7days/ 6 nights Tour to Dharamsala & Dalhousie
Day 01: Pathankot/ Dharamshala (90 kms)
Day 02: Dharamshala Could go for sight seeing.
Day 03: Dharamsala/ Dalhousie (143 kms)
Day 04: Dalhousie could go for sight seeing.
Day 05: Dalhousie could go for sight seeing.
Day 06: Dalhousie/ Pathankot (90 kms)
INFO About Dalhouise & Dharamshala
In western Himachal Pradesh, the hill station of Dalhousie is full of 'Old world' charm and holds lingering echoes of the 'Raj'. It covers an area of about 14 sq. km and is built on five hills - Kathlog, Potreyn, Tehra, Bakrota and BalunIt is name after the British Governor - General of the l9th century, Lord Dalhousie. The town's height varies between 1,525 m and 2,378m, and it is surrounded by varied vegetation - pines, dodders, oaks and flowering rhododendron. Dalhousie has charming colonial architecture, including some beautiful churches. Its location presents panoramic views of the plains - and like a long silverline, the river Ravi twists and turns below Dalhousie. The spectacular snow-covered Dhauladhar mountains are also visible from this enchanting town
Places to Visit
Churches There are four beautiful churches in Dalhousie. These are St. Andrew's Church and St. Patrick's Church at Balun, St. Francis' Church at Subash Chowk and St. John's Church at Gandhi Chowk.Panchpula(3 km)
This is picturesque spot where a stream feeds a series of pools. A monument has been built here in memory of the freedman fighter, Sardar Ajit Singh
Subhash Baoli (1 km)
It was at this enchaining spot surrounded by majestic trees, that Subhash Chandra Bose spent a lot of time in 1937, contemplating and mediating.BaraPathar (4 km) There is a small temple amidst a thick forest.
Kalatop(10 km) This wild life sanctuary is home to the 'ghoral' and Himalayan black bear.
Excursions
Numerous trek routes lead out of the Dalhousie - Khajjiar - Chamba triangle and there are several within it. Some important ones are - Chamba to Bharmour, Chamba to Palampur (over the Dhauladhar ranges), Chamba to Pangi and Bharmour to Keylong via Kugti Pass.
Bengal Sweet Shop : Famous for its Bengali sweets like Ras Malai, Rasogolla and Gulab Jamun. Located at Gandhi Chow
Dhabas : Alishan, Amritsari and Sheki Punjab dhabas are worth check out.
Glory Restaurant : A Gujarati thali costs RS 75 (approx). Located near bus stand
Kwality Restaurant : Located near Gandhi Chowk. Good services come with reasonable prices.
Lovely Restaurant : South Indian and Chinese cuisine are served here.
Moti Mahal Restaurant : Near Subhash Chowk. South Indian food is served. A bar is also there.
Preet Palace Restaurant : One of the joints where Mughalai cuisine is available. Also served are Kashmiri and Chinese foods.
The high snow clad Dhauladhar ranges of the Himalayas form a magnificent backdrop to the hill resort of Dharamshala. This is the principal township of Kangra and overlooks the wide spread of the plains. With dense pine and deodar forests, numerous streams, cool healthy air, attractive surroundings and the nearby snowline, Dharamshala has everything for a perfect holiday. It is full of life and yet peaceful. And not surprisingly, the headquarters of His Holiness the Dalai Lama is here. Covering a wide area in the form of a twin settlement, Lower Dharamshala (1380 m) is a busy commercial center, while Upper Dharamshala (1830 m) with the suburbs of McLeodganj and Forsythganj, retains a British flavour and colonial lifestyle. The charming church of St. John in the wilderness is situated here and this is final resting place of Lord Elgin, a British Viceroy of lndia during the l9th century. There is also a large Tibetan community who have made this their home. Numerous ancient temples like Jawalamukhi, Brijeshwari and Chamunda lie on the plains below Dharamshala.
Places to Visit in Dharamshala
The variety Dharamshala offers ranges from temples, churches and monasteries to museums, ancient towns and places of natural beauty. Every season and every spot has its own offering.
War Memorial
At the very start of town, landscaped lawns fill a pine grove where a monument has been raised to commemorate the post independence war heroes of Himachal Pradesh. Kangra Art Museum.
Kotwali Bazar
This treasure love of the Kangra valley's arts, crafts and rich past displays artifacts that date back to the 5th century. It includes gallery of Kangra's famous miniature paintings and a representative collection of sculptures, pottery and anthropological items. 'Shamianas' and dresses used by local royalty, old carved doors, jails, lintels and pandals are also on display. Coins, jewellery and manuscripts are included. A section houses the work of contemporary artists, sculptors and photographers. The library is just below this.
Excursions
Dal Lake: 11 km from Dharamshala and surrounded by deodar trees, the lake fills a mountain bowl, On the motor - road, this is an enchanting and serene picnic spot.
St. John's Church 8 km from Dharamshala, between Forsythganj and McLeodganj is the charming dressed- stone church of St. John in the wildness. Under the shade of deodar branches, a memorial has been erected over the body of the British viceroy, Lord Elgin who died at Dharamshala in 1863. There is a wall tended old graveyard on these grassy slopes.
McLeodganj
Often called the' Little Lhasa' at 1770 m, this is the residence of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. The Tibetan government-in-exile has been here for over three decades. The impressive monastery has larger than life images of the Buddha, Padmasambhava and Avalokteshwara. The large Tibetan community and the presence of traditional architectural designs drawn from Tibet have enhanced the area. A host of Tibetan handicrafts, curios and garments are available on sale and every Sunday, a flea-market appears.
Bhagsunath Close to fresh water springs, this ancient temple is 11 km from Dharamshala. It is a popular picnic spot and the famous slate quarries are close by.
Kunal Pathri A 3 km level walk from the Kotwali Bazaar leads up to this rock temple.
Dharmkot On the crest of a hill this attractive picnic spot presents a panoramic view of the Kangra valley and the Dhauladhar ranges. This is 11 km from Dharamshala.
Triund Based at the root of the Dhauladhar ranges,Triund is at a height of 2827m and is 17 km from Dharamshala. The snowline starts at llaqua 5 km from here. This is a popular picnic spot and trek route, with spectacular views of the mountains and valleys. There is a lovely forest rest house here.
Kareri 22 km from Kotwali Bazzar, amidst sylvan surroundings, there is a rest house here. Surrounded by open meadows and thick woods,the Kareri lake is 13 km ahead.
Chinmaya Tapovan
10 km from Dharamshala on the banks of the rivulet Bindu Saras, is an ashram complex established by the late Swami Chinmayananda, a noted exponent of the Gita. The complex includes a 9m high image of Lord Hanuman, a magnificent Ragunath Temple, a meditation hall, a school, and a health and recreation center.
Masrur 13 km south of Kangra is this large, monolithic temple, similar to the temples of Ellora. With rich ornamentation, this is the only shrine carved out of live rock in north India. Images of Lord Rama, Laxman and Sita are installed here.
Tilokpur 41 km from Dharamshala,on the highway to Pathankot, there is a cave temple with a stalactite and stalagmite dedicated to Lord Shiva.
Sujanpur Tira 80 km from Dharamshala, this historic town is famous for its wall paintings, temples and fort. Here, the festival of holiday a major event.
Andretta 13 km from Palampur, the famous artist S. Sobha Singh lived here for several years. A gallery houses some of his major works. Also, there is a pottery centre at Andretta.
