Dalhousie Travel Guide: Itinerary, Hotels, Cost & Things to Do

12 Photographs to tempt you to plan a trip to Dalhousie & Khajjiar, Himachal Pradesh

Planning a trip to Dalhousie? This detailed guide covers everything—top places to visit, where to stay, itinerary, travel routes, and cost breakdown—so you can plan a peaceful and memorable mountain getaway.

Known for its colonial charm, pine-covered valleys, and slow pace, Dalhousie is perfect for travelers looking to unwind away from crowded hill stations like Shimla or Manali.

📌 Quick Overview

  • Best time to visit: March–June, September–November
  • Ideal duration: 2–3 days
  • Budget range: ₹3,500 – ₹12,000 per day
  • Best for: Couples, families, slow travelers, nature lovers

🌄 Why Visit Dalhousie?

Dalhousie offers:

  • Quiet landscapes and scenic viewpoints
  • Colonial-era architecture
  • Easy access to nearby gems like Khajjiar

It’s a destination where you don’t rush—you slow down and absorb the mountains.

A visit in an year to Khajjiar has made me click less photographs and rather experience different weather there. I was in Khajjiar during monsoons and this is probably the best season to experience lush green landscapes all around. Khajjiar, at times, is not accessible during winters because roads get closed due to snowfallThis is the first view of Khajjiar lake when you are coming from Dalhousie. This is the point where you should start looking for parking slot. Road condition is usually not very good during monsoons. Maintaining roads in hills is very challenging, but still Himachal has been aggressive in maintaining it's roads. Especially roads in tourist regions.During Monsoons, it's very important to keep umbrella with you, even if sun is shining and there is no patch of clouds. This change in minutes and hence very unpredictable. Our day started with clear sky and by the time we reached Khajjiar it started raining heavily. Fortunately we were carrying few umbrellas and borrowed one from our cab driver.While it was raining, we took a table in one of the restaurants around Khajjiar Lake. It was lunch time and we thought of utilizing this time and had lunch. I am forgetting the name of the place where we had lunch and it was good Punjabi food.A few kilometers ahead there is a temple with this huge Shiva idol. Now let me share a very useful tip. If you came to Khajjiar from Dalhousie in a bus and want to go back in bus only. Reach this place 30 minutes back. Usually there are lot of folks who board bus in Khajjiar and it becomes very challenging to get in. Since this temple is a stop before Khajjiar, there is good probability to get in comfortably and also find a seat. There are 2 buses from Khajjiar to Dalhousie between 1pm to 3pm.So if you come early in the morning, the timings would suit you.These days paragliding is also quite popular activity around Khajjiar. One flies from a surrounding hill. You need to climb of the hill, so be sure about it. After flight, depending upon the flow of wind you can have a top view of Khajiar, but landing happens in village behind the shiva temple. I haven't done paragliding here so don't know the charges. Bir Billing is best place for Paragliding in Himachal Pradesh and I had that experience.Another view of Shiva from road connecting Khajjiar with ChambaMonsoon is a good time to taste local produce. Local cucumber is much tastier than what we get in cities through cold storage. During Monsoons, you would see lot of folks selling fresh fruit salad around Khajjiar and what can be best snack when travelling in himalayas.Clouds make this place more beautiful. I made some videos of clouds covering this place and going upwards to play in woods, but unfortunately we lost those videos due to card corruption. As I see some herbs vendor in above photograph, so let me warn you about a group of folks who sell you local herbs (don't know what that means and I never bought). But I have heard bad experiences of folks who dealt with these vendors. Please note that most of them are not local folks. and things they sell are not locally produced. They bring stuff from Jammu or Pathankot and sell to tourists. So if you can judge the originality of stuff being sold, go have a talk. Otherwise avoid even talking. Pre-wedding shoots and post wedding shoots are getting popular in our country. And I noticed lot of couples here at Khajjiar with professional photographers. Some of these photographers roam around the lake and click photographs to hand-over in form of prints. Some of the photographers had come with couples, were indulged in finding appropriate location and guiding these couples for some unique shots.I also wanted to do a shoot with my model, but this time she was acting like celebrities. And even weather was not favoring us. So this time, I couldn't click much.Here is path outside the green meadows, which is used for horse riding. You can hire a horse to have a round of Khajiar or roam around the neighboring villages. I never took the other route where these folks promise to show village and apple orchards. Carefully notice this photograph. Imagine the view when these clouds are slowing coming out of these forests. This was the best moment and experience at Khajjiar.There are lot vendors selling toys for kids. Urvi also wanted few but settled at one, which didn't reach home safely :). We had long day, so that was expected... I like some of these things at tourist places which provide opportunities for local folks. Some selling these toys, few making fruit salad and others selling juicy bhuttas. And all these things are also available at reasonable costs if you compare with prices quoted in bigger cities like Delhi. And it's not about money, it's more about purity and love of these local folks.This was shot when I was just leaving for Chamba. These colorful baloons in front of these green landscapes looked awesome. Over the years I have seen this place transforming, in good as well as bad ways. Local authorities don't allow people to play any kind of sport on these lawns but there areNames of horses around Khajjiar are very interesting :) ... Romeo, Chetak etc.. If you intend to stay around Khajjiar, there are 3 reasonable options - HPTDC hotel, HPPWD Guest-House and Forest Guest-House. Apart from there are there are various private properties.

