We call it combination journeys where more than one states are included in a tour program. This is a combination tour of Golden Temple Amritsar, Himachal and Uttrakhand including places like Dharamsala- the little Tibet and the seat of His Holiness, The Dalai Lama, Shimla- the erstwhile capital of British Raj in India, Mussorie- the queen of hills in Garwhal mountains, Haridwar- the sacred place for Hindus, Rishikesh- world’s Yoga center on the banks of Ganges, Rudraprayag- the place of Lord Shiva in the Himalaya, Kousani and Almora- the beaituful hill resorts on the foothills of might Mount Nanda Devi in Kumaun Himalaya.
The route detail & general observations
This journey takes you to the best destinations in Himalaya and it is begining from Amritsar and moving through mountains of Dhauladhar and Shivalik ranges, it enters in Garwhal through Mussourie and moves through the banks of Ganges to high Himalayas of Kousani and Almora. The drive is scenic and every place has unique attractions and appeals.
DAY 01: ARRIVE DELHI: On arrival, our representative will drive you to the hotel from International Airport.
Day 02: DELHI TO AMRITSAR – BY SHATABDI EXPRESS: In time transfer to the railway station to board your train for AMRITSAR. As the name suggests, it is rightfully a pool of nectar. Located in the state of Punjab, Amritsar is one of the most important pilgrimage centers especially for the Sikhs in the country. The city is characterized by some of the must visit religious, historical as well as contemporary sites of importance. The Golden Temple, where Sikhs from all over the world come to pay their reverence to Guru Granth Sahib and take a dip in the Amrit Saras Kund (Pool of Immortality) for spiritual purification is the major landmark of the place. On arrival check in to your hotel and later drive to Golden Temple and Jallianwala Bagh. JALLIANWALA BAGH which is a historical monument that tells the sad story of mass killing during the independence movement in India, Jalianwallah Bagh is another must visit in Amritsar. Here lies the memorial of the martyrs of the 1919 massacre by British General Dyer. Return back to your hotel for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 03: AMRITSAR TO DHARAMSALA – BY SURFACE / 200 KMS / APPROX 6 HRS : After breakfast we drive for Dharamsala. On the way you visit a temple near Batala that is dedicated to Lord Ganesha where according to a religious story of Hindus, lord Ganesha and his brother Kartikey were asked to prove the superiority between two. Through the various spheres of life that could visualize through the villages and fertile land of Punjab, we stop for picnic lunch on the way and move towards our final destination by leaving the plains and gradually climbing the mountains to Dharamsala. The drive is scenic and once we reach the base of Dharamsala, the mighty mountain ranges of Dhauladhar are highly exciting and welcoming. Trilokpur rock cut temple can be visited before reaching Dharamsala which is a miracle of nature.
From Dharamsala further 10 Kms up is the Mc Leodganj which is the house of His Holiness Dalai Lama, his administration of Tibet in exile, his residence, monasteries and various other Tibetan centers. We visit the residence of HH Dalai Lama and Namgyal Monastery this day.
Day 04: FULL DAY IN MC LEAODGANJ- THE LITTLE LHASA: Morning we start exploring this high valued and spiritual destination through monasteries, Tibetan Medical and Astro centre, Tibetan library, Tibetan Parliament, Tibetan Handicraft center and Tibetan Children village. Lunch at Norbulinga Institute can be always advisable. This centre is the mirror of Tibetan rich art, craft and culture. A visit to Tibetan kitchen in the evening would be a nice memory for ever.
Day 05: DRIVE TO SHIMLA- BY SURFACE / 240 KMS / APPROX 7 HRS: Morning drive to Shimla- the queen of hill stations. On the way we visit Jwalamukhi temple- this is an ancient temple at a small hill top of Jwalaji. The temple is a famous shrine and one of the shaktipeetha. The temple is dedicated to a form of goddess Sati. Inside the temple there are several flames lit on the rocks which is almost a miracle. We stop on the way for the lunch and after crossing River Bras and River Sutlej reach Shimla in the afternoon. Check in to your hotel and later you witness a soothing and refreshing musical concert at your hotel performed by the experienced and known artists on Indian classical music instruments. Dinner and overnight at hotel.
Day 06: SHIMLA – FULL DAY SIGHT SEEING: Morning drive to JAKHU HILLS- the highest hill of Shimla which has a temple dedicated to lord Hanuman, the God with monkey face. It has a nice temple on the hill top and from here huge mountain ranges of Great Himalaya and Pir Panjal are visible. The monkeys may snatch your spectacles/ sun glasses so be careful about these.
