Currency: Indian Rupees

Official languages: Hindi

The Himachal History The province comprised the hill districts around Shimla and southern hill areas of the former Punjab region. Himachal became a part C state on 26 January 1950 with the implementation of the Constitution of India. Himachal Pradesh became a Union Territory on 1 November 1956. On 18 December 1970 the State of Himachal Pradesh Act was passed by Parliament and the new state came into being on 25 January 1971. Thus Himachal emerged as the eighteenth state of the Indian Union.

Himachal Pradesh is a multi-religion practising, multicultural and multilingual state like other Indian states. Some of the most commonly spoken languages are Hindi and the various Pahari languages. The Hindu communities residing in Himachal include the Brahmins, Rajputs, Kannets, Rathis and Kolis. Most of the people of Himachal Pradesh are engaged in the field of agriculture and while other lives a simple lifes. Nearly 90% of the population of HP is Hindus and others are Buddists who are mostly found in McLeodganj, Dharamshal and some areas of Spiti and Lahaul.

The climate varies from hot and sub-humid tropical (450–900 metres) in the southern low tracts, warm and temperate (900–1800 metres), cool and temperate (1900–2400 metres) and cold glacial and alpine (2400–4800 metres) in the northern and eastern high elevated mountain ranges.

Citizens of most countries, including the United States, need a visa to visit India which should be arranged in advance. Full details can be found at The Government of India website (http://indianvisaonline.gov.in/visa/). Citizens of Nepal and Bhutan do not need a visa, while some nationalities may get them upon arrival.

The best way to reach Himachal by air is to take a flight to Chandigarh, and then take a car or local buses. By Train: Himachal Pradesh has two narrow-gauge railway lines, one connecting Kalka with Shimla and the other one connecting Pathankot to Kangra.

Before you leave on your holiday, there are at least four health-related things you should do. Please check the handbook for specifics, but for now, here’s the short list:

Step 1: Check with the CDC for their recommendations for the countries you’ll be visiting.

Step 2: Have a medical checkup with your doctor.

Step 3: Pick up any necessary medications, both prescription and over-the-counter.

Step 4: Have a dental and/or eye checkup. (Recommended, but less important than steps 1-3.)

We recommend avoiding packing any plastic bags in your luggage before flying to Kenya. You should also remove any items purchased at departure airports from their bags before boarding. Double check your luggage before disembarking in Kenya and leave any plastic bags on the plane.

You can't do skiing whatever anyone says this time in Gulaba as there is no place for it n no soft snow, hence don't rent the skiing euipments. It's an utter waste.

You wud find a bit of snow to run around and play around in gulaba so if u have ur own synthetic suit then that's enough to help u slide n slip n play in Snow. The people there wud try to rent the clothes shoes skiing equipments n guide for 2k n frankly all this is worth just 200 INR.

Leave early n if possibly by 9 else u wud be stuck in traffic....The commercial agents may even suggest a shortcut which is rubbish again.

There is nothing at Solang currently hence don't waste ur time by going there.

The roads are terrible n have millions of turns whoch woukd limit ur pace n most of ur time wud be spent in travelling if u plan for couple of cities.