About Raipur

Raipur is the state capital of Chhattisgarh and is known to have tremendous religious significance. Owing to the many temples that the place inhabits while also being the town where reformer Swami Vivekananda resided for a brief period, there are many things that make Raipur a tourist spot. The city has an agreeable climate and beautiful greenery. The flight connectivity to Raipur from other major cities in the country is also exceptional. While the city is not as developed in comparison to the other big cities in India, Raipur has a charm of its own which makes it worth the visit.

Best time to visit Raipur

For Raipur, the winter months from November to January are considered as ideal. Thanks to the cold and pleasant atmosphere with temperatures ranging between 14 degree Celsius to 28 degree Celsius, it only adds to the beauty of the city. However, the summer months can get extremely hot with temperatures almost reaching 48 degree Celsius. Hence, the best thing to do would be to visit the city only during winters. The flight tickets to Raipur remain standard irrespective of the season.

Places to visit in Raipur

Purkhauti Muktangan

Purkhauti Muktangan is a beautiful park that aims at preserving the bio-cultural medley of Raipur. Inaugurated by the Hon'ble A.P.J Abdul Kalam, the park attracts people for its intriguing setting and the art exhibitions. The place with its stimulating environment has further caught the attention of filmmakers too, who continuously flock over to the park for film shootings.

Mahant Ghasi Memorial Museum

Mahant Ghasi Memorial Museum is a cultural heritage where you will find tribal artefacts, coins, inscriptions and other such objects of historical and cultural relevance. What makes the experience of visiting the Mahant Ghasi Memorial in Raipur special is how it is beautifully nestled amid lush greenery. The complex also has life-size sculptures.

Jatmai Temple

Jatmai Temple is nearly 85 km away from the main city of Raipur. However, the popularity of the Jatmai temple often makes tourists take up that travel expedition. The temple is ideally located amid a dense green expanse and is dedicated to Devi Jatmai. The temple brings together nature, culture, cuisine and calmness.

Kevalya Dham Jain temple

Your pilgrimage can further continue in the city as there are a lot of beautiful temples to check out. The Kevalya Dham Jain Temple is located a little away from the city and is one of the main tourist attractions. What makes this temple an architectural bliss is how it has been constructed entirely with marble. The serenity in the air would certainly do you right.

Things to do in Raipur

Explore Nandan Van Zoo

The Nandan Van Zoo houses a plethora of wildlife and conserves various species from extinction. The zoo also expands into a safari with four main zones. The park can be visited at all times, and you can also book your safari rides to explore more of the wildlife found in the zoo.

Educate yourself at the Energy Park

Also known as Urja Park, the vast expanse of Energy Park follows the theme of renewable energy and propagates the same. The idea behind coming up with such a park is to promote and encourage the use of renewable source of energy. It is an educational tour with special emphasis given to promoting the idea of investing more in renewable energy sources. Visiting the park would be quite an experience as you will get to learn a lot about how renewable energy sources work, how you can incorporate a mechanism to sap energy and more.

Trek up to Champaran

Originally known as Champajhar, Champaran is an important religious site for Hindus. The site is known to be the birthplace of Saint Mahaprabhu Vallabhacharya. He was the founder of the Vallabh sect and also a renowned reformer. Around the vicinity, two temples have been constructed, namely Prakatya Baithakji Temple and Mood Prakatya. The temples see a whole new light during festivals conducted by the locals.

Swami Vivekananda Sarovar

The influence of Swami Vivekananda is quite strong in Raipur. Not only is the airport named after the philosopher, but even a structure has been constructed to honour him. The Swami Vivekananda Sarovar is basically built close to the Burha Thalab, which is a lush green lake. It easily becomes one of the most-visited attractions in Raipur as it has a serene and tranquil atmosphere. The lake's calmness adds to the charm of the place. You can actually take up boating on the lake as well as delve into consuming street food that is found close to the Sarovar.

