HI-LAND WEEKEND...KANATAL via CHAMBA

Perched at a staggering 10,000 feet (approx) above sea level, Surkanda Devi Temple is only around 300 km from Delhi.
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KANATAL via CHAMBA

TOUR SUMMARY

#1. Delhi - Ghaziabad - Modinagar - Meerut - Khatauli - Muzzaffarnagar - Roorkee - Haridwar - Rishikesh - Narendra Nagar - Chamba - Kanatal.

#2. Delhi - Meerut - Roorkee - Chhutmalpur - Dehradun - Mussoorie - Dhanolti - Kanatal - Chamba.

CONTENTS

INTRO : A crisp Introduction to the Destination & Super Stop.

THE JOURNEY : Driving experience, General Information(Trivia) & Suggestions etc (Notes).

GROUND REPORT : A summary of the Destination & important Stopovers. Safe Pit Stops(refreshment breaks), Top Stops(important stopovers). Details like Altitude, Distances, HOTEL INFORMATION WITH TELEPHONE NO & Tourist Attractions etc.

INTRO


KANATAL


KANATAL
Enriched with the redolent jungles of Conical Classy Coniferous, Ruddy Rhododendrons & colourful landscapes, KANATAL is a habitat for wild orchids and terrestrial vegetation. Also, a perfect winter destination during snowfall is perched on a lofty elevation of 2590 mts. Situated at Mussoorie-Chamba road...just around 300 km from Delhi, KANATAL is easily accessible yet unexplored picturesque tiny hamlet.

...visit here to re-establish a bond with Nature.

SUPER-STOP

CHAMBA 

CHAMBA
A tiny, still bustling hamlet, having all the basic amenities such as good food, hotels, a vibrant marketplace along with a fascinating view of snowy Himalayan peaks, CHAMBA is enriched by a thick woodland. Situated between Tehri and Kanatal at a junction en-route to the multicolored landscapes & Devine lands of Gangotri & Yamunotri...

CHAMBA is a relaxing Hill 'stopover' Station.


THE JOURNEY 


Month : June
Starting point : New Delhi
Destination : Kanatal via Chamba
Mode of transport : Car

Post her mundan ceremony at Haridwar a couple of months back, she seems to be a few notches naughtier, perhaps relieved from the burden of long locks. But she still, very dearly remembers her lovely long golden locks. Whenever asked about the fate of her hair, seemingly with a heavy heart, she replies -"Janga le gai". She pronounces Ganga as Junga...Today, after a two months gap, we were going to follow the same route till Rishikesh...to inquire the whereabouts of SHANVI's hair from 'Junga'.

To beat the traffic, we started early at 1:30 AM as the weekend jams in and around Haridwar & Rishikesh are well known. As I pushed the gas on almost traffic less Ridge Road in Delhi, my daughter reminded me that 50 km/hr is the speed limit here and I should follow the rules, day or night, 'for our own safety'. Smiling sheepishly I replied that I was just trying to warm up for the highway. PROUD OF MY DAUGHTERS (remember that most of the fatal accidents happen during late hours).

Our first BREAK once again was at Namaste midway, Muzaffarnagar. 'Kullar tea' near the entrance was good. After relaxing for a while, we carried on.
THE DRIVE TILL RISHIKESH WAS SIMILAR TO OUR JOURNEY AS MENTIONED IN MY EARLIER BLOG, VIZ. RISHIKESH VIA HARIDWAR.


KNOW ALL ABOUT HARIDWAR & RISHIKESH (safe pit-stops, road conditions, driving experience, altitude, distances, tourist attractions, HOTEL INFORMATION WITH TELEPHONE NUMBERS etc.), visit:

Once in Rishikesh at 8:30 AM, we knew our mission to "beat the traffic-jams" was successful. We parked the car. A hot cup of tea at a roadside tea stall was enough to refresh us. The next hour or so was spent roaming along the banks of Ganga, enjoying the nice breeze till the Sun started behaving angrily.
After having our breakfast at nicely located, Ganga View Restaurant near Laxman Jhula, we left for Chamba.
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KMVN, Tourist Rest House, KHIRSU
WEEKEND HILL-STATIONS around DELHI (THE 7 HOURS' DESTINATIONS), visit: https://hillheart.blogspot.in/2018/04/weekend-hill-stations-around-delhi.html
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Next 63 kms uneventful drive via Narender Nagar, with few BREAKS on the roadside till GMVN Chamba was wonderful, as always. Nicely located on a peaceful hilltop, the GMVN tourist rest house has a clear view of snowy peaks, though extremely strong winds(generally in afternoons), here, may not be very enjoyable on occasions. The building of this rest house looked like a creaky old structure.


