Dalhousie-Khajjiar

Dalhousie-Khajjiar

“I wonder if the snow loves the trees and fields, that it kisses them so gently? And then it covers them up snug, you know, with a white quilt; and perhaps it says, "Go to sleep, darlings, till the summer comes again.” -Lewis Carroll

A high-altitude town Dalhousie is a Hill station in Chamba district near the Dhauladhar mountain range in the north Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. Surrounded by 5 Hills. It’s a home to Colonial-Era buildings, including St. Francis and St. John’s Church. It was a famous destination for Britishers to spend their summer vacations during Indian colonial era, Now the place is visited by tourists from all over the world in winters to see the beautiful mountains that are surrounded by white frizzling snow! Nested far from the chaotic cities of the country, this oldie town situated in the lap of Himachal Pradesh. The place is filled with picturesque and historical buildings that will bring shimmer to your eyes and joy to your heart.

At a distance of 1hr from Dalhousie, Khajjiar is a small town often referred as “Mini Switzerland” provides tourists a unique combination of forests, mountains and lake. Nested among the cedar forest the place is filled with natural beauty and magnificent landscape that leave a long-lasting impression on the Tourist! There are many beautiful temples and a small lake that is nested in the center of the plateau. There are many adventurous sports available like paragliding, horse riding, zorbing etc. which attract many adventure seekers. Khajjiar is a must visit place for everyone coming to Dalhousie and its nearby regions.

As it was our first visit to Dalhousie and Khajjiar we faced many difficulties, but what is the fun in travelling when you don’t face any hurdle. From this blog we will try to guide you so that you can explore these two beautiful places with less difficulties and more fun. As there are many places to see and various things to do here it’s become difficult for someone to manage their time properly! But if you are guided properly it will be fun and exciting.

Things To Do

“Chill" is a selfishness disguised as kindness”

Imagine yourself lying in the middle of a pool with your legs wide open and a glass of frizzling drink in your hand, doesn’t it sound so relaxed and amazing now add snowy mountains in this scenario that surrounds your pool! And that what make this town so different from any other place. There are many luxury resorts in Dalhousie where you can experience this beautiful and exquisite imagination with your friends and family. That is why many people choose Dalhousie as their vacation spot, many of these luxury resorts include (HOTEL MOUNT VIEW, JK CLARKS EXOTICA, BRIJVILLA, SNOW VALLEY RESORTS). All of these resorts will provide you a luxury and comforting experience. This is a wonderful thing to do when you are tired from your daily chaotic life and want to take some rest. There are not many luxury resorts available in Khajjiar so it’s better for you to book your Hotel in Dalhousie which will be much more convenient as the market and other places are close to it. Book your hotel online as it will be less expensive and convenient, during the peak time it become difficult to book a good resort so it will be better for you to book before going there.

“Whoever said that money can’t buy happiness simply didn’t know where to go shopping.”

There is a small market in Dalhousie called “Mall Road Gandhi Market” where you will find unique souvenirs to take back home. If your expectation from the market is high then you will be disappointed because there are not many things to buy or shop, but there is a “Tibetan Market” which is quite famous and offer unique and amazing hand-crafted goods which are definitely worth spending your money on. There are many small eatery shops in the market that offers delicious starters such as our Favorite Momo’s, Maggi, omelet, fries and in Winter you can also have Delicious “Garam-Garam Gulab jamun” which are amazing! There are many places in the market where you can sit and enjoy your hot bites with a beautiful view which is amazing and wonderful. You will mainly find clothes shop in the market offering winter clothes and trust me they are very good and will keep you warm, quality of the goods is very much reliable so, you can buy without hesitating. The goods are not very much expensive and are quite reasonable but don’t forget to bargain because they usually tell a high price at the first place.

I know it might be very disappointed for you after hearing about the market size, we too were very disappointed as we came to Dalhousie from Dharamshala and we thought that we will shop in Dalhousie and not in Dharamshala which was our biggest mistake! But don’t worry there are many more things you can enjoy as stated above.

The market turns out very beautiful in the evening as it become cold up there and you will find clouds moving with you up giving u a chill and positive vibe!

“If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.”

