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August 7, 2019 India Post a Comment

Beat the Heat : Dehradun-Mussoorie-Dhanaulti Trip

Dehradun-Mussoorie-Dhanaulti Trip

This was our escape plan to beat the summer in Rajasthan but it was an eye-opener for me as I have decided never to travel any Hill station during June (School summer vacation) as no one wants to get stuck in traffic for hours. Dhanaulti day trip made me realize why it is always better to explore the unexplored!

Days required– 3-4 days

Nearby places to go – Tehri, Kanatal, Haridwar, Rishikesh

Best time to visit – After monsoon or during winter. For snowfall, visit in January and February.

Avoid summer vacation.

How to reach –

By air – There is an airport in Dehradun (Jolly Grant Airport) with direct flights from major cities.

By train – There is good train connectivity to Dehradun.

By road – Buses also available from Delhi and Chandigarh.

How we travelled – We boarded the bus from Jaipur for a 14 hours journey to Dehradun. Buses usually run during the night. I would suggest booking a govt. buses, as they will drop you at ISBT Dehradun on the other hand Private buses will drop you outside the city on highway from where you will have to take an auto/taxi and they will overcharge to drop you at ISBT or your Hotel.

From there, we reached Mussoorie bus stand (ask the auto driver. This is different from ISBT).

Buses and taxi for Mussoorie are available from here. There is also a taxi union counter inside if you want to hire a taxi. They usually Charge Rs600-1000(fix rate), but during peak season the price can be twice or thrice of this. So either bargain with them or go for the pool option(shared taxi).

A cheaper option is also available which is, taking a bus which charges only Rs.60 but only if you are okay with a huge crowd in the bus during peak season. Also, there are two bus stops in Mussoorie – Picture palace and Library Chowk so take bus according to your hotel location to avoid wasting both time and money.

These bus stands have taxi union counters nearby to drop you back to Dehradun and for local sightseeing.

Where to stay –

Mussoorie – To book a hotel, you should have an idea about the place. As I mentioned above, there are two bus stops at Library Chowk and Picture Palace. They are few km apart from each other and the road connecting them is Mall Road. So book your hotel accordingly. I would suggest booking a hotel near these two bus stop to avoid fatigue by carrying luggage to long distances as no motor vehicles are allowed on Mall road.

Dehradun – stay near ISBT or railway station as you can find accommodation according to your budget.

How to go around – Mussoorie – only rickshaws run on mall road which has a fixed-rate list written somewhere on the road. I prefer walking as you can enjoy shopping and food on the Mall road.

Now for tourist destinations, there is a taxi counter near Library Chowk with a fixed price, listed outside the counter. You can share the taxi with other passengers.

Dehradun – you can hire a cab/taxi to cover the tourist attractions. Use your bargaining skills to get the best deal.

Places to visit

Mussoorie

The Mall – located at the heart of Mussoorie city, it stretches from Picture Palace to Library Chowk. Benches and lamp posts are fixed at every viewpoint. Indulge yourself in shopping spree here.

Camel’s back road – This 3 km long road ideal for a romantic walk with a picturesque view.

View from the Camel Back Road

Kempty falls –it is the most fascinating picnic spot near Mussoorie at a distance of 15 km. Hire a cab to reach here. There is an entry fee for Kempty which includes swimming and boat ride. Avoid bathing anywhere other than water directly from kempty falls. There you will find the facility of changing rooms, lockers, swimming suits.  Better to carry your swimwear and waterproof case for the mobile phone to enjoy capture the memories while bathing at this amazing place. Wear sandals/slippers while entering the pool as it has stones beneath (natural pool).

Kempty falls is the must-visit place in Mussoorie and is always heavily crowded. There is another waterfall- Bhatta falls which is lesser-known and less crowded.

Kempty Falls

Gun hill viewpoint – the second highest peak of Mussoorie, Gun Hill is a favourite place for viewing picturesque Himalayan range and Doon Valley. You have to buy a ticket for the cable car to reach the viewpoint.

Gun Hill Point

Lal tibba – The highest peak in Mussoorie provides amazing views of the mountains and a telescope is installed there for visitors.