🗺️ Top Places to Visit in Dalhousie

A visit in an year to Khajjiar has made me click less photographs and rather experience different weather there. I was in Khajjiar during monsoons and this is probably the best season to experience lush green landscapes all around. Khajjiar, at times, is not accessible during winters because roads get closed due to snowfallThis is the first view of Khajjiar lake when you are coming from Dalhousie. This is the point where you should start looking for parking slot. Road condition is usually not very good during monsoons. Maintaining roads in hills is very challenging, but still Himachal has been aggressive in maintaining it's roads. Especially roads in tourist regions.During Monsoons, it's very important to keep umbrella with you, even if sun is shining and there is no patch of clouds. This change in minutes and hence very unpredictable. Our day started with clear sky and by the time we reached Khajjiar it started raining heavily. Fortunately we were carrying few umbrellas and borrowed one from our cab driver.While it was raining, we took a table in one of the restaurants around Khajjiar Lake. It was lunch time and we thought of utilizing this time and had lunch. I am forgetting the name of the place where we had lunch and it was good Punjabi food.A few kilometers ahead there is a temple with this huge Shiva idol. Now let me share a very useful tip. If you came to Khajjiar from Dalhousie in a bus and want to go back in bus only. Reach this place 30 minutes back. Usually there are lot of folks who board bus in Khajjiar and it becomes very challenging to get in. Since this temple is a stop before Khajjiar, there is good probability to get in comfortably and also find a seat. There are 2 buses from Khajjiar to Dalhousie between 1pm to 3pm.So if you come early in the morning, the timings would suit you.These days paragliding is also quite popular activity around Khajjiar. One flies from a surrounding hill. You need to climb of the hill, so be sure about it. After flight, depending upon the flow of wind you can have a top view of Khajiar, but landing happens in village behind the shiva temple. I haven't done paragliding here so don't know the charges. Bir Billing is best place for Paragliding in Himachal Pradesh and I had that experience.Another view of Shiva from road connecting Khajjiar with ChambaMonsoon is a good time to taste local produce. Local cucumber is much tastier than what we get in cities through cold storage. During Monsoons, you would see lot of folks selling fresh fruit salad around Khajjiar and what can be best snack when travelling in himalayas.Clouds make this place more beautiful. I made some videos of clouds covering this place and going upwards to play in woods, but unfortunately we lost those videos due to card corruption. As I see some herbs vendor in above photograph, so let me warn you about a group of folks who sell you local herbs (don't know what that means and I never bought). But I have heard bad experiences of folks who dealt with these vendors. Please note that most of them are not local folks. and things they sell are not locally produced. They bring stuff from Jammu or Pathankot and sell to tourists. So if you can judge the originality of stuff being sold, go have a talk. Otherwise avoid even talking. Pre-wedding shoots and post wedding shoots are getting popular in our country. And I noticed lot of couples here at Khajjiar with professional photographers. Some of these photographers roam around the lake and click photographs to hand-over in form of prints. Some of the photographers had come with couples, were indulged in finding appropriate location and guiding these couples for some unique shots.I also wanted to do a shoot with my model, but this time she was acting like celebrities. And even weather was not favoring us. So this time, I couldn't click much.Here is path outside the green meadows, which is used for horse riding. You can hire a horse to have a round of Khajiar or roam around the neighboring villages. I never took the other route where these folks promise to show village and apple orchards. Carefully notice this photograph. Imagine the view when these clouds are slowing coming out of these forests. This was the best moment and experience at Khajjiar.There are lot vendors selling toys for kids. Urvi also wanted few but settled at one, which didn't reach home safely :). We had long day, so that was expected... I like some of these things at tourist places which provide opportunities for local folks. Some selling these toys, few making fruit salad and others selling juicy bhuttas. And all these things are also available at reasonable costs if you compare with prices quoted in bigger cities like Delhi. And it's not about money, it's more about purity and love of these local folks.This was shot when I was just leaving for Chamba. These colorful baloons in front of these green landscapes looked awesome. Over the years I have seen this place transforming, in good as well as bad ways. Local authorities don't allow people to play any kind of sport on these lawns but there areNames of horses around Khajjiar are very interesting :) ... Romeo, Chetak etc.. If you intend to stay around Khajjiar, there are 3 reasonable options - HPTDC hotel, HPPWD Guest-House and Forest Guest-House. Apart from there are there are various private properties.

1. Khajjiar (Mini Switzerland of India)

  • Khajjiar

Highlights:

  • Lush green meadows
  • Dense forests
  • Open landscapes ideal for relaxation

During my recent visit to Dalhousie, we planned to do a small trek to Dainkund (Temple Pohlani). This Photo Journey shares about our experience through clouds and how we beaten the rain. And if you are in Dalhousie during Monsoon, this trek is highly recommended. You literally walks through clouds and it's an easy trek.We drove through Kala Top to the base of this trek, which is entry gate of Air force base. We parked our car there and started the trek. There is well paved path for 1 km, which is maintained by temple authority. This path certainly made our lives easy during monsoons.This is a view after walking up for 250 meters. This road goes down to Dalhousie and Kala Top.As we started the trek, rain started and we thought of skipping it and going to Khajjiar instead. But in few minutes we encouraged each other to use umbrellas and start climbing up. And at the end it proved to be rewarding.Clouds were playing hide and seek with us. At times, they were chasing us and in few minutes sun was shining by clearing them away.Throughout the trek you are exposed to some breathtaking views of valley full of high deodars and birds flying all around. We saw few colorful butterflies on our way but couldn't click them well.We did the trek at our own pace. Stopped many times and enjoyed quick snacks which we were carrying with us. And Urvi was always ready to pose :)On the way, there is a temple which is 2.5 kilometers away from road. Lot of local folks visit this temple. Interesting most of the temples in this region don't have roofs. There is a little shop near the temple from where you can buy snacks and juices.While walking through the mountains, Vibha pointed towards this cloud form. With a smile she says - 'doesn't it look like a giraffe?'. Do you think so?There is a beautiful view through clouds. Most of the times clouds stopped our view of surroundings but such views through clouds were very special.This is 3 kilometers trek which means you need to walk for 6 kilometers. And we had 3 years old trekker with us. Mentioning that to share that anyone can do this trek. It's very easy and the experience can be very rewarding. On a clear day, Khajjiar is visible from top.Panoramic views from top were mesmerizing.There is small shelter on the way. We took a break here where it started raining heavily.Every now and then we were stopping to views awesome scenes all around us. Here Urvi is trying to locate Khajjiar :)Not sure what Indu is trying to do on phone because there is no signal on these hills :) . Probably checking the photograph she just clicked with her phone.We reached there quite early and met this gentleman. He offers horse riding to tourists coming to this place.Urvi loved walking throughout and showing some interesting views to us. Vibha and Urvi were most observant from the lot.It was time to head back and don't miss to watch time-lapse videos shared below.

