Himachal Pradesh - the land of eternel snow peaks, is situated in the north west corner of India, right in the lap of Himalayan ranges. Jammu & Kashmir in the north, Uttar Pradesh in the south east, Haryana in the south and Punjab in the west surround it and in the east it forms boundary with Tibet. Physiographically, the state can be divided into two regions - Southern and Northern. The southern part of Himachal Pradesh is almost as hot as the plains, while the northern region has a winter with extreme cold heavy snowfall. Himachal Pradesh ( Himalayan Province) is known across India for its pleasnat early summer climate and deliciously cool mountain streams. It supplies India with all its temperature fruit. It also has excellent trekking. Shimla, famous as British hill station, Dharamshala, the Indian home of Dalai Lama and Kullu Manal have been favourite destinations for over a decade. The Kullu valley with its developed and tourist oriented ecenomy can be considered the bacbone of the state, though commercialism has eroded some of the charm that first drew travellers here back in the 1960s. Off to the east is the Parvati Valley, popular with the long stay visitors. Few make if farther north to the splendid Chamba. For untouched mountain scenery, head for the the bleak, high altitude regions of Lahaul, Spiti and Kinnaur. Closed to foreigners until 1992, the region is situated in the rian shadow of the Himalaya and has more in common with nearby Tibet than the rest of India.
It streches from the outer ranges of Shiwaliks in the south to peaks of more than 6700 mts. Lahaul and Spiti, actually crossing the mighty barrier to the Tibetan plateau. Five mountian ranges cut across the state - the low lying Shivalik rising from the plains of Punjab, the Dhauladhar, The Pir Punjal, and the greatest Himalayan and the Zanskar ranges, locked by high passes or roads and watered by the river Chenab, Ravi, Beas and Sutlej that arise from these snowy bastions and flow through it. For sheer geographical diversity, few places in the world are as richly endowed as Himachal Pradesh. Low rolling hills, just a couple of hundred meters above the sea level, climb on to touch the core of the Himalaya mountians. Here lie peaks that are several hundred meters high and never lose perennial snows. The tallest peaks are - the Leo Purgyal (6791 meters), Kinnaur Kailash (6050 meters) and Deo Tibba (6001 meters). Then, past these forbidding heights, lie the visually stunning cold deserts of the trans Himalaya.
Rivers in deep gorges and placid mountian lakes, thick forests and acres of scree, mountian sides draped with snow and green Alpine meadows all form a part of this immense spectrum.Also the possibilities for a whole range of adventure activites are also enormous.Sedentary or streneous, for the expert or beginner, Himachal has a niche of adventure for everyone.Here lie vistas whose beauty seems matchless. Snow draped peaks lose thier heights in the clouds, while below them lie high meadows of soft grass, thick forests with a variety of flora and fauna, small jewel like lakes, swiftly flowing streams, rushing rivers and deepa valleys with small hamlets and fascinating architecture. This is home to a warm and hospitable people. And then there are large stretches of an arid-almost lunarlike landscape with a strangley haunting beauty.
Also read:
Facts and figures Of Himachal Pradesh
