Category Archives: Travel

A Dreamy Trip to the Backwaters of Kumarakom

The languid stretch of backwaters, gleaming modestly under the brilliant sun is the place the snakebirds sit acutely holding up to get the fish swimming underneath. Wait for the bird to uncoils its neck, swoop into the water and come back with the prey in its mouth. Furthermore, this is one of the numerous sights in Kumarakom that will leave you speechless. A lot more is in store for you here.
Check out these dreamy sites in Kumarakom that are generally the pride of the Kumarakom tour packages.  Do not miss visiting any of these.

 

Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary

As you sail over the shimmering backwaters, roost yourself at the Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary for a one on one with nature. The Bird Sanctuary settles comfortably along the Vembanad lake. Here, you’ll be welcomed by the nearby waterfowl, duck, egret, moorhen, owl, cuckoo, Heron Darter and Siberian Cranes also. Take a stroll around the 14 acre land in the morning or at night and have an encounter with some of the rarest types of bird species you would have ever seen.

 

Kumarakom Backwaters

Contract a houseboat and set out cruising on the Vembanad Lake. Sail through the tidal ponds and backwater lined with tall coconut trees. Look through the sublime waters and try to spot little pearl spot fish or karimeen as they are commonly called. Employing a houseboat would cost you between INR 1500 to INR 1700 per hour. A complete sail would take around 5-6 hours and there would be extra charges for food per individual. There are two services- morning and night. You can also contact your own tour operators to get your own hotel arrange for these boats.

 

Kumarakom Beach

If water sports set your heart throbbing, then Kumarakom Beach is the ideal spot for you. You can enjoy water skiing, parasailing, wind surfing, sailing, water polo and swimming here. Begin with a session of volleyball or simply sit and sunbathe at the shoreline, unwind yourself and have a fabulous time at the beach of Kumarakom. There are spas and ayurvedic rub spots in the resorts lined around the beachline.

 

Bay Island Driftwood Museum

This is a gigantic museum of driftwood articles in an extraordinary and contemporary design. There are root figures in a variety of shapes for you to look through. According to legends, a teacher got the propensity for arbitrarily gathering driftwood pieces conveyed by the ocean to the shore. With every violent wind, the ocean brought along old trees and roots and left behind its plunder on the shores. These pieces were accumulated, cleaned and molded to give them innovative structures. This procedure of adding to the pillaged merchandise acquired by the Bay of Bengal is exhibited here for you to see.

 

Obviously, cruising over the backwaters, along with that special someone can be ideally the best thing to do. Visit in June and August for sighting some gorgeous and rare bird species.

 

Have a spectacular trip!

A trek to Dalhousie is a traveller’s delight

Dalhousie is one of the finest hill stations is said by Pandit Nehru Ji. The wonderful unique atmosphere and the alluring nature is god gifted. This vacation, pack your bag and ply to Dalhousie from Pathankot. Read on for more information.

 

ixigo Cab 2

Abandoned and disowned by Lahore after the division of Indian land, Dalhousie remain an ideal Indian spot. Dalhousie is a beautiful, picture perfect hill stations and it is situated in the Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh. This hill resort is spread over five hills at 2000m. Situated between the Dhauladhar and Pir Panjal ranges, Dalhousie is blessed with charming nature. It is in the north-east of Pathankot. It is known in the year 1851, this hill resort adopted its name from the then Governor General of India Lord Dalhousie. Dalhousie also bears a strong historical background as well. Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore stayed at Snowdon which is at Upper Bakrota Road. Eminent personalities like Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose and Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru also visited the town. From the point of beauty, climate and surroundings, Dalhousie is one of the finest hill stations in India.

 

Long level walks around its five hills is the most exciting things to do. The circular walk on the Thandi Sarak and Garam Sarak is popular among the other. From Pathankot reaching Dalhousie is the easiest things of all. You can take Pathankot to Dalhousie taxi or else go for a customary tour. From Pathankot, it takes 3 hours by taxi and it cost around Rs 1200, whereas by bus it takes more than 4 hours. However frequent buses are usually available. If you wish to travel by train. Chakki Bank is the nearest railhead. It is 58 km away and takes 2 and a half hours.

 

St John’s Church, St Francis Church, Sacred Heart School. St Patrick’s and St Andrew’s are the 5 important churches to visit in this region. Besides, other charming British style buildings which have been converted into hotels and other popular landmarks. The charming road of Jhandrighat is the walker’s delight. Subhas Booli, Chamera Dam and the Satdhara which is believed to have medicinal properties are some of the major attractions in Dalhousie.