GMVN TRH, CHAMBA
After having a 'not so tasty' lunch and a refreshing nap, we were ready to explore Charming Chamba.

Located amidst pine, deodar and rhododendrons forest, Chamba has a busy marketplace. But as we strolled beyond the market, it was all about the glorious Kingdom of nature. You just need a clear day and the place offers spectacular views of the snow clad Himalayan peaks of Thalay Sagar and Jonli. Wooded slopes, terraced fields, and invigorating surroundings were magical. There were some budget hotels in and around the town. The Gabar Singh Memorial & Shri Bageshwar Mahadev Mandir are a must visit destinations of Chamba.






A local temple, Chamba
NOTE :  A long holiday can also be planned to enjoy this picturesque route starting from Haridwar - Rishikesh to Chamba and covering some of the most entrancing locations, such as Kanatal, Surkanda Devi Temple, Dhanaulti up to Mussoorie. And Chamba to Mussoorie in just 50 kilometers of the drive. In fact, this belt has all the variety starting from very high altitude (10,000 ft) to ordinary altitude, from raw jungles and Devine locations to a very busy shoppers' paradise & Qween of hills, Mussoorie...along with a dazzling variety of flora and fauna. Choose the base suited to your budget and taste to enjoy this wonderland.


Good Evening...CHAMBA
Chamba is a thickly populated town. So roaming around even after the sunset seemed absolutely fine. Normally, we prefer to enjoy our dinner in cozy confines of the hotel room or at hotel's dining-hall, but here we decided to have it at a local dhaba and it was very tasty...sorry, I don't remember the name of the dhaba.

Next morning a 14 kms drive through a reasonably busy yet lovely road took us to Tehri Dam, the highest Dam in India.

Tehri Dam reservoir, also called Tehri Lake, is a major tourist attraction and a prominent hub for water sports such as Angling, Canoeing, Rowing, Boating, Water scooter, speed Boating etc. Tehri dam offers a very special view of majestic mountains standing as a background to a huge jade green lake. A short drive away from the lake is NEW TEHRI. A well planned beautiful city with wide roads and colourful buildings, 1750 mtr above the sea level, new Tehri came up as a result of the submersion of old town for the construction of Tehri Dam.




TEHRI LAKE
A couple of days very well spent...tomorrow morning we will head for Kanatal.

KEEP CLOSE TO NATURE'S HEART... AND BREAK CLEAR AWAY, ONCE IN A WHILE, AND CLIMB A MOUNTAIN OR SPEND TIME IN THE WOODS. WASH YOUR SPIRIT CLEAN
- JOHN MUIR

In case you agree with Mr. John, do visit Kanatalthe chilliest destination near Delhi, to experience nature in its most innocent and raw avatar.

It is hard to believe that, Kanatal, perched at a mind-boggling altitude of 8,500 feet from the sea level, is only around 300 km from Delhi & just 40 km away from the maddening crowds of Mussoorie...is still a fresh & unspoiled ecstatic land...!

NOTE : DURING WINTERS, SPECIALLY DURING SNOWFALLS, CHECK WITH YOUR HOTEL ABOUT ROAD CONDITIONS BEFORE YOU BEGIN YOUR JOURNEY ON THIS ROUTE. ALSO, ON THE WAY, KEEP CONSULTING WITH LOCAL DRIVERS ABOUT THE ROAD CONDITIONS. PREFER DEHRADUN-DHANAULTI ROUTE OVER RISHIKESH-CHAMBA. KANATAL HAS SEVERAL LUXURY HOTELS AND PREMIUM RESORTS ALONG WITH MANY FAMOUS CAMPING SITES. STILL, IT IS RECOMMENDED TO PRE-BOOK YOUR ACCOMMODATION AS KANATAL HAS A REASONABLY GOOD TOURISTS' FOOTFALL, SPECIALLY DURING THE WEEKENDS.
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UKHIMATH...Winter home of kedarnath
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A 12 kms steep ascend on the almost traffic-less road, with picture postcard-like surroundings, took us to the celestial Kanatal.

