Hill Station

20 Places to visit in India on low budget

Travel in India can be appealing inexpensive. if you know the knowledge of where to go and when to go.If you are someone who likes to pick up a backpack and take off on an expedition without wanting to spend a lot of money,India is your paradise.This budget-friendly cities houses different variety of people having different culture and tradition.We give you 20 places in India which are light on your pocket and yet amazing enough to provide you with the most memorable travel experiences.

Mini switzerland of India: Why go to Europe when India offers much more

Khajjiar, often called "Mini Switzerland", is a small grassy meadow located in the picturesque Chamba valley. It is an important picnic spot whose quiet environs beacon the tourists traveling between Dalhousie and Chamba.It is also referred as the "Gulmarg of Himachal Pradesh".It is popular destination with trekkers too. The hamlet serves as the starting point for treks to Chamba, Dalhousie, Kalatop Wildlife Sanctuary, etc.

10 unknown Indian hill stations that you should visit soon

There are several hill stations in India that are popular among people like Shimla, Nainital, Ooty, Darjeeling etc. but there are many other hilly areas in India that are not only good but even better than these popular destinations. These unknown hill stations are less crowded, comparatively clean and offer scenic beauty. In this blog we want to highlight some really good hill stations that are not popular but are really good options if you want to visit a hilly area in near future. We highly recommend visiting these places in our next vacation.

Diphu

State

Diphu is a minor hill station in Assam which is known for its calm and peaceful picnic locations.

Accessibility

By Air: Dimapur Airport is the nearest airport from Diphu, which is located at a distance of around 54 km.

By Rail: There is a local railway station in Diphu which is served by North-East Frontier Railways. Trains are available from this railroad station till the city of Guwahati.

By Road: Diphu is situated at around 270 km from Guwahati. Buses are operational from the cities of Dimapur, Guwahati, Tezpur and Hojai to visit this town of Diphu.

District
Karbi Anglong
STD Code
03671
Termperature
Summer 22 to 30°C, Winter 10 to 32°C
Best time to visit
Throughout the year

Anantnag

Anatnag is the commercial capital of the state and is one of the most developed regions of the Kashmir valley. The city is home to a number of shrines belonging both to the Hindus and to the Muslims. The city also houses seven temple complexes, namely the Sita Temple, the Hanuman Temple, Shiva Temple and Ganesh Temple.

Topic

Lava

State

Lava is small hamlet town near Darjeeling and is one of the new hill resorts of West Bengal which is fast developing into a perfect holiday destination. In recent years, this almost virgin hill resort has attracted many tourists. During winters, Lava receives snowfall and tourist flock in large number to witness this galore of nature.

Accessibility

By Air: The nearest airport is Bagdogra airport at Siliguri, about 110 km from Lava.

By Rail: The nearest railhead is New Jalpaiguri Railway Station, at a distance of about 100 km from Lava.

By Road: Lava is well connected from Siliguri and Jalpaiguri by both private and shared vehicles and can be reached from Siliguri via Kalimpong (99 km) or via Gorubathan (105 km).

Accommodation

Some of the well known hotels of Lava providing a reasonably good staying options are:

Yankee Resorts: 03552-282345/234 or 9932869205, 9932561318
Hotel Paradise: 03552-282314
Hotel Rock View: 03324851959
Hotel Orchid: 03552-282213
Sherpa Lodge: 03552-282308
Hotel View Point: 03324761959)
Hotel Paljor: 9836489939)
Greenwood: 9830436274)

Things to do

Trekking

The trek of 12 kilometers to Jelep La and Rechi La Pass, situated at the junction of Sikkim, Bengal and Bhutan is very exciting.

District
Kalimpong district

Loleygaon

State

A small offbeat destination in the northern part of West Bengal, 123 km from Siliguri, 24 km from Lava and 54 km from Kalimpong, Lolegaon lies at an altitude of 1850 m above sea level. Lolegaon is basically a tiny Lepcha village also known as Kafer and has recently been introduced as a tourism place in the state of West Bengal, offering views of the Eastern Himalayan snow ranges.

