradesh, sheltered in the Himalayas has a rich bio-resource of medicinal plants and a rich stream of Ayurveda, a system of treatment indigenous to the Indian sub-continent, has been developed in the state. Some of the rarest medicinal plants with unique curative and preventive properties only grow in the rarefied altitudes of the Himalayan landscapes and are procured with great difficulty.

Ayurveda takes an holistic approach to life in which the objective is to achieve balance of the mind, body and spirit for internal and external harmony. When translated ‘Ayurveda’ literally means ‘Science of Life’.

Ayurveda as a system of treatment approaches life as a union of body (Sharir), sense organs (Indriya), Psyche (Mana) and Soul (Atma). It holds that disease erupts only when the equilibrium between three biological forces namely Vata, Pitta and Kapha breaks down. The treatment achieves results only when the balance in this ‘tridosha’ is established.

Of the varied ways of Ayurvedic treatment, Panchkarma therapy is unique and has become very popular. Panchkarma consists of five methods of treatment namely, Vamana, Virechana, Anuvasana Vasti, Niruhana Vasti and Nasya Karma. Panchkarma is a type of Shodhan Chikitsa where unlike Shaman Chikitsa, toxins are expelled out of the body and all the microcirculatory channels of the body get purified. This is a therapy based on three channels Purva Karmas, Pradhana Karmas and then Paschaat Karmas. Purva Karmas are the body preparatory procedures done before the actual process.

However, all five procedures are not always utilized. The treatment modality is based on the needs and circumstances of the individual,, so has Panchkarma always been an individual process. Therapies are chosen based on person’s innate constitution, strengths and weakness, imbalances, emotional state and even the season of the year. The digestive capacity of the individual is also considered. The Panchkarmas are intense treatments, done under the supervision of a qualified practitioner and require proper preparation.

CULINARY HIMACHAL: Get the Spice of Himachal

Himachal Pradesh has the traditional community feast, dham, starting with rice and servings of lentils and beans, sour and sweet. It gets top place in the cuisine of the region. Food is generally spicy, greasy and white yoghurt, mustard, cinnamon, cardamom, chilly are commonly used, there are subtle variations in the preparations to suit the local palates.

Most part of the west south Himachal faces extreme winters and to beat the cold, meals are centered on meat and abundance of ghee because it is general belief here that two items give energy to the body and so warmth. In the rugged cold desert terrain of Kinnaur and Lahaul-Spiti districts, bordering Tibet, where live the tribal, paucity of wood for warming the pot has necessitated the people to feed themselves on pieces of raw meat of mountain goat sprinkled with salt and dried in open within in the four walls of houses. Different preparations of locally grown coarse grains-buckwheat, millet and barley-supplement the menu besides the above delicacy. Moravian missionaries introduced potatoes, tomatoes and cabbage in the valley that considerably improved the economic conditions of the natives. Saffron, hops and sea buckthorn are later addition to the cash crops of the area.

Himachal Pradesh despite its variation in topography is truly rural agrarian. Rural areas, today account for 91% of the population whose mainstay is agriculture. Farmers here reside upon their own farms and build sun-friendly, wind-sheltered cottages with sun-dried bricks on selected spots and cultivate the terraced fields.

TIBETAN CULTURE

The State of Himachal Pradesh is not new to Buddhism. Its two border districts of Kinnaur and Lahaul-Spiti have been under the influence of Buddhism since 618-649 AD. It was, therefore, no surprise when Dalai Lama, In April 1960, chose Dharamshala, a hill station in Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh, to be the place where he would reside and later made it the Headquarters of the Tibetan Government in exile. Immediately McLeodganj, a small bazaar dotted with bungalows here and there, Dharamshala came to limelight and found place in world map. Today little Lhasa is the sobriquet attributed to McLeodganj because one sees the prayer wheels, Buddhist monks, the ochre red robes, chinky-eyed smart girls, Tibetan Jewellery, ornaments and crafts here. The whole environ is Lhasa like. Daily chant of prayers from Namgyal Monastery has a mesmerizing effect. Names like Yak or Shangri-La restaurant immediately takes one’s imagination to the spicy and hot Tibetan cuisine, which is delicacy for tourist and attraction for natives. Yes, the natives have also accepted the culinary intrusion of the foreigners gladly and without resistance. The cuisine is so palatable and in demand that many an Indian restaurant all over the State has accommodated Momo (meat dumplings) and Thupka (noodles in broth) in it’s a la carte.

