Top 12 Places to Visit in Dalhousie

Dalhousie, a small hill station, surrounded by diverse vegetation such as oaks, pines, deodars, and flowering rhododendron. It retains much its old-world charm. And the stunning forest trails lead to breathtaking places to visit in Dalhousie. Some of these are waterfalls, springs, and rivulets, as well as wooded hills. The magnificent views from the Chamba valley and the Dhauladhar range. With its majestic snow-covered peaks, fill the entire horizon to make it beautiful.

About Himachal Pradesh’s Dalhousie

Dalhousie is located at 2039 m and sprawls across five hills: Kathlog, Potreyn, Tehra, Bakrota, and Balun. The British acquired the area from the Rajas of Chamba and named it after Lord Dalhousie (then Viceroy of India).

It was established in 1854 and was a wonderful and enjoyable summer retreat for British troops and bureaucrats. This eccentric town, which is spread over five low-level hills, houses colonial-era buildings as well as low-roofed shops and hotels.

Dalhousie’s main attractions include its lush green forests of cedar and pine, ancient temples, and the stunning landscapes of Pangi Valley and Chamba Valley.

How to Reach Dalhousie?

By Air: The nearest airport is Pathankot airport, which is 80 km. The second closest airport is Kangra-Gaggal Airport (140 km) in the province of Kangra.

By Train: Pathankot, located approximately 80 km is the nearest railway station, is connected to all major Indian cities.

By Road: Road network of Dalhousie connects well with other towns, cities, and other major Indian cities. Government and private buses are easily available. It’s the best way to visit Dalhousie to experiences its beauty and peace.

Best Time to Visit Dalhousie

Summer (March-June): The best time to visit Dalhousie is during summer. You may experience snow during the early summer, go sightseeing, and enjoy the greenery simultaneously. The air temperature will be between 18-29 degrees Celsius. The weather of Dalhousie will be just perfect to travel.

NOTE: This is the peak season so, high hotel prices and crowd is common. Prepare well before going there.

Monsoon (July-September): The air temperature will be 11-23 degrees Celsius during the monsoon. Dalhousie doesn’t receive heavy rain showers as compared to other places in Himachal Pradesh. There is little or no risk of floods and landslides. But avoid if you want to explore without canceling your plans.

Winter (October-February): Being a cold town it gets even colder during the winters. You will see snow, snow, and snow everywhere. If you want to witness snow and wanted to do snow adventure activities for a long time this is a perfect season!

Top 12 Places to Visit in Dalhousie

The cool and pleasant town; Dalhousie has many different tourist attractions like religious places namely, temples, and churches, beautiful, and green landscapes, and many exciting adventure activities like trekking, paragliding, zip line, and horse riding, etc.

The most famous and best places to visit in Dalhousie mentioned in the travellingortraveling blog are Churches, Sabha Sadar Bazar, The Mall,  Bakrota Hills, Subash Baoli and Jandrighat Palace, Panchpula and Satdara,  Lakkar Mandi and Dainkund Peak, Kalatop National Forest Sanctuary, Bara Pathar, Chamera Lake, Beeji’s park, and Khajjiar.

#1 Churches

The must-see beautiful churches of Dalhousie are St. Andrew’s Church, St. Patrick’s Church in Balun, St. John’s Church at Gandhi Chowk, and St. Francis’ Church at Subash Chowk.

Among them, the two most notable churches are St Francis’s Catholic Church at Subhash Chowk and St John’s Church (Protestant) at Gandhi Chowk. They are both small structures that stand out in the lush green. The priest of St John’s serves as the postmaster since there is no Protestant congregation currently in Dalhousie.

#2 Sabha Sadar Bazar

Sadar Bazar is where the majority of the residents live. The Bazar lost most of its glory and shops after the 1947 migration. Its tiered streets, unique tin-roofed multistory homes give it a unique character. Shops are located on the ground floor. At the end of the Bazar, you will find the Hindu Temple, Gurudwara, and Arya Samaj Mandir as well as the Mosque.

#3 The Mall

The only market in Dalhousie that allows you to shop and eat a wide variety of foods. Gandhi Chowk is the mall road in Dalhousie. On Gandhi Chowk, there is also a Tibetan Market.

Gandhi Chowk is the most popular attraction for Restaurants, Cafes, and Shopping.  After touring the nearby sightseeing sites, people come to this place in the evening. That’s why it is also crowded at night.

