Adventure Sports in Kangra Valley
Adventure Sports in Kangra Valley :
Hang-gliding & Para Gliding
For sports enthusiasts, fired by the spirit of adventure, there is nothing like taking off and soaring free as a bird…. hang-gliding or paragliding oner the expanse of the Kangra Valley.
Bir-Billing and Dhelu are focal points for aero sport enthusiasts and among the world’s best sites for papr-gliding and hang-gliding. This valley witnessed an annual Hang-gliding rallu in May/June.
A tented village is set up by Himachal Pradesh Tourism to accomodate the hang-gliders who come here from the world over to demonstrate their skills. There are many peaks between 3500 metres to 5000 metres in the Dhaula Dhar ranges. A must to do list in Adventure sports in Kangra Valley.
Trekking & Mountaineering in Kangra Valley
Sir Francis Younghusband, the famous mountaineer wrote as he left Dharamsala on 30th April 1884 on his first Himalayan trip-“The Kangra valley through which I first passed, was bounded on my left-hand Sid-that is, the north-west by the line of Himalayan mountains, and on my right by the ridges separating the mountains from the perfectly levelled plains of India.
The valley itself was roughly about 3000 ft above sea level. The line of mountains was fine but it did not rise more than 16000 ft above sea level and there were no single peak of outstanding grandeur.
On the whole, it gave the impression of a wall guarding vast wonders behind it.
I was filled not much with admiration at what I saw but with curiosity to see what there was behind the wall. My spirits were eagerly pressing on to things not yet revealed”.
He was young and with an exuberance of a would-be-famous explorer.
Many after him were to be find the wonders behind those walls.
These walls, rising from the plains of Punjab, can be climber’s playground.
The white snow line on them gives its name, the’ white ridge’, as seen from the plains of Kangra and Punjab.
Most of the treks which start from Daramsala, Palampur or Baijnath are of 5 to 8 days duration and ultimately terminate at Bharamaur and Chamba, over the majestic Dhaula Dhar ranges.
Dharamsala to Chamba over Minkiani pass;
Dharamsala to Chamba over Indrahar pass;
Dharamsala to Chamba over Bhimgaustri pass;
Dharamsala to Holi and then to Manimahesh over Talang pass;
Palampur to Holi over Shinghor pass;
Palampur to Dharamsala via Indrahar pass
These are some of the exciting treks. Most of the treks are operational from may to October. The regional mountaineering centre at Dharamsala provides technical know-how and equipment besides organising adventure courses. A must to do list in Adventure sports in Kangra Valley.