Dalhousie, Himachal Pradesh

This hill station spreads over five low level hills at the western edge of the Dhauladhar range, just east of the Ravi river. Dalhousie is situated in Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh at an height of 2,039 mts. It's population size is 8,600. It receives an annual rainfall of 214 cm. Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation's (HPTDC) hotels, private hotels, cottages, guest houses, PWD & Forest rest houses provide a variety of accommodation in and around the town, in all ranges. There is Kwality restaurant at Gandhi Chowk, Milan, Metro and Moti Mahal in Subhash Chowk, which offers Indian, Continental and some Chinese food. For more authentic fare there is a small Tibetan restaurant, The Snow Lion, behind the Dalhousie cinema on the footpath which leads from the bus stand to the Mall. There are no buildings of great interest but a number of pleasant walks over the five hills.

Climate: The place is pleasent in summer and cold in winter.

Summers:The temperature varies between 30 degree Celsius. Suggeted clothing-light woolens.It is pleasent at this time.

Winters:The temperature varies between zero degree Celsius. Suggested clothing-heavy woolens and jackets. It is cold at this time.

Best time to visit:
Best time to visit Dalhousie is from April to June and September to October.

How to go there:
Dalhousie is well linked with roads and public & private transport. Nearest railhead Pathankot is 80 kms away, connecting all major towns. Kangra airport is 140 km, Jammu airport 180 km, Amritsar airport 192 km from Dalhousie. From Dalhousie, Chamba is 56 km, Delhi is 559 km, Shimla is 345 km, Chandigarh is 300 km, Mandi is 250 km and Manali is 350 km. There are direct buses to Amritsar, Jammu, Dharamsala (10 hours), Shimla (16 hours). For Shimla and Dharamsala it's far quicker to catch a bus back to Pathankot, and take another one from there. Buses or taxis are readily available from Pathankot up to Dalhousie. Indain Airlines can take one to Amritsar, 100 kms away, which again is connected to Dalhousie by regular buses and taxis. Taxis over these routes can prove expensive unless they are shared. There are also direct buses from the Interstate Bus terminal in Delhi to Banikhet near Dalhousie.

Dalhousie is well connected by bus with other destinations in Himachal Pradesh like Dharamsala and Chamba. Local services run to the village of Lakkar Mandi and the meadow of Khajjiar. There are also conducted tours during the season.

What to see:
Kalatop wildlife sanctuary : The forest is very thick and a luck is needed to sight any of the barking deer or Himalayan black bear. It's a fine place for bird watchers and the views are remarkable. There is a Forest Resthouse for those wishing to stay overnight (reservations to be made in Dalhousie). A left turn at Lakkar Mandi brings to this santuary (altitude 2,440 metres or 8,005 feet).

Something about nature:Of the Dalhousie's five hills, the most important are Portreyn, with the Sacred Heart Convent, Moti Tibba and Bakrota. Around Moti Tibba and Portreyn there is a figure-of-eight shaped Mall, a level walk, nearly half of which is restricted to pedestrians. This is the most popular place to stroll as it runs through oak, conifer and rhododendron forest. Signs warn motorists that "walking is the fashion in the hills". Black-faced langurs and rhesus macaques leap through the trees. One can sit to watch the sunset at two crossroads on the way - Subhash Chowk, site of St Francis's Catholic Church, and Gandhi Chowk, site of the Protestant St John's church and the post office. Hill ponies are available for hire and there are lines of small shops selling walking sticks and other necessities. A road leads down from Gandhi Chowk past Sat-Dhara (place of Seven Streams), where mica-rich springs trickle from the hillside to Panjpula (Five Bridges), two kms away. Here is a memorial to the uncle of the freedom-fighter and martyr, Bhagat Singh, who was executed by the Britishers. On the Panchpula road, at Luhali, is a house called Tynance where Subhash Chandra Bose came to work out his strategies, after whom Subhash Chowk is named. Subhash Baoli (1.5 km from square) is another spring. It is an easy climb and offers good views of the snow. Two kms from the post office is Jandri Ghat, the summer palace of Chamba rulers, set among tall pine trees. For a longer walk, the Bakrota Round can be tried out, which gives good views of the mountains. The Tibetans have their handicraft center at Bakrota producing carpets and beaded jewellery. Eight kms from the post office, above Bakrota, is a village called Lakkar Mandi. A right turn will take one to Dainkund Peak, known as singing Hill, because of the sound of the wind blowing through the trees.