Trip to Himachal Pradesh | Dalhousie | Khajjiar | McLoedgunj | Dharmashala | Amritsar | Delhi | Travel With TicTalkToe – PART ONE

Our trip to Himachal Pradesh began from Kolkata via Delhi. We boarded the Sealdah Rajdhani Express in the evening, and alighted at Delhi the next morning. We checked into a Hotel near the New Delhi Railway Station named Hotel Hari Piorko. This was conveniently located at a walking distance from the Railway Station. The rooms were neat and clean. We quickly changed and took the metro to Qutub Minar, where we spent our entire afternoon. We headed back to our hotel in the evening since we had to take a train to Pathankot (Train No. 12445/Uttar Sampark Kranti Express) which departs at 20:50 hrs and reaches Pathankot at 04:20 a.m. This is one of the best ways to reach Pathankot via Delhi.

Quick Tip: You may spend a day or two at New Delhi and explore the old markets, Chandni Chowk, Sarojini, Hauz Khas, Connaught Place, and other shopping and eateries of the Capital City. However, we decided to give it a miss and proceeded towards Himachal. To read more about a day’s food-trailing in Delhi, click HERE 

We were greeted by our driver Dinesh Ji at Pathankot, and we set out our Himachal Tour with him. Our first stop was at Naddi, which is a village in Dharmashala in the upper ranges of Kangra Valley. We stayed at Hotel Udechee Huts for a day. It was a beautiful and serene place, and the rooms were clean and spacious. Perfect for a laidback vacation! We enjoyed the food and hospitality of the place. Breakfast was complimentary and the food was fresh. We visited church of St. Johns in the wilderness in the morning itself. This was built in 1852 and is one of the most important churches in Himachal Pradesh. Located near Dharamshala and on the way to Mcleodganj, this church was built in dedication to John the Baptist.

In the evening, we visited Namgyal Monastery which is situated within the Tsuglagkhang complex. This complex is known to be the residence of Dalai Lama. We also visited Bhagsunag Temple, which is surrounded by beautiful pools and lush greenery. We also hiked to the Bhagsu Falls, which is a breathtaking beauty! However, be careful not to go hiking to the Bhagsu Falls during monsoons!

We ended the day by taking a stroll at McLoedgunj, which is barely three kilometres away from Naddi, and spent our time exploring cafes. Dinner at Tibet Kitchen, McLoedgunj.

Quick Tip: Try the Lemon Ginger Honey Tea in the cafes of McLoedgunj. You will fall for it! It has ginger julienne in them.  For coffee lovers, try their Iced Cappuccino. Also try authentic Tibetan cuisine, such as Momos, Thukpas, Thenthuk, etc.

Day Two we checked out from “Udechee Huts” and checked in to Pink House, McLoedgunj. We wanted to experience both the serene beauty of the Himalayas, as well as its town life. Hence, we decided to stay at McLoedgunj for a day. Pink House is a quirky place to stay, though not advisable if you are physically fit to cover their 100 staircases to reach the hotel. Their warm hospitality will surely leave a smile on your lips. We were greeted with Saffron Tea. The rooms were clean but very average. Food was okay!

For sightseeing we started off with the Musuem of Kangra Art, Dharamshala, which is dedicated to Tibetan and Buddhist artwork and their rich history and heritage. Among a large variety of its precious collectibles are jewelry, rare coin memorabilia, paintings, sculptures and pottery. We next visited the Norbulingka Institute, which is an institute that preserves Tibetian culture. The cafe at the institute serves amazing food. We tried their pasta, sandwiches and cold coffee.

We also visited the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium at Dharmashala. This is a unique stadium as it is situated at an altitude of 1,457 m above the sea level and has the snow-capped Himalayan mountains in the background.

Mcleodganj is synonymous with Tibetan Food and tasting the succulent Tibetan food is one of the most essential things to do in Mcleodganj. And one of the best places to go to is the Tibet Kitchen. It offers various varieties of momos, thukpa, and other variants. The place keeps buzzing with crowd who come in to have a bite of the delicious food with a beautiful view outside.

