Dalhousie

In western Himachal Pradesh, the hill station of Dalhousie is full of 'Old world' charm and holds lingering echoes of the 'Raj'. It covers an area of about 14 sq. km and is built on five hills - Kathlog, Potreyn, Tehra, Bakrota and Balun.

It is name after the British Governor - General of the l9th century, Lord Dalhousie. The town's height varies between 1,525 m and 2,378m, and it is surrounded by varied vegetation - pines, dodders, oaks and flowering rhododendron. Dalhousie has charming colonial architecture, including some beautiful churches. Its location presents panoramic views of the plains - and like a long silverline, the river Ravi twists and turns below Dalhousie. The spectacular snow-covered Dhauladhar mountains are also visible from this enchanting town.

Excursion 

Subhash Baoli 
At a distance of 1 km is Subhash Baoli, an enchanting spot surrounded by majestic trees. Subhash Chandra Bose spent a lot of time in 1937, contemplating and meditating at this place, giving it the name of Subhash Baoli.

Panchpula 
About 3 km from Dalhousie is Panchpula, a picturesque spot where a stream feeds a series of pools. A monument has been built here in memory of the freedom fighter, Sardar Ajit Singh.

Kalatop 
About 10 km from Dalhousie is this wild life sanctuary, which is a home to the 'ghoral' and Himalayan black bear.

Satdhara 
On the way to Panchpula, at an altitude of 2,036 m, these seven springs are reputed to have great therapeutic value as they contain mica with medicinal properties.

Khajjiar 
At a distance of 27 km from Dhodar the beautiful little plain of Khajjiar is one of the delightful retreats for visitors. A little golden-spired temple of Khajji Nag belonging to the 12th century and a picturesque golf course adds to the exquisite beauty of this pretty spot. A picturesque spot with an emerald, saucer shaped meadow set amidst a thick deodar forest, Khajjiar is an exact place to spend vacations.
Churches
The churches of Dalhousie are worth visiting. There are four beautiful churches in Dalhousie, which are a beauty in himself. These are St. Andrew's Church and St. Patrick's Church at Balun, St. Francis Church at Subhash Chowk and St. John's Church at Gandhi Chowk.

HOW TO GET THERE Dalhousie could be reached by a combination of air, rail and roadways or just by taking to the roadway.

Air : There is no direct flight for Dalhousie. You can end your air travel at Delhi, Shimla or Chandigarh. From there onwards you can avail the bus or the taxi services. Other options are Gaggal (near Dharamsala), Amritsar (Punjab) and Jammu (J & K) lying with 130-200 km. 

Road : Lying on the Chamba-Pathankot main road. For those heading from Pathankot should divert at Banikhet, which is just 5-6 km away from Dalhousie. Otherwise also, the places is well connected from a number of centres.

PLACES TO STAY 
Being one of the most famous hill stations of Himachal, Dalhousie is well equipped with excellent accommodation facilities. One have got the options to stay from luxury and five star hotels to small budget hotels and tourist lodges, which offer accommodation at reasonable prices.

CLIMATE 
Dalhousie ranges between 1,525m and 2,378m high from sea level. The maximum temperature of Dalhousie in summers is 30*C and the winter temperature comes down to almost O*C. Heavy woollens are required in winter and light woollens or tropicals in summer.

NEARBY CITIES 
Chamba:29-km,  Kangra:83-km, Dharamshala:92-km, Shimla:254-km Kullu : 275-km

Places of Interest
Khazziar, Panchpula , Kynance, Subhash Baoli, St. Andrew's Church, St. Patrick's Church, St. Francis' Church, St. John's Church, Laxmi Narayan Temple Shivkul, Dakshina Murti, Banikhet , Kalatop Bharmaur, Mani-Mahesh, Chhartrari