Trekking/walking

• Bhagsu Waterfall, (3 km from Dharamsala). An easy walk down Bhagsu Rd through the village of the same name, then 1 km up to the waterfall itself. Despite a sign advising visitors not to venture further, the path to the waterfall is in reasonable shape, except for the final 50 m which are distinctly dodgy, especially in slippery weather. Be careful if you decide to take a bath in the upper pools of the waterfall, as there may be shards of glass in the water, possibly thrown there by the villagers to prevent “indecent” behavior by westerners at night.

• Dal Lake, (4 km from Dharamsala, past Naddi). Fairly well signposted. A thoroughly anticlimactic sacred pond is the color and texture of its yellow lentil namesake.

• Indrahar pass. Passes through the snowbound Dhauladhar Range in the Kangra valley. This Trek ends at Lamu.

• Triund. If you are in for a brisk walk, climb the hill beyond Dharamkot to Triund. Provides a beautiful view of the first peaks of the Himalayas and a wide view over the plains. As the peak is 2,875 m, make sure to wear good shoes, carry water, some food if you and an extra vest or coat. At the top, even in summer, the weather can change from hot and sunny into a small snowstorm very quickly. Every year some tourists get themselves into serious trouble this way, wearing only sandals and a T-shirt. If you want to warm up before the Triund trak, try the trek to Guna temple. This is a 5 km trek (one way), through jungle and is quite a climb. If you want to do a shorter trek , hire a small car from McLeodganj for Rs 300-350 to Galu Devi. (Please note; this is not Guna Devi). From there it is a 3 hr climb to Triund. If you plan to stay overnight at Triund , there is a Forest Rest house (Rs 500 per night ). Take a long your personal double bedsheetbut be aware there is no running water or electricity. So a torch , spare batteries is a must. If the Forest house is booked , then you can hire tents there.