Valley of the God : Manali

Manali in the Beas River valley, at an altitude of 1,950 mtrs, is an important hill station in the Himachal mountains of Himachal Pradesh, India. Manali and its surrounding areas are of great significance to the Indian culture and heritage as it was the home and abode of the Saptarshi or seven sages. The ancient cave temple, Hidimba Devi Temple is not far from town.

Manali is named after the Brahmin lawgiver manu. The word Manali literally means “the abode of Manu”. Manali is known as the "Valley of the Gods". The Old Manali village has an ancient temple dedicated to sage Manu.

It is famous for adventure sports like skiing, hiking, mountaineering, para gliding, rafting, trekking, and mountain biking. It also offers hot springs, spectacular religious shrines and temples, Tibetan Buddhist temples.

Rohtang Pass, at an altitude of 13,050 feet above sea level, is another adventure tourist site where it can be cold even on a summer day. It is the highest point on the Manali-Keylong road and provides a wide panoramic view of mountains rising far above clouds, which is truly breath taking.

Queen of the hills : Simla

In 1864, Shimla was declared the summer capital of the erstwhile British Raj in India. A popular tourist destination, Shimla is often referred to as the "Queen of Hills". Located in north-west Himalayas at an altitude of 2,130 metres, the city of Shimla, draped in forests of pine, rhododendron and oak, experiences pleasant summers and cold, snowy winters. Shimla is connected to the city of Kalka by one of the longest narrow gauge railway routes in India. Shimla is approximately 115 km (71.4 miles) from Chandigarh, the nearest major city, and 365 km (226.8 miles) from New Delhi, the national capital. The city is named after the goddess Shyamala Devi, an incarnation of the Hindu Goddess Kali.