Destinations
Chamba and Dalhousie
The quiet north-west corner. Stone temples a thousand years old at Chamba, cedar walks above Dalhousie, the meadow at Khajjiar. Nothing in Himachal is gentler than this.
Suits — couples, slow travel, older parents
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The north-west corner of the state, and the part that gets left off most itineraries because it is not on the way to anywhere. That is precisely what recommends it.
Dalhousie was built in the 1850s as a place for people to do very little, and it has never really taken on another purpose. The walks are flat and shaded. The views are down into the Ravi valley. There is not a great deal to see and you are not expected to see it.
Chamba, an hour and a half below, is the opposite — a working town that happens to be older than almost anything else in Himachal, with temples that were standing before Delhi existed in any recognisable form.
This is where we send people who tell us somebody in the group cannot manage long days in the car.
- Altitude
- 1,970m at Dalhousie, 1,950m at Khajjiar, 1,000m at Chamba
- From Dharamshala
- 3–4 hours
- From Amritsar
- 4–5 hours
- Nearest airport
- Gaggal (Kangra) or Amritsar
- Give it
- Three days
- Best months
- March to June, and September to November. Snow at Dalhousie in January.
Worth your time
What to actually go and see
Khajjiar
A meadow with a small lake in the middle, ringed by deodar, an hour from Dalhousie. Go first thing — by midday in season there are horse rides and a good deal of noise.
The Chamba temples
The Lakshmi Narayan group dates from the tenth century and is still in daily use. Chamba was the seat of a kingdom for a thousand years and has the stone carving to prove it. The Bhuri Singh museum next door is small and very good.
Garam Sarak and Thandi Sarak
The two roads that circle Dalhousie — the sunny one and the shady one. Flat, about an hour each, and the best thing to do here.
Kalatop wildlife sanctuary
Cedar and oak forest between Dalhousie and Khajjiar, with marked walks through it. Deer, and occasionally more than that.
Panchpula and Subhash Baoli
Short walks out of Dalhousie, both under half an hour, both with a view down the Ravi valley.
The Ravi valley towards Bharmour
Further up, and much less visited. The Chaurasi temple complex at Bharmour is eighth century. It is a longer drive on a rougher road and worth it if you have the day.
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Places in Chamba and Dalhousie
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