Himachal trips used to be planned on the basis of the experience and knowledge of other family members and friends. Those were the times when, as compared to today, the lifestyle used to be a very slow and comfortable lifestyle. Nowadays with the speed at which things are happening and changing with every minute of your time, it has become extremely difficult to spare time for planning out any event on your own, simply because there are so many options open to you and there are experts for any and everything that you may wish to do.
Himachal Pradesh, the hill state in north India happens to be the most popular state as far as tourism is concerned. People, from within the country and other parts of the world rush to this state, at a drop of a hat. It has so much to offer the visitors, in the form of different types of tourisms be it religious, adventure, purely a rejuvenating trip or a sightseeing trip, one can just not get enough of it, to his satisfaction, in just one go. Also known as the abode of Gods, religious tourism is always high on the agenda of the god-fearing round the year. So amid so many options how does one plan out a tour to Himachal Pradesh ensuring that one gets the best for the money spent in terms of satisfaction.
Since you plan to visit Himachal Pradesh follow the steps as detailed below:
1. Get to know about Himachal Pradesh and the best way to do so is to browse the net in its totality, regarding Himachal Pradesh, a convenience, these days, at your fingertips. By doing this you access all information about Himachal Pradesh, such as its geographical features, seasons, tourist destinations, pilgrimage destinations, adventure related destinations, the activities that you can indulge in, when visiting Himachal Pradesh, and most important of all the seasonal climatic changes as well as the local temperature variations, as knowing these will help you in carrying suitable clothing, etc.
2. Having done this you will have gained considerable knowledge about the destinations that can be visited, off these you can pick and choose the destination that you wish to visit. While you surf the net regarding Himachal Pradesh, you will also be apprised of the various Himachal tour packages, as offered by different tour operators, and the costs for the same. You are bound to find packages like a Himachal pilgrimage package or Himachal Honeymoon tour package, or simply a Himachal holiday package and the likes.
3. The next important aspect that will need to be considered is the company that you will have with you on this tour, as to whether you are planning to travel with your family, friend(s) or stag.
4. Depending on the accompaniment, what all are the activities that you would like to indulge in when on this visit. This information too is available on the net for you to access. Based on this collective information you can freeze the destination of your choice.
5. Timing of your visit: This is important as this depends on your accompanying bag and baggage, in the sense whether you will need to carry cotton, light woolens or heavy woolens, and other supporting, trip/ tour related equipment.
Having done this the next step is planning the travel part of your tour. Now, this is the difficult part that needs to be worked on and needs time to sit down and browse the various alternatives, as available over the net. Also required to be finalized at this stage are the staying arrangements that you would need at the destination of your choice, and of course, being hard-earned money you can’t afford to just squander it in any which way. Now, this is where the need for a good, well-reputed, and a recognized travel advisor/tour planner, with a good rating from a recognized accessing agency, comes in handy. Here is when you need to know the importance and benefits of a Tour/Travel Advisor.
Remember that there are distinct advantages when taking the help of a professional Tour /Travel Advisor, some of them are listed below for your quick reference.
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Convenience providers and money savers
More often than not we tend to spend hours on the net to find out the best offers for the trip/tour being undertaken and yet are unable to strike the correct balance in the planning and the economy of the venture, invariably leading to frustration. This is where these tour/travel operators or advisors come in handy. When working in tandem with them, it is they who do your legwork for you, searching for the best options to satisfy your needs in accordance to your budget. Generally, they have easy access to information regarding the prevalent rates and the routes that an average consumer is unaware of; this at times works out to be cheaper even when you take into consideration the fee that they charge you for doing so. Using the services of these advisors can land you a great deal on a package, most suited to you, the reason being that they are regularly updated about the various promotional benefits on packages, cruises, travel options etc. by the travel providers, resorts, and hotels etc. which in fact are not available to the general public.
