This tour package of Dharmsala. Mcleodganj and Kangra covers the area in full detail and helps you relax close to nature. If you want to enjoy the beauty of peaceful mountains, some beautiful natural and man made attractions and company of simple mountain folk or even solitude, this tour is one of the best choices.
Pickup from Chandigarh, Amritsar or Delhi and arrival in Mcleodganj, Dhamrsala. Rest and shower in hotel or guest house after check in. We can walk around in the local bazar and take a look at the wares, cheap jewellery and souvenirs being sold by the local Tibetans.
This day is devoted to sightseeing and understanding the culture of Kangra. We’ll first drive to ancient and historically important Kangra fort and spend a few hours there taking in the views and a small history lesson. Then it’s time to visit Kangra museum and the War Memorial. Then we’ll drive to Machiral temple and visit hot water springs of Tatwani to relax in it’s therapeutic waters and recover some energy. The waterfall in Machiral is one of the biggest in region. Drive back to hotel after that.
This day will be spent in Mcleodganj, the capital of Tibetan government in exile and residence of Dalai Lama. The day will begin with a visit to Tsuglagkhang monastery. It contains three major idols of Sakyamuni Buddha, Avalokitesvara and Padmasambhava which are made of gilded bronze. This place is spiritually very important for Tibetan Buddhists and people from all over the world come here to pray and meditate. You can see monks from diverse backgrounds meditating or debating in their colourful manner. Then we’ll visit Norbulingka (meaning Jewel Garden) Institute, which is an important place of Tibetan studies and culture and arts. It’s a great place to look at and buy Tibetan art, books etc. Last stop for the day will be Dip Thekchen Choeling Monastery with it’s museum and golden roof.
This day will be spent in lap of nature to recharge your batteries and to reflect on the things that you learnt in previous 2 days. We’ll first drive or walk to St John’s Church in Wilderness which is nestled between thick groves of pine trees at a very picturesque spot. It was built in 1852 with black stone and looks really pretty surrounded by trees from all sides. Then it’s time to visit ancient Bhagsunag temple and a walk to Bhagsu waterfall nearby. The temple is ancient with dozens of stories associated with it but has been renovated recently. After this, we’ll walk or drive through the winding mountain roads and trails to visit Dal Lake which is situated at the base of a hill covered with dense cover of trees. There is a small temple nearby which you can visit. Further on, we’ll visit Naddi where the road ends and enjoy the view of sunset over mountain ranges.
This is one place about which not many people know about and miss. But it’s still a great place to visit if you love hiking and water. We’ll first drive to a place called Gallu ka Mandir in Dharmkot and take a trail which leads to the waterfall. It’s a walk of around 5 km and through jungle but the altitude doesn’t change much. There is a pretty mountain stream flowing down the slope forming a beautiful waterfall at the end. Your exertion is rewarded by a cup of hot steaming tea and snacks from a small shop which operates there for a few months of the year. We’ll then walk back to our car to reach Mcleodganj and take a walk through the streets and enjoy the dinner in any of the restaurants.
This 9 km (one way) trek is the absolute must do for anyone visiting Mcleodganj. By difficulty, it’s classified as easy to medium and can be completed in one day. The trek begins from Dharmkot and the trail takes you through a beautiful jungle full of countless trees, flowers, butterflies and birds. The walk is rewarded by a stunning view of Dhualdhar mountain ranges on Triund ridge. It’s also possible to walk to the snowline and extend the trek to Triund Snowline trek or spend the night in Triund in a camp to make it a 2 days camping and trekking journey. Night back in hotel for a hot shower to relax tired limbs.
After breakfast, it’s the time for drive back home to end this journey.