Tourism in Himachal Pradesh relates to

tourism Tourism is travel for pleasure or business; also the theory and practice of touring (disambiguation), touring, the business of attracting, accommodating, and entertaining tourists, and the business of operating tour (disambiguation), tours. Th ...

in the

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

state State may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Literature * ''State Magazine'', a monthly magazine published by the U.S. Department of State * ''The State'' (newspaper), a daily newspaper in Columbia, South Carolina, United States * ''Our S ...

Himachal Pradesh Himachal Pradesh (; ; "Snow-laden Mountain Province") is a state in the northern part of India. Situated in the Western Himalayas, it is one of the thirteen mountain states and is characterized by an extreme landscape featuring several peaks ...

. This is popularly renowned for its Himalayan landscapes and popular hill-stations. Many outdoor activities such as

rock climbing Rock climbing is a sport in which participants climb up, across, or down natural rock formations. The goal is to reach the summit of a formation or the endpoint of a usually pre-defined route without falling. Rock climbing is a physically and ...

mountain biking Mountain biking is a sport of riding bicycles off-road, often over rough terrain, usually using specially designed mountain bikes. Mountain bikes share similarities with other bikes but incorporate features designed to enhance durability and pe ...

paragliding Paragliding is the recreational and competitive adventure sport of flying paragliders: lightweight, free-flying, foot-launched glider aircraft with no rigid primary structure. The pilot sits in a harness or lies supine in a cocoon-like 'po ...

ice-skating Ice skating is the self-propulsion and gliding of a person across an ice surface, using metal-bladed ice skates. People skate for various reasons, including recreation (fun), exercise, competitive sports, and commuting. Ice skating may be perf ...

, trekking, rafting, and

heli-skiing Heli-skiing is off-trail, downhill skiing or snowboarding where the skier reaches the top of the mountain by helicopter, instead of a ski lift. History In the late 1950s, helicopters were used in Alaska and Europe to access remote terrain. The i ...

are popula
tourist attractions in Himachal
Pradesh. Until the British reign, tourism in

was very limited to a few places around the hills and some spiritual destinations. The British developed hill stations during their reign one of them being

Shimla Shimla (; ; also known as Simla, List of renamed Indian cities and states#Himachal Pradesh, the official name until 1972) is the capital and the largest city of the States and union territories of India, northern Indian state of Himachal Prade ...

which they called The Summer Capital of India. After the British rule, tourism in

was on the rise with the highest number of tourists in the mid 1980s and 1990s.

, the state capital, is popular among tourists. The Kalka-Shimla Railway is a mountain railway which is a

UNESCO World Heritage Site A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...

. Shimla is also a famous

skiing Skiing is the use of skis to glide on snow. Variations of purpose include basic transport, a recreational activity, or a competitive winter sport. Many types of competitive skiing events are recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IO ...

attraction in India. Other popular hill stations include Manali, Kinnuar, Kasol, Parvati Valley, Chamba, Kullu, Kinnar Kailesh, and

Kasauli Kasauli is a town and cantonment, located in Solan district in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. The cantonment was established by the British Raj in 1842 as a Colonial hill station,Sharma, Ambika"Architecture of Kasauli churches" ''The Trib ...

Dharamshala Dharamshala (; also spelled Dharamsala) is the winter capital of Himachal Pradesh, India. It serves as administrative headquarters of the Kangra district after being relocated from Kangra, a city located away from Dharamshala, in 1855. The ...

, home of the

Dalai Lama Dalai Lama (, ; ) is a title given by the Tibetan people to the foremost spiritual leader of the Gelug or "Yellow Hat" school of Tibetan Buddhism, the newest and most dominant of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism. The 14th and current Dal ...