Food and Restaurants in Raipur

Chhattisgarh cuisine is what comfort food is all about. Much of their dishes involve rice, jowar and bajra interspersed with spices that make for a wholesome meal. Right from their classic muthiya, which is a famous breakfast dish, to their spin on the traditional Punjabi chole bhature, their recipes are basic and comfortable. The diversity of their food culture comes from their inspiration from the dishes made in the rest of India. You will find bafauri, a dish made from chana dal and spices is a love substitute for pakodas that the other parts of India enjoy. This dish abounds with flavours that would stay with you even after the plate is empty. Other famous dishes include Dubki kadhi, which is basically kadhi with dumplings prepared from chana dal and Chousela, a sort of poori prepared from rice dough which is usually consumed with masala chhole.

Finding authentic Chattisgarh cuisine could be a challenge in Raipur as the city side has accommodated more popular recipes. Some of the places that you should definitely visit when in Raipur are Dialogue in the Dark, Nukkad, the Teafe, Girnar Restaurant, Cafe Junoon, Pashmina, Sukhsagar, to name a few. These places offer multitudes of cuisine that would satiate the craving for every different mood. For amazing Asian cuisine, you should opt for Yo China. The Arabian Oasis would give you the traditional Arabic treatment with a melange of Chinese and European cuisine as well. If the heart wants some chole bhatures or sweet lassi, then don't think much and directly visit Amritsari restaurant. As for some rendezvous with Italian or Mexican cuisine, check out The Monet. Raipur's food culture is quite interesting as it would give your palette a taste to some of the best dishes and cuisine that can be made available.

How to reach Raipur

By Air

As the state capital, Raipur has an airport of its own called Swami Vivekananda Airport. It is located between Raipur and Naya Raipur and is not one of the busiest airports. The airport is equipped with a single runway. Although the airport was originally it was called Raipur airport, the state re-christened it to honour Swami Vivekananda, who is known to have spent his two teenager years in the city. The airport is relatively small but has recently been reconstructed with the authorities adding a new terminal. The flight connectivity to Raipur from major cities such as Mumbai, Kolkata, Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore, Goa, Kochi, Hyderabad, etc., is quite good. In fact, these cities have regular flights flying in and out of Raipur.

The airport is touted to be one of the fastest developing airports in India owing to how it has managed to expand its terminals. The airport is also surrounded by some fancy accommodations with hotels like VW Canyon and Courtyard by Marriott. If business is what you're travelling for, then you can simply book your hotel close to Raipur airport with one of these options. There are private taxi cabs also available to hire from the airport. Airlines, namely IndiGo, Air India and Vistara operate from the Raipur airport.

By Rail

Flights to Raipur easily become the best way to reach the city. However, the trains also have good connectivity. Raipur Junction is the railway station that operates inter-state trains. In fact, Raipur is touted to be the highest grossers in India with respect to train collections. Thanks to its impeccable connection with various other cities and the convenient domestic routes that connect to Raipur railway station, it receives a majority of tourists via trains. Not to mention how its connectivity enables people to travel to various parts of the country. There are express and well as mail trains that travel in and out of Raipur. Cities such as Kolkata, Hyderabad, Lucknow and more have a great connection with the Raipur station. It is best to book tickets to Raipur ahead of time as the demand for trains to the city is quite high.

By Road

Raipur's road connections are also quite impressive. The highways are perfectly maintained, and the connectivity is also remarkable. From National Highway 26, travellers can take up road trips to visit Raipur from Vizag. There are government-run bus services too which connect Raipur to cities such as Nagpur, Amravati, Sambalpur, Mandla, Ambikapur, to name a few. The location of the bus station is also within the city centre, making transportation easier. You can book your hotels in Raipur's city centre and reach your rooms without any hassle. The local transportation is mainly by rickshaws, taxi cabs and public buses. You can transit various corners of the city via either of these modes of transport.

