Mountain Trip to Freedom : Himachal Pradesh

Our day 1 started as soon we landed here at 6:30 am in the morning . We had a day to explore the home of the glorious Golden Temple, the iconic city of Amritsar.

We decided to straight head to this place after we were done with check-in and freshing up.

A day in this peaceful city has to start with the spiritual prayers from the Golden Temple. It is without any doubt one of India’s most serene and humbling sights. One can not get enough of it's mesmerizing view and the calmness this place has to offer. Sitting by the lake surrounding Golden temple by night; just soaking up the moment , seeing happy faces everywhere doing all the volunteer work selflessly has to be best sight . I can sit by this place for days! ✨

A short distance away from the Golden Temple is, Jallianwalla Bagh, where British colonial government troops fired on a crowd of unarmed Indian protesters, killing hundreds of people and wounding many more.Even though decades have passed since the horrifying and saddest event , it will never fade away from our memory. The site is a national monument.

For so many amazing places surrounding Golden temple , it's very difficult to select one place to visit. However , we were too tired (excessive heat in March mid! ) And decided to settle on this place - which not at all disappointed us. On our way , we also had Yummies Malai kulfi .

The illustrious lowering of the flags ceremony takes place here at the Wagah Border; a daily military practice followed by the Border Security Force (BSF) and the Pakistan Rangers, since 1959. Wagah Border attracts all kind of crowds in large numbers. From shouts of patriotism and patriotic songs to the powerful show put up by the BSF and Pakistan Rangers, a visit to Wagah is a gripping experience.

One just have to make sure to reach well before time for the show to get a good seat. In summers, please make sure to equipped yourself with heat protecting measures and lots of water. P.S. You are not allowed to carry anything other than small wallet.

From summery Amritsar to chilly Dalhousie

We started second day early morning by paying a visit to Golden temple , which made us fall on love with it beauty all over again! It is so peaceful in the morning and sets the tone perfectly for the day.

Next we had a quick breakfast of Aloo-Gobi Paratha with Masala chai ( priceless!)

After breakfast we proceeded to Dalhousie. Amritsar to Dalhousie is roughly 4 hours drive full of picturesque landscapes. En-route we had fee halts to enjoy fresh ganne ka juice and the scenery.

This place is right in the mountain. Hardly 10 mins from the Mall road (city center) yet secluded from crowded place and therefore very very peaceful..it's a speechless feeling to be silent observer of the mountains and clouds. Totally a place one would crave to go back to.

"Kwality Restaurant" just at the start of Mall road is what we chose for our first meal in Dalhousie; and boy, it was so yum and comforting for the weather. Highly recommend this place!

The Panchpula is a scenic place, which is surrounded by picturesque mountains and green valleys and is only few kilometers from the main city of Dalhousie. Oh yeah , don't forget to check out an amazingly talented painter who sits just near the panchpula steps!

The bustling and vibrant street of Mall Road is truly the lifeline of Dalhousie. If you want to buy unique handicrafts and experience local talent, then this is the place for you. It also host almost all the popular food joints in Dalhousie !!!

We ended our perfect day with a campfire night and stories from fellow travellers over a cup of hot chocolate!

Lush green mountains, glistening rivers, cool mountain breeze, & a colonial architecture, Dalhousie is one serene town in India that has preserved its natural beauty, as well it’s vintage charm. After soaking it's beauty and having breakfast in only open nearby cafe (shops and cafes open only after 10am here! :( ) , We decided to head for our journey to explore places.

Home to the Himalayan Bear, this reserve is among the best wildlife sanctuaries in Himachal Pradesh and one of the most popular places to visit in Dalhousie.We paid a quick visit to this place on our way to Khajjar.

Surrounded by a thick cover of deodar and pine trees with the Himalayas in the backdrop, Khajjiar makes up for a delightful picnic spot for friends and family. it's best visited in winter when it's in full bloom. We spent our time here clicking pictures in local attire , taking a ride over horse and observing the natural beauty of this place.

Chamera Lake is a mystic lake located 25 kms from the city center .Giving a very pleasing view to the eyes, this clear blue water of this marvel is a nice spot to relax and introspect. However , given the time it takes to reach here and lack of things to do nearby , one can opt to have a view from hilltop which is more mesmerizing and by far the best in my opinion.

Along with St.John church nearby in Subhash Chowk ,this magnificent churches has European architecture and décor. The church is a major tourist attraction in Dalhousie and a popular place of worship. It’s distinguishing charm is the reason these are counted among the eminent tourist places in Dalhousie. Must visit!

If you are in Dalhousie , Mall road strolls in late evening will become a ritual you wouldn't want to break. While shopping , we didn't forget to hog on most delicious place (which serves amazing variety of Jain as well!) - unfortunately I don't remember the name of the place. But it's third stall from start and almost always crowded.

We woke up to sound of pouring rain and heavy heart as it was our last day in Dalhousie.

As we bid bye to Dalhousie and en-route to Dharamshala the weather was playing foul and there had been constant drizzle and sometimes outpouring rain as our companion of the journey. However, one can not resist admiring the mesmerizing scenery, the cool breeze and the verdant greenery sprinkled all around.

Dharamshala has beautifully lined and organized tea gardens across the Kangra Valley. There are some paths going through the gardens, one can go ahead on these paths and explore the gardens. Though relatively small , this is very beautiful scenic sight.