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Traveling is often categorized as a hobby for the rich people. People with insane amount of money in banks and ample of time at hand to explore exotic locations around the world. Well, this is a misnomer!

One certainly doesn’t need to be rich in order to travel. Even to the places that are cited as super expensive. All it needs is a combination of meticulous planning and the ability to shun luxury and sometimes, “perceived” comfort.

Try the following tips and thank us later after having enjoyed your trip to a place you always wanted to travel to… and at a much lesser cost than you ever imagined.

Plan Well

Well begun is half done. The first thing you need to do is select your destination and plan how much time you’re going to spend at each of the places you want to visit.

Choose the Off-Season

Air tickets are much cheaper during off-season as are the boarding and lodging prices at most tourist places. You need to be careful about the weather conditions being favorable for travel though.

Book Your Air Travel Much in Advance

Your air journey, including the return ticket, should be booked well in advance. Prices can be up to 50% lesser and sometimes even more.

Stay in Hostels or Homestays

Prefer dormitories, shared hostels or homestays to hotels or inns. Expect to meet and make friends with some like-minded people as a bonus.

Use Public Transport

Most cities have good public transport. The locals use that and so can you. Also, it’s worth finding out if getting a travel pass for bus/rail/both can save you some extra money.

Avoid cabs. Use a shared taxi service in case public transport is not available.

Pack Well

Strike a balance between traveling light and traveling with all the essentials. The idea should be to not have to buy anything during travel that you could pack from home at the offset.

Eat Healthy But Cheap

Avoid expensive restaurants and pubs. Find out where the local working class eats… you’ll be surprised how good and easy on pocket the food is.

Buying packed lunches/dinners from a superstore is another economical option.

Better still, use the hostel’s kitchen to cook for yourself.

Carry a water bottle and refill it from the hostel / public taps.

Avoid Tourist Attractions With a Hefty Entrance Fee

Every place has plenty to see. The national and public parks in most countries charge little to no free. Most museums, heritage sites and places of historical importance also have a free visit day or time slot. Plan accordingly. Avoid a place that charges a hefty entrance fee, unless you absolutely need to see it.

Take Up Odd Jobs

Why not? Opportunities are everywhere and picking up small jobs here and there during travel can help a long way in keeping you comfortable, wallet-wise.

More Travel Tips

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India has always been a popular low-cost tourism destination amongst travel enthusiasts from all over the world. For example, tourism sites include everything from the iconic Taj Mahal in Agra to majestic boathouses in the backwaters of Kerala, and from rejuvenating Yoga Ashrams in Rishikesh to captivating forts and palaces of Rajasthan. The country has something to appeal to most types of travelers out there.

There’s one type, however, that might not find India an interesting enough destination. And that is the one that primarily travels to partake in adventure sports like skiing and mountaineering.

Well, there actually is a hidden gem that will likely change their opinion. That place is called Solang Valley.

Location and How to Reach

Solang Valley is located in the northern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. Himachal, literally translating to “laden with snow”, is known for its glorious mountain peaks, panoramic landscapes, entrancing valleys, lush pine forests and cascading rivers & rivulets.

Solang is 15 kilometers north of the town of Manali. Manali can be reached by a 12-hour bus journey from New Delhi, the country’s capital. Buses between Delhi and Manali run fairly frequently. These services range from economical state transport to luxurious private coaches.

One can also take a plane from Delhi to Bhuntar, the nearest airport 50 kilometers away from Manali. The flight option, however, is expensive and available twice a week only.

Climate, Boarding and Lodging

Solang is located at an altitude of 2560 meters (8400 feet) above sea level. The temperature is between -10°C to 10°C during winters and 10°C to 25°C during summers.

Adequate boarding and lodging options are available for travelers of all budgets, both in Solang and Manali. Manali also has a number of 5-star hotels and international quality restaurants.

What does Solang have to offer to an adventure sports enthusiast?

Skiing: Solang experiences snow from late December to middle of April. Therefore, Mid-January to Mid-March is the best time to visit for skiing. Experienced skiers can use the whole 5 kilometers or so of the main slope starting at the summit. To access the slopes, a cable car ropeway is available. Or, you can use one of the sizeable fleet of all-terrain vehicles.

Heli-skiing: Those with a little extra money to spend can use a helicopter service to reach the summit. The helicopter can also take you to a number of other starting points for cross-country skiing).

Paragliding and Parachuting: Solang offers paragliding and parachuting to everyone from beginner to expert. April-May and September-October are the ideal months.

River Rafting: The width of the Beas river is 25-30 meters at some places and a mere 10 at others. It flows in silent majesty at one moment and its waters can rapidly turn noisy and violent the next. Rafting in the Beas is thrilling and a very fulfilling experience.

Hiking: Solang is surrounded by many beautiful hamlets, lakes and temples. The mostprominent ones are Chandra Tal, Bijli Mahadev and Rohtang. A trek to each of those places makes for an adventure in itself.

Mountaineering: Solang has a number of mountain peaks nearby making it a mountaineer’s delight. Deo Tibba (6001 meters) and Hanuman Tibba (5982 meters) are the closest ones. Manali is home to the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Mountaineering and Allied Sports. At the institute you can rent equipment and request guidance.

Worth a Visit, indeed!

Solang has plenty to offer to adventure seekers. It is also worth visiting for its beauty even if you aren’t into an adventure sport. If you do love adventure sports, it is definitely worth considering as your next adventure destination! Please do your own elaborate research about the place now.

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