Sweeping vistas of the mountains, green terraced hill-sides, deodar forests and blooming orchards – this is Kullu Manali, a veritable heaven on earth. Despite the transformation that has been brought about in the valley, Kullu still remains a magical land, with quaint villages nestling in high slopes, gushing rivers, natural hot springs, snow peaks glistening in sunlight and above all, very friendly people. Though the region continues to be steeped in ancient traditions, the locals welcome the tourists who pour into the valley regularly. With terrorism making the other famous hill state of Kashmir less conducive to travel, more and more people are coming to Kullu for adventure sports like trekking, mountaineering, river-rafting, skiing or just relaxing in these gorgeous surroundings.