Welcome to Dharamsala
Dharamsala (also spelled Dharamshala) is known as the home of the Dalai Lama, but the untidy market town where the buses pull in is actually Lower Dharamsala. The Tibetan spiritual leader is based 3km up the hill in Upper Dharamsala, also known as McLeod Ganj, and that's where most visitors are heading. When people locally talk about Dharamsala, they usually mean Lower Dharamsala.
Top experiences in Dharamsala
Amazing hotels and hostels
We've pre-picked the best hotels, hostels and bed and breakfasts to make your stay as enjoyable as possible.
Food and drink
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Moonpeak in Mcleod GanjMulticuisine
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Nick’s Italian Kitchen in Mcleod GanjItalian
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Green Hotel Restaurant in Mcleod GanjMulticuisine
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Shangrila Vegetarian Restaurant in Mcleod GanjTibetan Indian
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Tibet Kitchen in Mcleod GanjTibetan
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Common Ground Cafe in Mcleod GanjAsian
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Cool Talk Cafe in Bhagsu & DharamkotMulticuisine
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Indique in Mcleod GanjMulticuisine
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Lung Ta in Mcleod GanjJapanese
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Jimmy’s Italian Kitchen in Mcleod GanjItalian
Travel guides
Starting at $45.49
Dharamsala activities
Magnificent Hills of Himachal - Dharamsala with Shimla
Day 1: Arrive DelhiUpon arrival at New Delhi Airport and after completing immigration and customs formalities, our representative will meet you at the arrival area and transfer to the hotel. Overnight at hotel in Delhi. Day 2: Delhi - ShimlaAfter breakfast, check-out and drive to Shimla (7,400 ft). You will get to see the countryside while passing markets and towns. Upon arrival check-in at the hotel. Rest of the time leisurely. Shimla: The Summer Capital of the British India, Shimla is truly a perfect place to enjoy your holiday as leisure. Now the capital of Himachal Pradesh, it is a Hill station of north, offering a great view. The place still has the touch of British architecture and designs in certain places; just walking around the Mall itself is pleasurable. Nothing like the mainstream Indian climate, Shimla is very cool and fresh. The lush green Hills and the snow capped mountains stand tall, making it a very scenic place. Overnight at hotel in Shimla. Day 3: Tour Shimla and KufriAfter breakfast, proceed for the day tour of Shimla and Kufri. Visit several prominent attractions like Jakhu Temple, Christ Church, Ridge, Viceroy House, and Summer Hill. In the afternoon, drive to Kufri (8,600 ft) from Shimla where you can rejuvenate yourself amidst the dense forests, snow-capped mountains and exotic flora and fauna. Evening time is completely free to enjoy the breath taking beauty of Kufri region. Return to your hotel.Overnight hotel in Shimla. Day 4: Shimla – DharamsalaAfter breakfast, check-out and drive to Dharamsala (4,800 ft). Drive through the beautiful landscape of Indian Himalayas.Arrive Dharamsala, check-in at the hotel.Overnight at hotel in Dharamsala. Day 5: DharamsalaAfter breakfast, proceed for the day tour of Dharamsala. Visit Bhagsu Nath Temple, Norbulingka Institute. Visit Tsuglhakhang, the temple and residence of Dalai Lama. Afternoon, enjoy a walk along the mall road, where Tibetan refugees display and sell their crafts. Also visit St. John in the Wilderness Church. Evening is free to walk around the Mall Road area.Overnight at hotel in Dharamsala. Day 6: Dharamsala - ChandigarhAfter breakfast, drive down to Chandigarh. Upon arrival, visit Rock Garden, Open Hand Monument and Sukhna Lake. Later, check-in at hotel. Overnight at hotel in Chandigarh. Day 7: Chandigarh - Delhi - Depart DelhiAfter a leisurely breakfast, check out from hotel and drive straight to Delhi international airport for your flight to onward destination.
