Central Himachal Pradesh

Central Himachal Pradesh is a region in Himachal Pradesh, consisting of Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Kullu, Mandi and Una districts.

Cities

• 1 Bilaspur — a town regarded as the first planned hill town in the country

• 2 Chindi — a town in the Karsog Valley amidst enormous orchards of apples and dense hilly woods of deodars and pines

• 3 Hamirpur — home to Baba Balak Nath and Narvdeshwar temples

• 4 Jogindernagar — a destination for hanging out, trekking, paragliding, angling and camping

• 5 Khir Ganga — a small local village on the way of Pin-Parvati Pass

• 6 Kullu — a small hill station

• 7 Manali — a backpacker stronghold in Kullu Valley famous for trekking and mountaineering

• 8 Mandi — a town built along the banks of the Beas River. Home to many temples dedicated to Shiva and Kali, and hub for trips around the region

• 9 Naina Devi — a town and municipal council that is the site for Shri Naina Devi Temple (Mahishapeeth)

• 10 Rewalsar — according to Buddhist legend, this lake was created out of a burning pyre by master Padmasambhava (Guru Rinpoche)

Other destinations

• 1 Great Himalayan National Park (███). A UNESCO World Heritage Site national park set among the great Himalayan mountains, this park is right on the border between two of the world's eight major bioregions, the Palearctic and the Indomalayan. The remarkable altitude differences in the park (1,400–6,000 m) results in diverse flora from subtropical forests to alpine and glacial flora. The national park is home to different species of goat, bear, leopard and pheasant.
  Rampur (50 km northwest of the park) is the closest city. The nearest airport is at Bhuntar in Kullu district. There are four entry areas to the park known as Tirthan, Sainj, Jiwanal and Parbati, all situated within a close distance of around 50 km. (updated Aug 2023)

• 2 Parvati Valley (███). An exciting and beautiful valley with the backpacker stronghold of Kasol, the spiritual center of Manikaran, several hot springs, lots of hiking trails around the Great Himalayan National Park, and the popular "weed" harvest in September. (updated Aug 2023)

• 3 Kamru Nag — the main deity of Mandi district. Its temple is at the height of 3,334 m above sea level on Mandi-Karsog Road. Perfect place for trekkers.

• 4 Prashar Lake — at an altitude of 2,730 m in district Mandi, 40 km from Mandi town. The deep blue water at this beautiful lake is held sacred to the sage Prashar. A three-tiered Pagoda-like temple dedicated to the sage lies by the lake—'rishi' Prashar is said to have meditated here. Its remarkable setting is enhanced by a frame of snow-draped peaks visible from the lake's edge, and the water of the river Sutlej flows due south. The lakeside and the nearby villages are sites of various festivals held at different times of the year

See

From Mandi (see there), there are many destinations to explore, even though the city itself is not necessarily a place to hang around. Such destinations include:

• Gadda Gusaini, a virgin valley near the backpacker stronghold of Jibhi
• Jhatingri, with beautiful deodar and blue pine forests
• Karsog Valley, full of scenic beauty and abundance of apple orchards near Chindi
• Rohanda Valley, popular among motorcycling clubs
• Barot, 12 km by Haulage Trolley from Jogindernagar it packs an enormous range of out door activities

Eat

While the region seems to derive pride from its apple orchards, apples and pears in this region are actually less tasty than in Europe, and it is better to stick to Bananas, Mangos and Papayas—but be your own judge.