Exploring North India Tour: An Offbeat Journey Through Mountains and Heritage
This offbeat North India Tour invites you to explore a tapestry of rich landscapes, diverse cultures, and profound spiritual heritage, far from the typical tourist trail. Starting in the bustling city of Delhi, you’ll journey through the sacred grounds of Rishikesh and Haridwar, delving into the heart of India’s ancient traditions of yoga, meditation, and Hindu rituals. As you continue to the tranquil hill stations and rugged mountain valleys of Himachal Pradesh, you’ll uncover breathtaking vistas, ancient monasteries, and charming villages nestled amidst the Himalayas. From the UNESCO heritage train to Shimla to the remote, scenic valleys of Spiti and Kinnaur, each destination offers unique experiences — from heritage sites and sacred temples to pristine lakes and remote villages where time seems to stand still. Along the way, witness the stunning architectural blend of Tibetan Buddhism and Hinduism, discover the colorful local markets, and immerse yourself in the serene beauty and spiritual essence that define these regions.
This journey is not only about exploring destinations but also about connecting deeply with the traditions and lifestyles of the people who inhabit these breathtaking regions. Discover rustic beauty in the small town of Naggar, marvel at the splendor of the Golden Temple in Amritsar, and feel the energy of the Wagah Border ceremony. These experiences blend seamlessly to offer a comprehensive look at the lesser-known wonders of North India Tour.
DAY 1 –
Delhi – Arrival Delhi late night & transfer to hotel. Check – in & O/N in Delhi.
DAY 2 – Rishikesh
Early Breakfast & drive to Rishikesh.Reaching Rishikesh , Post lunch explore Rishikesh visiting temples, Ashrams, yoga & meditation centres, stroll around the market. O/N in Rishikesh.
DAY 3 – Rishikesh – Haridwar
Breakfast & drive to Haridwar & check in to hotel. Explore Haridwar, visit temples, market, evening take part in Ganga Aarti in the Har-ki-Pauri Ghat. O/N in Haridwar.
DAY 4 – Haridwar – Chandigarh
Breakfast & drive to Chandigarh. Reach in the afternoon. Check in to the hotel. Post lunchvisit the famous Rock Garden created by Nekchand, and city tour. Evening leisure time at the Sukhna Lake. O/N in Chandigarh.
Breakfast & drive to Barog, a small hill station in Solan valley. visit the interesting tourists places around Barog, visit the site of Barog Railway station, a UNESCO world heritage site. . Board afternoon train for Shimla arriving in evening at Shimla station. Received & Transfer to hotel in Shimla. O/N in Shimla
DAY 6 – Shimla
Breakfast & full day sightseeing of Shimla. City tour covering the colonial buildings, Town Hall, the Jakhu temple of Lord Hanuman at the top of Jakhu Hill, visit the Himachal State Museum, visit the Viceregal Lodge now called the Rashtrapati Niwas, the Indian Institute of Advanced Studies (Research Institute). Evening stroll around the Mall & the Ridge. O/N in Shimla
Day 7 – Shimla – Kufri – Narkanda – Rampur Bushahr – North India Tour
Breakfast & proceed to Rampur via Kufri & Narkanda. Enjoy the drive viewing the picturesque Shivalik Range on the Hindustan Tibet Road. Lunch in Chail Palace Hotel. Post lunch enroute Narkanda visiting the Hatu Peak & Tanni Jubbar Lake. Reaching Rampur in the evening & check in to the hotel. O/N Rampur Bushahr.
Day 8 – Rampur – Saharan – Sangla/Baspa Valley – Chitkul – Sangla
Breakfast & proceed to Sangla driving along the Satluj River & Jeori climb to Saharan,known as the “Gateway of Kinnaur”. Visiting the ancient Bhimakali temple. Further driving to Sangla Valley. On arrival in Sangla, check in to the hotel. Afternoon drive to Chitkul- a village located on right bank of Baspa River, the last village of the Baspa Valley and the last village on the old Hindustan-Tibet trade route. Visit Batseri Village which has a mix of Buddhist and Hinduism both live in complete natural harmony with each other. Evening back to Sangla. O/N stay in Sangla.
