Tourists flock Narkanda in Himachal for snow sports

Narkanda (Himachal Pradesh), Feb.1 : A large number of sports enthusiasts and tourists are thronging ski resort Narkanda known for winter sports here amidst breathtaking scenery and snow-clad mountain slopes.

Sixty five kilometers from Shimla, Narkanda is situated at an altitude of 2,700 meters above sea level.

Narkanda offers ideal conditions for skiing and several other winter sports activities for professionals as well as beginners. It is favourite with winter sports enthusiasts from within India and abroad.

In 1980, skiing was commenced here for the first time since then Himachal Pradesh Tourism Department Corporation (HPTDC) is conducting skiing courses every year here.

Narkanda's snow covered slopes are these days alive teeming with tourists enjoying the thrills of skiing among the fir-tree laced mountains.

Jayant, a Nagpur tourist said: "We in fact arrived here casually but it turned a lifetime experience for us. We tried skiing a lot for the first time."

Devanand, a local ski instructor, who also runs a teastall, said that it was the snow which is captivating tourists here.

"Due to the snowfall, a lot of tourists have come here. They are coming here because this year we received early snowfall, as early as in December and tourists hearing this are flocking to the region in large numbers," he said.

Himachal Pradesh, located in the foothills of Himalayas, offers picturesque scenes full of snow-clad mountains, blue skies and green valleys.

Nearly four million tourists visit the State every year. The number has been on increase by about 15 percent each year.

State tourism department has made elaborate arrangements to promote tourism which is a major contributor to the State economy. By Hemant Chauhan

ANI