Mountains & Mystics

You’ll arrive in Kalka at about midday and will board the Himlayan Toy train, the ‘Himalayan Queen’, for a scenic journey which will take you through the Shivalik ranges to Shimla. Your bus will simultaneously drive with you carrying your luggage and you can do part of the journey by train & part by bus if you find this more comfortable. You should arrive in Shimla late in the afternoon and will transfer to your hotel. Shimla – Queen of Hills – used to be summer capital of during British rule in India. It is at a height of 2200 meter above sea level. As the Summer Capital of the British in India, Shimla was the country's focus for the better part of every year and now, is the state capital of Himachal Pradesh. Today, it has well developed facilities, easy accessibility and numerous attractions making it one of India's most popular hill resort. Situated in the lower ranges of the Himalayan mountains, it is surrounded by pine deodar, oak and rhododendron forests. Towards the north lie the snow-covered high-ranges, while the valleys breathe whispering streams and swaying fields. Within the town are host of splendid colonial edifices, quaint cottages and charming walks. Shimla offers a variety of shopping, sport and entertainment activities. You’ll take a guided tour visiting the Indian Institute Of Advanced Studies, Sankat Mochan Temple and Jakhu Temple before a final free afternoon where you’ll have the opportunity to stroll in the famous Mall Road – great for sourcing pottery items, jewellery and handicraft products & ‘The Ridge’, a wide open space used for summer festivals which leads to Lakkar Baazar, a wooden crafts market. Hotel – 2 nights (Bx2)

Today, you’ll be transferred by vehicle to the Sollang Nallah. Thereon you’ll walk along the right bank of Beas river through villages, green fields and orchards with beautiful valleys, forests & mountain view to old Manali village. Your walk will cover 11 km with very slight gradual inclines and declines and will take approximately 5 hrs, dependent on the weather conditions and the pace of the group. (B)

You’ll start today with a morning drive to Amritsar,the spiritual and cultural centre of the Sikh religion (210kms & approximately 5hrs). On arrival, you’ll check at your hotel. The rest of the day will be at leisure to relax after your journey. The following morning you’ll be taken sightseeing around some of the famous sites in Amritsar. One of which is the Golden Temple - the sacred Sikh sanctuary spread out in a vast complex around a huge water tank in the midst of which stands a marble sanctum where the holy book of the Sikhs, the Guru Granth is reverently placed. The roof of the sanctum is gold-leafed. The community kitchen provides free meals to up to 10,000 pilgrims or visitors in a day. You’ll walk by the busy bazaars of the city, visit the historic Jallianwalah Bagh where General Dyer’s bullets killed hundreds of innocent Indians and later visit the Durgiana Hindu temple which looks like a replica of the Golden Temple. Later on in the afternoon, you’ll visit the border town of Wagah to see the change of guard ceremony. It is a spectacle comparable to 'Change of Guards' in London. The pomp and pageantry of the Beating Retreat and the Change of Guard within handshaking distance of the Indian and Pakistani forces makes for a most charming spectacle. Hotel – 2 nights (Bx2)