So now I’m gonna tell you about my favorite thing “Food”, We (Me and my cousin Jasbir) have a belief that if a place serves ‘Good Food’ then one can stay there FOREVER! DO YOU AGREE? In Dalhousie there are many amazing places serving Mouth-watering food and if you are craving for some delicious North Indian Food (Dal Makhani, Butter Chicken, Shahi Paneer and yumm yum yumm) up there then you are lucky enough because there are many Punjabi Restaurants serving best North Indian food that you guys will love too. The quality of food is excellent and they serve it with proper hygiene, prices are affordable. The town give you lots of options when it comes for food some of the best places to dine at are (KWALITY RESTAURANT, SHER-E-PUNJAB, LOVELY RESTAURANT). All these places are at a walking distance from the main market if you are staying in Dalhousie but in Khajjiar there are not many places to have a good food but still some of them are (SHER-E-PUNJAB, VASHISHT RESTAURANT). Morning breakfast is the best time for me as there are many places serving hot coffee/Tea with delicious Omelet/Maggi, imagine yourself taking sip from your hot coffee while seeing the mighty snowy mountains, if you are staying in a hotel then they will serve you a good breakfast else there are many vendors nearby. Dalhousie Café is the best place to have your Breakfast or lunch; if you are in Dalhousie then do visit the place for once it’s totally worth going.

“When you see someone putting on his Big Boots, you can easily guess that an Adventure is going to happen.”

So now comes the second-best thing we love to do “Adventure”. I think if you love travelling then you will definitely be an Adventure seeker because Travelling is all about Adventure! If you want to do Adventures things like Zipline, Paragliding, trekking or Horse ridding in Dalhousie then you have to go Khajjiar because there are no adventure activities as such in Dalhousie, you have to travel 25km to do them. If you are going to Dalhousie then you must go to Khajjiar because it is one of that thing which you cannot miss and if you go there then you can enjoy all these activities but if you are going in winters then there will be chances that you will not be able to do Paragliding and Zipline because of the heavy snowfall. If you are an adventure seeker and want some trilling experience, then you must visit there.

Paragliding: - It is one of the best activities to do if you are an adventure seeker because just imagine yourself flying in the air with snowy mountains around and the world at your feet with fresh air filling your lungs. That’s so thrilling isn’t it? We’ll suggest you that if you have done paragliding for ones in your life then there is no need to do it again because it’s all same, but if u are really keen to do that then you are most welcome the mountains are calling you! The place for paragliding is 10-15 min away from the main ground of Khajjiar. Cost for paragliding is 1600 Rs without camera and 2000 Rs with camera, you can also take your camera or phone up their but it will be at your own risk. They will say that you will be up in the air for 15-20 min but that is a lie because you will be up in the air only for 8-10 min. Don’t be disappointed it’s totally worth if you are experiencing this for the first time.

Zipline: - In this activity you will be connected to a cable from your waist and driven by gravity to reach the other end. The cable is arranged 15-20 feet above the ground and is as simple as it sounds but you will definitely enjoy, especially those who want to do some trilling activity but are scared from the heights. You will be up in the air for about 6-8 min and you will definitely enjoy this. Cost for this activity is 1000 Rs with camera and 1200rs without camera, you can take your own camera but that will be on your risk. Do try this for ones as it is very exciting and thrilling and if you are visiting a place with mountains around then that’s totally worth doing. You can do zipline at the same place where you’ll be doing Paragliding so you don’t have to go somewhere else to enjoy this amazing activity.

Horse Riding: - Horse riding is quite famous in Khajjiar because of the large area and mountain region, if you want to do Horse riding you have to go to Khajjiar as it is not available in Dalhousie. In this activity you will be mounted on a horse with a rider and then he will take you around Khajjiar and will tell you about the famous places in brief, it is a very simple activity and specially for children’s who will definitely enjoy a Horse ride. Cost for this is 500Rs if you want to take one round which is fairly enough. As there are not many places to see in Khajjiar it’s only it’s beauty which will fascinate you. This activity is available in the main ground of Khajjiar itself so you don’t have to travel anywhere to enjoy this activity

“Born to Roam- Everywhere is Home”

When you are tired of doing everything- Shopping, Eating, Paragliding, Horse riding, then take some rest and enjoy the beauty of this magnificent Town by roaming around. Both these Town’s are small so you don’t need any vehicle to roam around what you need is little bit of courage to take a walk. Everywhere you’ll see there are mountains around which makes your walk an amazing one. You can see many places by just roaming around that’s include (SUBHASH CHOWK, GANDHI CHOWK, GARAM SADAK, CHURCHES). The market of Dalhousie is the perfect place to take a walk as you will find many things to do, you can take beautiful pictures with amazing view, you can have quick bites such as Momo’s, Maggie, Coffee, etc. from the local vendors. When we were in Dalhousie we enjoyed or walk very much as it gave us positive vibes and relaxed our body, sit down in the market area and enjoy the beautiful scenes around you it will soothe your head and enrich your mind to think what to do next in your trip. You will meet different people and locals which will help you in knowing you the town and their culture.