, is known for its Tibetan monasteries and Buddhist temples. Many trekking expeditions also begin here. The Ridge is a large road in

which is the centre of most cultural activities of Shimla. Annadale is also a major tourist spot in Shimla with an Army Heritage Museum, a Golf Course, helipad and lush green nature. Bir, located on the west of

Joginder Nagar Valley Joginder Nagar Valley is a valley in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. The valley contains the town of Joginder Nagar, Bir-Billing, Chauntra and various other hill resorts surrounded by mountains on all sides. The valley falls in the mid-hil ...

, Kangara District, is the

Paragliding Paragliding is the recreational and competitive adventure sport of flying paragliders: lightweight, free-flying, foot-launched glider aircraft with no rigid primary structure. The pilot sits in a harness or lies supine in a cocoon-like 'po ...

Capital of India, attracts numerous tourists for this aerial

adventure sport Action sports, adventure sports or extreme sports are activities perceived as involving a high degree of risk. These activities often involve speed, height, a high level of physical exertion and highly specialized gear. Extreme tourism overl ...

. As well as being known as the “Paragliding Capital of India,” Bir in Himachal Pradesh is also a well-known destination for ecotourism and a hub for spiritual studies and meditation. With its Tibetan refugee camp, Buddhist monasteries, and large stupa, Bir is renowned for its peaceful atmosphere.’ ‘Bir Billing’ is the collective name for paragliders who take off from Billing and land in Bir village.

Topography

The

Himalayas The Himalayas, or Himalaya (; ; ), is a mountain range in Asia, separating the plains of the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau. The range has some of the planet's highest peaks, including the very highest, Mount Everest. Over 100 ...

are found in Himachal Pradesh. The

Shivalik range The Sivalik Hills, also known as the Shivalik Hills and Churia Hills, are a mountain range of the outer Himalayas that stretches over about from the Indus River eastwards close to the Brahmaputra River, spanning the northern parts of the Indian ...

and mid- Himalayas are found here. The highest peak is

Reo Purgyil Reo Purgyil, sometimes known as Leo Pargial and Leo Pargil, is a mountain peak at the southern end of the Zanskar Range in the Western Himalaya. It is located the border between Himachal Pradesh, India and Tibet. At 6,816 m, Reo Purgyil is th ...

with a height of 6,816m in

Kinnaur Kinnaur is one of the twelve administrative districts of the state of Himachal Pradesh in northern India. The district is divided into three administrative areas (Kalpa, Nichar (Bhabanagar), and Pooh) and has six tehsils. The administrative he ...

. Furthermore, there are some reservoirs and rivers in

which are tourist hotspots due to water port activities, sacred importance to

Hindus Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism.Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...

, bird watching and have health centres around them. The four major rivers in the state are

Ravi Ravi may refer to: People * Ravi (name), including a list of people and characters with the name * Ravi (composer) (1926–2012), Indian music director * Ravi (Ivar Johansen) (born 1976), Norwegian musical artist * Ravi (music director) (1926–201 ...

Chenab The Chenab River () is a major river that flows in India and Pakistan, and is one of the 5 major rivers of the Punjab region. It is formed by the union of two headwaters, Chandra and Bhaga, which rise in the upper Himalayas in the Lahaul regi ...

Sutlej The Sutlej or Satluj River () is the longest of the five rivers that flow through the historic crossroads region of Punjab in northern India and Pakistan. The Sutlej River is also known as ''Satadru''. It is the easternmost tributary of the Ind ...

and

Beas Beas is a riverfront town in the Amritsar district of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of Punjab, India, Punjab. Beas lies on the banks of the Beas River. Beas town is mostly located in revenue boundary of Budha Theh wit ...

. The

and

river valleys are home to hot springs such as

Tattapani Tattapani village is located in Karsog, Mandi district at a distance of 52 km from Shimla and 29 km from Naldehra. It is situated on the right bank of river Satluj The Sutlej or Satluj River () is the longest of the five rivers tha ...

