Doing a short tour of the Himachal Pradesh region in India

My itinerary is roughly:

Delhi -> Chandigarh -> Dharamshala -> Manali -> Shimla ->Delhi

Does anyone have any knowledge/experience of this region and have any

favourite photographic destinations in these areas?

 

thanks,

Charles.

It will be hard NOT to have good photos in that region. Be sure to visit any Mela (festival) that you can. How long will you be there? The answer to that question may shape the answers you get!

 

Last February I went to India for a seven-day trip and ended up needing to buy MORE film after four days! So pack plenty of film--double your usual amount.

 

More advice: get a good travel guidebook before you go and read it carefully. Look for information about melas in any of the towns you're going through, look for nature parks (for a crowded country, India's nature parks are a real surprise) and make a note of marketplaces, temples, and historic sites. Also, try to get copies of Travel Photography, a British magazine that comes out every two months--it may have some articles about that area.

 

I found that Indians are incredibly pleasant people who appreciate polite visitors. For the most part, they don't mind being photographed, but again be polite and ask just to be safe.

 

Happy shooting,

What kind of photography are you into ? The route from Manali to Leh is paradise for landscape photographers. The route chosen by you is not significantly photogenic (at least in my standards). Only Manali and beyond shall open up the possibilities.

 

Alternatively, try to cover Sarahan, Sangla, Kalpa, Kinnaur, Spiti, Kaza - all in the Himachal, for some outstanding landscape opportunities. Wait for the perfect light. Himachal is beautiful.

 

Have a great time. And take precaution against dust.

What time of the year are you traveling ? How long could you spare for side trips ? Are you into landscapes and hiking or people and festivals ? The road from Dharamsala to Chamba and Khajjiar via Dalhousie is stunning in Spring and Fall but snowy in Winter. You will encounter lush evergreen forests and Himalayan meadows and snow capped peaks towering over 15,000 ft and upto 20,000 ft.Ditto from Dharamsala to Manali. The fun starts from Kullu to Manali, the Kully valley is stunning, with steep gorges, roaring glacier melt streams, apple and peach orchards and a stunning array of colorful, friendly tribal peoples in the Kullu Valley. The road from Manali to Rohtang Pass is like Shangrila, where alititudes vary from 10,000 ft in Manali to 16,000 ft in Rohtang pass in about 35 miles. Its like a moonscape with glaciers, ice and peaks. As was posted before, if you think will need 100 rolls, take 200. The tribals of Himachal are extremely warm and hospitable, provided you are respectful and understanding.

That part of India is indeed paradise. Enjoy.

Avoid Shimla if you can. Its too touristy. Go past Manali and possibly beyond Rohtang pass to Ladakh region. I believe at this time GOI has opened the Manali-Leh road to all. Some permits may be required though.

I got back last Thursday from this region! I travelled from Delhi >> Shimla >> Dharamsala >> Manali >> Leh >>(by plane) to Delhi. You need to decide what you want to see in the region. If it is sheer landscapes you want then you are going to the wrong places. The Kullu and Spiti valleys and the road from Manali to Leh are undoubtedly the most impressive. If you want cultural displays then you want to be in Leh during the festival that is just about to finish, or alternatively take in the remains of Tibetan culture in Mcleod Ganj (near Dharamsala).

Shimla is quite pleasant and, compared to the buses in the region, the train from Shimla to Kalka is very comfortable with pleasant, but not breathtaking views. Shimla is the honeymoon capital for India and you will certainly find more Indian tourists than foreign tourists. Nevertheless it is worth a visit if only for the quirky architecture. As Shimla was the summer capital for India during British Imperial rule the town has a fair collection of victorian buildings and a typical English church!

 

Shimla to Dharamsala is also a pleasant journey as you descend down from Shimla into the valley before finally ascending back to 2000m from Dharamsala to Mcleod Ganj (a few kilometres away where the Dalai Lama really lives).

 

I only spent one day in Manali on my way to Leh and it didn't strike me as a particularly great place. Many people had warned me that it had been over-developed for domestic tourism and this is indeed how it appeared. Unless you are going to venture out into some of the surrounding areas I would doubt it is worth the effort, although the drive up the Kullu valley to Manali from Mandi (halfway between Dharamsala and Manali) is quite impressive although it is marred by the hydroelectric power building works.

 

The road from Manali to Leh is absolutely stunning and well worth enduring the two day bus journey. The road rises to over 5300m along narrow roads clinging to the sides of steep mountains. You can see some photos at http://www.freewheelingtravels.com/mainsite/Ladakh.htm from a Scot I met on the way who organises motorbike safaris.

 

Depending on your time I would suggest that if you had 2 weeks either take the route I took (and miss out Dharamsala to concentrate on scenery) or take the much more impressive route through the Spiti valley (about 10 days by jeep) on a big loop from Shimla to Manali.

 

Don't forget the monsoon. Until late September the skies will be cloudy and anywhere South of Manali is unlikely to receive much direct sun.

 

Note the roads around here are strongly influenced by the monsoon. Landslides, collapses, and snow could all disrupt your journey depending on the time of year you travel. Also be aware that many of the very remote roads start closing in October due to Snow. The road from Manali to Leh is always closed by the 15th October regardless.

 

Finally taking the plane from Leh to Delhi is not only a nice comfort but the takeoff from the highest commercial airport in the world and the flight over the Himalaya is quite simply stunning.

 

One final tip, don't try to cram too much in. Your trip will be far more rewarding if you take things slowly. The people you meet will give you a far richer experience than getting through a tick list of sights.

 

Have a great trip!

 

Stephen

Thank you all very much for your responses, it's pretty clear that this area is a photographic favourite of many and I'm getting really excited about the trip. I'm already, in fact, planning my next trip, and my next, and my next... [i work for an airline so i plan to take major advantage of the benefits for exploring this region]

 

I think I'm after a blend of really interesting culture and people as well as breathtaking landscape (who isn't!) so I'd say every place which has been mentioned would fit in somehow. Definately not into the really touristy thing (like to think of myself as more of a traveller than a holidayer) but I realise in this short time persiod (about 10 days) there's not much of a scope for straying far off the beaten track.

 

It will take me a while to digest all this info, but the one thing I know for sure is that I will certainly miss as much brilliance as I experience, all the more reason to return :-)

 

once again thanks.

 

cheers,

Charles,

Sydney, Australia.