According to Hindu civilization, that great place where Maharishi Vyas narrated the entire story of Mahabharata to Ganesh ji and Ganesh ji wrote the entire story. The famous Badrinath temple is situated just 3 km away from Mana village. The Mana Valley also marks the origin of the Alaknanda, the largest tributary of the Ganga River.
How to reach Mana: The nearest airport to reach here is Jolly Grant Airport in Dehradun. And if you are planning to go by train, then first go to Rishikesh and from there go to Badrinath via Joshimath, you can either catch a morning bus, take a private taxi.
Special in Mana: Located on the border of India and Tibet, Mana La is at an altitude of 18,192 feet, which is the highest pass in the world. It is also called the last village of India. You must visit the peak of Chaukhamba via Mana La. Apart from this, there are two caves here, Vyas Cave and Ganesh Cave, seeing which will be a good experience in itself. And if you are here then do not forget to see Vasundhara Waterfall, Satopanth Lake and Bhima Bridge.
Pindar Valley and Pindari River in Bageshwar district of Kumaon are close companions of each other because Pindari River flows along this valley. Apart from Pindar Valley, Pindari River also flows through small towns like Dewal, Tharali, Kulsari, Harmani, Meeng, Narayan Bagar and Nalgaon. Pindari River meets Alaknanda River at Karnaprayag.
How to reach Pindar Valley and what is special about it?: The nearest airport is at Pantnagar and the nearest railway station is at Kathgodam. After reaching here, you will have to catch an early morning bus or take a taxi to Bageshwar via Almora. On the way to Bageshwar lie the fascinating limestone caves and temples of Bhubaneswar. The Pindar valley itself is home to many villages like Dhur. You can travel here on foot from one village to another. If you don't mind a little more effort, you can also visit Pindari Glacier.
This valley named Darma is situated between Kuth Yangti and Lasar Yangti valley. You can cross this high Himalayan valley of Pithoragarh only on foot and it is the famous trek route to Panchachuli Base Camp. Being close to the India-Tibet border, you get spectacular views of the peaks of Mount Kailash while driving towards Sin La.
How to reach: Pithoragarh's Naini Saini airport is the nearest to this beautiful place. Tanakpur is the nearest railway station. After reaching here you will have to take a morning bus or take a taxi to Dharchula.
Special in Darma Valley: Every mountain lover must do trekking in Darma Valley once in his life. The path to reach Panchachuli Basecamp passes through forests and glaciers. It is said that the Pandavas had their last meal here before going to heaven. You can also reach Dhauliganga from Dugtu via Tidang and Vyas Valley via Bidang village located at a higher altitude from Sin La.
If you move towards the south-eastern part of Kaza, you will see the confluence of Pin River and Spiti River. Pin Valley offers spectacular views and is home to some of the world's most unique flora and fauna. Most of the area of Pin Valley is cold desert and Pin Valley National Park extends to Dhankar Monastery in the south which is also the last point of Spiti Valley. Ka Dogri of Kinnaur village is its highest point which is about 20,000 feet.
How to reach: The nearest airport is Bhuntar (252 km) and railway station is at Joginder Nagar. Buses run from Manali and Shimla to Kaza. After reaching here, you will have to take a bus or private taxi to reach Pin Valley. You can reach here via Rohtang Pass from Manali or via Reckong Piu from Shimla.
Pin Valley Highlights: While you are here, you must visit the 680-year-old Ugyen Sangak Choling Gompa and its new monastery building. There are three ancient temples decorated with black wall paintings and festive masks. A one day journey from Saganam village to Mudh will make your journey memorable. Along with this, you can also visit Pin-Parvati Pass, Bhaba Pass and Kafnu of Kinnaur.
Tirthan Valley, adjacent to the Himalayan National Park, is named after the Tirthan River. Tirthan Valley is a spectacular hidden hill town located in the Himalayan National Park (GNN). Just 3 km from this park. Farther away, the Tirthan Valley is rich in flora and fauna. There are several quiet and picturesque towns in the valley where you can hike and camp.
How to reach: Bhuntar is the nearest airport at a distance of 80 km from here. The nearest railway station is at Kiratpur. Every bus going from Kullu and Manali goes to Aut, where you have to get down. On reaching here, you will have to take a bus or taxi to Shoja or Jibhi early in the morning.
Special in Tirthan Valley: Three big places like Tirthan, Shoja and Jibhi are worth visiting. Here in the camp you can enjoy adventure sports. Apart from this, go on a trip to the Himalayan National Park. Jalori Pass, Sarloskar Lake, Neuli, Gushaini and Bhagi Kashhari are some of the must-see places and hikes in this national park.
The roads of Kangra Valley are full of deodar trees which will refresh the breath of any traveller. The valley is a home to many refugees from Tibet who have made the serene and majestic mountains of Himachal their home. If you want to visit Kangra Valley properly, then plan for at least seven days.