Manikaran Manikaran is located in the Parvati Valley on river Parvati, northeast of Bhuntar in the Kullu District of Himachal Pradesh. It is at an altitude of 1760 m and is located 4 km ahead of Kasol and about 45 km from Kullu and about 35 km from Bhu ...

and

Vashisht Temple Vashisht or Vashistha was an ancient Indian sage (rishi) and an author of the ''Rigveda'' of Hinduism''.'' It may also refer to: * Vashisht, Himachal Pradesh, a village in Kullu district, Himachal Pradesh, India People with the name Vashisht *V ...

Flora and fauna

The

Great Himalayan National Park The Great Himalayan National Park (GHNP) is a national park in India, located in Kullu region in the state of Himachal Pradesh. The park was established in 1984 and is spread over an area of 1171 km2; elevations within the park range betwee ...

is found in the

Kullu district Kullu is a List of districts in India, district in Himachal Pradesh, India. It borders Rampur, Himachal Pradesh, Rampur district to the south, Mandi district, Mandi and Kangra district, Kangra districts to the west, and the Lahaul and Spiti dis ...

s of

. It has an area of 620 sq km and ranging from an altitude of 1500 meters to 4500 meters and was created in 1984. There are various forest types found here such as Deodar,

Silver Fir Silver fir is a common name for several trees and may refer to: *''Abies alba ''Abies alba'', the European silver fir or silver fir, is a fir native to the mountains of Europe, from the Pyrenees north to Normandy, east to the Alps and the Car ...

Spruce A spruce is a tree of the genus ''Picea'' (), a genus of about 35 species of coniferous evergreen trees in the family Pinaceae, found in the northern temperate and boreal (taiga) regions of the Earth. ''Picea'' is the sole genus in the subfami ...

Oak An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus ''Quercus'' (; Latin "oak tree") of the beech family, Fagaceae. There are approximately 500 extant species of oaks. The common name "oak" also appears in the names of species in related genera, notably ''L ...

and Alpine pastures. In the

, there are a variety of animals found such as

Snow Leopard The snow leopard (''Panthera uncia''), also known as the ounce, is a Felidae, felid in the genus ''Panthera'' native to the mountain ranges of Central Asia, Central and South Asia. It is listed as Vulnerable species, Vulnerable on the IUCN Red ...

, Himalayan Yak,

Himalayan Black Bear The Himalayan black bear (''Ursus thibetanus laniger'') is a subspecies of the Asian black bear found in the Himalayas of India, Bhutan, Nepal, China, and Pakistan. Description It is distinguished from '' U. t. thibetanus'' by its longer, thicke ...

Western Tragopan The western tragopan or western horned tragopan (''Tragopan melanocephalus'') is a medium-sized brightly plumed pheasant found along the Himalayas from north-eastern districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in northern Pakistan in the west to Ut ...

Monal A monal is a bird of genus ''Lophophorus'' of the pheasant family, Phasianidae. Description The males all have colorful, iridescent plumage. Their physique is rather plump. Their diet consists of plants such as roots and bulbs and insects. D ...

and

Musk Deer Musk deer can refer to any one, or all seven, of the species that make up ''Moschus'', the only extant genus of the family Moschidae. Despite being commonly called deer, they are not true deer belonging to the family Cervidae, but rather their fa ...

. This National Park is a trail to many hikers and trekkers too. Moreover, there are sanctuaries which are tourist spots such as

Naina Devi Sanctuary Naina may refer to: Films and music * ''Naina'' (1973 film) * ''Naina'' (2002 film) * ''Naina'' (2005 film) * "Naina" (Arijit Singh song), a song from the 2016 film ''Dangal'' People * Naina Yeltsina, widow of former Russian President Boris ...

in Bilaspur district with an area of 120 sq km and

Gobind Sagar Sanctuary Guru Gobind Singh (; 22 December 1666 – 7 October 1708), born Gobind Das or Gobind Rai the tenth Sikh Guru, a spiritual master, warrior, poet and philosopher. When his father, Guru Tegh Bahadur, was executed by Aurangzeb, Guru Gobind Sing ...

