Dalhousie (Himachal Pradesh)

Standing at the foot of the spectacular Dhauladhar range of the Himalayas, is the popular hill - station of Dalhousie, that covers an area of around 14 sq.km, and is sprawled over five hills - Kathlog, Portreyn, Moti Tibba (formerly known as Tehra), Bakrota and Balun. A resort that still exudes an old worldly charm, Dalhousie has retained much of the British Raj style. It has been named after the famous British Governor - General, Lord.

The lush cover of vegetation that adorns the town comprises of towering pines, deodars, oaks, and the beautiful rhododendron plants. Dalhousie also houses many fine specimens of colonial architecture especially, its old churches. The views that the resort has to offer are alone, worth a visit - to the north, one can gaze at the majestic mountains of the Dhauladhar range, that culminate in the Pir Panjal mountains of Kashmir, to the south, the plains of Punjab are discernible. Far below, the beautiful river Ravi can be sighted meandering its way through the plains.

Places of Interest

Churches
The St. Andrew's Church, St. Patrick's Church at Balun, St. Francis' Church at Subhash Chowk, and St. John's Church at Gandhi Chowk, are some of the beautiful churches that Dalhousie houses.

Panchpula
An idyllic area where a charming stream feeds several pools, Panchpula (Five Bridges) is the site, where a monument dedicated to the great freedom fighter, Bhagat Singh's uncle, Sardar Ajit Singh, has been built.

Subhash Baoli
This captivating spot, surrounded by soaring trees, served as the great Subhash Chandra Bose's retreat.

Bara Pathar
4 km the prime appeal of this spot is a fascinating little temple set in the midst of a dense forest.

Adventure
Numerous trekking - routes emerge out of the Dalhousie - Khajjiar - Chamba triangle and there are some trek - routes within it too, like, Chamba to Bharmour, Chamba to Palampur (over the Dhauladhar ranges), Chamba to Pangi, and Bharmour to Keylong via Kugti Pass.

Population: 39581

Best time to visit: March to September

Excursion

Kalatope (2440 m)
Its scenic splendor, forest rest house and fine views of the surrounding country make it an ideal spot for a weekend retreat. The little Kalatope Sanctuary has a variety of wildlife. (8.5 kms)


Khajjiar (1851 m)
While it is possible to go by road, Khajjiar is just a pleasant one-day walk from Dalhousie (22 km). A picturesque spot with an, emerald, saucer shaped meadow set amidst a dense deodar forest, it has a lake at its center with a floating island, a forest rest house, a little temple with a golden spire and a golf course.


Chamba
Just 56 km from Dalhousie, situated at a height of 996 m above sea level, Chamba still has a medieval feel about it. Founded in 920AD by Raja Sahil Varma, the little town, perched on a plateau overhanging the river Ravi, was named after his favourite daughter Champavati. Isolated by the high mountains in its beautiful valley, Chamba was allowed over the centuries to develop its own rich style of Pahari art and architecture.

How to get there

By Air:
There is no direct flight to Dalhousie. To reach Dalhousie you have to travel by air to the nearest airport which are Amritsar Airport (192 km), Jammu Airport (190 km) and Gaggal Airport in Kangra (135 km) for Dalhousie.

By Rail:
Pathankot (in Punjab is the nearest railway station), it takes 2-3 hours by car and around 5 hours by locally run bus. The bus stop is five minute from the train. The local bus run every couple of hours and you can buy tickets on the spot.

By Road:
You can take a by road journey from Chandigarh and Delhi. There are many ways to go from here by taking buses, taxis and tourist vehicles.