Day 9 – Sangla – Kamru – Reckong Peo – Kalpa – North India Tour
Early breakfast & drive to Kamru Village to visit the Kamru Fort,an ancient fort of the bygone era. Then drive to Reckong Peo which has breathtaking views of the Kinnaur Kailash mountain range, a sacred peak in Hindu mythology and also the commercial and cultural center for the region. Driving further to the small town Kalpa, renowned for Its apple orchards and a blend of Hindu and Buddhist cultures in their life style. Kalpa offers a spectacular sight to behold especially at sunrise when the changing colors of the peaks is a breathtaking sight. O/N in Kalpa.
Day 10 – Kalpa
Early breakfast & sightseeing around Kalpa visiting the very old Hu-Bu-Lan-Kar Gompa (Buddhist monastery) dating back from 950-1055 AD which has got a serene & spectacular beautiful view of the Kinnaur-Kailash ranges. The monastery gets closed after morning prayers & outsiders not allowed to enter or see the interior. Proceed to the Narayan-Nagini Temple made in a Tibetan pagoda style, and history, visit the Sapni Forts,experience authentic village life of Roghi village or nearby Kothi village, which is rich in art and architecture. O/N in Kalpa.
Day 11 – Kalpa – Morang – Nako
Breakfast & drive to Morang, a tranquil town, known for its picturesque landscapes, lush greenery and rich cultural heritage. It offers panoramic views of the Himalayas and an ideal place for nature lovers. Visit the Morang Fort, an ancient structure associated with legendry epic bearing significant historical attraction. Further proceed driving upwards to Nako passing through Pooh and than Khab. Khab is the confluence point (Sangam) of Spiti and Sutlej rivers. Beyond Khab, the landscape changes to the chilled arid desert landscape of trans-Himalaya. The breathtaking drive is a treat to the travellers to experience entering into the Hangrang valley. Reaching Nako, the last village in the Kinnaur region close to the Indo-Tibetan border in Evening. Check-in the hotel. O/N in Nako.
Day 12 – Nako – Tabo
Early breakfast drive to visit Buddhist Gompa in which the legendary footprints of the Guru Padamsambhava are enshrined at the Lotsabaage Monastery. The Nako monastery is one of the oldest ones in the trans-Himalayan region, dating back to the 11th century that stands as a testament to the village’s ancient Buddhist heritage. Nako Village is known for its natural beauty and cultural richness. Nako Lake is a major attraction, offering stunning reflections of the surrounding mountains. Proceed to Sumdo to get the entry permit to travel further to Lahaul-Spiti by Foreign tourists. After getting the permit to enter the Spiti valley drive along the Spiti river proceed to Tabo Gompa is the oldest continuously functioning Buddhist monument in India and the Himalayas. Gompa has old paintings and is known as the Ajanta and Ellora of the Himalayas. Check in to hotel. O/N in Tabo.
Day 13 – Tabo – Dhankar – Lhalung – Pin Valley – Kaza (120 km, 6h)
Early breakfast and visit The Tabo Monastery around 1000 years old founded by the Tibetan Buddhist Rinchen Zangpo. Tabo Monastery has nine temples, four decorated stupas and cave shrines. The monastery is known as “The Ajanta of the Himalayas” because of its frescoes and stucco paintings. Then drive towards Dhankar village, that overlooks the confluence of Spiti and Pin River. Enjoy walking in Dhankar village visiting Dhankar Monastery and Dhankar Lake and after lunch drive to Lhalung village to visit its famous golden temple. Drive through the Pin Valley enjoying the lovely views to Mudh village & proceed to Kaza. O/N in Kaza.
Day 14 – Kaza – Key – Kibber – Kaza – North India Tour
Breakfast & visit Key monastery, largest monastery in Spiti Valley and is founded in 11th Century. Little further is the beautiful Kibber village at the height of 4270 m. visit Kibber monastery and walk around the village. Later drive back to Kaza & check in to hotel. O/N at Kaza.
