Overview

Explore Dharamshala and Dalhousie to the fullest with HimachalChalo. The best of Dharamshala and Dalhousie in one package. Book now!

Package Overview:

Some places you just visit. Others you just breathe in for a few days. This unique trip is of the second kind.

Dharamshala is the start of the trip, and it’s a quaint town living two lives at once. Down below, the Old Bazaar hums along like any other Himachali town. When you climb up to McLeod Ganj, however, you’re suddenly transported to a completely different zone – the smell of Tibetan butter tea and momos, prayer flags tied and strung across the pine trees, Buddhist and Tibetan monks in maroon doing the Kora or circumambulation circuit around the Dalai Lama’s temple, all of this with the Dhauladhar range of the Himalayas providing the perfect backdrop across the town. On this trip, you’ll walk up to waterfalls, watch clouds roll up the valley as you sip on chai in a cosy cafe, and feel the deep stillness that this place has been known for take over your heart.

The second leg of this trip takes you to Dalhousie, further northwest. Dalhousie is a hill station built and developed by the British, which time has largely forgotten. It is spread across about five wooded hills, with colonial cottages tucked about amongst the deodars and mist drifting through occasionally. Locals often compare Dalhousie with Switzerland, and the long green sweep of Khajjar’s meadow just up the road, where the pines circle a mountain lake, will have you believe so too. Dalhousie doesn’t perform for the tourist. It simply exists, cool, green and true, and lets visitors exist alongside it too.

Five days, two hill stations. The space between them is not measured in kilometres, but in the slowing of your chattering mind as you spend your days here in the silence. You came to conquer the mountains. You leave after surrendering your mind to them in shanti. You would have finally learnt to sit still.

Important Notes

• Take the first day up in the mountains easy – it takes at least one day for your body to acclimatise to the mountain weather.
• Carry some loose cotton clothes as well if you are travelling during summer; it can get sunny at noon. At the same time, evenings and nights can get chilly, so pack layered clothing for when it gets cold.
• Carry a pair of sunglasses, a hat or cap, and adequate sunscreen
• Make sure you carry a jacket and a pair of sports shoes.
• Mountain roads feature sharp hairpin bends. Keep anti-nausea medication handy for drives to Solang Valley.

 Best Time to Visit Dharamshala and Dalhousie

• Summer (March-June): You can expect sunny days and cool evenings, with no snow. You will experience the greenery of the pristine valleys lush with blooming flowers and sprawling woods.
• Winter (October-February): Best for snow lovers and the most popular amongst tourists, the vibe here transforms into a winter wonderland with moderate to heavy snowfall from October to February.