Top 5 Places to Visit

St. John’s Church

There are many churches in Dalhousie but St. John’s Church holds a special place among the folks’ heart as it holds a historical significance of being the first church to be built here. Nested among the lush green landscape and pine valley this church is the main attraction of Dalhousie. The architecture of the church is similar to the Roman Catholic Church of England; the only difference is that this church belongs to protestants community which shows the old sign of British Era, inside of the church is very calm, comforting and maintained nicely by the locals. The church is located at the corner of the main market “Mall Road” which make it quite feasible for the tourists to visit. If you are living in Dalhousie then the Church is at a walking distance which make it easy for you to visit it as many times as you want to. After visiting the church, you can roam around the market or can have some quick bites, you can also take some beautiful pictures with your family and friend outside the church as it is very beautiful there. Make sure to visit the church before 5:00pm because after that you will only be able to see it from outside as it gets closed by 5:00pm by the local authorities.

St. France’s Church

The second most famous church in Dalhousie is St. Frances’ Church which is more than 100 years old which is constructed in the year 1894 by the Army and Civil Officers and civilians. Since then the church has been maintained and regulated by the Catholic Diocese of Jalandhar. The church is surrounds with dioramas depicting the Stations of the Cross and each diorama states the story of Jesus Christ in brief. The church is surrounded by Daffodil trees which adds to the beauty of this place, the church is on a higher platform from the main ground which gives it an amazing view from outside. Inside of the church is enriched with positive energy and maintained properly by the local authorities. The church is located at a walking distance from the main market “Mall road” and near the Dalhousie Bus stand, which makes it very convenient for tourist to visit it. The church closes by 5:00pm so if you are planning to visit it make sure to be on time. Outside the church there is a beautiful and well-maintained garden where you can take good pictures with your family and friends, there are not many things to do near the church but you can go to the main market “Mall road” or can roam around.

Khajjiar Lake

Khajjiar- also known as the “Mini Switzerland” of India is very famous for its beautiful landscape, pine trees and Khajjiar lake. Situated in the middle of the Khajjiar this lake is an attraction for many of the tourist. Khajjiar lake is at a distance of 24 km from Dalhousie so if you have to visit Khajjiar lake you have to travel for 1 hr to reach there and that can be only done by some vehicle, so if you are planning to visit Khajjiar lake you have to devote one full day to it as there are many things to do near Khajjiar lake which will take your whole day. If you are travelling by your own vehicle then make sure to drive safely as the roads are very steep and in winters the roads are mostly covered with snow but if you are travelling via taxi then the cost for this is mentioned below. Khajjiar lake is simply a dull lake but what attracts people is its beauty and surroundings, with this there are many activities to do in near Khajjiar lake such as horse riding, paragliding and zipline. The place is very picturesque and amazing which will fill your heart with joy and happiness, you can roam around the lake or can just sit and relax. Mainly the lake is filled with water but when we visited in February it was almost empty which disappointed us so if you are travelling in this month you may find the lake empty, but don’t lose your heart there are many others thing to do.

Dalhousie Café

If you are a Foodie and visiting Dalhousie then this café is must for you to visit. Located near the “Mall road Gandhi Chowk” this café is a famous place in Dalhousie and visited by many tourists, there are not many cafés in Dalhousie because of which this place is quite famous among the tourist. It’s a small café with comforting aroma and beautiful interior, the interior of the café is very simple but elegant which creates a relaxing environment around you. The food is amazing but expensive because of the quality they serve. The menu has a variety of mouth-watering food for you such as (grilled chicken sandwich, pizza, shakes, pasta etc.). We loved to have our breakfast there as it was very refreshing and enriching, we’ll suggest you to have your lunch or breakfast there for once. The service of the café is good but can be improved. The café is mostly empty so you don’t need to worry about the seat.

