At the backdrop of mighty Dhauladhar Range, Dharamshala is a picturesque hill station and winter capital of Himachal Pradesh. Nestled in upper slopes of the Kangra valley, Dharamsala tourist spot beckons travelers with its serene landscapes, spiritual ambience and vibrant Tibetan culture. Divided in lower and uppar division It offers a great fusion of tranquility, thrill and spirituality. Today the city is home to the great Buddhist leader Dalai Lama. Apart from that Dharamshala sightseeing places offers many colonial era buildings and monuments because in the colonial era it was a British hill station. Along with its serenity the city also attracts tourists for its traditional handicraft and artefacts like Thangka Paintings, Kangra Paintings. Also heritage museums, bustling vibrant markets and cuisine will fascinate you.
1. Dharamshala Cricket Stadium (3 Km From City)
Perched at a height of 1,457 feet from the sea level, Dharamshala Cricket Stadium is known as one of the highest sports grounds in the world. Situated at the backdrop of the majestic Himalayan Range it offers the beautiful sceneries. This stadium is also known as the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) Stadium and is one of the popular Dharamshala tourist places.
It is famous for it's views that is comparable with the Adelaide Oval or Newlands. The stadium serves the practice ground for national and state cricket team. Also it hosts national and international level cricket matches. Built with the Tibetan architectural style the stadium offers the capacity of near 23,000 with all modern amenities. However the best part to watching match fro there is that it would provides unobstructed views of the matches as there is no fence in front of the seating area.
Key Attractions:- Himalayan Views, Sightseeing
Best Time To Visit:- 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
2. Namgyal Monastery (4 KM From City)
Surrounded with the gigantic mountains, Namgyal Monastery is known as one of the best monastery in Mcleodganj. It is also an famous Tibetan cultural center. It's peaceful ambience and serene beauty catches the attention of the visitors all year around. It was founded by the second Dalai Lama in the 16th century for the monks to help Dalai Lama in religious affairs.
At present it is home to Dalai Lama, the Tibetan spiritual leader that makes often called as "Dalai Lama's Temple." It is also the protecting house of the age old Tibetan cultural heritage. At present there is nearly 200 monks who resides here and work towards protecting and preserving the skills and traditions of monastery. Also if you have interest in Buddhism so you can learn Buddhists philosophy, sand mandalas, ritual chanting and dances here.
Key Attractions:- Tibetan Culture and Tradition, Meditation, Study - Tibetan Texts, Sutra and Tantra, Buddhist Philosophy
Time To Visit:- 5:00 AM - 8:30 PM
3. St. John in the Wilderness Church (2 KM From City)
Surrounded with the tall coniferous and pine trees, St. John in the Wilderness Church is one of the most visited attractions in Dharamshala. Dedicated t John the Baptist the church was built in 1852, and shows the great example of neo-gothic style of architecture. Further the intrinsic architectural beauty of the church is also captivate the eyes of the visitors.
Amid the dense forests a diminishing stone building of beautifully polished wood, brass oil lamps, stained glass windows grab the every visitors attentions. Also the church is adorned with a huge bell near the entrance that was brought especially from England in 1915. Further a memorial that dominated the environs is the elaborate stone structure erected in honor of Lord Elgin, the British Viceroy who died at Dharamshala.
Key Attractions:- Huge Bell At Entrance, Gothic Architecture,
Best Time To Visit:- 7:00 AM - 6:30 PM(Monday- Saturday) / 9:00 AM - 6:30 PM (Sunday)
4. Triund Trek (7 Km From City)
Perched at an altitude of 2,828 m, Triund is known as one of the fascinating trek of Himachal. It offers the perfect route for the trekkers that opens the gateway to the many trails like trail to the Inderahara point on the great Mt Dhauladhar. Also the trekking part offers the great scenic views of nature beauty that make it one of the great site for the adventure lovers and nature enthusiasts. It revels that trekking is one of the best things to do in Dharamshala.
The whole trek offers the wonderful vast views of the lush green meadows that added the surreal experience to the trekking of the tourists. A well-defined trail of the Triund Trek is come under the moderate to easy trek for the weekend. That runs through the thick forest of rhododendron and deodar. However the trek took nearly 6 to 7 hours but the vast plain area of trek offers the choice to pitch a tent and acclimatise if you intend to head further up. Also reaching top gives the tourists a spectacular views of Dhauladhar range.
Key Attractions:- Trekking, Rhododendron and Oak Forests Walk, Scenic Beauty, Snowfall
Best Time To Visit:- Daytime (From March to May)
5. Bhagsu Nag Temple (6 Km From City)
Nestled amid the pristine greenery of the mystical Himalaya, Bhagsu Nag Temple is one of the major attractions near Mcleodganj. It is one of the ancient temple of the town that get transform into the modern architecture after the 1905's earthquakes, by the first Gurkha Rifles stationed here. And become one of the beautiful places in Dharamshala for tourists.
Surrounded by lovely pools and lush greenery the temple catches the attention of large pool of devotees. The folk story associate to the temple formation is the 5000 years ago, Nagdevta, the snake god was drawn into a battle with a local king, Bhagsu. Who stole water from the sacred Nag Dal Lake. Since that the temple is sacred pilgrimage for the indigenous Gurkha people from the nearby villages. Along that the waterfall near the temple is another catching site for the tourists that offers short albeit delightful journey through the surrounding forests.
