Pictorial Travelogue Series

This book is on sample- travel- itineraries for all as it features the arrival & departure time, details on the means of transport, the destination stop, activities while reaching the destination & so on, and also purpose of traveling along with the mode of transportation and name of the travel companies. They further carry details of the vehicle to be used for transportation which consists of the time of start and reaching the destination. These itineraries also provide information about the place for accommodation along with their website. We are presenting sample itineraries for 6 to 15 days, with approximate expenditures, links for booking hotels, transportation, flights etc. I am providing information both in word format as well as Excel format. We are giving the itineraries for the following countries: 1.            Switzerland 2.            France 3.            Western India 4.            Iceland 5.            United Kingdom and Ireland 6.            Lakshadweep 7.            China 8.            Dubai 9.            Gujarat 10.         Germany, Italy and Austria 11.         Japan 12.         New Zealand 13.         Spain and Portugal

In this volume, we are giving some pictorial trips to both the popular and off-beat tourist spots of Karnataka, including world heritage sites. It shows the arrival & departure time, details on the type of transport, the destination, activities while reaching the destination & so on, and also the mode of traveling along with the mode of transportation and name of the travel companies. In addition, they carry details of the vehicles to be used for transportation, which consists of the start and destination time. These itineraries also provide information about accommodation and their website. We present an itinerary of 22 days, with approximate expenditures, links for booking hotels, transportation, etc. I am providing information both in word format as well as Excel format. The places, those will be covered in this book are Bangalore, Hampi, Bijapur, Badami, Aihole, Pattadkal, Hanagal Kumarswami Temple, Mahakuta, Kudalasangama, Mysore, Shravanbelagola, Belur, Halebidu, Tungabhadra, Nisargadhama, Thalacauvery, Mangalore, Udupi, Dharmasthala, Madikeri, Murudeshwar, Chitradurga fort and so many other places. We have proposed Bangalore as the starting point of the tour. We have chosen "Karnataka State Transport Corporation" for many conducted tours from Bangalore, Mysore, and Vijapur. The buses used in these guided tours are excellent and comfortable. Places where they stop for breakfast and lunch, are Tourist Bungalows belonging to the Karnataka tourism department, and they provide excellent food. Day-by-day itinerary, booking of hotels/ apartments of rating of at least 7 out of 10, and cost of the stay for four persons have been provided. To keep the expenditure as low as possible, we have used the Indian railway for transportation. We have provided 2-tier AC accommodation, wherever possible, otherwise 3-tier accommodation. We have utilized a Local Taxi Service in the tourist spots to avoid unnecessary time wastage. Readers will easily and directly access the included itineraries through an easily accessed link provided below each of the itineraries. The link will open a Google spreadsheet for you. You may download a copy on your computer or mobile to modify it at your own pace and preference.

