Delhi: The capital city of India, Delhi, where diverse Indian cultures dwell together. It presents a perfect combination of modern and traditional lifestyles. You’ll find a slew of wonderful spots, ranging from cultural sites like India Gate, Jama Masjid, Red Fort, to towering malls and other contemporary architectural wonders.

Agra: Renowned throughout the World for Taj Mahal – the epitome of love. Every year, thousands of tourists from all across the world flock in Agra to have a feel of classic Indian architecture and arts. It’s not just the Taj Mahal, but the city has several other historical places, such as Red Fort, Fatehpur Sikri, and others.

Jaipur: Popularly named as the Pink City of India, Jaipur has a host of scenic buildings and cultural spots. Among all its forts and castles, Amber Fort is arguably the grandest of all. Its rugged forbidding exterior belies an inner paradise where a beautiful fusion of Mughal and Hindu styles finds its ultimate refinement. Other attractions of Jaipur include the princely Hawa Mahal, Jantar Mantar, the City Palace, and the list goes on and on.

So get set with our travel company, for an everlasting trip, popularly tagged as ‘The Golden Triangle’ of India.

     The Sonepur Mela is the largest cattle fair in Asia. It is held every year on the day of ‘Karthik Poornima’, a full moon day which generally falls in the month of November, in Sonepur, near Patna, the capital city of Bihar. The Mela takes place on the confluence of river Ganga and Gandak .

      The group members, led by Kailash, reached Sonepur on the 9th of Nov. The next day (10^th Nov.) went on the banks of river Gandak, witnessed thousands of pilgrims taking the holy bath, offering prayers, elephants given bath on the occasion. The Hari Hara Temple, was the main attraction for the thousand of devotees. At the fair, camels, buffaloes, sheep, dogs, pigs, monkeys, chimpanzees were the other common animals being kept for the sale. These were bought  by  the locals from various villages of Bihar.

      Early Morning of the last day (11^th Nov.), the group again visited the Fair and purchased souvenirs from the fair. The overall attraction of the Tour was Photography, which was enjoyed by all as the everlasting memories…

This Deepawali, discover the true way of celebrating the festival of lights. Celebrate a safe and pollution free Deepawali @ A Village Retreat, Gurgaon

Capt. Kumar is the Founder President of ATOAI, which plays a significant role in promoting adventure tourism in India, and has been recognized by the Ministry of Tourism as the prime body of the Indian adventure tourism industry. Our MD’s dedication and untiring efforts since the early seventies, has flowed in one more award at Shikhar Travels.

      Having the opportunity of handling over 250 expeditions from all over the world, our Mt. Kun expedition had also been a great success. It’s the efforts and dedication of our Managing Director, Capt. Swadesh Kumar, that encourages the entire team at Shikhar to adopt such small initiatives towards conservation of environment in the area of our travel operation.  

The 16^th World Congress on Clinical Nutrition, organised by International College of Nutrition, was held under the leadership of Dr.S.S Rastogi as President, Dr. R.B Singh, Chairman Scientific and Dr. A.K Singh, Secretary General of the 16thWCCN and The 6^th International Congress on Cardiovascular diseases, organised by International College of Cardiology, was held under the leadership of Dr. Adarsh Kumar as President, Dr.V.V Muthusamy, Chairman Scientific and Dr. Rajnish Sardana, Secretary General of the 6^th ICCD. Dr.Lekh Juneja, President,ICN (International College of Nutrition ) also marked his presence at the event.

The above conferences ,witnessed a good attendance where scientists; nutritionalists and cardiologists from leading hospitals; researchers, professionals and students from renowned universities joined the congress to meet and exchange the ideas amongsts themselves inorder to develop  better management of Nutrition. An International Event where there were around 200 registered delegates doctors, scientists, physicians present to discuss the current nutritional, health, agricultural, heart problems and reach consensus on vital issues related to nutrition.The doctors presented their papers and delivered the key note lectures. The Conference was a great opportunity for the younger generations to meet the masters in the field and make new friends.

Shikhar MICE hardworking and dedicated team comprising of Prachi Mishra, Soumendu Sur, Gaurav Walia, offered caring and personalized services.The Certificate of Excellence was awarded to our Managing Director, Captain Swadesh Kumar. The event was a great success for Us!

     The Temple Cityof Bhubaneswar, the magnificent Sun Temple of Konark and Jagannath Temple of Puri constitute the Golden Triangle of Odisha.The Jagannath Temple and the ‘Rath Yatra’ at Puri is one of the most spectacular shows on the earth. The Sun Temple at Konark is a marvelous piece of architecture of the medieval times. Bhubaneswar, the capital of Odisha is named after Tribhuvaneswar. Some of the famous temples   to visitare-ParasuramesvaraTemple,MuktesvaraTemple,RajaraniTemple,BrahmesvaraTemple,LingarajaTemple,VaitalDeulTemple. TheStateMuseum, Museum of Man,OdishaModernArtGallery, Ekamra Haat are some of the other places of interest.

