Bikaner and then north towards Kalka/Simla and Dharamsala
Replies: 6 - Last Post: Jun 1, 2012 3:33 PM Last Post By: lundberg105
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Bikaner and then north towards Kalka/Simla and Dharamsala
We'll, be leaving out of Bikaner and heading north. We want to hit Simla/Shimla, McLeod Ganj/Dharamsala, Manali (in no particular order - I'm looking for an order to put these in). I haven't given Leh enough thought YET partly because we are heading to Nepal for a little under two months after India (I'm open to suggestions)For getting to Dharamsala first, Manali, and then down south to Delhi in order to fly to KTM, is Jammu Tawi a good jumping off place after a long train ride from Bikaner? If not, where is a good place to get off the train and catch a bus to Dharamsala? If so, Is there a good place to stopover in between Bikaner an Jammu Tawi? That's a long train ride.
Is it just as good to go from Bikaner to Kalka to Shimla, head north, and then turn around and come back south to Delhi?
One other question: Is Nepalganj a decent place to cross the border into Nepal and then head east? I'm obviously open to any other border crossing options.
I know these are wide open questions, but if anyone has done this before and wouldn't mind lending a hand, I'd appreciate it. I'll be honest, I haven't had enough time to do my own homework on this after we leave Jaisalmer.
Thanks in advance,
David
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Is a place like Hoshiarpur or Talwara a better/closer place to hop off the train and catch a bus to Dharamsala?Edited by: lundberg105
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Bikaner to Pathankot = http://erail.in?T=BKN::PTK:Pathankot to Kangra = http://erail.in?T=PTK::KGRA:
Kangra to Dharamsala-McLeodGang = by bus, jeep...
http://www.snow-crest-inn-dharamsala.com/getting-to-dharamsala.html
Dharamsala to Manali = by bus, jeep...
http://www.holidayiq.com/Buses-From-Dharamshala-To-Manali-451-65768-757.html
Manali to Shimla = by bus, jeep...
http://www.sunrisevilla.in/himachal/kullu-manali/shimla-manali.asp
http://www.makemytrip.com/bus-tickets/manali-shimla-booking.html
Shimla to Kalka = http://erail.in?T=SML::KLK:
Kalka to Delhi = http://erail.in?T=KLK::NDLS:
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If you don't mind the bus, there's a quicker route from Bikaner heading directly north into the Punjab. I've done Amritsar-Bikaner by bus before, and it's about 14 hours - possible in one day, though probably best done in two. There are no direct buses, but it can be done with 1 or 2 connections, and I'm sure you could also head on towards Ludhiana or Chandigarh if you didn't want to go to Amritsar. The Golden Temple in Amritsar is lovely though, and I'd definitely for one recommend a visit.As for crossing in Nepalganj, I've never crossed personally here, but I have visited the border, and it seems like a decent enough place. I believe the border is fairly straight-forward to get to from Lucknow (which is a very interesting city), and Nepalganj is quite a friendly, low-key place to arrive in Nepal. You're close to Bardia National Park there, which is the highlight of that part of Nepal. It is, however, a long, long way from Nepalganj to Kathmandu or Pokhara on bad roads and bad buses.
