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The true beauty of Spiti Valley lies in its several small villages and towns. Gue village and Tabo town are few such gems of Spiti Valley. In our previous blog, we wrote about the places to visit in Kinnaur valley. Nako is the last village in Kinnaur and lies very close to the border where Kinnaur merges with Spiti Valley. One enters Spiti Valley at a village named Sumdo where the Pare Chu river re-enters India after a journey in Tibet and merges with Spiti River. The road from Sumdo to Kaza (headquarters of Spiti Valley) is built along the banks of Spiti River. We immediately saw the difference in terrain as we entered Spiti Valley. Whatever patches of greenery were seen in Kinnaur Valley disappeared and there were only grey and brown hills all around in Spiti Valley. This is typical Spiti Valley - greenery is only around the villages where there are fields; otherwise one sees only the stark barrenness. Gue village is located at a distance of 12 kilometres and Tabo village at a distance of 28 kilometres from Sumdo. In this blog, we provide you with a travel guide to visit two beautiful places in Spiti – Tabo and Gue. Read our previous blogs of the series 'Surreal Spiti' by clicking on the links or photos below: 1. Introduction to Spiti Valley 2. Plan your trip to Spiti Valley 3. Travel guide to Kinnaur Valley 4. Travel guide to Gue and Tabo (This blog) 5. Travel guide to Dhankar Lake and Monastery 6. Travel guide to Pin Valley 7. Places to visit around Kaza (Key, Kibber, Chicham, Hikkim, Komik, Langza) 8. Travel guide to Langza and Buddha statue 9. Travel guide to Chandratal Lake GUE Gue is a tiny hamlet located almost on the Indo-Tibet border, between Sumdo and Tabo in Spiti Valley. It is stationed at an altitude of 10,500 feet above sea level. Mountains engulf the entire Gue village from all the sides. The village is untouched by commercialisation and makes for an excellent offbeat destination. Gue village barely comprises of 50-70 houses and a temple with a quirky history. It is famous for housing India’s only naturally preserved mummy of an old lama/ monk. Location of Gue village: Driving on NH-505, about 30 kilometres from Khab one enters Spiti at Sumdo. Just 4 kilometres after crossing Sumdo, is a bridge over the Spiti River. A right turn and a slight detour of about 10 kilometres from here will take you to Gue village. It will take approximately 40-45 minutes on the rough road to reach Gue from the bridge. The way to Gue is guarded by a narrow gorge and the village is rather difficult to approach. Driving straight till the end of the road, atop a hillock, is the last structure in the village –The Gue mummy lama temple or The Gue monastery. History of Gue mummy lama temple: According to the locals, the mummy is believed to be 500 years old and that of a lama named Sangha Tenzin, who supposedly sacrificed his life for the betterment of his village. The mummy is remarkably well preserved, with intact skin, teeth visible through lips, growing nails and hair. It is said that, in 1430 AD, the village was hit by a plague of scorpions. This is when the lama requested his disciples to naturally mummify him to free the village from the plague. Just when he passed away, it is believed that a rainbow appeared towards the horizon following which the plague ended. Natural mummification is a ritual that was conducted by Buddhist monks of Japan. In this process, the spiritual masters used to starve themselves to slow death by meditating. The monks were made to eat a solely tree-based diet to deplete their body’s fat reserves. They ingested poisonous nuts to vomit to remove moisture from the body. By the time of their death, the body would be devoid of fat and their organs would be shrunken. During this phase of slow starvation, candles were run along the skin of the monks to dry it out. Hence the body wouldn’t decompose after their death but start getting preserved by the process of natural mummification. Interestingly, in the earthquake of 1975 in Spiti Valley, the tomb housing the mummified body of Sangha Tenzin was exposed. In 2004, the Indo-Tibetan border police excavated the tomb, removed the mummy and displayed it in the Gue mummy lama temple, 4 kilometres from where it was excavated. In 2002, a famous scientist from Oxford University of California, with the help of carbon dating, concluded that the mummy is 500 years old. Gue mummy lama temple: The Gue mummy lama temple is dedicated to the lama – Sangha Tenzin. The mummy of the monk is however kept in a separate room. The mummy is protected by a rectangular glass enclosure and is in a squatting position dressed by silk robes. It sits with the chin resting on its knee and a hand around one leg. Despite having no artificial preservation, the mummy is still intact and shows no deterioration. The clean air, low humidity and cold in the region may have contributed to its excellent state. The Gue mummy lama temple is strikingly colourful against the barren backdrop. The entire Gue village is visible from the temple complex. The panoramic view of dry mountains on all the sides is picturesque. A small river originating from the melting snow on the mountains flows through the village. There is a small shop in a corner of the temple complex that serves basic eateries. TABO The village of Tabo is in a valley situated in a bowl-like flat round. It is located at an altitude of 10,760 feet above sea level. Just like other valleys in Spiti, Tabo is surrounded by barren hills and mountains on all the sides. Owing to the increase in tourism over the last two decades, Tabo serves as a pit-stop for tourists travelling to or from Kaza. The village is famous for its 1000-year-old Tabo monastery and some ancient caves. Location of Tabo village: Tabo village is not very off-the-road and lies on the highway from Nako to Kaza. It is at a distance of 64 kilometres from Nako, 48 kilometres from Kaza and 35 kilometres from Gue. Tabo village is right on the banks of Spiti River making the place very scenic and picturesque. As soon as you enter Tabo, you will be surprised to see the green patches of fields against the backdrop of Spiti desert. The drive from Gue to Tabo is rough but is highly picturesque. History of Tabo monastery: Tabo monastery is the second most important seat of Buddhism in the entire Himalayan region after the Tholing monastery in Tibet. It was established in 996 AD by the ruler of Guge kingdom from western Tibet and the great translator Rinchen Zangpo. Since the establishment of Tabo monastery, it has been a centre for Buddhist philosophy and learning. Tabo monastery is famous for its wall paintings, murals, statues and sculptures. Because of these ancient arts, it is also known as the Ajanta and Ellora of the Himalayas. Tabo monastery: The Buddhist monastery complex in Tabo consists of 9 temples, 23 chortens and chambers for monks – everything made of mud and clay. After the earthquake of 1975 in Spiti Valley, the original Tabo monastery was damaged, hence a new modern monastery was built in the same complex. His Holiness, The Dalai Lama visited the Tabo monastery in 1996 to commemorate its millennium celebration and that is when the Kalachakra festival was initiated. The festival is when Dalai Lama gives a session of his teachings to a huge public audience. Tabo monastery is currently home to some 70 Buddhist monks. The entire monastery complex is maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India. One can visit both, the old Tabo monastery and the new Tabo monastery, as well as wander around in the complex to marvel at the gardens and chortens. Old Tabo monastery: The Tabo monastery complex has multiple structures made entirely of sand and clay. All the structures are mostly square in shape and the walls are pretty wide. That must be the reason how it has survived for 1000 years. We entered the old Tabo monastery through a narrow and short door and it took a while for our eyes to get used to the darkness inside. Natural light came in only through a ceiling window. The paintings inside the old Tabo monastery still retain their bright colours. There are many independent chambers inside the monastery – all having paintings on the walls and sculptures of Buddhist Gods. The old Tabo monastery temples also house innumerable books and manuscripts stacked on high wooden racks. We visited all the temples one after the other and gazed in wonder at the skill of the anonymous artists. Photography is prohibited in the old Tabo monastery and temples, however it is allowed inside new Tabo monastery. New Tabo monastery: The new Tabo monastery was easy to identify owing to its colourful architecture and the colourful Buddhist flags surrounding it. This monastery is quite big with a lot of seating area. It houses a huge golden-coloured Buddha statue. It’s walls, again, is painted with bright paintings. Multi-coloured tapestries hung from the walls and along the columns and pillars. The Tabo monastery complex: Apart from the temples, the Tabo monastery has several chortens made of mud, haphazardly grouped together. We were intrigued at how they have weathered by years of heat and cold and are now crumbling and chipping around the corners. Beautiful small flowering plants bloomed in spaces around the chortens and the temples. Tabo caves: Tabo caves are scattered on hills adjoining the Tabo village. These can be easily seen as tiny dots on the hills from the Tabo monastery complex. There is a well-defined trail to reach the caves, however, the entry inside the caves is restricted. These caves are used by monks for meditation. If you see a flag outside a cave, it would mean there is a monk meditating inside and should not be disturbed. Entire Tabo village alongside the Spiti River can be seen from the caves. How to reach Gue and Tabo: There are no government buses that run to the Gue mummy lama temple, whereas the frequency of bus running to Tabo is erratic. Hiring a cab or taking your private vehicle is the best way to reach Gue and Tabo. You can either hire a cab for your entire Spiti Valley trip as we did or take one from Nako village. We booked a vehicle for our trip from Spiti Valley Tours. It is a highly rated travel agency that specialises in trips to Spiti Valley. Their drivers are experienced and know their way around with the locals. Spiti Valley Tours also helped us in charting out a perfect itinerary for our trip by suggesting unique and offbeat places such as Gue. To book your trip with Spiti Valley Tours you can directly contact them through their website. The best time to visit Tabo monastery and Gue mummy lama temple is from May to September when the roads are clear and the weather condition is pleasant. While Gue is a destination that can be covered as a day excursion on your way to Tabo or Kaza, we highly recommend spending a night in Tabo. Tabo is like a modern town and has several decent guesthouses and homestays. PIN THESE IMAGES Hope that the above information on Gue and Tabo is of help to you. Kindly drop in any questions you have or your views and opinions in the comment section below. We would love to interact. #India #NorthIndia #HimachalPradesh

Creating an annual travel calendar is one of the first things we do as the new year starts. It not only gives us a clear picture of what our travel plans look like, it also ensures we maximize the opportunities to travel. In other words, designing a yearly travel calendar helps us travel more. If you have always dreamed of travelling more, if travelling is important to you, don't let your hunger for travel just be a dream. Make it a plan. In this article we guide you on how to go about converting your travel dreams into plans by creating an annual travel calendar. 0. What is your travel appetite? The first thing, step zero, is to understand what your travel appetite is. Different people tend to have different amount of hunger for travelling. Some are okay travelling once or twice a year while others prefer travelling once a quarter and some like us need to be on the road every month. There are no right and wrongs here. It is just a question of personal preference. How many times in a year do you want to travel? Let's assume you absolutely love travelling and want to maximize the number of times you can travel. Now that you have high travel appetite, below is a simple framework that will help you move forward. All you need to answer is these 3 questions - 1. Time Time is always a constraint which limits the number of days you can travel in a year. You would already have an idea about the number of leaves you can take from your job. The whole idea is to utilize your leaves efficiently in order to maximize your travel gain. 1.1 What does your holiday calendar look like? We assume you have some sort of job/business/college - full time, part time or freelancing. This means your free time is in some ways governed by your company or college or customers. So the first task is to see how your holiday calendar looks like. What days and dates in the year do you have holidays? Your holidays would typically be religious festivals, government holidays, bank holidays etc. 1.2 What are the travel times that pop up from your holiday calendar? There will be times in your holiday calendar where you ought to take leaves and travel. Identify such must-travel times from holiday calendar. In the table below, we have highlighted some situations that you will see once you study your holiday calendar. Based on these it is easy to see which holidays from your holiday calendar will be right for which type of trip. 1.3 Set your potential travel calendar Now you should be in a position to create your potential travel calendar. One that has weeks and weekends marked for travel. For example in below calendar - Jan 14th & 21st Feb are holidays so 11-14th and 21-23 become your potential travel dates. At this stage you can also mark specific times when you know there is a holiday but you would not prefer to travel for any reasons. The reasons could be things like kid's school or a critical time in your job or exams etc. So you will be left with potential travel dates through the year. 2. Destination Now that you know when you can travel, its time to figure out where to travel. This decision can be influenced by many things such as - Your bucket list - There would be some places in your heart you always wanted to go Wanna go list - There would be places you have heard are really good and would love to visit Researched list - If the list of above 2 is not big enough, you need to research and create a list 2.1 Create your Destination repository Based on the above 3, you need to create a laundry list of places you would like to visit. This is a repository of destinations with reference from your home base. The list should look like - As they say - when you are thirsty, it is too late to think about digging a well. You know you are going to be thirsty to travel, you know you are passionate about travel, then you should always have a wanna visit list of destinations handy and update it at least once a year. Of course you want to travel the world, but not in next couple of years. So this destination repository does not include every place in the world! It only includes places you are interested in travelling sooner. There will be less number of 1 or 2 weeks leaves that you can take through the year. So don't go overboard with far away places which would be longer trips. If you can take 4 full weeks off in a year, its okay to have say 8-10 destinations in your list which you can prioritize and plan to cover in couple of years. Ensure you have enough places listed which are day trips/ weekend trips/ long weekend trips as these would be much more frequent opportunities than full week or 2 week trips. Ideal time to visit may need some basic research and can be decided based on your preference. For example a beach destination in India like Goa or Andamans may be preferred in winter months of Nov-Feb but not so much in summer/monsoon or you might want to specifically avoid them in December due to excessive crowd and exorbitant costs. Similarly Himalayan destinations like Uttarakhand, Spiti Valley or Bhutan may be preferred in Dec-Jan-Feb if you want to experience snow or may be preferred in Apr-Aug if you want to avoid cold. Its your personal choice. Write your ideal time to visit in this column. 