Cloud’s end – 6km from Library Chowk, it marks the end of Mussoorie. Ideal for trekking.

Mussoorie lake – a recently developed picnic spot where you can enjoy boating.

Company Bagh – Also known as Municipal Garden, it is a well-maintained garden ideal for picnics and evening walks.

Artificial Falls in Company Bagh

Buddhist monastery – located in Happy Valley, this place will give a feel of mini Tibet in Mussoorie.

Monastery in Happy Valley

Dhanaulti – hire a cab to reach there. It’s a 1.5-hour ride in the hilly area. Dhanaulti is a less crowded and more beautiful version of Mussoorie. Dhanaulti includes an area with two eco-parks, “Amber” and “Dhara”, about 200 m apart. They have been developed by the Forest Department of Uttarakhand (Ambar Eco-park is larger one). You can plan for a night stay there in camps.

Dhanaulti
Eco park, Dhanaulti

Dehradun

FRI-Forest Research Institute- Though an institute with limited access for visitors, it’s a beautiful campus and building. There is a museum inside. Many movies have been shot here in this institute.

Forest Research Institute, Dehradun

Robber’s cave – A must visit place in Dehradun. One of its kind – beautiful cave formation which is more scenic in monsoon.

Robber’s Cave

Tapkeshwar temple

Shahastradhara – once a beautiful waterfall and religious place now fully commercialised and destroyed by local shopkeepers and tourists. Avoid this place.

Where to eat

Mussoorie – Mall road is full of eateries and street food. You will get everything from panipuri to pizza there.

Do try these restaurants/Cafe

Casa Mia Bakery

Tavern

Lovely Omelette Centre

Cafe by the way

Char Dukaan

Little Llama Cafe

Itinerary –

Day 1 – Reach Dehradun by bus/flight/train. Go to Mussoorie by bus/taxi. Check-in your hotel. Take rest. In the evening, go for a walk on camel’s back road before sunset. Ask locals for directions. It is more pleasant, secluded and scenic than the Mall road, which is more of a shopping street and very crowded. Go there after sunset and enjoy shopping and street food.

Day 2 – Drive to Dhanaulti or hire a cab. Enjoy the beautiful views and weather. Plan a night stay there.

Day 3 – On the way to library chowk, you will find gun hill ropeway counter which charges Rs.125 for the ropeway. It’s a viewpoint that has been destroyed by local shopkeepers which have built shops all around it. You can avoid this place. Near Library Chowk, there is taxi association counter from where you can take a taxi to all places near Mussoorie. They have a fix price list for all destinations.  Hire a taxi to Kempty falls.

Cab will take you to Buddhist monastery in Happy Valley and Company Bagh. Visit Lal Tibaa and Cloud’s End if you have time spared.

Day 4 – Reach Dehradoon by bus/cab. Hire a taxi for local sightseeing. Bargain heavily here for the best price. Visit FRI-Forest Research Institute, Robber’s Cave, Tapkeshwar temple and Shahastradhara.

Take bus/flight/train for your city.

Few tips for fellow travellers –

  1. Avoid peak season like June (summer holidays of schools). There is heavy traffic everywhere. Crowded streets. Everything is expensive. Pricy hotel rooms (I paid Rs3000 for the room which is usually priced at Rs900-1000).
  2. You can share a Taxi/cab for sightseeing with other passengers to save money.
  3. Don’t spend the night in Dehradun. After reaching Dehradun, go straight to Mussoorie. Dehradun is very polluted and crowded.
  4. If you can manage, try at least 1-night camping in Dhanaulti.

Ratings (it is subjective and my personal opinion)

Destination overall rating 7/10 – Dehradun is just dusty and humid. Mussoorie is commercialised and polluted. Dhanaulti is beautiful. I regret not spending a night there.

Travel Expense – 3/10 mostly depends on you and the time when you are travelling. Accommodation is very costly during peak season.

Travel ease 7.5/10 – easy to reach. Bus stand and taxi counter are located on Picture Palace as well as Library Chowk.

