Overview
Himachal Pradesh, the Land of Snowy Mountains, as its name literally means, is a popular tourist destination, particularly for the purpose of leisure or holiday because of its scenic mountain towns, lakes, rich flora and fauna, fairs and festivals, which attract tourists round the year. The State is also popular for its pilgrimage spots, thus attracting tourists for religious purposes. With around 20 million tourists visiting the State every year, Himachal Pradesh thus has a huge tourism potential.
Himachal Pradesh is home to scenic mountain towns and resorts situated in the northern part of India among the western Himalayas. Host to the Dalai Lama, this snow-laden province has a strong Tibetan presence, which can be prominently seen in the Tibetan New Year celebrations. Himachal Pradesh was made a full-fledged State on 25 January 1971. The state is bounded by Jammu & Kashmir to the North, Punjab to the West, Haryana to the South, Uttarakhand to the South-east, and by the Tibet Autonomous Region of China to the East (Figure II.1). Its diverse geographical terrain features lofty snow-clad mountains, deep gorges, thickly forested valleys, large lakes, terraced fields, and cascading streams. The capital of the State is Shimla.
The State has a total area of 55,673 sq km, and a common border with many Indian States. Its rivers are perennial and are fed by snow and rainfall. These are Chandra Bhaga or the Chenab, the Ravi, the Beas, the Satluj, and the Yamuna. The landscape of the State is predominantly hilly, which renders many of its areas difficult to reach. However, in recent years, roads have been built and many bridges have been constructed to make these areas more easily accessible to travellers.
Himachal is a known as “A destination of all season and all reason”. Shimla, Manali, Kullu, Dharamshala, Dalhousie, Mcleodganj, Kasauli, etc. Shimla, Manali & Dharamshala are most visited destinations in Himachal. Winter and Summer from October to May is the best season to visit Himachal. Adventure sports is an important tourist attraction of Himachal Pradesh. Shimla and Kufri are the two destinations famous for skiing. Rivers like Sutlej near Shimla, Beas near Kullu, Ravi near Chamba and the Chandra in Lahaul are the best destinations for river rafting. Travellers can also enjoy adventure sports like para gliding, surfing, kayaking, rowing, canoeing, mountaineering, trekking and rock climbing in Himachal Pradesh. There are many Hindu and Buddhist pilgrimages present in Himachal Pradesh. Some of the known Hindu pilgrimages are Bajreshwari temple, Chamunda Devi temple, Lakshmi Narayan temple, Chintpurni Temple and Jwalamukhi temple. Main Buddhist pilgrimages in the state are Rewalsar, Guru Ghantal Monastery, Kardang Monastry and Tabo Monastry. Some of the best wildlife destinations in Himachal Pradesh are Great Himalayan National Park, Pin Valley National Park, Chail Sanctuary, Maharana Pratap Sagar Sanctuary, Kanawar Sanctuary and Simbalbara Sanctuary. Other amazing safaris tourists can enjoy in Himachal Pradesh are bike safari, river safari and Yak safari.