Weekend Retreat: Top 9 Sites to Visit on Your Short Trip to Dharamshala

 As a municipal council in the Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh, Dharamsala has a long history and has endured natural disasters, human invasions, and settlements. From the Royal families to the British government to the present government, it has seen the emergence of a variety of ruling parties. Dharamsala is a popular summer destination for tourists around the world because of its natural beauty. In a nutshell, the city has many things to offer in terms of historical importance and many attractions in lieu for nature lovers. In addition to budget and star rated hotels, the city also offers many other attractions in lieu of nature lovers.

As part of our Himachal Pradesh trip, I also included Mcleodganj and Dharamshala. We were able to cover Dharamshala and Mcleodganj efficiently in a short period of time. The original plan had been to trek and relax in Dharamshala, but fate had other plans, so we dropped our trek plan and visited local attractions instead.

A few hours drive from the nearest railway station or airport makes Dharamsala easily accessible by road, air, and railway. It does not have its own railway station or airport, but you can reach it by car. In addition to having good roads, there are separate roads for trucks, buses, and heavy vehicles, making it convenient for tourists and locals to travel around the city.

Dharamshala Cricket Stadium
In our first visit, we visited the Dharamshala cricket stadium, one of the most beautiful cricket grounds in the world. The stadium is surrounded by snowcapped mountains. In order to enter the stadium, we had to pay a small entrance fee. I had never been to a cricket stadium before, but Dharamshala was a great experience. In the past, I watched football at FC Barcelona stadium and baseball at PNC Park in Pittsburgh.

War Memorial, Dharamshala
A war memorial was next in order to remember the Himachali martyrs who died while defending the country. The striking feature is the three curved walls in black marble bearing the inscribed names of martyrs on five faces and a mural on the sixth face. This was a place to honor the sacrifices made by our soldiers.

Naddi View Point

As soon as we arrived at Dharamkot, we checked into our hotel and headed to the Naddi viewpoint. It is a great place to visit in the evening if you want to see the snow-clad Dhauladar mountains. They look so close to the road. People were taking a closer look at the mountains with telescopes for a small fee.

The sunset spot at Naddi is known for its beauty. Following our view of the Dhauladhar range, we went to the sunset viewing area. Many restaurants had taken over the vantage points, so we had to find some “free” ones. In this regard, an under-construction building helped us. As we watched the sunset, we felt peaceful. It is nothing in comparison with Srinagar’s Dal Lake. This small lake was dry when we visited it. We did not even slow down as we passed through it!

But the road to Dharamkot is narrow and steep. It is possible for one car to pass through at some places. Also, few hotels can only be reached by foot. Dharamkot has hippie vibe and is a favourite location for foreigners and backpackers. We spotted Vegan, Mexican, Italian, Mediterranean and many other cuisines. It was a welcome break from omni present Punjabi restaurants.

Bhagsunag Temple & Waterfalls
During our second day at Dharmakot, we visited the Bhagsunag temple and waterfalls. The best time to visit Bhagsunag temple was in the morning as it gets crowded during the day. The unique feature of Bhagsunag temple is that it has a swimming pool. I was impressed by its swimming pool.

The Bhasunag waterfalls are a kilometre from the temple. It was a pleasant walk for us as the surroundings were beautiful. The climb was gradual, and we walked without any difficulty. There was a pool at its base, and Bhagsunag is one of two entry points for the Triund trek.

Namgyal Monastery
As the Dalai Lama’s home and office, this is also known as the Dalai Lama temple. The atmosphere was very peaceful and beautiful. The snow-clad mountains add to the beauty of this monastery. It is a very well-organized place. If you wish to see the Dalai Lama, you should plan accordingly.

St. John in the Wilderness
Having seen a Hindu and a Buddhist temple, we were now ready to see a church. As we drove from McLeod Ganj to Dharamshala, a church appeared on our route. Surrounded by deodar trees, it was a serene place. I think the name of the church comes from its forest surroundings. It looks unique because of its neo-gothic architecture. We enjoyed the peace of the area.

Tea gardens
During our second visit to Dharamsala town, our driver suggested visiting the tea garden nearby. This is a typical picnic spot for taking pictures and making portraits. You can also buy tea at a small factory outlet.

Norbulingka Institute
Although there are many art studios inside the campus, I liked the doll museum displaying Tibetan scenes and the “Seat of Happiness” temple the most.

Kangra fort
I added Kangra fort to our itinerary as it seemed attractive, despite being far from Dharamsala. The Kangra fort looked formidable from the outside as our driver said he had not visited it in a long time. At the confluence of the Banganga and Manjhi rivers, this fort overlooks the vast Kangra valley. The hill serves as a natural fortification for the fort.

It took us more than 1.5 hours to see the prominent places in this fort, since it is a huge fort. This fort contains several gates, palaces, temples, and residential buildings. It deserves a separate post. After an action-packed day, we returned to Dharamkot for a rest.

Places to stay
Many travelers want to stay longer in Dharamshala despite its beauty and serenity, but the cost of living here can be prohibitive for some. There are many good hotels in Dharamshala and very good studio apartment & hotel in Mcleodganj that make it easy for travelers to explore Dharamshala at an affordable price.