Food 7/10 – you must visit Little Llama Cafe, Lovely Omelette centre and Cafe By the Way.

August 6, 2019 Bengaluru-Mysuru-Ooty, India, Karnataka Post a Comment

Bengaluru-Mysuru-Ooty Trip

This trip was planned amid chaos. I resigned from my job, my brother’s marriage was just a week before the trip and I was getting calls from my new employer to join as early as possible and also we had to shift to Punjab for this job just after the trip. Paaro got all crazy while packing for the trip as she didn’t know what to pack for the trip and what to pack for Punjab.

Days required– 6-7 days

Nearby places to visit –From Bengaluru-Ramnagar (Sholay fame), Nandi Hills

From Mysuru – Srirangpatna, Brindavan Gardens

It’s a short weekend trip for people from Bengaluru.

Best time to visit – after Monsoon or during winter (October -February). Two special things can draw up your Bengaluru-Mysuru trip: Aero show by Indian Airforce which is usually held in the month of February every 2 years and Dussehra celebration of Mysuru in October.

How to reach –

First & foremost – Make Bengaluru entry and exit point of your expedition. Take a flight/train/bus to Bengaluru, then from there go to Mysuru by road and then to Ooty. Return to Bengaluru by bus and head back to your city. This is the most convenient way that works out for most of the travellers.

  • Self-drive – If you are a road trip guy, you can use this option as roads are in good conditions. Renting a car for self-drive is easily accessible from Bengaluru (e.g., Zoom cars, etc).
  • By cab/taxi- you can rent a cab/taxi from Bengaluru to reach out Mysuru and Ooty. This is a very suitable but little expensive way.

By air –Kempegowda International Airport is serving in Bengaluru,well-served by the city’s public transport agency Vayu Vajra (airport shuttle bus service by govt.) which connect the airport and the city through 11 routes.Ask the ticket counter person about the bus number that will go to your area.

Direct flights are available from Delhi and all major cities in India.

  • By train – Trains available from all major cities but train journey are time-consuming.
  • By bus – you can easily book bus from official Karnataka govt. Website(www.KSRTC.in) and Redbus. They run luxury air-conditioned buses which are super comfortable.

How we travelled – Took a flight to reach Bengaluru then switched to bus to go to Mysuru and Ooty.

Why? It is time friendly (even money friendly if you book flights timely) to book a flight to Bengaluru and bus for Mysuru and Ooty as it is very economical, comfortable and convenient.

Where to stay – you can stay anywhere in Bengaluru as the city has very many modes of public transport-City buses, metro, taxis, rickshaw, Ola/Uber. For accomodation, you can look around near Majestic (their main bus terminus) or near Bengaluru palace or botanical garden so that you can reserve your time to reach these tourist places and commute to next destinations.

Mysuru – stay close by bus stand/Lashkar Mohalla.

Ooty- near bus stand (railway station is adjacent to bus stand)

How to go around – Bengaluru – If you have your own vehicle/driver then there is no issue or else use City buses, metro, taxis, rickshaw, Ola/Uber.

Mysuru – If you have your own vehicle/driver then there is no issues, otherwise go for City buses, taxis, rickshaw, Ola/Uber.

  • Mysuru has unique TRIN TRIN public bicycle sharing system for locals and tourists. If you are fit enough, then you can register yourself and use it to travel all over Mysuru in a very cheap and healthy way.

Ooty – you can easily find a taxi (near main bazaar/bus stand) for a day tour that will take you to all major destinations. We used self-driven electric bike rentals here- GREEN BIKES by Sathya (Read our experience of E-bike tour in Ooty in different blog).

Places to visit:

Bengaluru

Bengaluru Palace – Ticket charges for entry and camera are high. Only history lovers would like the palace, as not a much-maintained palace. Also, most of the area is closed.

Botanical garden – another place to visit preferably in evening time.

Tipu Sultan’s Summer Palace

*Bengaluru is well-known for its pub culture (also known as Pub Capital of India) so once you are done visiting these places, you can opt for any famous Pub in Bengaluru.