2. Dainkund Peak (Highest Point)

  • Dainkund Peak

Famous for:

  • Panoramic views
  • Peaceful surroundings
  • Short hike experience

Recently I was in Dalhousie to visit my niece and during one of the days we planned to walk around the mall road in Dalhousie town This Photo Journey shares about some of the interesting places on mall road and few tips for folks planning to visit Dalhousie.Gandhi Chowk is probably the most happening place in Dalhousie town. Dalhousie town is comparatively a smaller town as compared to other popular hill stations and that's why it's a peaceful place. Although don't expect this peaceful enviornment during summers :), which lot of folks from Punjab come here with their kids to spend vacations. Gandhi Chowk is a good place for shopping in Dalhousie. Check out Apple products and some fruit wines produced in Himachal. We also bough few packs of apple pickle, which is yet to be tasted :)These beautiful snow covered mountains of Pir Panjal can be seen from Gandhi Chowk. First two photographs are clicked at Gandhi Chowk. The popular St John's church is situated on Gandhi Chowk and the very first photograph in this Photo Journey shows the same.Mall road connects Gandhi Chowk with Subhash chowk on other side of the town. This whole road overlooks at the beautiful Pir Panjal mountain ranges covered with snow. These hills had got fresh snowfall few days back and they were looking awesome. In above photograph, the bottom part shows cantt area of Dalhousie which is next to Banikhet. The clouds around these snow capped hills were continuously changing the hues and every shade was looking brilliant. Throughout the mall road, various seating arrangement are done. All these places are quite cleaner. These places are so beautifully designed that you feel like taking a pause and sit there to enjoy the brilliant of nature around Dalhousie. Above is one of the views from Mall road. This is Ravi river which keeps changing her views during the day. Many times, it's not even visible because of dense clouds all around Dalhousie town. During 3 days stay, we saw Ravi 2 times for short span of time.Mall road in Dalhousie has some of the exceptional private properties, which are quite expensive as well. Above is not a house but a school near church. I intentionally avoided clicking any personal property there.Clouds keep playing around the town and within minutes you see very contrasting enviornment. Completely hazy view at one moment and bright/clear view after a few minutes. Imagine clouds passing by you and indicating that be ready for showers in a while, so plan accordingly :).After walking through the Mall road we finally hit Subhash Chowk which exposes you to the green valley on the opposite side of snow covered Pir Panjal mountain ranges. St. Francis church is located on Subhash chowk, which is much bigger than the one on Gandhi Chowk. There is a small space in this campus, which is dedicated to colorful birds, rabits, ducks. We had a quick round of this church and got down to the Mall road for tea. Urvi, my niece, was sleeping by that time and we wanted to head back now. We called our taxi guy and headed to the home which is 4 kilometers from Dalhousie town.Apart from the Mall road, there is another smaller and beautiful pathway which connected Subhash Chowk with Gandhi Chowk. This is supposedly the preferred route for local folks who want to same time and energy :), but tourists love the Mall road walk because it exposes you to brilliant views of Himalayas. The whole Mall road is surrounded by Deodar trees which add more to the beauty of this town. Dalhousie has been one of my favorite towns and I like the fact that it's not becoming concrete jungle like other hills stations (Shimla, Mussourie etc.)Do drop us a comment, if you want know more about the place or have some specific queries.

3. St. John’s Church

  • St. John's Church
Recently I was in Dalhousie to visit my niece and during one of the days we planned to walk around the mall road in Dalhousie town This Photo Journey shares about some of the interesting places on mall road and few tips for folks planning to visit Dalhousie.Gandhi Chowk is probably the most happening place in Dalhousie town. Dalhousie town is comparatively a smaller town as compared to other popular hill stations and that's why it's a peaceful place. Although don't expect this peaceful enviornment during summers :), which lot of folks from Punjab come here with their kids to spend vacations. Gandhi Chowk is a good place for shopping in Dalhousie. Check out Apple products and some fruit wines produced in Himachal. We also bough few packs of apple pickle, which is yet to be tasted :)These beautiful snow covered mountains of Pir Panjal can be seen from Gandhi Chowk. First two photographs are clicked at Gandhi Chowk. The popular St John's church is situated on Gandhi Chowk and the very first photograph in this Photo Journey shows the same.Mall road connects Gandhi Chowk with Subhash chowk on other side of the town. This whole road overlooks at the beautiful Pir Panjal mountain ranges covered with snow. These hills had got fresh snowfall few days back and they were looking awesome. In above photograph, the bottom part shows cantt area of Dalhousie which is next to Banikhet. The clouds around these snow capped hills were continuously changing the hues and every shade was looking brilliant. Throughout the mall road, various seating arrangement are done. All these places are quite cleaner. These places are so beautifully designed that you feel like taking a pause and sit there to enjoy the brilliant of nature around Dalhousie. Above is one of the views from Mall road. This is Ravi river which keeps changing her views during the day. Many times, it's not even visible because of dense clouds all around Dalhousie town. During 3 days stay, we saw Ravi 2 times for short span of time.Mall road in Dalhousie has some of the exceptional private properties, which are quite expensive as well. Above is not a house but a school near church. I intentionally avoided clicking any personal property there.Clouds keep playing around the town and within minutes you see very contrasting enviornment. Completely hazy view at one moment and bright/clear view after a few minutes. Imagine clouds passing by you and indicating that be ready for showers in a while, so plan accordingly :).After walking through the Mall road we finally hit Subhash Chowk which exposes you to the green valley on the opposite side of snow covered Pir Panjal mountain ranges. St. Francis church is located on Subhash chowk, which is much bigger than the one on Gandhi Chowk. There is a small space in this campus, which is dedicated to colorful birds, rabits, ducks. We had a quick round of this church and got down to the Mall road for tea. Urvi, my niece, was sleeping by that time and we wanted to head back now. We called our taxi guy and headed to the home which is 4 kilometers from Dalhousie town.Apart from the Mall road, there is another smaller and beautiful pathway which connected Subhash Chowk with Gandhi Chowk. This is supposedly the preferred route for local folks who want to same time and energy :), but tourists love the Mall road walk because it exposes you to brilliant views of Himalayas. The whole Mall road is surrounded by Deodar trees which add more to the beauty of this town. Dalhousie has been one of my favorite towns and I like the fact that it's not becoming concrete jungle like other hills stations (Shimla, Mussourie etc.)Do drop us a comment, if you want know more about the place or have some specific queries.

