If you are thoroughly searching and keen to visit a place with pleasant weather, not very far from Delhi, some adventure, some backpacking, some trekking, some peace time, some yoga and meditation, some cycling, some cool cafes and what not – Head straight to Bir in Himachal Pradesh.

Bir and Billing are two different but adjoint places in the state of Himachal Pradesh. As most of us already know, this place is famous for Paragliding (highest in India) : Billing is the Flying (take-off) site and Bir is the Landing site for Para-gliders, together it is known as Bir Billing – the Paragliding capital of India. Billing is situated at an approximate distance of 14 kms uphill from Bir.

Bir is a home to many Tibetan Refugees and Monks. It has numerous magnificent  monasteries and Buddhist stupas. There are a lot of people in metro cities who practice Buddhism – Bir can be an ultimate travel destination for those people if they want to practice and experience the next level of salvation.

But this place has a lots more to offer other than monasteries and religious places. Before reading about the fun and other activities that can be done in Bir, lets see how to reach Bir from Delhi. (520 kms)

How to reach Bir

1. By Bus – There are plenty of Volvo, AC and normal Buses plying from Delhi to Bir. Yon can board the bus from ISBT kashmere gate or Majnu ka Tilla.
2. By Car – From Delhi, you can take 2 routes  :

• Delhi > Ambala > Chandigarh Bypass > Palampur > Baijnath > Bir
• Delhi > Ambala > Chandigarh Bypass >Bilaspur > Mandi > Jogindernagar > Bir

Activities/Things to do in Bir -Billing 

1. Paragliding : Known as the Paragliding capital of India, Bir-Billing offers this very adventurous sporting activity for all. Everybody should try Paragliding atleast once in their lifetime. Paragliding is also offered in other parts of India but here, in Bir-Billing, you will feel another level of Adrenaline Rush, since this one is the highest in India. There are a large number of paragliding agents in Bir, so you don’t need any prior booking. The cost of Paragliding ranges between 1500-2500 INR depending on the flight time, Go-Pro Video, and transportation from Bir to Billing,etc.
2. Trekking : Since we are conversing about mountains here, you can trek anywhere and  everywhere. But there are certain famous treks in and around Bir.

   

   • Bir to Billing – You can trek from Bir to Billing. Generally, Ride from Bir to Billing is included in the paragliding package but in case you don’t want to do Paragliding , you can trek from Bir to Billing and back OR you can trek while going upwards (Bir to Billing) and Paraglide to Bir.
   • Village Gunehar – This Village – Gunehar, is a hidden gem which i come across while gazing for a decent home stay in some solace. I want to bring to your light this beautiful and alluring village on the way from Bir to Billing. You can take a cab from Bir to Gunehar which will cost you 100-300 INR (depending upon season). There are a few stay options in gunehar. From the main village, which has a population of less than 50 people, you can trek to a famous waterfall. Inquire from any villager and they will guide you the route. You can also trek from Vil. Gunehar to Billing. If you want to opt for a easier recourse, you can trek downwards from Gunehar towards Bir. It should not take more than an 45 minutes and you can stop-by anywhere you like and enjoy the breathtaking views of dhauldhar range.
   • Rajgundha trek – It is a very famous Himachal trek. Generally, the trek route is from Barot -> Rajgundha -> Billing. But while you are in Bir/Billing, you can trek from Billing to Rajgundha, which is around 12 kms and will take 4-5 hours approximately. Camp at Rajgundha for a night and trek to Barot valley or Back to Billing the next day. Rajgundha valley is very famous for its beautiful sunsets and sunrises.
3. Cycling : This is one of the many crowd-pleaser things i liked the most about Bir. Bicycles are available on rent for 100 INR per hour. Roads are super cycling friendly, plus the views are a cherry on the cake. From normal to high-end to double saddle(seat), all kinds of bicycles are available on rent. As we all know, cycling has lots of physical and mental positive effects on human body. To read my article on cycling, click here.
4. Cafe hopping – Bir is a requisite destination for a person who is fond of  and enthusiastic about mountains and food, combined. There are a lot of exquisite food joints and cafes in Bir which offer toothsome and mouth-watering delicacies. The most famous is cafe ilaka.
   I also visited one Gliders Pizzeria which is 100 meters from the paragliding landing site and had the most delicious pizza and some refreshing ice tea.
   Also, there is one south Indian cafe named as Avva’s Cafe, located adjacent to Gliders Pizzeria. These two places are must go for a foodie.
5. Monasteries – As mentioned earlier, Bir is a home to many Tibetan Refugees and Monks. Therefore, there are many small to big to huge monasteries in Bir and surrounding areas. Even if you are not religious, it is suggestible to visit any one of the monasteries to feel the peace, have a glance at the huge architectures and checkout the salvation practices the monks carry out. Tsering Dzong(Jong) and Choukling Monastery are very near to the main Bir market. Otherwise, you can rent a bicycle and visit Paplunng Sherabling Monastery which is very beautiful and famous and is 6 kms from Bir market.
6. Big lush green farms – Not sure about everybody, but i love to catch a tranquil nap under the trees in big lush green farms. I did this on both of my visits to Bir 🙂
7. Tea gardens – I have never seen such big tea gardens anywhere in Himachal as there are in Bir.

Where to stay in Bir

A solo traveler, a backpacker, a couple, a group of friends or family, Bir provides fascinating & spellbinding stay options for everybody, respectively.

1. Hostels – Bir has become a prominent destination for solo travelers and backpackers from India and abroad. For these people, there are a lot of chilled-out hostels in Bir like Zostel, GoStays, The Bunker Hostel, etc. Prices per bed ranges between 300-600 INR, as per season.
2. Home stays – There are a plenty of budget home stays in Bir. Trust me, everywhere you look you will find a home stay- near bus stand, on the main market road, near paragliding site. Tariff of home stays ranges between 300-1500 INR, depending upon the luxury of rooms.
3. Guest House / Home stays in nearby Villages – For me, this is the most preferable placement and an option to stay. Ask any taxi driver to take you to secluded guest houses. I stayed at Summer guest house in village Gunehar which is on the way from Bir to Billing. This guest house is at a very serene location, very far from the hush-hush of tourists. The only drawback of staying here is – you won’t find very good food here.
4. Camps – There are a few camp sites in Bir. If you are making your journey with a big group, you can opt to stay at a campsite and get a hefty discount. Personally, i found it a costly affair when compared to other parts of Himachal like Barot, etc. Also, these camps are not exactly near Bir river, but you can see and trek to bir river from there. For reference – Bir Billing Camps.
5. Resorts – There are some luxury resorts and properties also in Bir.