We dined at Tibet Kitchen, Mcloedgunj on both the days. Their juicy steamed mutton momos is a MUST HAVE, followed by their Fruit Beer (Non-alcoholic).

Day Three, we started for our way to Khajjiar, and stopped by the Dal Lake of Mcloedgunj town. This beautiful small lake is just 3 kms from the Mcleodganj town, and is surrounded by deodar trees. Enroute Khajjiar, we visited Jot Pass, which is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. The valleys of the Jot Pass reminded me of Kashmir. This pass is not too famous or known among tourists, yet our driver, Dinesh Ji was kind enough to take us to this picturesque location.

Next we checked in at The Devdar, Khajjiar run by Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation. The cottages were huge but it was spine chilling cold at night (even in October!). However, the room heater kept us warm and they served dinner in our room, which was lip-smacking! Be careful not to venture out at night, since there is a wildlife sanctuary nearby, and the area is infamous for bears as visitors!

Day Four, next morning, we woke up to the lush green grass carpets of Khajjiar. The early morning walk to the lake was so relaxing. The grass was wet with dew drops and it felt like a fantasy land. We checked out by Noon and visited a place called Kalatop first. There is a forest guest house at Kalatop, where the guests can stay for a better experience as they can closely watch the mother nature and spend their holiday in absolute bliss. Tourists normally prefer to walk up to Kalatop from Lakkarmandi, which is approximately 4 kms from Kalatop, to take in the amazing views of the beautiful landscapes of Kalatop. This region is less explored compared to other area of Dalhousie, and so forest trailing, wildlife safari, and picnics are so much fun here.Next we hiked all the way up to the Dainkund Temple on our way to Dalhousie. The top of the hill is occupied by an Indian Air Force establishment. It is believed that in old days there were witches living there who used to trouble the villagers to no end. Because of this “Dain Kund” is also known with the name of Witch’s Pond. The panoramic view from the temple was mind blowing, and we almost felt as if we had touched the clouds.

We checked in to Hotel Mount View at Dalhousie. This hotel was centrally heated and provided us the best services. The food was also delicious, so was their hospitality. We had a breakfast inclusive package, and they had a wide variety of breakfast options.

Day five, we visited Punchpula, a tourist spot. It was quite crowded, there were markets for woolen garments and souvenirs. Tourists could also try their hand at zip lining. Next on our list was the Chamera Lake, which is an artificial lake built on a dam. We tried their motor boat ride on the Chamera Lake, and trust me when I say that it felt no less than a ride in the boats of the Phi Phi Island, Thailand. We visited the Bhalei Mata Temple, which is just 5 kms uphill from the Chamera Lake.

We stopped at a dhaba opposite to the Chamera Lake on our way back, and I had the tastiest aloo paranthas ever! Evening was spent strolling around Mall Road at Dalhousie (Gandhi Chowk and Subhash Chowk), where we shopped from Bhuttico. We bought shawls, stoles and the traditional Himachali Cap at very justified prices. The Mall Road is famous for its roadside eateries,pastas, pizzas, chai/coffee. We tried the Tandoori Chai/Tea and savoured hot gulab jamuns. We dined at CafeDalhousie, which is located right at the junction of Gandhi Chowk.

Day Six, it was time to bid adieu to the hills and start for Amritsar. We had lunch at a local dhaba on our way from Dalhousie to Amritsar. The was Krishna Restaurant at Dalhousie Road, Bhatwan, Punjab. Trust me when I say that I had the tastiest mutton curry, rice ever, that too on my birthday. It was a four to five hour drive to Amritsar from Dalhousie, barring our lunch breaks and tea break. We reached Amritsar at around five in the evening, and checked in to Surya Beacon Hotel – Amritsar. The hotel is barely a five to seven minute walk from the Golden Temple, and is very neat and clean. The staff is quite cordial and takes care of your needs. We visited Golden Temple in the evening, had prasad and dined out at Bade Bhai ka Brothers Dhaba in Town Hall, Amritsar.

Continuing the next part of my Travel Series in another post! And yes, it features my Amritsar Haul as well 🙂 So stay tuned!