Things to Do in Himachal Pradesh

Himachal Pradesh is the best place to try your hand in all sorts of fun and thrilling adventure activities. Camping and Paragliding Adventures are great crowd-pullers in areas around Dharamshala and Bir-Billing. From Dharamshala one can venture out for a half day trek to Triund where camping overnight amidst the serenity of the valley is a preferred activity.

Angling in River Beas, at Kangra Valley, Camping in Shoghi in Shimla, Skiing at Solang Valley and River Rafting at Manali are a few adventure activities that sell like hot cakes in Himachal Pradesh.

Himachal Pradesh boasts of snow-fed rivers passing through breath taking sceneries. There are many rivers that offer river rafting opportunities classified by their level of rapids in Himachal Pradesh. The rivers in the upper Himalayas are among the best in the world for river rafting sports where the waters challenge the body and spirit and give any person an experience of a lifetime.

The rivers Chandrabhaga in Lahaul, Satlej near Shimla, Ravi near Chamba, Shamshi and Aut on the Beas and the Beas near Kullu offer immense white water rafting possibilities for all adventure enthusiasts visiting Himachal Pradesh. The sport takes a break during winter and in portions of the monsoons.

The upper Himalayas overlook the state of Himachal Pradesh, owing to which the state is abundant of rivers, forests, thriving flora and fauna and picturesque landscapes. Himachal Pradesh offers immense opportunities for offbeat travel and favourite among other being camping. Camping is a much loved activity around prominent regions in Himachal Pradesh.

The most revered campsites in Himachal Pradesh are Beas Kund, Triund, Malana, Kheer Ganga, Chandertal Lake, Parashar Lake and some regions near Spiti Valley

Himachal Pradesh is copious of scenic, lofty mountains, meandering rivers, Himalayan forests, valleys, streams and rivulets. Trekking is a very popular activity in India and most trekkers seasoned and amateur go to the state of Himachal Pradesh to quench their task for trekking.

The famous routes to trek in Himachal Pradesh are Indrahar Pass Trek in Kangra, Beas Kund Trek in Manali, Chandratal Baralacha Trek & Hampta Pass Trek in Manali, Pin Parvati Pass Trek in Kullu. Deo Tibba Trek, Shepherd Trail - Gaddi Trek in Kullu & Kangra and Bara Bhangal Trek in Bharmour.

Himachal Pradesh is known as the Paragliding Capital of India. Swaying over the scenic landscapes defying gravity and air, is a thrilling experience and the regions of Bir Billing in Kangra Valley and Solang Nala in Manali are the best places to enjoy paragliding in Himachal Pradesh.

Other places in this state where tourist can enjoy paragliding are Rohtang Pass near Manali, Kothi below Rohtang Pass, Bijli Mahadev near Kullu and Bandla Ridge in Bilaspur. Prices vary from one place to another but one session of flight can cost up to INR 600/10 USD

Rock climbing is an adventure sport that tests a climber's strength, endurance, agility and balance while they go up a rock phase or a wall with the help of climbing ropes and other equipment. Rock climbing at Vashisht is a popular area for rock climbers.

Some of the other significant rock climbing sites in Himachal Pradesh are certain rock phases in Palastu Peak, the Friendship Peak in Pir Panjal Range, Mount Deo Tibba, Beas Kund, Mount Hanuman Tibba, Shitidhar Mountain and Seven Sister

Himachal Pradesh reserves incredible spots for mountain bike lovers. Owing to its undulating terrains, most regions of Himachal Pradesh offer great getaway trails for the rare sport.

The routes of Sarahan, Baspa (Sangla) Valley, Kalpa, Nako, Sumdo, Tabo, Dhankar, Lalung, Gungri, Ki, Kibber, Kunzum Pass and Rohtang Pass are some of the prominent sites paddlers enjoy treading in with their mountain bikes. The trail from Manali to Shimla via Spiti valley offer amazing views.

The Great Himalayan National Park is situated adjacent to the Pin Valley National Park, Rupi-Bhaba Wildlife Sanctuary and the Tirthan and Sainj Wildlife Sanctuaries. This park is one of the biggest areas for wildlife conservation in the whole Himalayan range and in some regions tourists can avail jeep rides to visit the areas in the outskirts.

