Tourism in Kullu

The Kullu Valley is famous for its panoramic landscapes that can take your breath away with their sheer scenic beauty. Kullu, along with the adjoining district Manali, is one of the most-visited tourist destinations in India that has captured the imagination of countless tourists with its awe-inspiring views of the majestic peaks of the Himalayas and the surrounding forests. Bounded by the towering Dhauladhar and the Pir Panjal ranges on either side, the Kullu Valley is spread along the banks of the sparkling waters of the River Beas and has beautiful glens and mossy meadows encircled by rushing streams and meandering brooks.

Needless to say, the Kullu Valley is a paradise for tourists, trekkers, mountaineers, artists and anyone who wishes to escape the heat and dust of the plains and the plateaus to breathe the enlivening air of the Himalayas and to exult in the spectacle of the kaleidoscopic mountain scenery. The tourist destinations in Kullu cater to the fancies of all kinds of people, from the religious minded to the adventure freaks, from the history buffs to the ones who are interested in art or those who just want to be close to nature; Kullu has something for everybody.

For travelling in and around Kullu, there is an intra-town bus-system, which takes tourists to all the important places at very nominal prices. Local taxis can be hired easily as well. The more adventurous tourists can also rent motorbikes from the local shops and enjoy the ride in the mountains.

There are Tourist Information Centres in Kullu and Manali which are operated by the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Department and that provide information to the tourists regarding various tourist destinations & adventure activities. They guide the travellers about the various government and private facilities for accommodation and also provide them literature about different tourist places and various tourist activities.

The Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC) also provides information to the tourists concerning various tourist destinations and adventure activities. It provides booking for HPTDC hotels all over Himachal Pradesh. HPTDC provides booking for long distance buses to Delhi, Chandigarh, Shimla, Ladakh and Kalka. It offers facilities for local sightseeing to Rohtang Pass, Naggar & Manikaran as well. HPTDC, Kullu provides booking facilities for sightseeing tours from Shimla to Kufri, Naldehra and Fagu, etc. Their addresses are as follows:


HPTDC Tourist Information Centre
Dhalpur, Kullu-175101
STD Code: 01902
Group Circle Code: 951902
Telephone Number:  +91- 1902- 22349

HPTDC Tourist Information Centre
Hotel Kunjam, The Mall, Manali
STD Code: 01902
Group Circle Code: 951902
Telephone Number: +91- 1902- 53531, 52360

Kullu has an enjoyable weather throughout the year although it is quite chilly and dry during some months. Summers are good for sightseeing and relaxation, while the winter months are ideal for trekking, rock climbing, river rafting, sightseeing and for enjoying snowfall.

 The summer months from March to June are very pleasant and are also regarded to be the ideal time for sightseeing and various adventure activities.  As the temperature levels start to rise in March, the weather becomes moderately warm with cool days and chilly nights. The weather is delightful for indulging in adventure and trekking activities, for picnics by the lake and on the grasslands and for enjoying the local sightseeing. Since the weather is quite a bit chilly in the early mornings and late evenings, visitors are advised to bring light woollen clothes with them. However, for travelling to the Rohtang Pass and other high altitudes, heavy woollens are required.

Monsoon begins to set in Kullu from July and the rainfall helps to bring the temperature down.  The city witnesses some sporadic showers and unexpected landslides may cause disruption in travel. The rainy season continues till mid-September and it is advisable to avoid adventure activities during this season. This might not be the best time to travel as whenever it rains, the weather becomes very cold but the scenic natural beauty with the lush green forests glowing after the showers of rain is worth enjoying and coming for a visit at this time of the year.

The months of late-September and October are the perfect time to visit the Kullu Valley as the weather is beautiful with cool and pleasant days. However, the nights can become pretty chilly so light woollen clothes are recommended. These months are also considered to be the best time for sightseeing, trekking and adventure sports.

Winter dawns in the Kullu Valley from the month of November and continues till February. The weather is very cool and the minimum temperature can go down to well below 0°C and is accompanied by heavy snowfall. The skies are dominated by clear clouds and plenty of sunshine in the month of November which is then replaced by cool winds that maintain the chill in the air as the month progresses. Snowfall can be enjoyed by tourists and heavy woollen clothes with rubber boots and blankets are recommended to be used by the visitors to avoid falling sick. This is an ideal time for couples to visit the valley for their honeymoons as well as for adventure enthusiasts to participate in winter sports. However, children and aged people are advised to skip visiting the valley during the winters.

