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Dalhousie

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Dalhousie is a beautiful hill station in chamba district of Himachal Pradesh. beautiful view of dalhousieDalhousie is named after the 19th century British governor General Lord Dalhousie. It is 56 km via Banikhet and 43 km via Khajjiar from Chamba. Dalhousie was popular with the British Army personnel in 1860s for it’s nice and calm atmosphere. Dalhousie is popular for its natural beauty and has a variety of old architecture buildings. Dalhousie has varying altitude which shades it with a variety of vegetation that includes pines, deodars, oaks and flowering rhododendrons. Rich in colonial architecture, the town preserves some beautiful churches. Its marvellous forest trails overlook scenes of wooded hills, waterfalls, springs and streams. Beautiful view of river Ravi finding its way out of the mountains with the twists and turns, are a treat to watch from many vantage points. There are also magnificent views of Chamba valley and the mighty Dhauladhar range with its awe-inspiring snow covered peaks filling out horizons. 

Dalhousie was established in 1854 by the British Empire in India as a summer retreat for its troops and bureaucrats.  Dalhousie is built around five beautiful hills named Kathlog, Potreyn, Tehra, Bakrota and Balun and facing the Pir Panjal range, Ravi, Beas and Chenab rivers can be viewd from few vantage points in different parts of Dalhousie. Located on the western edge of the Dhauladhar mountain range of the Himalayas, it is surrounded by the beautiful scenery of snow-capped peaks. Dalhousie is situated between 6,000 and 9,000 feet above sea level. This small historic hill station is spread over 14 KM area. The best time to visit is in the summer, and the peak tourist season is from May to September. Scottish and Victorian architecture is prevalent in the bungalows and churches in the town. Dalhousie is a gateway to the Chamba Hill State. Dalhousie is the most famous hill station of Himachal and is located 485 km from Delhi. Beside its breath taking landscapes the other highlights are the ancient temples, untouched beauty of Chamba & Pangi valley, the valley of milk, honey and streams. Fold after fold of mountains, snow-capped and pristine, can be viewed from the jagged Pangi Valley, which is a trekker’s paradise. If your heart beats for Kashmir, head here, for this is the only part of Himachal Pradesh that juts into Kashmir. Dalhousie, a gorgeous hill station is a perfect destination for Honeymooners. This hill region is a repository of ancient Hindu culture, art, temples, and handicrafts preserved under the longest-running single dynasty since the mid-6th century.

Dalhousie is connected by road from different parts of the Himachal and other neighboring states. Mostly tourists come to Dalhousie from Pathankot. By road Dalhousie is 485 Kms from delhi and 52 kms from Chamba.  Also closest railhead is at Pathankot, 90 kms away. Pathankot is well connected by broad gauge network of Indian Railway.

How to Reach Dalhousie by Air

Jammu Airport is at a distance of 180 km and Amritsar Airport is at a distance of 208 Km from Dalhousie.. There are regular flights from Jammu and Amritsar to Delhi and many other destinations.  Gaggal airport is at a distance of 135 km, however there are no flights currently. 3 flights from Delhi are going to start soon.

How to Reach Dalhousie by Rail

If you are planning to come to Dalhousie by train then the nearest railway stations are Chakki Bank Railway Station and Pathankot Railway Station (train arrival and departure info can be found by clicking on the links) . Chakki Bank Railway Station and Pathankot Railway Station are well connected  to  various cities and towns of Himachal Pradesh by taxis and buses. From these railway stations you can take a bus to Dalhousie. The bus services from Pathakot to Dalhousie are very regular and depart daily. The distance between Pathankot and Dalhousie is about 85 km

How to Reach Dalhousie by Bus

Dalhousie is well connected with direct bus services from all cities of Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. Depending on which route you take, road distances from various Northern cities in India can vary. Best way is to take a bus However, the closest distance from some cities is as follows:

 From: Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, India To: Dalhousie, Himachal Pradesh, India – 347 km

 From: Pathankot, Punjab, India – To: Dalhousie, Himachal Pradesh, India – 85 km

 From: Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh- To: Dalhousie, Himachal Pradesh, India -117 km

 Its better to take bus from other parts of northern India to Pathankot and then from Pathankot to Dalhousie

 From: Chandigarh, India – To: Dalhousie, Himachal Pradesh, India– 312 km

 From: New Delhi, Delhi, India – To: Dalhousie, Himachal Pradesh, India – 557 km


Places to see in Dalhousie

  • Khajjiar – A stunning valley with a spring in the middle, while being quite beautiful, it gets littered with trash in the peak season of July when a massive number of tourists come. Known as the ‘Switzerland of India’ for the meadowy look.
  • Dainkund Walk – A gentle, sloping walk near an Air Force base in Dalhousie, leading to a Hindu temple.
  • Alah Water Tank – The main water tank in the area, holding 100,000 gallons.
  • Upper Bakrota – The highest area in Dalhousie, it has a number of estates, a residential school, and an Army barracks at the top. The area is circled by a road called Bakrota Walk, on the way to Khajjiar which ends at Alah Water Tank. It was the preferred destination of the landed gentry of Punjab during the Raj, now populated by similar residents from the new India. Some of the houses are worth seeing, but are mostly on private gated estates.
  • Kala Tope Rest House – It’s on the way to Khajjiar at the toll barrier for Kala Tope, a road to the left of the barrier leads to the government rest house, a nice quiet spot and a great place for a picnic. The 3-km route through dense pine forests from Lakkadmandi to Kala Tope is simply exhilarating. No cars are allowed on this 3-km route.
  • Ganji Pahadi Walk – It is called Ganji Pahadi (ganji means bald, pahadi means hill) because there are no trees on the summit of the hill and it looks like it’s got a bald patch at the top. You can ask a local how to get there. It is a long walk of at least an hour, but quite pleasant.
  • Subhash Chowk – This is the spot (chowk means intersection) where the road from the bus stand makes a cross road between two roads to G.P.O. and the one coming in from the bus stand. It is also a fairly active market, second to G.P.O.
  • Church – It is right next to the post office and police post in G.P.O.
  • Chamba – It is a major district town a little distance away from Dalhousie and is the seat of the former princely State of Chamba. It has a number of attractions including a major museum, restaurants, etc.