Not much of an issue really at almost any time of the year these days. If there is heavy snowfall and black ice as low down as Dharampur, which is really rare, one would see it in the newspapers etc... so ride on!

I was wondering how many of these rides are doable in the winter (without risking it too much on black ice/heavy snow) or am i overestimating the snow in Himachal/Uttarakhand.
Maybe we should also mention the best season for which the above time frames are valid and the roads doable. Specific winter rides would be great.
Veterans please enlighten us

Ok, so bike a little and then trek!

"Karole", the highest peak in Solan to which extends a dense forest trail trek from Chambaghat. Chambaghat is the place where there is a railway crossing ; Just after you cross Solan.

It is a beautiful trek with grassland plataue midway and dense forests the rest of the time. Takes around 2.5-3 hours to get to the top from Chambaghat.

Enroute is a cave that the "Pandavas" built when they were on their "Agyaatvaas". Now here comes the interesting part : The cave tunnels all the way till Pinjore! as per the locals, it was once tested by pouring gallons of coloured water, some of it eventually showing up in Pinjore..

Well, really? they rumors? true? I dont know..you have to go find out!

The view from the top is mesmerizing!

There is a temple up there and also a small little dingy room in case you plan to stay and have brought your own camps/sleeping bags. Otherwise too, there are other options where you may pitch your tent.

It snows at karole in winters so can get pretty interesting then!

Dont have pics, as didnt have a camera but they'll eventually come as Solan is nearby!

-Kurt

Thanks Kurt for the updates!

A nice/quiet little lake came to my mind, and i believe it will be a good place to hang out over the weekend.

The place is Rewalsar, some 15 kms from Mandi. Beautiful lake, great for the religiously inclined.

An itenerary could be:

Day1 : Delhi - mandi - rewalsar
Day2 : Rewalsar (can also visit prashar lake which is around 50 kms from mandi, small trek too)
Day3 : Rewalsar - Delhi

Or you can also return in 2 days, no sweat. Beacuse apart from the lake, nothing much to see there. Acoomodation not a problem, its a small hilly town.

Thanks Ken..

Thanks Kurt: Have added your post as an edit on the first page.

Janjelhi .. untouched by tourists and commercialization ... Truly virgin himachal ...

Can be an ideal destination for people who are sick and tired of the maddening crowds which has overwhelmed places like shimla and manali.

3 days would suit just fine

Day 1: Chandigarh - Mandi - Janjelhii (~250 kms). From Mandi take a left from chail chowk and continue on the state highway. The wider NH-21 gives way to narrow roads and you start ascending. Janjehli is at around 2100m.

Day 2: Visit the shikari devi temple, which is famous for its roofless top. Situated at a height of 3300 m, the road to it is semi-kaccha making it a good offroading option. You can spend the rest of the day in isolation, with yourself.
There is an accomaodation problem as there are only few guesthouses. A FRH is setup, but you need to file an application to the D.F.O Mandi. I just happened to drop in, hence i coudnt get accomodation there. Had to look for other options. Only a few guest houses, majority of them where closed! Did manage to source one somehow!

Day 3: Janjelhi - mandi - Sundernagar - karsog - Naldehra - Shimla - Chandigarh.

The return is equally exciting via the enchanted karsog valley and swirling hot waters at tattapaani to the splendid golf-course at naldehra!

Folks from Delhi can add another 250 kms (4 hrs) one way

Note: Not a place for folks who prefer tourists spots, glittering malls and fancy shows. Also, huge groups would find it difficult to get accomodation unless booked in advanced with the DFO. Plus, its not a place to make base and go around for sightseeing, as it is just a valley, very beautiful nonetheless. Ideal if you are solo or just 2-3 bikers who are looking for some solace and are keen in exploring rural himachal, not so far away.

Also, kindly avoid if you are a first timer. Neither would the location excite you much, nor are the roads that suitable..

I had some fun time interacting with the locals there, eating the not-so-cooked meat and drinking the home-made rice beer after dinner.

Reminded me of the Pangi valley, which I highly recommend you pay a visit ..., it being the most rural part of himachal and the most under-developed/at par with doda-kwar.

Their gesture shows how pure-hearted these folks are. Are happy with in their own world, far from the urban way of life.

Thats about it from my side. Will be back with more weekend getaways, as soon as i discover them

Maharaaj, chanshal in rains is like foot pe kulhadi!! This time on I want to do a place which I havent done before ... mushiyari is too far a place for 2 days no ...

Himachal se thoda sa tiny winy break ...

kaake di jaan, explore more of chansal area no? Lansdowne, personally to me is little value. its nice but that's about it. Lot more on lot many routes.

Do munsyari given your caliber

Ah! The more the reasons the merrier!!

I believe the towns you have mentioned would turn up from the delhi side, mine would be a separate route altogether.