The Kullu Valley offers quite an exciting eating experience as the tourists can try some sumptuous and lip smacking local cuisines, Indian and Chinese food, pizzas and Tibetan momos. There are a lot of restaurants, fast-food places and bakeries in Kullu and Manali, which can fit in any budget or taste.

They are as follows:

• The Spice House Restaurant at Himalayan Hamlet, Kullu
• The Shobla International, Dhalpur, Kullu
• Club House, Old Manali
• The Veggy, Gandhinagar, Kullu
• Sher-e-Punjab, Mall Road, Manali
• Chopsticks, The Mall, Manali
• Mount View, The Mall, Manali
• Hot Stuff, Dhalpur, Kullu
• Restaurant Gozy
• German Bakery
  
  

The beautifully crafted handloom and handicraft items by the weavers in Kullu like the shawls, caps, pullas (grass slippers), patti (local tweed), mufflers, pattoos (local blankets), woollen carpets, driftwood articles and metal crafts are always a shopper’s delight. These can be bought from private shops as well as the Himachal state weaving co-operative at Bhutti Weavers colony, six kilometres south of Kullu. The co-operative runs several retail outlets called Bhuticco at other towns in the valley.

The state government handicrafts emporium called Bhuttico and Khadi Gramodyog emporium in Akhara Bazaar and Himbunkar in Kullu are ideal places to buy handicrafts including Kinnauri shawls which are typical to the region. There are a good number of shops in the small village called Vashisht in Kullu which deals in antiques and idols of gods and goddesses. Tourists can also find traditional jewellery in the Sultanpur Market in Kullu. The Himalayan Stores on the Mall has a wide range of home-made cheddar and yak cheeses. For local-made fresh fruit jellies, jams and pickles, tourists can go to the HPMC Store. Exotic vegetables like lingr (a wild asparagus) and the yellow chilli can also be bought here.

The scintillating beauty of the Kullu valley has always been an ideal destination and has been attracting tourists from far and wide, ranging from people who come here in search of peace, away from the hubbub of the big cities to the people who come here looking for adventure and that rush of the adrenaline. There are a number of places in and around the Kullu district that are a traveller’s delight and offer great opportunities for sightseeing as well as for adventure sports. These include:

• Manali
• Naggar
• Rohtang Pass
• Manikaran
• Kasol
• Arjun Gufa
• Village of Vashishtha
• Solang Valley
• Malana
• Bajaura
• Larji
  
  

The Kullu Valley is also known as the ‘Valley of Gods’ as according to mythologies, it was considered as the abode of Gods. The valley preserves almost 368 temples that uphold the faith of the people residing in the valley. For tourists coming into the valley, these temples provide a calm and serene atmosphere that can lead to a complete spiritual experience. Some of the temples include:

• Bijli Mahadev Temple
• Jagannath Temple
• Adi Brahma Temple
• Raghunath Temple
• Hidimba Temple
• Maa Sharvari Temple
• Vaishno Devi Temple
  
  

As a large number of tourists visit the Kullu Valley every year, there are numerous hotels in and around Kullu which cater to the needs of the tourists. The year-long snow covered peaks are home to some of the most scenic hill resorts in India.

For people on a limited budget, there are affordable hotels in Kullu where the budget rooms cost around Rs 500 and deluxe rooms are available between Rs 750 to Rs 1,000. Most of these hotels are clustered in and around log huts on the foothills of Kullu. For people with no budget limitations, luxurious resorts are also available in the hills of Kullu Manali which can cost anywhere between Rs 2,500 to Rs 9,000. These resorts provide all luxurious facilities including steam baths, massages, sporting facilities and 24 hour internet and satellite television facilities. Some of the hotels are as follows:

• Span Resorts, Highway
  
• Apple Valley Resorts, Loran
• Hotel Shobla, Dhalpur
• Himalayan Hamlet Resort, Shastri Nagar
  
• Corporates Orchard Park, Kukkersseri
• Hotel Vaishali, Gandhi Nagar
• Hotel Sangam, Bhuntar Airport
  
  

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