SOLAN

Solan was the capital of erstwhile princely State Bhagat. The concept of Himachal Pradesh was here mooted in a conference of princes of various hill State of Western Himalayas and representatives of Prajamandal, fighting for independence from the yoke of princely rule, on 15th of April 1948. It remained a Tehsil of Mahasu district till 25th January, 1971 when Himachal Pradesh gained the status of full-fledged State and Solan became the headquarters of District Solan.

At a height of 1350m, it has salubrious climate throughout the year. It has been declared as the 'Mashroom City of India' in the nineties because here is produced a variety of button mushrooms. It has the famous Brewery that was established in the year 1835 by Dyer Meakins (Mohan Meakins today).

Temples of Shoolini Devi, Narsingh and open parks are the places to visit in the town. Karol Tibba (Peak), Meteol Tibba, Kotla Nallah (Stream), Saproon springhare other places of interest. Not so far, are Mareog, Gaura and Karkanu, the angling spots by river Giri. You can also enjoy the facility of HP State Library here.

Dr. Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry is situated at Nauni at a distance of 15km from the town. It nurtures 15,000 species of flora and has successfully domesticated an enormous variety of herbs.

Wander away from Solan

Chail:

The summer capital of the former princely State of Patiala built in the late 19th century at a height of 2226 m known for exquisite Palace Hotel of HPTDC and at 2444.4 m the Highest Cricket Pitch and Polo Ground in the World. Easy walks in and around Chail amidst green forests, stroll at wild life sanctuary and fishing along Gaura river can be interesting.

Shillon Bagh:

Not so far from here, it is a private hotel on Chail-Kufri road. Dochi, Maharaja Patiala's farmhouse, known for exotic gladioli and other flowers, is hardly few kms on Chail-Kandhaghat road.

Barog:

Just 7 kms from Solan, the small village at a height of 1680m is gradually developing into a township dotted with quite a few hotels and eateries. This little township has come up on top of a hill through which runs the longest tunnel in Kalka-Shimla Railway line. The northern end of the tunnel opens on a tidily kept railway station at Barog where exists a pretty, cozy dining room having a wall clock marked with 'Benson of London, NW Railways 1903'.

Kasauli:

Its proximity to plains,35 km away from Kalka, makes it more in demand of tourists who flock in here when there blazes the sun. Dainty English style cottages, oldy goldy shops, forests of pine and horse chestnut, magnificent view of the Gangetic plains which turns into a spread of twinkling lights under the cover of darkness, refreshing mountain breeze and much more is there at a height of 1927 m of Kasauli.

A vantage spot for views is Monkey Point. Dominating Choor Chandni (3647 m) standing majestically above all the lower hills leaves an imprint. Sanawar with a famous public school, Garkhal with Shirdi Sai Temple, Sabathu with a 19th century Gorkha Fort, Dagshai with a cantonment are other places worth visiting when in Kasauli.

Nalagarh:

A diversion from Pinjore, falling between Chandigarh and Kalka, towards west takes visitors to Nalagarh, an ancient town that has a look of any town in the plains. The best part of the stay at The Fort, Nalagarh, a Heritage Hotel, where one can enjoy the nostalgia of the past in the comforts of the present.

Arki:

The capital of princely State of Bhagal lies off Shimla-Bilaspur highway. Fine wall painting can be seen in the old palace. Visit to Kaliseli, Brampukhar, Bari Dhar, Ghagnu Ghat and temple of Vanya Devi may be interesting.

Golden Rules When You Travel

As a traveler, you will have an impact on the environment and culture of the place you are visiting. Learn about your destination before you get there. Read guide-books, travel articles, histories or novels by local authors and pay particular attention to customs such as greetings, appropriate dress, eating behaviors, etc. Being sensitive to these customs will increase local acceptance of you as a tourist and prize your trip.

Follow established guidelines. Take care of the guidelines for limiting tourism's impact on the environment and local culture. Staying on trails, packing up your trash, and remaining set distances away from wildlife are a few ways to minimize your impact in sensitive areas.

Seek out and support locally owned businesses. Support local businesses during your eco-travels to ensure maximum community and conservation benefit from your spending.

Eco-Tourism in India is still at a very nascent stage, but there are for sure conscious efforts to save the fragile Himalayan-Eco System and culture and heritage of the indigenous people, which is probably the largest concentration in the world.

Holiday Camping vis-à-vis Hotel accommodations are gathering momentum amongst the metropolis traveler. A number of holiday camping options are available in the Himalayan belt, where soft adventure tourism is packaged with holiday camping to create an acceptable eco-tourism product.