Key Attractions:- Lush Greenery, Holy Bath in Jaikund, Swimming Pool, Waterfalls
Best Time To Visit:- 5:00 AM - 12:00 PM/ 4:00 PM- 9:00 PM
6. Naddi View Point (1 KM From City)
Wonderful! Yes this will your words when you see the beauty of adorable Himalayan hills from the Naddi view point. The vast spreading spectacular Dhauladhar ranges will enchants the eyes of the tourists. And is one of the hot Dharamshala picnic spot.
A adventures trek and drive leads you to the Naddi View Point. Where beautiful sunset against the mountains is waiting for you. Apart from that the tourist will enjoy the photography at the high altitude of hills amid the natural sceneries. Other things that give joy to the tourists is the telescope views of the the distant mountains from here. However the beautiful vicinity of view point is also known for it's conjunction to sever treks and provide the starting point for example :- Triund, Kareri Lake and Dharamkot.
Key Attractions:- Spectacular Hill Views, Snow Peak, Photography, Trekking
Time To Visit:- Evening
7. McLeodganj (5 Km From City)
Nestled in the majestic Dhauladhar Range and lush greenery Mcleodganj that also spelt McLeodganj is a one of the paradise for the natural lover and sight seekers of Himachal Pradesh. Nestled in Kangra district, It is one of the top tourist attraction that offers beauty of green landscape, ancient temples, Tibetan culture and monasteries.
The pristine ambience that pop up with the rich Tibetan culture and heritage also attract large number of the tourists from all corner of the world. Vibrant colorful Monastery of the Tibetan flourished between the beautiful landscape exquisite scenery that captivate the eyes of the tourists. The town is also famous for being home to the world-renowned Tibetan spiritual leader the 14th Dalai Lama. Apart from that the town is also the home of the ancient temples and picturesque surroundings. The town gets it's beauty when the dropping snow flank the city with it's enchanted aroma that get's mixed with the air of the surroundings of the town look like the heaven to the tourists.
Key Attractions:- Kalachakra Temple, The Tibet Museum, Triund, Namgyal Monastery, Shri Guna Devi Mandir, Indru Nag Temple, Bhagsu Nag Waterfall, Sunset Views, Trekking, Camping, Hiking, Paragliding
Best Time To Visit:- From October to June
8. Chamunda Devi Temple (15 Km From City)
Nestled in heart of Dharamshala, Chamunda Devi Temple is one of the most important spiritual sites in the region. The temples was built by the Raja Umed Singh, of the Jodhpur city of Rajasthan in 1762. This temple is fully constructed by the wood and is known as one of the oldest monuments found in Chamba distirct of state.
Surrounded with the serene environs and spread over the vast landscape the temple catches the attention of every tourists of the town. The temple is dedicated to Goddess Kali and considered as one of the great pilgrimage center. It is also said that Chamunda Devi Temple is one of the nine temples (nau devi yatra) that are a part of the ritualistic pilgrimage across north India for many devotees. It is one of the most visited Dharamshala places to see while exploring the town.
Key Attractions:- Holy Pond, Old Tree, Meditation
Best Time To Visit:- 6:00 AM - 9: PM
9. Masroor Temple (26 KM From City)
Away from the city center, Masroor Temple is one of the key attraction in Mcleodganj for the tourists in the northern part of India. The temple complex is one of the great example of the rock cut temple nestled in the wonderful ambience of the hill city. Along that the archeological reminisce of the temple makes it one of the must visited site of the Mcleodganj.
The beautiful temple is known as the Himalayan Pyramid due to it's splendid and tall structures. All the 15 temples here are believed to have been carved out of a single rock. As you enters the temple complex, a mesmerized reflection of beautiful temple in the Masroor Lake enchants the eyes of the devotees. Further the temple is built in the shikhara (spire) style of architecture and resonate to the temples dating back to the monolithic age. However it shares a stark resemblance with the temples at Cambodia's Angkor Wat, Mumbai's Elephanta Caves and Mahabalipuram.
Key Attractions:- Rock Cut Temple, Indo- Aryan Architecture, Monolithic Construction
Best Time To Visit:- 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
10. War Memorial (2 Km From City)
Amid the beauty of Himalayan charm, War Memorial of Dharamshala capture the attention of the visitors. Nestled in the heart of forests the war memorial commemorate the proud memory soldiers bravery during the Indo-China war of 1947-48, 1962, 1965 and 1971. Along that the memorial also engraved the name of brave soldiers of Kangra who lost their lives as war heroes.
Flourish with the nature abundance, the war memorial is a place of great proud and tranquility. As you reach the memorial the three vast panels of black stone nearly height of 24 feet of each withhold the memory of war. Surrounded with the verdant beauty of pine forest the memorial offers the lush gardens reachable with a quaint walkway. Meanwhile the café and local shops near by the monuments offers visitors snacks and drinks.
Key Attractions:- Pine Forests, Sightseeing, Gardens
Best Time To Visit:- 6:00 AM - 8:00 PM