2.2 Set your travel calendar Now all you need to do is perform a simple mapping exercise. Based on ideal months, which destination fits which month in your potential travel calendar. For example, if ideal time for Goa and Andamans is Nov-Feb and let's say it is a 3 or 4 day long weekend trip for you, check when in those months do you have 3 or 4 day long weekend from your potential travel calendar that you created earlier in step 1.3. It is better you start with longer holidays such as 1 week or 2 weeks holidays and set them in your calendar first. Once this is done, you can then try fitting shorter holidays such as 3 or 4 day long weekends. You can set weekends and day outings during time periods when you don't really have a holiday for an extended time period. Let's say there is no holiday in whole of July and August, set your weekend trips and day trips in these months. Another suggestion is to do with 'Features of the destination' column from your destination repository. We prefer mixing up the features. For example, we tend to avoid consecutive mountain trips or beach trips and mix things up. So a mountain trip is often followed by a beach trip, which is often followed by a cultural trip etc. We also try to have one village experience, one high altitude trek and do one adventure sport every year. This ensures a variety of unique experiences through the year which we crave for. We also try to have one repeat destination in our calendar every year. We realized that first trip to any destination is usually about exploring the key, important, most popular places in a destination. However there is a lot more which we realize during the first trip which we miss out on because there is little to no information about it on internet. So few years later, we like visiting the same destination again to explore the offbeat side of that destination. This may not apply to every destination but is true for many of them. 3. Money Now that you know when do you want to travel and where you will be travelling, it is time to get a basic idea on 'How' part of things. At this stage you need not create a detailed itinerary and figure out all costs involved. This stage is about figuring out a vague estimate of how you would like the trip to be. Do you want it to be budgeted, moderately priced, luxury or say a mixed one. 3.1 What is your Annual Travel Budget? The first step is to understand how much you can spend through the year on travel. We can write a separate article on how to do your budgeting exercise but here is a quick brief on what to do - What is your estimate annual income? What are your estimated annual expenses? Expenses could be fixed costs such as your rent, household expenses, mobile bills, internet cost, grocery etc. Expenses could be variable costs for which you may have a vague idea such as clothes, electronics and gadgets, books, movies, medical, gifts etc. What are your estimated annual investments? Annual Travel Budget = (Annual Income) - (Annual Expenses) - (Annual Investments) If travelling is really important to you and you want to maximize its budget, you cannot impact your income much and you should ideally not tamper with your investment plans, so the only option is to narrow down your annual expenses. So it is okay to use an android phone or repeat your clothes every other week or not to see the latest movies. All such things that you miss out on will be compensated by what you get when you go on an additional trip. 3.2 Do a basic research There are various decisions which can influence the overall cost of your trip and you need to choose which option is best suited for your comfort and cost. It is again advisable to start from longer 1 week or 2 week trips and then go for estimating costs of smaller trips. An easier way to do this is to simply search for packages offered by travel agencies. You might see a range of packages from cheaper to costlier ones and this would give you a rough idea of what the costs could be. If you are referring to popular and well known companies which offer holiday packages like SOTC, Thomas Cook or MakeMyTrip, reduce atleast 25% from the costs they offer as you can simply plan on your own and prevent yourself from paying the profit margins these big companies tend to add. 3.3 Add vague cost estimates to your travel calendar No matter what your annual travel budget is, you should be able to pack in enough trips to feed your travel hunger. How? There are all sorts of options available when you go on a trip. Lets say in terms of transportation - You can hitchhike, book Non-AC/AC trains or buses, share rides, drive your own/ rent a car or motorbike or fly. The transportation costs would vary widely based on the option you choose. Similar is the case with accommodations - there are plenty of options with wide range of costs. Your trip costs are solely dependent on your choices. You can now add a 'Type of Trip' column to your travel calendar that says - Budgeted/ Moderately priced/ Luxury/ Mixed and also add estimated cost if you want to. For us, over the years we have mastered the art of meeting our annual travel budget so we do not really do much research on the money part early on the year. We know that whatever the destinations be, we will be able to make it budgeted or luxurious type of trip based on what we plan to do. For example if a destination has lovely luxurious resorts or boutique hotels that we really want to experience, it becomes a luxurious trip. If we are going to do sightseeing whole day, we prefer budgeted/medium priced accommodations. There is no point paying higher amount and not staying in. We even do mixed trips where couple of days we spend in a luxurious property followed by few days in budgeted ones thus ensuring that the overall cost of trip is averaged out. Points to note There are some other things you might want to keep in mind - While this exercise will ensure you travel more, note that ultimately it does not matter the number of countries or places you visit. Quality of your trips matter much more than how many trips do you have in a year. What matters is how well did you experience the places you visited. How enriching is your understanding of people, culture and everything else the destination has to offer. It is perfectly fine to have 'TBD' (To be decided) in few places in your travel plans especially for smaller trips. For example its okay not to finalize which destination you will travel to on a weekend 5 months later. It is just a weekend, you have your destination repository, so sooner or later you can finalize it. It is okay to modify your travel calendar as you progress through the year. Life happens and there will be unforeseen circumstances which will force you to change or cancel your current plans. However you should still be able to achieve something like 70% of your plans which is great. We have many times changed our plans through the year due to situations like friend or relative's wedding which was not known early in the year, self or family's health issues, work, unpredictable political situation or simply bad weather. We have personally always felt planning a trip maximizes your knowledge of the destination and ensures you make the most of what a place has to offer. Unplanned trips while fun are many a times governed by ignorance. For example you suddenly decided to go a to a place and packed your bags. When you reached the destination, you realized you should have brought some nylon clothes as there is also a waterfall to visit where you will get wet or you should have got your tripod along to click flowing water. What is even worse is when you come back and chat with a friend who tells you that a small diversion would have taken you to a gorgeous waterfall which you missed. However, 'spontaneous' could be your style of travel and if you feel it suits you, go ahead. Hope the above exercise helped you plan your travels for full year. If you have been implementing suggestions in this article so far, your dream of travelling more is now a plan and one step closer to being a reality. Did you know that our annual calendar is always published on this website and you can join us on any of our trips. Checkout our annual calendar for this year in 'Travel with us' section and feel free to get in touch in case you want to know more about any of the trips. If you enjoyed reading this article, share it with your friends. You can pin below images. PIN THESE IMAGES #TravelPlanning

Dhankar, the former erstwhile capital of Spiti Valley, was home to royal family 300 years ago. Today very little remains in this town except a beautiful ancient monastery perched on a hillside cliff and a fort. Dhankar is also a heaven for trekking enthusiasts who often visit this village to trek to Lhalung village or the Dhankar Lake. Dotted with little hamlets, Dhankar village sits on the top of a hill surrounded by nothing but barren mountains. The village literally lives on an edge overlooking the confluence of Spiti and Pin rivers. In this blog, we will provide you with a detailed guide on visiting Dhankar village which tips and recommendations on places to visit. Read our previous blogs on Spiti Valley and Kinnaur Valley by clicking on the below-mentioned links/ images: 1. Introduction to Spiti Valley 2. Plan your trip to Spiti Valley 3. Travel guide to Kinnaur Valley 4. Travel guide to Gue and Tabo 5. Travel guide to Dhankar Lake and Monastery (This blog) 6. Travel guide to Pin Valley 7. Places to visit around Kaza (Key, Kibber, Chicham, Hikkim, Komik, Langza) 8. Travel guide to Langza and Buddha statue 9. Travel guide to Chandratal Lake Location of Dhankar Village: Dhankar village is located between the towns Tabo and Kaza. It is stationed at an altitude of 12,780 feet above sea level. Located right at the meeting point of the two major rivers of Spiti Valley – Spiti river and Pin river, Dhankar village rises about 1000 feet above the river confluence. Dhankar is 31 kilometres away from the town of Tabo and 33 kilometres away from Kaza. It is easily approachable by a motorable road. While driving from Tabo, you will have to take a right turn a little before the Sichling village. This uphill road stretch of 8 kilometres will directly take you to Dhankar village. We visited Dhankar as a day-trip while travelling from Tabo to Kaza. Dhankar Village: Dhankar is a medium-sized village of Spiti Valley with less than 100 families residing in the small settlement. Dhankar used to be the capital of Spiti Valley for many years till it shifted to Kaza after the administration realised the needs of the modern-day. Located at the ridge, Dhankar must have been an easy task to defend the then capital city. Spitians had developed an elaborate system of defence since ancient times and Dhankar was very much a central part of such defensive schemes. The entire village is built on the dangerous inclines, so much so that one false step can risk an ugly fall down the cliff. The houses are perched in inconvenient positions against the slopes. The Spiti river and Pin river meet and then break into several channels forming a wide expanse of flat land. As you near the village, you will easily identify and locate the Dhankar monastery from far away. It is painted in white and is distinctly in contrast from the barren brown background. History of Dhankar Village: Generally, Spitians avoided fighting most of the wars with the wisdom of the Lamas (monks). They would desert the entire village and escape to higher, uninhabited plateaus with their valuables during a war-like situation. They even hid inside forts like the one in Dhankar to keep away from enemies. However, in 1776, the Bushahris conquered Dhankar and ruled for 2 years. Again, in 1819, the King of Kullu ruled over Dhankar. During the year 1840, Gulam Khan conquered Dhankar and plundered the Dhankar monastery and fort and destroyed many idols. Since then, the monastery and fort are mostly in ruins and are merely blocks and columns. But none of these has taken away from the charm of Dhankar village and the spiritual faith that the Spitians still have in Dhankar monastery. Places to visit in Dhankar Village: Dhankar Monastery Dhankar Gompa or Dhankar monastery is located above the Dhankar village. The ancient monastery belongs to the Gelugpa sect of Buddhism. Dhankar monastery is constructed of mud, timber and stone. The outer façade is painted in bright white colour. The monastery was once a part of a fort. In fact, the word Dhankar itself means ‘Fort on a cliff’. The strategic location of the Dhankar monastery offers panoramic views of the Spiti Valley and the confluence of Spiti and Pin rivers. Dhankar monastery houses an idol of Vairochana Buddha and brilliant wall murals depicting the life of Buddha. Due to its fragile condition, only 20 people are allowed inside the monastery at a time. Several corridors are cut in rock face inside the Dhankar monastery that leads to various small chambers that are mostly empty. The cliff base of Dhankar monastery is highly vulnerable to soil erosion mainly due to heavy wind and now with the rain. In 2006, the World Monuments Fund selected Dhankar monastery as one of the 100 most endangered sites in the world and has initiated to attempt its conservation. To protect its sanctity, a new monastery has been constructed at the base of the cliff which is now used as the practising monastery by the monks and lamas. Dhankar Fort/ Palace Dhankar fort is located just above the old monastery. It can be accessed by a short hike from the old monastery over a narrow path. The fort mostly lies in ruins and there’s not much to see except the stunning views of the vast expanse of the Spiti Valley. Dhankar fort once sheltered entire valley’s population during times of invasions and attacks. Dhankar Lake or Dhankar Tso Dhankar Lake or Dhankar Tso is located at a height of 13,580 feet above the sea level. It is a beautiful freshwater lake situated in the middle of the barren mountains. A moderately difficult trek of 3 kilometres, up a steep slope, from Dhankar village will take you to the Dhankar lake. It will take you around 2 hours to hike up the lake from the village. The trekking trail though not very properly defined is easy to identify. Make sure you wear shoes with good grip as there are a lot of loose pebbles scattered all along the narrow trail. Just 15 minutes into the trek and you will be offered with breath-taking views of the Dhankar village. The sight of Dhankar monastery clinging to the mountainside and the confluence of Spiti and Pin rivers - all surrounded by barren mountains and a few snow-peak mountains in the backdrop, is just amazing. Remember to capture these beautiful moments every now and then as you trek along. You wouldn’t imagine a landscape as beautiful than this cold desert. After climbing a steep hill that would take you about an hour and a half, you will reach the top of a ridge from where the trail flattens and an easy walk of another half an hour takes you to a no man’s land. Here, the entire stretch of land is surrounded by thorny bushes. Treading along, huffing and puffing, we reached the much-anticipated Dhankar lake. The first sight was however disappointing. We expected turquoise blue coloured water in the lake with brilliant reflections of the sky, but it was green and muddy and had shrunken in size due to less snowfall and rain. Maybe the time we visited was not ideal. Nevertheless, sitting there by the lakeside, silently gazing the reflections of the snowy mountains (Manirang Pass) in the water, we felt at peace. We started descending after an hour of photo clicking and exploring areas around the Dhankar lake. The descend was not that difficult but we had to be really careful of maintaining a good grip to ensure that we don’t slip down. Note: Trek to Dhankar lake is high-altitude trekking. You will get tired and out-of-breath very easily. Do not opt to visit Dhankar lake if you aren’t physically fit, else you may suffer from AMS due to sudden altitude gain. Remember to carry your water bottles, dry fruits and eatables to keep yourself energized. In fact, we advise you to visit Dhankar lake only if you have a night stay planned in Dhankar village. That will help you acclimatize to the high altitude. Also, the trek takes up almost your entire day and you won’t be able to make most of the monastery and the fort if you are on a day-visit to Dhankar. For us, the trek to Dhankar lake was too much effort for too little gain. However, we highly recommend a small hike of 15 minutes over the trail just for the captivating views. Stay options in Dhankar Village: If you could squeeze out some time from your Spiti Valley itinerary, we highly recommend spending a night in Dhankar village. There are plenty of low-range homestay options available for stay. Homestays are the only choice of stay available in Dhankar village, thus keep your expectations low. Just have a word with the locals and they will be happy to allow you to stay at their house or will help you out finding a homestay. PIN THESE IMAGES Very few tourists venture in Dhankar’s direction, making it an offbeat place. So, if you are visiting Spiti Valley, Dhankar is the place you must not miss out on. Though the list of places to visit in Dhankar is not long, the natural beauty and tranquillity of the place will melt your heart. #India #NorthIndia #HimachalPradesh