with an area of 100 sq km. There are animals such as

Indian porcupine The Indian crested porcupine (''Hystrix indica'') is a hystricomorph rodent species native to southern Asia and the Middle East. It is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. It belongs to the Old World porcupine family, Hystricidae. De ...

and

giant flying squirrel ''Petaurista'' is a genus of rodent in the family Sciuridae. They are large to very large flying squirrels found in forests and other wooded habitats in southern and eastern Asia. Like other flying squirrels, they are mostly nocturnal and abl ...

found here. The Gobind Sagar Lake has fish species such as

Mrigal The mrigal carp (''Cirrhinus cirrhosus''), ( bn, মৃগেল, translit=mrigél) also known as the white carp, is a species of ray-finned fish in the carp family. Native to streams and rivers in India, the only surviving wild population is in ...

Silver carp The silver carp (''Hypophthalmichthys molitrix'') is a species of freshwater cyprinid fish, a variety of Asian carp native to China and eastern Siberia, from the Amur River drainage in the north to the Xi Jiang River drainage in the south. Alt ...

, Katla, Mahaseer and

Rohu The rohu, rui, ruhi or roho labeo (''Labeo rohita'') is a species of fish of the carp family, found in rivers in South Asia. It is a large omnivore and extensively used in aquaculture. Description The rohu is a large, silver-colored fish o ...

are found here.

Narkanda Narkanda is a town and a nagar panchayat in Kumarsain subdivision of Shimla district in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. It is at an elevation of 2708 meters on the Hindustan-Tibet Road ( NH 5) in Himachal Pradesh, India within a fir (''ab ...

located in at an altitude of around 8850 feet is known for its apple orchards. It is located between the river valleys of Giri and

Fairs and festivals

There are a variety of festivals celebrated by the locals of Himachal Pradesh who worship gods and goddesses. There are over 2000 villages in

which celebrate festivals such as

Kullu Dussehra Kullu Dussehra is the renowned International Mega Dussehra festival observed in the month of October in Himachal Pradesh state in northern India. Wherein more than 4-5 lakh(400,000-500,000) people visit the fair from all across the Globe. It i ...

, Chamba’s Minjar,

Renuka ji Fair Renuka, also known as Yellamma, is a Hindu goddess worshipped predominantly in the South Indian states of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and western state of Maharashtra. She is also known as the mother of Parashuram ...

Lohri ''Lohri'' is a popular winter Punjabi folk festival celebrated primarily in Northern India. The significance and legends about the Lohri festival are many and these link the festival to the Punjab region. It is believed by many that the festiva ...

Halda Halda Watch Company is a Swedish manufacturer of high-end watches. It was founded in 1887 by Henning Hammarlund in Svängsta. History Halda was founded in 1887 by the factory owner Henning Hammarlund (1857-1922) in order to primarily pro ...

, Phagli, Lossar and Mandi Shivratri. There approximately 6000 temples in Himachal Pradesh with a known one being

Bijli Mahadev Bijali (thunder Mahadeva temple) Mahadeva Mandir is a located in Kashawri village, Kullu Valley in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. It is located at an altitude of about 2,460mhimachaltourism.gov.in/post/Bijli-Mahadev-temple.aspx in the ...

. The temple is seen as a 20-meter structure built in stone which, according to locals, is known to attract lighting. They say that this is a way the Gods show their blessings.

Major attractions

Palampur Palampur is a hill station and a municipal corporation situated in the Kangra District in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. It is surrounded by pine forests and flanked by the Dhauladhar ranges. There are numerous streams flowing from the ...

* Chail * Kufri *

* Manali *

Kullu Kullu is a municipal council town that serves as the administrative headquarters of the Kullu district of the states and union territories of India, Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. It is located on the banks of the Beas River in the Kullu Va ...

* Baijnath *Rampur *

* Sangla *

Kalpa Kalevan Pallo (KalPa) is a professional ice hockey team which competes in the Finnish Liiga. They play in Kuopio, Finland at the Niiralan monttu, Olvi Areena. Team history Established in 1929 as ''Sortavalan Palloseura'' in Sortavala, the club r ...