The jungles of Himachal Pradesh are amazing places to spot exotic species of birds and animals. The forest of Himachal Pradesh offers the most beautiful experience to all nature lovers where one gets to witness the animals from great Himalaya in their natural habitat.

The national parks of Himachal Pradesh are famous worldwide. Renuka Sanctuary and Shri Nainadevi Sanctuary also offers wildlife safari experiences.

Not very far from Manali is the Vashisht Village right above the Beas River. This village is a hub of various adventure activities like canyoning or rappelling. Vashisht village is a great place for canyoning as it comprises of four different waterfall phases where each of them has different levels of heights.

At the village, tourists can indulge in an array of other activities like abseiling, sliding and jumping from waterfalls. The activity extends from three to five hours and mostly takes place between the months of August to December.

Himachal Pradesh is filled with scenic regions that offer spectacular exploratory options, to tread upon by bus, car, motorbike, jeep or foot. The state comprises of prominent hill stations visited by lakhs of tourists every year.

A corporate team vacation will be best spent amidst the eye catching natural beauties of Shimla, Manali, Lahaul-Spiti or Dharamshala. For an experiential team bonding activity, groups can try adventure sports like river rafting or skydiving in Manali, Kullu, Solang Valley and the likes. The toy train ride from Kalka to Shimla can be a fun experience for the whole group.

Hiking is an incredible sport that revitalises the spirits and gives one an uplifting experience. Himachal Pradesh offers great trekking trails suitable for both novice and seasoned trekkers ranging from duration of 1 day to 10 days.

The view from Pin Parvati Pass is a great sight to behold and reaching Solang Valley on Beas Kund Trek will provide one with blissful experience. Other great sites for hiking in Himachal Pradesh are Kinnaur Kailash Range, Deo Tibba Base Camp Trek, Dhauladhars or White Mountains trek among many other.

Skiing is a thrilling adventure sport where one slides down snow-covered slopes on skis. During winters, adventure junkies rush towards Himachal Pradesh to try their hands upon Skiing.

The excitement of speeding through the steep slopes is indescribable. The northern regions of India especially Solang Valley which is located at an altitude of approximately 8400 feet, id blessed with enough snow in winters to make for a world class skiing experience.

The sites of Kufri, Narkhanda and Mahasu Peak near Shimla have incredible deep cut slopes that offer great descends via ski. Skiing packages start at INR 3000/46 USD.

Trekking in Himachal Pradesh gives one breath-taking views of the top peaks in Himalayas. The Triund trek that commences from Dharamkot in Mcleodganj takes about four hours to complete and the view of the evening sky from Triund is unbelievable.

The Bhrigu Lake Trek is an easy trek in India during the summer months. This easy trek begins from Manali, and takes one across pretty mountain villages, oak and pine forests, and snow-capped peaks. The Kheerganga trek from Tosh is an iconic summer treks in Himachal Pradesh where one will be exploring Parvati valley at its best.

Among other top summer treks in Himachal Pradesh, Kareri Lake trek and the Malana-Chanderkhani Pass trek promises spectacular views of evergreen meadows, cool pine and oak forests, and picture-perfect valleys.

Trekking in Himachal Pradesh is an enthralling adventure activity that promises spectacular views of the Himachali landscapes characterised by its towering cliffs, scenic valleys, meandering streams & rivers and snow-capped mountains.

The Chadar River Trek in Zanskar Trek is one of the most unique trekking trail where one needs to walk over the frozen bed of ice. Other famous winter treks in Himachal Pradesh are Kauri Pass Trek, Nag Tibba Trek. Nag Tibba, Parashar Lake Trek, Kedarkantha Trek, Dodital Trek, Chopta Chandrashila Trek and Har ki Dun Trek.

Solang is a beautiful valley in Himachal Pradesh/, much known for its abundant offering of adventure sports to its tourists. Solang Valley is famous all over India and even world over for its spectacular ski slopes and latest state of the art ropeway.

