A Step towards Responsible Tourism
Advisory for Tourists
- Himachal is a peaceful and hospitable state. The people are friendly and helpful. Nevertheless, visitors are advised not to take unnecessary risk that may lead them to danger or allow / provoke anybody else to harm them in any way.
- Change your money only at authorized foreign exchange outlets / Banks / Hotels. Insist for receipt of money changed.
- Keep identity card/passport handy while travelling.
- Some buildings and monuments require permission for photographyand filming. Contact the nearest Tourism office or the concerned District Administration for guidance and assistance.
- Keep your valuables in hotel lockers/safe deposit vaults wherever
available. - STD/ISD/FAX facilities are available at small booths throughout
the state. - For medical assistance contact Government hospitals and dispensarie or accredited nursing homes/clinics/hospitals or Call 108 free 24X7 ambulance service.
- For guide maps and information, contact Himachal Tourism Offices.
- Ensure that your vehicle is securely locked before you leave it.Don’t leave cash or jewellery in your vehicle.
- Do not encourage beggars.
- Shop at Government emporiums. Prices are reasonable and quality assured. Himachal Emporium outlets are located at Bilaspur, Chamba, Dharamshala, Mandi, Kullu, Keylong, Reckong Peo, Nahan, Solan, and Shimla. Outside the state, these are at New Delhi, Bangalore and Chandigarh. You can also buy directly from craftsmen located throughout Himachal. But if you plan to carry them overseas, do take a receipt for customs.
- For electrical appliances, check voltage, 220 V is the standard in the state. Socket type-two pin/three pin.
- Normal Banking hours are 10:00 am to 4:00 pm from Monday to Saturday. Banks remain closed on Sunday and gazetted holidays.
- It is advisable to cover yourself with travel insurance for theft,loss and medi-claim.
- Unleaded petrol is available at selected stations only.
- Do not leave your cash and valuables in your hotel rooms. Keep your cash divided in different pockets.
- Do not trust strangers.
- During the monsoon season (July-August), be careful while driving on the road because of slippery conditions and land-slides/ rock-falls.
- While visiting interior places, please inquire about local authority contacts.
- Please keep important numbers of Tourist Information Offices/ Police Station with you.
- Do not stand at the edge of a cliff or on any bolder near a river bank for photographs etc. The water current in rivers of Himachal Pradesh is very strong and highly deceptive.
- Do not mix drink with driving.
- Put on your seat-belts while driving.
- Hill driving is not as easy as it looks. Always keep to the left to avoid collision with on coming vehicles.
- Avoid overtaking vehicles on bends. Reduce speeds at bends and corners.
- Do not eat anything offered by unidentified persons on trains or during road travel. It may contain sedatives or intoxicating substances.
- Avoid night driving in the hills.
- Use your common sense to avoid leading yourself into situations that could harm you.
- There is a good coverage of communication network in Himachal. Please keep important numbers of tourist information offices/Police Station withyou.Important numbers are:
- Before partaking in long/short duration or high-altitude treks,
make sure to inform the local authorities such as Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Police, Tourism office etc. - Ensure hiring only Govt. registered guides, porters and from registeredagencies details of which should be provided to local authorities prior to departure.
- Before taking part in any adventure activity such as trekking,rafting, paragliding, ensure the agencies offering such activities are authorized by the Government for the purpose and have a valid license to operate.
- Tourists intending to participate in adventure activities are advised to hire the services of those travel agents and guides who are registered with the Department of Tourism, HP Govt.
- Do not take unnecessary risks, especially while partaking in adventure sport activities. Insist upon usage of life safety mechanisms. Please report violation of safety rules by any agency to the Department of Tourism.
- In the main tourist centers, the rates of porters are fixed.For hiring porters, especially for treks, these are normally negotiated. Let the Department of Tourism help you.
- While on adventure trips, attire yourself with proper clothing,shoes, stick, food, water, torch, match box/lighter etc.