         Puri, one of the most sacred Hindu pilgrimage sites, together with Dwarka, Badrinath and Rameswaram constitute four dhams in India. Is the site of the famous Jagannath Temple, around which the religious life of the town revolves and the much revered Rath Yatra. Puri’s  vibrant and narrowly packed streets with brightly painted houses, pastiches of colonial buildings, has a charm of its own. The Gundicha Ghar Temple and the beaches of Puri are the other places of interest.

             Konark, situated on the Odisha Coast, is being famed for its magnificient Sun Temple which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Colossi, Bhoga Mandapa, Mayadevi Temple are the other places of interest out here.

        The Beaches of Odisha at Chandipur, Konark, Puri, Gopalpur, Paradeep are rated among the best. You grab the opportunity of swimming with the rolling waves and be a part of various adventure activities as well. Chilika Lake isAsia’s largest brackish water lagoon, nestled in the heart of coastal Odisha. Is recognized as one of the most important wetlands in the world because it is home to a phenomenal variety of birds. Chilika offers visitors a spectacular display of its colorful avian charms in a thousand different hues presented by over 160 species between November and February. The lake is also dotted with numerous islands with romantic names likeHoneymoonIsland andBreakFastIsland.

     Numerous fairs and festivals are celebrated in every nook and corner of Odisha. Odisha is a confluence of the Aryan, Dravidian and aboriginal culture, thus celebrations bring forth a grand collage of different rituals and traditions. The car festivals, yatras, meals, pujas and bratas or oshas involve mass participation, spread throughout the year. The grandest festival is the Rath Yatra of Puri that attracts almost everyone. Some of the other festivals that draws the attention include the Konark Festival, Rajarani Festival, Puri Beach Festival, Folk Festival, Sambalpur Folk Festival and many more.

      Plan your visit to experience Odisha as you will get hooked for life. There’s a saying that when Odisha celebrates then even God join in. If this be so then don’t miss the opportunity of exploring Odisha with Shikhar Travels.

Bhutan

Thimphu                                                                                                                                                             Is the capital of Bhutan. It comprises of important political buildings including the National Assembly andDechencholingPalace. During Autumn, Tsechu festival is an important festival being held in the courtyards of the Tashichhoe Dzong in Timphu. Spread out along theWangChuuRiver,Thimphu enjoys great weather with ample precipitation.

Paro                                                                                                                                                                        Is a place bordered by Haa dzongkhag to the west,Tibet to the north,Thimphu to the east, and Chukha dzongkhag to the south.   Bhutan’sInternationalAirport is located at Paro.ParoAirport is a beautiful small green-roofed facility in a valley, served only by Drukair fromIndia. Taksang Monastery, Kichu Lang, Drukgyel Dzong are the important places to see in Paro.Taktshang, Kyichu Lhakhang, Drukgyel Dzong, Paro Town, Rinpung Dzong, The National Museum of Bhutan are some of the important cultural sites of Paro. Paro is exceptionally scenic and serene!

Punakha                                                                                                                                                            Was the capital of Bhutan until the year 1955. Its serene atmosphere attracts tourists and visitors from all over the world. One must visit the majestic Punakha Dzong, which is cradled on an island created by the confluence of River Mo Chuu and River Pho Chuu. Punakha valley is famous inBhutan for rice farming. Besides being home to ancient relics, Punakha also serves as a winter residence for the monastic body.

The Wildlife of Bhutan                                                                                              Throughout thekingdom of Bhutan, more than 770 species of plants are known to exist. TheBengaltiger, Greater One-horned Rhinoceros, clouded leopard, golden langur and the sloth bear are found in the south. Grey langur tiger, Indian leopard, goral, serow, mixed conifer are found in the temperature zone. In the north, the alpine habitats of the great Himalayan range are home to the snow leopard, blue sheep, antelope and Himalayan musk deer.

Bhutanese tradition is deeply steeped in its Buddhist heritage. Hinduism is the second dominant religion in Bhutan.Inorder to strenghten Bhutan’s identity as an independent country, Bhutanese law requires all Bhutanese citizens to wear the national dress in public areas and as formal wear.Rice, buckwheat, maize are the staple foods of the country. The local diet also includes pork, beef, yak meat, chicken, and mutton.Popular beverages include butter tea, tea, rice wine and beer. Bhutanis the only country in the world to have banned the sale of tobacco under its Tobacco Act of 2010.                                                                                                                                                  Bhutanexperiences five distinct seasons-summer, monsoon, autumn, winter and spring.Western Bhutanhas the heavier monsoon rains; southern Bhutanhas hot humid summers and cool winters; central and eastern Bhutanis temperate and drier than the west with warm summers and cool winters.

