Complete Guide for a Trip to Dalhousie, Himachal Pradesh!
Dalhousie is a Hill station near town of chamba in chamba district in the Indian state of Himachal pradesh. Named after Lord Dalhousie, the hill station of Dalhousie is famous for being home to the pristine and serene Dhauladhar Mountain Range. Also, it’s perfect destination if you are looking for weekend getaway from chaotic life of Delhi-NCR.
Here is how you can visit Dalhousie-
By Road- There are several direct buses from Delhi- NCR which can be boarded from Kashmere gate, The price ranges from INR 700–1500.
By Train- There are several trains which can be boarded from New Delhi/ Delhi Sarai Rohilla/ Delhi Cantt to Pathankot cantt/ Pathankot Junction, fare shall vary as per class of booking. From Pathankot bus station you need to take a bus to Bankikhet (75 Km from Pathankot, fare is INR 130/ Person) and from Banikhet to Dalhousie there are local buses (distance 9 km, fare is INR 15/ person) or there are several AC volvo buses from Pathankot to Dalhousie which you need to pre-book as per journey plan.
By Air- Nearest airport to Dalhousie is Gaggal Airport which is 108 KM from Dalhousie, from Gaggal Airport you may board a Taxi for Dalhousie.
Where to Stay-
There are several hotels / homestays on Subhash chowk and Gandhi chowk wherein you can plan your stays. During off-season (We went in August’23) the fares are pretty low (INR 1200–2000) but during peak season you shall expect increase in prices.
How to explore dalhousie and near by areas-
Bikes are available on Rent, the fare ranges from INR 1200–1400 per day.
Also there’s Taxi Union through which you can plan your travel as per packages.
Where to go-
Explore Indo Tibetian market- Unlike other hill stations, Dalhousie doesn’t have a mall road, so Gandhi Chowk is the Mall Road of Dalhousie. For shopping in Dalhousie, the town has several local bazaars and centres at Gandhi Chowk. One can shop for simple local souvenirs, woollen clothes and every-day treasures.
Beeji’s park- it’s on the road which connects Dalhousie to Khajjiar and it’s very close to Dalhousie (approx 2km from Gandhi Chowk). The place is envisioned and curated by Dr G.S. Dhillon who is chairman of Dalhousie Public School. This defence park in Dalhousie is dedicated to all mothers.
Khajjiar-A small picturesque saucer-shaped plateau surrounded by dense pine and deodar forests, is one of the 160 places throughout the world to have been designated “Mini Switzerland”. Yes, this is Khajjiar, a tiny tourist resort in Chamba about 24 kms from Dalhousie; at an altitude of 6,500 ft. above sea level. The moment one enters the picturesque Khajjiar, one is welcomed by a yellow Swiss sign for ‘hiking path’ which reads “Mini Switzerland”.
Dainkund Peak & Pholani Mata Temple- Dainkund is a very musical place. Also known as ¨Singing Hills¨, it is located at a height of 2755 meters above sea level. In the hill town of Dalhousie, Dainkund peak is the height peak of the town. The soothing breeze at this point is so melodious that it feels like music.
Being the highest peak it offers a view like a bird’s eye hence it is one of the mesmerizing places to visit in dalhousie. The panoramic view of mountains and valleys is majestic. The mesmerizing view of tall deodar trees and valley with colorful flowers is worth watching.There is a temple on the hill dedicated to Pholani Devi. The most interesting fact about the temple is that it only has a t4rident inside its premises. There is also an Indian Air Force base at the top of the hill.
Ganji Pahadi Trek- At a distance of 5 km from Dalhousie Bus Stand, Ganji Pahari is a small hill on Pathankot road in Dalhousie. The name Ganji Pahari literally means bald hill. It is so called because the hill has no trees at the peak of the hill and it looks like a bald-headed patch at the top. This is one of the most popular nature walks in Dalhousie and the place offers mesmerizing views of the surrounding snowcapped hills and valleys.
Panchpula-Surrounded by a cover of green pine and deodar trees, Panchpula is a popular picnic spot in Dalhousie, located at a distance of 3.5 km from Gandhi Chowk in Dalhousie. It is best known for Saptdhara Waterfall, the starting point of the Ganji Pahari trek and activities like Ziplining, and Burma Bridge.
Chamera Lake- it’s a mystic lake located in the Chamba district in Dalhousie, in the northern state of Himachal Pradesh. It is actually located 25 kms from the main hill station. At an elevated height of 763 meters above sea level, it makes a perfect getaway with friends, family and loved ones, to spend a day or have a picnic. The Chamera Dam nearby is the source of Chamera Lake, as it is the former’s reservoir.
Incase you are on a weekend trip then you would be able to cover Panchpula, Beeji’s park, Khajjiar, Dainkund peak & Pholani mata mandir in a day.
Gangi Pahadi trek would take a single day, there are options of night camping overthere.
Incase you are planning to visit Chamera lake then you will have to take another day out for it as it’s on complete different route.
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Happy Travels!