One of the oldest churches in Dalhousie, reflecting colonial architecture.

On this Rakshabandhan, I visited Dalhousie to meet my sister and niece. During the visit, we planned to walk down from Dalhousie Public School of Panchpula Waterfalls. This Photo Journey shares some of the photographs clicked during the walk and around Panchpula waterfalls. All photographs shared in this Photo Journey are clicked with Huawei P9.Gandhi Chowk in Dalhousie market is around 1.5 kilometers from Dalhousie Public school and it’s a downhill. And there is a road which again goes down towards Panchpula from Gandhi Chowk. It should be around 2-3 kilometers from Gandhi Chowk. So it was around 4/5 kilometers walk from DPS till Panchpula. Above photograph is clicked at Gandhi Chowk of Dalhousie town, which is a part of mall road.It was a bright sunny day and clouds were having fun in bright blue sky. I clicked hundreds of photographs of these clouds while walking down to Panchpula and shared few of them here. I have been to Panchpula 8 years back and now I wanted to see how it has changed over the years.During the walk we observed few interesting things. Above photograph shows the parking slot of one of the houses built on the hill. This was very close to road and standing on top of high pillar made up of concrete.It was interesting to reach 'Rai Bahadur' on the entry gates of one of the villas around Dalhousie hills. There are lot of beautiful villas around Dalhousie town and most of them belong to families who had good connections with britishers, or business families. Good chunk of villas belong of army officers. So overall it gives you a feel of idea retirement destination.Here is another photograph showing path to a huge village up in the hill.s The white compound you see at the distance is Dalhousie Public School and they have installed a huge flag in the campus.On the way from Dalhousie market to Panchpula there are few places to have rest and enjoy the views of valleys & hills. We didn't stop in any of these and kept moving till we reach Panchpula.It was a bright sunny day after heavy rains a day before. So monsoons are risky - either they spoil your day and you have to be inside the house or everything is fresh and bright like what you see in these photographsAs you reach Panchpula , you see this structure which is dedicated to Saradar Ajit Singh. This is the point from where you have to climb up. The Waterfall is just across this structure and on other side of the road. Like other tourist places, there few shops where shopkeepers would insist you to buy some local stuff. I was surprised to see folks selling kesar here and I know kesar is not grow locally. Probably it's brought from J&K.And as I saw the place, I realized that it has changed a lot. Now there are more shops on the way and a cafe close to the waterfall. There is Shiva Cafe which is pretty close to the waterfall. We spent some time around this cafe and had delicious snacks. The good part was that I didn't find litter here and I was extremely happy to see dustbins installed by this cafe.I am not a selfie enthusiast but the environment and 2 girls forced me to click this one :)It was fun to sip hot tea while sitting in chilled water body near Cafe Shiva.Vibha will be sharing her review about the tea we had at this cafe near Panchpula Waterfalls in Dalhousie.Overall it was fun to walk and have some peaceful time around Panchpula waterfall. To go back, we hired a cab. Usually cab charges 150 Rs for Gandhi Chowk but if you are in hurry and look desperate to book a cab, people may ask for 300 Rs.Bon Voyage !If you liked this post and found it helpful, I would request you to follow these things when traveling -- Manage your waste well and don’t litter- Use dustbins. Tell us if you went to a place and found it hard to locate a dustbin.- Avoid bottlewatersin hills. Usually you get clean water in hills and water bottles create lot of mess in our ecosystem.- Say big no to plastic and avoid those unhealthy snacks packed in plastic bags. Rather buy fruits.- Don't play loud blaring music in forests of jungle camps. You are a guest in that ecosystem and disturbing the locals (humans and animals) is not polite

4. Panchpula

  • Panchpula

Known for:

  • Waterfalls
  • Picnic spots
  • Relaxing environment

Above all I love the passion which has gone behind this beautiful defence park in Dalhousie and credit for this goes to Mr G.S.Dhillon, Chairman of Dalhousie Public School. It's his thought leadership and focus which has lead to such wonderful & well maintained place in Dalhousie. And not only this, there are multiple things around Dalhousie which are built/maintained by Dalhousie Public School and worth appreciation. Dalhousie also has highest flag in Himachal Pradesh and that's also installed inside Dalhousie Public School near to teacher's residence called Rashmi Villa. I always love walking around this place and encourage you to see the place when in Dalhousie. If you liked this post and found it helpful, I would request you to follow these things when traveling - 1. Manage your waste well and don’t litter Use dustbins. 2. Tell us if you went to a place and found it hard to locate a dustbin. 3. Avoid bottle waters in hills. Usually you get clean water in hills and water bottles create lot of mess in our ecosystem. 4. Say big no to plastic and avoid those unhealthy snacks packed in plastic bags. Rather buy fruits. 5. Don't play loud blaring music in forests of jungle camps. You are a guest in that ecosystem and disturbing the locals (humans and animals) is not polite

5. Subhash Baoli

  • Subhash Baoli

A peaceful place surrounded by trees and scenic views.

