The valley of gods, as the Kullu valley has come to be known, is perhaps the most delightful region in the western Himalayas. The valley spreads out its charm on either side of the upper reaches of the river Beas. Running north to south, the main river. The valley is only 80 km long and 2 km at its broadest, yet a fairly wide area is open to the visitors to enjoy the spectacle of variegated mountain scenery.

In the spring Kullu is at its most colorful with pink blossoms and white flowers while the higher slopes are aglow with gorgeous rhododendrons. By December, there is no greenery except the majestic pines and cedars in the forests. In winter the hillsides are flanked in white.

Situated on the banks of the Beas, Kullu, the headquarters of the district, serves as a nerve center of the valley and is the starting place for a number of treks. The deodar-fringed grassy huge maidan called Dhalpur, is a stage for many colorful fairs.

State:		Himachal Pradesh
Location:		It is located on the banks of the Beas River in the Kullu Valley about 10 Kms north of the airport at Bhuntar.
STD Code:		01902
Temperature:		Summer: Max 28ºC, Min 20ºC, Winter: Max 18ºC, Min 2ºC
Local Languages:		Himachali, Hindi, English
Tourist Season:		April - June / September - December
Clothing:		Heavy Woolen in Winters and light woolen in summers.
Religion:		Hinduism, Buddhism
Mobile Networks:		GSM: Airtel, BSNL, Aircel, Reliance CDMA: TATA Indicom

Kullu Shawls
Handloom Kullu Shawl is the best treasure one can look for. Kullu Shawls are made of many natural fibers such as pashmina, sheep-wool, angora etc.

Raghunath Temple
The chief tourist interest of Kullu is the Raghunath Temple that worships Lord Ram, who is believed as one of the most important deities in the Hindu mythology and is the patron deity amongst the residents of Kullu valley. It was erected in the year 1660 by Raja Jagat Singh, the one-time ruler of Kullu, basically to make amends for his sins. He got an idol of Lord Ram from Ayodhya and founded it in this temple.

Vaishno Devi Temple
At a distance of 4kms. from Dhalpur, a small cave enshrines an image of Goddess Vaishno Devi.

Camping Sight Raison (1433 m)
By the banks of the Beas and on the Kullu-Manali highway, Himachal Tourism runs a camping site here which is 16 kms. away from Kullu, The sight is ideal for spending a quite holiday in solitary splendor and for holding youth camps. There are a large number of orchards in this part of the valley. HPTDC has log cabins for comfortable stay. Ideal for a taste of adventure.

Shoja
At 2692 m, this is a vantage point for a complete panorama of the Kullu area - snow peaks and valleys, meadows and forests, rivers and streams.

Basheshwar Mahadev Temple, Bajaura
One of the most charming temples in the Kullu valley, this is renowned for its intricate stone carvings

Jagannathi Devi Temple
At a distance of 3 km from Kullu is located the Jagannathi Devi Temple or the Bekhli temple in the village of Bekhli. Although it is a precipitous 1.5 hour gradient leading to the temple, it provides an amazing view of Kullu which is worth the ascent.

Bijli Mahadev Temple
The Bijli Mahadev Temple is placed on a spur at an elevation of 2460 meters. As the name suggests, the temple is frequently struck by lightning. There is a 20 meter high staff projecting out of the shrine, which is said to catch lightening from the skies and destroy them below the Shivlingam (the symbol of Lord Shiva). Bijli Mahadev, the temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, is located across the river Beas, at some ten kilometers distance from Kullu. The temple offers a panoramic view of the Kullu valley and is worth visiting.

Tabo Monastery
Tabo Monastery is situated in the Spiti Valley of Himachal Pradesh. The great teacher and translator Rinchen Zangpo founded the monastery in 996 AD and till today, it holds the distinction of being the largest monastic complex in the Spiti region.

Sujanpur Fort
Situated in the Hamirpur district, Sujanpur Fort stands tall on the banks of River Beas. This fort, being perched on top of a hill, is popularly known as 'Tira' and was built by Raja Abhaya Chand in 1758.

Sultanpur Palace
It is one of the major attractions of the Kullu valley. It houses some beautiful miniature paintings done in Kullu style, with simple themes such as rural backgrounds, without human figures in them.

Akhara Bazaar
Popular as one of the main bazaars and shopping areas of Kullu, Akhara Bazaar has a number of shops, selling Kullu caps and woolen apparels such as shawls, pattoos, gudmas, puhlas and namdas or rugs.

Fishing and Adventure
The Kullu valley has numerous places for trout fishing. These include Katrain, Raison, Kasol and Naggar, then along the river Tirthan near Larji, in the Sainj Valley and in the Hurla khud.

The valley is the nucleus of several trek routes. Some major ones are over the Chanderkhani Pass to Malana, over the Jalori Pass or Bashleo Pass to Shimla, and over the Pin Parvati Pass to Sarahan.

