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India » Dalhousie
 City Guide
 
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 The man and the place; a name and a hill station. Dalhousie, the gift of Lord Dalhousie to Himachal Pradesh. Its lush forests of pine, cedar and deodar attract nature-lovers, along with the usual throng of tourists seeking shelter from the sweltering heat of the plains.Set on five hills and facing the Pir Panjal range, one can view the Ravi, Beas and Chenab rivers from certain vantage points. Fold after fold of mountains, snow-capped and pristine, can be viewed from the jagged Pangi Valley, which is a trekker s paradise. If your heart beats for Kashmir, head here, for this is the only part of Himachal Pradesh that juts into Kashmir.
Whether claims that Rabindranath Tagore penned his first poem here or Subhash Chandra Bose visited it secretly hold good or not, the spectacular landscape of Dalhousie warrants a visit! |
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RAIL
Catch the Jhelum Express, Jammu-Delhi Express or Himachal Express to Pathankot. Railway station: Pathankot, 80 km away, is the nearest railhead for Dalhousie. From here, it is a two-hour uphill drive by taxi, car or bus.
ROAD
Himachal Pradesh Tourism runs deluxe buses from Shimla and Dharamsala to Dalhousie. Road routes are good via Ambala or Patiala to Pathankot. Even though the roads are not very broad, the drive upto Dalhousie is quite comfortable. Bus terminus: The bus stand is a 10-minute walk down the road from Subhash Chowk, near the Tourist Information Office.
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Climate
Summers are fairly pleasant, with temperatures ranging from 12° C to 25° C. Winters are extremely cold, with temperatures dipping as low as 2° C to 10° C.
When To Go
You will see snow during the winter in Dalhousie, while summers are pleasantly nippy. April to October would be the best time to spend a holiday in Dalhousie.
STD Code
01899
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Garam Sadak
Lined with oak, cedar and pine trees, Garam Sadak is the best walk in Dalhousie. Midway, you will see several of the stone cliffs painted with colourful images of Tibetan deities. There are no cars allowed here.
Panch Pulla
A short walk from Gandhi Chowk, Panch Pulla is where five bridges span a rushing stream. There is also a memorial that honours Ajit Singh, the famous freedom fighter and supporter of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose.
Kalatope Wildlife Sanctuary
Only about 8.5 km from Gandhi Chowk, the sanctuary houses several species, including the black bear and barking deer. It also has some very interesting birdlife.
Dainkund Peak
The 9-km walk from Gandhi Chowk to here is simply spectacular. Once here, you can see the Chenab, the Ravi and the Beas clearly, the major waterways of North India.
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 Khajjiar
Khajjiar is a favourite picnic spot for tourists located 24 km from Dalhousie. Flanked by forests, the tiny lake in the middle of the meadow is enclosed by wooden cottages or forest cabins. One could take a horse ride around. |
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| The roads along Gandhi Chowk are dotted with tiny shops selling ethnic trinkets and other souvenirs. The Himachal Handloom Industry Emporium on Thandi Sarak is a good place to buy a woollen shawl.The Tibetan Handicrafts Centre is about 3 km from Gandhi Chowk along the Khajjiar Road. The best thing about this place is that it has Tibetan carpets made to order. Other things to buy include bags and purses. |
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