A visit in an year to Khajjiar has made me click less photographs and rather experience different weather there. I was in Khajjiar during monsoons and this is probably the best season to experience lush green landscapes all around. Khajjiar, at times, is not accessible during winters because roads get closed due to snowfallThis is the first view of Khajjiar lake when you are coming from Dalhousie. This is the point where you should start looking for parking slot. Road condition is usually not very good during monsoons. Maintaining roads in hills is very challenging, but still Himachal has been aggressive in maintaining it's roads. Especially roads in tourist regions.During Monsoons, it's very important to keep umbrella with you, even if sun is shining and there is no patch of clouds. This change in minutes and hence very unpredictable. Our day started with clear sky and by the time we reached Khajjiar it started raining heavily. Fortunately we were carrying few umbrellas and borrowed one from our cab driver.While it was raining, we took a table in one of the restaurants around Khajjiar Lake. It was lunch time and we thought of utilizing this time and had lunch. I am forgetting the name of the place where we had lunch and it was good Punjabi food.A few kilometers ahead there is a temple with this huge Shiva idol. Now let me share a very useful tip. If you came to Khajjiar from Dalhousie in a bus and want to go back in bus only. Reach this place 30 minutes back. Usually there are lot of folks who board bus in Khajjiar and it becomes very challenging to get in. Since this temple is a stop before Khajjiar, there is good probability to get in comfortably and also find a seat. There are 2 buses from Khajjiar to Dalhousie between 1pm to 3pm.So if you come early in the morning, the timings would suit you.These days paragliding is also quite popular activity around Khajjiar. One flies from a surrounding hill. You need to climb of the hill, so be sure about it. After flight, depending upon the flow of wind you can have a top view of Khajiar, but landing happens in village behind the shiva temple. I haven't done paragliding here so don't know the charges. Bir Billing is best place for Paragliding in Himachal Pradesh and I had that experience.Another view of Shiva from road connecting Khajjiar with ChambaMonsoon is a good time to taste local produce. Local cucumber is much tastier than what we get in cities through cold storage. During Monsoons, you would see lot of folks selling fresh fruit salad around Khajjiar and what can be best snack when travelling in himalayas.Clouds make this place more beautiful. I made some videos of clouds covering this place and going upwards to play in woods, but unfortunately we lost those videos due to card corruption. As I see some herbs vendor in above photograph, so let me warn you about a group of folks who sell you local herbs (don't know what that means and I never bought). But I have heard bad experiences of folks who dealt with these vendors. Please note that most of them are not local folks. and things they sell are not locally produced. They bring stuff from Jammu or Pathankot and sell to tourists. So if you can judge the originality of stuff being sold, go have a talk. Otherwise avoid even talking. Pre-wedding shoots and post wedding shoots are getting popular in our country. And I noticed lot of couples here at Khajjiar with professional photographers. Some of these photographers roam around the lake and click photographs to hand-over in form of prints. Some of the photographers had come with couples, were indulged in finding appropriate location and guiding these couples for some unique shots.I also wanted to do a shoot with my model, but this time she was acting like celebrities. And even weather was not favoring us. So this time, I couldn't click much.Here is path outside the green meadows, which is used for horse riding. You can hire a horse to have a round of Khajiar or roam around the neighboring villages. I never took the other route where these folks promise to show village and apple orchards. Carefully notice this photograph. Imagine the view when these clouds are slowing coming out of these forests. This was the best moment and experience at Khajjiar.There are lot vendors selling toys for kids. Urvi also wanted few but settled at one, which didn't reach home safely :). We had long day, so that was expected... I like some of these things at tourist places which provide opportunities for local folks. Some selling these toys, few making fruit salad and others selling juicy bhuttas. And all these things are also available at reasonable costs if you compare with prices quoted in bigger cities like Delhi. And it's not about money, it's more about purity and love of these local folks.This was shot when I was just leaving for Chamba. These colorful baloons in front of these green landscapes looked awesome. Over the years I have seen this place transforming, in good as well as bad ways. Local authorities don't allow people to play any kind of sport on these lawns but there areNames of horses around Khajjiar are very interesting :) ... Romeo, Chetak etc.. If you intend to stay around Khajjiar, there are 3 reasonable options - HPTDC hotel, HPPWD Guest-House and Forest Guest-House. Apart from there are there are various private properties.

🏨 Where to Stay in Dalhousie

During my recent Dalhousie trip, we planned to book cab for whole day and drive through Khajjiar, Chamba and Chamera Dam. After trekking around Diankund, enjoying the lush green meadows of Khajjiar and some shopping in Chamba town, we headed towards Chamera Dam.Chamera Dam is around 40 kilometers from Chamba Town. It takes approximately 1.5 hrs to reach the place is road condition is good. Overall it’s a little dry terrain as compared to Dalhousie and Khajjiar. And temperature also goes up as we go towards Chamera Dam.As you move out from Chamba town, you follow Ravi river for some time and then take right. After 45 minutes of drive, you get a glimpse of Chemera Dam.And after a while it again disappears as road goes deep inside the hilly terrains. And after some time, road keeps following Chemera Dam on left.Finally when you reach the entry gate of boating station, you see lot of tea stalls which would offer maggie, snacks, lemonade etc.My niece was accompanying us and we wanted to try boating. They ferry motor boats which can accommodate 8 people at a time and single ticket costs you 300 Rs. For kids, it’s 200 Rs. It’s 30 minutes ride. I didn’t find it worth as you don’t see anything exceptional. It’s worth if you haven’t done motor-boating in such huge dams. I would rather prefer speedboat, which is relatively costly. It costs 1200 Rs per couple. I tried motorboat in Banasura Dam in Wayanad, Kerala. That experience was much better than Chamera.And if you are not interested in boating, don’t come to this side of Chamera. Just take the highway from Chamba which connects Dalhousie through Banikhet.You get life-jackets for boating and they have life-jackets for kids as well. Urvi was super happy to see brighter life-jacket as compared to dull jackets we got :)After boating we came towards main raod and had tea with biscuits. The back drive from Chamera to Dalhousie was magical, because it was sunset time. All these sunset shots are clicked form moving car.Overall it was fun filled day with trekking, walking & boating experience in hills :)If you liked this post and found it helpful, I would request you to follow these things when traveling -- Manage your waste well and don’t litter- Use dustbins. Tell us if you went to a place and found it hard to locate a dustbin.- Avoid bottle waters in hills. Usually you get clean water in hills and water bottles create lot of mess in our ecosystem.- Say big no to plastic and avoid those unhealthy snacks packed in plastic bags. Rather buy fruits.- Don't play loud blaring music in forests of jungle camps. You are a guest in that ecosystem and disturbing the locals (humans and animals) is not polite