White water rafting is popular on the Beas river.

Katrain (1463 m)
The central and the widest part of the valley, Katrain is 20kms. from Kulu on way to Manali. Apple orchards and trout hatchery lend charm and prominence to the place. It is also famous for bee keeping and Govt. trout farm at Patilkulh. Sufficient accommodation is availablein Hotels of HPTDC.

Malana (2652 m)
Little ahead of the beautiful Chanderkhani Pass lies the village Malana which is famous for the temple of Jamlu and its distinct, social and cultural life. Malana is considered to be the oldest democracy in the world. It would be worth while to visit this village to study the style and social system prevalent there.

Bajaura
At a distance of 15kms from Kullu. short of Kullu , Bajaura is on the main road where BASHESHWAR MAHADEV temple is situated about 200 m from the village in a plain between the main road and the Beas river. It is believed to have been built in the mid 8th century.

Larji (957 m)
South of Kulu, Larji 34kms. away is a small hamlet providing excellent spot for trout fishing. The PWD rest house is located in a stunning position between the foaming torrents of the river Sainj & Tirthan, before they join the Beas. The place is patronized mostly by anglers.

Banjar (1524 m)
At a distance of 58 kms. south of Kulu, Banjar is an excellent spot for trout fishing in the waters of river Tirthan.

Sartolsar Lake
This Beautiful Lake is situated in the Valley and that is also at a height of 10280 Ft. One can approach to this lake by passing through Jalori pass via Banjar. It’s a very good experience by walk with the surrounding nature and beauty.

Kasol (1640 m)
Situated on the bank of Paravati river, Kasol makes a good holiday destination. 42kms. from Kulu, charmingly located on an open space which slopes down to the broad expanse of clear white sand at the Parvati river. The place is well known for trout fishing. Clean white sand separates the lush green grass from the waters. A good spot for trout. Himachal Tourism has a Tourist Hut here.

Kullu Dussehra
When Dussehra celebrations come to an end in the rest of the country, they begin at Kullu. Over 600 local deities come to pay homage to Lord Raghunath. This is a time when the valley is at its colourful best.

Manikaran (45 Kms)
45 km from Kullu, lies in the Parvati Valley, the holy pilgrimage place of Manikaran. Here icy cold waters of the Parvati river co-exists with boiling water side-by-side. The hot water springs are reputed for their healing properties. The springs in the area are hot enough to boil rice in it. Manikaran, a place of pilgrimage for Hindus and Sikhs, has a temple and a gurudwara.

Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji Gurudwara (Manikaran 45 Kms)
Manikaran is also held sacred by the Sikhs. According to the Sikh sources, Guru Nanak Dev once visited this place, accompanied by his disciple Bhai Mardana. The Gurudwara is commemorated to the same visit of the Guru. The Janam Sakhi or the ‘Autobiography of Bhai Mardana’ mentions the various miracles did by the Guru at this place. Manikaran Gurudwara, built in the mountains, provides some extraordinary sights.

Naggar (1760 m)
On the left bank of the Beas, Naggar is delightfully situated on a wooded slope and commands an extensive view. It was the capital of erstwhile Kulu state for about 1400 years. There are large number of famous temples notably Vishnu, Tripura Sundari & Lord Krishana. Naggar is also a base for undertaking treks to Chanderkhani Pass and to remote valley of Malana.

Summer
During summers, the weather is very plesant and the maximum temperature hardly reaches 30 degree Celsius in the day, while the nights still retain a bit of chill. Summer is the season when tourists come in large number. When rest of India goes through extreme heat Kullu offers respite, with its cool and calm climate. Light woolen and cotton clothing is ideal during this weather condition.

Winter
Extreme weather is observed in Kullu during the winters, when the temperature may go down to freezing point. From December to February. Heavy woolen clothes are required during this weather. Temperature in Kullu are lower as compared to Manali which is at a greater height.

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Kullu is the northern state of Himachal Pradesh. Kullu is one of the popular hill station of Himalayan range. Most popular way to reach Kullu is by road or by air.

By Air:
Bhuntar at near about 10 kms is the closest airport. Cabs and taxis can be hired to reach the Kullu city, a cheaper option is to take buses run by HPTDC. Jagson airlines operates flights from Delhi, Shimla and Chandigarh for Bhuntar. Bhuntar is also connected to Delhi by daily flights by King Fisher airline (Air Deccan). Jagson also connects the airport thrice a week with Dharamshala and Shimla. Extra flights run during the main summer season.

By Rail:
Station Code Index: CDG
The Nearest Rail head is Chandigarh 245 km away. Chandigarh is well connected by rest of India.

By Road:
Kullu is well connected to major parts of the country by a network of roads. There are regular bus services for Kullu and Manali from Delhi, Shimla and Chandigarh.