Category Tourist Spots in India

Why Sakleshpur is called ‘poor man’s Ooty’?

               Situated in the Hassan district of Karnataka, Sakleshpur is a quaint hill station that boasts a scenic environment, pleasant climate, and lofty green hills that are full of cardamom, coffee, pepper and areca plantations.

               It’s a spectacular town tucked away in the Western Ghats on the Bangalore-Mangalore highway. Sakleshpur is known for its salubrious climate, and had earned the sobriquet ‘poor man’s Ooty’ during the British rule.

               Tourists can enjoy exploring the flora and fauna of the Bisle Reserve Forest, which is just 45 km away from the city. The view of the forest is really extravagant.

               Besides, trekking to Bisle Reserve Forest and Kumara Parvatha are also the best ways to explore the rich biodiversity of the place.

               Manjarabad Fort is another major attraction, which provides an aerial view of the Western Ghats.

What makes the Sela Pass unique?

               The Sela Pass is the high-altitude mountain pass located in the Tawang district of the Arunachal Pradesh. It has an elevation of 4170 metres. It connects the city of Tawang to Tezpur and Guwahati and is the main road connecting Tawang with the rest of India.

               The Sela Pass is situated at a distance of 78 km from Tawang town. The pass is open throughout the year. During landslide and heavy snow the pass is shut down temporarily. Tawang district lies in close proximity to Tibet.

               The pass has hardly any vegetation, and is usually snow-covered year around. During winter, the temperature in the pass can go down to minus ten degrees. This place is snowed in most of the year, and offers excellent and heavenly views all year round.

               This part of the eastern Himalayan range is a sacred site for the Buddhists as it is believed that about 101 lakes exist in and around the Sela Pass, and each of these lakes has a huge religious significance for the Buddhist community.

Where is Shimoga situated?

               Shimoga, meaning the ‘face of Shiva’ is situated at a distance of 275 km from Bangalore, and is also known as the bread basket of Karnataka, because of the rich fertility of this region. For every travel and adventure lover Shimoga is like heaven on Earth.

               Shimoga has been officially renamed Shivamogga. It is often called the cultural capital of Karnataka, and is a place brimming with nature and beautiful landscapes. This magnificent hill station, which is the gateway to India’s beautiful Western Ghats, is a perfect tourist attraction.

               Shimoga is a true nature’s gift, spread with waterfalls, and enchanting natural scenery of hills, dense forests, flora and fauna. Its forts, swaying palms and abundant paddy fields. All these make Shimoga a picturesque locale.

               This place has many tourist attractions. One among them is Shivappa Nayaka Palace, which is located in the heart of Shimoga city, on the banks of River Tunga. This palace was built in the 16th century by the Keladi ruler, Shivappa Nayaka. There are several waterfalls around Shimoga that attract the senses of every nature buff.

What makes the Maikal Hills a one of a kind destination?

               The Maikal Hills are range of hills in the state of Chhattisgarh. The Maikal Hills are an eastern part of the Satpuras in Kawardha district of Chhattisgarh.

               The hills are filled with lush green forest and the atmosphere is serene. The hills have an altitude ranging from 340 metres to 941 metres above sea level. Many rivers are formed from the foot of the hills. Tributaries of Narmada and Wainganga rivers are formed from the hills. The hills are populated by local tribes called Baigas and Gonds.

               The Kanha National Park of Madhya Pradesh is located in the Maikal Hills of the Satpuras. The park’s landmark achievement is the preservation of the rare, hard ground swamp deer (Barasingha), saving it from near extinction. Stringent conservation programmes for the overall protection of the park’s fauna and flora, makes Kanha one of the most well maintained national parks in Asia.

What makes Sandakphu a unique place?

               Sandakphu is the highest peak in the state of West Bengal. It is the highest point of the Singalila Ridge in Darjeeling district on the West Bengal-Nepal border. The peak is located at the edge of the Singalila National Park and has a small village on the summit with a few hotels. Four of the five highest peaks in the world, Everest, Kanchenjunga, Lhotse and Makalu can be seen from the summit.

               Sandakphu is a true paradise for all adventure lovers. Trek to the highest point on this hill station and you will get a never seen before view of the Himalayan Range.

               A long stretch of the Himalayas, starting from Bhutan till Mount Everest is visible. The River Teesta flows through Sandakphu at quite a pace. The River Teesta also offers a great option for adventure sports especially river rafting. Sandakphu is the only place in the world where you will find rhododendron and silver fir forests.

Why is it said that the Loktak Lake has a unique charm?

               Located around 48 km away from Imphal, the capital of Manipur, the Loktak Lake is the largest freshwater lake in northeast India. The lake is mostly famous for the floating phumdis (floating decomposed plant materials) that even host a national park. Resembling miniature islands, these phumdis are found in various forms, floating on the lake.

               The lake’s rich biological diversity comprises 233 species of aquatic plants, more than 100 species of birds, and 425 species of animals, including the Indian python and the sambhar. The Keibul Lamjao in Loktak is the only floating national park in the world. It is home to the last of the brow-antlered deer, one of the most endangered deer in the world. The park, which was initially declared to be a sanctuary in 1966, was subsequently declared a national park in 1977, through a gazette notification.

               Loktak is also a bird watchers paradise. The most commonly sighted birds in the region include the black kite, northern hill myna, lesser skylark, Burmese pied myna, and more.

Picture credit: google