#4 Bakrota Hills

Bakrota or Bakrota hills is located just 4 km from the Gandhi Chowk, Dalhousie. It is completely unspoiled. There is a 5 km walk through a protected rainforest area, with stunning views and absolutely no traffic. This is an area that must be visited during a Dalhousie visit. And visits after 7 PM are not recommended because of the Bears and Leopards.

#5 Subhash Baoli and Jandrighat Palace

Jandrighat Palace lies approximately 3 km from the GPO. It is surrounded by majestic trees and was named after Subhash Chandra Bose, who spent peaceful times as a mediator during 1937. Beautiful scenery can be found along the Bakrota hills’ western edge. The Raja of Chamba owns the Palace. Wild varieties of strawberries are also present along the route.

On the way is the popular spot called Subhash Baoli. It is a natural water spring. It is claimed that Netaji Subash Chander Bose spent many hours at this spot during his sojourn in Dalhousie.

#6 Panchpula and Satdara

It is a popular spot for picnicking by a stream. Basically, it is the combination of an inviting waterfall and a peaceful picnic spot. This place carries many adventures, like zipline, and Burma bridge, etc. There’s a Samadhi of Shahid Ajit Singh just near the Panchpula. He was Shahid Bhagat Singh’s uncle, who died in Dalhousie on August 15, 1947, when his dream of independence came true.

The seven springs at Satdara are located on the road to Punjpula. This spring’s water contains mica and other minerals that are well-known for their medicinal properties.

#7 Lakkar Mandi and Dainkund Peak

Lakkar Mandi is an important landmark along the Dalhousie–Chamba road through Khajjiar. A level walk leads towards Kalatop, while another track climbs to Dainkund Peak. There are some tea stalls and country stores.

Dainkund Peak, which is at 2745 mt is the highest peak in Dalhousie, is located 10 km from the GPO road. The tall peak offers a bird’s-eye view of the valleys as well as the three rivers namely Beas, Ravi, and Chenab. These rivers run their silvery ways down the plains.

#8 Kalatop National Forest Sanctuary

Kalatop Sanctuary was declared a game sanctuary in 1949. It is between Chamba and Dalhousie at the north-western end of the Dauladhar range. The sanctuary is home to about 15 villages. It is a wildlife sanctuary that houses the Himalayan black bear and barking deer.

The reserve covers an area totaling 3069 hectares. It is typical of the outer Himalayas because it has a steep terrain. It is drained from several tributaries to the Ravi River, which lies just to its north.

#9 Bara Pathar

Bara Pather Temple, a well-known temple in Dalhousie, attracts many visitors each day. It is just 4 km from Dalhousie, is on the route to Kalatop. It settles in the serene surroundings of Chamba Valley. And is dedicated to Bhulwani Mata.

Tourists love this spot for the stunning views of the snow-clad Himalayas, and the cool, comfortable climate.  Although the stunning scenery is worth a visit to this area is beautiful. But most tourists only visit Bhulwani Mata’s Temple, located in Ahla among the thick forests.

#10 Chamera Lake

The Chamera Lake, in the Chamba district, lies at a distance of 25 km from Dalhousie. The lake is at an elevation of 1700 m. And is actually a reservoir created by the Chamera Dam. The Ravi River is the main source of water for the villager and it is constantly fed. Every tourist loves this popular tourist spot and visits it often.

#11 Beeji’s park

On the road to Khajjiar, from Dalhousie, is Beeji’s Park. Indian Army created the park to pay a rich tribute for Martyrs and their families who gave so much to send their sons to the frontier. The park features models of warships, Jeeps, warplanes, and warplanes.

#12 Khajjiar

Khajjiar is one of the best places to visit in Dalhousie and Himachal Pradesh. It is located in the Chamba District. And is famous with the name “Mini Switzerland”. Khajjiar’s history is rich, and it is closely linked to the rulers from Chamba.

Khajjiar is popular, not only because of its rich history but has many tourist attractions. Some of the popular places are the Khajjiar Lake and ancient temples dedicated to Hindu deities. Khajji Naga Shrines is also nearby.

Unlike many hill stations, Dalhousie offers a variety of tourist attractions. In fact, it was fun just moving in the car on the roads of Dalhousie. It was great looking at the scenery and the cool weather makes it all much more soothing. I think these top 14 places to visit in Dalhousie are worth visiting. And if you still have some days left then don’t forget to explore Chamba valley 😉

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