Himachal Pradesh is in the North Eastern part of India. It is known as the "Land of Gods" and is very popular with tourists and pilgrims. Himachal Pradesh is mainly in the Himalayas. The Himalayas starts from Burma and goes through China, Tibet, Assam, West Bengal, Nepal, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Kashmir, Pakistan, and Afghanistan to Middle East Asia. In the northeast of Himachal Pradesh are the Himalayas, the Dhauladhar range in the northwest, and the Shivalik range in the South. The Pir Panjal range separates it from Kashmir. The natural beauty of the entire Himachal Pradesh, be it Dharamshala, Manali, or Spiti Valley, attracts crores of tourists all over the year.  According to the tourist department of Himachal, 134 peaks of more than 5000 meters in height change their colors at Sunrise, Sunset, daytime, and full moon nights. The most significant boost to tourism happened during the mid-80s to mid- 90s when the State invested much in infrastructure. In the beginning, Himachal became the summer destination. However, the department of tourism and civil aviation of the State wanted to make it a destination for all seasons. Accordingly, they developed the infrastructure with particular emphasis on activity-based tourism. Now Himachal is also known as "A destination for all seasons and all reasons." To promote tourism in the countryside, the State invested as much as possible within available resources.   Himachal is the hub of adventure, Nature, culture, history & spirituality. The varied topography of snow-capped peaks, friendly locales, lush green meadows, deep valleys, pristine rivers, and thick forests have made the gorgeous State of Himachal Pradesh a beautiful destination. Himachal offers solace to the mind and souls of nature lovers. Himachal is a paradise for not only thrilling and mind-boggling trekking and paragliding, but there are also lush green valleys like Kinnaur, Kullu, and Kangra & barren terrains of Lahaul & Spiti, and the Buddhist culture of Mcleodganj. In addition, there are famous lakes like Renuka, Rewalsar, Prashar, Suraj Tal & Chandratal. The cheapest way to travel in Himachal Pradesh is by bus. But this may be time-consuming and require more time to cover the State. So the best way is to hire a rental car. We are presenting most of Himachal's well-known and off-beat places in this book. The State-run Himachal Road transport corporation runs the public transport system in Himachal Pradesh, where one can book bus tickets online. The places we will cover in this book are Dharamshala, Mcleodganj, Dal Lake, Talnu, Tapovan, Chamunda Devi, Vajreswari, Kangra Fort, Dalhousie, Khajiaar, Chamba, Palampur, Baijnath, Jwalamukhi, Naina Devi, Kasauli, Chail, Simla, Naldhera, Narkanda, Mandi, Bajaura, Kullu, Manikaran, Naggar, Jagatsukh, Manali, Siyali Mahadev, Ghatotkach Temple, Hadimba Temple, Manu Temple, Marhi, Rohtang Pass, Koksar, Keylong, Triloknath, Udaipur, Surajtaal, Batal, Kunzum Pass, Chandra Taal, Kaza, Dhankar, Kalpa, Sangla, Chitkul, Sarahan, and Rampur Bushahar.

Himachal Pradesh is in the North Eastern part of India. It is known as the "Land of Gods" and is very popular with tourists and pilgrims. Himachal Pradesh is mainly in the Himalayas. The Himalayas starts from Burma and goes through China, Tibet, Assam, West Bengal, Nepal, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Kashmir, Pakistan, and Afghanistan to Middle East Asia. In the northeast of Himachal Pradesh are the Himalayas, the Dhauladhar range in the northwest, and the Shivalik range in the South. The Pir Panjal range separates it from Kashmir. The natural beauty of the entire Himachal Pradesh, be it Dharamshala, Manali, or Spiti Valley, attracts crores of tourists all over the year. Lakhs of tourists and pilgrims assemble in Kulu valley for the Dusserah festival. Flora and fauna of Himachal Pradesh are in abundance. In the spring, Himachal becomes colorful with thousands of flowers and fruits. Known and unknown birds fill the atmosphere with their chirping. One can see various jungle animals, like, panther, leopard, black bear, brown bear, snow leopard, etc. The rivers of Himachal are full of trout fish. Himachal is a paradise for trekkers. According to the tourist department of Himachal, 134 peaks of more than 5000 meters in height change their colors at Sunrise, Sunset, daytime, and full moon nights. The most significant boost to tourism happened during the mid-80s to mid- 90s when the State invested much in infrastructure. In the beginning, Himachal became the summer destination. However, the department of tourism and civil aviation of the State wanted to make it a destination for all seasons. Accordingly, they developed the infrastructure with particular emphasis on activity-based tourism. Now Himachal is also known as "A destination for all seasons and all reasons." To promote tourism in the countryside, the State invested as much as possible within available resources. According to the 2021 estimate, 56 lakhs of tourists visiting Himachal Pradesh, which was a 75% increase over 2020. There are 84 hotels and 14 Homestays of Himachal Tourism at different tourist destinations. In addition, there are unlimited private hotels at these places. According to State Government statistics of December 2021, there are 7369 hotels and homestays, 850 restaurants, and 128250 beds all over Himachal Pradesh. Himachal is the hub of adventure, Nature, culture, history & spirituality. The varied topography of snow-capped peaks, friendly locales, lush green meadows, deep valleys, pristine rivers, and thick forests have made the gorgeous State of Himachal Pradesh a beautiful destination. Himachal offers solace to the mind and souls of nature lovers. Himachal is a paradise for not only thrilling and mind-boggling trekking and paragliding, but there are also lush green valleys like Kinnaur, Kullu, and Kangra & barren terrains of Lahaul & Spiti, and the Buddhist culture of Mcleodganj. In addition, there are famous lakes like Renuka, Rewalsar, Prashar, Suraj Tal & Chandratal. The cheapest way to travel in Himachal Pradesh is by bus. But this may be time-consuming and require more time to cover the State. So the best way is to hire a rental car. We are presenting most of Himachal's well-known and off-beat places in this book. The State-run Himachal Road transport corporation runs the public transport system in Himachal Pradesh, where one can book bus tickets online.  