Lolegaon is ideal for travellers looking forward to spend a leisure holiday enjoying the views of Mt. Kanchenjungha, Mt. Pandim and others. Located on top of a flat hill, Lolegaon is famous for its panoramic views of the Himalayas. A very important spot to look out for in Lolegaon is Jhandidara which is a wooded top of a hill and it offers views of all the peaks of Mt. Kanchenjunga and Mt. Everest.

Chamba (HP)

Chamba, the ancient capital of Pahari Kings, is a small town located in a picturesque valley, amidst the Shivalik ranges and is famous for its medieval temples. The valley of Chamba stands on a plateau on the right bank of the Ravi River between Dhauladhar ranges of the outer Himalayas, the Pir Panjal, and the Zanskar ranges south of the inner Himalayas. It is also known for its beautiful topography, wildlife, lush greenery, ancient palaces and handicrafts including the Chamba rumals with Do-Rukha embroidery, and metal work.

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History

Chamba was founded by Raja Sahil Varman in the 10th century after he conquered the valley from the Rana’s and Thakurs of the region. It is believed that this Pahari town was called Champa in its earlier days after Raja Varman’s daughter, Champavati.

Chamba was a part of the Mughal Empire and later became the part of various Sikh kingdoms. It was finally taken over by the British and became a part of the state of Himachal Pradesh.Raja Varman who named the town after his daughter Champavati.The small town of Chamba is located amidst the Shivalik ranges and is famous for its temples.

It was finally taken over by the British and became a part of the state of Himachal Pradesh, when India became independent in 1947.

Accessibility

Air: Jolly Grant Airport in Dehradun is the nearest airport to Chamba. It is 80 km away from Chamba and a cab will charge about Rs 1400-1500 for travel from Dehradun to Chamba. Nearest International airport is New Delhi, which is about 280 km away and is well connected to most of the major foreign cities.

Rail: Rishikesh railway station is the nearest railhead which is about 60 km away. The station is well connected to many major cities in India. The taxi charge between Rishikesh and Chamba is about Rs 1000.

Road: Chamba bus station is about 3 km away from the heart of the town. Taxi charge is less than Rs 100. Chamba is well connected by public transport system to all nearby cities.

Shopping

The main market surrounds the central Chowgan where you can buy all sorts of interesting things made of stone and metal - buy some of these as they make good memorabalia. You will also be able to pick up miniature paintings of Chamba and Kangra and the popular Chamba chappals too. Besides these if you are looking for woven shawls try the handicrafts Emporium and dont forget to buy a bottle of the chilli pickle which Chamba is known for.

The most promising object of Chamba will be the rumaals and chappals that are fervently promoted by the Himachal Tourism department. You should also lay hands on metal and stone work items that are excellent souvenirs. In Chaughan Market, go to Amichand Dheems, form where you should buy the miniature paintings. For shawls and woolen artifacts in Chamba, go to Handicrafts Centre inside Rang Mahal. However, one item that you should dare not miss is the spicy Chamba Chukh, which is a unique mashed chillie pickle – exclusive of Chamba valley.

Accommodation

Himachal Tourism has hotels with deluxe rooms in town. There are private hotels, motels and guesthouses where you can get low and medium budget accommodation. Tariffs range from Rs 400 upwards. Book in advance, especially during tourist season.

Attractions

Minjair Fair
The Minjair Fair is held in July/August every year in the month of Shravan. Chamba attracts a lot of visitors that take part in this week long event. The Minjair Fair is heralded in by the wearing of a silk ''tassel'' by everyone. This ''tassel'' represents the shoots of paddy or maize that make their appearance at this time. This colourful fair is held in the Chowgan area which is virtually turned into a market and the brisk business is conducted. the whole town looks forward to this festival and everyone take part. The pinnacle is reached on the third Sunday when a colourful procession of deities is taken out accompanied by dancing troupes, traditionally dressed locals and drum beaters. The procession starts typically at the Akhand Chandi Palace and ends up at the Police Lines Nalhora. The Minjair ''tassel'' is then thrown into to the flowing river.