Spiti Valley in Himachal Pradesh, India is a heaven for those seeking for gorgeous landscapes, high-altitude freshwater lakes, ancient monasteries, rich culture, and quaint little villages. In spite of the rise in tourism, several places in Spiti Valley still remain offbeat and unexplored. One such hidden gem is Pin Valley. Pin Valley is a cluster of 17 villages in the Spiti district that houses not more than 2000 people. It is largely popular for its Pin Valley National Park and the snow-laden unexplored higher peaks like Pin-Parvati Pass and Pin-Bhabha Pass. Unlike other villages of Spiti Valley, Pin Valley has a lot more greenery and vegetation. If you want to quickly analyse if Pin Valley is worth-visiting, watch the song named ‘Intezaar’ from the Bollywood movie ‘Paap’. In this blog, we provide you with a travel guide to visit and explore Pin Valley. Read our previous blogs on Spiti Valley by clicking on the links or images below: 1. Introduction to Spiti Valley 2. Plan your trip to Spiti Valley 3. Travel guide to Kinnaur Valley 4. Travel guide to Gue and Tabo 5. Travel guide to Dhankar Lake and Monastery 6. Travel guide to Pin Valley (This blog) 7. Places to visit around Kaza (Key, Kibber, Chicham, Hikkim, Komik, Langza) 8. Travel guide to Langza and Buddha statue 9. Travel guide to Chandratal Lake Location of Pin Valley: Mud, the last village of Pin Valley is located at a distance of about 50 kilometres from Kaza, the headquarters of Spiti Valley. If you are driving from Kaza, Pin Valley is situated on the road towards Dhankar. About 16 kilometres from Kaza, you will reach Attargo bridge towards the right side. You enter Pin Valley right after crossing this bridge over the Spiti river. Pin Valley can be easily visited as a day-excursion from Kaza ensuring that you start early from Kaza. How to reach Pin Valley: The best way to reach Pin Valley is by hiring a car or bike from Kaza. The frequency of government buses from Kaza to Pin Valley is erratic and might not suit your timings. Moreover, the road to Pin Valley is also not in very good condition. It is mostly a bumpy, untarred dirt road, full of loose gravel. As you enter Pin Valley, the Pin river flows right next to you and it accompanies you till Mud, the last village of Pin Valley. After a 35-kilometre drive from Kaza, you will come across the first village of Pin Valley – Sangnam. Sangnam is the largest village of Pin Valley. It has well-built houses, large open fields, a school and a post-office. Another 15-kilometre drive from Sangnam will take you to Mud village. The entire drive from Kaza to Pin Valley is filled with breath-taking scenery. It will be too difficult for you to take the eyes off your vehicle’s window. Things to do in Pin Valley: 1. Visit Kungri monastery: Several monasteries in Pin Valley are worth a visit but Kungri monastery (or Kungri gompa or Pin gompa) is the most popular amongst them. After crossing Attargo bridge, if you continue driving for 16 kilometres, you will reach Gulling village. After crossing Gulling, you will see a road towards right going uphill. This road will take you to Kungri monastery. Kungri monastery was built in the year 1330 and is believed to be the second oldest monastery of Spiti Valley, first being the Tabo monastery. Kungri monastery is the only monastery that follows Nyingmapa Buddhism. Kungri means ‘snow mountain’ in the Tibetan language. And the monastery is located right below the snow mountains. The monastery is believed to be founded by Guru Padmasambhava or the second Buddha. During your visit to Kungri monastery, make sure that you visit both the old as well as the new monastery. The entrance to the old Kungri monastery is via a narrow door that leads through a dark narrow passage to a central hall. There are not many wall paintings or clay images here, unlike the other rich monasteries. Manuscripts are stacked on all four walls in wooden racks. In a side room is a beautiful 10-feet high prayer wheel. This monastery has a portrait of Demchhog (or Demchhok) and Phangmo clinging to each other in close embrace. Demchhog is a form of Lord Shiva and Phangmo is Parvati. It is interesting to find forms of Hindu deities in a centuries old Buddhist monastery. The statue signifies the union of male and female. The burnt condition of some of the murals in the old Kungri monastery is attributed to the Sikh invasion of Spiti in 1841 or it may be the work of Ghulam Khan in the earlier times when he plundered all the monasteries in Spiti. Adjacent to the old monastery building is the new Kungri monastery. It has a central image of Tandupa, a form of Buddha, studded with precious stones. The central image is said to be brought in a glass case from Shimla, carried by humans at most places due to the uncertainty of the roads. The frescos on the walls of the new Kungri monastery do not seem too old. But according to scholars, the carved wooden specimens are definitely ancient. We met a monk at the Kungri monastery who took us around both the old and new monasteries and was happy answering our curious questions. In fact, all the monks were very warm and welcoming. One is even allowed to stay overnight at the monastery’s monks’ quarters if one wishes to. 2. Venture into the Pin Valley National Park: Pin Valley National Park is an animal wildlife sanctuary located within Pin Valley. It was declared as a National Park in the year 1987 and is considered as home to the ‘grey ghost of Himalayas’ i.e. the snow leopard. Great Himalayan National Park and Rupi Bhabha sanctuary sandwiches the Pin Valley National Park from two sides. Spread over an area of 9800 square kilometres, Pin Valley National Park is believed to house as many as 12 snow leopards. Apart from the snow leopard, the National Park is also a natural habitat to several other rare and endangered animal species like Siberian ibex, red fox, weasel, Tibetan gazelle, bharal, marten, woolly hare, Himalayan brown bear, and Himalayan marmot. Several rare birds like snow pigeon, Himalayan snowcock, bearded vulture, golden eagle and raven can also be found in the Pin Valley National Park. The altitude of the National Park ranges from 11,500 feet to 19,500 feet. The park also has many unexplored high-altitude peaks and slopes. You will have to hire a local guide to venture through the park. 3. Visit the Mud Village: Mud village is the last inhabited village on the Indian side of Indo-Tibet border. As you enter the village, a huge chorten will welcome you. The monotony of the Spitian landscape is broken by the abundant greenery and flowering plants around Mud village. The ferociously flowing Pin river flows right beside Mud village turning the entire landscape into carpets of green with snow-capped mountains in the background. Strong winds cause rhythmic movements of clouds that create shadows in specified areas over the landscape. We never saw a place as beautiful and colourful as the valleys around Mud village. God had painted the landscape using various shades in his palette. Club this with ethereal silence and miles of isolation – Mud village was truly a paradise. 4. Help the locals with peas/ potato harvesting: The fertile land of Pin Valley is ideal for potato and peas farming. On our way to Mud village, all the fields surrounding the roads were filled with peas plantation. And to our surprise, it was the harvesting season in August. We stopped at one of the farms to watch the locals harvest fresh peas from the soil. They let us enter their farms, where we helped them with harvesting. The farmers were very warm and welcoming and let us taste the sweet and delicious peas. Their taste was totally different from the peas that we get in the cities. 5. View the confluence of Spiti river and Pin river: The Pin river originates from the southwestern part of Spiti Valley, whereas the Spiti river originates from Kunzum range. Both these rivers meet at a confluence point right after the Attargo bridge. The best view of the confluence of the Spiti and Pin rivers can be had from the Dhankar village. However, you can also stop by after the Attargo bridge to click some wonderful pictures of the confluence. 6. Visit the Pin River Bank: Close to Mikkim village in Pin Valley, we came across a suspension bridge over the Pin river. It was laden with colourful Tibetan flags. We stopped our car by the bridge and crossed over one of the small tributaries of the Pin river to the other side. The thrill of crossing the dwindling bridge and dipping our feet in the ice-cold water is indescribable. The vast expanse of the Pin river bank, surrounded by the brownish high mountains made it one of the most picturesque spot of our trip to Spiti Valley. 7. Trek the Pin-Parvati Pass: The trek to the high-altitude Pin-Parvati Pass starts from Mud village in Pin Valley. Pin-Parvati Pass is the mountainous range that divides the Pin Valley from the adjacent Parvati Valley. The Pin-Parvati Pass trek is one of the most challenging treks in Himachal Pradesh. It reaches an altitude of 17,500 feet covering a distance of 100 kilometres. The trek is 11-day long and requires prior experience of at least two high-altitude treks. 8. Trek the Pin-Bhabha Pass: Mud village is a base camp for trekkers willing to trek the Pin-Bhabha Pass. This trek crosses over the Bhabha Pass at an altitude of 15,900 feet to the Bhabha valley. Bhabha Pass is the ridge between Pin Valley and Kinnaur Valley. Pin-Bhabha Pass trek covers a total distance of about 50 kilometres which can ideally be done in 7-8 days. This is again a high-altitude trek requiring prior trekking experience and good physical fitness. PIN THESE IMAGES Trip to Pin Valley does not offer a lot of activities or tons of places to visit. The trip is rather relaxing and calming and should be done at a slow place while enjoying the stunning vistas. Though Pin Valley can be covered as a day trip from Kaza, we highly recommend spending a night at Mud village. Several basic homestay facilities are available at the Mud village. Staying with the locals will give you a marvellous insight into their culture, tradition and hardships. #India #NorthIndia #HimachalPradesh

Chandratal Lake is considered to be one of the most incredible lakes in Himachal Pradesh, India. It is a high-altitude lake located in the Lahaul and Spiti district of India. The name of the lake originates from its crescent shape. The name Chandratal translates to ‘The Moon Lake’ in Hindi language (Chandra = Moon; Tal = Lake). The beautiful lake is surrounded by plenty of snow-capped mountain peaks. We read about Chandratal Lake a couple of years ago and since then it had always been in the top of our travel bucket list. The lake was the last destination of our trip to Spiti Valley. In this blog, we provide you with a travel guide to visit Chandratal Lake. Location of Chandratal Lake: Chandratal Lake is located at an altitude of 13,940 feet from the sea level in Spiti district of Himachal Pradesh. It is a freshwater lake and is 2.5 km long in terms of circumference. Chandratal Lake is the source of the Chandra river – a source river of Chenab that flows from India to Pakistan. The lake is in a remote setting where even the roads do not reach. Chandratal Lake is situated 12.5 kilometers off the route from the Gramphu-Batal-Kaza road. The Chandratal Lake can be accessed either from Manali or Shimla-Kaza route. However, it is closer to Kaza (90 kilometres) than to Manali (125 kilometres). The motorable road ends 2 kilometres before the Chandratal lake and you will have to walk the remaining distance to reach the lake. The walk to reach the trek is not particularly difficult and can be done with anyone having basic fitness. How to reach Chandratal Lake: Locating Chandratal Lake on the map is not difficult, but reaching the lake is sure difficult. As discussed above, the lake can be reached either from Manali or from Shimla-Kaza. Manali to Chandratal Lake: From Manali, Chandratal Lake is a weekend or a long-weekend destination. It can be visited as a standalone trip or can be clubbed with sightseeing in Shimla and Manali. The route to reach Chandratal Lake from Manali is as follows: Manali – Rohtang Pass – Gramphu – Chhatru – Batal – Chandratal Although this route can be easily covered in a day, the altitude gain is huge and if you are not fit, your body will not be able to acclimatize to the low oxygen levels. Hence, we recommend travelling to Chandratal Lake from Shimla-Kinnaur-Kaza side. If that does not suit your travel plan, halt for a night at Solang Valley (north of Manali) or Batal, before planning an overnight stay at Chandratal. Note that not everyone who travels by this route feels signs of AMS (Acute mountain sickness). However it is suggested you take your own precautions and plan your trip. Shimla-Kaza to Chandratal Lake: From Shimla, Chandratal Lake is a week-long or a 10-day destination. It is highly advisable that you also visit Kinnaur Valley (Nako, Sangla, Chitkul, Kalpa) and Spiti Valley (Tabo, Dhankar, Pin Valley, Key, Kibber, Komik, Hikkim, Langza) before heading to Chandratal Lake. The route to reach Chandratal Lake from Shimla is as follows: Shimla – Narkanda – Karcham – Nako – Tabo – Kaza – Kunzum Pass – Chandratal This route passing through Kinnaur district ensures that you ascend gradually and slowly acclimatize to the higher altitude. We chose this route for the same reason. Note that time shown in google maps in this region would not hold true. The roads are extremely bad and non-existent. And not to forget quite dangerous. For example, you can assume that if you start from Kaza at 9 AM, you may take few halts at Chicham bridge, Kumzum pass and for lunch, and reach Chandratal lake only around 4-5 PM giving you couple of hours before it goes dark. Read our previous blogs on