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About
Narkanda |
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Narkanda is a town and a nagar panchayat in Shimla district in
the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. It has an average
elevation of 2470 metres (8599 feet) on the Hindustan-Tibet
Road (NH 22) in Himachal Pradesh, India. It is about 65 km
from Shimla and is surrounded by the Shivalik Ranges that span
a large part of Himachal Pradesh. India's ski resorts are
largely confined to the western half of the Himalayas. Skiers
have frequented Gulmarg, Manali and Narkanda .Narkanda is the
best Camping Sites in India. As of 2010 India census, Narkanda
had a population of 2712.
Fruit orchards on the surrounding hills produce some of
Himachal’s most juicy apples and cherries, making Narkanda one
of Himachal’s pleasantest settlements, no matter what time of
the year. The amazing views around Narkanda, combined with
opportunities for long and leisurely walks through the
orchards around, are reason enough in themselves to visit this
hill town. That’s not all there is to Narkanda, though - the
town also has a clutch of sights, both within town and nearby,
which are worth a visit.
Narkanda is a skiing resort in winter. It connects Shimla with
Rampurand a diversion also goes to Thanedhar, the prime apple
belt of Himachal Pradesh where Satyananda Stokes started the
apple culture. Narkanda is located at 31.27°N 77.45°E.
Best time to visit Narkanda is in the winter months from
January to early March as skiing is the only reason for which
people come to Narkanda. Trekking could be the other reason -
march to Hatu Peak or explore the lakes and temples and have a
go at trekking. |
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Weather of Narkanda |
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Summer Season in Narkanda
Town of Narkanda has a pleasing and easygoing environment during
summers. Maximum temperature during the summers is about 30°C
and the minimum temperature during summer ranges about 10°C.
Summer months at the town of Nakranda are mainly April, May and
June. These months are believed to be the best for visiting the
lovely green environments of this town.
Winter Season in Narkanda
The winters at the town of Narkanda are very cold and hence
having a trip to Narkanda during winters can never be an easy
option. Especially the winter months are October, November,
December, January and February. The coolest temperature during
the winters is around minus ten degrees (-10°C) and the maximum
temperature tends to be around fifteen degrees (15°C). Visitors
and tourists interested in skiing and winter sports can have the
best experience during winters.
Monsoon Season in Narkanda
Town of Narkanda experiences a temperate rainfall during the
monsoon months of July, August and September. |
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Tourist Attractions in Narkanda |
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Mahamaya Temple
Mahamaya Temple is a well-known historical temple which is
situated at Kacheri. The temple is dedicated to Goddess Kali
and presents a peaceful atmosphere, suitable for meditation.
This holy place is located in between beautiful scenic views
with full of green surroundings. It is located on a peak
having an altitude of about 1810 m from the sea level. The
place is about 7 km away from Narkanda town and about 500 m
away from Oddi on National Highway -22.
Thanedhar
Thanedhar is considered to be the Horticultural heartland of
Himachal Pradesh. It is situated at an elevation of about
1830m and located about 17 km away from Narkanda. The famous
apple orchards in Thanedhar are known as Stokes Farm as it is
named after Stokes. Stokes visited India during his summer
trip to Shimla and he was enthralled with lovely atmosphere of
Shimla and decided to settle down in Kotgarh, a place near
Thanedhar. Later on, he founded the apple farm in Thanedhar
and now it is turned into famous apple orchards and has
international recognition too. At present Thanedhar is famous
for its Golden Delicious, Red Delicious, and Royal Delicious
apples.
Jallori Pass
Jallori Pass is famous scenic point which is located about 90
kms away from the town of Narkanda. This wonderful place is
located at an altitude of 3550 m from the sea level. Visitors
who want to visit Jallori Pass from Narkanda can go through
the Sutlej Valley crossing through Luhri, Ani, Khanag.
Kotgarh
Kotgarh is about 16 km from Narkanda and is famous for apple
orchards. Satyanand Stokes brought the apple to this place and
helped strengthen the economy of this area. Today Rs 3,000
Crore direct and indirect income is generated through apple
production. Presently apple growers are shifting to bring
their farm under cherry cultivation to fetch fast money in
their pocket as holdings are marginalised due to population
factor. The grandson of Mr. Stokes is researching to develop
new variety of apple for better production.
Hatu Peak
Hatu Peak is one of the top most points in Narkanda and
presents wonderful sight of the mountains capped with snow. It
is located at an elevation of about 3300 m. Hatu Peak is
situated about 8 km from the town of Narkanda. Road leading
from Narkanda to Hatu Peak has trees of pine lined up on both
of the sides. This place is well-known for prehistoric temple
of Hatu Mata that is situated on the top of a hill. From this
hill one can have a nice view of the total Himalayan ranges,
snow covered mountain peaks and the deep dense forests and
apple orchards. One can reach this peak by climbing on to the
mountains. |
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How to Reach Narkanda |
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By
Rail
Town of Narkanda is situated about 125 km from the closest broad
gauge railway station that is located in the town of Kalka.
Visitors can have toy trains from on the Kalka-Shimla route to
get to Narkanda.
By Road
Buses are the most favored means of travelling and they are
easily reachable in the town of Narkanda. The town of Narkanda
is connected with nearby major cities, such as- New Delhi and
Shimla with the help of buses. Shimla, Rampur and Kinnaur are
the nearby places by road from Narkanda. It is well connected
with the nearby smaller areas of Kufri, Matiana, Theog and Fagu
with the help of government running buses. Bus services are
basically practiced from NH-22.
By Air
One can easily reach Narkanda by flights that ply directly from
the Jubbarhatti airport which is located about 155 kms from the
town of Narkanda. One can reach Narkanda airport with the help
of Cab and bus services as well. |
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