Read more about the article Palampur

Palampur

Tea Garden in PalampurThe town of Palampur is situated in a beuatiful valley priding itself with tea gardens, and hills covered with pine trees. Palampur is located at a distance of  35  km from Dharamshala and has elevation of 1219 metres  The place enjoys a year-round pleasant climate and the pine scented air is said to have curative properties. The scenery presents a sublime and beautiful contrast- the valleys presents a picture of rural innocence and repose, while the hills are majestic. Overlooking this town are the majestic Dhauladhars, whose tops remain covered with snow for most of the year. This place is thronged tourists and is now being developed as a large tourist centre. A ropeway and an amusement park is also on proposed to be constructed. An Agricultural University and a Cenral Scientific Research Institute’s IHBT are pride of the town. Some tea factories are also coming up here.

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Read more about the article Kangra

Kangra

View of Train in KangraKangra is located at a distance of 18 km from Dharamshala and is a popular tourism destination for various temples and Kangra fort. Kangra district is most populated district of Himachal Pradesh. It has an average elevation of 733 metres (2404 ft). The district of Kangra extends from the Jalandhar Doab far into the southern ranges of the Himalaya. Kangra is situated at the confluence of the Bener River and Majhi River. Beas river is also an important river here. Historically Kangra was known as Nagarkot and Trigarta, Kangra town was founded by Katoch Kshatriya Rajputs of Chandervanshi Lineage . The Katoch Rajas had a stronghold here with a fort and rich temples. Another ancient name of the city is Bhimagar and it was supposedly founded by Raja Bhim, younger brother of Kuru Emperor Yudhisthira of Indraprastha. 

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Eat and Drink

Eat

McLeod Ganj is a great place for eating, and the town has an abundance of restaurants, especially in the mid to upper range that cater to foreign tourists. The newer among those upscale eateries increasingly tend to offer free wifi connections. Despite the restaurateurs’ claims to the contrary these wifi services are sometimes not fully operative or the connection may be interrupted and hence unsuitable for downloads. At the very least do not allow yourself to be lured into settling down for an extended session at an eating-place solely by their outdoor WiFi signage before first ascertaining the quality of that service.

Momos sold by numerous Tibetan street vendors usually sell at Rs 10 for 4 pieces. These are safe to eat and acceptable to the Western palate even if they cannot be expected to match the level of culinary delicacy of those offered by some of the best establishments listed below.

  • Some Tibetan favorites -Dharamsala is a good place to try Tibetan food and beverages.

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Hotels in Dharamshala

McLeod Ganj has a wide selection of accommodation, most of which is located close to the main bus stop. Just walk around. It is easy to find somewhere suitable. There are also 2 smaller towns within walking distance, Bhagsu and Dharmakot. They are quieter than McLeod, whose main streets (esp. Bhagsu Rd) suffer from the usual Indian curse of lots of beeping cars/bikes/rickshaws pushing through the streets, and have a wide array of cool places to stay and courses to do.

For long-term stays, head down the Yongling stairs on Jogiwara Road; there are about a dozen cheap good places down there, with great views.

Budget

  • Lord Krishna Residency,Temple Rd, ? +91 18 9222 1588). Run by a Hindu Indian family, beautiful, clean ,rooms. Great Tea coffee and atmosphere.
  • Hotel Akash, Jogiwara Rd, ? +91 18 9222 1990). Run by a German-Indian family, beautiful clean rooms. Great coffee and atmosphere.
  • Colonel’s Cozy Corner, (near Dari), ? +91 94 18724897, (bookings) +91 98 1677 0899 (colkrishan@yahoo.co.in). Belongs to a helpful retired army officer and his wife. A secure place with no one to disturb you. Registered with Himachal Govt tourism department under their Homestays scheme. 3 rooms. Home like atmosphere, clean linen and safe water. A local ‘Dham’ (lunch) is available. Rs 600-800, negotiable upon period of stay.

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Yoga, meditation, healing, Paragliding

Learn

Courses available include yoga, meditation, reiki, Tibetan and Indian cooking classes, Tibetan language classes and Thai massage. Many courses include vegetarian meals, and are offered at meditation centers.

Yoga, meditation, healing, Paragliding

  • Paragliding Professional in India, Billing Village, ? +91-8447442275 (team@flyoctane.com). team “flyoctane”.
  • Asho Institute, Bhagsu Village. Courses in ayurvedic nutrition and tai-chi.
  • Amit Reiki & Meditation Centre, Jogiwara Rd, B, Mcleodganj (below Yongling School), ? +91 94 18909046.
  • Buddha Hall-Reiki with Usha’, (opposite the German Bakery). Courses in reiki (I,II,III and master) as well as tarot and crystal healing from Buddha hall in Bagsu. Flexible and compassionate teacher.
  • Guerrilla Yoga, (go down the stairs at Yongling School. It’s the big green building). 5 day yoga courses of several varieties in McLeod Ganj. Private instruction is available. New studio, opened in March of 2008, great staff, very friendly. Also has local art for sale, commission free.

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Read more about the article Meeting Dalai Lama

Meeting Dalai Lama

Dalai LamaMeeting (or at least getting to see) the Dalai Lama  is the dream of a lifetime for many people, an intensive spiritual experience for Buddhists and a memorable moment for people of other faiths. It’s also very difficult to pull off, so don’t plan on it. It requires a good deal of luck. If you want to give it your best shot, the first thing to do is make sure that His Holiness is actually in town when you visit. He travels frequently. His website lists his yearly itinerary and an email to the office will confirm his travel dates. While he does give scheduled public teachings, these are crowded. There are some that are only scheduled a few days in advance, so keep your eyes and ears open in Dharamsala. The ultimate goal is a private audience. His website says he is no longer giving them. This isn’t precisely true, but you have to have a really good reason or an “in.” Go to the office of his secretary.

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