How to reach: Gaggal Airport, 14 km away, is the nearest airport, while Pathankot is the nearest railway station. There is a direct train from Delhi to Dharamshala and Mandi. Next morning you can reach Kangra by taking a taxi or bus.
Special in Kangra Valley: From Mandi you take a bus or taxi to Baggi village and from there proceed to the beautiful Parashar Trek. You can also spend the night in a small guesthouse near the lake. In Bir, visit the iconic Chaukalinga Monastery. It is located in the Tibetan Colony of Bir and is easily accessible on foot. You can spare time for paragliding in Billing, the paragliding capital of India. Don't miss the famous Kangra Fort built by the Katoch dynasty as this fort is considered to be one of the largest forts in the Himalayas.
One of the hidden treasures of North India that not many travelers know about is the Warwan Valley. On one side is the Kashmir valley full of lush green forests and on the other side is the icy desert of Ladakh. You can visit this valley only during some months of summer as this valley remains closed for 7 months of the year.
How to reach: The nearest airport is in Srinagar, while the nearest railway station is in Jammu. Warwan is just three hours away from Kokernag in Anantnag. After reaching Kokarnag, you will get a bus from here or you can also take a taxi to reach here.
Highlights of Warwan Valley: The best and only way to explore the depth and beauty of Warwan Valley is to drive through these terrains, which range from massive eroded glaciers and moraines to undulating plains.
The Lidder River, which supplies water to the entire Kashmir, starts from the Kolhoi Glacier and joins the Jhelum River. The journey to Lidder Valley starts 7 km before Anantnag town. Like Warwan, it is also surrounded by the Pir Panjal mountain range in the south and the Sindh and Zanskar mountain ranges in the north.
How to reach: The nearest airport is in Srinagar, while the nearest railway station is in Jammu. Liddar is at a total distance of 7 km from Anantnag. You can reach here by taking a morning taxi or bus.
Special in Lidder Valley: If you want to explore different areas of this valley then you have to do a slightly challenging trek to Kolhoi Glacier. If you do not want to do this trek, then you will get to see similar views in Aru village also. On the way to Lidder, Awantipora has the remains of an ancient Vishnu temple, built by King Avantivarman, who ruled from 855-883 AD. There is also a Guru Nanak Dev Gurudwara, which is believed to be the resting place of the Sikh Guru during his journey to the Eastern Himalayas.
Nubra Valley of Ladakh was once called the Valley of Flowers-Ladumra. A name that doesn't suit a cold desert much. You will get spectacular views of the original brown mountains and the bright colors of the deep blue sky. The Shyok River is a tributary of the Indus River that flows through the Karakoram Range. The average altitude of Nubra Valley is 10,000 feet and most of the villages are higher than that, making it a difficult place to live.
How to reach: The nearest airport is at Leh (150 km from Leh) and the nearest railway station is at Jammu. After reaching these places, you will have to take either a morning bus or a shared taxi to reach and roam around the valley.
Special in Nubra Valley: There is a 32 meter high statue of Maitreya Buddha in Diskit of Nubra Valley. Diskit Monastery, built in 1420 BC, is the largest monastery in the Nubra Valley. Earlier, the Nubra Empire extended to the areas of Gilgit-Baltistan, but even after the borders were closed, the Nubra Valley remains home to the Balti tribe. The valley is known for its kilometers-long sand dunes, which are the natural habitat of Bactrian camels, which feed in the sparse forests of seabuckthorn. Turtuk, a village in the Nubra Valley, was closed to tourists until 2010, when the government started allowing Indian travelers to explore the place without a permit.
The remote Dibang Valley of Arunachal Pradesh is divided into two distinct districts, the Upper Dibang Valley and the Lower Dibang Valley. Despite being the largest district in India with an area of 9,129 km², Upper Dibang Valley is the least populous district in India. The history of Anini, the district headquarters of Upper Dibang, is still unknown. The place is home to the native Idu Mishmi and a few other tribes who migrated from ancient Tibet over a thousand years ago. Anini is the only place in upper Dibang that you can reach from the rest of the country. The forests here, now called Dibang Wildlife Sanctuary, are considered one of the richest forests of the Eastern Himalayas. The Mishmi forests are home to flying squirrels, the area is now named for the Mishmi Hills giant flying squirrel (Petaurista mishmiensis).
How to reach: Nearest airport is Dibrugarh Airport and nearest railhead is at Tinsukia. After reaching these places, you will have to take a taxi to reach and roam around the valley.
Special in Dibang Valley: If you want to explore the lower Dibang Valley, then many tour operators and local agencies offer treks here. This trek starts from rowing and you explore Mishmi village till you reach Nizam Ghat. For the Upper Dibang Valley, you can visit the dense Dibang Wildlife Sanctuary or explore the town of Anini. Being a sensitive area, permits are required to visit some places in Dibang Valley.
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