Winters a Miss - This Year

All these years, having stayed in extreme weather conditions and now living in a coastal area, winters have definitely been a Miss this Year. Longing for that Sun to come out, Chill going down my spine, and layers of clothing have all been a thing of the past. Missing the cold cold weather more than ever. I simply love everything about the winter season. Miss indulging in those chikki’s, oranges, adrak wali chai and hot steaming momo’s every day. And of course lazing around in that lovely red razai (quilt) of mine.

Being so fond of the Winter Season, around same time in 2008, I had planned a family vacation to the Golden Triangle of Himachal Pradesh – Chail, Kufri & Shimla. While, Chail and Shimla just gave me that extra chilly feel and scenic beauty, my much wanted wintertime desires were all fulfilled in Kufri. 

Kufri offered to me some of the best lifetime experiences. Right from snowcapped mountains, to Yak ride, to skiing, this little paradise some 15 kms from Shimla gave me the most different and of course one of the best experiences of a Hill Station.

The most enthralling was skiing, which has always fascinated me. Though I was a first timer, but with some basic support and training I managed to indulge in this absolutely amazing sport. Hopefully before my next visit with some good training in this sport I can ski through the entire Mahasu Ridge.  Further, the picturesque beauty from the Mahasu Peak (highest peak in Kufri) was also definitely the perfect icing on the cake. If one is a trek freak too, then trekking to the Mahasu Peak can be a fun journey.

While traveling from one place to another in Kufri, the best was to take halts, play around and slip around on the snow covered belt. It was such an enjoyable time - playing with the snow, throwing snow balls and flakes at each other, trying to get a picture clicked with complete snowy background and sliding all the way down.

Not to miss at all is the Yak ride. Most hill stations which I have visited so far offered me horse riding but truly entertaining was the Yak ride. To amuse yourself and your people around, go for the Yak ride at the Himalayan Nature Park and also near the market area, which also has some nice stuff made out of wood.

The Himalayan Nature Park was a different experience too. Along with the varied flora and fauna at this Nature Park, there was also the breathtaking view of the entire range of Himalaya’s snow clad peaks. One gets to see the Fir- Spruce and Oak formations with scattered presence of Deodar-Blue Pine-Holly clusters. There is also an animal enclosure at the Park which houses quite a few Himalayan animal species. I managed to spot Musk Deer, Black Bear, Sambar, and Barking Deer.

Within the vicinity of the Himalayan Nature Park, there is also the Indira Tourist Park. Locals there told us that the Simla Agreement of 1971 was signed at this park. However, keeping the unconfirmed history aside, one surely gets to feel Nature in its most serene self at this park.

Lately, while researching on Kufri, I also gathered that another fun sport has started there – Tobogganing. It is a revised form of sledging.

Hoping to experience the Winter Fun soon - the cold, the mist, the snow, the fog, for now I slumber back to my Coastal space where I enjoy pleasant breeze morning and evening.