Spiti Valley by clicking on the links or images below: 1. Introduction to Spiti Valley 2. Plan your trip to Spiti Valley 3. Travel guide to Kinnaur Valley 4. Travel guide to Gue and Tabo 5. Travel guide to Dhankar Lake and Monastery 6. Travel guide to Pin Valley 7. Places to visit around Kaza (Key, Kibber, Chicham, Hikkim, Komik, Langza) 8. Travel guide to Langza and Buddha statue 9. Travel guide to Chandratal Lake (This blog) Road conditions from Kaza to Chandratal Lake: The road conditions from Kaza to Chandratal Lake are not so good. The roads are nothing more than a dirt track. The road conditions further worsen after Kunzum Pass. Even despite all the hardships, one has to face on the road, the landscape that these roads run through are breath-taking. Kunzum Pass: Kunzum Pass or Kunzum La is a high-altitude pass that connects Spiti Valley to Lahaul Valley. India has many high altitude mountain passes and Kunzum pass is amongst India’s highest motorable mountain passes at an altitude of 15060 feet above sea level. It offers an awe-inspiring view of the Chandra-Bhaga mountain ranges. The Kunzum Pass remains closed most of the year due to heavy snowfall. It opens only for 3-4 months (June-September) during the summer season. Kunzum Pass is broad and is easily crossable. There is a temple dedicated to Goddess Durga at the top of the pass. All the tourists, as well as the drivers, perform a parikrama (clockwise circumambulation) of the temple. Several stupas are also located at the top that is considered to be holy. Colourful Buddhist prayer flags decorate the entire pass and are a sight to behold. We visited Kunzum Pass while on our way to Chandratal Lake from Kaza in August. The weather was cloudy, chilly and extremely windy. It started pouring when we got down at the pass to see the temple and most of the views were covered in clouds. And then suddenly the winds cleared the clouds and we were offered a stunning and clear view of the Bara-Shigri glacier. Bara-Shigri glacier is considered to be the second-highest and longest Himalayan glacier in India. This massive glacier is 30 km long and is aptly named as Bara means big and Shigri means glacier in Lahaul dialect. The entire surrounding valley was covered by a carpet of yellow flowers giving us perfect photography opportunities. Chandratal Lake: As per local folklore and tales from Mahabharata, Chandratal Lake is the place from where Yudhisthira (eldest Pandava) was taken to heaven by Lord Indra (God of rains, heaven and storm) in a chariot. The locals still believe that the lake is blessed and revere it with high spiritual relevance. When travelling from Kaza, a right turn before Batal and a curvy ride for 12 kilometers will take you straight to Chandratal. Chandra River flows parallel to the roads till the lake. The roads are extremely treacherous and hostile. One needs extremely good driving skills and heart to drive on these roads. Also hope there is no vehicle coming from opposite direction as the roads are narrow and right on edge of the cliff. As you near the lake, you will first come across the camping site set up by various tours and travel agencies. Camping beside the lake used to happen few years ago but is prohibited now and all the campsites are as far as 3-4 kilometres from the lake. The motorable dirt track road will take you only till the parking lot from where you will have to trek for 2 kilometres to reach Chandratal Lake. One can trek to Chandratal Lake from Batal or from Kunzum Pass as well. The trek to Chandratal Lake can be ranked as an easy trek with not many steep ascents or descents. Chandratal Lake is literally in the middle of nowhere. The trek is through vast meadows covered in grass with wildflowers blooming here and there. The almost treeless rolling hills against clear blue skies made a picture-perfect setting. Such landscape was vast and went on for miles and miles. We walked at a slow pace, grasping in everything that nature had to offer and it took us about 20-30 minutes to finally reach the Chandratal Lake. We were speechless at the first sight of the emerald coloured water of Chandratal Lake nestled between hills. It seemed unreal like mysteriously hand-painted by some unknown power in the middle of nowhere. There was a white coloured stupa at the banks of the lake covered with Buddhist prayer flags that fluttered with strong wind. The beauty of the Chandratal Lake sure had a calming effect on us as we sat there, truly mesmerised by the sight and listening to heavy wind and the sound of the water as small waves hit the banks. We started walking around the path circling the Chandratal Lake, also referred to as ‘Parikrama’, and marvelled how at every turn, the water changed colours, from emerald to turquoise blue to deep green. The lake water was absolutely chilling and we did not dare to even dip our feet. We did not complete the entire parikrama, as the clouds suddenly started engulfing the landscape and it slowly started drizzling. But we will never forget those 2-3 hours that we spent beside the Chandratal Lake – our much-awaited destination for years. Stay facilities or camping near Chandratal Lake: As mentioned earlier, camping at the banks of Chandratal Lake is banned since past 4-5 years. The entire area now falls under Chandratal Lake Wetland Reserve, which is a protected site under the Wildlife Act. The camping site is 3-4 kilometres away from the lake. You can either pitch your own tent or opt for staying at one of the existing camping facilities. We highly recommend booking your tent stay before taking the trip to Chandratal Lake. If your stay plan falls on weekend it might be difficult to get a tent. Spiti Valley Tours helped us in organising our stay near Chandratal Lake. Our tents were quite modern and spacious with a double bed and an attached bathroom. The facilities though basic were adequate and cosy. The kitchen tent was where we spent most of our time playing games and exchanging travel stories. Since there is no electricity in this area and everything runs on generator, we would recommend carrying power banks and fully charged mobiles/cameras. The generators might be turned off in night. This also gives great opportunity to do some astro-photography. Since it rained the night we were in Chandratal, we could not click the sky or tents. Things to keep in mind before visiting Chandratal Lake: Whether you are visiting Chandratal Lake from Manali or Kaza, start early in the morning to reach the lake in daylight. Do not rely on Google Maps for distance and time calculations. With such high altitude and rough terrain, your speed will be way slower than what any app would suggest. Make your stay arrangements at Chandratal in advance. In case you reach Chandratal and do not find any campsites ready to accommodate you, the closes accommodation you can find is near Batal at a famous dhaba called - Chacha-Chachi Dhaba. An old couple has been running this place since almost 50 years and having helping bikers and travellers during normal and difficult weather conditions in this remote place. They have a beautiful story and a legendary status amongst those who frequent this region. To avoid Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS), make sure that you are absolutely fit before taking the trip to Chandratal Lake, especially if you are travelling from Manali. Keep yourself well hydrated at all times to protect oneself from AMS. Carry your own water and energy bars on the trek. Keep the environment in and around the Chandratal lake clean, kindly do not litter. Do not carry plastic bags, bottles and trash. In case you do, bring your own trash back to the cities. Wear comfortable attire and sports shoes for the trek to Chandratal Lake. Carry warm clothes and dress up in layers. Always carry an extra pair of socks in case the ones you’re wearing get wet. It is also advisable to carry a poncho with you. We highly recommend not to self-drive unless you are used to driving on notoriously dangerous and winding roads. We hired experienced drivers from Spiti Valley Tours for our entire trip. PIN THESE IMAGES Have you been to Chandratal Lake? How was your experience? Please feel free to add your tips and recommendations for fellow travellers in the comment section below. We would love to hear back from you. #India #NorthIndia #HimachalPradesh

We always advise our friends to get a backup of all their favourite photos on a timely basis. Being a travel blogger and photographer couple, we tend to click a lot of photos and videos. These photographic memories are priceless to us and form a deep part of our lives. So, we know the importance of backup and maintenance of storage devices. However, you never know when a hard drive will go bad or crash right out of the box. Hence, we keep ourselves updated with the latest recovery tools and software. We wrote about how Stellar data recovery software once turned out to be our saviour when two memory cards carrying all the photographs from our Meghalaya trip went corrupt. Recently, we came across a similar software introduced by Stellar named 'Stellar Photo Recovery - Professional'; and we can't recommend it enough. It is a must-have for all the photographers and vloggers out there. In this blog, we will walk you through the key features of the Stellar Photo Recovery - Professional software and how you could use it to recover or repair your lost or accidentally deleted photographs. So let's dive right in. Stellar Photo recovery software is a DIY software for both amateur and professional photographers. It can help them recover photos, videos and audio files easily and quickly. When we started understanding the number of ways Stellar Photo Recovery is useful and superior than most options out there, we decided to make a list. So here are some most useful and important features of this software - Key features of the Photo Recovery - Professional Software: 1. Recovery from all storage media There have been times when we found that our SD card has been damaged or corrupted and we lost all the photographs and media files. Well, now Stellar has a unique Photo Recovery - Professional software that can be a life saviour for us during such times. 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The first time we used it, we did not need any guidance in terms of reading the steps to follow. It is so intuitive. 14. Ensures fast recovery The Stellar Photo Recovery - Professional software is an easier, faster and better way to recover the lost photos, videos and audio files. Its recovery rate is higher than any other data recovery software available in the market. The software also displays estimated time of recovery while the scanning process is ongoing. 15. Offers in-lab recovery This is something we know about Stellar from our previous experience. If you are someone who is not tech-savvy and are unsure of whether your photos, videos or audio files will be recovered, you can simply mail your storage device to Stellar’s store. The data care experts will happily get back to you with the results of the scan. How to install, activate and recover data by using Stellar Photo Recovery - Professional software: 1. You can purchase, download, install and run the Stellar Photo Recovery - Professional software from Stellar’s website. They also have Standard and Premium versions. 2. You will get an activation key via e-mail once you purchase the software. You can simply click the activation button, paste the key and click ‘Activate’ button to successfully activate the software. 3. On activation, all the hard drives that are connected to your computer/ laptop will be displayed. You can select the desired drive from which you wish to recover photo, audio and video files. 4. Finally, click ‘Scan’ and the screen will show you the scanning status and the time required to scan the entire drive. 5. Once the scanning is completed, the preview details of all files and folders found will be displayed. 6. You can simply select the files and folders that you want to be recovered. You can narrow the search result by selecting specific file types that are displayed. Once you have selected the files to be recovered, click ‘Recover’. 7. You will be asked to select the destination where you want your recovered files to be stored. Next, click ‘Start saving’ and the selected files will be recovered and saved at the specified location. The best feature of this Stellar Photo Recovery - Professional software is that it is 100% secure. We authorize complete access of our device to the software, when we download it. There’s always a fear that our personal data might be misused or a virus might invade the device. Stellar photo recovery software works best here, as it provides complete privacy and guaranteed security. Even you can benefit by using the Stellar Photo Recovery software to recover your lost photos, videos and audio files with ease. You can check out the Stellar Photo Recovery - Professional Software here. PIN THIS IMAGE Have you at any point of time lost your precious photographs or videos? What did you do to recover them? What are your thoughts on the Stellar photo recovery software? Do let us know in the comment section below. #ProductReviews #Softwares

We are sure you have all been through endless searching while trying to book the cheapest possible flights. With so many travel websites and the dynamic changes in flight rates, we tend to spend a lot of time looking for deals, coupons, special promotions, and offers to save money on flights. We understand how major budget allocation for each trip goes towards airfare. These secret tips from us will help you book a cheap flight without putting a hole in your pocket. 1. Make use of multiple search engines No single search engine is perfect. Always try a combination of search engines to ensure you are not missing out on the cheapest flight. Many travel websites do not list budget airlines. It’s always better to compare the prices with third-party booking sites before going ahead and booking with one. 2. Use airline points or miles If you are a frequent flyer of a specific airline, you earn air miles or points as part of their loyalty program. You can accumulate these points and then redeem them for booking your next flight. Same goes with specific credit cards that offer travel rewards in the form of points on hitting the minimum spent. Premium credit cards also give free lounge access which helps you if you have taken a red eye flight (read on to know more). 3. Fly with budget or local airlines Budget airlines always offer cheap airfares than their traditional premium counterparts. If you are travelling to remote places, it is always advisable to check for local airlines. Sure, you will have to compromise a bit on comfort and meals, but budget and local airlines surely help fulfil your long-term travel dreams without breaking the bank. For example, Flyadeal is Saudi Arabia's new low-fare airline. Cleartrip offers great deals and discounts on Flyadeal Airlines ticket booking. So, if you plan to visit Saudi Arabia, you should not miss out on this offer. 4. Book early Airfares generally rise closer to the departure date. Best time to book a flight is 5-7 weeks before your departure. If you are travelling to a destination in its peak season, its better to book still earlier. Do not, we repeat, do not wait on an unknown sale. However, booking very early is also not the best option. As per a research study, the airfares are moderate at the very start (i.e. 3-4 months before the departure), they keep on declining in the middle time (i.e. 1-2 months before the departure) and then again start rising during the last 3-4 weeks. Try to locate that sweet middle spot. 5. Be flexible with your dates Flight costs vary a lot based on the approaching festivals, peak seasons of travel, day of the week, and time of the year. The solution is to fly after a major holiday or festival time, during the off-season, and on weekdays in place of weekends. Being flexible with your travel dates can help you save a lot of money. Search for alternative dates or lookout for the entire calendar month fare to book that cheap flight. 6. Look out for special deals or festival offers The best way to get to know about the upcoming deals and offers, follow pages of airlines on various social media handles. Last minute deals offered by several travel portals can also help you save up on flight tickets. Always keep an eye on the festival special deals and anniversary promotions. 7. Set price alerts Once you finalise your destination and date of travel, set an airfare alert. This option is available on most portals. They will notify you if there is any drop in airfare. So, if you have a lot of time left before your travel, it's better to wait and track the airfares. 8. Fly from alternative airports In some cases, flying to a larger airport near your destination will save you money. Flying to the destination may not be always a cheap way to travel. So take a cheaper flight to nearby airport and reach your destination via road or rail. 9. Fly at odd hours Generally, early morning and late-night flights are cheaper than the ones that fly during the day-time as there is less demand for these. Backpackers and solo-travellers can explore this option to fly at odd times. We have benefited ourselves by taking plenty of red-eye flights. Having a travel credit card makes it easy to take a such flights as you can relax in the lounges for free. 10. Use hand-baggage only fare If you are a backpacker or travelling solo with less luggage, always look for hand-baggage only flights. The airline expense increase when the flight is heavy, hence they provide incentives to people carrying less baggage. It’s always wise to buy a razor or deodorant from the city you are visiting than carrying it in your bag and paying extra for the check-in luggage. Hope these tips help you with booking flight at cheap airfares. However, do not get all frenzied trying to bring down the flight cost. While its always great to find deals and discounts, check if all the hard work in finding such deals is really worth your time. Let us know if we missed some trick that you use often. PIN THIS IMAGE #Travelbooking