 

May to November is the ideal time to explore Dalhousie. The deodar forests and verdant slopes around the hill station offers a unique picture of the region. It is a delightful journey to Chamba district. It is a backpacker’s delight to trek from Dalhousie to Kala Top. Kala top is about 13 and a half kilometres away from Dalhousie. It is an easy walk from this region to the hilltop.

 

After an early breakfast, start your journey. Follow the vehicle road going to Khajjiar. Alha is the spot which you reach. Terraced potato fields are the attractions of this region. From Alha, it takes more 3 km trek to reach Lakkar mandi Wood Depot. From here the main road takes you to Kala Top. The wonderful panoramic view will amaze you. Kala Top Wildlife Sanctuary awaits you. The area is the habitat of the variety of exotic flora and fauna. Koklash pheasant, barking deer, giant flying squirrel, goral, langur and many more will surely make your trek. For a more memorable journey, stay at Forest Rest House and soak in the wonderful nature.

 

For a detail information on a road trip to Dalhousie and fare of cabs, check Pathankot to Dalhousie cabs.

Fantastic Places In Udaipur You Should Definitely Visit

Udaipur, the city of lakes, is an enchanting city heaving royal charm from its every quarters. The city is a perfect showcase of Rajasthani royalty and splendid beauty, which attracts thousands of visitors from all over the globe. Read on, if you’re up for an enticing trip to the fascinating places in the city.

 

The ‘Venice of the East’ as they call it, Udaipur is a lavish affair with the Rajasthani royalty. Its majestic palaces and beautiful street side restaurants appears carries a global charm and exhales traditional culture from every sphere. You can take a Jaipur to Udaipur train to reach this beautiful city. Let’s take a look at some of the most fascinating places to explore in the city of Udaipur.

 

City Palace: The largest palace of its kind in the state, this marvelous monument consists of several palaces, terraces, courtyards, pavilions and gardens. The rooms and chambers within the palace are ornamented with shining stones, art works, ivory and precious wooden work. Getting awe-struck to the the wonderful Mughal architecture is no brainer. Currently the palace serves as a museum and showcases a beautiful collection of artifacts, royal attire and ammunition.

 

Udaipur lakes: Famous as the ‘city of lakes’, Udaipur city appears like a magical oasis at the fringes of the great thar desert. Out of others, the Lake Pichola is the most famous one, which is bordered with bathing ghats, havelis, temples, palaces and gardens. Some of the boutique havelis have been turned into small hotels with patio restaurants overlooking the lake. There are few cafes along the ghats as well, which feels like being at a foreign place. There are two small islands on Lake Pichola – Jag Niwas and Jag Mandir, both of which can be enjoyed on fascinating boat rides. Other lakes like Fateh Sagar and Udai Sagar are equally famous, which are regularly visited by tourists.

 

Jagdish Mandir: Lying in close proximity to the City Palace, lies the Jagdish Mandir. It’s the largest temple in the city of Udaipur dedicated to Jagannath, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. The walls of the temple is decorated with carvings from the ancient era and are often compares to those at Khajuraho.

 

Jag Mandir: Popular as the Lake Garden Palace, this fascinating temple is located on an island in Lake Pichola. The temple consists of a sprawling courtyard and gardens with pavement made out of black and white tiles. The temple premises also has a small haveli, known as Gul Mahal, and the legend has it that it’s the place where the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan took refuge along his family after starting a rebellion against his father, Jahangir.

 

Saheliyon ki Bari: Meaning the ‘Garden for the royal maids’, it is one of the most beautiful garden in Udaipur. The garden is ornamented with fountains and small ponds with ornate elephants. It’s a great place to seek some quiet time away from the tourist crowd.

 

If you’re planning for a trip to the enchanting Udaipur, make your travel arrangements well in advance. Several major trains of the Indian Railway run through the city, else you can also take roadways or flights.

Dream A Little Dream For A Trip To Mumbai

by checking inEven in this day and age, with so much advancements surrounding us, we are still victims to hearsays. We give-in to it like a drug and believe it if we trust it comes from a “reliable” source. There is a huge hype that surrounds around Mumbai about its high cost of living which may be true for someone living on a day to day basis but not for someone looking for a short stay! This article talks about why you should plan a trip to Mumbai your next holidays.

