Dharamshala Tourism & Travel - Know Before you Go!

Dharamshala Tour & Travel Guide at WeAreHolidays

Sitting atop Dhauladhar range in the Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh, Dharamshala is a popular weekend haunt for travelers living in cities not too far away, and there is something for everyone here. it' main suburb, Mcleodganj is also known as 'Little Lhasa' due to the large number of Tibetan immigrants in the area, and is headquarters for the Tibetan government-in-exile. A favourite of the British colonialists, Lord Elgin went so far as to propose Mcleodganj as the summer capital of India. The winding alleys, the roadside markets - stalls exhibiting colorful knick knacks, “Save Tibet” bags, trendy clothes, little colourful trinkets and the ever smiling faces of the locals is what will stay with you once you leave this pretty hill station.

Local Language

Pahari, Hindi, English, Tibetan are the languages most spoken here.

Bhagsunag Temple

Situated about a kilometer from McLeodganj, this is an ancient Shiva Temple. The devotees believe that the water streams here are therapeutic and cleanse away all your sins. The temple is believed to have been built 5100 years ago by Raja Dharamchand.

Tibetan Museum

This place will walk you through the turbulent past of the Tibetans under the aegis of the Chinese. It has vivid photographs of religious leaders as well as local Tibetans and the atrocities they suffered You should visit the museum if you want to gain a deeper understanding of Tibet's turbulent history.

Bhagsunag Falls

A waterfall in the monsoons and a stream during the other months, it is a seasonal attraction. One-and-a-half kilometers from Bhagsunag temple, this 20 feet high stream of pure white water has a tea stall right in the center of the stream, at the base of the fall. One has to trek to reach the top of the falls and it is a nice climb.

Tsuglagkhang

The Tsuglagkhang centre in McLeodganj is located right across the residence of the Dalai Lama. The campus has a Gompa, the Tibet Museum, a library, a book store and a cafe. It is not easy to meet the Dalai Lama, but if you are lucky you might catch a glimpse of him addressing a meeting. There are numerous paintings with depictions from holy scriptures, prayer drums and a separate place where the lamps are lit. The thousands of lamps, burning with small flames are an absolutely stunning sight especially at dusk.

Heavily influenced by Tibetan culture, Tibetan dishes like Lafing, Tingmo, Thukpa are popular and available everywhere in the town. Momos - the steamed dim sums are omnipresent and you can never get bored of them. For vegetarians there are spinach, cheese or cabbage momos. For non-vegetarians there is more choice like mutton, chicken and other meats.Do try the locally brewed fruit wines like the Plum Wyne, Apple Wyne, Apricot Wyne or the Rhododendron Wyne.

Dharamshala winters may witness dense fog, cold winds and temperatures dropping to zero degree celsius. Summers on the other hand are warm with the mean temperature around 18–30 degree Celsius. It is during this season that nature is resplendent here, with flowers blooming in all sizes , shapes & colors.The monsoons are characterized by heavy rains, which suddenly transform the place into a lush green slope with streams flowing around every nook and corner.

When To visit

The best time to visit Dharamshala is from March to June, when its not too cold and the days are pleasant.

The closest airstrip, Gaggal Airport, is 15kms from here and has flights flying in from New Delhi. The frequency is low - just one flight a day, weather permitting The 90 minutes flight is convenient for travelers who have only the weekend for leisure and want to spend more time at the destination and less on the journey. However, we advise you travel by an overnight Volvo Bus.

Air

The closest airstrip, Gaggal Airport, is 15kms from here and has flights flying in from New Delhi. The frequency is low – just one flight a day, weather permitting The 90 minutes flight is convenient for travelers who have only the weekend for leisure and want to spend more time at the destination and less on the journey.

Rail

The closest railway stations are Pathankot or Chakki Bank and they have excellent connectivity from New Delhi. Express trains like Jammu Rajdhani run on this route. Dharamshala is 85 kms from here and can easily be reached by state transport buses, private or shared taxis.

Road

Bus service from New Delhi is excellent and a solace to travelers who do not want to spend too much on transport. There are deluxe, semi-deluxe, seaters, Volvos that ply daily from Delhi. There are also regular buses from Chandigarh, Shimla, Manali and Jammu.

The street markets here are colourful and vibrant. Everywhere you will notice colorful cotton bags with messages like "Save Tibet" or "I Love Tibet" . Buddhist prayer bells, singing bowls, lucky charms and statue sof Buddha carved in brass make excellent souvenirs. Other popular items shopped for are Tibetan suits, shirts, dresses, little trinkets and junk jewelry.

Kareri

This tiny village nestled in the Dhauladhars is an eco tourism destination. There are no access roads, flights or trains that will take you up here. The only way is to walk. The trek starts from Ghera, 12 kms from Lower Dharamshala. For a healthy amateur trekker, it would take around 5-6 hours to reach Kareri from Ghera.

Triund

As the name suggests, its an intersection point for 3 places - Chamba, Dharmakot and McLeodganj. It is a 9 km trek and there are two routes to trek to this place one from near the Bhagsunag Temple, near the German Bakery and the other is from the Galu Devi Temple.