Travel Himalayas Kullu Dusshera Interlude

3 Nights / 4 Days

For those of you have but a brief vacation to spend in the serene mountains of the Kullu Valley this special package is tailor made just for you. For years the Kullu Dusshera festival has brought thousands of Indian and International visitors to witness its colourful and exciting celebration spilling over with an air of cheerfulness and joy evident in the large number of visitors gathered. A large number of tents come up selling aromatic food stuff, sweets and other tempting snacks and meals. Other tented shops sell a variety of merchandise including clothing and household knick-knacks. Entertainment comes in its various forms similar to most other fairs all over the country. This is a time to visit the Valley of the Gods for an experience of a life time. Travel Himalayas now offers you the Travel Himalayas Kullu Dusshera Interlude at special prices.

Day 1: Manali Local Sight Seeing Tour

Arrival Manali. Transfer to your hotel. After you freshen up we take you for a day of sight seeing around the town to get a feel of what our famous Valley of the Gods is all about. We visit the 500 year old Pagoda style Hadimba Devi Temple on a hillside above Manali town. This striking temple with its conical roof and an overhang in the verandah displaying an assortment of sacrificial animal horns rests serenely amidst a dense grove of towering Deodar trees probably older than the temple itself. After paying your homage to this deity we return to the mall road and proceed to visit two Buddhist monasteries. One of them was built in the early 1960’s after the conflict with China brought numerous Tibetans to the valley. It has a rich treasure of priceless Thankas – and a large statue of the Lord Buddha. The newer Monastery built in a modern style has an enormous gilded statue of the Buddha in its main hall. It’s now time to head for the Club House for a sumptuous lunch served on the banks of Manalsu Rivulet splashing over boulder to join the River Beas downstream. We return to your hotel for a while. In the late afternoon we take you for a short 3 Km drive up to the ancient Vashisht Village with its fabulous views of the upper Beas valley and the serrated craggy snow laden mountains of the Pir Panjal to the north. After taking a rejuvenating dip in the hot Sulphur springs in the village we return to your hotel for a relaxed evening and night.

Day 2: Opening Ceremony & Naggar Tour

Today we drive down to Kullu early in the morning in time for the opening ceremony. This is initiated by the erstwhile Maharajah of what was Kullu state before Independence. A heavily decked chariot carrying the image of Lord Ragunath the presiding deity of the valley is pulled with enormous heavy ropes to a green grassy patch in the middle of upper Kullu. Here you can see the numerous palanquins of over 200 gods from different villages waiting to pay homage to Lord Ragunath. Once the ceremony is over the crowds disperse to stroll around this large Maidan (grounds). Spend the day exploring the numerous make shift stalls with their astounding array of merchandise. We leave Kullu by early noon to drive to the pretty little village of Naggar which was once the capital of the Kullu Kingdom. There is a fine restaurant with spectacular views overlooking the widest part of the Kullu valley far below. After lunch, we visit the small museum within the castle, housing a number of local artifacts besides portraying the simplistic lifestyle of the local inhabitants. We climb up to the nearby Roerich Art Museum that displays the haunting early 20th century paintings of the famous Russian landscape artist, philosopher and mystic Nicholas Roerich. After his death in the 40’s his son Svetoslav lived here for a while. The museum is now being taken care of by a Russian Curator accompanied by a small team. The drive back to Manali is extremely scenic with tiny waterfalls gushing into glistening streams that race to join the River Beas far below. Reaching Manali we drop you off at your hotel for a relaxed evening.

Day 3: Rohtang Pass

After a leisurely breakfast we leave for the 13,050 ft high Rohtang Pass slicing its way through the towering Pir Panjal mountain range into the adjacent hi altitude desert regions of Lahaul & Spiti. On the way you stop over at the cascading Rahalla Falls and then at the bustling hamlet of Murhee with its numerous tea and snack shops. From here you get fabulous views of the upper Kullu valley spreading our far below. Murhee is also a spot for paragliding during the season. A short drive away is the Rohtang Pass. At this time of the year there are good possibilities of catching glimpses of snow covered slopes close by. In the distance to the north you are afforded with spectacular views of stark, barren mountains rising to the sky poles apart from the lush green hillsides of the Kullu vale. Spend your time walking around and if there’s snow take a snow scooter ride on the slopes. After a snack we return to Manali and your hotel by early evening. Your evening is free to either just laze around in your hotel or take a stroll in the mall road with its handicraft shops and fine restaurants. You can indulge in a shopping spree buying the local shawls, caps and mufflers and other curios. Return to your hotel by evening.

Day 4: Depart Manali for New Delhi by transport of your choice which we will arrange for you. You have three options: By Luxury Coach – Taxi Cabs – Direct flight.