Trekking with the Clouds: Dharamshala & McleodGanj

A 3-day trip to the land of the Dalai Lama 'Mcleodganj' in the middle of the north Indian monsoons proved to be a perfect stress buster. We went with a group of 4 and started our trip with lazing around the city and tasting the local cuisine. To satisfy our adventurous streak, we ventured on a 13 km trek to 'Triund hill' amidst rain and thunder. Slippery mountains, interesting company and the beauty of the valley amidst cups of Chai and bowls of Maggi made it a wonderfully memorable experience. The trek uphill was worth every bit of the effort. We spent the night in tents set up at the hilltop amidst lush greenery, bonfire, live music and night long chitter chatter. Early morning we descended back to the city and proceeded to our next destination- Dharamshala!!! While Mcleodganj comes across as a rustic hill station with old-world charm, Dharamshala offers more of a city-like experience and can be avoided if one is looking for a more relaxed getaway from the hustle-bustle!!