Travel/Transit assistance and recommendations
For instance, if you are traveling or flying to Himachal Pradesh and the weather suddenly deteriorates, as generally happens in the higher reaches of Himachal, you can fall back on to your travel advisor who in turn will work out suitable options for you to complete your journey or put you up at a suitable place while the weather clears up. Alternatively, if you find out, on reaching your destination, that the accommodation being provided is not up to your expectations, your travel advisor can help you out in arranging a satisfactory one acceptable to you. This is a disadvantage linked to when you travel without the assistance of a tour/travel advisor, as such a facility is denied in that case. Moreover, he will also take special care to recommend to you suitable travel providers so that you can travel conveniently without any hassles. Their insider knowledge about the travel providers comes in handy as it helps you in avoiding unnecessary wastage of time and money and lets you focus on your trip instead.
Perks
Most important of all is the fact that those Travel advisors/ agents who book who book a high volume of tours, the resorts, travel providers, etc. all offer them perks or special discounts, to which you do not have access. Now, these, so-called, perks could be in the form of room upgrades, reservations at some very popular resorts, fee waivers or on some popular tour, these agents or advisors generally add such discounts or perks into your vacation plans. Also if you are planning for some kind of a special occasion or function, these people have access to professionals who can in turn help you out with these as well.
Having done all this before undertaking the trip below are few very important tips that you need to follow:
About places of residence on your tour
Having finalized and worked out all the details of your tour with your tour /travel operator/agent, it is suggested that you browse the net and see for yourself the facilities and the amenities available at the hotels, resorts, or the homestays, where your stay has been booked by your agent. The reason being that if traveling with family and with your aged parents then you will be requiring ad on’s like blankets, room heaters, etc. If the place where you are slated to stay is at a high altitude which could be a problem for your aged parents then you could ask for a change to a location at a lower altitude for your stay etc. Also remember that, if for some reason you are compelled to cancel your reservation at a particular location then the cancellation for the same will need to be borne by your agent.
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Documentation
When traveling to Himachal Pradesh please ensure that you are well equipped with all the necessary travel documents, this is for your convenience sake when traveling on any of the Himachal tour packages. When on your visit the following are a must-have on your person:
1. A printout or a hard copy of your tour confirmation voucher – this will help you in your check-in at all the places that you visit, and the travel source and driver details.
2. A hard copy of your tour itinerary – as the tour commences in accordance with the itinerary as provided to you by your Travel agent. Any part not mentioned shall be considered as a noninclusion in your tour itinerary and you could call your Travel agent or the tour operator for any help, therein.
ID’s
It is mandatory for you to carry your ID proofs, passports, etc. as issued by the government of India, or by your country of origin, whatever might be the case. As these would be required and asked for by any service provider where ever you go on any one of the Himachal holiday tour packages.
The need for Emergency numbers
Regardless of where you are traveling make it a habit to keep certain local emergency services numbers handy at all times. This is all the more important when out on a road trip on any of the Himachal tour packages. All your travel details vouchers, itinerary printouts, address of all your accommodations, etc. need to be on your person as well as saved in your mobile and shared with your family members.
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Permissions
When touring Himachal Pradesh you are bound to come across places and monuments in some cities where photography would not be permitted but having sought permission from the concerned authorities you could avail of this facility. Also, there are some border areas where an Inner Line permit is required to visit there, these too can be got from the concerned local administrative offices. Ask your tour/travel operator to arrange for these before you depart for your trip.
Planning
As already discussed above, if you are on a Himachal adventure tour package, make sure to know about the place that you are planning to visit for your adventure trip and accordingly back the requisite items for your trip there.
From a safety point of view please be advised not to stand on the banks of the rivers or enter the rivers, in Himachal and pose for photographs, etc. please avoid these activities as their currents are very strong and could result in fatalities. Avoid eating at roadside dhabas or small-time cafes or restaurants, accept those recommended.
Money matters
While traveling money is an important factor particularly when traveling to remote areas. Although Himachal has a good network of ATMs when traveling to remote areas please do not take things for granted and ensure the appropriate amount is with you when traveling to any remote location. If traveling with foreign currency then ensure conversion before embarking.
The above-mentioned suggestions are for you to enable you to have a safe and enjoyable visit to Himachal on any of the Himachal tour packages.