Budget (₹1,500–₹3,000)

  • Guesthouses
  • Budget hotels near town center

During my recent Dalhousie trip, we planned to book cab for whole day and drive through Khajjiar, Chamba and Chamera Dam. After trekking around Diankund, enjoying the lush green meadows of Khajjiar and some shopping in Chamba town, we headed towards Chamera Dam.Chamera Dam is around 40 kilometers from Chamba Town. It takes approximately 1.5 hrs to reach the place is road condition is good. Overall it’s a little dry terrain as compared to Dalhousie and Khajjiar. And temperature also goes up as we go towards Chamera Dam.As you move out from Chamba town, you follow Ravi river for some time and then take right. After 45 minutes of drive, you get a glimpse of Chemera Dam.And after a while it again disappears as road goes deep inside the hilly terrains. And after some time, road keeps following Chemera Dam on left.Finally when you reach the entry gate of boating station, you see lot of tea stalls which would offer maggie, snacks, lemonade etc.My niece was accompanying us and we wanted to try boating. They ferry motor boats which can accommodate 8 people at a time and single ticket costs you 300 Rs. For kids, it’s 200 Rs. It’s 30 minutes ride. I didn’t find it worth as you don’t see anything exceptional. It’s worth if you haven’t done motor-boating in such huge dams. I would rather prefer speedboat, which is relatively costly. It costs 1200 Rs per couple. I tried motorboat in Banasura Dam in Wayanad, Kerala. That experience was much better than Chamera.And if you are not interested in boating, don’t come to this side of Chamera. Just take the highway from Chamba which connects Dalhousie through Banikhet.You get life-jackets for boating and they have life-jackets for kids as well. Urvi was super happy to see brighter life-jacket as compared to dull jackets we got :)After boating we came towards main raod and had tea with biscuits. The back drive from Chamera to Dalhousie was magical, because it was sunset time. All these sunset shots are clicked form moving car.Overall it was fun filled day with trekking, walking & boating experience in hills :)If you liked this post and found it helpful, I would request you to follow these things when traveling -- Manage your waste well and don’t litter- Use dustbins. Tell us if you went to a place and found it hard to locate a dustbin.- Avoid bottle waters in hills. Usually you get clean water in hills and water bottles create lot of mess in our ecosystem.- Say big no to plastic and avoid those unhealthy snacks packed in plastic bags. Rather buy fruits.- Don't play loud blaring music in forests of jungle camps. You are a guest in that ecosystem and disturbing the locals (humans and animals) is not polite

Mid-Range (₹3,000–₹7,000)

  • Comfortable hotels with valley views
  • Boutique stays

During my recent Dalhousie trip, we planned to book cab for whole day and drive through Khajjiar, Chamba and Chamera Dam. After trekking around Diankund, enjoying the lush green meadows of Khajjiar and some shopping in Chamba town, we headed towards Chamera Dam.Chamera Dam is around 40 kilometers from Chamba Town. It takes approximately 1.5 hrs to reach the place is road condition is good. Overall it’s a little dry terrain as compared to Dalhousie and Khajjiar. And temperature also goes up as we go towards Chamera Dam.As you move out from Chamba town, you follow Ravi river for some time and then take right. After 45 minutes of drive, you get a glimpse of Chemera Dam.And after a while it again disappears as road goes deep inside the hilly terrains. And after some time, road keeps following Chemera Dam on left.Finally when you reach the entry gate of boating station, you see lot of tea stalls which would offer maggie, snacks, lemonade etc.My niece was accompanying us and we wanted to try boating. They ferry motor boats which can accommodate 8 people at a time and single ticket costs you 300 Rs. For kids, it’s 200 Rs. It’s 30 minutes ride. I didn’t find it worth as you don’t see anything exceptional. It’s worth if you haven’t done motor-boating in such huge dams. I would rather prefer speedboat, which is relatively costly. It costs 1200 Rs per couple. I tried motorboat in Banasura Dam in Wayanad, Kerala. That experience was much better than Chamera.And if you are not interested in boating, don’t come to this side of Chamera. Just take the highway from Chamba which connects Dalhousie through Banikhet.You get life-jackets for boating and they have life-jackets for kids as well. Urvi was super happy to see brighter life-jacket as compared to dull jackets we got :)After boating we came towards main raod and had tea with biscuits. The back drive from Chamera to Dalhousie was magical, because it was sunset time. All these sunset shots are clicked form moving car.Overall it was fun filled day with trekking, walking & boating experience in hills :)If you liked this post and found it helpful, I would request you to follow these things when traveling -- Manage your waste well and don’t litter- Use dustbins. Tell us if you went to a place and found it hard to locate a dustbin.- Avoid bottle waters in hills. Usually you get clean water in hills and water bottles create lot of mess in our ecosystem.- Say big no to plastic and avoid those unhealthy snacks packed in plastic bags. Rather buy fruits.- Don't play loud blaring music in forests of jungle camps. You are a guest in that ecosystem and disturbing the locals (humans and animals) is not polite

Luxury (₹8,000+)

