Dharamshala :

Dharamshala stands at the foot of Dhauladhar and has a magnificent view of snowy peaks, deodar and pine forests, tea gardens and beautiful hills. The snow line is perhaps more easily accessible at Dharamshala than any other hill station in India. Dharamshala now really has become international, with a number of Tibetan settlements and the residence of Noble Laureate the 'Dalai Lama'. Dharamshala is devided into two distinct parts : lower Dharamshala the civil and business area with Courts and Kotwali bazar and upper Dharamshala composed of places like Mcleod Ganj and Forsyth Ganj.

Famous Places Around Dharamshala :

Mcleod Ganj : The arrival of the Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, along with thousands of refugees to Dharamshala in 1959 made the life here more active. A number of tibetan settlements with religious education and other rehabilitation centres mushroomed all over the Mcleadganj. As Dharamshala became the headquarter of the Tibetan Government in exile, headed by Dalai Lama, it gained prominence all over the world and prominent personalities started arriving here. Mcleadganj emerged as a major Buddhist centre.

Bhagsunag Fall : ( 11 km. from Dharamshala town ) Known for its old temple, a fresh water spring, water falls and slate quarries. Bhagsunag can be approached by road. The Bhagsu fall is one of the main attractions of Mcleodganj. You can take a dip in the chilly water of fall. There are some trek routes to Triund near the fall. The fall forms a small stream.

St. John's Church : ( 8 km. from Dharamshala town ) The church lies in the forest between Mcleod Ganj and Forsyth Ganj. It has a monument dedicated to Lord Elgin, one of the viceroys of India, who died at Chauntra ( Mandi district ) and was buried here in 1863 A.D. The Church has lovely spotted glass windows and there is a Christian cemetery around it. It is ideally situated in the majestic 'Deodar' forest.

Dharamkot : ( 14 km. from Dharamshala town ) It is situated on the crest of a hill, this favourite picnic spot affords a panoramic view of the kangra valley and the Dhauladhar ranges. One can reach Dharamkot by a simple trek from Bhagsu. Various small restaurant type of shops are situated in the path for a quick relaxation and bevarages. The scenery from Dharamkot is simply breathtaking and you also meet the Gaddi folks.

War Memorial : Situated in Dharamshala town. The memorial is situated near the entry point to Dharamshala commemorates the memory of those who fought valiantly for the honour and defence of the mother land. The place is ideally located in the pine forest and offers a very enjoyable walk through pine forest. Near War Memorial is the beautiful GPG College Dharamshala made during the British Era. There is also a cafe just close to War Memorial serving fast food and baverages.

Triund : 17 km. from Dharamshala town, at an altitude of 2,827 metres. The snowline starts just 5 km. from Triund and affords a breathtaking view of the snows above and the valley below. It is a popular picnic and trekking spot. Those who want to do a return trek in one day are advised to start early. Is is the famous trek route for local people as well as for tourists.

Kunal Pathari : 3 km. ) from Dharamshala ( Kotwali Bazar ). A level walk from Kotwali Bazar leads upto the rock temple of the local goddess. Temple is related to a legend dating back to centuries. Located near the beautiful tea gardens, Kunal Pathari Temple offers good view of the Dhauladhar Range. Because of high altitude, Kunal Pathari area greets the visitors with refreshing winds. It is a very ideal place for having a memorable walk and the blessings of the mother goddess.

Kareri : ( 22 km. ) Altitude 2,166 metres. Kareri lake is surrounded by green meadows, Oak and Pine trees, making it an idyllic place to visit.

Dal Lake : Lies amidst hills and deodar tress and is 11 km. from Lower Dhramshala. It is a starting point for excursion and trekking and is located next to Tibetan children's village. You can have a memorable walk around the lake. Held sacred, this has a small Shiva temple on its banks. The banks of the lake are enlivened every September by a fair attended - amongst others- by a large number of migrant Gaddi folk.

