Showing posts with label India Travel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label India Travel. Show all posts

Saturday, December 22, 2012

Sikkim Tourism - Things to do in Sikkim


Sikkim is one of the “Seven Sisters” in India. This term is used to describe the seven tiny states that together form India’s North-East. The small and truly untouched state of Sikkim has majestic landscapes and lush green hills. It is indeed blessed with nature’s bounty. Even after a considerable rise in tourism over the recent years, its sanctity and beauty have been preserved by its proud people and conscientious authorities. Sikkim is divided into four districts – North, South, East and West. We explore some of the highlights to help you with your Sikkim travels.
View from Hanuman Tok - Gangtok -Sikkim
View from Hanuman Tok - Gangtok -Sikkim

North Sikkim: 

Here you will find the revered Guru-Dongmar Lake, which is considered sacred by both Buddhists and Hindus. Its mystical powers are heightened by the fact that even in the harshest winters parts of the lake remain unfrozen. The lake is considerably inaccessible and requires a two-day expedition. A popular destination closer to the capital, Gangtok is Yumthang – the Valley of Flowers. In spring, Yumthang is bathed with scarlet rhododendrons and wildflowers, a sight to behold.
Buddhist Temple in Sikkim
Buddhist Temple in Sikkim

East Sikkim: 

Gangtok, the capital of the state lies in this part of Sikkim. In Gangtok, one can enjoy the local cuisine and shop for handicrafts. Many beautiful tourist destinations like the Rumtek and Enchey monasteries, Jhakri Falls and Tashi Viewpoint are a short drive from the city. Perhaps the most enchanting attraction of the state is the Nathula Pass-Tsomgo Lake-Baba Mandir trinity. Although these destinations aren’t in this part of the State, taxis and tours to reach them are best hired in Gangtok itself. Nathu-La is located at over 14,200 meters and offers one of the most breathtaking sights in India. En route to Nathu-La stop at the still and crystal-clear Tsomgo/Chhangu Lake, where you can ride on a yak, shop for locally produced goods and catch a bite to eat. Tourists require special permits to visit Nathu-La. It is closed on Monday and Tuesday
Sikkim Assembly Building
Sikkim Assembly Building

South Sikkim: 

This is the sleepy and peaceful part of the serene state. The hub of this district is Ravangla, which is located at the height of 7,000 meters. The township, famous for the Temi Tea Garden and wildlife, comes alive during the Lhabsol festival in August-September. Before leaving the district make sure you visit Samdruptse. In the Bhutia language, Samdruptse means ‘Wish Fulfilling Hill’. Here stands the 135 feet high statue of Guru Padmasambhava, made of concrete and copper.
Monastery at Ravangla
Monastery at Ravangla

Western Sikkim: 

While South Sikkim is a haven for peace lovers, Western Sikkim is for thrill seekers. Rafting and kayaking on River Teesta draws people from far and wide to this small region. For visitors who prefer to tame the mountains, rock climbing and mountain biking expeditions can be organised.
Teesta River in Sikkim
Teesta River in Sikkim

Monday, December 17, 2012

Punjab travel guide: Things to do and see


Punjab is one of the most lively parts of India and has a population that truly believes in living the good life. From music to food and from clothes to cars, everything about the state is loud, proud and rich. There are plenty of interesting facts and things for visitors to do. We pick out some of the highlights in our Punjab travel guide discovering off-beat things to do, farming, cooking, colours, festivals, and great pujabi people

1. Join the celebrations:

Punjabis love to share their joy and celebrate every important moment of life. No wonder, they celebrate festivals with great zest and revelry. One of their most important festivals is Baisakhi. This marks the Punjabi New Year and is celebrated with lots of music, dancing and feasts. It falls on the 13th of April, every year. Another important regional festival is Basant Panchami, which is celebrated in February or March to welcome spring. Kite flying is an integral part of the festival and people are dressed in bright yellow, which signifies joy and a golden harvest.
Baisakhi
Baisakhi

2. Eat to your heart’s content: 

Punjab is filled with fertile fields and people here love to eat. Feasts are a big a part of every celebration and the state’s most famous dish is “makke ki roti and sarso ka saag” which is topped off with a giant glass of lassi. In big cities like Chandigarh and Amritsar you can find many international food chains but nothing beats the local cuisine of Punjab. If you are staying with a homestay take a cookery lesson to learn first hand how to make some of the local delicacies.

