Dalhousie Hill Station

Known for magnificent serene surroundings, Dalhousie is a picturesque little hill town that serves as the gateway to Chamba Valley. Dalhousie is located in Himachal Pradesh about 30 km from Chamba and is a perfect location to enjoy a hill station holiday trip in India. The town extends over a series of low-level hills with their altitudes ranging between 1525 m to 2378 m above sea level. The pine-covered slopes featuring alpine vegetations create a tranquil environment all around the town. Numerous Victorian style buildings in the town reflect the former glory of the town.

This colonial town was established in mid-19th century. The credit for its founding goes to Lord Dalhousie who was the British Governor-General in India at that time. He was so enchanted by beauty and the cool climate of this place that he decided to establish a sanatorium here for the British having difficulty coping up with the hot climate of the plains in India. Development of the town started during the period of Dalhousie and included construction of a number of governmental buildings that stand tall till date and remind of the British Raj period.

Main Tourist Attractions in Dalhousie

Garam Sadak
Lined with tall trees, Garam Sadak meaning a hot road is one of the best areas in the town to enjoy a leisurely walk. The road is usually hotter than other roads of the town due to getting direct sunlight. It connects Gandhi Chowk to Subhash Chowk and is meant for pedestrians only. A large number of visitors come to enjoy strolling on this road in the evening time.

Dainkund Peak
This highest hill of the area, this peak is the perfect place to enjoy beautiful views of the whole region. It is also popularly referred to as ‘Singing Hill’ as one can hear the sounds of gentle breeze here. Near the top of the hill is located the simple Pholani Devi Temple. One can enjoy the wonderful sight of the valley and the rivers while trekking to the top of the hill.

Thandi Sadak
Featuring the tall green pine and deodar trees, this road as the name suggests offers cool surroundings for a leisurely stroll. Presence of lines of tall trees means the road surface doesn’t get enough sunlight, and hence is much cooler.

Apart from these main places, other worth-exploring attractions in Dalhousie include Satdhara, Subhash Baoli, Bara Pathar, and Panjpulla.

How to Reach Dalhousie
Airport at Gaggal in Kangra, located about 140 km away, serves as the nearest airport to Dalhousie. Jammu and Amritsar airports are also used by many people to reach Dalhousie. The nearest railhead at Pathankot, gets regular trains from Delhi, Amritsar, Jammu and some other cities. From there, you can use the road network to reach Dalhousie. Buses of Punjab and Himachal state are available from the station at regular intervals. You can also hire a taxi from the station which takes around 2 hours to reach Dalhousie.

Best time to Visit Dalhousie
September and October are the best months to enjoy Dalhousie tour. During winter months, the temperature in Dalhousie drops down to nearly 0°C mark. During the summer months of May and June, the maximum temperature here hovers around 30°C. This is the time when this charming hill station is visited by hordes of tourists coming from different parts of country. Rainy months of July and August can be avoided for traveling to Dalhousie.