Dharamshala at a glance

McLeodganj

Often called the' Little Lhasa' at 1770 m, this is the residence of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. The Tibetan government-in-exile has been here for over three decades.

The impressive monastery has larger than life images of the Buddha, Padmasambhava and Avalokteshwara. The large Tibetan community and the presence of traditional architectural designs drawn from Tibet have enhanced the area. A host of Tibetan handicrafts, curios and garments are available on sale and every Sunday, a flea-market appears.

Bhagsunath 
Close to fresh water springs, this ancient temple is 11 km from Dharamshala. It is a popular picnic spot and the famous slate quarries are close by.

Kunal Pathri 
A 3 km level walk from the Kotwali Bazaar leads up to this rock temple.

Dharmkot 
On the crest of a hill this attractive picnic spot presents a panoramic view of the Kangra valley and the Dhauladhar ranges. This is 11 km from Dharamshala.

Triund 
Based at the root of the Dhauladhar ranges,Triund is at a height of 2827m and is 17 km from Dharamshala. The snowline starts at llaqua 5 km from here. This is a popular picnic spot and trek route, with spectacular views of the mountains and valleys. There is a lovely forest rest house here.

Kareri 
22 km from Kotwali Bazzar, amidst sylvan surroundings, there is a rest house here. Surrounded by open meadows and thick woods,the Kareri lake is 13 km ahead.

Chinmaya Tapovan 
10 km from Dharamshala on the banks of the rivulet Bindu Saras, is an ashram complex established by the late Swami Chinmayananda, a noted exponent of the Gita. The complex includes a 9m high image of Lord Hanuman, a magnificent Ragunath Temple, a meditation hall, a school, and a health and recreation center.

Masrur 
13 km south of Kangra is this large, monolithic temple, similar to the temples of Ellora. With rich ornamentation, this is the only shrine carved out of live rock in north India. Images of Lord Rama, Laxman and Sita are installed here.

Tilokpur 
41 km from Dharamshala,on the highway to Pathankot, there is a cave temple with a stalactite and stalagmite dedicated to Lord Shiva.

Sujanpur Tira 
80 km from Dharamshala, this historic town is famous for its wall paintings, temples and fort. Here, the festival of holiday a major event.

Andretta 
13 km from Palampur, the famous artist S. Sobha Singh lived here for several years. A gallery houses some of his major works. Also, there is a pottery centre at Andretta.

Other Attractions :
The temple of Jawalamukhi, Chamunda Devi and Briheshweri Devi are other pilgrim centres close to Dharamshala. The forts of Kangra and Mangarh are other attractions.

Adventure Activities and Sports :
Between May and October, the Dhauladhar ranges offer an enormous variety of trekking and rock climbing. Himachal's mountaineering institute has a branch at Dharamshala.

Fishing 
The 20 km stretch of the river Beas between Nadaun and the Pong Dam offers ample opportunities in angling for mahseer.
Shopping
For local handicrafts at Kotwali bazar, Tibetan handicrafts and carpets at McLeodganj.

HOW TO GET THERE :
Air: Dharamsala can be approached by air from Delhi and the nearest Airport is at Gaggla, just 13-km away from the town.

Rail: Pathankot is 85-km and is the nearest railhead for Dharamsala. Trains from all over the country make a stop over at Pathankot and from here it is a three-hour journey to Dharamsala.

Road: From Manali too bus services are available to this place. One can drive from Delhi via Chandigarh , Kiratpur, Bilaspur and it's an 8-hours journey. From Delhi and Shimla , luxury buses ply to Dharamsala.

PLACES TO STAY 
Dharamsala's accommodation options include HPTDC's hotels, private hotels, guest houses, PWD and Forest rest houses, which are located in and around the place and are available at resonable prices.

SHOPPING 
Dharamsala offers mainly the handicraft items, which are manufactured by the local artisans. The Kotwali Bazaar is one of the main shopping areas in the town. The main attraction of the town is Tibetan carpets. These carpets are delicately woven and are decorated with vivid colours. The Motifs on these carpets are either inspired from nature or from the monuments or carry a description of some folk story of the Tibetan cultural heritage. Over all, these carpets carry a totally different style and attraction from their counterparts in Kashmir or the Persian carpets. Further the local handicrafts are also available in the market. Tibetan Textile can be purchased from the office of Tibetan handicrafts. One can always bargain items like the traditional hat, the Chubas, the traditional wear for the Tibetan women, bags, trousers etc.

CLIMATE 
As Dharamsala is located in the Himalayas, the climate is very pleasant during the summers but in winters the cold is very bad. Temperature can drop below the freezing point during the winters and heavy woollen clothes are required. During the summers the weather is mild and light woolens and cottons are recommended. The best time to visit the place is during the summers when the cold has shed its biting teeth and there is plenty of Sunshine. But avoid coming here during the monsoon months, as there is a danger of landslides.

Dharamshala at a glance : 
Area  : 5739 sq. kms.
Population : 1,149,744
Altitude : Between 1250 m to 1550 m (Dharamshala)
Languages : Hindi, Punjabi, English and Pahari are understood & spoken by the people engaged in tourism trade
Temperature Max. 38 C in June: Min. 0 C in Jan.
Annual Rainfall Varies between 290 cms. To 380 cms.
Second highest rainfall in the country
Best Season  : March to June  & September to December
Winter Clothing  : Heavy Woollens
Summer Clothing : Light Woollen and tropical

Places of Interest around Dharamshala :
Mcleod Ganj, Bhagsunag Falls, St. John's Church, Dal Lake, Dharamkot, Triund, War Memorial, Kunal Pathri, Kareri, Dehra Gopipur, Nurpur, Trilokpur, Palampur