Away from the hustle & bustle of the cities and the heat of the plains, the northern foothills of the Himalayas contain some of the most beautiful and spectacular scenery in the whole of India. With village life largely unchanged for centuries and former hill stations still preserving British customs, this is a place to lose all sense of time, walking through small, friendly villages, or taking relaxing breaks in some unique and wonderful hotels.
Dharamshala located in Kangra district, is separated as upper and lower divisions with different altitudes. The lower division is the Dharamshala town itself, whereas, the upper-division is located 3km away and popularly known as McLeod Ganj. Dharamshala is the home to Dalai Lama, the Buddhist leader who runs the Tibetan government in exile from Dharamshala. Now, what better place on earth than this little town set on the foothills of Dhauladhar ranges to experience the rich and regal Tibetan culture. In the year 1959, Dalai Lama came to India with his followers and settled, rather beautified the town of Dharamshala, transforming it into the little Lhasa. Dharamshala, for many years, has been a centre of meditation and peace, with thousands of people from around the world coming here to seek Nirvana.
Palampur, a picturesque hill station is known for its tea gardens like the Palampur Cooperative Tea Factory, which also processes the leaves. A waterfall drops into a stream at Bundla Chasm, Saurabh Van Vihar nature park has picnic spots, birdlife and views of the snow-capped Dhauladhar range, a forested trail leads northeast to hilltop Birni Devi Temple, with mountain views and Bir-Billing is famous as the best paragliding site in the world.
