Is It Safe For Women To Travel Solo In Himachal Pradesh?

“Men are all the same” - Women who tried them all like a bunny raiding a carrot field in Shimla. So who suggested her to do them all? Was it that bestie living with an army of cats named after every ex who dumped her or the one banging her cousins on every family get together? Yep, mistakes were committed, assumptions were made, but come this vacay and all such misguided opinions will transition, as we hash out the million rupee question, ‘Is it safe for women to travel solo in Himachal Pradesh?’

On a trip to the majestic, mesmeric and mystifying mountains of H.P, we have one common goal i.e peace. Life is in ruins while living a city life and only dear God knows how bad one needs a break. A break from the shackles of responsibility & stress. And once in the ‘Dev bhoomi’, she gets way more than she settles for i.e. peace, serenity and bliss. Yes, it’s pretty close to being in a place called paradise.

So how does a solo woman traveler fare in the serene and remote mountains of Hima(c)hal, “is it safe”, one might ask? Well, before we address the elly in the room, let’s figure out whom is our lady unsa(f)e from in the first place. Is it the wild animals roaming free in the vast forest, lush valleys and high ranges ready to pounce on your dear life and eat you alive? Is it the ghosts & demons lurking in the dark corners of spooky towns and villages, searching for fresh feminine souls? Or worse, is it the predatory men?

Animals will leave you alone in most cases & even if they don’t, you can still scare them away or simply play dead. They will eventually get bored and move on in search of that perfect goat. Well, unless it’s a bear and you’re menstruating, then as per the common belief you might be running out of luck. Lol no I am just messing with you! You’re as secure as a radical in Pak! Then comes the devil ready to own your soul. But hey, up here in the magically divine hills of H.P, the local Gods have such a strong influence that just a chant of a small prayer coupled with a dash of a holy book & a flash of a holy sign can make the devil running back to hell!

Lastly, it is the most freaky adversary you might want to stay away from at all cost, the creepy and perverted men. Let’s say if you’re waylaid by a Yeti, chances are he might let you go considering they’re all gay as hell, since we have never heard of a Yeti with a ladylove. But if you cross the path of a psychotically deranged man high on adrenaline, testosterone and hooch then it leaves barely any chance to get away unless you knee him in the groin and bust his gonads. You might want to pound his tiny head with a stone and push him down the cliff, just in case.

Although you must know that all men are Not the same. Unless you’re in an Isis stronghold, men you come across in the state will be least interested to mischievously bother you, considering they’re already smitten and busy winning over pure and simple local beauties. Yep, women in the mountains are modest and amazingly beautiful minus any cosmetics, as such local men tend to show less than any interest in sassy,glamorous & chic women tourist from different parts of the country or free spirited bohemian hippie women from foreign nations. Well, unless the ones working for the tourism industry identify a customer in you, the rest won’t bat an eye.

Still, like in every corner of the world, there will always be few disgustingly sick men, searching for innocent women under the garb of a sweet Himachali. And thats exactly the nemesis you want to steer clear off. So how do you go about avoiding any slim chances of strange, unwanted and dangerous encounters in the midst of your life altering and soul searching vacay? Well, you go about the following travel-ground-rules and hop on like a happy go lucky bunny with a suitcase:

Those smart gadgets tucked neatly inside your pockets and bags won’t just come handy to click that dope picture or post the most liked status on social media, infact it’s gonna save your tushy from a predator in the bushy!

Ensure a full battery and all important contacts on speed dial, especially the hotel and tour operator who will be the first to assist you if needed. Most women feels she's guarded by an imaginary Thor at all times & the worse is saved for the girl next door. Such stories are best kept for an actress in a scene from a larger than life movie, so keep your guards up milady.

Keep the folks that matter updated with your plans via apps/text/call, before and after you step out of your hotel. This might not sound like an idea considering you made a solo trip to get away from everybody but it’s always better to be safe than disappear without a trace.

You can guarantee your security by installing the following must have apps from Google Playstore or Itunes:

• Chilla* : Alerts your chosen contacts immediately on a scream.
• SpotnSave* : If you don’t have your phone, you can alert your people by pressing the button on a wrist band that comes with the app. The app even sends a message every two minutes with your location to your chosen contact.
• Eyewatch* : Sends an audio/video recording of your background with the precise location without needing a GPRS to your selected contacts.
• Shake2Sa(f)ety* : Alerts the selected contacts if you shake the phone even without Internet and on a locked screen.
• bSa(f)e* : Helps your dear ones with virtual tracking of your location on GPRS tracking. You can even set a fake call to get out of unpleasant circumstances. Also sends audio and video of your background to your selected contacts.
  
  
  
  
  
  

There was a time when you just fly into random hotel properties, check-in and hope for a comfy stay. But now, every trav(e)l website (Tripadvisor, Trivago, Makemytrip, Goibibo etc)* offers ratings and reviews of hotels and home stays collected from folks who have experienced an actual visit. So later you get to study them, know a property and ensure a confirmed comfortable nest.