 

Mumbai is the city that never sleeps. Don’t just believe that because the headlines of various travel articles say that, but go, and see for yourself what it feels like to be in the busiest city in India. There is always something to do in some parts of the city at any time of the day and night. There are two types of people living in this city – the day drifters and the nocturnal kind. A part of the population sleeps while the other parties in the various nightclubs and private parties across the city and vice versa. Mumbai is all about fast paced life, flamboyant nature and high cost of living.

 

Mumbai is one of the most visited cities in India. With over the top establishments in the form of shopping complexes, corporate buildings, flats, resorts and hotels in Mumbai, this city is the dream city for the unvisited. The cost of living is not cheap in Mumbai but that will not affect you if you are just here for a vacation of few days. You can live in some of the budget friendly hotels in Mumbai and skip the fine dining restaurants and g for the less fancy ones and rely on local transport for commuting.

 

However, if you are looking to shell out more than the normal traveller or even better, ready to go all out, then Mumbai will give you the experience of a lifetime. Start off  to one of the premium luxury hotels in Mumbai. Some honorable mentions are the ITC Grand Maratha, JW Marriott Mumbai, the Leela Kempinski, Taj in Colaba (the oldest in India) and Renaissance Mumbai Hotel & Convention Centre. These hotels have state-of-the-art infrastructure with facilities at par with any major 5 star hotels anywhere in the world. You will be pampered to the point where you will not want to leave these places at all!

 

Although you will get anything you want to drink or eat in the hotels you stay, what is the point without going out and experiencing the city? Sure the hotel will have its own bar with the rarest scotch and some of the best aged wine but the experiencing the nightlife in Mumbai is something else. While cities like Delhi have some good nightclubs and a great party atmosphere, the Delhi crowd responds better to open mics and quiet ambience of a pub or restobar where they get to sit, eat, drink and talk. But not Mumbai! Here in this city people go wild. Much has been written and spoken about its nightlife and a first hand taste of the experience will make you realise that there was not a hint of overstating the fact in that area.

 

Mumbai will make for a beautiful experience and if you live in India and have not yet been to this city, plan a trip during your next holidays. Save up enough for a good few days of fun. All hotels in Mumbai are not expensive. Make a stay in one of the budget friendly hotels with a decent room and explore the city to its core!

The 5 Best Treks in the World

Treks are a wonderful experience where you will be stunned be the scenic beauty of mountain peaks. People around the world do it for the sheer excitement and sense of adventure it instills. The fact that you push your body to its limit to have a glorious view atop a mountain makes the challenge even more thrilling.

Some places around the world have to be certainly scaled by trekking enthusiasts. To have a reward of a lifetime, here are 5 places in the world you must trek.

Inca Trail, Peru

Laid by the ancient Incas who built the beautiful city of Machu Picchu, the trail which is approximately 33km long has its way up and around the windy mountains. You will pass three big peaks to reach the destination.

The view on top of the place is unbelievable. You will enjoy the ruins of the old city and be mesmerized to walk through it all. One place which is flocked by tourists from all around the world, you are sure to have a good time here.

GR20, France

This demanding trek takes almost half-a-month to complete but the diversity of places that one will cross to reach the destination is purely magical.You will pass through glacial lakes, plains, snow-capped mountains and craters along your trekking journey.

The challenges you have to overcome makes the whole experience memorable. You can use makemytrip coupons to book flight tickets to France at discounted rates while enjoying the beauty and scenic wonders of the place.

Everest Base Camp, Nepal

Extremely popular among travelers, the three-week trek is for people who love to scale up the tallest mountain in the world – Mt.Everest.The locals can accompany you to the place and they know the area well than anybody else.

The dizzying heights that one can reach in this trek is unmatchable to any experience ever had in the past. The chilly valleys will give you the creeps as you trek through the place.

Snowman Trek, Bhutan

Not for the faint-hearted, this is one trek that can take your breath away. You will walking over 14,000 feet in a rocky mountainous terrain that is unpredictable. Magical Buddhist monasteries can be seen along the way. Usually in secluded areas, you will wonder how the monasteries were built at such extreme places.

The trek takes one whole month and is perfect to take during the months of June to October. goibibo coupons from CashKaro.com can be used to book cheap flights to your trip to Bhutan and back. Round trip tickets cost less than one-way tickets.

The Kings Trail, Sweden

An absolute pleasure to trek during the summer months, The Kings Trail is one of a kind trekking experience in Sweden.The untouched wilderness and enchanting landscape will totally have you in its grasp.

Starting from the village of Abisko, the trekking journey will have you in its grasp till the very end. You pass through natural reserves, nationals parks and spot a lot of rare fauna and flora.