MANDI

Mandi district of today is the conglomeration of mainly Mandi and suket states of the past .the river Beas flowing first roughly from east to west and then in north westerly direction is the principal river of the district .the district is no less to Tibetans and they call it zahor because of the interesting association with the great Buddhist teacher and missionary , Padmasambhava , (750-800AD) for he went to Tibet from here to preach the doctrine of Buddhism at the request of the Tibetan King.
Mandi town itself (760m) is a very old town built around a sunken garden, first of its type in this site of the country. old bazaar, and exquisitely sculpted stone temples of panchvaktra, ardhnarishwar, triloknath and boothnath attract the eyes of beholder .shaymakali temple at Tarna hills is a 17th century shrine and its town .Mandi has one of the oldest degree colleges in the state and a big play ground ‘padddal’ in front of it .the festival of ‘SHIVRATRI, and a football tournament during rains are the great attractions of the town when puddle hum with activities.

Boothnath temple (760m): this temple is in the midst of the town. Its construction in
‘Shikhar style’ was started by raja Ajbar Sen in the year1527 in which Mandi also started coming up.

Shayma kali temple (850m): Raja Shayam Sen (1664-79) got temple of goddess kali built on a hill top of Tarna hill. Beside the majestic idol of kali, the surroundings of the temple are easy on the eyes

Wander Away From Mandi

Rewalsar Lake (1360):
This lake, is 24 km away from Mandi town, rest on mountain spur and is protected by dense vegetation. Tiny island of reed float over the waters here. Hindu, Sikhs &Buddhist hold the place sacred alike. Guru rim poche, padhmasambhava, lived here and went to Tibet from here to start mahanay Buddhism in Tibet at the invitation of the Tibetan king. Guru Govind Singhji stayed here for a month in 1738 and raja Joginder sen got built Gurudwara here in 1930 .there are three Hindu temples here dedicated to Krishna, Shiva and Rishi lomas.

Parashar Lake (2730 m):
This beautiful lake with deep blue waters is 46 km way from Mandi and considered sacred because Rishi Parashar had mediated here. A three tire pagora –like temple dedicate to the Rishi against the background of snow draped peaks is attractive.

Joginder nagar (1220m):
A town 50 km away from Mandi is an ideal for a quiet holiday in the hotel of hptdc. It is the access point for 40 km away Barot where one can fish for trout in the water of river uhl and visit nagru wild life sanctuary. Not to miss is an herbal museum and a herbal green maintained by the department of Indian system of medicine and homeopathy.



Sundernagar (1174m):
It used to be the capital of suket state and is hardly 24 km away from Mandi towards Shimla .the waters of Beas Satluej project have given it a man made lake .the temple of mahamaya and suket vatika on the near by hills are other attractions.

Janjheli (2200):
The unspoiled village of Janjheli could be the starting point for various treks. It is only 67 km away from Mandi.

Jhatinagri (2130):
12 km from jogindernagar, it is a place surrounded by thick forest .the remains of the dwelling of the former ruler of Mandi are here. A PWD rest house looks after the comforts of tourists.

Barot (1830):
It is a quiet place 40 km away from Jogindernagar via jhantingari and 12 km by haulage trolley .the reservoir on river uhl for hydel power station at Jogindernagar adds to its charm.

Shikari Devi temple (2850m):
It is a temple without roof .all attempts to cover the goddess with roof have failed .a trek to this ancient shrine is enchanting.

Trekking in the Wonderland

Experience the spirit of the great Himalayan outdoors with Wonderland Himachal. Be it a trek in the Himalayas, river rafting on, a jeep safari, we assure you of a once-in-a-life time experience. Meticulous planning, tremendous emphasis on safety and "Eco-sense" form the foundation of each of our trips.

Add to that the efficient staff, state of the art equipment and excellent camp cuisine and you have one of our typical trips. Our well-planned itineraries also offer a keen insight into the culture of a country dating back to the dawn of civilization. Most of the adventure activities can be extended as per your interests.

All our tour packages intend to introduce you to the varying charms of Himachal Pradesh - its beauty, culture and adventure. As such you have plenty of sightseeing options along with opportunities to get adventurous.

Though the mountains in Ladakh are dry and arid and have very little snow on them, for many this high altitude region is a completely magical place with its myriad hued mountains, high passes ancient monasteries and friendly people.

The destinations of the entire packages are chosen with extreme care so that you get a glimpse of the best of Wonderland Himachal Pradesh during your long trip. In parallel enough time is also kept so that you can relax and go out on your own if you so desire.