Ansusekhar Guin, retired from Govt. service in the year 2006, and Madhuri Guin are addicted to travelling and regularly travel within and outside India. They also operate a YouTube travel channel " The Bong Explorers", where they share videos of their trips. So far, they have uploaded 90 travel videos. Madhuri Guin operates an e-commerce business, named www.dollsofindia.com, where she is marketing Indian art and culture through paintings, sculptures, posters, Textiles, jewellery, fashion items, unique crafts and puja items. They just started writing picture travelogues and itineraries on their experience of travel in different countries. The list of their travelogues is: (1)Switzerland: The Dream Destination: Budget Travel in Switzerland, (2)Glimpses of Italy and Sample Itinerary, (3)Around the World through some sample itineraries, (4)Madhya Pradesh: Heartland of India, (5)Glimpses of Himachal Pradesh with Sample Itinerary, (6)Budget Travel in Dubai, the Shining Gem of Arabian Desert, (7)Glimpses of Karnataka (Sample Travel Plans), (8)Glimpses of Gujarat Visit: Sample Itinerary, (9)Glimpses of Uttarakhand with Sample Itinerary, (10)Glimpses of Sikkim Visit: Sample Itinerary, (11)France: The Country of Love and Art.

This book is on travel in Croatia and Slovenia with a lot of travel photographs. This book showcases journeys to different cities, picture postcard villages, enchanting lakes and National Parks. A brief description of each place has been given, but the journey is mainly through photographs. Since Croatia and Slovenia are small adjacent countries and, Tourist attractions are so near each other, it is better to visit both countries in one go. Slovenia is in Southern Central Europe. The Geography of Slovenia is primarily mountainous and forested. The mountains here are the Julian Alps and the Dinaric Alps. A wide variety of Cultural and Natural Tourism is offered in this country. The nation's capital is Ljubljana, and there are many historical buildings. The romantic beauty of the western part of Slovenia has increased its popularity with tourists with the Capital, the Julian Alps, the Kamnik-Savinja Alps, the Soča Valley, Lake Bled, Lake Bohinj and the hilly Karst region. The must visit places in Slovenia are Ljubljana, Postojna and Predjama Castle, Lake Bled, Vintgar Gorge, Lake Bohinj, Bovec, Piran and Maribor. Croatia is in Central Europe on the shores of the Adriatic Sea. Croatia attracts tourists for its beautiful coastlines, stunning lakes and forests. It is also famous for its stunning wine and delicious cuisine. This book will help you to plan your perfect trip to Croatia and Slovenia, select the best destinations, and find accommodation, transport, restaurants and cuisine for foodies. Croatia has about a thousand islands, many National and Nature parks. Croatia has 2000 years of history as ancient Greeks and Romans settled here from Istria to Dalmatia. The must visit places in Croatia are Zagreb, Split, Dubrovnik, Plitvice Lakes National Park, Istria, Cres, Zagorje, Zadar, KRKA National Park, Domačija Belica, Šibenik, Brač, Hvar, Vis Island and Kopački Rit Nature Park. There are two chapters giving sample itineraries  for Croatia and Slovenia separately and one chapter for combined itinerary for Croatia and Slovenia.

