Bir Billing Tourism

"Paragliding in the land of Tibetan monasteries" Bir Billing Tourism Bir is a small town located in the state of Himachal Pradesh in northern India. Bir Billing is a popular destination for adventures sports such asparagliding, treks and also as thetown for meditation. Bir is considered as one of the best spots in the world for paragliding and it hosts the WorldParaglidingChampionship every year. The take-off site is called Billing and the landing site is Bir and the overall altitude change is around 800m. The town of Bir is also an important centre of spiritual studies and meditation. There is a major Tibetan community settlement in this town and the culture of Bir is highly influenced by Tibetan culture. This town is the hub of adventure-sports activities and paragliding spots are abundant here. These activities are safe and all standards of safety are taken care of. People can also go for trekking in one of the most picturesque routes in Himanchal Pradesh. Besides this the Deer Park and the Bir Tea Factory are must-visits. Download Bir Billing PDF Guide > What's Great? One of the best place for paragliding in the world. A charming mix of adventure and spiritualism. Extremely beautiful in summers. What's not so Great? Freezing cold in winters. Paragliding could be risky without proper guidance. Public buses directly to Bir are not that easily available from cities like Delhi. However, it is well connected by road and can be reached by changing buses or taking a cab. For Whom Ideal for adventurers and paragliding enthusiasts from across the country. Suitable for backpackers and travellers from cities like Delhi, Chandigarh and other parts of North India.

History of Bir The town of Bir was ruled by the Pal dynasty, belonging to the Chandravanshi lineage. They were cheated out of their kingdom with the murder of their king Raizada Prithi Pal, the last of the descendants of the Rajas of Bangahal, by his father in law Raja Sidhi Sen from the Mandi kingdom. Despite repeated efforts over the generations by different Pal rulers, who even received aid from the Mughals, they were unable to annexe the town of Bir back from the Rajas of Mandi. The establishment of the Tibetan monastery marks a new chapter in Bir?s history in the 1960s, with the arrival of Neten Chokling, an incarnate lama of the Nyingma lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. His later incarnations, along with Chokling Rinpoche, contributed to the building of the beautiful and famous Tibetan Monastery, which to this day continues to house many refugees. Tibetan Colony in Bir The Tibetan Colony of Bir, located in the village of Chowgan, was established in the 1960s by Chokling Rinpoche. After the exile of several refugees, including the Dalai Lama from Tibet, there was an influx of them into Bir. Many of the original refugees came from Kham in south-east Tibet. The population of the colony to this day continues to be predominantly Tibetan, but there are also some Indian families and other expatriates. The colony has several Tibetan monasteries. It also has some tourist attractions like the Deer Park Institute, a branch of the Tibetan Medical and Astrological Institute (Men-Tsee-Khang), and a Tibetan handicrafts shop. Paragliding in Bir This is a major reason why scores of tourists visit Bir. Being an ideal ground of paragliding, the months from March to November are replete with thousands of tourists, especially bold adventurers visiting Bir and the adjacent town of Billing, 14 km. north from Bir, for the paragliding. The takeoff spot is at Billing, whereas the landing spot is at Bir, the altitude change being that of 800 m. Not only do you get a slice of adventure, it is also quite safe, with the requisite safety standards clearly met. No wonder why Bir and Billing's co-hosted the first official Paragliding World Championship in October 2015, where 150 trained paragliders competed for the ultimate glory, along with 500+ free flying paragliders enjoying their day.   Adventurer's paradise Situated in the Joginder Nagar Valley of the Kangra Valley, Bir is a village based town in the state of Himachal Pradesh. Apart from the serene monasteries and lakes that are spotted here, Bir is extremely famous for being the ideal ground of an adventure sport - paragliding. The popularity of the sport here is such that the first ever World Paragliding Championship was also hosted here. No wonder why Bir is also called unofficially the 'Paragliding Capital of India'. However, this is not it; Bir is also home to centres of spiritual studies, whether Hinduism or Buddhism. Also, Bir is home to several refugees from the disputed state of Tibet, and have settled in the Bir Tibetan Colony, which is situated at the end of the village Chowgan, on the southwestern end of the town of Bir.  