3. Visit the Golden Temple: 

The Golden Temple in Amritsar is one of the most famous gurudwaras in the world. The temple is visited by millions of people and people from all backgrounds volunteer to serve guests of the temple as well as the needy. It is one of the most beautiful gurudwaras in India and no trip to Punjab is complete without visiting it.
Golden Temple
Golden Temple

4. Jallianwalla bagh: 

Jallianwalla bagh was where the massacre of 13th April 1919 took place. On that day 1000s of peaceful protestors, including women and children, were gunned down by the British army. Remnants of the horrific day are preserved at the protected site.

5. Wagah Border

This border separates India from Pakistan and is for the Beating of the Retreat ceremony. The ceremony is a wildly exaggerated show of strength from both sides. The ceremony starts at sunset and the audience participates enthusiastically with music and dance. The Wagah border is located 29 kms from Amritsar and tours combining a trip here with a visit to the Golden Temple can easily be arranged.
Wagah Border
Wagah Border

6. Sheesh Mahal: 

Located in Hoshiarpur is the Sheesh Mahal or Glass Palace. This palace was built in 1911 and is home to many valuable pieces of art and history. Some of them are depictions of King George V’s coronation ceremony, statues of various deities, and even life-size statues of King George V, Queen Victoria and their courtiers.

7. Fatehgarh Sahib: 

This is a sacred town located about 50 kms from Patiala. There is a famous gurudwara here which honours the victory of Baba Banda Singh Bahadur over Sirhind. The town has four memorial gates that stand as tributes to four important people from the Sikh history associated with Sirhind. Other than historical and religious value, the town’s natural beauty attracts visitors from all over.
Fatehgarh Sahib
Fatehgarh Sahib

8. Chandigarh: 

Chandigarh serves as a capital to both Haryana and Punjab. It is a city with a big heart and is constantly buzzing with activity and music. The most popular places to see here are the Rock Garden and Sukhna Lake. Rock Garden is a 40 acre park which was founded in 1957. It’s famous for sculptures made of recycled material like broken glass, bangles, ceramics and plastic bottles. The garden is located near the Sukhna Lake, which is a manmade Lake. It is a popular place for locals to enjoy a morning or evening walk.

9. Farming: 

Punjab is an agriculturally oriented state. This is particularly true of Punjab’s hinterland where most families own acres of fertile fields and farmhouses. You can stay in a farmhouse-style homestays and participate in daily chores like farming, milking cows and churning the butter and more.
Punjab travel guide:
Punjab-farming
Punjab-farming

Interesting facts


  • Sukhna Lake was such a beloved part of the city that Pierre Jeanneret, who was one of Chandigarh’s planners asked for ashes to be immersed in the lake.
  • Chandigarh was india’s first planned city.
  • On the festival of Hola Muhalla in 2009, the Sikh community created a world record by achieving highest number blood donations made in a single day.
  • Recent archaeological excavations revealed that punjab’s history can be traced as far back as the Indus Valley Civilisation.


Monday, December 10, 2012

Best Places to Visit in Kerala

Though every region of Kerala is full with attractions and beautiful scenery and all the places are counted as must to visit. Some of the best Places to Visit in Kerala are Kovalam,Kottayam,Pallivasal and Kundala. The places can by divided as per the seasons like Trivandrum during the monsoons,Munnar in Winter and Wayanad in summer. Here is the list of top 10 best places to visit in Kerala.


