New Delhi: As the winters slowly settle in the Northern part of India, it could be the time to take a vacation and explore India’s picturesque valleys and towns.
While treks, cars and bike rides could be suitable options, the aerial view of clouds and the sunset is an unmatchable experience, which is made possible through cable cars.
These aerial trams operating on rope ways offer panoramic views of the surrounding valleys and mountains. If you are a traveler who likes some adventure during his travels, then cable car is the greatest way to experience the magnificence of a hill station in a preeminent style.
Here are five locations you could explore this Fall:
Darjeeling
The Darjeeling Ropeway was started in 1968 by the forest department. The cable car offers enchanting views of the vistas around the town. Passing over dense forests, mountain ridges, tea gardens, waterfalls and rivers, the cable car ride in Darjeeling is truly one of the richest experiences you can have in this Himalayan city. Apart from the ropeway, other attractions in Darjeeling are Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, Peace Pagoda, Tiger Hill, Ghoom Monastery and Museum.
Gulmarg
The Gulmarg Gondola is Asia’s highest cable car circuit and the world’s second highest cable car circuit since 2008. The experience of witnessing mesmerising Kashmir scenery from this high altitude cable car is simply jaw dropping. The cable car operates in two phases, with the second phase mostly covered in snow. Kashmir is cited as the ‘Heaven on Earth’ and apart from the Gulmarg Gondola, Dal Lake, Sonamarg, Shalimar Bagh and Pahalgam are other places of interest.
Raigad
Situated in Maharashtra, Raigad ropeway transports passengers to the majestic Raigad Fort, which once served as the abode for the great Maratha warrior King Shivaji. The Raigad ropeway is a non-profit endeavor, and is very easy on the pocket. There are many natural tourist attractions in Raigad district, such as, Gangasagar Lake, Tamhini Falls, Kondana Caves and Varsoli Beach.
Mussoorie
Known as the Queen of the Hills, Mussoorie is a well known hill station in the Dehradun District of Uttarakhand. Gun Hill is the second highest point in Mussoorie, at an altitude of 2024m. It is accessible by a 400 m long cable car ride, which offers a riveting view of the mountains. Along with Gun Hill, other tourist attractions in Mussoorie are Kempty Falls, Mussoorie Lake, Lal Tibba and Company Bagh.
Solang Valley
Solang Valley in Manali is a beautiful valley with breathtaking views of snow capped mountains and lush green meadows. Tourists can indulge in a wide variety of adventure activities here, such as skiing, snow-boarding, paragliding, hiking, camping, traversing, zorbing, mountain biking, quad riding, horse riding and many more. The thrilling cable car ride to Mt. Phatru at an elevation of 3200 m is just a perfect addition to an already wonderful place. (ANI)