These days, due to COVID lockdown, I have been missing a lot of things that I used to take for granted before. I miss going out for long walks. I miss sitting on the swing in the nearby park. I miss going for a swim. I miss sneaking out of the house late in the night to savour an ice-cream. I miss going to the movies. I miss my outdoor running routine with my favourite music blaring in the headphones. I miss riding to unknown destinations to watch a sunset. I miss going out to feed and spend time with the street dogs. I miss being the old me. But the thing I miss the most is, without a doubt, travelling, meeting new people and learning new things on the go. This COVID lockdown has taken a toll on me. Each morning I wake up with a fear of what-ifs. What if I will never go back to the life that I loved. What if the normal world that used to exist soon becomes a fictional story. What if I will have to say goodbye to people, I thought would stay longer with me. What if I will never see my loved ones again. What if I will never be able to visit places that I very carefully placed in my travel bucket list. And as the day continues to unfold, I have to look for comfort. For me, that comfort only comes from travel (and ice-cream!). There is no other way to keep me sane in this COVID lockdown period without hoping. Hoping that everything will be fine soon. Hoping that I will be travelling again. Hoping that I will do all that I had ever dreamt of. I understand how difficult it is to pass days in this global pandemic and waking up to unhappy news each day. So, I have started reading and watching travel content. If you are a travel buff like me, trust me, this list of travel movies will inspire your wanderlust in this ‘stay at home’ period. So, watch these and never stop hoping. I have been meaning to write this post for a long time. Being an avid reader and writer, I always prefer books over movies. But off lately, I have come across some incredible travel movies that took my heart away. I am travelling and going to places virtually, by watching these movies and I suggest you do the same. So, here’s a list of travel movies (both Hollywood and Bollywood) that you must watch in this COVID lockdown period to inspire your wanderlust. BEST HOLLYWOOD TRAVEL MOVIES TO INSPIRE YOUR WANDERLUST A lot of Hollywood movies that inspire us to travel were adapted from books. And usually its always better to read the book and then watch the movie to gain the maximum inspiration. So we have also provided a link to buy the books that led to creation of these travel movies. 1. Into the Wild (2007) Movie available on Netflix and Amazon Prime Into the Wild is a story about moving away from the comfort zone, step out and live an independent life. The movie is an adaptation of the book of the same name and narrates the story of a man who abandons all he owns and hitchhikes to live in the wilderness in Alaska. The movie raises some thought provoking questions and epitomises adventure, freedom and the joy of impromptu travel plans while traversing through Alaska’s stunning landscapes. Buy Into the wild book by Jon Krakauer 2. Away We Go (2009) Movie available on Amazon Prime US Away We Go is a story of meeting and interacting with new people having different lifestyles. It is a feel good road movie about long-time lovers expecting their first child, who set-out for a house-hunt around the country for their child to grow. They eventually realise that finding a home is a journey into one’s heart. The movie provides a bittersweet tour of North America. 3. The Before Trilogy (1995, 2004, 2013) Before sunrise available on Netflix, All movies available on Amazon Prime US Before Sunrise, Before Sunset and Before Midnight is a slow-cinema trilogy, all set in exotic locations in Europe. The love story of the couple who meet in a train, takes you on an intimate journey across Vienna, Austria, Paris and the Greek Islands. Shot at an interval of 9 years with the same actors, these three movies bring about various facets of love through conversations between the lead characters and in a way prove that travel has the power to revamp your perception of life. Cant wait for 2022! 4. The secret life of Walter Mitty (2013) Movie available on Amazon Prime US The secret life of Walter Mitty is about the life-changing journey of a corporate employee who is pushed out of his comfort zone and has to embark on an adventure to remote locations in Greenland and Iceland and even to the Himalayas. The movie is a testament that travel gives you an opportunity to embrace your fears. 5. The Bucket List (2007) Movie available on Netflix The Bucket List is a story of two terminally ill elder patients who head off on a road trip with a bucket list of adventures they had only imagined doing once. The movie reminds that life is too short and you should tick off your bucket list sooner than later. The movie is filmed in various locations in Africa, India, Egypt, China, France and the US. 6. The Motorcycle Diaries (2004) Available on Amazon Prime US The Motorcycle Diaries is based on a true story on the life of Che Guevara’s motorcycle road adventure. The main lead travels over 14,000 kilometres across 8 months with his friend on a motorcycle through some stunning locations in South America, including Machu Picchu, Patagonia, Buenos Aires, Venezuela, Atacama Desert and Caracas. This road trip helps inspire and shape the rest of his life from being naive to revolutionary. Buy Motorcycle Diaries book by Ernesto Che Guevara 7. The Darjeeling Limited (2007) Available on Amazon Prime US and Hulu The Darjeeling Limited is a story about three wealthy and spoilt American brothers who take a rail journey across India. The movie beautifully depicts how travel can wonderfully heal and rejuvenate a person. While the movie has its flaws, it juxtaposes the chaos, culture and colours of India and the captivating visuals come in the form of barren deserts and forested mountains. 8. Wild (2014) Available on Amazon Prime US Wild is a real-life story of a woman’s 1000-mile journey across the US. Based on a book, it is about the inspiring story of her bravery and self-discovery. This movie will make you realise that it’s always about the journey and not the destination. The movie reminds that travelling is a process of recovery and self-acceptance. Wild is an absolute must-watch for solo female travellers. Buy Wild: A journey from lost to found book by Cheryl Strayed 9. Seven years in Tibet (1997) Available on Netflix Seven years in Tibet is about Heinrich Harrer, an Austrian mountaineer, who sets off to conquer a Himalayan peak but eventually ends up in Tibetan city of Lhasa. The movie is about his struggles and his friendship with Dalai Lama. Seven years in Tibet provides an insight into the stunning scenes of the Himalayas and the Potala Palace. Based on a book by same name, the movie shows how travelling can change your life. Buy Seven years in Tibet book by Heinrich Harrer 10. Eat Pray Love (2010) Available on Netflix Eat Pray Love is a movie adaptation of a book with the same name written by Elizabeth Gilbert. The story is about a woman who quits her job to travel the world. Her travel takes her to Italy, India and Indonesia (Bali) where she finds her true self. The movie teaches to let go off the past and embrace the future with an open heart. Buy Eat Pray Love book by Elizabeth Gilbert BEST BOLLYWOOD TRAVEL MOVIES TO INSPIRE YOUR WANDERLUST There are few Bollywood movies themed purely around travel. Either travel is a smaller aspect of a movie or there are Bollywood movies which inspire wanderlust through its amazing portrayal of certain locations. We have included both these types of movies which inspires one to hit the road. 1. Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (2011) Available on Netflix and Amazon Prime While one always thinks of Hollywood movies when it comes to travel and action genre, no other movie in Bollywood strikes the chord to travel as Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara does. The movie takes you through scenic drives along coastal Spain. Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara is a story of three friends who take a long needed holiday and indulge in adventure experiences across different locations that help them overcome their fears. The movie stresses on the fact that memories are the best investment in your life. 2. Highway (2014) Available on Hotstar While Highway might be an unsettling movie, its bluntness is shadowed by the picturesque landscapes of Northern India. The movie beautifully reels through the remote Sangla Valley in Himachal Pradesh and wades along the endless highways of Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Delhi. The movie inspires you to drop everything, head on a road trip and let fate take care of you. It brings out the true meaning of freedom. 3. Jab We Met (2007) Available on Amazon Prime Jab We Met is an accidental love story between two characters who take you on a romantic journey across India. The shots of vast green pastures of Bhatinda, snow-covered mountains of Manali and Shimla, roads of Rajasthan and the beautiful Rohtang Pass are breath-taking. The movie teaches to live in the present rather than dwelling on to the past. 4. Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani (2013) Available on Netflix and Amazon Prime Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani will inspire you to pack your rucksacks and venture out on exciting Himalayan treks. The movie beautifully captures amazing destinations like Himachal Pradesh, European streets and Rajasthan. This movie confirms the belief that you can find a soulmate while travelling. It is a perfect mix of travel and friendship. Watch this movie and take that holiday with your friends before you plunge into real-world life. 5. Queen (2014) Available on Netflix and Sonyliv Queen is a quintessential travel movie not because it showcases exotic destinations or journey through a place, but because it hits all the right cords of a traveller's heart mainly through the mental state of its lead character. From fear of being in an unknown country to figuring out her way, she finally makes friends for life in an unfamiliar land; something which is extremely common for travellers worldwide. This slow transition is portrayed through an extremely delightful and innocent character and difficult circumstances. Queen is a story of discovering self-confidence in an unknown land. 6. Karwaan (2018) Available on Amazon Prime Karwaan is a life-changing road journey of three characters who are accidentally brought together by love, loss and death. The movie in its essence is so relatable that you will feel like you are watching real-life events from the sidelines. The movie does full justice to the beautiful Nilgiris of Karnataka and backwaters of Kerala. Karwaan is more about letting go off your emotional baggages. 7. Notebook (2019) Available on Amazon Prime Notebook offers most ravishing views of Kashmir where every frame bursts with beauty. The movie is equivalent to an old-world romance where the characters hardly share screen space but still fall in love. This movie actually has nothing to do with travel, but the top-notch cinematography and goosebumpy sceneries of Kashmir’s Wular Lake will surely inspire your wanderlust. 8. Dil Chahta Hai (2001) Available on Netflix and Amazon Prime Dil Chahta Hai is a story about three close friends and how they find love in the most unexpected places. The movie is shot in alluring locales of Sydney, Goa and Mumbai and single-handedly boosted tourism in Goa. Though it fluctuates across many emotions, Dil Chahta Hai is sure to urge you to plan a trip with your friends. It teaches that time and distance does not diminish bonds between friends. 9. Dhanak (2015) Available on Netflix Dhanak’s story is based on the innocence of children and their wide-eyed beliefs in optimism. Dhanak is a story about love and hope. The movie is about road-journey of two children and teaches us to keep faith. Dhanak takes you through stunning landscapes of deserts of Rajasthan with rippling dunes, colourful turbans and tribal women. It symbolises the coming of age. 10. Tamasha (2015) Available on Amazon Prime Tamasha is one of those movies which has a mix of die hard fans and haters. It is most remembered for its lovely portrayal of Corsica, France but is much deeper than that. Tamasha is about a man's conflict between his two selves - one which is seen when he travels and other which he is trying to become in line with society's expectations. The movie showcases this inner struggle and journey of discovering his true self. This movie is bound to invoke your sleeping or hidden self and if you are an explorer at heart, it will awaken your wanderlust. PIN THIS IMAGE I would love to keep updating this list time and again and keep adding to it. Let me know if you come across any such movie that inspired you want to travel. Did you find the listicle useful? Do let me know in the comment section below. #Travelinspiration

