Narkanda,Himachel Pradesh india

Narkanda lies at an altitude of about 2,470 mt, and is one of India’s oldest ski resorts. Fruit orchards on the surrounding hills produce some of Himachal''s most luscious apples and cherries, making Narkanda one of Himachal''s pleasantest settlements, no matter what time of the year. The stunning

views around Narkanda, combined with opportunities for long and leisurely walks through the orchards around, are reason enough in themselves to visit this hilltown. That''s not all there is to Narkanda, though - the town also has a clutch of sights, both within town and nearby, which are worth a visit.

Visit Narkanda in the winter months from January to early March as skiing is the only reason some come to Narkanda. Trekking could be the other reason - march to Hatu Peak or explore the lakes and temples and have a go at trekking.

Shopping If you''d like to complete your holiday with some shopping The Mall Road in Shimla offers a variety of things you can take back home. From clothes to jewellery to woollens to great handicraft items can be found here.

Night Out The Hotel in Narkhanda  has a restaurant where you could get a varied menu. Other than that the dhabas and road side stalls are a good option for a hot reasonably priced meal.

Activities Most visitors come here for the skiing- and what''s good about Narkanda is that it''s still comparatively unspoilt and uncrowded, so you won''t find yourself suffocated by hordes of fellow skiers. The slopes at Narkanda run the gamut from beginner''s to advanced, from slalom to cross-country. Hatu Peak, which towers 609 mt above Narkanda, also has popular ski slopes. Himachal Tourism manages all the skiing facilities at Narkanda. There are a few treks around Narkanda and none of them are of the extreme kind.

Sights

Hatu Peak (3300m) is 8 kms from Narkanda and the narrow that climbs to it runs through pine and spruce forest. The ancient Hatu Mata temple is situated atop the hill that offers spectacular view of the snow covered mountains of the Himalayan Range. Kotgarh and Thanedhar

15 kms away form the apple belt of Himachal Pradesh and is best known for the various apple varieties like Golden Delicious and Red Delicious. Story has it that one Mr Stokes came on a trip to India, fell in love with the countryside and hill folk and decided to settle in the area - he is the one who started apple farming and the Stokes farm is located at Thanedhar.

How to get there by Air The nearest airport is Jubbarbatti some 25 kms from Shimla. From Shimla you have to drive another 64 kms (2 hours) to reach Narkanda.

How to get there by Rail Take the Kalka Express to Kalka and than take a taxi to Narkanda. Or alternately take a train to Shimla and and then by road to Narkhanda.

How to get there by Bus Take NH1 from Delhi on to Ambala via Karnal before climbing on to NH22 for Shimla via Zirakpur and Panchkula.

Best time to Visit When you visit Narkanda depends upon what you''re here for. Peak skiing season is usually between January and February, when the slopes are well-covered with snow. If skiing''s not quite your interest, Narkanda''s equally beautiful the rest of the year too. Autumn- between September and November- is an especially lovely time of the year, when the woods around Narkanda are a riot of gold, orange and red.

Hotels in Himachal Pradesh

Narkanda''s list of tourist accommodation facilities is rather modest. You can either stay at Hotel Hatu or at the hotel operated by Himachal State Tourism Development Corporation. The town has a pretty- but otherwise fairly unpretentious- rest-house, and a handful of other properties. Most are

clean and comfortable but nowhere near luxurious.

Nearby Places

Some of the places that are situated close to Narkanda are Kufri, Naldehra, Shimla, Chail and Fagu. All these places offer magnificent snowy peaks and sublime weather to the visitors.