From here we drive to the state museum which is a cavalcade of great collection of work from 8-9 century onwards. The ornaments, wood and rock cut sculptures, musical instruments, coins and various other things do offer complete information about this hill state.
Now is the time to walk over to Indian Institute of Advance Studies which is one of the most beautiful buildings made by British in India. Its huge structure, wonderful architecture and green lawns keep one stand and appreciate it for hours. Inside is allowed to enter with a reasonable fee.
Afternoon reach Mall road to see Gaiety Theater, Church and Ritz. There are several heritage buildings on mall road and several incidents of great historic moments have happened during the time of British.
Evening free for individual activities and everyone can have his favorite dinner on mall road.
Day 07: SIMLA TO MUSSORIE - BY SURFACE / 229 KMS / APPROX 6 HRS: After breakfast proceed to Mussorie. After 45 Kms from Shimla we take a left diversion for about 13 Kms and reach to DHOLANGI, a place which has the only one BON monastery in this part of India. The BON religion is the earlier religion of Tibet before introduction of Buddhism. The monks, their debate and the monastery it self gives a close insight to this ancient religion.
The second town you stop is NAHAN situated on an isolated ridge in the Shiwalik hills. Raja Karan Prakash founded the city as a capital in 1621. Another version recalls a saint who lived with a companionable Nahar on the site where the Nahan palace now stands. "Nahar" means a Lion and probably the town takes its name from this saint. Nahan situated at an altitude of 932 meters, is a good base for visits to the surrounding areas viz. Renuka, Paonta Sahib, Trilokpur temple and the Suketi Fossil Park. It has a pleasant climate throughout the year and is watered by man made lake and decorated with temples and gardens.
We stop for lunch at PAONTA SAHIB which lies at the banks of river Yamuna derives it’s name from 'foot' or paonta of the tenth Sikh guru Sri Guru Gobind Singh who set foot here and wrote part of the Dassam Granth. There are various GURUDWARAS including the most sacred one where the tenth Guru had stayed.
Driving up hills we reach Mussorie, another beautiful hill station. Check into the hotel and evening optional walks on the mall road.
Day 09: MUSSORIE TO HARIDWAR – BY SURFACE / 58 KMS / 3 HRS: After breakfast we have few hours to explore Mussorie and later will drive to HARIDWAR- the gateway to the four pilgrimages of Uttrakhand. It’s also your starting point on the journey to the sacred sources of the Ganga and the Yamuna Rivers. According to legend, Prince Bhagirath performed penance here to salvage the souls of his ancestors who had perished due to Sage Kapila’s curse. The penance was answered and the river Ganga trickled forth from Lord Shiva's locks and its bountiful water revived the sons of King Sagara. In the tradition of Bhagirath, devout Hindus stand in the sacred
On arrival check in your hotel. Later in the evening you will walk along the rive Ganges on the ghats and visit the various temples & Ashrams. Later in the evening WITNESS THE ARTI AT THE GHATS OF HARIDWAR (Har ki paudi). The place is extremely sacred for the Hindus and after death the ashes from all over of north India are taken to Haridwar so it can be floated in the River Ganga. This ritual process is performed by the Brahmins (Pandas) and one can witness this here. Later walk/ drive back to your hotel.
Day 10: DRIVE TO RISHIKESH: After breakfast you will drive to Rishikesh. Known as ‘the place of sages’, Rishikesh is the official start-point for all pilgrims on the four-destination Char Dham pilgrimage. It is now almost entirely considered as a pilgrim destination with a series of Ashrams lining the east bank of the river. There are numerous Hindu and Jain temples in the bustling main town, mostly in the lower west bank area. The evening prayers and candlelit offerings to the Ganga take place at sundown at the Ghats.
Lunch in Rishikesh at a typical restaurant.
You will visit the LAXMAN JHOOLA, OMKARANAND ASHRAM and SIVANAND ASHRAM.
Later in the evening you will walk to witness the Arti at Parmarth Ashram situated across the Ram Jhoola suspension bridge. Parmarth Niketan lies right on the holy banks of River Ganga, nestled in the lap of lush, towering Himalaya. Return to your hotel for Dinner and overnight stay.
