Dharamshala Sightseeing, Quick Facts, History, Packages, Tours & Excursions

Dharamshala

Kangra Art Museum at Dharamshala, is a reservoir of Kangra's rich cultural heritage displayed in its arts and crafts. Most of these date back to several centuries ago. The museum also has a collection of the famous Kangra miniature paintings, sculptures, and pottery.

Kotwali Bazaar at Dharamshala is the central marketplace, where the shops, restaurants and hotels are located.

War Memorial located at the entry of Dharamshala, was built to commemorate the lives of those who lay down their lives on the battlefield. This monument is reached by a narrow path set between groves of pine trees.

McleodGanj

Also known as Upper Dharamshala, this entire area is a beautiful place show-casing Tibetan architecture and living. The monastery here has large images of Buddha, Padmasambhava and Avaloketeshwara.

Tsuglagkhang Complex, on the Temple Road, has the residence of the Dalai Lama, the Namgyal Gompa, the Tibetan Museum and the Central Chapel or the Tsuglagkhang, which is a very important Buddhist place of worship.

Tibet Museum contains pictures and videos depicting the life of the people of Tibet, during the time it was being invaded by the Chinese and their many struggles in turn. One can also visit the Tibetan Library and the Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts.

Around Dharmshala:

Lord Elgin's Memorial is the tomb of the British Viceroy who died here in 1863, and was buried in the Church of St. John as per his own wishes.

The sacred rock temple of Kunal Pathri is 3 kms from the Kotwali Bazaar, and is dedicated to the goddess Kapaleshwari. It has many beautiful carvings on its walls.

Norbulinka Institute is where Tibetan art has been preserved and taught for many years. Located in a scenic environment of wooden bridges, small streams and waterfalls, it is 4 kms from town. Here you can see wooden carvings, thangka paintings, embroidery, etc.

Chinmaya Tapovan is an ashram 10kms from town. It was set up by Gita Swami Chinmayanand and has a temple dedicated to Lord Ram, a meditation hall, a school and health center. There is also a large statue of Hanuman standing 9mts tall.

Dal Lake, 11kms from Dharamshala, is set amidst deodar trees and grassy slopes, where you could have a picnic, while taking in the scenic beauty. It also happens to be the starting point for many treks.

Shrine of Bhagsunath, is a very ancient temple 11 kms from the town. It also has sacred fresh water springs around it, and a beautiful waterfall.

Dharmkot, 11kms from town, is another great picnic spot, where you can catch the breathtaking view of the Dhauladhar ranges and Kangra Valley.

Treks:

Dharamshala is the base for many interesting treks and all the facilities of hired equipment, trained guides and porters are available.

One-day trek to Triund

Take a picturesque trek through rhododendron and deodar woods, to Triund, located at an altitude of 2,827 mts and with great views of the Dhauladhar Mountains.

3-Day Trek to Indrahar

This is a centuries-old route followed by the Gaddi shepherds who graze their sheep in the high altitude pastures. Indrahar Pass is 4,425m high.

6-Day Trek To Macchetar

This trek is quite difficult in patches, but gives you magnificent views of the Pir Panjal peaks. After the tiring slog, you can catch transport back from the Chamba roadhead.

Excursions:

Kareri is a beautiful place encompassed by meadows and oak and pine forests, 22kms from the Kotwali Bazaar. Stay the night at the rest house and enjoy the surroundings of the lake. While there, visit the temples of Kali and Durbasa.

The hotsprings at Tatwani are 25kms from the town, while the waterfalls of Machhrial are another picturesque sight.

Nurpur, 66kms from Dharamshala, is home to an old fort and temple of Brij Raj. Nurpur is said to have been named after the Mughal Emperor, Jehangir's wife Nurjahan.

Trilokpur, 41 kms from town, has naturally formed cave temples dedicated to Lord Shiva. Also see the ruins of a palace and an audience hall of the erstwhile Governor of Kangra Hills, Lehna Singh Majithia during the Sikh rule.

Visit the famous Jwalamukhi Temple, 56 kms from Dharamshala, dedicated to the Goddess of Light.

Shopping & Food:

Shop at the Kotwali Bazaar in Lower Dharamshala, or the famous Sunday Market and other shops at McLeod Ganj. You can pick up a lot of beautiful Tibetan items ranging from jewellery, to woollens, thangkas, carpets, and paintings.

Feast on some famous local Tibetan cuisine especially items like momos, thukpa, noodles, and try the salted Yak butter tea.           

Tourism Info: 

Dharamshala is a popular hill station located in the Kangra district known for its idyllic surroundings amidst pine trees, tea gardens and snow capped mountains. It is also home to His Holiness, the Dalai Lama. The word Dharamshala means, an inn attached to a temple. Dharamshala's history has been influenced greatly by both Hinduism and Buddhism. Several monasteries were built in the 8^th century by the Tibetan immigrants who settled here, though some slowly gave way to Hindu structures. The Hindu inhabitants of the region are the Gaddis who worship Shiva and Durga.

Dharamshala was developed as a summer retreat for the British and their troops, who had seized control of the town in 1848. It later became the administrative capital of Kangra in 1852. However, its days of glory were short lived, as the town suffered a serious setback and the loss of many lives with the earthquake of 1905. It took time to slowly get back to normalcy, and it really gained prominence when the Dalai Lama left Tibet and settled down in Mcleod Ganj or upper Dharamshala. He was followed by thousands of Tibetan immigrants and this part of the town is also called Little Lhasa.

Located on the Dhauladhar range, Dharamshala is divided into two parts the upper and lower. Mcleod Ganj and other surrounding areas, are in the Upper part, at an altitude of 1,800 mts. It has several monasteries and also seemed to have retained some of the colonial atmosphere of the past. The lower part has civil offices, shops and markets, and is located at an altitude of 1,250 mts.