dalhousie travel guide
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Dalhousie Travel Guide | The Mini Switzerland of India

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Geographical Presence and History of Dalhousie:

This Dalhousie Travel Guide will briefly explain the place, culture, and what to visit. Dalhousie is a picturesque town in the Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh. The modern town is situated on five hills. Dalhousie’s height in feet is 6,460. It is located 1,970 meters above sea level. It is known for its picturesque views of mountains and serene surroundings. Here you can enjoy local food, trekking, and natural views. You can spend a few days here.
James Andrew Broun-Ramsay, known as Earl Dalhousie, who was Governor General of India (1848-1856), established this place as his summer retreat. From that, this place is known as Dalhousie.

dalhousie travel guide

How to Reach Dalhousie

  1. The nearest Railway station is Pathankot Chakki Bank, which is about 82km away from Dalhousie. Pathankot is well-connected from Ambala, Karnal, Jalandhar, Delhi, Jammu, Ahmedabad, Jodhpur, and Bhatinda. If you book a cab then it will take 2.5-3hrs to reach. It will cost you around INR2,000-2,500.
  2. The nearest Airport is Pathankot, which is about 75km away from Dalhousie. You can book a cab from the airport, which will take around 1hr 10 minutes to 1hr 40 minutes.
  3. You can also travel by bus from Delhi. From Delhi, the distance is 560km. There are daily buses by HRTC (Haryana Road Transport Corporation) It will take around 10-12hrs to reach. You can board the bus from Kashmere Gate New Delhi Bus Stand.

Dalhousie Travel Guide:

Day1: Dainkund, Jot Pass, Khajjiar, Kalatop, Kailash Village:

If you are reaching there evening then you can check in at your hotel and rejuvenate yourself for the tour, else if you reach in the morning then you can start your journey after freshening up and having your breakfast you can start your journey. Jot Pass, Khajjiar, and Kalatop is approx. a 100km loop.

1. Dainkund:

After completing your breakfast, you can head toward Monga’s Bakery. After visiting the bakery, you can go to Dainkund Peak, which is almost 17km away from Dalhousie. The name of the place Dainkund is derived from the Dani–Kund, which means Lake of Witches. As local believes that in the past witches used to live there.   It is the highest peak of Dalhousie. After the 11km, you need to hike the rest 2km. By reaching there you can see the beauty of the entire valley. There are 2 main attractions, first is the base of the Indian Air Force and 2nd is Pohlani Devi Temple, which you can reach by hiking another 1km from the peak. It is a local goddess temple.

dainkund

2. Jot Pass:

It is located at 2880 meters above sea level and here you will find snow throughout the year. From the top of it, you can clearly see the Dhaluladhar Peaks, which is also covered by snow throughout the year.

jot pass

3. Khajjiar:

Khajjiar, which is known as the Mini Switzerland of India and the Gulmarg of Himachal Pradesh located at a sea level of 1,951 meters in the foothills of the Dhaluladhar range of Western Himalayan. Khajjiar is the place from where the tour of Dalhousie or Chamba itinerary. This is one of the beautiful pasturelands which is surrounded by Deodar and Cedar trees. There is a small lake which is called the Khajjiar Lake. The lake area is only 5000 sq. yards. Besides the lake, there is a temple that has the architecture of the 12th Century AD. This temple is called Khajji Nag Temple. It is a must-visit place to see the beautiful architecture of it.

khajjiar
#khajjiar

4. Kalatop:

The term Kalatop means “Black Cap”. This is one of the most beautiful Wildlife Sanctuary which is 12 km away from Dalhousie. There is an entry fee for separate vehicles like motorcycles and cars. Here you can see Black-Headed Jay, Himalayan Black Marten, Leopard, Serow, Langurs, Eurasian Jay, Himalayan Black Bear etc.

kalatop

5. Kailash Village:

After reaching Kailash Village you may think that you are living in a painting. The village has Apple orchids and sloping roofs which are covered by snow. You will be amazed by seeing the mesmerizing view of Mount Kailash, which is believed to be the residence of Lord Shiva. You can also be amazed by the local culture and the local dishes.

kailash village

Day2: Anna Temple, Waterfall and local sightseen of Dalhousie:

