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• Sangla Valley: A Trip Through Eastern Himachal Pradesh (PHOTOS)

  In Destinations, Photo / By Chris Chopp / 10 October 2012 / 7 comments

  

  An intriguing blend of jutting rock mountainous foothills and scrub brush forest dot Sangla Valley, an lush green area meandering along the edges of the Satluj and Baspa River. Cloud speckled skies greet only a limited amount of tourists who quickly discover a terrain fit for moderate trekking, and excellent camping. Consider it Spiti Valley’s lesser known cousin. Sangla Valley is, for all intents and purposes, one of India’s most [...]

   

• Chand Baori at Abaneri: One of Rajasthan’s Most Magnificent Step Wells

  In Destinations / By Chris Chopp / 17 September 2012 / 3 comments

  

  Chand Baori, one of the deepest step wells in India, can be found in the remote village of Abaneri just off the Agra Highway about 92 kms from Jaipur. Don’t look for your guidebook to direct you here as this Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) undertaking is an insider favorite. The four-sided baori (step well) was named after King Chanda who ruled this area during the 8th-9th Century. From the outside, [...]

   

• Deeg Water Palace Unlike Any Other In Rajasthan

  In Destinations / By Chris Chopp / 12 September 2012 / 6 comments

  

  Hiding relatively unknown in far Eastern Rajasthan just miles from the Uttar Pradesh border, Deeg Water Palace is an awe-inspiring visual masterpiece. Few tourists feel compelled to visit the remote town of Deeg (Dig) because it’s surrounded by more star-studded attractions like Taj Mahal and Jaipur City Palace. Each of the latter are still complete in their ornate finishes, and unlike the Deeg Water Palace, their location offers tourists a [...]

   

• Bharatpur Government Museum: Open Daily Except When It’s Not Open

  In Destinations / By Chris Chopp / 11 September 2012 / 0 comments

  

  Traveling around India for more than 7 years now, I’ve been pleasantly surprised at how efficient government offices and government run tourist sites run. That is until I stopped by Bharatpur Government Museum to find a very closed, very locked gate waiting for me. There I was at half past eleven o’clock on a Monday morning standing in front of Kamra Khas Mahal, holding onto the iron gates which kept [...]

   

• Keoladeo National Park of Bharatpur Rajasthan

  In Destinations / By Chris Chopp / 11 September 2012 / 0 comments

  

  Keoladeo National Park (A.K.A. Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary) lies outside of Bharatpur’s congested traffic snarls under the shade trees of Rajasthan’s natural growth. At just 29 square kilometers, Keoladeo National Park isn’t large by any means. It is however considered one of India’s best birdwatching sanctuaries and one of just 5 World Heritage Sites in India. More than 118,000 people visited the park during the 2011-2012 season. Domestic tourists made up [...]

   

• Bala Qila of Alwar Rajasthan

  In Destinations, Forts / By Chris Chopp / 9 September 2012 / 0 comments

  

  More than 300 meters above the Northeast Rajasthan city of Alwar stands the remains of Bala Qila, a sprawling fort among the foothills on the northern most edge of the Aravalli mountain range. Reports on what to see inside vary drastically as access is limited to only those that know special written police permission is required before arrival. Unfortunately my impromptu visit landed me in Alwar on a Sunday, a [...]