This book is on travel in Uttarakhand, also known as Devbhoomi, or the land of Gods, which is a Himalayan state in northern India. There are 13 hilly districts, Dehradun, Uttarkashi, Tehri Garhwal, Rudra Prayag, Chamoli, Haridwar, Pauri Garhwal, Bageshwar, Pithoragarh, Almora, Nainital and Champawat constituted this State of Uttarakhand. Though the state is small, it is world-famous for tourism. People call it the heaven of Earth. It is known for its untouched natural beauty and spirituality. It encompasses the most picturesque landscape involving mountains, forests, meadows, valleys, waterfalls, rivers, river confluences and flowers, all nestled in the lap of the majestic Himalayas.The state is in two parts, Garhwal and Kumaon. Dehradun, the state's largest city and its only railhead, is the winter capital, and Bhararisain, a town in the Chamoli district, is the summer capital of Uttarakhand. Legend says that Gods lived in Garhwal Himalayas and Tehri with its flowers and fruits, green meadows was its Eden. Haridwar and Hrishikesh are the abode of the sages and the most attractive holy places for tourists. Haridwar is the gateway to Uttaranchal. The most sacred Teerthas of Hindus is the Chardham, consisting of Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri and Yamunotri, making Uttaranchal attractive to the pilgrims. Similarly, the famous Sikh pilgrimage, Hemkund Sahib, is also there in Uttarakhand. Tourists arrive at Uttarakhand to enjoy the snow view of the Himalayas. There are more than a dozen hill stations, like Nainital, Almora, Binsar, Kaushani, Ranikhet, Lansdown, Pouri and Moosouri and six National Parks in Uttarakhand, including the first Indian National Park of Jim Corbett. The rail network in the state is minimal. The rail is connected only to Dehradun, Haridwar, Hrishikesh, Kathgodam, Pantnagar, Lalkuan, Haldwani, Roorkee, Kotdwar and Ramnagar. But the extensive road network connects all the state's cities and villages. Uttarakhand has about 2,700 km of roads, of which about 1,300 km are national highways and 1,600 km are state highways. The State Road Transport in Uttarakhand is known as the Uttarakhand Transport Corporation (UTC). It is a significant constituent of the transport system in the state. UTC runs about 1000 buses on 35 nationalised routes along with many other non-nationalised routes. In addition, private transport operators also operate about 3000 buses on non-nationalised routes and other highways in Uttarakhand. For local travelling, auto rickshaws and cycle rickshaws are available. In addition, vast network of crowded share jeeps connect remote towns and villages in the hills to important road junctions and bus routes. The cheapest way to travel in Uttarakhand is by bus. But this may be time-consuming and require more time to cover the State. Hence, the best way is to hire a rental car. This book presents most of Uttarakhand's well-known and off-beat places.      

Rajasthan is the country of Rajputs. Once, it was known as Rajputana. Its skies are filled with Bhajans (songs) of Meerabai and stories of heroism and valour of Rajput heroes in the skies of Rajasthan. The resistance put up by Rajput kings to the Muslim invasions with their warfare and chivalry for centuries is well-known. There are palaces after palaces in the whole of Rajasthan, created by different Ranas, and they are extreme examples of mastery of architecture and sculpture. Similarly, the forts of Rajasthan are the haven of dreamland. The most attractive places for tourists are Pink City Jaipur, Lakes and Palaces of Udaipur, Museum Town of Shekhawati, Golden Fort of Jaisalmer, Poems on Marble in Dilwara and Ranakpur near Mt. Abu, Sights of heroism and valour in Chittorgarh, and three National parks of Ranathamvor, Sariska and Keoladeo. In 1956, Ajmer, Marwar and 22 princely states combined and established Rajasthan, the most significant state of India. Until 1970, these princely state kings got financial help from the Indian Government, which was abolished. The kings converted their palaces into museums and hotels to cope with the economic crisis. Another treasure of Rajasthan is the Marble of Makrana, which was used to create the Taj Mahal of Agra and the Victoria Memorial of Kolkata. Rajasthan is bordered Punjab and Haryana are in the in the North, Uttar Pradesh in the East, Madhya Pradesh in the East and Southeast, and Gujarat in the South and Southwest. A large part of Rajasthan is covered by the dry and inhospitable Thar Desert, or Great India Desert, bordered by Pakistan. Rajasthan capital Jaipur is the largest city of Rajasthan. There are ruins of Indus Valley Civilisation at Kalibangan and Balathal. The handicrafts of Rajasthan are famous for Kundan and Meenakari jewellery, Pottery, brass, bone, Bandhni Sari and textiles, Sanganeri block print and beautiful handcrafted shoes. Rajasthan has a considerable number of places as tourist attractions. Without proper planning, travelling through Rajasthan systematically and adequately will be challenging.  I have created a Google My Map showing almost all the must-see places. At the end of the book, there are two travel plannings with cost: (1) Sample Itinerary (Complete Rajasthan) for 2 persons and (2) Low-Cost Sample Itinerary (Only Important places of Rajasthan) for 2 persons by Public Transport.