Start your day by visiting Anna Temple which is popularly known as Ennan Mata Temple. The local deity, goddess Anna worship here. The natural cave and the inner sanctum of the temple will give you a heavenly feeling. The resplendence architecture of the temple will surprise you.
You can also enjoy the waterfall which is right behind the temple, also known as Ennan Waterfall. The height of the waterfall is near about 100 meters. If you want you can carry some packed food as you can walk to the bottom of the waterfall where you can spend some time and enjoy your food. After that you can return to Dalhousie.

ennan mata temple and waterfalls

Now as you are in Dalhousie you can explore the local sightseen. You can drive through the Gram Sadak and enjoy the impressive landscapes and the valleys. Gram Sadak is popular for local souvenir shop and Tibetan rock. In the main town of Dalhousie, you can walk through the road to explore the colonial architecture.
After exploring the local, now you can head towards Bakrota Loop, which is only 3km trek. Here you can find the former residence of Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore, snow-clad hills, Snowdon Residence.
You can spend your evening in the Gandhi chowk by shopping some woollen garments, as this place is famous for that. After that you must book your table at Cafe Dalhousie, which is a popular food place to conclude your day 2.

cafe dalhousie
source httpsshorturlatg7bm8

Day3: Dalhousie to Bharmour:

On the day 3 you need to start early for the Bharmour town. It is located near 7000 feet in Budhi Valley. In the ancient time Bharmour was the capital of Chamba. 90% of the tourists visit Bharmour only because it is on the way to Manimahiesh. It is better to book a cab as there are only few bus services. On the way you can find the Ravi River, which has many quaint places on the way. The colour of the river is also attractive as the colour is emerald green.
At a distance of 30 km from the Chamba you can find the Trilochan Mahadev Temple. It is believed that, if you are unable to visit the Manimahiesh Lake, then you can take a dip at Trilochan Mahadev Temple. It is almost 5 hours journey from Dalhousie to Chamba.

ravi river and trilochan mahadev

Day4: Chamba Itinerary:

At the bank of river Ravi Chamba is one of the main attractions for the tourists. Chamba is resonant of British Era. The town was rebuilt to combined the contemporary and best of old-world.

Golden Devi Temple, Chamba:

This is one of the venerate temple visited by the pilgrims and tourists. It is named after its massive golden dome-shaped roof. The Golden Devi temple is a must-visit with panoramic views of the surroundings, stunning architecture, and a strong spiritual and cultural presence.

golden devi temple

Church of Scotland, Chamba:

This one of the main attraction to the tourists. It took 6 years to build the church. It has a rich architecture, combination of Indo-Scottish. The church is more than 120 years old.

church of scotland

Manimahesh Lake:

It is one of the sacred lakes of Pir Panjal Range of Himalayas. Many devotees come here to take a dip in the lake.

manimahesh lake

 

Day5: Bharmani Mata Temple, Chaurasi Temple and Kugti Village:

Bharmani Mata Temple:

From the Bharmour town, Bharmani Mata temple is 4 km away. The best time to visit the temple is between October to March. As during the winter, the temple is closed due to snowfalls. It is a holy place for the pilgrims, as they take a dip here on their way to Manimahesh.

brahmani mata temple

Chaurasi Temple:

After that you go to Chaurasi Temple, which is dedicated to lord Dharmaraj. This is the only temple of Dharmaraj in the world, like only temple of Lord Brahma in Pushkar, Rajasthan. There is total 84 Shrines in the entire temple, from that it is called Chaurasi Temple.

chaurasi temple

Kugti Village:

After the visit of Chaurasi Temple you can now head towards Kugti Village, which is almost 2 hours drive from Bharmour to Kugti. Kugti is the second largest wildlife sanctuary of Himachal Pradesh. The Kugti Village which has two-part old Kugti, where you can find only 20 houses build of stone, wood and mud. And new Kugti. If you love to explore the life of Higher Himalayans then it is a must visit place for you. Here you can find that the people live here without any road, electricity and mobile connectivity for a several months of the year. After visiting the place, you can now head towards the Bharmour Then form there to Dalhousie. The tour of Dalhousie end here.

kugti village

Hotels & Stay in Dalhousie:

Though Dalhousie is a small town, but you will find more than 100 hotels there. If you want to stay in rented bed and breakfast or in a hostel, that is also possible. Himachal Pradesh State Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC) has a chain of hotels in that area, you can also find some good hotels like Grand view Hotel, Snow Valley Resort, Hotel Mount View etc.
If you want to stay in camps then you need to go to Khajjiar, where you can find some existing camp or you can set your own tent there.

