As the season of monsoon settled, it marked the arrival of the most awaited season of the year, the Winter.
Winters are the most happening year around the country, the celebrations, the hopes, the season of romance and the cozy environment makes us crave to stick to our blankets forever.
The Most cherished diversity of the country includes several places within the country, enhanced by a blanket of glistening white snow, whilst many more boast a blend of pleasant and fresh weather accompanied by mild sunshine during the winter season.
There are ample places which are open for a shorter period around the country and remain frozen during the peak winters. Hence, before the commencement of the winter solstice, you must visit these places.
Here is a list of 6 places to visit before the commencement of winter:
1. The Char Dhams of Uttarakhand
The famous char dhams of India namely, Kedarnath, Badrinath, Yamunotri and Gangotri which draw lakhs of tourists and devotees every year from across the country and abroad, are closed every year in winter due to heavy snowfall in the region.
All the Char Dham deities are worshipped at their nearby wintery sojourns namely Ukhimath, Joshimath, Mukhba and Kharsali for the deities of Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri and Yamunotri respectively. The gates to all these winter Dhams will remain open for devotees making the Char Dham Yatra a year-long affair.
Yet the best time to visit these Dhams is during September and October before they shut the main gates of the Char dhams.
2. Rohtang Pass, Manali
One of the most favourite tourist spots in Himachal Pradesh, Rohtang Pass is the main snow spot in Manali. It is located 51 km from Manali and its altitude is 4111 meters on the Manali – Keylong highway. Due to its height, it is covered with snow almost throughout the year.
You can visit and experience adventurous sports like paragliding, trekking, skiing and snow biking En route to Rohtang pass during the summer season from May to late October.
3. Leh Ladakh
You can travel to Leh Ladakh via two routes which are the Manali-Leh highway and the other one is Srinagar to Leh highway.
The road from Manali to Leh remains closed in winter from the mid of October to late May or early June. To reach Leh from Manali, a person is required to cross 5 high-altitude passes. Of these, usually, Baralacha La is the first one to receive snow. The route between Srinagar and Leh remains open for a little longer than the Manali Leh highway. This road gets declared sometime in November and is opened for traffic by Mid-April.
Yet it's open amidst the peak winter season as the major tourist places like Nubra Valley and Khardung La pass, also known as the highest motorable pass in the world are open for tourists.
The safest open is travelling by Airplane during peak winters and if you want to experience the most adventurous road journey, these are the best months to visit.
4. Hemkund Sahib
Located at an altitude of 15,000 feet from sea level, Shri Hemkund Sahib is a significant holy shrine and pilgrimage destination for Sikhs in India. Thousands of devotees take on this arduous yet picturesque pilgrimage every year.
Coinciding with the Char Dham yatra, every year, the Hemkund Sahib yatra is open for 5-6 months, usually from May to October. This is yet the best time to visit the divine place as the winters can get challenging and harsh which leads to shutting down the pilgrimage.
5. Spiti Valley
Though the roads to Spiti valley from Shimla are open but it's not advisable to travel until you want to live up to the extreme adventure. The weather can go up to -30°c at night which makes it extremely challenging and uncomfortable during winters.
With heavy snowfall and marginal temperature dip, the condition is not ideal to lead a comfortable life in the valley. The roads become sloppy and driving without the help of a local is not at all easy. Hence it is advisable to make the most of the summertime, especially in September and October to visit the Spiti valley.
6. North Sikkim and Nathula pass
Nathula Pass is located 54 km east of Gangtok, the capital of Sikkim. The only way to reach the pass is through a drive from Gangtok. Only SUV vehicles are allowed to be driven to Nathula Pass.
The Nathula Pass temperature drops as low as -25 ° C during winters. The minimum temperature during the summer months is approximately 10 ° C. It is impossible to get the pass to visit the Nathula pass during winters.
Yet the monsoon season is less preferred as the months of June to September are the off-season because of the looming threat of landslides.
Hence the best time to visit Nathula pass is from September to late October before it shuts down for tourists for the winter break.
Comments