  • Resorts with panoramic mountain views
  • Premium heritage-style properties
Last month I visited Dalhousie in Himachal Pradesh and loved clicking some of the different moods of clouds and sky. This post just shares sunset and clouds shots from clicked at different times during 4 days of our stay there.Monsoons can be best season to click sunsets, especially just after rains. Either the sky is very clear or clouds are refined and help making shares of light and colors.Above photograph is clicked while we were driving back to Dalhousie from Chamera Dam.Above photograph is clicked from moving car, as you make out by looking at the bottom part of the photograph. You can notice motion blur here.Most of the photographs are clicked from place where we stayed in Dalhousie. After every 5 minutes there was something new & interesting to click in sky. It was hard for me to chose what to post here and what to skip.Colors in sky keep changing, especially during sunset the change if very fast. So you have to be fast in clicking and choosing your favorites. And that's a common phenomenon in hills.Here is a vertical shot of clouds up the sky and river in the bottom of the photograph. Just compare the size of river you see and clouds, & try to imagine the scale.Imagine the height of these clouds and how fast the wind is changing the path for them. A scene just after rains, when sky if bight blue and clouds are dense white to create this perfect contrast.A view of clouds when I woke-up after taking afternoon nap. Photograph is clicked through window net.This photograph is clicked with phone camera and now I realize that I should have created a video of these clouds moving us from dense deodar forest at Khajjiar.

💡 Tip: Choose hotels with valley views for the best experience.

🗺️ Perfect 3-Day Dalhousie Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival & Local Exploration

  • Check-in
  • Visit St. John's Church
  • Explore local market
  • Sunset viewpoints
Fortunes turned when we decided to walk to Panchpula waterfalls, which were at 4kms from the school. We hit jackpot when we reached the waterfalls. And there we realized that birds, like some mythical fairytale creatures, were actually all around us. One just needed to sit still and wait for them to emerge.
Streaked Laughing Thrush

Day 2: Khajjiar & Dainkund

  • Visit Khajjiar
  • Head to Dainkund Peak
  • Return to Dalhousie

4. Boating at Panchpula : This is biggest flop show. And if you are going to Panchpula for boating, please don’t waste your time. Since it’s just 4 kilometres away from Dalhousie town, people prefer going here for boating. When I say no, it’s for boating. But you can certainly go there to see beautiful waterfalls. Especially if you are there during Monsoons. Waterfalls look beautiful during Monsoons.

Day 3: Panchpula & Relaxation

  • Visit Panchpula
  • Explore Subhash Baoli
  • Departure

On this Rakshabandhan, I visited Dalhousie to meet my sister and niece. During the visit, we planned to walk down from Dalhousie Public School of Panchpula Waterfalls. This Photo Journey shares some of the photographs clicked during the walk and around Panchpula waterfalls. All photographs shared in this Photo Journey are clicked with Huawei P9.Gandhi Chowk in Dalhousie market is around 1.5 kilometers from Dalhousie Public school and it’s a downhill. And there is a road which again goes down towards Panchpula from Gandhi Chowk. It should be around 2-3 kilometers from Gandhi Chowk. So it was around 4/5 kilometers walk from DPS till Panchpula. Above photograph is clicked at Gandhi Chowk of Dalhousie town, which is a part of mall road.It was a bright sunny day and clouds were having fun in bright blue sky. I clicked hundreds of photographs of these clouds while walking down to Panchpula and shared few of them here. I have been to Panchpula 8 years back and now I wanted to see how it has changed over the years.During the walk we observed few interesting things. Above photograph shows the parking slot of one of the houses built on the hill. This was very close to road and standing on top of high pillar made up of concrete.It was interesting to reach 'Rai Bahadur' on the entry gates of one of the villas around Dalhousie hills. There are lot of beautiful villas around Dalhousie town and most of them belong to families who had good connections with britishers, or business families. Good chunk of villas belong of army officers. So overall it gives you a feel of idea retirement destination.Here is another photograph showing path to a huge village up in the hill.s The white compound you see at the distance is Dalhousie Public School and they have installed a huge flag in the campus.On the way from Dalhousie market to Panchpula there are few places to have rest and enjoy the views of valleys & hills. We didn't stop in any of these and kept moving till we reach Panchpula.It was a bright sunny day after heavy rains a day before. So monsoons are risky - either they spoil your day and you have to be inside the house or everything is fresh and bright like what you see in these photographsAs you reach Panchpula , you see this structure which is dedicated to Saradar Ajit Singh. This is the point from where you have to climb up. The Waterfall is just across this structure and on other side of the road. Like other tourist places, there few shops where shopkeepers would insist you to buy some local stuff. I was surprised to see folks selling kesar here and I know kesar is not grow locally. Probably it's brought from J&K.And as I saw the place, I realized that it has changed a lot. Now there are more shops on the way and a cafe close to the waterfall. There is Shiva Cafe which is pretty close to the waterfall. We spent some time around this cafe and had delicious snacks. The good part was that I didn't find litter here and I was extremely happy to see dustbins installed by this cafe.I am not a selfie enthusiast but the environment and 2 girls forced me to click this one :)It was fun to sip hot tea while sitting in chilled water body near Cafe Shiva.Vibha will be sharing her review about the tea we had at this cafe near Panchpula Waterfalls in Dalhousie.Overall it was fun to walk and have some peaceful time around Panchpula waterfall. To go back, we hired a cab. Usually cab charges 150 Rs for Gandhi Chowk but if you are in hurry and look desperate to book a cab, people may ask for 300 Rs.Bon Voyage !If you liked this post and found it helpful, I would request you to follow these things when traveling -- Manage your waste well and don’t litter- Use dustbins. Tell us if you went to a place and found it hard to locate a dustbin.- Avoid bottlewatersin hills. Usually you get clean water in hills and water bottles create lot of mess in our ecosystem.- Say big no to plastic and avoid those unhealthy snacks packed in plastic bags. Rather buy fruits.- Don't play loud blaring music in forests of jungle camps. You are a guest in that ecosystem and disturbing the locals (humans and animals) is not polite