Local Transport of Dalhousie:

Private Car or Bike: You can visit the entire Dalhousie and Chamba by your Private car or Bike. Even if you want to rent a bike for your tour, you can do so.
Horse Ride: In Dalhousie, specially on the Mall Road you can find some horse ride to explore the local.
Walk: It is the best way to explore the town and enjoy the quaint places of the town.
Bus: There are local bus services to Chamba, Dharamsala, Khajjiar and Kangra.
Taxi: Beside the bus stand you can find the taxi stand and book taxi for local tour or if you want to go out of the town.

Weather of Dalhousie:

Dalhousie has cool and pleasant weather throughout the year. In the month of January and February you can find snowfalls here. From the March the snows start melting. April, May and June are the ideal Month to visit here. During the monsoon time July and August, it is better to avoid the visit, though there is not much rain fall happen but a quick shower can ruin your whole routine. In the month of September you can visit, in the month of October when the early autumn is come the valley turn into the golden orange colour, which gives you a magical feeling. From the month of November, the winter begins and the valley remains dry and dull. From the mid of December, the snowfalls start.

Local Food & Product of Dalhousie:

Here is a list of some food you must try here: – Skieu, Paba,Thenktuk, Momo, Khambir, Chutagi, Mokthuk, Thukpa, Bhutta, Maggie you can also try authentic Pahari fare. There are some road side dhaba, maggie point, large restaurants, the wall shops, street stalls from where you can try these dishes.
For shopping you can make a Wishlist of local famous products like woollen garments, Tea, Books, Souvenirs, Brass and wooden knickknacks, Accessories. For shopping you can go to Gandhi Chowk market where you can find a large number of stores. The market hour is from 9 am to 7 pm.

Health and Safety:

Dalhousie is one of the safest places of Himachal Pradesh. You can come here with you family or you can plan your honeymoon with your spouse.
For the health purpose there are some hotels and clinics available, which are capable of handle serious conditions, else there are two large hospital as well. If you need further assistant then you need to go to Pathankot.

Facilities Available at Dalhousie:

For banking purposes, you can find all the major bank and their ATM services in the town. For your vehicle, you will find several petrol pumps and mechanics as well.
For Mobile network connectivity, you can find all major mobile networks, except BSNL. If you are going to the interior then it is difficult to get connectivity.

Things you need to carry:

Cloths& Shoes: You need to carry plenty of warm cloths as well as thermals. Also, you need to carry layer dresses so that sudden change in weather you can change your cloths. As the local are old fashioned, you do not carry cloths which are revealing. For trekking you need to carry trekking shoes and comfortable pant with you. Also carry warm caps, sunglass, Toilet papers, Umbrella or Rain Coat, Snow Boots
Official Ids: Carry valid government ids which has address proof, like your Aadhar Card and Passport. Also keep a list of emergency contact with you.
Electronics: Carry extra power bank for mobile phone and for camera carry extra charged battery and memory card. Also carry extra Battery for your laptop if the laptop has a removeable battery.
Cash: Carry enough cash with you as most of the local shops and hotels accept only cash. Also out of the town the number of ATMs are very few.
First-Aids: Carry some common medicine for Gastric, Fever, Cold and Cough, Stomach Problems. If you are suffering from any illness then carry sufficient medicine for that too.

Conclusion:

The local people speak Chambyali, Gaddi and Holi languages. The Tibetians speak in their native Tibetian. But everybody understands Hindi and some of them can speak English too.
There are some festivals like in January they celebrate Haldi- which is basically a bonfire, folk song and dance. In February they celebrate Basant Panchami- Sarswati Puja. In the month of March, they celebrate Losar- Tibetan New Year. In the month of October, they celebrate Dussehra. In the month of December, they celebrate Christmas as well.
Hope our Dalhousie travel guide is useful. You need minimum of 3 days to cover the main points of the Dalhousie, Chamba and Bharmour. Else it is better to plan for 5 days to complete the entire tour. The mesmerizing view of these places will remain in your heart for a long time. There are more attractive place to visit Himachal Pradesh. You can also read another blog regarding Offbeat destination of Himachal Pradesh.

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