* Nako *

Chitkul Chhitkul is a village in Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh. During winters, the place mostly remains covered with the snow and the inhabitants move to lower regions of Himachal. According to a recent study by Centre of Atmospheric Sciences ...

Reckong Peo Reckong Peo, also spelled Rekong Peo or simply known as Peo by the local inhabitants, is headquarters of Kinnaur district, one of the twelve administrative districts of the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. At a height of 2,290 metres (7,513&n ...

*Karsog * Dalhousie *

Kangra Valley Kangra Valley is a river valley situated in the Western Himalayas.Mandi Mandi may refer to: Places * Mandı, Azerbaijan India * Mandi, Jammu and Kashmir, a town on the Mandi River in the Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir * Mandi, Himachal Pradesh, a city in Himachal Pradesh ** Mandi State, former princely sta ...

*Rewalsar *Janjehli *

Spiti valley Spiti (pronounced as Piti in Bhoti language) is a high-altitude region of the Himalayas, located in the north-eastern part of the northern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. The name "Spiti" means "The middle land", i.e. the land between Tibe ...

* Kasol *

Tosh Tosh may refer to: People * Tosh (surname) * Tosh (nickname) * Tosh Townend (born 1985), professional skateboarder * Tosh Van der Sande (born 1990), Belgian professional cyclist Places * Tosh, Himachal Pradesh, India; a village * Kiryas To ...

* McLeod Ganj *

* Kheerganga trek, Parvati Valley * Bir (Paragliding Capital of India) *

Chamba Chamba may refer to: People * Gilberto Chamba (born 1961), Ecuadorian serial killer * Jessica Chamba (born 1981), European activist Places Ghana * Chamba, a town in the Northern Region India * Chamba (Vidhan Sabha constituency), Himachal Pradesh ...

Triund Triund is a small hill station in the Kangra district in the state of Himachal Pradesh, India. Triund is a part of Dharamkot. Triund is at the foot of the Dhauladhar ranges and is at a height of . See also *List of hill stations in India ...

Khajjiar Khajjiar is a hill station, near town of Chamba in Chamba district, Himachal Pradesh, India, located approximately from Dalhousie. Khajjiar lies on a small plateau with a small stream-fed lake in the middle that has been covered over with ...

* Seraj valley *Thachi,panjain,banjar In August 2020 the Himachal Pradesh Government announced that they will be running vistadome buses inside

Rohtang Rohtang Pass (Rohtang , lit: རོ་ (Ro)- corpse(s), ཐང་། (thang)- plain/field Polgreen, Lydia. ''New York Times''. Accessed 31 July 2010.) is a high mountain pass (elevation ) on the eastern end of the Pir Panjal Range of the Hima ...

tunnel for tourists. File:Himalayan Queen.jpg, Kalka–Shimla Railway is a mountain railway in Himachal Pradesh. File:Ridge, Shimla.JPG,

The Ridge, Shimla The Ridge road is a large open space, located in the center of Shimla, the capital city of Himachal Pradesh, India. The Ridge is the hub of all cultural activities of Shimla. It is situated along the Mall Road, which is the famous shopping cen ...

File:Skiing manali.jpg, Skiing in Manali File:Cloud Volcano.jpg,

Rohtang Pass Rohtang Pass (Rohtang , lit: རོ་ (Ro)- corpse(s), ཐང་། (thang)- plain/field Polgreen, Lydia. ''New York Times''. Accessed 31 July 2010.) is a high mountain pass (elevation ) on the eastern end of the Pir Panjal Range of the Hima ...

in Himachal Pradesh File:Masrur rockcut temple.jpg, 8th century rock cut temple at Masrur File:Chitkul Village during August month.jpg, Chitkul is a small village at the end of Sangla valley in

References

{{Tourism in India Himachal Pradesh-related lists Himachal Pradesh Tourism articles by quality