In brief, the packages are perfect for those who want to enjoy Himachal's different attractions to the maximum.

So, go through all packages and decide whether if this is exactly what you have been looking for in your package.

Culture and Village

The mountainous state of Himachal Pradesh is a multi-religional, multicultural and multilingual state. Nestled in the foothills of the mighty Himalayas, Himachal is blessed with some of the most spectacular landscapes. The culture of Himachal Pradesh is extremely rich, which is reflected in the day-to-day lives of the local people. Noted for their colorful dresses and distinguished physical features, the people of Himachal Pradesh exhibit a very warm and friendly nature and the ‘untouched’ simplicity about them constitute an integral part of the beautiful Culture of Himachal Pradesh.

 

The culture of Himachal Pradesh is also evident from the languages spoken in the state. Though Hindi is the state language, Pahari – a deviation of Sanskrit and Prakrit is spoken by many people in Himachal. There are many tribal dialects spoken in Himachal Pradesh too – including Chambyali, Pangwali, Lahauli, Kinnauri and others.

 

The typical house in Himachal Pradesh is constructed of clay bricks, with roofs being made of slate. In the traditional village houses, the lowest storey is used for household cattle, the middle for storing grain, and the top floor forms the living area.

 

Himachal is considered to be the abode of the Hindu God Shiva and Goddess Parvati – there are numerous temples of Shiva and Parvati scattered all around the state.

 

Music and Dance form a very important part of the Culture of Himachal Pradesh. Both these art forms revolve mainly around religion in Himachal Pradesh. Some of the popular dance forms in the state include Losar Shona Chuksam, Dangi, Gee Dance and Burah dance, Naati, Kharait, Ujagjama, Chadhgebrikar and Shunto.

 

Eco-Tourism in Himachal Pradesh

The Indian State of Himachal Pradesh is a mostly mountainous area, neighboring Tibet and China in the East, the Indian states of Jammu and Kashmir in the north and northwest, Punjab, Haryana, Uttaranchal and Uttar Pradesh to the south. It has a geographical area of 55,673 sq. Kms. and a population of 6.1 million people and is located at altitudes ranging from 350 to 7000 meters (1050 ft. to 21000 ft.). Nestled in the Western Himalayas, it has provided refuge and abode to the Buddhist leader, the Dalai Lama and his Tibetan followers. This majestic, almost mythic terrain is famous for its beauty and serenity.

 

The forests of Himachal Pradesh (H.P) constitute two-thirds of the state’s geographic area and are crucial to the region’s environmental and economic well-being---a storehouse of rich bio-diversity, vital in preserving the fragile Himalayan eco-system, and a primary livelihood source for its rural population. The ‘forest sector’ encompassing the entire biophysical and environmental components, highly sensitive to the uniqueness of the mountain environment, must place its people at the centre.

 

Accordingly a new course has been charted to shift forest policy in a way that recognizes the ecological and social value of environmental services as well as its economic values. Tapping environmental services through eco-tourism offers a way to lighten poverty and enhance livelihood options.

Sarahan: In the Lap of Gods

23 kms from Rampur  is Jeori. From here leave the NH 22 and drive up in a road to Sarahan, 17 kms from here. At an altitude of 2165 meters the main attraction of Sarahan is Bhimkali temple. It is a three storey temple. Architecture is more like a Pagoda. The mixture of Hindu and Buddhist art has made this temple an unique piece of art. In the top floor there is an idol of Bhimkali Devi. Just beside the temple you can see the palace of Bushahar Kings.

Sarahan is the gateway to Kinnaur. Sarahan offers a spectacular view of the Srikhand range.Sarahan is 176 kilometers distant from Shimla.

Saharan is located on the Himalayan mountain slopes at an altitude of 1950 meters above sea-level. 

Sarahan lies on the Hindustan Tibet Road between Jeori-Sarahan and Kinnaur. Jeori is 17 kilometers distant from Sarahan. 

The road to Sarahan is lined with pine trees. Swift flowing mountain streams flow past the road. 

The fields and orchards in the vicinity of small villages with slate roofed houses impart a fairytale atmosphere to the ethereal surroundings. 

Many stately deodar trees rides the Himalayan mountain slopes.

Accompanying the deodar are trees of smooth birch and uncountable varieties of wild flowers. Medicinal herbs are also to be found on the Himalayan mountain slopes above Sarahan. 