  About Bhuntar Kullu 

Located beautifully at the confluence of the rivers Beas and Parvati rests this quaint town of Bhuntar. From the banks of the rivers, you can see the two varied hues of white and blue converging as the rivers meet. It certainly is a sight for sore eyes. Bhuntar is prominent for playing host to the Bhuntar Airport as well as being the point from which, travellers can pick varied domestic routes to explore Himachal Pradesh. Bhuntar connects to various notable hill stations around such as Manali, Kasol, Shimla, Dharamshala and more. Beautiful green landscapes have blessed the quaint town while the majestic Himalayan mountains surround it. The Beas River also flows through Bhuntar, making fishing a source of occupation.

Bhuntar is a small town and does not have expensive accommodation or tourist perks. However, as it plays the focal point from which travellers can traverse to other parts of the State, it automatically gains popularity. The domestic routes from Bhuntar are connected to some impeccable places and valleys such as Tirthan, Parvati, etc. It is basically a place that you can cover within a day as the accommodation is also not exemplary. However, there are some excellent hotels facing the Beas river. One can book hotels at Bhuntar and spend a day to complete checking off the list of things to do. The flight connectivity to Bhuntar and the domestic routes to and from Bhuntar Kullu are tremendously good.

Best time to visit Bhuntar Kullu

Bhuntar has no specific rule to visit as it is pleasant throughout the year. However, if you do wish to make the most of the quaint town and continue with your other plans, then the next thing for you to do would be to opt for a summer vacation. The summers in Bhuntar fall between April to June and are ideal for all kinds of outdoor activities. Monsoons can get pretty hectic and risky as the chances of landslides are quite high. The river continued to flow without much hassle. During winters, the temperatures do drop quite a lot, but it is still bearable as the cool breezes don't result in snow.

Places to visit in Bhuntar Kullu

Bhuntar has quite a handful of temples around which shows their devotion towards religious beliefs. From the Basheshwar Mahadev Temple to Jagannath Temple, most of the temples are built as a tribute to Lord Shiva.

Basheshwar Mahadev Temple

The Basheshwar Mahadev Temple is one of the famous tourist attractions of Bhuntar. The temple is also known by the name Visveshwara Mahadev Temple and has an exemplary architecture with exceptional sculptures. It is located close to the Bhuntar airport and is in fact, only 4 km away. It is believed that the temple came into existence in the 8th century and is easily one of the largest temples that you will find in Kullu. The stone carvings and shikaras further add to the magnificent beauty of the temple.

Jagannath Temple

At the Jagannath Temple, while you will find a shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva, the place also observes Goddess Bhuvaneshwari. The temple is just 3 km away from the main city of Bhuntar. Located at a surprising elevation of 5000 ft from sea level, the Jagannath Temple possibly has the best view that one can find in all of Kullu. You can get a bird's eye view of the small town and feel at peace. It is necessary to be careful when climbing the steep hill where the temple is located. Since the path is quite steep, it can get risky.

Bijli Mahadev Temple

Yet another Lord Shiva temple, the Bijli Mahadev Temple is located in close proximity to Bhuntar. It is at an altitude of 2000 meters above sea level, atop the Mathan Hill. Since it is situated at a height, the view from the temple is simply breath-taking. The architecture is also quite exquisite as it has followed the Kash style of construction. There is a belief that every time an individual comes across a flash of light, it is a result of the Shivlinga breaking into pieces. While people are yet to witness this marvel, another belief further states that sincere prayers of the devotees could bring good rainfall in the district to help with agriculture and cultivation.

Himalayan National Park

The Himalayan National Park, also known as the Jawaharlal Nehru Great Indian National Park, is a humongous meadow of preserved environment that is sprawled over the Kullu district and can be found in Bhuntar's locality as well. The park inhabits bears, both brown and black, langurs, Himalayan musk deer rhesus macaques, wild sheep and more such animals. The place also boasts rich biodiversity with some impeccable plants and flowers. Overall, the place is gorgeous and makes for a good stroll for photographers and nature-lovers.