Suhi Mela
Another important fair in Chamba is the Suhi Mela, which is an exclusive festival for women. Celebrated during the month of March and April, this festival is noted for its religious significance. The site of the festival is itself has a holy shrine that you should not miss.

Things to do

Trekking

Many a trek into the Himalayas is launched from Chamba - through Bhaderwah to Kashmir, through the Sach Pass into Pangi Valley and to other peaks in the Dhauladhars, Peerpanjal and Laskar mountains.

District
Chamba District
STD Code
01899
Termperature
Summer 15 to 30°C, Winter -5 to 20°C
Best time to visit
Mid-May to Mid-October

Barog

Barog, once just a brief stopover on the Kalka-Shimla highway, is perched high among the Shivalik hills offerring an almost unimaginable range of colors in its folds and creases. It is located in an idyllic setting surrounded by pine trees and oak trees. Apart from being a beautiful destination, the town is also known for its 1,143m tunnel, which is long enough for a train to take three minutes to cross.

History

Barog was settled in the early 20th century during the building of the narrow gauge Kalka-Shimla Railway. It is named after Barog, an engineer involved in building the railway track in 1903.

Barog, the engineer, was responsible for designing a tunnel near the railway station. He commenced digging the tunnel from both sides of the mountain, which is quite common as it speeds up construction. However, he made mistakes in his calculation and while constructing the tunnel, it was found that the two ends of the tunnel did not meet. Barog was fined an amount of 1 Rupee by the British government. Unable to withstand the humiliation, Barog committed suicide. He was buried near the incomplete tunnel. The area came to be known as Barog after him.

Accessibility

Air

Barog does not have an airport of its own. If you are planning to come to the city by air, the nearest airports will be those of Chandigarh and Shimla. Both the airports have regular flights to city. Jagson and Deccan Airways cater to Shimla airport, while from Chandigarh; you can avail the services of Simplifly Deccan, and Indian Airlines.

Rail
Barog has a railway station of its own, which falls on the Kalka-Barog-Shimla narrow gauge. The next nearest railway station will be that of Chandigarh, which is connected with all the key cities of India. If you are thinking of traveling to Barog by train, it will better to come to Chandigarh and from there, take a bus or taxi to the city.

Road
Barog has a good network of roads, which connects it with the major cities in and around Himachal Pradesh. The city is approximately 300 km from Delhi, 60 km from Chandigarh, 54 km from Chail, 21 km from Kasauli, 8 km from Solan and 58 km from Shimla. You will easily get buses as well as taxis for reaching Barog, from any of these destinations.

Accommodation

At Barog, Himachal Tourism runs the Hotel Pinewood and the hotel's growth has largely been responsible for Barog's increased popularity.

Himachal Tourism also runs a road side cafe with fast food service at Barog

District
Solan District
STD Code
01796
Termperature
Summer 8 to 20°C, Winter -10 to 10°C
Best time to visit
April To September

Jubbal

Jubbal, on the banks of the River Pabbar, is a small scenic hill town near Shimla famous for its apple orchards and the Palace. The palace is a blend of European and Indian architechture and is beautifully located in the midst of hills.

Accessibility

Air: Jubbal Hatti airport connects Jubbal to Shimla. The services from this airport are scanty. Shimla is the nearby airport having regular flights to Delhi, which is at a distance of 90 km from Jubbal. Taxi cab fare is about Rs 2000. International travelers get connecting flight from Delhi International airport.

Rail: Nearest railhead is Shimla, which is at a distance of 90 km from Jubbal. Taxi cab fare is about Rs 2000. Shimla is connected to Delhi by rail.

Road: State owned buses touch Jubbal. Many private vehicles are available from Shimla to Jubbal.

District
Shimla
STD Code
02132
Termperature
Summer 15 to 20°C, Winter -4 to 15°C
Best time to visit
Apr - Jun, Sep - Nov