Best of Dharamshala, Dalhousie & Manali

Upon arrival and meet and greet with our representative at Chandigarh Airport/Railway Station, get ready to hit the road to the beautiful hill station of Manali (2000 meters above sea level). Located in the Beas River Valley, Manali is a very popular hill station flocked by tourists from across the country. Manali can be reached from the national highway that leads to the Ladakh region.

The snow-clad mountain peaks, rich flora and fauna, and several other prominent attractions make a trip to Manali most worthwhile. According to a legend, Manu was a sage who is believed to have recreated human life after the world was devastated after a great flood. There is an ancient temple in the old Manali village that is devoted to this sage. Some of the other popular attractions of this quaint destination include Hadimba Temple, Manali Sanctuary, Arjun Gufa and Jagatsukh. Upon reaching your hotel, check-in and get comfortable. Have a delicious dinner. Overnight stay at hotel in Manali.

After breakfast, walk through Manali town visiting newly constructed Buddhist Monastery and the handicraft centre. Later, visit the 450 years old temple dedicated to Hadimba Devi, Jagatsukh and Vashist kund.

Hadimba Devi Temple - is an ancient cave temple dedicated to Hidimbi Devi, wife of Bhima, a figure in the Indian epic Mahābhārata. The temple is surrounded by a cedar forest at the foot of the Himālayas.

Vashisht, an extremely picturesque little place clinging to the steep hill side. On the way up to the village you come upon the Vashist hot baths where a natural sulphur spring is piped into a modern bath-house.

Return to hotel by late afternoon. Rest of the day at leisure. Overnight stay at Hotel.

After breakfast, check out and hit the road to Dharamshala. Dalai Lama’s home and winter capital of Himachal Pradesh in the Kangra district, Dharamshala is exactly what it means - ‘rest house for pilgrims’. The high snowclad Dhauladhar ranges are an exquisite backdrop to the hill resort of Dharamsala. Look forward to views of numerous streams of clear water and dense pine & deodar forests trailing you all the way, cool clean air, beautiful surroundings and fantastic views of the mountain ranges.

On the way, feel the cool breeze in your hair and take in the stunning, scenic sights around you. Upon arrival in Dharamshala, check-in at the hotel. Later embark on a sightseeing visit to the famous Tibetan Medical Centre, where treatment is done using rare Tibetan medicines.

St. John Church, which is one of the oldest churches of this region. It is widely acknowledged for its Belgian stained-glass windows, which were donated by Lady Elgin. Other than these attractions, some other places to visit include Kangra Art Museum, Tea Gardens and Kunal Pathri Temple.

Overnight stay at Hotel.

After breakfast today, get ready for a local sightseeing tour of all the major attractions of Dharamshala. Visit and explore Dal Lake, Church, Bhagsu Nag Temple and Tibetan Monastery - all filled with natural beauty. After lunch, we embark on a visit to the famous Tibetan Medical Centre (where various ailments are treated using rare Tibetan medicines, and St. John Church, one of the oldest churches of the region. Some of the other places to visit include Kangra Art Museum, Tea Gardens and Kunal Pathri Temple. Overnight stay at hotel in Dharamshala.

Check out from your hotel after breakfast. Later, hit the road to Dalhousie - a famous hill station and unique summer retreat in Himachal. Watch for curious painted rock carvings of Buddhist deities along the south side of the ridge. The ravishing rhododendrons, gorgeous greens and pristine air add to the beauty of Dalhousie. Quite a few Tibetan refugees have found and made their homes in Dalhousie as well. You can also choose to visit the British-era churches of St John (1863) and St Francis (1894) or wander around the market areas of Subhash Chowk and Gandhi Chowk. Your evening is free for leisure activities. Overnight stay at hotel in Dalhousie.

After breakfast, get ready to head to Khajjiar (approx. 30 kms from Dalhousie) - India's Switzerland. This unmistakably scenic saucer shaped plateau is surrounded by dense pine and thick forests of deodar along the fringes of the exquisite glade of Khajjiar (1085 m). Horse riding and zorbing are two very fun things to do here. When you are out sightseeing, take the time to step in to a temple dedicated to Khajji Nag. Behold snake idols here, as it is a 12th century AD temple dedicated to Naga, the lord of serpents. Within the temple are life size wooden images of the five Pandav brothers.

Later, get ready to proceed to Chamba (approx. 25 kms from Khajjiar) and after exploring the sights, get back to Dalhousie. Overnight stay at hotel in Dalhousie.

After breakfast we checkout from hotel and proceed for Chandigarh by road (around 8 hour journey). On arrival you will be transferred to the airport/railway station to board the flight/Train back to home.