💰 Cost of Dalhousie Trip (3 Days)

For 2 people:

  • Stay: ₹6,000 – ₹18,000
  • Food: ₹2,000 – ₹5,000
  • Transport: ₹2,000 – ₹4,000
  • Activities: ₹1,000 – ₹2,000

👉 Total: ₹10,000 – ₹28,000

During my recent visit to Dalhousie, we planned to do a small trek to Dainkund (Temple Pohlani). This Photo Journey shares about our experience through clouds and how we beaten the rain. And if you are in Dalhousie during Monsoon, this trek is highly recommended. You literally walks through clouds and it's an easy trek.We drove through Kala Top to the base of this trek, which is entry gate of Air force base. We parked our car there and started the trek. There is well paved path for 1 km, which is maintained by temple authority. This path certainly made our lives easy during monsoons.This is a view after walking up for 250 meters. This road goes down to Dalhousie and Kala Top.As we started the trek, rain started and we thought of skipping it and going to Khajjiar instead. But in few minutes we encouraged each other to use umbrellas and start climbing up. And at the end it proved to be rewarding.Clouds were playing hide and seek with us. At times, they were chasing us and in few minutes sun was shining by clearing them away.Throughout the trek you are exposed to some breathtaking views of valley full of high deodars and birds flying all around. We saw few colorful butterflies on our way but couldn't click them well.We did the trek at our own pace. Stopped many times and enjoyed quick snacks which we were carrying with us. And Urvi was always ready to pose :)On the way, there is a temple which is 2.5 kilometers away from road. Lot of local folks visit this temple. Interesting most of the temples in this region don't have roofs. There is a little shop near the temple from where you can buy snacks and juices.While walking through the mountains, Vibha pointed towards this cloud form. With a smile she says - 'doesn't it look like a giraffe?'. Do you think so?There is a beautiful view through clouds. Most of the times clouds stopped our view of surroundings but such views through clouds were very special.This is 3 kilometers trek which means you need to walk for 6 kilometers. And we had 3 years old trekker with us. Mentioning that to share that anyone can do this trek. It's very easy and the experience can be very rewarding. On a clear day, Khajjiar is visible from top.Panoramic views from top were mesmerizing.There is small shelter on the way. We took a break here where it started raining heavily.Every now and then we were stopping to views awesome scenes all around us. Here Urvi is trying to locate Khajjiar :)Not sure what Indu is trying to do on phone because there is no signal on these hills :) . Probably checking the photograph she just clicked with her phone.We reached there quite early and met this gentleman. He offers horse riding to tourists coming to this place.Urvi loved walking throughout and showing some interesting views to us. Vibha and Urvi were most observant from the lot.It was time to head back and don't miss to watch time-lapse videos shared below.

🚗 How to Reach Dalhousie

By Air

Nearest airport:

  • Pathankot Airport

Nestled in the heart of the Himalayas, Dalhousie is a quaint hill station known for its charming colonial architecture, lush greenery, and panoramic views. Among its many attractions, the Upper Bakrota Round, also known as Bakrota Loop, stands out as a serene walking trail that offers visitors a peaceful retreat amidst nature.

By Train

Nearest station:

  • Pathankot

Walking along this path, you'll be treated to breathtaking views of the snow-capped Dhauladhar range, particularly during the early morning or late afternoon when the light is soft and the vistas are at their most captivating. The path is flanked by old colonial-era bungalows, which add a touch of historical charm to the walk, reminding visitors of Dalhousie's British heritage. These elements make the Upper Bakrota Round not just a nature walk, but a journey through time.

By Road

  • Well connected from Delhi, Amritsar, and Chandigarh
  • Scenic mountain drive

The Upper Bakrota Round is a 5-kilometer circular walk that takes you through some of the most picturesque landscapes in Dalhousie. This trail loops around the Bakrota Hills, which are the highest point in Dalhousie, offering unobstructed views of the snow-capped peaks of the Dhauladhar Range. As you walk along the tree-lined path, you’ll be surrounded by dense deodar, pine, and oak forests, providing a refreshing escape from the hustle and bustle of daily life.

🌦️ Best Time to Visit Dalhousie

  • Summer (Mar–Jun): Pleasant weather
  • Monsoon (Jul–Aug): Lush greenery but risky roads
  • Winter (Dec–Feb): Snowfall and fewer crowds

During the walk, you’ll encounter beautiful colonial-era bungalows that hark back to Dalhousie’s British past, along with quaint cottages nestled amidst the greenery. The path is well-maintained and easy to navigate, making it suitable for people of all ages. Whether you’re a solo traveler seeking solitude or a couple looking for a romantic stroll, the Upper Bakrota Round offers an idyllic setting.

💡 Travel Tips

  • Carry warm clothes even in summer evenings
  • Start early for Khajjiar trips
  • Book hotels in advance during peak season
  • Prefer local taxis for convenience

Each season brings its own charm to the Upper Bakrota Round. In spring and summer, the trail is adorned with vibrant wildflowers and lush greenery, making it a perfect time for nature lovers and photographers. The monsoon season transforms the landscape into a verdant paradise, with misty clouds rolling over the hills and the scent of wet earth filling the air. However, the real magic happens in winter when the path is often blanketed in snow, offering a surreal and tranquil experience for those who brave the cold.

📸 Photography Tips

  • Early morning landscapes
  • Khajjiar meadows wide shots
  • Sunset at Dainkund Peak

The Upper Bakrota Round is not just a walk through nature but also a walk through history. As you explore this trail, you can sense the echoes of the past, with the old British-era cottages and bungalows standing as silent witnesses to Dalhousie’s colonial history. The area was a popular retreat for British officers during the Raj, and their legacy lives on in the architecture and the well-preserved surroundings.

📌 Final Thoughts

Dalhousie is perfect for travelers who want a calm, scenic, and less crowded hill station experience. With the right plan, it can be a refreshing escape into the Himalayas.

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