Dharamsala- Himachal Pradesh

Fast Facts

Altitude	1,380 metres
Languages	Hindi, English, Himachali
Best time to visit	April-October
STD Code	01892

A quiet retreat in the hills of the Dhauladhar range, Dharamsala is picturesque hill resort in India. Home to His Highness Dalai Lama and many Tibetan settlers, Dharamsala offers spectacular views of the Dhauladhar range. The beauty of the hill station and the Tibetan way of life has attracted travellers from around the world. So much so the hill resort Dharamsala is frequented quite often by the Hollywood star Richard Gere.

Location
Dharamsala is located in the state of Himachal Pradesh. Dhauladhar range offers a magnificent backdrop to Dharamsala, which means 'Holy Refuge'. Dharamsala is about 90 kilometres from Pathankot, 252 kilometres from Chandigarh and about 560 kilometres from Delhi, India.

Places to visit
Dharamsala has a few wonderful places that can be visited during your tour to Dharamsala. War Memorial perched amidst the pine groves was built to commemorate the post-independence war heroes of Himachal Pradesh. Kunal Pathri, a temple made out of rocks is another wonderful spot that you can visit. The temple is a short walk through the Kotwali Bazzar. If you are interested in looking ancient sculptures and paintings, Kangra Art Museum is the right place to visit. The museum showcases pottery, miniature paintings and sculptures. Dal Lake surrounded by deodar trees is another beautiful picnic spot. The lake is about 11 kilometres from Dharamsala.

Sites nearby
There are a number of nearby attractions that you can include in your tour itinerary. McLeodganj is the beautiful place that most tourists to Shimla visit. McLeodganj is also known as Little Lhasa and is dotted with monasteries. The place is also home to His Highness Dalai Lama. McLeodganj has also some wonderful eating joints that serve some excellent delicacies. Church of St John is another beautiful spot where you can visit. The church is just eight-kilometre drive from Dharamsala.

If you wish to stretch you Dharamsala tour, Chintpurni some 74 kilometres from Dharamsala is other exciting destination. It is one of the holy places in Himachal Pradesh. You can also visit Kangra Chamunda Devi, Kullu, Chamba and Dalhousie.

Visiting time
April to October is the best time to visit Dharamsala.

Where to stay
There are a number of hotels and lodges in Dharamsala. Hill Resorts in India provides online booking facility for various hotels in Dharamsala. Himachal Tourism also runs a number tourist rest house in Dharamsala.

How to reach
Gaggal is the nearest airport to Dharamsala, which is just 11 kilometres away. The most convenient railway station to Dharamsala is Pathankot, however the closest one is Kangra Mandir railway station, which is 22 kilometres from Dharamsala. Dharamsala is linked by road to other towns of Himachal Pradesh. From Pathankot, Dharamsala is 85 kilometres