Imagine...an ultra-white mountain peak, resembling the tip of an iceberg floating in the sea of bright and puffy clouds, welcomes you...!


ICEBERG...!
We checked in & immediately ordered tea and pakoras. A fascinating view of the mighty Himalayas (though a bit under the cloud, at the moment!) through the window of the room was magical.

JEWEL among JUNGLES

After lazing around a bit, we got some paranthas with pickles packed and left for the jungle safari. One km from Kanatal, back towards Chamba, KODIA JUNGLE is a paradise for nature lovers, bird watchers, and wildlife enthusiasts. A seven kms level walk takes you through the mesmerizing views of lush green valleys and hills along with several natural water springs. Here you can watch a variety of Himalayan birds and animals such as Himalayan Monal, Kakar (the barking deer), musk deer, wild boar ghoral etc. If you are not comfortable walking, an open Jeep can be hired for the jungle safari.

At night, Kanatal is a Sky Watchers paradise. In fact, I have never seen a sky so brightly lit with twinkling silvery dots on a cloudless & haze-free dark background. Quite tired after a long walk through the jungle, we took an early dinner and soon crashed into our beds.

For the last few days, this place literally became our home. Our last morning at Kanatal, as throughout our stay, was bright and sunny. Being early hour of the day(7 AM), we were able to enjoy the spellbinding views of the snow cladded Bandarpoonch, Trishul and Chaukhamba Peaks.

At 7.30 AM, we checked out for the journey back home, of course, via Surkanda Devi temple. The temple is situated on a hilltop and can be reached after quite a steep trek of more than two km from Kaddukhal, a village situated on Chamba-Dhanaulti road. Surkanda Devi temple is one of the 51 Shaktipeth temples.





SURKANDA DEVI TEMPLE
MOUNTED AT A STAGGERING 10,000 ft (3,030 mtr) ABOVE THE SEA LEVEL, SURKANDA DEVI TEMPLE IS ONLY ABOUT 300 KM FROM DELHI.

After a comfortable drive of few minutes from the hotel, we parked our car at the foothill of the temple. Stalls selling prashad and offerings were there in plenty.

With little SHANVI along and very windy weather, the climb to the top was quite tough for us. We took a lot of breaks during our trek towards the temple and as a result, enjoyed the wonderful views of lush green slopes, decorated with terraced farms and dense woodlands.

Finally, we were on the top of the world. A 360-degree view of serene surroundings including, the panoramic view of the shiny Himalayan Peaks like Nandadevi, Chaukhamba, Gourishankar, Kedardome, Badrinath, Gangotri, Yamunotri etc. was good remuneration for two hours of (joyful) labour. A horse too can be hired for the climbs.

A colourful bazaar at the base of the temple, with few small eateries & shops selling pooja items, idols, toys, artificial jewellery etc was our next center of attraction. Amidst lively surroundings, this small yet vibrant market was a perfect place to relax our tired limbs. My weakness in the chill of the hill, tea and pakoras were available here too. So, we enjoyed the final tea party of the tour in a nicely located backyard of a tea stall with a grand valley view. Holding hot teacups in our hands, we gathered all the wonderful moments that we enjoyed during the course of the journey...and finally, we left the place...quite steamed up about the journey back home...sweet home!



...THE MAGIC THING ABOUT HOME IS THAT IT FEELS GOOD TO LEAVE, AND IT FEELS EVEN BETTER TO COME BACK...!


Nanda Devi Temple, MUNSIYARI
To plan a journey with me to 22 SPECIAL TEMPLES around famous HILL-STATIONS, just click here:

GROUND REPORT

PIT STOPS

MODINAGAR: (approx 50 kms from Delhi) - Jain shikanji.

