A picturesque and popular hill station, Dalhousie was set up in 1854, as a retreat for the British soldiers and bureaucrats. Located atop the five hills of Kathalagh, Potreyn, Terah, Bakroa and Bhangora, t was named after the British Viceroy Lord Dalhousie.
Surrounded by snow-capped mounains, and situated on the western side of the mountainous ranges of Dhauladhar, it is known not only for its captivating beauty, but also for the ancient temples, he valleys of Chamba and Pangi which are great trekking grounds.
GETTING THERE
By Rail:
The nearest rail head is Pthankot well connected to Amritsar, Jammu, Delhi and Jalandhar. Onward journey from Pathankot to Chamba and Dalhousie is by road only.
By Road:
Punjab and Himachal Pradesh roadways run services, as do private operators. Dalhousie is 54 km short of Chamba. Some important distances from Chamba are, Shimla 422 km, Dharamshala 180 km and Pathankot 120 km.
SIGHT SEEING
Church
Visit the beautiful churches of St. Andrew's and St. Patrick's at Balun, the St. Francis' Church at Subash Chowk, and St. John's Church at Gandhi Chowk. Barapathar (4 km away) is a small temple in the midst of dense forests. You could also visit the Chamba Ruler's summer palace of Jandrighat, which has some interesting period architecture.
Panchpula
You could play homage to freedom fighters, by visiting Panchpula, 3 km ahead, to see the monument of Ajit Singh, and then head to Subhash Baoli, named after famous freedom fighter Subhash Chandra Bose, who was said to have frequented this place.
Wild Life Sanctuary
Kalatop, is a wild life sanctuary 10 km from Dalhousie and is home of many Himalayan animals including the Ghoral and the Black Bear. It also has many tributaries of the River Ravi, flowing through it. Trek you way to the peak of Dainkun hill, just above Kalatop and catch a glimpse of the rivers Chenab, Beas and Ravi.
Or, you could always explore further and head to Chamba, and visit a few interesting historical places like the Rang Mahal Palace and Bhuri Singh Museum.
TRECKING
There are some significant trek routes heading out from Dalhousie. The Khajjiar - Chamba triangle forms one of the main trecking routes and there are several smaller treks within it. Some ambitious treks are Chamba to Bharmour, Chamba to Palampur, Chamba to Pangi and Bharmour to Keylong.
QUICK FACTS
State: Himachal Pradesh
District: Chamba
Official Languages: Hindi, Pahari
Climate / Weather: Summer: 8OC to 30OC, Winter: 10OC to -10OC
SEASONS
Peak Season: 1st April to 30th September
Shoulder Season: 1st October to 31st March