The definition of travel has changed a lot over the last decade. Flights have become cheaper, basic itineraries have been modified to include as many sightseeing places as can be adjusted, and pretty photos on Instagram has changed the way how we view travel. Amid global warming, over-tourism and problems in waste disposal, there’s an urgent need to protect the world and make changes in the way we travel. Not many travellers understand what responsible travel means and it is need of the hour that they realize that travelling responsibly isn’t always travelling cheap or backpacker style. To most, the word ‘responsibility’ means burdensome, that often contradicts the fun of travelling. But in fact, travelling responsibly gives one more opportunity to connect with nature and indulge in authentic experiences. By adopting a style of tourism that minimizes the negative impact on environment, economy or culture, any traveller can contribute to responsible tourism. Simply putting it, responsible travel is all about dealing with your own waste, conserving water and energy, abandoning the use of plastic, supporting the traditional way of life and contributing to the local community. Let’s take a look at how you can take baby steps to travel responsibly. Here are some of our key tips to responsible travel that we have acquired over the years of travelling the world. Start at home Abondon plastic usage - Minimize your footprint Support local community and local businesses Give back or volunteer Do a land journey or fly responsibly Respect local culture and customs Select less travelled countries or travel in the off-season Say no to animal exploitation Keep graffiti and artwork skills to yourself Stay in eco-friendly accommodations Be careful of your social media posts Educate & spread awareness Lets dive into each of them and understand them better - 1. Start at home Responsible travel starts way before you leave home. Responsible travel is just an extension of responsible living. If you are conscious of your usage and wastage at home, you are bound to be conscious of these things when you travel. So to travel responsibly, start living responsibly as a first step. Consider every drop of water as precious as your assets. Use as much as you need, but not a drop more which might be wastage. Double-check if the taps are properly closed and flush adequate less water. Turn off the tap when you are brushing. Many cities are encountering a shortage of energy and water. As with water, use electricity responsibly. Turn off lights, fan, television and charging points when not in use. Do not keep the bathroom lights switched on unnecessarily. Before setting off to travel, turn off or unplug all electronic appliances and check that no water taps are leaking. While travelling, you might be in a five star hotel or a homestay, use electricity and water only as much as you need. Just because you are not paying for it separately, does not mean you keep the AC on even when you leave the room. 2. Abandon plastic usage – Minimize your footprint We all know that plastic is bad for environment. But we often give little thought to how we manage it. Ask yourself a question whenever you visit a heavenly place - Do you want to convert the surreal paradise into a plastic land? Don’t you find it gross to see the food wrappers and coke bottles littering the pristine beauty of nature? If you visit beautiful small villages or hike in lush green forests or trek in snowy mountains, be extremely conscious of what you do with waste. These places do not have a way to get rid of the plastic garbage; neither do they have a waste segregation system or any recycling plant. Being a responsible traveller here was of utmost importance. Do not litter even if the locals do. Carry a metal water bottle with you and get it refilled wherever you can. This will help you avoid purchasing plastic water bottles water every now and then while travelling. Say no to plastic straws. Even better, carry your own bamboo straw. Avoid buying and consuming packaged food; not only is it harmful to your body, but it also creates a lot of waste. If at all you buy them, dispose it responsibly in bins. And if you dont find bins, carry the waste food packets with you all the way back to cities and then dispose it in bins. It is always a good idea of having one section of your bag for dry waste disposal. In fact, most backpacks today are designed such that they have a section in the bottom for garbage. If you don't have one, you can always carry one polythene bag in your backpack where you put any non-biodegradable waste that you generate. We recall while trekking through forests to Dudhsagar Falls and Tambdi Surla falls in Goa, we picked up every piece of plastic and stored it in a larger plastic which again we found on the way. By the end of the trek, we felt extremely proud and satisfied. 3. Support local community and local businesses This applies to 3 facets – eating, sleeping and buying. Instead of buying a soft drink, ask for a juice. Buy locally grown fruits instead of food packets. Try out local delicacies. Eat at local eateries. This is where you will find the tastiest and most authentic food. Buy local souvenirs from government-run emporiums or local shops. Choose to buy locally made handicrafts instead of mass-produced mugs, keychains and magnets. Try not to bargain much. That meagre sum of money that you are trying to save will go a long way for the person whom you are purchasing from. However, to support local business, do not go around buying products made from endangered species or wood. Choose to stay at an eco-friendly homestay with locals rather than splurging on a renowned hotel chain. Always remember that the shells and corals should stay at the shore and the leaves and shining stones shall stay where they belong to. Research legality and local ethics before you pick these up for your home decorations. 4. Give back or volunteer Volunteer while travelling. Opt for a work exchange - where you get to stay for free in exchange for some work. Here, along with learning new skills, you also give back to society. Research for non-profit organisations in the area you are visiting and support in any way you are capable of. Volunteer only for worthwhile causes and with reputed organisations. If you possess some skills, put your expertise to good use. Like teaching a language in a rural school or helping paint a hospital. While you may not have time and bandwidth to volunteer at every place that you visit, you do have money to donate or buy useful things for locals. Rural schools, old age homes and orphanages accept donations to support education and development. We donated stationery kits to local school kids in Spiti Valley. Just their excitement to receive gifts and the smile on their faces made our trip worthwhile. While giving back to the community is a great idea, refrain from giving money to poor children begging on the streets. Doing so encourages them to skip school and beg for easy living. But if you really want to help out, buy them food instead of giving them money. 5. Do a land journey or fly responsibly We have realized that a land journey is many times more fulfilling and adventurous than directly flying to the destination. When moving locally within and around a destination, choose to walk or cycle or hire a shared taxi or take a metro to emit fewer pollutants. Use public transport. Switch to a greener mode of transportation. Travelling by train, bus, or even hitchhike has gained a lot of popularity these days. Take pleasure in slow travel. There’s only so much that we can experience in this lifetime. Do not try to pack 100 different places-to-see in your weekly trip itinerary. Instead, spend quality time in one place and grasp as much as the place has to offer. It’s understood, that sometimes you just cannot avoid flying. While travelling across oceans and very long distances or if you have limited time in hand, there isn’t much option but to book a flight. In such scenarios, you can contribute by choosing direct flights instead of stop-overs or fly with an airline that promotes sustainable air travel either by using sustainable aviation fuel, by planting more trees or by other similar methods. Also, pack light. Every extra gram of your luggage adds to your flight fuel burn. 6. Respect local culture and customs Being a respectful traveller is the first step to being a responsible traveller. Travel with an open mind. Research about the local culture before visiting any place. Learn to speak a few words and phrases in the local language and use them to greet people around. This will allow you to be readily welcomed by the locals. Educate yourself on the social culture, customs and traditions and behave accordingly. Ex. At every holy place of worship in Bhutan, you are supposed to wear full sleeves clothes and cover your legs. In Golden Temple in Amritsar, everyone must cover their head – be it a man or a woman. Research and dress respectfully while visiting temples and monasteries. Follow rules at tourists’ attractions. If a signboard says ‘No photographs’, don’t click. If it says ‘Maintain silence’, do not create a ruckus. We read a wonderful quote while walking on the streets of Landour, near Mussoorie. It said: ‘If we liked noise we wouldn’t be here; if you like noise you shouldn’t be here’. Beautiful! Isn’t it? Act responsibly – do not play music on your mobile or bluetooth speakers for everyone to listen. This is something very popular with hikers. You might be hiking in a beautiful peaceful forest or trekking in mountains with some scenic landscape and suddenly you will hear music coming from a bluetooth speaker of a passerby. Not only does it spoil the peace of a tranquil place, it also hampers peace of mind of every person on the way who did not choose to listen to it, but had to. Be considerate and use earphones instead. Respect the tranquillity and solitude of the place as well as the privacy of people. Do not try to shove cameras in the lovely faces of the locals. Instead, ask them politely if you could click. 7. Select less-travelled countries or travel in the off-season Though the travel industry is growing, the number of attractions, more or less, remain the same. In Goa, the locals have started using their agricultural lands for commercial tourism. In Agra, the increase in the number of tourists has resulted in large scale deforestation for hotel construction. The sparkling white marble floor of the iconic monument, Taj Mahal, is said to turn yellow. Research where you want to go and see if you are adding to the existing problems. Many popular destinations have started putting efforts to combat over-tourism by holding protests and campaigns. It’s advisable not to plan a trip to such destinations or you can choose to travel there in the off-season. Ensure you travel responsibly especially when it comes to these destinations. Find destinations that are more earth-conscious than party-conscious. Prioritize visiting places where the locals are still happy to meet you. 8. Say no to animal exploitation In developing countries like India, there are no regulations on how animals are treated at major tourist attractions. Hence, it becomes a traveller’s responsibility to act sensibly and be accountable for their actions. While riding elephants in Dubare elephant camp (Coorg) or Camel riding in Jaisalmer (Rajasthan) looks like a great way to help locals earn a few bucks, the animals are generally mistreated, overworked, starved and taught unnatural tricks. They might be either abused, drugged or both. Plan for an animal-friendly holiday. If you are keen on spotting and clicking wildlife, sign up for ethical safari rides in national parks where the animals move freely in their habitat and are not caged. 9. Keep graffiti and artwork skills to yourself We are pretty confident we don’t need to emphasize this point, but no harm mentioning it. You need not record or mark your presence everywhere you go. Don’t carve your name on anything, be it stones, monument walls or barks of trees. We have been disappointed so many times to see the inscribed love locks that irresponsible tourists would have left on so many beautiful monuments across India. As it is said: ‘Take nothing but memories and photographs, leave nothing but footprints.’ 10. Stay in eco-friendly accommodations There are plenty of eco-resorts and eco-villages that do no or negligible harm to nature without compromising the fun and adventure of a holiday. All that is required, is a bit of research and some thought. La Villa Bethany in Landour and Dudhsagar Plantation in Goa are a few such eco-friendly accommodations that we have stayed. They participate in reforestation projects, support local businesses, believe in effective waste management, believe in farm-to-table dining and give a chance to leave a smaller footprint. Over and above these green and eco-friendly measures that these accommodations partake, staying at such places enables you to gain a unique understanding of the local culture. 11. Be careful of your social media posts Be alert about how you represent the culture you witness at the places that you travel to on your social media handles. Your pictures are the source for someone else to understand the customs and values that the place holds. Be careful about how you use your pictures. Think twice before posting those dreamy, 'perfect' images with a 'perfectly' flowy dress with a 'perfect' backdrop. Do you really want to showcase unreal images on your social media feed? Because life of travel and adventure is nowhere as perfect as it seems on Facebook or Instagram. Think before you post a photo and add the location of a perfectly pristine and isolated place that hasn’t yet been discovered by crowds. Do you really want those places to be the next Taj Mahal or beaches of North Goa? 12. Educate and spread awareness Travelling responsibly might come naturally to some people, but others may just be unaware of the implications their actions can have. If you spot someone, unintentionally doing some harm to the community or to the environment, mention it and educate them in a friendly and polite manner. Villagers of Mawlynnong (Meghalaya), do not shy away from requesting the tourists to pick up their own waste. It is only through education that we can spread awareness about responsible tourism. If a restaurant, homestay or a tour organiser is doing good to the environment, tell the world about it. Teach your peers to travel responsibly. If you see animals treated inappropriately, report it. Remember - Little steps go a long way. Do you still think travelling responsibly is a lot of work? Relax. You need not be 100% perfect in following these tips. Do what you can and enjoy travelling like you always did. Once the world is COVID-free and you get to travel again, remember to make a positive impact by travelling responsibly. PIN THIS IMAGE What responsible travel tips do you follow while travelling? Is there any responsible practice that we have missed out? Let us know in the comment section below. #ResponsibleTravel