The valley offer enchanting views of snow-capped mountains and a ATV bike ride (all-terrain vehicle) also called quad bike can be your perfect companion here. This bike gives one 4X4 drive experience, available for both single and multiple seats in exchange of a nominal rate at the Solang valley.

Trekking in the Himalayas may sound like an enthralling activity but there are a few treks which may deem impossible to many. The treks leading to the upper Himalayas in Himachal Pradesh is characterised by its lofty mountains, less of vegetation and extremes of temperatures.

Venturing out for treks in these parts of the Himalayas requires pre trek preparation for both mind and the body in addition to necessary gears and equipment. Out of most treks in the state, the inner sanctuaries of Trimukhi Parvat and the trek to Kalindikhal may be challenging for many.

The ice skating sport is a much revered sport in the West, but most people don’t know that some parts in the state of Himachal Pradesh also serves as a great skating spot. Shimla is one of the most sought after travel city in Himachal Pradesh and Shimla houses the largest and the only natural ice skating rink in India.

At the valley of Solang is the Solang Valley Sports Centre where there is one ice skating rink. Since Solang Valley is already famous for adventure activities, the ice skating rink appeals to many tourists. This activity is priced at INR 3500/54 USD in Shimla where they provide skates and other equipment guided by one instructor.

Over the past few years road trips on bikes and jeeps have become very common and if one is looking out to explore Himachal Pradesh in an offbeat way, then a spirited jeep safari across the expanse of Manali can be a rewarding experience.

Explore the lush landscapes of the scenic town flanked by the majestic mountains and downstream rivers. The Manali - Chandratal - Kaza Jeep Safari is a great safari route and also the road leading to Rohtang Pass, lets one witness the mesmerizing beauty of this region.

Zorbing is a fun recreational activity and is a much loved activity by people of all age groups. At Manali in Himachal Pradesh, this fun activity has emerged as a great hill sport.

Also Solang Valley located at a distance of 14 km from Manali also offer this activity with the proper guidance from professional instructors who ensure your safety in any situation during this activity. Khajjiar near Dalhousie is also a popular region in Himachal Pradesh to offer Zorbing to its tourists.

Kasol is a popular offbeat destination for most adventure seekers in India. This town in Himachal Pradesh pull a lot of crowd and is a revered destination for adventure activities like hiking, rock-climbing and rappelling. Rappelling in Tirthan Valley offer breath taking experience as this valley is considerably less crowded where one can enjoy the activity free of any stress.

Some of the other popular spots for waterfall rappelling in Himachal are Shimla, Barot Valley, and Dharamshala. Rappeling commences from mid-September and goes on till the end of October when the weather is favourable for this activity.

Rohtang Pass serves as a gateway to Lahaul and Spiti Valley in Himachal Pradesh and is one of the most remarkable destinations in the entire Himachal Pradesh. Every year the pass sees thousands of visitors flocking to it.

Rohtang pass is located around 51 kms away from Manali, at a height of 3980 meters and is famous for adventure sports such as skiing, ice-skating, paragliding, etc. The Rohtang Pass is open to tourists from April to October every year and the permission to travel on this highway is given by the Indian Army.

Hampta Pass is a special pass which comes out of the lush green valleys of Kullu to a overhang up in the mountains. From the pass one can see the spectacular Lahaul valley and also offer incredible panoramas of the towering cliffs.

The best time to trek to Hampta Pass is from mid-June to mid-October. In this trek one can get a chance to witness some snow on the high passes which melts down completely by August. This trek takes approximately 5 days to complete.

The Bhrigu Lake trek is a famous trek in the state of Himachal Pradesh. This trek is commenced to reach the untouched Bhrigu lake where the whole trekking route is characterised by the high altitude alpine meadows.

The Bhrigu Lake trek starts from Manali and takes about 4-5 days to complete. This trek can be challenging for many as one has to make quite a few ascents and face low temperatures as they proceed to the lake.

The ideal time to undertake this trek is either before June or after July-August, as during the monsoon months, the probability of landslides and other natural calamities become very high.