Mysuru

Mysuru Palace- a must-visit place in Mysuru. It will take around 60-90 minutes to cover the Palace premise. You have to take off your shoes there. Camera/phones/bags are allowed.

*Do Not miss the illumination at night. There is a light and sound show although it is in the local language but, the alluring illumination of Mysuru Palace cannot be missed. It is for 10minutes on weekdays but on Sundays and public holidays, it is for 30-40minutes. Confirm the timing with locals. But it is usually after 7:30 pm.

If you plan out this trip around Dussehra celebration, then you can see Mysuru and Mysuru Palace in full glory.  It is a 10-day festival, starting with Navaratri and the last day being Vijayadashami. Palace is lightened up daily with nearly 100,000 light bulbs from 7 pm to 10 pm on all days of the festival. Various cultural and religious programs highlighting the dance, music and culture of Karnataka are performed in front of the glorified Palace.

Illumination at Mysuru Palace

Mysuru Zoo and Lake- common tickets for both attractions are available but the lake can be missed if there is a shortage of time. The zoo is one of the largest and oldest in India and will take 3hours to cover 3km long zoo but if one is running out of time or there is any health issue, then Zoo provides with battery-operated vehicles which then cover up the zoo in 1hour.

Mysuru Palace

Chamundeshwari Temple- Take AC or routine bus for Chamundeshwari Temple from local bus stand (ask the locals) as it is a very cheap and convenient way. There is no need to book a taxi/cab to visit this temple.

Chamundeshwari Temple

Rail Museum- a small museum is there beside the railway station that can be covered in noon.

Ja Simran ja, Jee le apni zindagi

St. Phelomena’s Church

St. Philomena’s Cathedral

If you have one more day then a few more places around Mysuru can be covered- Brindavan garden and Srirangapatnam.

Ooty

A toy train journey- one should must go for in Ooty. There is a toy train running between Ooty and Coonoor that is a 1-hour journey. Tickets can be booked from IRCTC but you have to book them in advance. The view from the train and experience is just amazing.

Toy Train, Coonoor

Places in Ooty – Dodabetta peak, Tea plantation, Chocolate factory, Botanical garden, Boathouse/Ooty lake.

Lush green Tea Gardens in Ooty

These places can be covered by taxi/auto in a day.

Not much of places or market area to see in Ooty like other hill stations.

Botanical Garden

But if you have 1 more day, you can go to Pykara by cab/taxi or green bike tours.

E-Bike tour in Ooty

Where to eat

There is an extensive list of Pubs in Bengaluru to try.

But if you are planning to stay there for 1 or 2 days, you cannot try all of them.

The Biere Club, Monkey bar, Arbor Brewing Company, Pecos, Watson’s, Toit are some which I would recommend.

Now if you love south Indian cuisines, especially Dosa then Bengaluru and Mysuru are heaven for you. These two cities have so many legendary decades-old eateries that you will not able to cover them all.

In Bengaluru

Central tiffin room (CTR), Mavalli tiffin room(MTR), Vidyarthi Bhawan, Indian coffee house. All these outlets are very old. You may not like their ambience but do try their Dosa and coffee.

 

In Mysuru

Mysuru Paak from very famous Guru sweet mart – this very small outlet sells very famous Mysuru Paak and you have to be on time as by evening they go out of stock. We bought the last kilo of Paak and it was only 5 pm. It is loaded with ghee and if kept in the refrigerator it would lasts for up to 15-20days.

Try south Indian food at Gayatri tiffin room(GTR)/VINAYAK MYLARI/ANIMA MADHAV BHAWAN.

South Indian food served on banana leaf

Itinerary –

Day 1- Reach Bengaluru. Visit the Palace and garden. Dine at one of the famous Dosa joints or taste the beer at famous Pubs.

Day 2 – Reach Mysuru by morning bus. It is 4-5hour journey. Have lunch at any famous Dosa joint. Visit the Palace. Enjoy the illumination at night.

Day 3 – Visit Mysuru zoo and lake. Have lunch. Go to the Rail Museum. Then take a bus for Chamundeshwari temple. Visit St. Philomena Church in the evening.