Kalatop Wildlife Century

Located at Kalatop and Khajjiar in the Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh Kalatop wildlife century is covered with dense Deodar and fir forests spreading over 19.63 sq. km, the Kalatop Khajjiar Sanctuary is a 30.69 sq. km animal sanctuary. It is around 6km away from Dalhousie which means you can go there only by your own vehicle and it you are hiring a cab then it will charge you more because of the hilly area. You have to devote a complete day for this as it is very big and far from Dalhousie, try to reach there in the morning as there are many wild animals so it will be unsafe for you to go there in the night. The flora in the sanctuary includes cedar and blue pine, oaks like moru and ban, deodar trees, rhododendron, firs, and many more. It's also popular for medicinal plants and herbs. The wilderness is conferred with a huge variety of Indian Wildlife, including some of the endangered species of flora and fauna. In the middle of the forest you will find a beautiful lake with splendid view, the century is a home for variety of wildlife like Bear, Himalayan Black Marten, Leopard, Deer, Barking Goral, Squirrel, Serow, Jackal, Langur, Himalayan Tahr, Goral, Ibex, Himalayan Squirrel, Muntjac, etc. The perfect time to go there is in summer as you’ll be able to see many animals and birds, during the winter time you may find it closed.

Other Places to Visit

Beeji’s park

It is a small park built by Indian Army to pay a rich tribute to Martyrs and their mothers who sacrifice a lot and send their beloved sons at border. Located near Dalhousie Public School on the way of Dalhousie to Khajjiar, you can visit this park while going to Khajjiar as it will be on your way and there are not many things to see only models of war airplanes, Jeeps, war ships and Tanks. You can take a stop of 10 min there to pay tribute to our Indian army and can take some pictures with models of airplanes and tanks. The cost for visiting the place is absolutely free.

Satdhara Fall

Situated in Dalhousie, Himachal Pradesh Satdhara fall is surrounded by amazing views of the Chamba valley with snowy mountains and deodar tress. This place gives an excellent experience to the people, who are in search of peace and tranquility, away from your daily hectic life this place is heaven on earth. This waterfall brings together the waters of seven beautiful springs which is a wonder in itself, the crystal-clear water of the majestic Satdhara Falls gurgles with joy as little droplets bounce off on the rocks. You can reach to this heavenly place either by cab or your own vehicle but many people prefer to trek their as it adds thrill and adventure. There are many things you can do here- Take some beautiful pictures with a splashing waterfall in your background, roam around the place and enrich yourself with the beauty of the nature, sit and relax there and let the voice of splashing water to sooth your mind. Do carry some water and snacks with you as there are no eatery shops nearby and try not to throw the rappers and waste materials here and there. Enjoy the everlasting beauty that it has while taking a dip in the crystal-clear water of the fall.

Chamera Lake

Dalhousie has a collection of most amazing lakes and mountains, one of the most famous and beautiful lake is Chamera lake. Located in the Chamba district 24 km away from Dalhousie it is one of the famous attractions which is loved by almost every tourist. This exquisite Chamera Lake is actually a reservoir formed by the Chamera Dam, which is positioned at an altitude of 1700 meters. Surrounded by beautiful lush green trees and exquisite valleys, it gives way to various water sports activities such as Boat riding and Fishing. Boat riding is very famous activity in Chamera Lake and loved by many tourists, cost for this activity varies depending on the season. You will find many eatery shops nearby to have some quick bites.

Panchpula

Covered with the lush green blanket of pine and Deodar trees and enfolding refreshing water streams, Panchpula is a waterfall and a popular picnic spot in Dalhousie, this picturesque place has always been one of the most favorite spots of tourists in Dalhousie. You can spend some time with your family and friends and enjoy this beautiful and exotic waterfall, there are many water activities in Panchpula and the most famous is Boating which is enjoyed by may tourist. Another popular spot in Panchpula is the memorial monument, which was built to commemorate the revolutionary Sardar Ajit Singh. Panchpula is few km away from Satdhara so if you are visiting to Satdhara make sure to visit this place the best time to go here is monsoon and summer. There are many eatery shops so, you can have some quick bites with a wonderful aroma around. There are many impressive waterfalls at Panchpula that looks best during the monsoon as everything around these falls’ buzzes with natural richness during the rainy season. Panchpula is also famous for many treks that originate here and leads to Dalhousie or other nearby destinations. You can reach there by cab or personal vehicle.