Itinerary Day 1:Reach Bir, preferably by noon and take some rest. In the evening, you can go to the main market in Bir, also known as Bir Bazaar where you can buy the local souvenirs, curios to take back and marvel at. Not very far from here is Bir Tea Factory, which is a popular shot. Day 2:If you're in for the adventure, the 2nd day is when you should ideally take off for your trip. Before the trip begins, you should have your safety related documents ready. 14 km from Bir is the town of Billing, which is the takeoff spot for the sport of paragliding. Day 3:This day should ideally be reserved for a rest. However, if you're active enough, and raring to go, do visit the serene monastery in Chokling, which serves as an important centre of Buddhist studies as well. Day 4:This is the day when you can either come down to Palampur or go further to Baijnath, an important pilgrimage for Hindu devotees, in the context of Hindu deity, Lord Shiva. Baijnath is 12.7 km. away from Bir, via NH 154.

Restaurants and Local Food in Bir Billing Bir, being the popular tourist destination that it is, offers a number of choices to its visitors, with delicacies from across cuisines. You can find both Indian and Continental food here, at a price which is light on your pockets. At the same time the area is also a major Tibetan settlement. Hence, the food here is also influenced by Tibetan cuisine and popular items likeMomosare almost staple.Other than these influences, the typical Himachali cuisine is very simple as it mainly centers onChapati, Dals, Vegetable gravy and Curd.A teasing variety of pickles almost always compliments the meals here. One might also find some local delicacies here, which are more or less exclusive to the state. These includeSidu (a preparation of wheat), Patande (a local version of pancakes), Chouk, Bhagjery, Chutney of 'Til', Aloo palda, Auriya Kadoo (a preparation of pumpkin)and more. View 3 Restaurants in Bir Billing >>

Throughout the yearis the best time to visit Bir Billing Bir is unofficially famous as the 'Paragliding Capital of India'. Bir being a hill station has a cold climate throughout the year. The summers during the months of April to June are pleasant. This is the best time to visit Bir. The monsoons receive light to heavy rainfall and might be prone to landslides and winters are harsh with temperatures falling to sub-zero levels. October & November are the ideal months for flying in autumn and March to May i.e. spring is also flyable but conditions are very strong in spring with thermals of 6-12 meters/sec and a cloud base of 4000 to 6000 meters. Weather in Bir Billing Loading... Bir Billing in Summer (March - June) This is the most advisable time for a visit to this destination, with the temperatures ranging between 11 to 25?C. The days are warm and nice enough for paragliding. This season witnesses a peak in the no. of travellers bound for Bir.   Bir Billing in Monsoon (July - September) Although the monsoon season receives less to high rainfall, this is not exactly the most advisable season for a visit, owing to frequent landslides. This is not the ideal season for paragliding here either. Bir Billing in Winter (October - February) Beginning from October, the winter season is the least advisable time for a visit to  Bir. Although the months of October and November, apart from the summer months, are a nice time for paragliding, the months of December and January are the time when you should avoid a visit to Bir, as the temperature falls below sub-zero levels, and sometimes, the roads get blocked as a result.  Monthly Weather in Bir Billing Month Avg. Minimum (°C) Avg. Maximum (°C) January 5 18 February 8 23 March 10 27 April 15 36 May 18 38 June 20 38 July 23 34 August 22 33 September 20 33 October 13 32 November 7 27 December 4 22

Events in Bir Billing Adventure Activity: Paragliding March- May, October-November One of the finest aero sports sites in the world, Bir Billing is famous for hand gliding as well as para gliding. A legend on the international paragliding circuits, the natural locale forms a perfect and beautiful launch pad. Seeing the beauty of India from the sky is definitely one for the bucket list.