Day 4 – Take a bus to Ooty. Enjoy toy train journey between Ooty and Coonoor.

Day 5 – Take a full/half-day tour of Ooty. Take the night bus for Bengaluru.

Day 6 – Fly back to your city.

Few tips for fellow travelers –

  1. Book your flight tickets in advance (2-3months) to get a cheaper price. Book your bus tickets online 7days in advance. It is always better to book in advance than regretting it later.
  2. Try to use local means of transportation. Usually, there is no need to book cabs for everything.
  3. Take either night buses or early morning buses so that you can get more time to explore the city.
  4. Try to explore some offbeat destination (Ramnagara near Bengaluru) or new experiences like TRIN TRIN in Mysuru and Green bikes in Ooty.

Ratings (it is subjective and based on personal opinion)

Destination overall rating 8/10 – Bengaluru may not be good for sightseeing but Mysuru and Ooty are worth visiting.

Travel Expense 3/10 – we cut down our expenses on travel. We ate like locals, traveled like locals and saved money like locals.

Travel ease 8/10– we covered 3 cities in 6days. One can easily travel like local here within the city.

Food 8/10 – just loved the food here but can’t say for you if you don’t like south Indian cuisines.

August 2, 2019 Agra, Uttar Pradesh Post a Comment

Birthday Surprise : A Trip to Taj Mahal

What can you gift your wife who is as crazy as you are for travelling on her birthday – A Surprise Taj Mahal Trip!!!

It was a short unplanned trip to Agra that too in summer when the temperature rises to 45 degrees there. Yes, she was surprised at first and got badly tanned later. I have been to Agra twice so here I am discussing all details that will help you plan your Agra trip.

Days required– 1-2 days

Nearby places to go – Fatehpur Sikri, Mathura/Vrindavan

Best time to visit – winter season (October to February). I don’t think anyone wants to roam around Taj and Red fort in the scorching heat of summers.

How to reach – Agra is the part of the Famous Golden Triangle ( Delhi-Agra-Jaipur).

By air – Agra has an airport with limited connectivity though there are flights from Delhi and Jaipur.

By train – Agra Cantt. is the main railway station and one can easily reach Agra from Delhi and Jaipur.

By road – one can easily find a bus to reach Agra from Delhi, Jaipur, Kanpur and Gwalior.

Self-drive is also a good option as it is 4-hour drive from Jaipur and Delhi and highways are really good.

How we traveled – I have visited Agra twice both time by train as it is very convenient. This train runs between Jaipur and Agra Cantt. You can board the train in the early morning, reach Agra by 10 am then explore the place and again in the evening, the same train will take you back to Jaipur.

Where to stay – There are many hotels in Fatehabad Road area. Also, you can stay much closer to Taj Mahal near Tajganj area. Moustache and Zostel are very popular hostels among backpackers.

How to go around – Agra can easily be explored by auto rickshaw. You just need to bargain well. Agra Cantt. the railway station is very near to Red Fort and Taj Mahal.

Places to visit –

  1. Taj Mahal – One of the most beautiful monuments ever made in mankind history. One can not explain the beauty of Taj in words.

    Birthday Trip
  2. Red Fort – very similar to that in Delhi. The fort is near to Taj and you get beautiful photographs here with Taj in the background.

    In front of Red Fort
  3. Mehtab Bagh – This garden is across the river and is famous among photographers as it provides a good view of the Taj minus the crowd.
  4. Itmad-Ul-Dulah – Baby Taj – it is said the structure was used as a draft complex for the Taj Mahal.
The one from the previous trip

Where to eat –

Deviram sweets – have your breakfast like a local at this sweet shop – Bedai with aaloo ki sabzi and jalebi.

Chaat Gali – Sadar bazaar has Chat Gali with many street food stalls. Famous ones are Agra chat house and Agrawal chat house.

Panchhi Petha – Agra is famous for Taj and Petha. Panchhi has become a global brand for Petha worldwide. You will find Panchhi Petha everywhere in Agra and most of them are fake. Either buy online through their website or go to their Hari parwat crossing Outlet for authentic Panchhi Petha.