Adi Brahma Temple

Although Pushkar in Rajasthan is known to be the only place in the entire world with a Brahma temple, Bhuntar also has a shrine dedicated to the God who created the universe. Going by the name Adi Brahma Temple, the enormous wooden temple is only 4 km away from Bhuntar and is close to the Khokhan village. At the centre of the temple vicinity, you will find a giant statue of Lord Brahma. The premise also has gorgeous chariots made of silver and brass mohras.

Things to do in Bhuntar Kullu

Rafting at Beas river

Beas river is sparkling blue and calmer as compared to the Parvati river. Hence, river rafting is mostly conducted on the banks of the Beas river in Kullu. You can opt for this once in a lifetime experience and dive straight into a raft that will give you an exquisite sight of the Himalayan ranges while you're in the water. It is certainly something you should pick up because rafting in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand are adrenaline-charged and extremely fun.

Trek to Sar Pass and Malana Village

To go on trekking expeditions, you will have to travel to Mandi village, which is not very far from Bhuntar. As you reach Mandi, you will have the option to explore Malana and Sar Pass. Since Sar Pass requires you to be healthy and have six to seven days in hand to reach the summit, it needs to planned out properly. As for Malana village, you can take a taxi ride to the foothills of the village and trek up to the holy hill station. You need to avoid touching any of the structures in the Malana village as you will be fined for it.

Explore Bhuntar Kullu on a bicycle

The best way to spend your time in Bhuntar Kullu would be to rent a bicycle and explore more of the green expanses that envelop the hill station. The lovely dense forests of Bhuntar would keep your attention engaged, and you will be thoroughly amazed by how gorgeous the city and its outskirts are.

Food and restaurants

Since Bhuntar is more of a stop-over for many travellers before they can pick their next destination, the place doesn't have a lot of restaurants or food joints that are memorable. You will be happy and satiated by the food served at the bus and airport junctions, but that's about it. Dhabas and restaurants here serve Mughlai and Indian cuisine along with Maggi and corn. To get some fancy food, you will have to either head to Kullu or Kasol.

How to reach Bhuntar Kullu (Transportation)

By Air

Bhuntar Airport or Kullu Manali Airport rests perfectly atop the banks of the Beas river, offering tourists a fabulous view of the valley. The closest way to reach Manali, Kasol, Mandi, Kullu and other such tourist destinations in Himachal Pradesh is via Bhuntar Airport. Considering how Kullu Manali is one of the top travel destinations in India, direct flights fly to and from Bhuntar Airport. The flight connectivity to and from Bhuntar and major cities such as Delhi, Chandigarh, Shimla and Dharamshala is top-notch. Since there is only one runway available, the flights have layovers in Delhi. Quite a handful of airlines have also reserved dedicated flights to Bhuntar Kullu.

By Rail

Pathankot is the central railway station in North India that connects domestic routes of major tourist destinations. From Dharamshala to Manali to Kullu, all the top hill stations can easily be connected via Pathankot. Trains from metropolitan cities such as Delhi, Mumbai Lucknow, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, etc., travel to Pathankot. From here, tourists can pick taxi cabs or rentals or even motorcycles to travel to Bhuntar, Kullu and other parts of Himachal Pradesh. Reaching Kullu is quite easy as all modes of transport will take you right here. A dedicated railway station does not exist in Bhuntar.

By Road

Buses are usually the most sought-after choice when travelling to Bhuntar from other parts of the northern cities. Often people take the Rajdhani to reach Delhi, and from here, dedicated buses taking domestic routes to reach Bhuntar are taken. You can find these buses at Kashmere Gate in Delhi from where the buses usually start. Aside from the luxury buses and Volvo AC services, the state also provided bus services for cheap tickets. The Himachal Pradesh State Board Transport Corporation (HPSRTC) has reserved buses that connect Bhuntar and Kullu to the other parts of the state. From Kullu, you can easily travel to other hill stations such as Shimla, Rampur, Mandi, Kasol, Manali, etc.