Even though Himachal is supposed to be the 2nd most corrupt state of India, still you're advised to avoid crashing in cheap hotels and home stays without prior know-how of the place. The owners might not lock you in a basement but they can fleece you for your money, peace of mind and a crappy stay. Yes, there is a plethora of cheap options mushrooming across the state, still its highly advisable to spend time on research for a decently reviewed place on the Internet, instead of wiling away time with make believe stories of your sojourn.

Even though the current Narendra Modi govt is working overtime constructing 30 Km of highways everyday, still there are a lot of areas in H.P that you might wish to explore  but are barely connected with rough and high risk roads. Regions are often cut-off without any notice from rest of the world during rainy and winter seasons. In monsoons, it is highly advised to stay miles away from river banks because rivers are often overflowing and causing severe destruction on its way. As such summer months (April - July) will be the safest time to travel after a formal research on the connecting routes.

While touring within the state, public transport like buses, are highly suggested and hitch hiking might be a bad idea as local folks have still not caught up with the concept and they might end up misjudging you. Still, there are few naive women travelers who fully understand the pitfalls, nonetheless decide to hitch a ride from random truck drivers & motorists. But I won’t ever advocate such crazy a** stunts. There is no dearth of private and government buses within the state 24 hours a day, moreover you can choose your pick on HP Roadways Transport Corp* or HP Tourism Development Corp* for ordinary, luxury and semi-luxury buses plying on popular routes.

If you’re too fly for a bus and prefer private taxis then make sure you double check the service and book one on the web (Himachal taxi, Taxi Tour, Taxi Rental Service, Taxi Service etc)* so you have detailed information on your ride plus you stay on track of the people who care. Avoid jumping into random parked, passing taxis or if a taxi driver approaches you upfront with a sweet throw away deal. That might be a trap.

If you’re not comfortable with a driver, you can even rent a self-driven vehicle from Chandigarh (Zoomcar) or Shimla (Zoprent).* Try not to make any pit stops at shady restaurants (dhabas), as there has been instances wherein innocent tourist got drugged and robbed. You even got to make sure you are well versed with some basic repairs of a vehicle, if and when needed. Also, a single woman driver cruising all alone in the hills might not be the best idea especially in the night, cause some freaky male tourist drivers are bound to piss you off as they chase your vehicle for no apparent reason. Yep, just like dogs.

In certain areas you might face some backlash from taxi drivers because they expect you to ride in their taxis and not in your lavish rented cars. As such it might be very difficult to venture beyond Manali towards Leh in a rented vehicle, so simply avoid that route in a self driven rented car.

Bet you know that you can rent motorcycles in the state & ride like the wind. If you don’t then say thanks to this blog <“Thank you Mr blog”> cause now you do. Tall, short, buff, lanky, white, black fellas on heavy motorcycles wearing large astronomical sized helmets, seated like ghost-riders with their heads on fire, riding dirty with their queens, who'd be clinging on the backs of her biker king like a baby monkey to derive warmth and duck extreme chilly winds, as they roar on the road to freedom.

Now drop the clown and picture a modern day Cleopatra settled firmly on a gleaming motorcycle thundering loud as a jet plane on the picturesque highway to the Pradesh. Yep that can be you, provided you know how to ride one. If you don’t, then get off the imaginary bike and head straight to the closest bus stand.

Important Note: Riding motorbikes alone in the night can be risky as all ‘horny’ men on the road are plowed who will not give up on a chance to harass and wild animals like leopards are super active who won’t hold themselves to attack. So sleep the night off.

Few online bike rentals you can look up: Wheel Street, Bike Rentals Manali, Dharamsala Bike Rentals, Shimla Rider etc.* Other than these there are dozens of other service providers for motorbikes, gear less scooters and bicycles you can always consider after a quick online review.

Photo by: Mixo dean, Elena 6 oct 2009, CC BY-SA 3.0

All through the year H.P is thronged by couples of all colors. From the foothills of Kasauli to the peaks of Spiti, in the serenading and sensuous environs of H.P love is definitely in the air. Now you must be all by yourself with your choice or compulsion, still the scenes around you might make you look out for a date. A safe & quick sure way out will be v.i.a How to find love in Himachal. It's secure, quick & easy! 

If plastic money is all you deal in, then money can turn into a serious hassle as you might not have any! There are minimum number of A.T.Ms in local towns and even if you find one then chances are it might not be operational at all. It gets worse when the A.T.M screen reads, ‘Something went wrong, Please contact your nearest branch’! So if you see such a screen then don’t panic, you don’t need to knock on your bank doors, it just means the A.T.M is not functional. As such make sure you carry decent amount of walk around cash.