KHATAULI : (approx 110 kms from Delhi) - McDonalds & Haldiram’s outlets and more.
Cheetal Grand (Khatauli bypass)

MUZAFFARNAGAR : (approx 130 kms from Delhi) Namaste Midway - Kullar(earthen cup) Tea near the entrance is good. McDonald's, subway, haldirams, Baskin Robbins, costa coffee all under one roof & bit of shopping too.
...& Many other famous restaurants.

#1. TOP STOP

HARIDWAR

Altitude -314 m (1,030 ft)
State - Uttrakhand
District - Haridwar district
Division - Garhwal

DISTANCE

Haridwar - Delhi - 210 km.approx.

Nearest railway station -Haridwar
Nearest airport - Jolly Grant Airport(35 km)

HOW TO REACH

BY ROAD : Haridwar can be reached easily by road from Delhi, Haryana, UP, Punjab etc. State transport and private buses are easily available for Haridwar.

BY RAIL : The Haridwar Railway Station is located in the heart of the city. It links the major cities of India with Haridwar.

BY AIR : The nearest domestic airport is Jolly Grant Airport in Dehradun which is a located 35 km from Haridwar. Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi is the nearest International Airport.

MAIN ATTRACTION

Haridwar is a popular Hindu pilgrimage site. The holy Ganga, after flowing for 253 km (from Gaumukh) in the hills, enters the Plains for the first time at Haridwar. 

WHERE TO STAY*

Delhi booking office, Uttarakhand Tourism, Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam Ltd.(GMVN)
 102- Indraprakash Building, Barakhamba Road, New Delhi 110001
Ph - 011-23350481, 23326620
delhi@gmvnl.com

1. Rahi Motel Haridwar(GMVN)
Address: Near Railway Station Near Railway Station, Haridwār, 249401
Phone: 095680 06661

2. Hotel Rahi (Motel, GMVN)
Address: Near Bus Stand, Devpura, Haridwar, Uttarakhand 249401
Phone: 099992 33233
All kinds of Budget & luxury Hotels along with good dharamshalas, in and around Haridwar are in plenty.

#2. TOP STOP

RISHIKESH

Altitude  : 372 m (1,220 ft)
State : Uttrakhand   
District : Dehradun

DISTANCE FROM
Delhi : 232 kms
Haridwar: 22 kms

NEAREST RAILWAY STATION : Haridwar
NEAREST AIRPORT : Jolly Grant airport, Dehradun

HOW TO REACH

BY ROAD : Rishikesh has a good network of buses connecting it with important places such as Haridwar, Dehradun, and New Delhi. You can choose from a regular, deluxe or a luxurious coach.

BY RAIL : Rishikesh's own Railway Station is a branch line which connects Rishikesh to Haridwar, that runs few connecting trains daily and just one or two important trains. The nearest major railhead for Rishikesh is Haridwar, approximately 22 kilometers away. Haridwar, in turn, is linked to major Indian cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Lucknow, and Varanasi. Some of the popular trains are Shatabadi Express, Jan Shatabdi, AC Special Express and Mussoorie Express. For those making the journey to Rishikesh, it is advisable to take the train till Haridwar and then either take a bus or hire a taxi to Rishikesh.

BY AIR : Jolly Grant airport at Dehradun is the nearest airport to Rishikesh which is approximately 35 kilometers away. The second nearest international airport for Rishikesh is in New Delhi which is well-connected with different cities across the globe.

MAIN ATTRACTION

Rishikesh along with the religious beliefs has also acquired recognition as an adventure sports destination of India. The town also serves as a gateway to the Char Dham Yatra in Uttarakhand, viz, Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri, and Yamunotri.

WHERE TO STAY*

Delhi booking office, Uttarakhand Tourism, Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam Ltd.(GMVN)
 102- Indraprakash Building, Barakhamba Road, New Delhi 110001
Ph - 011-23350481, 23326620
delhi@gmvnl.com

1. GMVN Tourist Bungalow MuniKiReti
Address: Muni Ki Reti, Rishikesh, Uttarakhand 24912
Phone: 0135 243 0373

2. Bharat Bhoomi, GMVN
Address: Natraj Chowk, BSNL Colony, Rishikesh, Uttarakhand 249201
Phone: 099992 33233

3. GMVN Tourist Guest House - Rishilok
Address: Near Kailash Gate, Muni Ki Reti, Rishikesh, Uttarakhand 249137
Phone: 099992 33233

4. Rishilok Tourist Complex, GMVN
Address: Munikireti, Tapovan, 249137
Phone: 070604 10506

All kinds of Budget & luxury Hotels along with good dharamshalas, in and around Rishikesh are in plenty. You can also find several hotels with private Ghat facility.