- River Rafting for joy ride purpose in Himachal Pradesh is not permitted beyond rapid class-II grade.
- Dispose all litter carefully in dustbins. Use cloth bags for carrying /shopping.
- Clean the camp site before your departure, because other people would also like to use the same site.
- Respect the natural environment. Never touch or harass animals. Always follow
designated trails. - Support conservation by paying entrance fee to parks and protected sites
- Do not leave non-biodegradable litter behind.The use of polythene is banned in Himachal Pradesh.
- Do not burn bushes during trekking in the high altitude areas.
- Take care of proper disposal of your bio-degradable/non-degradable waste while you are exploring Himalayas or anywhere else.
- Do hire only authorized taxis and from Govt. registered Travel Operators or Taxi Unions. It is advisable to ask for Govt. approved fare chart.
- For sight-seeing and excursions, contact Himachal Tourism offices, or Gov ernment approved travel agents and tour operators. HPTDC operates its own fleet of coaches and taxis.
- Do not be coerced into shopping or sight-seeing tours by touts,taxi drivers or strangers. Let the Department of Tourism, Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation, approved travel agents or your hotel help you.
- In the main tourist centers, the rates of porters are fixed.For hiring porters, especially for treks, these are normally negotiated. Let the Department of Tourism help you.
- Stay only in hotel/guest houses/home stays that are registered with the Department of Tourism. A certificate to this please contact District Tourism Development Offices.
- Phone Number:
- Shimla: 0177-2625939
- Solan: 01792-230044
- Mandi: 01905-225036
- Manali: 01902-226221
- Dharamshala: 01892-224430,
- Chamba: 01899-224002
- For accommodations of state operated hotels visit at:
- www.hptdc.in
Contact or write to: DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM & CIVIL AVIATION Block No. 28,SDA Complex, Kasumpti, Shimla-9
- Phone Number
- 0177-2625864
- 0177-2623959
- 0177-2925924
- Fax: 0177-2625456
- Email: tourismmin-hp@nic.in
- Foreign tourists who wish to overstay should contact the nearest Foreigners’ Regional Registration Officer or the Sadar Police Station in the town.
- Foreign tourists require Inner Line Permits to visit certain inner area of Kinnaur district and Spiti of the Lahaul-Spiti district that borders Tibet-China.The Permits are issued by Resident Commissioner of Himachal Pradesh, Himachal Bhawan, 27, Sikandra Road, New Delhi and at Deputy Commissioner’s office at Shimla, Kinnaur at Reckong Peo and SDM office at Kalpa, Kaza, Manali.
- If a document is lost, immediately contact the nearest Police Station.
- Park your vehicles only at designated parking lots. Vehicles wrongly parked will be towed away. In case your vehicle has been towed away, please contact Police Control Room.
- Do not consume alcohol at public places.
- Do not disfigure or scribble over rocks, trees, building etc.It could attract legal action against you.
- Do not buy articles made from parts of rare or endangere species or animals.
- Do not smoke in public places/public vehicles. Doing so will attract penaland / or legal action against you.
- Do not take your vehicle on sealed/restricted roads.
- Do not use or carry any prohibited psychotropic or contraband drugs such as opium, heroin or marijuana, which under Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act is a crime and a punishable offence with imprisonment under law.
- Observe local traditions and custom especially while visiting religious places. Do not touch or remove religious objects.
- Respect local customs and etiquettes.
- Do not take photographs of local inhabitants without their permission.
- Female should not be photographed without their consent.
- Himachal has an enormous range of weather conditions. Most areas of Bilaspur, Una, Solan, Sirmour, Hamirpur and Kangra are largely warm to hot in summer and mild to pleasant in winter.
- The district of Chamba, Kinnaur, Kullu, Shimla and Lahaul-Spiti are mild to pleasant in summer and cold in winter.
- Do check the clothing and other equipment you may require for the region you are visiting.