Day 11: RISHIKESH TO RUDRAPRAYAG VIA DEVAPRAYAG – BY SURFACE / 155 KMS / APPROX 5 HRS: After breakfast drive to RUDRAPRAYAG. Enroute you will stop at DEVPRAYAG -situated at the confluence of the Alaknanda and the Bhagirathi rivers. Near the town there are two suspension bridges, one each on the Bhagirathi and the Alaknanda.
The great TEMPLE OF RAGHUNATHJI is claimed to have been erected some ten thousand years ago and is built of massive uncemented stones. It stands upon a terrace in the upper part of the town and consists of an irregular pyramid capped by a white cupola with a golden ball and
spire. Religious ablutions take place at two basins excavated in the rock at the junction of the holy streams - one on the Bhagirathi known as the Brahm Kund and the other on the Alaknanda called the Vasisht Kund. The temple, along with the other buildings of the town, was shattered by an earthquake in 1803 but the damage was subsequently repaired through the munificence of Daulat Rao Sindhia. The temple is visited by a large number of pilgrims every year.
Continue to drive to RUDRAPRAYAG named after the Lord Shiva (Rudra), the entire region of Rudraprayag is blessed with immense natural beauty, lakes and glaciers, as well as important Hindu temples. Picnic Lunch.
This small town, Rudraprayag, is situated at the holy confluence of River Alaknanda and River Mandakini. The presence of two separate routes for Badrinath and Kedarnath Dham from Rudraprayag render great importance to the place. There are more than 200 shrines dedicated to Lord Shiva in district itself, the most important one is Kedarnath. Dinner and overnight at hotel.
Day 12: RUDRAPRAYAG TO KAUSANI– VIA BAIJNATH - BY SURFACE / 160 KMS / APPROX 6 HRS: After breakfast proceed to Kausani. Enroute stop at BAIJNATH perched at an altitude of 1126 m with a group of ancient temples dating back to the 12th and 13th century line the banks of the river, presenting a beautiful sight. The temples are remarked upon, for its carvings, stone work and heritage. Built by Katyuri Rulers, these have over the time become synonymous with India’s rich mythology. The main 10th century temple houses a beautiful idol of Goddess Parvati. Innumerable tales of Lord Shiva and Parvati make these temples a fascinating experience. The Katyur Dynasty is believed to take their name from Kartikeya the mythical son of Shiva and Parvati. Picnic lunch.
Continue to drive to Kausanai. Besides these heart-stopping views, Kausani offers blissfully undiluted silence and tranquility. The crisp air in Kausani is laden with the scent of pines. TEA GARDENS and PEAR ORCHARDS dot the landscape around Kausani while the summer months see a profusion of wild flowers in the valleys. Kausani itself is perched on a narrow ridge of Pingnath Peak, overlooking mountain vistas, while the rivers Gomti and Kosi flank the town.
This is the beautiful hill station where Mahatma Gandhi spent some happy days in 1929. Gandhiji stayed at the ANASAKTI ASHRAM, where he explored the Anasakti Yoga. The Ashram at Kausani used to be a guesthouse in a tea estate, and is now a research centre and library. A Gandhi memorial has been erected here and evening prayers are said in the main hall. There is a regular flow of pilgrims trying to combine a glimpse of the sanctum with a view of the spectacular sunset. On arrival check in to your accommodation for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 13: KAUSANI TO ALMORA – BY SURFACE / 55 KMS / APPROX 2 HRS: After breakfast drive to ALMORA through scenic surroundings. On Arrival check in your hotel and later drive to the JAGESHWAR TEMPLE which is approximately 36 kilometers from Almora, in a serene narrow valley surrounded by magnificent Deodar trees. Jageshwar is famous for the 124 ornamented temples & hundreds of statues built by the Chand dynasty of Kings. The complex is famous not merely for its exquisite craftsmanship but has one of the Swayambhu (Jyotirlinga) named Nagesh. Of the total shrines the three outstanding ones, in terms of sculpture, are dedicated to Jageshwar, Mrityunjaya and Pushtidevi. Although the presiding deity at Jageshwar is Shiva, a strong Buddhist influence is visible in the carvings.
