Dharamsala India Travel Guide

Abode of eight thousand Tibetan refugees and their famous spiritual guru Dalai Lama, Dharamsala is one of the most beautiful valleys in the world. Situated in Himachal Pradesh in the Kangra Valley region towards the southern edge of Dhauladhar range, the hill resort of Dharamsala is covered with forests of pine, orchards, green tea gardens and terraced fields.

The town of Dharamsala is the principal township of Kangra valley. It is made up of two parts, the lower part which is approximately one-thousand-three-hundered meters above sea level, is a busy commercial center whereas the upper part which is at a level of almost one-thousand-seven-hundred meters comprises of the suburbs of Mcleodganj and Forsythganj.

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Dharamsala Today

The upper area still gives the glimpse of the British flavor and the past colonial style. His Holiness Dalai Lama resides in Mcleodganj and because of him this place attracts lots of people especially the Buddhists. You can also spot occasionally the famous Hollywood star Richard Gere who is a devoted Dalai Lama disciple and other celebrities in Dharamsala paying visit to their spiritual master. In a way Dharamsala attracts both tourist and devotees.

Dharamsala History

Fondly, known as the little Lahasa, Dharamsala has Buddhist roots dating back 2700 years. It was a coincidence that Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru offered this place to the Tibetan exiles in 1960.This region is rich in unexplored archaeological sites of great importance especially helpful in understanding Buddhism. Hsuan Tsang the famous Chinese monk and pilgrim recorded fifty monasteries with around 2,000 monks in this fertile region in and around 635 A.D.

It is said that Lord Elgin, Viceroy of British India and a former Governor-General of Canada, was so enchanted by the forests of Dharamsala that, before dying in Dharamsala in 1863, he asked to be buried in the graveyard of St. John’s Church in the Wilderness.

Dharamsala has established itself as the travelers base camp, the small town bazaar of Kotwali provides the visitors the color and charm of the simple life style.

Dharamsala Things to Do and Attractions

The colorful Gompas and temples reflect the culture of Tibet. Dharamsala has a lot to offer in terms of tourist interest.

The prime attractions of Dharamsala include St. John’s Church in wilderness, this is 7 Km away from Dharamsla between Forsyth Ganj and Mcleod Ganj. This church was built in 1852 with grey stone and shows cases some very fine Belgian stained glass windows. Also near to Dharamsala is the famous temple of Devi Chamunda. This again is a very beautiful spot from where you get a very magnificent view of the mountains and the Baner khud, Pathiar and Lahla forests. Other than this there are many other places worth a visit like Maharana Pratap Sagar ( Dam Resorvoir), Norbulinka Institute, Nurpor Fort, Tsug-Lag-Khang (Central Cathedral), Andretta , Dharamkot, Karanje, Kunal Pathri, Lord Elgin’s memorial, Moodabidri, Namgyal Monastery, Pong lake sanctuary, and Venur etc.,

Dharamsala Getting There and Around

Dharamsala is connected by air from Delhi, the nearest airport is 13 km from Dharamsala at a place called Gaggla. The nearest railway station is Pathankot which is about 85 km from Dharamsala. Pathankot is well connected from all over the country.

Bus services are also available to Dharamsala from Manali. However, one can always drive down to Dharamsala from Delhi via Chandigarh , Kiratpur and Bilaspur. There are Luxury buses also available from Delhi for Dharamsala.

Dharamsala Hotels and Accomodation

Staying in Dharamsala is not a problem. Accommodation options include HPTDC’s hotels, private hotels, PWD and forest rest houses as well as guest houses. These are located in and around Dharamsala and are available at reasonable price.

Dharamsala Weather

The climate of Dharamsala is very pleasant in summers. Because of being located in midst of Himalayas temperature may drop beyond the freezing point, during winters. It is better to avoid coming in monsoon because there is a danger of landslide during this period.