As the world is coming out of lockdown, the international as well as the state borders, are still expected to be closed for an unknown period. Different countries and states will open their borders to travellers at different point of times. We are often asked these days – ‘How safe will it be to travel across state or country borders?’. Well, we are still sceptical. In fact, we suggest everyone to start cautiously by travelling to nearby places close to their own hometown by opting for a staycation. If you are coming across this word for the first time, staycation means spending holiday in one's own hometown by visiting local attractions and doing fun activities. This could involve staying at your own home and doing day trips or opting to stay in a hotel in the same city for a change. Well, what better place to travel than your own hometown! You will have adequate safety information about your own hometown than any new destination and that could make your staycation safe and stress free. Exploring your own city again, through fresh eyes, can be as much fun as exploring a new place. Ask yourself this question - Have I seen everything that my hometown has to offer? We are sure you haven’t. You definitely need a staycation! In this article, we will give you some staycation tips and ideas and will offer you some ways to embrace your next holiday at home. How to plan a Staycation? It is important to plan a staycation just like you would plan a vacation. Start planning your staycation by - Collect information about your home town - Pick up a map of your hometown from any local tourism agency or open google maps and go through it in detail to get started. Advance towards a staycation in the same way as you would plan any vacation Read other people’s blogs on your hometown and see what they recommend visiting. Read online reviews or TripAdvisor reviews for personal recommendations from people who have visited places in your hometown that you are interested in. Tourists often know more about a place than a local as they would have researched it in detail unlike a local Buy a guidebook. Find out the best sites to visit. You could be surprised that you didn’t know many Pick up that glossy brochure that the airport or tourism offices flaunt. It often comes along with a map that will guide you to undiscovered local attractions, nightlife offerings, adventure activities and quirky restaurants. You can even check your city’s tourism website or the wiki page to see what’s new and interesting in your hometown Go on a Staycation Act like a tourist and take a tour of your hometown. Visit all the sightseeing places that interest you from your research. While people may ask you to skip going to places you normally do during a staycation, we believe it doesn’t matter if you have been to a place before. Go there again and try to see it differently! But don’t hesitate to explore new ones Take time to discover new things. Travel slow. Talk to locals and see what they have to add to your already existing knowledge about your city Walk through narrow lanes instead of driving/ riding a vehicle. Get lost in the streets. The whole idea of a staycation is to come across some parts of your city that you never knew existed Include the lesser-known and less popular sites in your hometown sightseeing itinerary. These could be in outskirts or around your hometown as well Go back in time by visiting museums, ancient monuments, and iconic buildings in your city. Dive into history and look for reasons behind the well-known facts Visit water bodies like a lake or a beach and opt for a fun activity like boating or swimming. Go for a trek. Climb a nearby hill or mountain. Carry a picnic basket and enjoy your favourite meal with a view There might be several places in your city that you pass by each day and silently vow to visit someday. Make a plan to visit all those while planning your staycation Change your perspective when you go on a Staycation Join a guided tour. It could be a plain sightseeing tour, adventure tour, food tour or historic tour. This will help add to your knowledge about the history of your city, the new sightseeing places, the old and authentic restaurants to eat from, and good places to shop at Try taking a different mode of transportation while on a staycation. Opt for a bus ride or a subway or a bicycle tour or get on the hop-on-hop-off buses even if you have your own car Find the highest viewpoint in your city and get a panoramic view of the entire town from up there. Catch a sunrise or sunset from this new vantage point and you will fall in love with your city all over again Join a meetup group where you could find people having similar interests in exploring your town. It’s a great way to meet new people and make new travel buddies Attend local events happening in your city. It could be anything from theatre to art shows to exhibitions to concerts to sports events. Locals often miss out on attending the events happening in their own city. Volunteer for events that interest you like a beach cleaning drive Show someone around as a part of your staycation. Couchsurf or catch up with people who are new in your area and either join them or offer to play their tour guide Opt for a night tour and re-visit all the sightseeing places that you loved, to see how they lit up during night time if there are experiences that you are craving for but they are not available in your hometown, try finding a virtual way of experiencing it. Since it would still be unique and something you don't do often, you would still have fun Try out local restaurants Look out for old and authentic eating joints and taste the locally produced delicacies. Try not to order the regular stuff that you generally eat while on a staycation Make a list of all the popular restaurants and cafes that you would like to visit and tick them off as and when you get a chance to eat-out. You will be surprised by the long list of must-eat joints in your hometown Try dishes that are special and unique to your place. Maybe you have missed out on eating the tastiest food offered by your hometown. Look out for family-owned small restaurants and eateries Ask for food recommendations. Go restaurant-hopping. Meet the chef and ask him to prepare you his/her special local dish Learn to cook a local delicacy that you love. Join a cooking class or ask a friend or relative if they can teach you how to prepare your favourites Spend the night in a hotel Check yourself into a hotel in your own hometown to feel like a tourist. This can give you an instant holiday feeling. After all, staycation is a perfect opportunity to spend some time on yourself If you live on the outskirts, opt to stay somewhere in the middle of the city to get a different vibe. And if you live within the city, look for a stay someplace in the countryside where you could be one with nature Make use of the travel desk at the hotel to find out about exciting places to visit and tips and hints on things to do around Choose to stay at some unique property like a boutique hotel or a refurbished old house or a historic property or an eco-friendly homestay. This will provide you with the much-needed change that you were seeking for. One of the key elements of a staycation is to stay disconnected and away from work Staying in a hotel is a great way to make friends with other travellers over a cup of coffee in the in-house café or simply while lounging around Carry Your Camera You will be surprised by how little photographs you have of your own city. Carrying a camera wherever you go during the staycation will make you feel like a tourist and eventually you will end up with a bunch of great photos Revisit your photos whenever you want to see how wonderful your hometown is. Your clicked photos will act as special memories that you could store with you forever Viewing your city through your camera lens will add to its beauty. Clicking selfies in front of your favourite places can actually be a lot of fun Simple alterations in your everyday life can help you achieve your travel plans. Always remember travelling is not about the distance that you cover. It's about the experiences you have and the journey more than the destination. Discovering hidden gems in your own hometown can be a lot of fun. PIN THIS IMAGE Are there any other tips that you would want to add to our staycation suggestions? Do share them with us in the comment section below. #TravelInspiration

Travel industry, the sector which came to a screeching halt amidst coronavirus pandemic, has slowly started to open up in a phased manner. As the countries emerge from the over two-month-long lockdown which was meant to curb the novel coronavirus pandemic, the way we travel won’t be the same at all, till there is vaccine out there. Going forward, we are going to witness a major shift in the travel trends. Travellers will seek for new health safety protocols and social distancing norms to re-initiate their travel plans. They will now look for travel trends that will make them feel safe and confident that their health is safeguarded. Safety, health and hygiene will be deeply embedded in traveller’s psyche and hence in travel choices in the coming future. In this article, we will share our insights about how we think travel will change post-COVID and what you must do to adapt to this new style of travel. 1. Staycations and Offbeat destinations over Touristy places The travellers are apprehensive to get on an airplane right now. Needless to say, the fear of getting contacted by someone/ something carrying virus is not going to leave us any time soon. Hence, travellers will initially be more comfortable doing in-city trips compared to outstation ones. Domestic destinations reachable within 3-4 hours will be more preferred than the international exotic locations. Most travellers have decided to slow down and indulge in activities that their hometowns have to offer. Staycation will be a major travel trend for the foreseeable future until people get comfortable with the safety measures and how things turn out. Staycations will provide travellers with the much-needed quality time without the hassle of travelling. To avoid contact with more people, travellers will prefer visiting offbeat destinations instead of the touristy places. Social distancing activities like fishing, walking tours, cycling tours, farm visits, camping, hiking, bird-watching, photography and trekking will be practised more. Theme parks, museums and iconic landmarks that attract a lot of tourist crowd would be abandoned. We started appreciating the often-neglected things like balconies, plants, chirping birds, windows, terraces and fresh air during the lockdown. When the pandemic settles, travellers will likely look towards such places of natural beauty like wellness and wilderness camps. 2. Homestays over Hotels Travellers will opt to stay at places where human contact is limited and contact tracing is easier. They will prefer staying at private rental properties, boutique homestays and independent AirBnBs instead of big hotels and resorts. For a few months, travellers will be uncomfortable to check-in to properties that have a lot of volume, a lot of people at the reception desk and in the dining rooms. Accommodations that are more isolated, amidst nature and have a smaller number of rooms will be favoured, e.g. villas and private homes. However, homestays in touristy places like Dehradun and Mussoorie will be less preferred than those in the offbeat locations like Landour. As travellers will hesitate to venture out for sightseeing, homestays that offer a chance to have meaningful conversations, indulge in some unique, immersive experiences and relish local delicacies within the property premises, will be picked more. Meaningful travel is going to be the next big thing. In-house amenities, cleanliness, hygiene and comfort are the attributes that travellers will look out for in accommodations. Even short-term rentals where the room is equipped with a kitchenette will be in demand for people seeking an extended leisure trip but worried about safety. 3. Private transportation over Public transport Sanitisation is the new security for future travellers. They will not be confident to use public transportation as there will always be doubts about its cleanliness and hygiene. Also, challenges like crowding, failure to maintain social distance and difficulty in contact tracing, are other reasons why public transportation will be looked down upon. The fear of boarding a shared vehicle is something that travellers are not ready to handle right now. In these times, the classic road trip will make a comeback. Travellers will first plan for short trips to destinations where they can drive in their own private vehicles. Car and bike rental companies that provide assurance that the vehicles are deep-cleaned after each use are likely to see an uptick. Agencies offering self-drive cars for a rental will be more preferred than chauffeur-driven ones. People will stay away from mass-transport to stay safe. Hence, walking, cycling, two-wheeler riding and personal car driving will see a surge. Even researchers have suggested that personal vehicles are deemed to be extremely low risk in these pandemic times as compared to public transportation. 4. Solo tours or Family tours over Group tours In the foreseeable future, solo trips hold the key for the revival of the travel sector. Coronavirus pandemic has made us realise how important our family and friends are. Hence, family tours and tours with friends will also surge after the pandemic. People would obviously want to travel with known familiar faces than with strangers from around the state. Group tours will shrink due to social distancing challenges while travelling with a greater number of people. This would, of course, be a downside for the first time and middle-class travellers who feel more comfortable and affordable to travel as a group. Even if travellers decide to travel as a group, the group will be smaller to ensure social distancing. The vehicles will be less occupied or there will be two vehicles where there is a need for one. 5. Fine dining over Street food Due to the coronavirus outbreak, people began to think about how they consume food. The ‘thinking’ involves getting to know where their food is sourced from and what safety measures are taken while preparing and delivering it. The chef-driven fine dining restaurants will now make a comeback. Restaurants that curate a better experience right from hygiene to safety in packaging will be preferred over the others. Street food joints, however cheap, will not be a choice of the eatery by travellers. In-house restaurants in resorts will be more trustworthy to eat at than anywhere else outside. While on a staycation, the travellers will prefer to pack the home-cooked food and savour it on the go. With hygiene and cleanliness being the primary area of concern after the pandemic, street food will not be a preferred food option anymore. Travellers would pick food from their favourite restaurant on their own rather than getting it delivered to their accommodations to eliminate the handler in between. There will be a rise in single portion servings for catering to solo travellers or even group travellers as they won’t be comfortable sharing food now. 6. Rural Tourism over Urban Tourism The coronavirus outbreak has hit densely populated urban areas much much more than the scarcely populated rural areas. The major reason being built-in social distancing from the geographic dispersion of populations. With urban areas full of things to do and touristy spots, travellers will now look out for a slower pace and more relaxed vacations. Many rental properties in rural areas tend to have extremely spacious land, which can be perfect for secluding oneself from the crowd. While travellers are still sceptical of moving out on the streets in urban areas, they can enjoy the outdoors in the rural areas. Going for a morning stroll, spotting wildlife in nearby forests, people-watching, and getting to know the local culture can be all done in rural areas without any fear. Getting a chance to eat authentic local cuisine is another reason why travellers will love visiting the countryside. Slow travel is the next popular travel trend. Instead of planning to pack the day with several places to visit, travellers will choose to stay at one place and enjoy and learn most about it. And that's what rural tourism has to offer! The above are going to be the new travel trends now. The travel industry is going to face a major change, hopefully for good. Travellers will first try to venture out close to home, stay at private homestays, preferably to rural areas, use their own private vehicles to travel, eat at fine-dining restaurants and either travel solo or with family and friends. PIN THIS IMAGE What will travel be like in the coming future according to you? How are you planning to adopt to the changes in travel trends? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.