Discover Lap of Himalayas Dharamshala, Shimla and Manali
Day 1: Arrive DelhiArrive at New Delhi International Airport, meet our representative and get transferred to your hotel. Overnight at hotel. Day 2 : Delhi - ShimlaPost breakfast, drive to Shimla, passing through various markets, towns and countryside. Upon arrival, check-in and relax. The Summer Capital of the erstwhile British India, Shimla is the capital of Himachal Pradesh, a hill station offering mesmerizing views. The place still has the touch of colonial architecture and designs in certain places. The lush green hills and the snow capped mountains, make it a very scenic place. Overnight at hotel. Day 3:Tour Shimla and KufriPost breakfast, visit Jakhu Temple, and Christ Church, Ridge, Viceroy House and Summer Hill in Shimla. Later, drive to Kufri (8600 Ft), 18 km/an hour’s drive from Shimla, and enjoy the beauty of Kufri region. Return to your hotel for Overnight stay. Day 04:Shimla-ManaliPost breakfast, check-out and drive to Manali. En route visit Kullu Valley. Visit Shawl factory of Kullu. On arrival, check in to hotel. Evening at leisure.Overnight at hotel. Day 5: ManaliPost breakfast, visit Hadimba Temple, Vashist Hot Springs, Manu Temple and Tibetan Monasteries in Manali. Walk around the mall in the evening. Overnight at hotel. Day 6: Manali– Day Trip To Rohtang Pass (51 Km/3 Hrs Approx.) / Solang Valley (14 Km/20-30 Mins)Post breakfast, proceed for a day trip to Rohtang Pass (13,000 Ft) (SUBJECT TO AVAILIBILITY OF PERMIT), one of the world’s highest motorable roads. Make the most of your visit here by indulging in snow adventure like skiing, paragliding, zorbing, sledging, etc. If Permit is not available, then visit Solang Valley (8400 Ft), where parachuting, paragliding, skating and zorbing are a common sport. You can avail all these on direct payment basis. Evening return to hotel. Overnight at hotel. Day 7: Manali – DharamsalaPost breakfast, check-out and drive to Dharamsala. Upon arrival, check-in at hotel and relax. Overnight at hotel. Day 8: DharamsalaPost breakfast, a day tour of Dharamsala. Visit Bhagsu Nath Temple, Norbulingka Institute. Visit Tsuglhakhang, the temple and residence of Dalai Lama. Afternoon, enjoy a walk along the mall road, where Tibetan refugees display and sell their crafts. Also visit St. John in the Wilderness Church. Overnight at hotel. Day 9: Dharamsala - ChandigarhPost breakfast, drive to Chandigarh. Upon arrival, visit Rock Garden, Open Hand Monument and Sukhna Lake. Then check-in at hotel.Overnight at hotel. Day 10: Chandigarh - Delhi - Depart DelhiPost breakfast, check out from hotel and drive to Delhi International Airport for your flight to onward destination.
Jewels of the Crown
Day 01 : Arrival Delhi : Arrive at Indira Gandhi international Airport and we meet you there. Now on wards till your departure, it is our responsibility to look after you. Do not worry and leave yourself in our hands. Our representative is your friend, guide and philosopher Day 02 : Amritsar : We shall take a train, Shatabadi Expreass from Delhi that leaves at 7.20 am and reaches Chandigarh at 1.45 pm. In the evening we are scheduled to visit Wagha Boarder, so we leave at 4 pm. Here the Retreat ceremony takes place while the gates between boarder of two countries are opened for a while. Day 03 - 04 : Dharamsala : We visit Golden temple in the morning, one of the most important places of Sikh history. The temple is built in the middle of the pond and it accessible through a path bridge. Maharaja Ranjit Singh had the upper half of the building built with approximately 400 kg of gold leaf. We will go around the pond and the temple, stopping periodically for moments of quiet reflection. The temple complex is like a small community, filled with many different activities. We will visit the kitchen where free meals are prepared by volunteers throughout the day; the temple where the holy book, Aad Guru Sahib, is read aloud from 4 am to 10 pm daily; and observe devotional rituals. After that a five hours drive to cover 195 km to Dharamsala brings us to the hills. In the evening we shall visit the Dalai Lama Monastery. Dharamsla is the seat of Dalai Lama, running his government in exile from MacLeodganj, a tiny town a0 km above Dharamsala. A visit to Narbulingka Institute and to Tibetan Children's Village is must, next day.Day 05 - 06 : Manali : 240 km takes nearly 8 hours because the drive is through the Tea Estates, mountain villages, forests roads and along the river Beas. Manali is the base of many trekking routes to the middle and high Himalayas. We will spend two days here to
The Horse Shoe Itinerary: 18-Day Tour from Delhi
Day 01 : Welcome to India! Our representative is going to be there to receive you at the Indira Gandhi International Airport Delhi and take you to the hotel. . You are met by our representative in the arrival area of the airport after you clear all immigration and customs formalities. Depart for your Home Stay to check in. Day 02 - 03 : Shimla - Shatabadi Express leaves Delhi at 7.40 am for Kalka and arrives there at 11.45 am. Further enjoy the Fairy Tale Journey though the hills by Toy Train that leaves at 12:20 PM and arrives Shimla at 17:20 PM. Walk though Shimla Heritage zone with your guide and learn about its past and present . The British used it at a holiday resort and then as their Summer Capital. Completely developed by the British Officers Shimla takes you back to the bygone era as the town is a Victorian and post Victorian architecture. Day 04 : Sarhan : You are acclimatized now and are ready to proceed for the actual tour. Journey to Sarhan is 175 km and 6 hours through the scenic forests and valleys. Day 05 - 08 : Chitkul - Kalpa and Nako : We are going to be in the apple bowl. The whole of this area survives on apple fruit that was introduced by an American in 1922. In five days you are going to be in the green area and gradually enter the brown mountains on day 09 when you reach Nako. Also you have to appear before the Magistrate to obtain the Inner-line permit on day 06.Nako is at 3700 meters and is a high altitude lake. From now you are in the cold desert, the land without vegetation. Day 09 - 11 : Spiti : The ultimate experience of your holiday is in this area. For three days you are going to be in the Sea bed of Tethys. Visit some of the oldest Buddhist Monasteries (Tabo Monastery, Key Monastery and Dhankar Monastery - all mosre than 1000 years old), the ultimate landscape of Lingti valley where you visit the highest inhabited village in the world, Village Hikkim (4587 m) with its age old monastery and Peen valley - The Geologists Paradise. Day 12 - 16 : The foothills : Cross over the two high passes, Kunzum pass (4590 m) and Rohtan Pass (3900 m) you reach the Shivalik hills at Manali, the base of many high altitude treks. This day the drive is very long, nearly 8 hours through the rough roads. Then move to Dharamsala which is the seat of Dalai Lama. Visit to Narbulinga Institute, the Monastery and the Tibetan Children Village is worth. Paragpur is the first Heritage village of India and is known for the old mansions left by the families of Sood community. Day 17 - 18 : We move to Amritsar, the pool nectar and known for Golden temple. The town is an important place for Sikh history. Last day, fly to Delhi to catch international flight.