After the visit we continue for another two kilometers to visit the temples of BRIDHA JAGESHWAR. This is the source of Jata Ganga, which starts amidst ancient trees. This is regarded as the abode of Shiva prior to his manifesting himself at Jageshwar. This site commands a magnificent view of the Himalayas. The lofty tower type isolated shrine of Dandeshwar is one kilometer short of the actual temple complex. Return to you hotel for dinner and overnight stay
Day 14 : ALMORA: After a leisure morning check out from your hotel and drive to visit RANIKHET - a cantonment town of immense charm, it was once the pet excursion ground of Padmini, queen of the Katyuri king, Sudhardev (1180AD). There is much to see in and around Ranikhet starting with KALIKA TEMPLE known for its forest nursery and the shrine to goddess kali. The plateau of Upat has a 9-hole golf course ringed by tall pines. We organize a picnic lunch here and drive back to hotel for overnight stay.
Day 15 : ALMORA TO DELHI BY TRAIN: Departure for Delhi by morning train that arrives in the afternoon. Later sight seeing of Delhi and transfer to international airport to fly home.
Getting there: Your nearest international airport is Delhi where you will meet with our expedition manager. After essential visits to IMF and cargo (if required), you will be escotrted towards the initial point of your adventure as per the program details.
After the expedition/ adventure journey, you arrive back to Delhi. After de briefing (in case of expedition) and farewell ceremony, you will be driven to international airport to board flight back to your home.
Airtickets: We have our partners in almost every foreign countries, so if you need any assistance in your air tickets bookings, you are always welcome to speak to us to know about our partner close to you.
Cargo Management: We have strong tieups with the cargo management companies to get your consignments clear timely in Delhi. In maximum cases, you will only need to spend just 2 hours for getting your consignmwent delivery. Once you send the documents and the boxes details, we start locating them in India.
Insurance : It is a condition of joining our trips that you must be adequately insured. All persons are expected to arrange their own insurance. Polices should cover any potential risks involved in such adventure.
Our hotels and camps: We offer you best economy hotels in cities and towns and till base camp we provide you very comfirtable tents with maximim possible faciltiies in the mountains. For the trekking, Jeep Safaris, MTB and other adventure journeys, we provide the most luxurious camps fitted with dining areas and modren toilet facilities.
Adventure India briefing: We have excelent maps, images and movies of majoriety of our adventure expeditions/ joiurneys and sports. A short briefing in our offices is highly recommended so the team understands logistics, forecarst problems and know where the solutions would be. We stress on planning, planning and planning in any adventure expediton and till now we have remained successful in all of our expeditions just because of our planning. So we need you to be an active part of it.
Rescue and helicopter evacuation: if the expeditons are well planned, rescue operations can be avoided. In the history of 14 years, we didn’t encounter any seviour requireemtn of rescue but still we can tie up with the agencies to provide helicopter evacuation on your request and willingness to pay the charges.
Peak booking formalities: already mentioned in detail in our mountaineering formalities in India link. For necessary applications either you can check the website of IMF or speak to us.
Ground transportation: We provide the ground transportation compriseing of best available cars/ copaches in fine roads and rough trucks in remote areas of the Indian mountains.
Porters and ponies: We provide ponies till base camp and HAP/ LAPs as per the requirement of the expedition.
Fuel and gases: Fuel (aftwer BC) is not a part of cost included section, but we will manage Butane / Butane propane gases for you on your timely request.
Trek & BC food : We offer a mixture of Vegetarian and Non vegetarian food till BC including the several herbs we have individually discovered with the medicinal values and capacity to keep the body warm. We have cooks who make Korean, Japnese and Continental food along with Indian food.
Our guides & instructors: Our guides are basically trained till BC trekking and support to establish BC. But our instructors do have good experience of mountaineering who can join the expeditions to higher levels too.
Ground Support system: We have fantastic ground support system developed in collaboration with the local people of nearest villages, army camps, porters and local guides. We have re discovered the use of traditional communication system also along with the setellite phones to stay in touch with the groups after BC. Our BC staff is trained to keep information of the groups at ABC and between and act as per the situation.
Cost Includes & not: The cost includes all hotels, guest houses, camps till BC, food till BC, ponies, porters, LAP/ HAP, food & tents for the porters, cooks and staff at BC, insurance of our permanenet staff, food for LO, cargo management, all transportation, all sightseeing, liasioning and coordination, trekking guides and BC management. The cost doent include IMF fees and environment levies, State Government fees and environment levies, porters insurance, clients air fares, helicopter evacuation, extra porters requirement from the BC, extra days at or above BC and any expenditure on personal level including clients insurance/ visa etc.
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