View from the Fort
Reflection

Quick tips for fellow travelers –

1. Taj Mahal is closed for visitors on Friday.

2. Viewing Taj at night is also an incredible experience. It can be done 2 days before, the night of and 2 days after the full moon night. Visit the official site for timings, entry fee and booking.

3. Taj Mahal is open from sunrise to sunset. Reach Taj early in the morning so that there is less crowd around you and you can escape the high temperature of noon.

4. Bargain with shopkeepers and auto drivers.

5. Buy shoe cover from any of the vendors for Rs 5 or 10. It will not be available inside and it is mandatory.

6. Don’t litter inside Taj. Be a responsible traveler.

7. There are 3 entry gates for Taj. Tickets are available there. Better to come as early as possible to skip the long queue.

8. This rule is new for visitors. Govt. has limited viewing hours for Taj Mahal recently. If you exceed the time limit (3 hours), there is a 100% penalty for it.

Ratings (it is subjective and my personal opinion)

Destination overall rating 9/10 – I should not rate one of the wonders of the world but this rating is overall rating for Agra. The city is very polluted and because of that, the silvery-white Taj has become greyish white.

Expanse 1/10 – not much to spend here. You can find budget hotels easily. Local transport is cheap.

Travel ease 7/10 –Agra is easily reachable via Delhi and Jaipur. The city does not have much extensive public transport system but auto rickshaws are easily available.

Food 6/10 – Do buy Panchhi Petha for your friends and family back home. Other than Petha, I didn’t find anything special here.

July 25, 2019 Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh, India Post a Comment

Road trip to Dharamshala-Mcleodganj

dhauladhar range and cheeku

Road trip to Dharamshala-Mcleodganj

This was a special trip for us as it was the first trip for us after shifting to Punjab and it was the first-ever trip for Cheeku. My driving skills were also tested during this trip as some of the places had really steep roads.

Days required– 2 days

Nearby places to go – Palampur, Bir-Billing, Dalhousie

It’s a weekend trip for people from Delhi, Chandigarh and Punjab.

Best time to visit – Please avoid summer vacation time ( June ) unless you want to keep finding places to get clicked with fewer people in the back drop of your images. Snowfall aspirants may go in January-February.

How to reach –

Regular Volvo/ deluxe buses services from Delhi /Chandigarh – Economic way.

Self-drive – if you are a road trip kind-a-guy, enjoy the drive on well-maintained roads.

By air – There is an airport in Dharamshala (Gaggal Airport). Direct flights are available from Delhi and Jaipur.

By train – Kangra is the nearest railway station (fewer connections) but Pathankot is the major station which is 90km from Dharmshala so it is better to avoid train journey.

How we traveled – We did a road trip.

Why? It is cheap, convenient and I love to drive.

Where to stay – Dharamshala and Mcleodganj are only 10km apart. With major tourist attractions in Mcleodganj, people usually prefer to stay there. With plenty of lodging options and famous eateries there, it is more convenient. Similar to European cities, most of the tourist attractions can be covered on foot with a camera in your hands. However, one can easily book a cab for a distant place from the main chowk.

Dharamshala is away from all the hush-rush of tourists. It is the main town where local resides which makes it easier to find an Airbnb and get a taste of being with locals. Options like Oyo and other hotels are available as well. Market and restaurants are just a walk away. Because it takes a day to cover Mcleodganj so, it is equally convenient to stay in Dharamshala.

It is a personal choice to stay at Dharamshala or Mcleodganj.

How to go around – if you have your own vehicle/driver then just keep Google maps handy.

Otherwise, cabs/taxi can easily be booked there. You can ask locals or hotel owner for cab bookings. Cab booking can be done from the main chowk in Mcleodganj.

Places to visit

Mcleodganj–

Dalai Lama temple – Most important and a must-see place in Mcleodganj – home to His Highness Dalai Lama. 15min walk from the main chowk. It is more of a complex that includes a museum, a monastery and a residential area inside it. Parking facility is available outside.