Day 15 – Kaza – Losar – Lake Chandratal – North India Tour
Breakfast & exploring the local bazaar of Kaza, visit Kaza monastery and later drive towards Lake Chandratal passing Losar & Kunzum Pazz. Drive uphill to Kunzum Pass reaching the revered Kunzum Mata temple, a spot which is a mandatory for all vehicles to stop taking her blessings before proceed further. The Kunzum Pass connects Spiti Valley with Lahaul valley. Drive to Chandrataal in a very slow speed.The beauty of the lake area is enthralling. Located on the Samudra Tapu plateau, Chandratal lake is fed by the Chandra Glacier which lies within the Chandrabhaga range that overlook the lake. The lake is very famous amongst the trekkers and also a must visit place for the nature lovers. O/N stay in camp in Chandratal.
Day 16 – Chandratal – Manali – Naggar – North India Tour
Early breakfast & drive to Manali along the Chandra River to Batal, Chota Dara and Chatru and passing through Atal Tunnel Rohtang Pass to Manali. Halt briefly for refreshment. Then proceed to Naggar. Evening check in to hotel. O/N in Naggar.
Naggar – Kullu – Lake Rewalsar – Mandi – North India Tour
Breakfast & visit Naggar Castle, Gauri Shankar Temple, Nicholas Roerich Art Gallery, explore & discover the hidden gems of the ancient villages like Rusum Village, en-route visit Manikaran & proceed to Lake Rewalsar. Rewalsar Lake or Tso Pema Lotus Lake consists of 4 Buddhist monasteries – the Tso Pema Nyingma Gompa, Drikung Kagyu Monastary situated on the western side of the lake with a big statue of Guru Padmasambhaba, The Mahatma Buddha Temple & the Meditation Cave temple located at a short distance of around 30-40 mins walking distance from the town on top of a giant rock. Late evening drive back to Mandi. Check in to the hotel. O/N in Mandi.
Day 18 – Mandi – Bir – Baijnath – Palampur – North India Tour
Breakfast & explore Mandi to visit the ancient historical temple sites like the Ardhnarishwar Temple, a sacred temple of Hindus dedicated to Lord Shiva and his consort Parvati, Bhootnath, Triloknath & then proceed to Bir visiting the Deer Park institute & Chokling Monastery, further drive to Palampur enroute visiting the Baijnath Shiva Temple. Check in hotel in evening at Palampur. O/N in Palampur.
Day 19 – Palampur – Dharamsala Early breakfast & check out for explore to Palampur passing the Kangra Valley & local villages visiting the Masroor Rock Cut Temple complex & Kangra Fort. Then proceed to McLeod Ganj to visit Dalai Lama temple, Namgyal Monastery, Tsuglagkhang Complex, Norbulingka Institute. O/N in Dharamsala.
Day 20 – Dharamsala – Amritsar
Breakfast & drive to Amritsar. Late afternoon check in to hotel. Evening ritual of golden temple O/N in Amritsar.
Day 21 – Amritsar Full day – Night Departure – North India Tour
Breakfast & visit Golden Temple, Jallianwala Bagh, The Partition Museum (Monday close) and post lunch the proceed to Wagah Border to witness the parade passing by Gobindgarh Fort, War Memorial & Museum. After witnessing Flag ceremony at 05:00 pm transfer to Amritsar Airport to board flight at 20:35 m for onward journey.
Concluding in the historic city of Amritsar, this Noth India tour has taken you from the banks of the sacred Ganges to the towering Himalayas, leaving you with a unique perspective on India’s spiritual and cultural diversity. The journey has showcased not only well-preserved heritage sites but also the harmonious coexistence of multiple faiths, traditional lifestyles, and an abundance of natural beauty. As you reflect on the bustling markets, quiet monasteries, and the warm hospitality of remote mountain villages, this trip serves as a reminder of the simplicity and serenity that exists off the beaten path.
With cherished memories of sunrise views over the Kinnaur Kailash range, the tranquil beauty of Chandratal Lake, and the rituals at Har-ki-Pauri in Haridwar, this adventure through North India has been a journey of inner discovery as much as an exploration of breathtaking landscapes. The final moments in Amritsar, with the Golden Temple’s glowing reflection at dawn and the patriotic fervor of the Wagah Border, are a fitting close to this journey through India’s less-traveled roads. This tour will remain a vivid memory, inspiring you to continue discovering the world beyond the ordinary, filled with unique landscapes, rich traditions, and profound peace.