SUPER STOP

CHAMBA

Altitude -1,524 mtr (5,000 ft)
State - Uttrakhand
District - Tehri Garhwal
Division - Garhwal

DISTANCE FROM -
Delhi - 290 kms
Dehradun - 100 kms
Haridwar - 83 kms
Mussoorie - 62 kms.

Nearest railway station -Haridwar
Nearest airport - Jolly Grant Airport.

HOW TO REACH

BY ROAD : Chamba is well connected by public and private transport buses from neighbouring cities. Luxury and normal Buses to Haridwar, Rishikesh, and Tehri etc. are available from ISBT Delhi.

BY RAIL - The nearest major railhead is Haridwar which is approximately 83 kilometers away from Chamba.

BY AIR : Jolly Grant Airport near Dehradun is the nearest airport to Chamba at a distance of 125 km (approx 4 hrs via Rishikesh). Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi is the nearest International Airport.

MAIN ATTRACTION

Chamba is a town and Nagar panchayat in Tehri Garhwal district of Uttarakhand. An important stopover on the way to Tehri Garhwal region, where along with many wonderful and picturesque locations of the upper Himalayas, one can also visit some very famous divine destination. So, Chamba is an important halt for the devotees as well as the nature lovers. Also, being midway between Tehri and Kanatal, with all the facilities of a moderate township, it is a decent stopover. A mesmerizing view of the snow-capped Himalayas here is an icing on the cake.

GABAR SINGH MEMORIAL was built in 1925 in honour of Thakur Gabbar Singh Negi, a rifleman in the Garhwal Rifles in 1913. During World War I, his battalion won the battle at Flanders in Germany. After his death, he was rewarded with the highest gallantry award, the Victory Cross. The Garhwal Regiment, on 21st April every year, pays tribute to this brave warrior.

SHRI BAGESHWAR MAHADEV MANDIR is a popular religious site, dedicated to the Hindu God of Destruction, Lord Shiva. It is believed that the Shiva Lingam present in the temple mysteriously appeared from under the ground.

WHERE TO STAY*

Delhi booking office, Uttarakhand Tourism, Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam Ltd.(GMVN)
 102- Indraprakash Building, Barakhamba Road, New Delhi 110001
Ph - 011-23350481, 23326620
delhi@gmvnl.com

1. GMVN Tourist Rest House
Address: Block Rd, Chamba, Uttarakhand 249145
Phone: 01376 255 245

2. Hotel Akashdeep
Address: Block Road, Next to PNB Bank, Chamba, Uttarakhand 249145
Phone: 01376 255 033

3. Classic Hill Top Resort
Address: Mussoorie Chamba Road, Chamba Tehri Garhwal, Chamba, Uttarakhand 249145
Phone: 01376 255 252

4. Hotel Neelkanth
Address: College Rd, Chamba, Uttarakhand 249145
Phone: 094120 27362

5. Himalaya Holiday Inn
Address: Gangotri Road, Chamba, Uttarakhand
Phone: 094113 99099

6. Grand Sirmaur Hotel
Address: Chamba Tehri Garhwal, Chamba, Uttarakhand 249145
Phone: 01376 255 063

7. Tehri Club and Resorts
Address : new near Hanuman Mandir, Badshahi Taul, Road, Rishikesh - New Tehri Road,, Chamba, Uttarakhand 249001
Phone: 01376 234 981
  
DESTINATION

KANATAL

State - Uttarakhand 
District - Tehri 
Elevation - 2,590 m (8,500 ft) 

Distance from

Delhi - 300 kms
Dehradun - 78 kms
Haridwar - 98 kms
Mussoorie - 38 kms
Chamba - 12 kms
Dhanaulti - 15 kms

HISTORY: Name Kanatal is a combination of two words – Kana (one-eyed) and Tal (lake). It is believed that once there existed a lake by this name.

