Sylvan Villa, Dharampur – A luxurious, pet-friendly villa in Himachal Pradesh

Sylvan Villa lies in idyllic seclusion, shaded by the glare of the sun just as much as it is shielded from the tourists that flock to the popular haunts in Himachal Pradesh. In a tiny cut-off lane leading up to a hillock, this luxurious stone-and-wood villa in Dharampur wears what…

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Postcards from Spiti – A Travelogue

Every traveller to Himachal Pradesh invariably has a visit to Spiti right on top of his itinerary. I was no different – the city enthralled me! A cold, barren desert way up high in the mountains, so high that even oxygen is scarce. Surrounded by lofty snow-capped peaks, sleet grey…

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2 months in Himachal Pradesh – 1 epic travelogue

I felt nothing. Numb. As I booked my train ticket to Chandigarh, stuffed all the winter wear I owned into a bag, covered the furniture in my apartment with old bed sheets, and settled into my berth as the train pulled out of Bandra Terminus, on what would be a…

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Best Cafes and Restaurants in Manali – ThatGoanGirl Guide

Hey dear readers, welcome back! If you hail from North India, there’s a high chance that you’ve already visited the bustling hill station of Manali at least once. The popularity of this teeming little place doesn’t seem to be diminishing – it still attracts hordes of foreign backpackers, Indian honeymooners,…

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Best Hotels and Homestays in Himachal Pradesh – ThatGoanGirl Guide

Hey there! As most of you know already, I recently got back from spending two months in Himachal Pradesh and during the course of that time, experienced a lot of places to stay – some worth recommending and others, never to speak of again. Hotels and Homestays in Himachal Pradesh…

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Sunshine Himalayan Cottage, Banjar- Stay here, Be HAPPY!

“Wow!” That’s something I said every few minutes, from the time I entered Sunshine Himalayan Cottage, to the time I left. I’m actually feeling a bit reluctant to share this sweet cabin with you – I want it all to myself! GETTING TO SUNSHINE HIMALAYAN COTTAGE Sunshine Himalayan Cottage is…

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Where to eat in McLeod Ganj – A Guide to the best cafes and restaurants

Hey lovelies! I spent a couple of days in McLeod Ganj and the weather played spoil sport the entire time. It was misty and raining non-stop! I was pretty bummed that I couldn’t do much sightseeing – it’s no fun when you can’t make out the vibrancy of the monasteries…

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Tall Trees Resort, Manali – an idyllic getaway amid the Deodar trees

Mention ‘Himachal Pradesh,’ and I’m sure it will bring images of a picturesque paradise to your mind – one with verdant hills covered in evergreens – sometimes swaying under clear blue skies, and at other times, peeking from behind a veil of mist. As you probably know by now, my…

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Feel at home in a villa made for royalty – Jyoti Niwas Cottage, Palampur

Hey! Welcome back! You’ve probably heard of many hotels offering guests a one-of-a-kind experience, but by and large, what they offer is pretty similar. That’s why, when given a choice, I try and pick off-beat homestays and guest houses when I travel. The homely touch, the local stories I can…

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Monastery-Hopping in Bir – the best paragliding spot in Asia

“Did you go paragliding?” A flood of DMs, all with the same four words, hit my Instagram inbox, minutes after I posted stories of myself in this lush green paradise in the mountains. Bir, after all, is the second-best paragliding spot in the world (and the best one in Asia,)…

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Pulga Travelogue – A village with a sprinkle of magic!

With Kasol on one end of Parvati Valley, and the village of Tosh on the other, I had a few of the tiny settlements to explore in between. Kalga, Pulga and Tulga are all located between the two, a short distance from each other, but on the opposite side of the…

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