Thiruvananthapuram 

The capital of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram is situated west coast of India and bordered by Tiruneveli,Kollam and Kanyakumari. Thiruvananthapuram is a Evergreen city of India and also considered as one of the 10 greenest cities in India. The largest city of Kerala is an IT hub and home to several educational institutes,Napier Museum and Research Laboratory.
Padmanabha-swamy-Temple-Thiruvananthapuram
Padmanabha-swamy-Temple-Thiruvananthapuram



Thrissur 

Thrissur is known as cultural capital of Kerala situated at the central of in Thrissur District. The city host many cultural, spiritual and religious festival of the state, Thrissur Pooram festival is the most colorful and spectacular among them. Puli Kali also known as Tiger dance is one of the most popular folk art performed here during Onam festival.
Pooram-Festival-Thrissur
Pooram-Festival-Thrissur

Kannur

Kannur or Cannanore means the land of Lord Krishna, is a city located in the District of Kannur on the North Malabar region of Kerala. The city is famous for its Theyyam art,pristine beaches and Adventure Tourism. Muzhappilangad Drive-in Beach is the most popular beach here and only one Drive-in Beach in Asia, other beaches are Payyamballam, Meenkunnu and Ezhara beaches.
Payamballam-beach-kunnur
Payamballam-beach-kunnur

Thekkady 

Thekkady is important tourist destination in Kerala located in the famous the Periyar National Park. The Periyar National Park is home to a large number of Indian elephants,lion-tailed Macaques,Nilgiri Langurs, Indian bison and Bengal Tigers. Mullaperiyar Dam is situated around the area on the Periyar River and formed an artificial lake for Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary.
Periyar-Natioanl-park-Thekkady
Periyar-Natioanl-park-Thekkady

Kumarakom 

Kumarakom is most popular tourist spot located near the Kottayam city and famous for its houseboat in backwaters of Vembanad Lake. Vembanad Lake is the largest freshwater lake of Kerala and longest lake in India. Kumarakom is a famous Bird Sanctuary and home to a wide variety of local and migratory birds.
Kumarakom-backwaters
Kumarakom-backwaters

Alleppey

Alleppey is situated along with the Arabian coast of Alappuzha District and offers backwaters, beaches and lagoons tourism. Alappuzha District is one of the major tourist destination apart from backwaters it offers long paddy fields. The paddy fields are grown every year below the sea level and its one of the major attractions in Kuttanad along with backwaters and Boat services.
Alleppey
Alleppey

Munnar

Munnar is the famous hill station in Kerala situated at the confluence of the three rivers Madhurapuzha, Nallathanni and Kundaly. It is located on the western ghats range in the Idukki district and famous as the major tea plantations region. Tea plantations,Dense forests, valleys,green mountains and flora and fauna makes Munnar as one of the best romantic honeymoon destination in India.
Munnar-tea-Gardens
Munnar-tea-Gardens

Wayanad 

The district of Wayanad is located in the north-east of Kerala on the on the high altitudes of majestic Western Ghats. Wayanad is one of the least explore area of Kerala and major portion are tribal habitat. District of Wayanad is full of attractions with Mountains Peaks, Rivers, lakes and waterfall. Meenmutty Falls a three-tiered waterfall with a height of 300 metres is located in Kalpetta.
Meenmutty falls-Wayanad
Meenmutty falls-Wayanad

Kochi

Kochi earlier known as Cochin is a port city of Kerala located at west coast of India in the Arabian Sea. Kochi is the part of district of Ernakulam, the eastern part of the mainland of Kochi and they both are called as twin cities. The city of Kochi is home to Port of Kochi,Indian Navy,Indian Coast Guard and other major chemical industries. City of Kochi is the best tourist destination in Kerala and sixth best in India. Kochi Marine Drive and Kochi Harbour,Jain temple in Mattancherry are few famous Spot to visit around the city.
Kochi
Kochi

Kozhikode 

Kozhikode is known as Calicut located in the southwest coast of Kerala and bordered by Kannur, Wayanad,Malappuram and Arabian Sea. Calicut is the place where Vasco da Gama lands and among the territories ceded to the British East India Company by Tipu Sultan of Mysore. The city known as City of Spices and famous for its many temples and mosques along with other attractions like Thusharagiri Falls, Kuttiyadi Dam and Sea port.
Kozhikode Beach
Kozhikode Beach

Wildlife Sanctuary of South India - Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve


Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve Nature park is the most popular biosphere reserves in India and the major National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary of South India. Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve area is located at the foothills of the famous Nilgiris hills or blue mountains at the meeting point of two majestic mountain ranges the Western Ghats and the Eastern Ghats and shares boundaries with Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala states. The Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve includes many National parks and wildlife sanctuaries and also declared a Tiger Reserve. The reserve is home to fauna includes over 100 species of mammals, 350 species of birds, 80 species of reptiles, about 39 species of fish, 31 amphibians and 316 species of butterflies.

