It is the land of eternal snow in the north-west of India. The literal meaning of Himachal is 'Land of Snow'. It is also known as 'Dev Bhoomi' ( the land of Gods). The capital of the state is Shimla and other major towns include Solan, Dharamshala, Kangra, Mandi, Kullu, Chamba, Hamirpur, Dalhousie and Manali. It takes in the frontier zone from the plain to the high Himalaya and in the Trans Himalayan region of lahaul and spiti actually crosses that mighty barrier to the Tibetan Plateau.

The state of Himachal Pradesh came into being in its present form with the partition of the Punjab into Punjab and Haryana in 1966. Himachal Pradesh is essentially a mountain state it takes in the transition zone from the plains to the high Himalayas and in the trans-Himalayan regions of Lahaul and Spiti actually crosses that mighty barrier to the Tibetan plateau. It's a delightful state for visitors, particularly during the hot season when people flock to its hill stations to escape the searing heat of the plains. High points for the visitor include Simla, the 'summer capital' of British India and still one of India's most important hill stations. The Kulu Valley is simply one of the most beautiful areas on earth - a lush, green valley with the sparkling Beas River running through it and the snow-capped Himalayan peaks forming the background. Then there's Dharamsala, home-in-exile for the Dalai Lama; and a host of other hill stations, lakes, walks and mountains. In the far north of the state the winter snow melts to permit visitors for a few brief summer months to explore the Tibetan culture of Key-long in Lahaul and Spiti.

Dharamshala has a strong Tibetan population and is the base for treks into the Dhauladar and the Pir Panjal ranges. Manali and Shimla are favorite vacation spots with both Indian and foreign travelers. The main tourist season in most of Himachal Pradesh runs from May to June and from September to October, but winter-when roads to Shimla, Manali, and Dharamsala and from Shimla to Chamba remains open-is also an ideal time to visit.