During money transactions, make sure you collect receipts cause without it you might land yourself in unforeseen circumstances. Take my example, I was living in a hotel in Mcleodganj from almost 5 months when I found out that the owner whom I paid all that rent minus the bills was infact one wicked worker who hustled me and decamped with all that cash, leaving me without any proof of the money I paid! I still remember the scene wherein the actual owner, a scrawny 4ft tall 70 yr old man, whose turban kept falling off, leap towards me like a kangaroo in rage, hurling hilarious abuses and waving a thick wooden club. I honestly couldn't figure out if I should have laughed or run. So I ran in circles whilst LaughingMyA**Off!! Later everything got sorted but I learn't a valuable lesson and few Himachali swear words!

As we explore H.P and turn into a wanderlust, there’s always a strong urge to scale the highest mountain and experience the vibe of being free as a bird. The calm and the peace that engulfs us up there is no doubt on another level. A solid trek up a mountain will bring you a step closer to that paramount feeling of rejuvenating accomplishment. Try to trek only in a group and avoid doing it alone. Treks in H.P is like a dream but somewhat dangerous. Make sure there is someone, even if a stranger to hold your hand, if you slip or get snatched by a wild or a sexual predator.

Browse the following few sites for your trekking needs: The great next, Bikat Adventures, Tour My India, Thrillophilia, Adventure Nation etc.*

In 2018, some 1.59 million domestic tourist and 3.50 lakh foreigners visited ‘Devbhoomi’. So obviously the locals are quite used to seeing brand new ‘desi’ and ‘firang’ faces daily, all round the year. Now, there are both angels and demons in the guise of a tourist. So make sure you fall in the former category and stay miles away from the latter. In short, be pleasant and respectful to the locals and their rich cultures.

Also, the way you present yourself shows how long you came to keep the local sanctity and simplicity alive. So try to keep your attire as modest as possible to insure you blend with the locals. Else don’t blame if you’re disliked, unaccepted, laughed or leered at.

After an extensive tour of the state you’ll agree that their locals might be the most gentle, sweetest and kindest folks you’d ever meet in India. Still, there will always be few con artist all set to dupe and swindle your travel world and do you dirty. So try your best to maintain an apt distance from slick and suave strangers. In short, do not confide in anybody unless you want to feature in their local news paper and leave with a bad memory! Always keep a pepper spray on standby!

Photo by: Björn Hansson, Legal self defence spray, CC BY-SA 4.0

If you’re brown skinned and you want to shop from a Tibetan seller, then it might not go well considering they’re not big fans of Indian buyers. According to them, Indians haggle too much and can’t be fleeced. Even in their restaurants they might not show you the best of hospitality, so tread wisely. Although at most times you can’t even blame them cause a lot of local tourists create mad scenes and bring unnecessary attention to their joints. Foreigners may drop in any haunt they please, as they will be thoroughly entertained by both Tibetan and Hima(c)hali businesses.

There is a strong vibe in the hills that keeps us naturally content, happy and lit. Now with time after a ample dose of meditation, as the spiritual guru in us takes a bow, an animal in us do try to unleash and relinquish control. Yep, it’s that party animal that thrives on the electric and hallucinating energy discharged by the strong aura of the stimulating heights, rivers and forest. H.P has the perfect setting for that hyper rave ready to flush out the mundane in you. Live it or set it free it’s you who decide with How to rave in Himachal.

  

So you like to get high? Want to score the best of cream and take it back home for your squad? Well I hate to bum you out but buying and selling of drugs is highly illegal in the state and can get you locked behind bars for minimum 10 years. Let’s say your luck shines like the sun and you manage to score some killer hash. Well, believe me or not but that peddler will rat you out and the cops will get you even before you cross the state border. Locals are already tired of the destination being termed as a haven for dope and they strongly dislike if you even ask them about it. So stay miles away from all kinds narcotics and just get high on the local hypnotic nature which is obviously in abundance.

It's never an end to her soul gratifying and spiritually rich journey, in the abode of the Devbhoomi. She takes a break, lives the sullen city life and comes back for more positive vibe. She declares it with a divine grace, it's safe for women to travel solo in Himachal Pradesh. It's her ardent joy and a celebration of life, close to God with the generous mountain tribe. Away from the schmuck who degrades and defuse her spark of life, oh what a sleaze ball! Meets new beings & realizes it's not the same after all. Cause every man is not a dog with an erection, in pursuit of flesh, fellatio and fornication. Some treat her like a queen & worship her like a goddess, pawn their possession to buy her giant pandas. The real men who aren't prejudice and got no inflated ego. They're all around you but you just don't know, until you blow up the kitchen & want him to take the blame.Yep, it's true every man is Not the same.




*Disclaimer: The websites mentioned are mere suggestions and Not the only options. Please feel free to hire the services best suited for you.*