Garam Sadak

You might be wondering what is this Garam Sadak, well it is just a road which gets hot during daytime as it receives direct sunlight. It is popular among the locals because of the fact that it gets hot during the daytime. There is nothing special about this road and you don’t have to purposely visit this place as you will see it while going to “Mall road” as it connects the two main markets of Dalhousie, “Gandhi chowk” and “Subhash chowk”. If you are travelling through this road in light don’t forget to carry a flashlight as it gets dark and there and very few street lights.

Travelling Cost

Hotel Price

Luxury Resorts: - There are many luxury resorts in Dalhousie which will provide you quality service and comfort, if you want to relax in pool with beautiful surroundings around then Dalhousie with Resorts are best option. In Dalhousie you’ll find plenty of Resorts some of them are (HOTEL MOUNT VIEW, JK CLARKS EXOTICA, BRIJVILLA, SNOW VALLEY RESORTS) and the cost of these resorts varies according to the season you are booking in, the prices are at their peak in summer and monsoon season. In summer season an average cost for luxury Resort is Rs. 3000-4000 for one day and Winters an Average cost for Luxury Resort is Rs. 2000-10000 for one day.

In Khajjiar there are not many Luxury Resorts and if you are travelling to Dalhousie then Choose your Resort or Hotel in Dalhousie as it will be more Convenient.

Average price Hotel: - If you are looking for an average hotel with Medium size room then you have plenty of options in Dalhousie, there are many Hotels in Dalhousie because more than thousands tourist visit every year. If you are visiting with your friends then average price Hotel are best for you as it will provide you every facility that you will need, from proper service to breakfast and Dinner they’ll serve you nicely. The rooms will be small but will be properly managed, you’ll find no difficulty in staying and it will be in your Budget. Cost for the Hotels varies according to the Season, it will be high in summers and monsoons and low in winters. Cost for a room in summer is 1000Rs-3000Rs for one day and in winters the cost is 800Rs-2000Rs.

Budget Price Hotel: - If you are looking for a budget price hotel then don’t worry there are many Hotels in Dalhousie. In these Budget price Hotel, you will get a small room with good service but the condition of the rooms varies according to the hotel if you are lucky enough then you may get a good room with proper management but if not then you may also get Untidy room. If you are visiting with your family then avoid these kinds of hotels and go for average hotels but if you are with friends or alone then they are good for you.

Cost for budget price hotels are mainly stable in all seasons Rs. 500-1500 for one day.

Food cost

If you are visiting Dalhousie then don’t worry about food because in Dalhousie, you’ll get best quality food, with reasonable price. There are many Restaurants in Dalhousie that serve variety of cuisine and one of the most famous and delicious is North Indian.

For breakfast there are many small eatery shops that serve best Maggie and omelette with hot coffee and tea, but if you want to enjoy the lazy morning while sitting in your room then don’t worry your hotel will provide you delicious breakfast. An average cost of breakfast in Dalhousie for one person is Rs. 100-150 per day.

For Dinner you’ll find many restaurants at Subhash chowk and Gandhi Chowk that serve quality and delicious food, Cost for two is Rs. 800-1000 per day. North Indian is the best cuisine here and one must try it. Have your Dinner by 8pm as the restaurants get closed by that time.

Travelling Cost

If you are travelling to Dalhousie by your own vehicle then you don’t have to worry about travelling cost, just travel safely because roads are narrow and stepper but if you are travelling Dalhousie then you might have to face travelling cost. There are many places in Dalhousie where you have to go by booking a cab as they are few kilometers away from the main city. You can get a cab from cab stand located at “Subhash Chowk”, there you’ll find many cab drivers who will help you in roaming, Cab association is located at “Gandhi Chowk” here you can get a cab at reasonable price but do try bargaining as they will usually tell you high price.

Going to Khajjiar by a cab will cost you 1000Rs- 1500Rs depending on the season you are going but it’s better to book a cab which will take you to all the places mentioned above so that you can get a good discount.

Travelling alone or in two is more expensive in Dalhousie but if you are travelling in a group of 4-5 people then it is quite reasonable.

Best time to go there.

Best time to visit Dalhousie is in Summer or Monsoon because of the following reasons: -

1) You’ll be able to see many places as all of them are mostly open, but if you’ll come in winter many of the places will be closed so you will not be able to enjoy your vacation.

2) In summer the place is little chill because of the high altitude so you can enjoy your summer with mighty mountains with relaxing vibes.