Rewalsar: Anyone been?

Dr Funkenstein

I'm thinking of going to Rewalsar on my next trip.

Tibetan gompas, a sacred lake, a nice place to unwind for a few days ... Rewalsar sounds right up my street.

Anyone been? Is it as relaxing as it sounds? Can you recommend anywhere nice to stay?

I'll be very grateful for any info.

Thanks.

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wandering_kat

Sounds interesting - where is it, Dr Funk?

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SHIMLA

Rewalsar is near Mandi, in Himachal Pradesh.

See this link :

http://www.hptdc.nic.in/cir0202.htm#rewa

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kailash35

hello,

yes Rewalsar lake (Tso Pema for the Tibetans) is a good place to relax. You can go up to visit some caves .
You can go by bus but ask about the return (round 1pm)

There are a few hotels but you can also stay in gompas.
In June 2003, I stayed in the first one on your right, ,Kagyud gompa, when you pass the gate to the lake. Basic room with 2 beds, common bathroom and toilet for 70 rs.

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Dr Funkenstein

Thanks, everyone.

Sounds like just the sort of place where I could happily chill out for a bit. Like the idea of staying in a gompa, too. I did this in McLeod Ganj and it was wonderful.

Rs. 70 a night, kailash? Blimey. An experience like that for less than a quid!

I can see myself spending a fair bit of time in Rewalsar.

It'd be a nice place to break the journey between either Delhi-Manali or Shimla-Manali. I know the Delhi-Manali bus will drop you off in Mandi if you ask as I remember feeling pretty jealous of the people that were doing it on my last trip. We'd been going for about 13 hrs or so at that point and I was vowing never to set foot on a bus again!

SHIMLA

Dr Funkenstein,

Mandi too is a nice place to break the journey and relax for a couple of days.

Gargi

I spent a week <A HREF="http://www.dharma-media.org/wogmin">here</A> on retreat two years ago - Ontul Rinpoche and his wife(he is a ngakpa-a married lama) are very kind and it was a wonderful retreat. I also stayed a couple of nights at the Lotus Lake Hotel, which I recommend - it's a short walk from the monastery. I don't remember the price exactly, but I remember I didn't spend more than $5/night to stay there, probably less. I highly recommend Rewalsar and hope to go back again. Besides the spiritual aspect of the place I remember the flocks of Alexandrine and Ringneck parakeets that roost on the cliffs above the Shiva temple - as a parrot lover I could have watched their antics for hours. It was the first time I have ever seen parrots in their natural habitat - amazing.

Shoshin

I stayed in Rewalsar for one week in the spring of 2004. The Lotus Lake hotel was very comfortable and convenient. I recommend veg noodles and momos at Phundha, a little shop right down the street. There's Internet for keeping in touch, monkeys in the hills who come down to scrounge, lots of birds, including kingfishers, wagtails, parakeets, orioles, bulbuls...

The gompas are interesting, and Guru Rinpoche's cave up above the town is worth the trip. Be generous to the nuns there, particularly Ani Bunchung. They are wonderful.

Rewalsar is peaceful, quiet...good for contemplation and circumambulation of Lotus Lake (Tso Pema).

Lovemax

Been there but i personally dont find it very nice. The lake has lost its sanctity in a way, its not well kept and maintained and moreover you can see the left over wrappers and stuff flowing in the lake.

But yeah, places around lake are .. esp. the tibetian monastery which is a must visit..

FreeBirD

Petrilla

Hi,

I am also planning to go to Tso Pema. Does any one know how to book a place for rethreat at Dechen Choekhor monastery? Or the Drigung Kagyu Buddhist monastery? I will go there on October the 15th where I arrive to Delhi. Where to catch the bus from Delhi to those monasteries? Thank you for advice.

Petra

Lovemax

Hi Petra,
Its been a long time since I was there the last time.
But catching up the bus is not a problem, you can reach delhi and spend a day or two and then from ISBT, you can catch up a deluxe bus for manali and then get down at Mandi to head out for those lakes and monastaries as they are bit remote then usual places. You will have to change the buses.
Smiles
~m~

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kidsan

Rewalsar is indeed a rather magical place and surprisingly unknown (considering it's only a short hop off the main tourist route from dharamsala to manali).

It is probably only of real interest to those who have an interest in buddhism though is still a pretty spot in itself. I, for one, am hoping that it stays off the main tourist trail

Styler

HI,
I had put in some pictures of Rewalsar Lake in the thread
Back from High Back country roads of Himachal and spectacular Passes.

I think the last pictures in the last bunch are of Lake Rewalsar
My Experience was not too good. It is a serene lake and has a Mystical thing about it. I stayed in the HPTDC Hotel and it was really bad. The Flushes in toilets were all broken. They changed our rooms 3 times and all the toilets were broken and in bad shape. The Sheets were also not clean.
Enjoyed walking around the lake and feeding the fish though.

Styler

vasuki

Trek to Prashar Lake

Found it on a Himachal Blog

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Dilliwala

Took a diversion from Mandi via Rivalsar on Thursday. By bus it's best connected from Mandi, but if u're coming from the south and u get your timing right u can get buses from Ner Chauk as well. Will save u 30-60 mins. The bus-depots at Bilaspur and Sundarnagar are good bets too.