Customize road trip of north india by private car and driver
Trip will start from delhi or your desire place and you can decide where you want go in north india. North India is a region in the northern part of India. It includes the states rajasthan, punjab, gujrat, madhye pradesh, uttar Pradesh, uttrakhand, himanchal pradesh, haryana, chandigarh and Delhi etc. It has a diverse culture, and includes the Hindu pilgrimage centers of Char Dham, Haridwar, Mathura, Allahabad and Varanasi, the Buddhist Mahabodhi Temple, the Sikh Golden Temple in Amritsar, Punjab. It houses the world heritage sites such as the Valley of flowers, Qutb Minar, Taj Mahal etc. Folk dances like the bhangra of the Punjab, The states Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh houses the famous hill stations like Kullu, Manali, Shimla, Dharamsala, Palampur, Mussoorie, Dehradun, Nainital etc. Some other famous cities are , Kurukshetra, Jammu, Ladakh(Leh), Srinagar, Amritsar, Ludhiana, Jalandhar etc.  
Private 7-Night Himalayan Hills Tour from Delhi
Your visit starts from New Delhi, the capital of India, and takes you first to Amritsar. From there, you travel to the quaint town of Dharamsala and McLeod Ganj known as "Little Lhasa." After McLeod Ganj, you will head towards the tea capital of North India, Palampur, then travel to the former capital of the British East India Company, Shimla. On your way back to Delhi, experience the Shimla-Kalka toy train.Day 1: Delhi - Amritsar.Welcome on arrival in Amritsar and check in at hotel. Afternoon transfer to Wagah border to witness the Beating Retreat ceremony a, ceremony of closing gates and lowering of flags of India and Pakistan. Later in the evening, pay a visit to the Golden temple, the most holy place for the Sikh religion. Overnight at the hotelDay 2: Amritsar - DharamsalaAfter breakfast, travel onwards to Dharamsala, the center of the Tibetan exile world in India. Check into your hotel and visit the Norbulingka Institute dedicated to the preservation of the Tibetan culture in its literary and artistic forms. Overnight at the hotel.Day 3: DharamsalaAfter breakfast, you will be taken to McLeod Ganj, a suburb of Dharamsala also known as “Little Tibet.” There is a long list of places and monuments that are worth visiting. You can enjoy a visit to the Dalai Lama Temple Complex, Library of Tibetan Works, Institute of Buddhist Dialectics, Tibetan Medical and Astrological Institute, Church of St. John in the Wilderness; Dal Lake; the view of the Dhauladhar mountains from Talnoo-Nadi; Kotwali Bazaar; Kangra Devi Temple; Naam Art Gallery. Overnight at the hotel in Dharamshala.Day 4: Dharamsala to PalampurAfter a scrumptious breakfast in the hotel, you will leave for Palampur, a town situated in the foothills of the Himalayas surrounded by tea gardens and mountain scenery of the Dhauladhar range. On your way to Palampur, you will stop over to visit the Gyuto Monastery. When in Palampur, check into your hotel. Then rest or visit the Neugal Khad to have an excellent view of the Dhauladhar range.Overnight at the hotelDay 5: Palampur to ShimlaYou will leave for the former capital of the British East India Company, Shimla. Check into your hotel. Relax and stroll in the town.Overnight at the hotelDay 6: ShimlaEnjoy a tour around this heritage hill city. The city's buildings are styled in the Tudorbethan and Neo-Gothic architectures dating from the colonial era. During the walk, you will get to see a number of old buildings, such as Gaiety Theater, General Post Office, Bantony, Betink’s Castle etc. Overnight at the hotel.Day 7: Shimla - Kalka - Delhi In the morning, enjoy an awe inspiring experience with the famous Kalka - Shimla toy train. Upon arrival to Kalka, you will be received by a driver at the railway station to drive you to Delhi. Overnight at the hotel.Day 8: DelhiTransfer to airport to board your international flight.