  About Raipur Airport

Swami Vivekananda Airport or better known as Raipur Airport is the primary airport that caters to the state of Chattisgarh. It is situated between Raipur and Naya Raipur and is close to 15 km and 10 km away from the two cities respectively. The airport has been acknowledged as the 28th busiest airport in the country with respect to passenger traffic. It is also recorded as the 29th busiest airport in terms of aircraft movement. The airport, originally called Raipur Airport, was renamed as Swami Vivekananda Airport, to honour the venerated saint, Swami Vivekananda, who spent a brief period of his teenage years in the city of Raipur. The airport accommodates one integrated terminal which was upgraded to handle international and domestic operations. Currently, there are not many international flight activities that are witnessed by Swami Vivekananda Airport. Despite being an airport with international stature, the authorities haven't been able to attract a lot of international airlines. However, with their expansion plans and regular upgradations, they aim to upscale the airport and get more flight activities.

About Raipur Airport Terminal

The airport has one integrated terminal that was inaugurated in 2012 by former President of India, Pranab Mukherjee. The new integrated terminal was built at the cost of nearly INR 158 crore. The building area is sprawled across 4.9 acres and has been designed to accommodate 1300 passengers at once. This number excludes the 400 international passengers that the airport seeks to handle. The new terminal is blessed with better modern amenities to enhance the passenger experience and to attract more airlines to operate from Swami Vivekananda Airport. Currently, there are two aerobridges, eight boarding gates, eight X-ray baggage machines, 20 check-in counters and four security counters that have been installed to cater to the efficient functioning of passenger services.

Further, they have also installed two baggage claim conveyor belts as part of their grand airport upgradation scheme. The airport also has a cargo terminal that was brought in the picture in 2016. The Common User Domestic Cargo Terminal was inaugurated in 2016 after the constant demand for an air cargo operation by the state of Chattisgarh. The Airports Authority of India worked to convert one of the old terminal buildings into a Common User Domestic Cargo Terminal to accommodate cargo operations. The project was handled by Ahmedabad-based firm, GSEC Limited. Presently, the airport has a single runway which measures approximately 10,666 ft in length and 148 ft in width. Much recently, the airport also facilitated the airfield with night-landing options. The apron of the airport has seven parking bays which can accommodate Airbus A320 and Boeing B737 type of aircraft, along with a helipad.

About airport authority

Swami Vivekananda Airport is owned and operated by the Airports Authority of India. The government body has taken up the responsibility to manage the airport's expansion and management operations. Over the years, they have been able to make quite a few changes in the airport's infrastructure. This includes the installation of a new integrated terminal that caters to handle more passengers. Not to mention, they have also worked on accommodating parking bays that would enable handling of aircraft from the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 carrier family. The equipment of the airport has also seen a consistent upgradation. Further, to make the airport accessible from both the cities, Raipur and Naya Raipur, the Airports Authority has brought forth services and installed them in the airport premise.

Facilities at the Raipur Airport

Baggage – The baggage services that can be availed at Swami Vivekananda Airport is quite good. They have baggage wrapping services which you can take up to avoid mishandling and theft of items from your bag. The airport also offers storage facilities for bags, but there are some conditions that need to be adhered to. Trolleys are also present at the airport vicinity to help you take your luggage around at the airport.

Lounge – The airport has a fancy lounge called the Cinnamon Lounge. The facilities at the Cinnamon Lounge have been designed specifically to help ease the passengers who are waiting for boarding. The leather seats installed at the lounge space is cosy and very comfortable. Not to mention, the restaurant in the lounge also offers exquisite food and good hospitality services. One can relax at the lounge and even pay a sum to enter the space.