Hampi is a small historic town located on the banks of picturesque Tungabhadra River in the Indian state of Karnataka. It is a frequently visited weekend destination for city dwellers of Bangalore and Hyderabad to have a laid back scenic trip and by locals for religious purposes. It is also very popular with foreigners who stay here for weeks together on the hippie island. But there is much more to Hampi than a weekend destination. There are many interesting places around Hampi that most travellers miss out on. From other historic monuments and caves that will leave you in awe to Sunflower fields that will make your heart flutter with joy. From getting a bird eye view of Karnataka's largest dam to artistic craftwork of tribal women, there is so much more to immerse yourself into. In this article, we talk about various places around Hampi and how you can plan a trip to visit them. We have been to Hampi many times, and each time we were lucky enough to uncover hidden gems in and around Hampi. While first trip to Hampi should always be about understanding and seeing Hampi and places in its vicinity, one can explore places around Hampi (upto 150 kms) over a long weekend in subsequent trips. So here is a compilation of places to visit near Hampi - Badami Pattadakal Aihole Sandur Hospet Sunflower fields Bellary Toranagallu 1. Badami Badami, located at a distance of 140 kilometres from Hampi, is a small town that used to be the capital of one of the greatest and most abiding dynasties in Southern India – the Chalukyas. This place to visit near Hampi lies on the fertile banks of the Malaprabha River. It is nestled in a shallow ravine that cuts through the sandstone landscape of the surroundings. The Chalukyan kings who reigned Badami adorned the capital with some beautiful rock-cut temples that date between the 6th and 8th century CE. Badami is adorned with four main caves, several lesser caves, a few temples, and other monuments, all surrounding an enormous man-made water body – the Agastya Lake. All the monuments are made of the fine red-grained (or brown) sandstone, hence the name Badami (colour of badam/ almond). On a cliff overlooking the Agastya Lake is the Badami fort. In-state of ruins, today, it is a troubled witness of ancient human violence. The main attractions in Badami, namely the Badami caves, Agastya Lake, Bhutanatha temple, Badami fort, Upper and Lower Shivalaya temples, Archaeological museum, and the lesser caves, are all located in one complex. Tourists that visit Hampi treat Badami as a day-trip destination. But we suggest an overnight stay in Badami to explore this place to visit near Hampi properly. You could also move on to explore the heritage sites at Pattadakal and Aihole on the next day if you spend a night in Badami. Decent accommodation facilities are available in the town. This place to visit near Hampi is best explored after the monsoon ends – when the Agastya Lake is brimming with water, and numerous waterfalls are formed along the southern hills. Read more about the places to visit in Badami and other important things to know before visiting the town in our dedicated blog on Badami. Entrance ticket to the monuments in Badami – INR 5 per person 2. Pattadakal Pattadakal is an even smaller town located at a distance of 136 kilometres from Hampi and 22 kilometres from Badami. This town is again situated on the Malaprabha River banks and is a legacy of early Chalukyas. Pattadakal was looked after as an amalgamation between North Indian and South Indian architectural styles due to its location. The name Pattadakal means 'a place of coronation', where several Chalukyan Kings were crowned. The places to visit in Pattadakal include 10 major temples in a complex, nine of which are based on Hinduism and one on Jainism. The group of monuments at Pattadakal suffered from the scourges of nature and were brought to the attention of the government only in the 1960s. In 1987, they were inscribed as UNESCO World Heritage sites. Today, they are managed and maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India. Having been ruled by various kingdoms and empires, the group of monuments at Pattadakal is evidence of architectural forms from multiple religions and parts of India. The 10 major temples are clustered together in one complex surrounded by beautiful gardens on all four sides. Pattadakal is the best place to visit near Hampi if you are an architecture-buff. You will need at least a day to see all the monuments properly, else 2 hours are enough to cover the major temples. Pattadakal hardly has any decent options for an overnight stay. It is best to book a hotel or a guest house in Badami if you wish to spend a night nearby. Both Pattadakal and the nearby heritage town of Aihole can be visited as a day trip from Badami. Monsoon and winter is the best time to explore this place to visit near Hampi. Read more about the group of monuments in Pattadakal and other important things to know before visiting the town in our dedicated blog on Pattadakal. Entrance ticket to the group of monuments in Pattadakal – INR 40 per person 3. Aihole Aihole is a heritage town located along the Malaprabha River banks in the Bagalkot district of the Indian state of Karnataka. It is barely 10 kilometres away from Pattadakal and 138 kilometres from Hampi. This place to visit near Hampi is a major centre of historically important Chalukya monuments. Aihole was once a breeding ground for the innovative building of new architectural styles. Today, the small town has become a centre of studies of Indian religion and art history. It houses over 100 big and small temples and several other significant monuments. The Durga temple in Aihole is dated from the mid-6th to mid-7th century CE and is an excellent example of a semi-circular temple. The experimentation with stone artwork, and architectural designs that were done in Aihole monument construction, were later used in a refined manner in the group of monuments in Pattadakal and Badami. Most temples in Aihole are spread across a radius of a 1-kilometer area in the town's center. It would take over 2 hours to explore all of them. Winter and monsoon is the best time to explore this place to visit near Hampi. The Badami-Pattadakal-Aihole circuit is popular amongst foreign as well as Indian tourists. There are no hotels or guest houses in Aihole; hence it is recommended that you book your stay in Badami, a place to visit near Hampi. Read more about the group of monuments in Aihole and other important things to know before visiting the town in our dedicated blog on Aihole. Entrance ticket to the monuments in Aihole – INR 25 per person 4. Sandur Sandur is a small village located about 40 kilometres away from Hampi in Karnataka. We heard and read about Sandur while we were in Hospet and could not travel to Hampi as the Tungabhadra River was flooded. We started looking for places to visit near Hampi, which is when we came across this town. Once known as Skandapuri, in honour of the temple dedicated to Skanda, today, the town is called Sandur (meaning 'town between hills'). The area is rich in forests, flora, fauna, and deposits of iron and manganese ore. We visited the Sandur Kushala Kala Kendra, which is a non-profit organization founded in the year 1988. The organization promotes handicraft-based livelihoods. This craft is indigenous to the women of the Lambani tribal community who reside in Sandur. Their embroidery work on bright fabrics is embellished with intricate stitches, which are now a part of modern-day outfits. This exquisite artisanship has won the Lambani women recognition and helped them make a living. Their artform even earned the tag of geographical indication in 2008. As many as 500 women work at the Sandur Kushala Kala Kendra. A few of them were dressed in their unique traditional dress named phetiya-kanchali, a baggy skirt with an ornamental blouse. The women have first-hand knowledge of 39 different embroidery designs stitched meticulously onto sarees, stoles, dupattas, kurtis, bags, cushion covers, and pouches, wall-hangings, and other apparels. The products are embellished with cowrie shells, beads, mirrors, coins, and other decorations. These products are then sold in an in-house outlet, from where we picked a few of them. Lambani embroidered products are also exported to countries like the USA, Netherlands, and Japan. Apart from the Sandur Kushala Kala Kendra that helps local women keep the traditional art alive, there are a few other places to visit in Sandur, like a few former iron and manganese quarries and a beautiful lake near the Narihalla dam. For luxury seekers, a stay in the royal Shiv Vilas Palace is highly recommended. Sandur is amongst the best place to visit near Hampi if you are into nature, art, and crafts. 5. Hospet (also called Hosapete) Tungabhadra River flows through the centre of Hampi, dividing the town into two divisions that are entirely world apart. However, the Tungabhadra Dam is located about 8 kilometres away from Hampi in a town named Hospet, which is relatively nearby. If you are nearby, do not give this place to visit near Hampi a miss. The Tungabhadra dam construction was envisioned as early as the 1860s, but the dam was built entirely only in 1953. There's a beautiful and well-maintained garden, named Pampavana Garden, at the dam site, which includes a small zoo, an aquarium, and lots of different plant species with substantial open spaces for picnicking. We visited the Tungabhadra Dam in August month when it was still monsoon. It was continuously raining, and the dam was brimming with water during our visit. Owing to the full capacity of the reservoir, the boating facilities were closed down. We climbed the 1000 steps to the lighthouse up a hill located right next to the dam. Generally, you will find lighthouses on the seashores to keep a vigil and guide ships. But here, there's a lighthouse next to a dam (purpose unknown). From atop the hill next to the Tungabhadra dam, we could get a glimpse of the entire reservoir and the green valleys surrounding it. Though entry to the lighthouse is restricted, the panoramic view from the site was breathtakingly beautiful. Out of the dam's odd 33 gates, 28 gates were opened to discharge water into the Tungabhadra River; hence, Hampi was flooded. An inspection bungalow cum a guest house is located atop the hill, open only for government officials visiting the dam. If you prefer staying close to the dam, you could book an overnight stay at Hotel Mayura, located right next to the Tungabhadra dam circle. We also happened to get an incredible view of the dam from the Tungabhadra bridge, constructed over the Tungabhadra River, and another smaller bridge near Fatima church while riding towards Badami from Hospet. The water flow was so ferocious that it completely scared us. All in all, we found the Tungabhadra dam to be the best place to visit near Hampi. We will let the pictures speak what we saw! Entrance ticket to the dam – INR 20 per person Entrance ticket to Pampavana garden – INR 20 per person 6. Sunflower Fields If finding vast sunflower fields blooming with gorgeous yellow flowers excites you, you must indeed explore the places mentioned above to visit near Hampi. Planning a road trip between June to September will work best to catch the flowers in full bloom. The little villages around Hampi are home to hundreds of sunflower fields. You will see them lining both sides of the road as you drive from Hampi to Badami, Aihole, Pattadakal, or Sandur. The little patches of yellow that seemed hidden from afar turned into a vast expanse covered with hundreds of thousands of sunflowers as we closed in each time. We spent hours exploring all the fully bloomed fields that we passed by. It was hard to get enough of them. Locals privately own all these sunflower fields, so be respectful of the surroundings and their privacy. Do not trespass in fenced areas. You will find that a few farmers are chatty and would love to give you a tour of their field and tidbits on how they are grown. 7. Bellary The city of Bellary, situated in the historic Bellary district, is located about 60 kilometres away from Hampi. The name of the town is also spelled as Bellari. Ballary or Ballari. The city is known for the Bellary Fort that stands tall atop Fort Hill. This Fort Hill is the second largest monolithic hill in the world, and it is popularly known as 'Bellary Gudda.' The King built the fort during the reigns of the Vijayanagar empire. We recommend visiting the fort in the late afternoon so that you can also catch its illuminated version (Only on Sundays and National holidays) in the evening. Beside the Bellary Fort Hill is another hill named Kumbara Gudda known as the 'Face Hill. If you view this hill from the southern side, it looks like a human being's face. Apart from these two hills, several temples spread across the Bellary city that might interest your religious stance. 8. Toranagallu Toranagallu, located oddly 38 kilometres away from Hampi, is a town that is famous for housing a very artistic museum called the Kaladham museum. This museum is located at the entrance of Vijayanagar township in Toranagallu. Kaladham is a very thoughtfully curated museum, which is an exact mini-replica of Hampi. The 5-minute 3D show that has been created to showcase the entire site at Hampi is incredible. The virtual tour is a must for everyone interested in knowing the history of Vijayanagar. The museum structure is constructed with stone pillars and bamboo roofs that walks you through beautiful pictures of Hampi and its surroundings (about 15000 images taken over 25 years). During the evening, the place looks even lovelier with all the lightings and the water fountain. They also have set up a souvenir shop where you can collect artifacts for your loved ones. Entrance ticket to the Kaladham museum - INR 50 per person Museum Timings - 5:30 PM to 8:30 PM every day (Closed on Tuesdays). Also, open from 10 AM to 1 PM on Sundays. PIN THESE IMAGES We hope this list of places to visit near Hampi helps you plan your week-long trip to the heritage towns around the area. If you are aware of other such places to visit near Hampi and want us to include them in this list, do let us know about it in the comments section.