Mudumalai National Park and Sanctuary

The famous Mudumalai National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary is situated at the northwestern side of the Nilgiri Hills near Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu and interstate boundaries with Karnataka and Kerala. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to endangered Indian elephants,Royal Bengal Tigers, Indian Leopards and vulnerable Gaur along with Indian Giant Squirrel and Red Giant Flying Squirrel and critically endangered species of birds such as Indian White-rumped Vulture,Malabar grey Hornbill and unique near threatened Black-and-orange Flycatcher.
Elephant at Mudumalai Park
Elephant at Mudumalai Park
Mudumalai wildlife Park is divided into five sub ranges Masinagudi,Thepakadu, Mudumalai, Kargudi and Nellakota. Mudumalai wildlife sanctuaries is one of the first wildlife park established in India and declared a Tiger Reserve, It is an important wildlife habitat and Wildlife Corridor between Bandipur National Park,Nagarhole National Park and Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary. The Reserve forests offers shelters to four big cats of India Bengal tiger, Indian leopard,deers, Jungle cat and Leopard cat along with Bonnet Macaque, Gray langur, Sloth Bear,Indian wild dogs Dhole and the Striped Hyena.
Deer at Mudumalai National Park - South India
Deer at Mudumalai National Park - South India

Mukurthi National Park

The Mukurthi National Park is situated western part of Nilgiris Plateau in the Western Ghats mountain range. Mukurthi National Park is the major protect area of ungulate The Nilgiri tahr,the state animal of Tamil Nadu. Mukurthi protected area is provide Habitat for sholas and Montane grasslands Wildlife and the flora are numerous endemic plants scapigerous, Alchemilla indica and Impatiens. Fauna includes mostly the grassland mammal species including Nilgiri Tahr, Nilgiri Marten, Nilgiri langur,Sambar deer, Barking deer and Wild water buffalo. Avifauna consists mostly of hill birds includes Whistling Thrush,Nilgiri Flycatcher, Nilgiri Pipit along with predatory birds the Black Eagle, Black-winged Kite and Kestrel.
Mountain Goat - Mukurthi National Park -South India
Mountain Goat - Mukurthi National Park -South India

Silent Valley National Park

The Silent Valley National Park is the core area of the Nilgiri International Biosphere Reserve and part of World Heritage Site,the Western Ghats. The high diversity of Silent Valley National Park support wide range of wildlife and home to the largest population of endangered species Lion-tailed Macaque, Malabar Giant Squirrel and Indian Flying-fox or Greater Indian Fruit Bat. One of the best place to spot rare and endangered species of birds like Long-legged Buzzard,Red winged crested cuckoo,Malabar Pied Hornbill,Nilgiri Wood-pigeon,the Black bulbul and Pale harrier.
Monkey looking - Silent Valley National Park - South India
Monkey looking - Silent Valley National Park - South India

Sathyamangalam Wildlife Sanctuary

The Sathyamangalam Wildlife Sanctuary is the largest wildlife sanctuary in Tamil Nadu and a major wildlife corridor between Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve of the Western Ghats and Biligiriranga Swamy Temple Wildlife Sanctuary of the Eastern Ghats. Sathyamangalam Wildlife Sanctuary is a notable wildlife corridor, mix of flat land, grass land and mountain peaks between the Western Ghats and the Eastern Ghats. Its is fourth Project Tiger Tiger Reserve of India and a notable sanctuary to diverse populations of the animals of two habitats such as great Indian Elephants,royal Bengal Tigers,Indian leopards and other wild boar, Sloth bear and striped hyenas.
Striped Hyena - Sathyamangalam Wildlife Sanctuary - South India
Striped Hyena - Sathyamangalam Wildlife Sanctuary - South India