Restaurants and cafe – Although the airport is considerably small, it does have a bunch of restaurants and cafes for travellers. They are located in the departure as well as the arrivals section. Some of the globally recognised food establishments are also present at the airport's food court. Not to mention how budget snacks corners are also available at Swami Vivekananda Airport. Further, as part of its facilities, you can find small joints which serve coffee, tea and other beverages.

Duty-free shops – Even though Swami Vivekananda Airport is predominantly not an international airport, it does facilitate duty-free shops at the departure section to cater to the entertainment needs of the passengers. One can check out the shop with all its culturally rich textile goods as well as artefacts. The place is perfect for purchasing souvenirs, in case you might have missed out on shopping for the same.

Retail store – Shoppers Stop, a famous retail shop chain in the country, owned by Tata Group, has a franchise at the airport's departure section. The shop offers a plethora of goods and commodities from the clothing and lifestyle segment. You can peruse through the shop and even make some purchases at the shop.

ATMs – One of the perks of Raipur Airport is the installation of ATM kiosks at the departure and the arrival gates. This is to ensure that you are able to withdraw money as and when needed. It also becomes convenient to travel within the city from the airport by withdrawing cash directly at the airport premise. You can also make purchases in the airport.

Medical services – To assist in medical emergencies, the airport has provisions for medical services as well. There are dedicated rooms for medical services as well as professionals available on duty at the airport premise. Along with this, the airport also has pharmacies with common medicines.

Special assistance – The airport provides special assistance to cater to the needs of passengers. You can ask for the airport to send staff to escort the passengers with special needs. The special assistance is usually reserved for travellers with mobility and physical disability. They cater to senior citizens, pregnant women and individuals with mobility concerns. It would be best to intimate the airlines about the special assistance needs so that the airport staff can be prepared for the same.

Top airlines flying from the Raipur Airport

The airport mainly caters to domestic airlines with a few provisions for international airline operations. Presently, Swami Vivekananda Airport has operations of airlines such as Air India, Alliance Air, IndiGo and Vistara. These airlines have direct flights connecting to cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Vizag, Nagpur, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Patna, Srinagar, Ranchi, Jaipur, Indore, Goa, Jagdalpur, Jharsuguda, Bhopal and more. According to the official website of Swami Vivekananda Airport, the airport is scheduled to cater to United Airlines, which has a scheduled flight to Delhi.

How to reach Raipur Airport

By Rail

Swami Vivekananda Airport is a little away from the city centre. It is approximately 16 km from the Raipur Junction railway station and 14 km from the main bus terminal. Hence, if you are travelling to Raipur from other parts of Chattisgarh, from the railway station, you can avail taxi cab and rickshaw services to reach Swami Vivekananda Airport. Due to the distance from the railway station to the airport, the prepaid taxi and rickshaws might charge an exorbitant amount. It is advised that the traveller fix a final fare to reach the Swami Vivekananda Airport before starting the journey.

By Bus

Dedicated bus services are available to reach Swami Vivekananda Airport from within the city of Raipur as well as nearby destinations. You can find buses heading to Telibandha, Pachpedinaka, Tatibandh and Durg Railway Station too. A schedule of the buses travelling to Swami Vivekananda Airport has been shared on the official website of Raipur Airport. Private buses can also be booked at a price that has been mentioned on the website. These luxury buses will be air-conditioned and have individual seats, high definition LED screens, and trained staff take you to the Swami Vivekananda Airport.

By Taxi cabs and ridesharing apps

One of the best ways to reach the Swami Vivekananda Airport from the main city is by hailing a taxi cab service or by booking a ride on a ridesharing app. The city offers Ola and Uber cab services. You can make your bookings and reach Raipur Airport without much hassle. Further, the city is also blessed with enough prepaid taxi cab services that can be availed. These services can be found within the city as well as the airport.