Naddi : A high point beyond the Dal Lake, Naddi village affords a magnificent view of Dhauladhar mountain range to the north and the vast expanse of lush Kangra valley to the south. Naddi is situated far away from the hustle and bustle of the Macleodganj market and provides complete peace of mind. It is surely the best place to spend some quality time amidst the heart of Dhauladhar mountains.

Tourism in Dharamshala :

Dharamshala or Dharamsala is like an official city for foreigner tourists. Because of the Dalai Lama, Tourism in Dharamshala or tourism in Dharamsala has grown to a great height. Tourism in Dharamsala offers tourists a number of beautiful areas to visit i.e. Mcleodganj, Triund, Bhagsunag, Dal Lake, Satobari, Naddi etc. Tourism in Dharamshala offers a quick snow line trek thereby providing every visitor a chance to experience the fun of trekking. Tourism in Dharamshala also offers a very beautiful waterfall known as Bhagsunag Waterfall. You can watch foreigner tourists sitting and relaxing in the cold water of waterfall. Tourism in Dharamsala offers two very unique areas to explore i.e. Satobari and Naddi. Satobari area experiences heavy fog and offers tourists a very beautiful and peaceful experience. Satobari is far away from the crowd of the city and therefore provides completely peaceful stay with the magic of heavy fog. You just lost your heart to the beauty of nature here. The other area Naddi is a natural paradise of its own kind. It is also far away from the crowd of the city and provides peaceful stay right in the heart of breath taking Dhauladhar range. The most attractive thing about Naddi is the unpredictable come and go of the clouds over the surrounding mountains. Naddi has a free flowing stream amidst the thick deodar trees, thereby providing tourists a quick trek to explore the wonderful Naddi area. Tourism in Dharamsala or tourism in Dharamshala truly offers a different kind of experience to all the people who visit here

Dharamshala : A quick trek to snow line :

A beautiful trek through forests of deodar, oak and rhododendron. Triund is situated at an altitude of 2,827 metres. The snowline starts just 5 km. from Triund and affords a breathtaking view of the snows above and the valley below.

Day 1 : Mcleodganj to Triund : The 3 days trek starts with a beautiful walk through mixed forests of deodar and oak. From Triund you can have a panoramic view of the Kangra valley. There is a rest house for overnight stay.

Day 2 : Triund - Ilaka - Triund : The second day trek covers 9 to 10 kms. along glacial morains. Ilaka is used as a base camp for the shepherds to go over the pass. The small glacier is called snow line. You can have lunch at snow line or just enjoy the beauty of nature. The come back to Triund.

Day 3 : Triund to Mcleodganj : You can take the same route on the way back or follow the grassy ridge which takes us to Bhagsu Nag Temple crossing a small waterfall on the way. Bhagsu Nag is just 1.6 kms. from Mcleodganj by road.

Dharamshala : General Information

Altitude : varies between 1,250 meters to 1,650 meters.

Headquarter : Dharamshala ( Headquarter of district Kangra )

Location : In district Kangra, in the the heart of Dhauladhar range.

Access by Air : Nearest airport is Gaggal airport located 15 km. from Dharamshala. Other airports having regular service are : Jammu 200 km., Amritsar 210 km. and Chandigarh 260 km.

Access by Rail : Nearest broad gauge railhead is Pathankot 95 km. A narrow gauge railway line between Pathankot and Jogindernagar passes through Kangra, 17 km. from Dharamshala.

Access by Road : Almost each and every part of the state is linked by roads. The Himachal Road Transport Corporation is running its buses covering the whole state. There is huge network of HRTC to cater the needs of the people.

Distances : Chandigarh 239 km., Delhi 514 km., Nangal 145 km., Jalandhar 166 km., Hoshiarpur 128 km., Mandi 147 km., Jwalamukhi 55 km., Kullu 214 km., Manali 252 km., Chamba 192 km. and Shimla 322 km.