Bhagsu nag temple/falls/Shiva cafe – few km from the main chowk is the Bhagsu nag temple. Take a 10min walk from the entrance to reach the temple. After visiting the temple proceed to the fall. The waterfall is visible from a distance but for a closer view and to enjoy the beauty of it, make some extra effort, walk along the pathway and fall will be closer to you. If you are not tired enough or want to enjoy some freshly made pizza, make your way to the Shiva cafe which is on the way and has become a Cult among young travellers. A half an hour stroll and you will arrive at Shiva cafe, there are signboards on the way to guide you.

Buddha and Cheeku

You will love the ambience and the view from the cafe. There is indoor as well as outdoor sitting. Sheesha/hookah is served there. You will love their pizza and chicken soup. Spend at least a few hours there.

St. John’s in the wilderness – this beautiful church is on the way to Mcleodganj. A must visit place.

Dal lake – this may not be as beautiful as Dal lake of Srinagar but amazing tree canopy in the background will make you stop here and click a few photographs. This lake is on the way to Naddi village.

Naddi village viewpoint – last but not the least, 10min drive from the Dal lake. An evening spent here is all one can ask for. Come here to witness the beautiful sunset in backdrop of the snow-covered Dhauladhar mountain range.

Naddi View Point
Naddi View Point

Dharamshala

HP Cricket stadium –best place to start your day in Dharamshala. It is visible from a distance. There is an entry ticket for the stadium but it is totally worth it. View from the stands is breathtaking. Green grassy field and the cool breeze coming from the Dhauladhar mountain range in background of the stadium makes you to just sit and relax. And who knows if you are lucky enough to enjoy a net practice session.

Cricket Stadium with a View
Cricket Stadium with a View

War memorial – situated 1 km from the stadium is this memorial built in the memory of Kargil war hero.

Norbulingka institute – this institute is named after the famous palace in Lhasa. It is situated outside the city. Try to reach here by lunch and enjoy the meals served in 2 eateries inside. One of them offers buffet and Al carte option and the other has an open sitting space with a garden view. Tibetan dishes can also be tried here (we suggest you to try mutton momos). This institute was built to share the Tibetan culture and arts. The moment you step inside the institute, it feels as if you have been teleported to Tibet. Private Paid Parking is available nearby.

Norbulingka Institute
Norbulingka Institute

Tea estate – they are not so tourist-friendly tea gardens as you will find in Munnar, Ooty or Darjeeling but they surely are worth visiting. Search Dharamshala tea estate near Narghota Road on Google but don’t stop there. Just cross it and you will find more organized and beautiful Mann tea gardens. Next to them, there is a beautiful valley view with the Dhauladhar range in the background.

dhauladhar range and cheeku
Dhauladhar range and cheeku

Where to eat

There is a long list of restaurants and cafe and street food in Mcleodganj to try. In a short stay, it is not possible to try them all. But we have a few suggestions for you.

Morgan’s Place for pizza and the view

Woeser Bakery coffee, walnut pastry, carrot cake

Nicks Italian Kitchen- pizza, lemon cheesecake, chocolate mousse

Moonlight cafe – Bhagsu cake

Jimmy’s kitchen-lemon cheesecake

Itinerary –

Mcleodganj can be covered in one day.

Half day is sufficient for Dharamshala.

If you have an extra day, use it for paragliding at Bir-Billing. It is a 2 hr drive from Dharamshala. The activity takes 2-3 hours and is weather dependent so plan accordingly. Try to book a slot in advance for morning hours. Approx. cost is Rs.2000-3000 per person.

How we traveled

We drove from Ludhiana (there are two routes from Delhi- one via Ludhiana and other via Chandigarh) in June. We were 4 adults and one baby (managing this can also be tricky on any trip so plan properly. All necessary baby care items should be with you). We followed Google maps and reached Dharamshala before sunset. The accommodation was booked through Oyo Homes (which I will discuss separately in a different blog). The drive can be tiring because of the curves of the hilly roads and so were we and went straight to sleep after dinner.