Bandipur National Park 

The Bandipur National Park is a tiger reserve located in Chamarajanagar district of Karnataka and know for its Biomes and dry deciduous forest. The tiger reserve is one of the most famous national park in south India and along with Mudumalai,Wynad and Nagarhole it is the largest protected area of south India. Bandipur National Park is home to many species of India’s endangered wildlife such as Indian giant squirrels, muggers, Indian rock pythons, Spectacled cobra, four-horned antelopes,Indian monitor lizards and the large bovine Gaur or Indian bison.
Wild Cow - Bandipur National Park - South India
Wild Cow - Bandipur National Park - South India

Nagarhole National Park 

The Nagarhole National Park is located between the Kodagu and Mysore district in Karnataka state. Nagarhole National Park is heavily forested Project Tiger tiger reserve and cover with small water streams, big mountain hills, deep valleys and spectacular waterfalls. Its is also known as Rajiv Gandhi National Park ranges from foothills of the Western Ghats to down the Brahmagiri hills towards Kerala. Nagarhole National Park is home to Purple heron,darter,Indian rock python, stripe-necked mongoose along with tiger, leopard,wild dogs and striped hyena.
RedFox - Nagarhole National Park - South India
RedFox - Nagarhole National Park - South India

Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary

The Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary is an second largest wildlife park in Kerala and declared a Project Elephant, Elephant Reserves. Wayanad Wildlife sanctuary is situated between the Mysore and a small town Sultan Bathery in Wayanad district of Kerala. Wayanad Animal sanctuary support a wide range of flora includes maruthi, bamboos, rosewood, karimaruthi and fauna such as panthers, jungle cats, deer and bears along with AviFauna few wild birds owls, woodpeckers, jungle fowls,Peacocks and Peafowl.
Vulture at Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary - South India
Vulture at Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary - South India



Thursday, September 9, 2010

A Complete India Travel Guide Launched

Your wait is finally over. A complete Travel Guide, Complete India Travel Guide that focuses completely on India has been launched. The days of scratching about for information on India before you embark on a tour of this beautiful country is passé. Learn more about the beauty of this enchanting land from this exhaustively informative website Compleye India Travel Guide. This travel guide has quite a few useful tools that enable it to become a traveler’s best friend. 



Are you ready to pack your bag but not very sure about your destination? At BharatExpedition.com you will get to know about some tourist locations, whose existence you were never aware of. No wonder, this is by far the best India Travel Guide that you will find in the Internet. Rich in information, this exclusively India centric travel guide is surely destined to become a tourist’s best pal.

Travel Guide is conceived to provide travelers with enough information on travel so that it becomes easier for them to take decisions. The website enables you to book hotels in more than 150 Indian cities. You also have the choice to book a luxury hotel or a budget hotel. One added advantage that this complete India Travel Guide has is its ability to book hotels real time through partners and give instant confirmation facility. It has more than 500 hotels of all categories throughout India in its database. You can, therefore, be pretty sure of getting a hotel room anywhere in the country.

This extremely informative guide on Indian tourism will help you plan you tour without getting sand between your toes. Tourists who love to stay off the beaten track will find this website to their liking. There are plenty of exotic tour packages like safari tours, golf tours, beach holidays and adventure tours. If you want to re-live history, you will have plenty of information on historic places like Delhi, Jaipur and Agra. Enjoy life in throbbing metropolitan cities like Mumbai. The website aims to provide you will all the travel resources that you may need. Here you will find popular tourist destinations as well as lesser known paradises on earth.

Complete INDIA Travel Guide
Knowledge is power. Your tour can be safe and delightful if you have all the information about the place where you wish to go. At BharatExpedition.com   you will have more than enough information on tourist attractions. Small things often make big difference. BharatExpedition.com  has an eye for detail. Here you will get the direction of tourist hot spots from different transit points like airport, railway station and even bus stop. You will also get to know about the hotels near that attraction. Many websites has the ability to book a flight or car too. 

This complete India Travel Guide is the only one of its kind. It has more information than a typical travel search engine. At the same time it enables you to book hotels, flights, cars and packages online. These entire things combine together to make Complete India Travel Guide a unique India oriented travel guide.