A short trip to Dharamshala – places to visit

Dharamshala is popularly known as the centre of the Tibetan Government in exile, but it has several shades. While few people associate it with hill station, it is not!! It is indeed cold during winter, but summer temperatures are not low!! Higher up is the small town of McLeod Ganj, a tourist destination. You go further up to the peaceful villages of Naddi, Dharamkot and Bhagsu. Most travellers stay in these beautiful villages (or suburbs).

I included Dharamshala as part of our Himachal Pradesh trip along with Dalhousie. Amritsar, Dharamshala and Dalhousie formed a triangle, which we could efficiently cover in a short trip. My original plan in Dharamshala was to relax and go on a trek. But fate had other plans, as we had to drop our trek idea and visit tourist attractions in the area.

We started our journey from Dalhousie. The initial part of the journey involved a lot of ups and down on the hills. After we crossed Shahpur, it was more or less straight roads till Dharamshala. Dharamshala seemed to be a big town, and I was shocked to find it hot!! But the views of the snow-clad Dhauladar range are dazzling. The range was so prominent, and we could see them anywhere in the town.

We visited a few spots in Dharamshala before climbing to the town of Mcleod Ganj.

Cricket stadium

The first place we visited was the Dharamshala cricket stadium. With the backdrop of the snow-capped mountains, the stadium is one of the most beautiful cricket grounds in the world. We could enter a part of the stadium by paying a small entry fee. I had never been to a cricket stadium, and the experience at Dharamshala was good. My previous experience was at FC Barcelona stadium to watch football and PNC Park in Pittsburgh to experience a baseball match.

State war memorial

The next stop was the war memorial built to honour the Himachali martyrs who fell while defending the country. The striking feature is the three curved walls in black marble bearing the inscribed names of martyrs on five faces and a mural on the sixth face. It was a place to spend some time and honour the sacrifice made by our soldiers.

Naddi view point

We reached Dharamkot, checked into our hotel and proceeded to the Naddi viewpoint.

If you go to Naddi during the evening, it will serve two purposes. The first thing you must do is watch the stunning view of the snow-clad Dhauladar mountain range. They look so near to the road. We saw many people with telescopes showing a closer look at the mountains for a small price. I am generally not interested in such things, but one person pulled an effective marketing and emotional trick. He understood that we were Kannadigas and started speaking in Kannada. He had spent a few years in Bengaluru and learnt the local language. It worked, and we ended up looking into the telescope. We could get a close view of a waterfall falling from a melting glacier, Triund top and a remote temple.

Naddi is known as a sunset spot. Once we finished viewing the Dhauladhar range, we proceeded to the sunset viewing area. Many restaurants had taken over vantage areas, and we had to search for some “free” places. An under-construction building helped us in this aspect. We could watch the sunset peacefully.

On the way to Naddi is the “Dal Lake”. It is nothing in comparison with the Srinagar’s Dal lake. This small lake was dry when we visited it. We did not even slow down our vehicle as we passed through this lake!!

Bhagsunag temple and waterfalls

Our second day at Dharmakot started with a visit to the Bhagsunag temple and waterfalls. We felt that morning was the best time to visit as it gets crowded during the day.

The unique aspect of Bhagsunag temple is the swimming pool in the complex. It was the first temple that I saw having a swimming pool!!

A kilometre away from the temple is Bhasunag waterfalls. It was a pleasant walk for us as the view of the surroundings was beautiful. The climb was gradual, and we walked without any challenges. It was a small waterfall, and a pool had formed at its base.

Bhagsunag is one of the two entry points for the Triund trek.

Namgyal monastery

Popularly known as the Dalai Lama temple, this is the residence and the office of the Dalai Lama. The ambience was very peaceful and beautiful. The snow-clad mountains add to the beauty of this monastery. It is a very well organized place. If you want to see Dalai Lama, you should plan accordingly to match his schedule and register (Link here).

St. John in the Wilderness

We had seen a Hindu and a Buddhist Temple, and now it was time to visit a Church. As we drove from McLeod Ganj to Dharamshala, this Church made its appearance. Surrounded by deodar trees, it was a serene place. I think the name of the Church comes because of its forest surroundings. It looks unique due to its neo-gothic architecture. We spent some enjoying the peacefulness of the place.

Tea gardens

We were in Dharamsala town again, and our driver suggested visiting the tea garden nearby. It is a typical picnic spot to pose for photographs and take some good portraits. You can also buy tea and other items at a small factory outlet.

Norbulingka Institute

Norbulingka Institute started to revive the Tibetan arts and culture. The quiet environment inside the institute is soothing. While there are many art studios inside the campus, I liked the doll museum displaying traditional Tibetan scenes and the “Seat of happiness” temple.

Kangra fort

Kangra fort is far from Dharamsala, but I added it to the itinerary as it looked attractive. Our driver mentioned that he was visiting this fort after a long time, indicating that not many travellers visited this place!! The Kangra fort looked formidable from the outside. Situated on a hillock at the confluence of Banganga and Manjhi rivers, this fort overlooks the vast Kangra valley, and the hill forms a natural fortification.

It is a large fort, and it took more than 1.5 hours to see the prominent places. This fort contains several gates, palaces, temples and residential buildings. It needs a dedicated post on its own!!

It was the last place of our day, and the action-packed day had ended. We returned to Dharamkot to rest.

Places to stay

I would strongly recommend not to stay in Dharamshala. It does not look like a hill station. McLeod Ganj looks very crowed, and is an ideal place to spend evenings. Naddi is a good place, but it is crowded during evening. Bhagsu gets busy during day time due to the temple. Upper Bhagsu or Dharamkot is a great place to stay. Though only 2 kilometres from McLeod Ganj, Dharamkot is isolated from the hustle and bustle.

But the road to Dharamkot is narrow and steep. It is possible for one car to pass through at some places. Also, few hotels can only be reached by foot.

Dharamkot has hippie vibe and is a favourite location for foreigners and backpackers. We spotted Vegan, Mexican, Italian, Mediterranean and many other cuisines. It was a welcome break from omni present Punjabi restaurants.

Own car or hire a car?

The roads are narrow, and parking is a challenge in the area around McLeod Ganj. It requires a bit of skill to drive your vehicle. Most traffic jams are caused by the drivers of the private vehicles from the plains. Many hotels do not have dedicated car parking. So, my personal view is that it is best to hire a car. Our driver was an expert on hill driving, and he deftly handled the traffic and parking situations.

Information and tips

• Dharamshala is about 200 kilometres from Amritsar, which is the nearest airport. The nearest railhead Pathankot is situated in between Amritsar and Dharamshala.
• McLeod Ganj and its surroundings are ideal for long-duration stays. There are so many things to do, places to see and greet trekking trails.
• Dharamkot/Upper Bhagsu and Naddi are good places to stay. Dharamkot has various cuisine options.