Next morning after breakfast, we drove to Mcleodganj and what a chaos it was,with a long queue of vehicles honking at each other. Thousands of tourists all over the place. We parked the car before the main chowk and decided to go on foot. We found the parking outside the temple to be full as expected and sighed with our decision of walking from the main chowk. On the way, there was a beautiful temple/monastery to visit. Also, there was a market selling everything from sunglasses to momos.

After visiting the Dalai Lama Complex, we went back to the car parking and drove to Bhagsu nag temple and witnessed even worse traffic. People had parked on the roadside blocking the already narrow path. We parked the car for Rs.200(perks of traveling in summer vacations) and went to visit Bhagsunag temple. From there, we walked with the crowd to reach the famous Bhagsu waterfall and valley. Most of the tourists don’t go any further however, we made our efforts to take on a rough and tiring walk to reach the Shiva cafe. View from the cafe was breathtaking and hence the walk was worth it. The cafe itself was very beautiful. We spent 2 hours there, ate lunch (pizza of course).

Shiva Cafe
Shiva Cafe

On the way back to Dharamshala, we stopped at St. Johns in the wilderness, a very old and beautiful church.

St. Johns in the wilderness
St. Johns in the wilderness

Then visited Dal lake on the way to the Naddi village. Road to Dal lake and Naddi village is good but steep slopes are common which may not be comfortable for everyone to drive on so cautious driving with all safety precautions is important.We drove there to see the snow-covered mountain range. We parked in a paid parking and got to the viewpoint which was a 5min walk from the parking. As it was cloudy so we could not see the sunset and the valley but it was worth to come to see this beautiful scenic village.Then we headed back to Dharamshala, had dinner and went straight to bed.

Next day was planned for Dharamshala tour. First one was the cricket stadium. I was so excited for it having seen this ground before only on TV. A canteen and 2 stands are open for the visitors.

Very near to the stadium was a war memorial. From there we drove to Sidhpur to visit the Norbulingka Institute. We first had lunch at a cafe inside the institute and then explored the whole complex. It will take 2 hours if you are interested in Tibetan culture.

As there was not much left to see in Dharamshala, we took some rest at our Oyo home. In the evening, it started to rain and the weather became pleasant so we decided to explore some more of Dharamshala. We reached the tea estate late. They were closed for tours but allowed us to explore the tea estate. Nearby to that, there were more tea gardens with a view of the Dhauladhar range. We took hundreds of photos there and came back late in the evening. This marked the end of our trip to Dharamshala-Mcleodganj.

Tea Garden – Yaha to photo banti hai

Few tips for fellow travelers –

  1. Always park the vehicle at a proper place. Otherwise, it will cause problems for everyone. All tourist attractions have parking lots nearby (which may be full in high season like June)
  2. That’s why avoid traveling in June or avoid driving there.
  3. It is always better to plan and book your accommodation in advance at least in peak season. Booking in advance always save your money and time.
  4. Traveling in peak season will increase the trip cost. Accommodation will cost twice or thrice the normal prices. Hill station can be visited anytime in the year. Better to travel in shoulder season.
  5. Driving in hill stations can be tricky. Roads are usually not good. Roads are curvy and with lots of uphill and downhill. If you are not a skilled and experienced driver, it is better to avoid driving there and just hire a taxi there.
  6. Ask the locals or traffic police for directions. Google may misguide you in hilly areas.
  7. Dharamshala has zomato services so you can just sit and relax after tiring trip and get your food delivered at your doorstep.

Ratings (it is subjective and my personal opinion)

Destination overall rating 7/10 – I don’t like so much crowd (I think no one likes so much traffic and crowd). It was humid there. There was not much to see. It would have been 8 if I had visited this place after monsoon or snowfall.

Expense 2/10 – the trip is very cheap. Other than accommodation, there is no big expanse there. Food is reasonably priced. Tourist attractions are either free to enter or with very low entry fees.

Travel ease 8/10– easy to reach there by road or flight. Roads are good. Everything is nearby.

Food 8/10 – you can get everything you want. All cuisines are easily available there. You can try authentic Tibetan cuisine. They have their specialties like Bhagsu cake, mutton momos, lemon cheesecake, etc.

Please share it with your fellow travelers.

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