MAIN ATTRACTION

Kanatal is a land of nature lovers and wildlife enthusiast. They can head to the nearby, Kodia Jungle, Rani Chauri Forest or Batwaldar Forest.
Kanatal is also known for adventure activities & leisure activities, such as Trekking, Rock climbing, Rope Ladder, Burma Bridge, Spiderweb, Bonfire etc.

MUSSOORIE, the queen of hills, only 38 km from Kanatal, is among the most visited hill stations of north India.

DHANAULTI, 15 kms from Kanatal is another popular tourist destination, unspoilt by commercialization & Blessed with the dense forest of Deodar.

SHIVPURI is about 75 km from Kanatal. Quite close to Delhi, Shivpuri is a famous destination for river rafting. It is closed in the monsoon season.

DASHAVATAR TEMPLE: This temple is dedicated to Hindu deity, Vishnu.

SURKANDA DEVI TEMPLE, the highest point of the area(9,941 ft) and dedicated to Goddess Durga(one of the nine Goddess forms), is one of the 51 Shakti Peeth. The Ganga Dusshera festival is celebrated here, every year between May and June. This is one of the Devi Darshan triangle temples, other two being, Kunjapuri Devi temple - Narendranagar & Chandrabadani Devi - Devprayag.

WHERE TO STAY*

1. Club Mahindra Kanatal
Address: 11km Stone, Chamba Mussoorie Road, Tehri, Kanatal, Uttarakhand 249145
Phone: 1860 210 1111

2. Forest Cafe Kanatal
Address: Kanatal, Kaudia Range, Uttarakhand 249130
Phone: 095682 51581

3. The Terraces Spa Resort
Address: Chamba-Mussoorie Highway District: Tehri Garhwal, Kanatal, Uttarakhand 249145
Phone: 098970 18120

4. Camp Carnival Kanatal
Address: Chamba - Mussoorie Highway, Kanatal, Dist Tehri Garhwal, Kaudia Range, Uttarakhand 249130
Phone: 099116 74000

5. Camp Little Jaguar
Address: Kanatal, Chamba-Mussoorie Highway, Chamba, Uttarakhand 249145
Phone: 099996 00365

6. Kanatal Resorts and Spa
Address: 11 Km Stone, Chamba Mussoorie Road, Kanatal, Uttarakhand 249145
Phone: 01376 283 168

7. Pahadi House
Address: Village Chaukhal, Kanatal, Mussoorie Rd, Chamba, Uttarakhand 249145
Phone: 098181 44959

PETROL PUMPS ARE AVAILABLE THROUGHOUT THE ROUTE.



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NOTE : ALWAYS drive carefully there...remember, mountains have a way of dealing with overconfidence.


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PILGRIMAGE in HIMALAYAS 






Respect Nature. She Reciprocates!

Mountains are the World’s Water Towers. Water, stocked as Glaciers, flows downwards in form of rivers. Besides satisfying our thirst, it also sustains most of the food production in addition to the maintenance of various green belts that generate the basic requirement of our life, the oxygen.

My birthplace, Delhi is a wonderful place, just a few hundred kilometers away from world's most famous water towers, The Towering Himalayas. And whenever we want to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city we head straight into the lush green wilds of the Himalayas to breathe easy in the lap of raw nature. With an almost endless list of destinations, blessed with delightful landscapes and colourful trails for all tastes, capacities & capabilities, Himalaya, we believe is the abode of Gods. However, spending time in such serene surroundings brings its own responsibilities too...


...avoid littering around. Use eco-friendly produce during the journey.

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The Himalayan escape...around Delhi


"Tourists don't know where they've been. Travellers don't know where they are going"

-Paul Theroux


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Wanderer's Wonderland

* Compiled from Google

Comments

  1. Your blog is a very useful tool. I value your writing's clarity and the breadth of your research. entertaining and educational!
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  2. When camping at Kanatal, the night sky is a captivating sight. There isn't much light pollution, so the stars shine brightly and the atmosphere is magical.
    Camping in Kanatal

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