@Kurt: 340 kms. (Chandigarh - Lansdowne) sounds more like it. As for the rough patch, it's just barely a kilometre or so steep downhill, off the main road. However, as you start riding towards Lansdowne, about 25 kms. or so behind (before you reach Lansdowne), there is this river which keeps flowing by your right side for some-time. Somewhere in the road (no real point, which I can point-out, sadly) a small off-road takes you all the way down to the river, which is a must. You would simply love it. You can check out the Lansdowne thread which was started sometime back when a bunch of xMen rode there (me, DCS, Kamal, B2L, Sandy, DD, Swiftrider).

Yes, 14 times, and yes, I am crazy! If you plan to cross Lansdowne however, there is Pauri, which is a small town (with some crazy traffic though), and beyond that is the beautiful hamlet Khirsu, which I personally LOVE!

14 Times!!!

Man you are krazzy!

And thanks for the vivid information! With your detailed explanation, it surely makes it a must go now!

The thing is we had a off on the 28th Sept and 2 Oct. So i had planned a Ladakh-Zanskar ride after taking the rest of the days in b/w off combining it with 2 weekends. 10 days in total. But due to the nature of my work, my leaves were cancelled and I was left distraught!

Hence I want to make up for it by travelling atleast 2 weekends in September. One for 3 days and one for two.

Hence Lansdowne, perhaps early morning this sat or next.

I just dug up the route from mapmyindia.

Its Chd-Yamunanagar-Haridwar-Lansdowne

And I plan to return via

Lansdowne - Srinagar - Chamba - Dhanaulti - Dehradun - Poanta - Sirmour - Chd

And like always, I would be travelling solo. So can bend and twist the plan as per need.

The accomodation options you mentioned look scary, financially. I believe i would look for a geusthouse ~300-400 mark. Mayur hotel seems to be a good option for a lone rider! Although I wont be long in Lansdowne, but now that you have mentioned the rough patch to the Tarkeshwar Temple, will surely try it out.

Basically thats what I am looking for, a mixture of both good and rough patches and long rides ... Ought to be fun.

Thanks for the wishes, and will make it a point to try out the Paranthas and Lassi! Will get back to you ...

Just checked, Chd-Lansdowne is ~340 kms

@Kurt: Lansdowne is ofcourse a wonderful place. Beautiful and serene, it would freshen you up really well, not to mention it is just a stone's throw away.

There are not really many places to visit once there though. There are a couple of churches, tip'n'top, the Bhulla lake and a few other places that you could explore. Oh, just in case you absolutely LOVE really good tarmac, then do not forget to visit the Tarkeshwar Temple. Although the last 1 odd km. is REALLY in shambles, but the rest of the ride is simply mind-blowing. It takes about 1 and a half hours to reach there. So, all in all it would take up about 3 hours, but those 3 odd hours would totally be worth it, believe you me.

As for the ride to Lansdowne, with freshly laid tarmac, it just couldn't get better. What route do you plan to take? Is there any separate, specific route from Chandigarh to Lansdowne? We Delhi people take the following route:

Delhi - Ghaziabad - Meerut - Najibabad - Bijnaur - Kotdwara - Duggada - Lansdowne.

It turns about to be about 265 odd kms. one way. Lansdowne is a beautiful place. I have been in love with that place since the day I visited it for the very first time. However, accomodation is not really it's plus points. You have got a very few options:

1. There is the Anand Resort which is really expensive at around Rs.2,500/- INR per day!
2. The GMVN (Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam) Tourist Rest House (TRH) was where I had stayed every time I visited Lansdowne, but recently they have hiked their prices more than 2 times. So, the Rs.600/- room which I used to stay now costs about Rs.1600 or so! However, I would rate it as THE best place to stay in the whole of Lansdowne. I also hear they have another branch (TRH - Tourist Rest House) up at the 'Tip'N'Top' but I do not have much information about that guest house, unfortunately.
3. There is a hotel (Mayur Hotel) in the main market in Lansdowne. You can enquire there for accomodation too. Although, I have never stayed there, but I hear they have pretty cheap and good, clean rooms.

One point which I would like to mention is, wherever you stay, please make it a point to come down to the market and eat at Mayur Hotel. The food there is simply tremendous, especially the paranthas and the lassi. Please do try these two dishes.

And I wish you all the very best for the journey. Do ping back if you require ANY more information about Lansdowne, or the adjoining places like Pauri, Khirsu!

P.S: Kurt, I have been to Lansdowne 14 times, total!

Well, since Lansdowne is doing rounds these days and considering that I have a free weekend coming up, could someone give me information about the place, things to see/visit/cherish. It'd like to go there for a saturday and sunday. Its like 240 kms from chandigarh, so no issues.

I have not visited much places in Uttranchal, so this might be a good booster to my belief that Uttranchal too is just as worth as himachal is. A comparison to someplace in himachal might just give me a breif idea.

Aryan, am sure you can throw some light, having being there 6 times!!!

Thanks!