Sarahan is sparsely populated. Many ancient legends can be heard in Sarahan. Sarahan overlooks a deep valley through which the river Sutlej flows to the sea. The snow-clad Srikhand peak lies across Sarahan 

Wonderland Kinnaur

Kinnaur, The tribal District of Himachal Pradesh, has houses built of local architecture and the scenic beauty added to it by snow ranges and flowing Sutlej and its tributaries makes it one of the Districts high on the list of visitor to the State. Closer to the border with Tibet, foreigners have to register their entry into the district that is done immediately. 

Apple, apricot, walnut orchards around picturesque hamlets are eye catchers. Chilgoza or Neoza, kernal of Pine, is the dry fruit linked with Kinnaur. To be eaten raw or baked, it is a rewarding time-pass.

Both Hinduism and Buddhism are practiced here and every village has its own village diety. The national highway completed in 1960's is the life-line of Kinnaur because it joins with Shimla. 

Back to the Wilderness

The unexplored………! The unknown……..! The uncommon……!.

If you’re spirited enough, take the trail less traveled with

“WONDERLAND HIMACHAL“

What’s in a name? In our case, everything!

We promise to provide all - Indians and foreigners - an insight into the ‘real’ Himachal; its history, traditions, languages, culture, fairs, festivals and religions….

In other words, we want to provide you a complete insight & introduce you to the Beauty of Himachal, its Simplicity, Vastness along with the hidden treasures of this great land!

It is our endeavor to promote Himachal Pradesh to the outside world while striving to protect an age-old tradition as well as preserve the environment for generations to come.

We have committed ourselves to make every possible effort and cater you with an experience you will fondly look back upon, not caring of what it cost you, as you will be returning back a richer person full of memories.

At Wonderland Himachal, we lay stress on ‘off the beaten routes’, less traveled places and Himalayan tribal sectors to take the stress out of you.

All our packages & itineraries are flexible, amendments to the itineraries can be easily made and re-worked as per your preferences and interest. In fact, using your ideas together with our advice and expertise you can create your own itinerary, leaving the rest to us. We are pleased and proud to offer a quality and flexibility of service to organize your holidays.

We very much look forward to be a part of your travel plan & help you to discover the legacy of ancient heritage. It’s about exploring, seeking … not just nature, but also your inner being. We believe in giving good experience to our guest at reasonable cost. No hidden cost; No fine print… just an experience to treasure.

Impossible, as it may sound, but just plan one tour with us and it will illustrate our point. So, let us take you on a brief tour of Wonderland - “Himachal”. We guarantee that your journey will be quite unlike anything, you’ve experienced before.

Wonderland Himachal: Shimla

Shimla

Shimla the queen of hills came into existence as most of us will call ferom the date it got its space on the world map in the year 1864 when the then ordinary but a mistical village became the summer capital of the British India. 

It kept its staus till the final days of british existence in India and also the place was a summer seat of Punjab government from the year 1871onwards. the place kept on to be the headqaters of the partioned punjab till 1966. though a small place but destined to be of extraordinary significance, during the last part of the second world war the exiled government of Burma took a reufge in this adorable landscape.

The place has witnnesed the signing of many agreements and accords in the years gone by with its british archetectual heritage and the splendid senic beauty the place really seems blessed.  a place which has  remained an excellent spectator of the past, wittenessing the making and breaking of history many times, looks so young and vibrant that it still holds its age old charm.

 

Shimla with all its  youthfulness realy has all the makes for a queen, the toy train railway station which recently has been included in the world heritage list of UNESCO, all of the heritage structures of the british Raj, its geographical vicinity, the Ridge opening up the penorama of the grendour of the snow clad mountain ranges The Great Himalayas, the web of some of the most beautifully knetted roads and paths through dense oaks, cedars, rhododendruns and the places and archetecture of the historical significance leaves an everlasting impact on a persons memories.

Wonderland Himachal

Studded with snowy ranges, lush green forests, singing streams, verdant vales, shimmering lakes, Himachal Pradesh is inhabited by people of various caste, creed and religious groups. This wonderland located in the lap of Western Himalays has been adorned by beautiful, brave, courageous, honest and hard working people having unflinching faith in religious ceremonies and the existence of supernatural powers. Its unique composition, location and character all make it 'The Wonderland'.   

The life and landscape of Himachal is a colourful canvas of a free and fearless society which draws its nectar of strength from the shrines of different religions. It is bound between 30 22 to 33 12 North latitude and 75 47 to 79 4 East Latitude. The entire territory is mountanious with altitude varying from 350 to 7000 mts above the mean sea level.