This summer, enjoy a tropical holiday in Lamu, a part of the Lamu Archipelago of Kenya. It’s a peaceful island against the Indian Ocean coast. Lamu Town, the inhabited part of the Island, is built in coral stone and mangrove timber. Since the 19th Century, Lamu has hosted major Muslim religious festivals and hence has become a significant center for the study of Islamic and Swahili cultures. Here, one could find a relaxed atmosphere as life of the people runs at its own pace.
Lamu Island is linked by boats. There are no roads on the Island; therefore, there are few motorized vehicles on the Island. Residents over here, move about on foot or by boat. For the transportation of goods and materials, donkeys are being used. As early as the 14th Century, Arab traders founded a port on the island of Lamu. Lamu is one of the leading tourist destinations in Kenya. Excellent examples of Swahili architectures are found in Lamu.
On the World Heritage list, the old city of Lamu has been referred to as the oldest settlements in East Africa. Several historical attractions have made Lamu, one of the leading tourist destinations of Kenya. Some of the best tourist attractions in Lamu are its museums, Swahili architectures, Lamu fort, Mnarani Mosque and Riyadha Mosque.
Lamu is the perfect place for the couples and honeymooners to begin their lives together. Its a gorgeous and relaxing place where on the beach holidays, one could have an outstanding view of the scenery, the rolling sand and weeping strands of the beaches. One can just explore its beauty and the surroundings. Also, the Lamu Archipelago offers some of the finest snorkeling and diving to explore the coral reefs in the Indian Ocean.
You can be a part of various activities such as snorkeling and scuba-diving. Diving provides an excellent way of exploring many superb sites that remains unexplored. The ocean plays a very important role in the livelihood of Lamu. Shela is the main village on the northern part of Lamu Island. It is about 2 miles from Lamu Town.Shela is a centre for tourism on the Island, with several guest houses featured by the Coast. Its also home to the most spectacular beaches on Lamu Island, which were unfortunately damaged during the tsunami in 2004. The most attractive part of Shela is its tremendous beauty and peaceful environment.

These four pilgrimage places are:
Badrinath, Dwarka, Jagannath Puri,and Rameshwaram.

As defined by Adi Shankaracharaya, the Char Dham consists of two Vaishnavite(the followers of Vishnu-Narayan), one Shaivite(the followers of Lord Shiva), and one mixed site. Char Dham pilgrimages are in the Garhwal Himalayas, where Adi Shankaracharaya attained freedom from embodiment.
‘Chhotta’ Char Dham
There is another Chardham known as ‘Chhota, Char Dham being located in the Himalayas. This dham consists of the following four sites-Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath.

Yamunotri and Gangotri represent Shaktism, Kedarnath represents Shaivism and Badrinath represents Vaishnavism.

History of the Char Dham Yatra
Adi Shankaracharya, the great 8th Century reformer and philosopher was prominently involved in regaining the Hindu Dharma in India. He travelled throughout the Country and grouped the four sacred places as Badrinath, Dwarka, Rameshwaram and Jagannath Puri as the Char Dham. All these four dhams are being dedicated to the Vishnu Avatars.

The 4 Dhams-

1)Badrinath
It’s the most important of the four sites of Char Dham yatra. It is located in theNorth Indian state of Uttarakhand, in the Gharwal hills, on the banks of the Alaknanda River. Badrinath comprises of two words- Badri and Nath.The word Badri refers to a berry that was said to grow abundantly in the area, and nath means Lord.
2)Dwarka Its located in the West, in the Indian state of Gujarat. The City derives its name from the word dvar meaning door. The legendary city of Dwarka was the living place of Lord Krishna.
3)Jagannath Puri  is located in the East in the Indian State of Orissa. Its one of the oldest cities, situated on the coast of Bay of Bengal. It is the only shrine in India, where goddess, Subhadra, sister of Lord Krishna is worshipped along with her brothers, Lord Jagannatha and Lord Balabhadra. Puri is the site of the Govardhana Matha, one of the four cardinal institutions or Mathas established by Adi Shankaracharya.
4)Rameshwaram Its located in the South in the Indian State of Tamil Nadu. According to legends, this is the place from where Lord Rama, built a bridge Ram Setu to Lanka. The major area of Rameshwaram is being occupied by the Ramanatha Swamy Temple being dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is believed that the pilgrimage to Benaras is incomplete without a pilgrimage to Rameshwaram.
At Shikhar we can help you plan your trip for a spiritual journey so you can visit the Dhams and the Temples.