Buddhism

Dharamshala became the home of the Tibetian government in exile in 1960s, when H.H. The Dalai Lama found McLeodgunj as an ideal place to establish his “capital in exile”. The Tibetan community has established several Buddhist temples and monasteries, so much so the place is called the Little Lhasa.

Namgyal Monastery
The third Dalai Lama first established Namgyal Monastery in 1579 in Tibet, which was later relocated to McLeodgunj in 1959 and now serves as the personal monastery of the Dalai Lama.

Norbulingka Institute

The Norbulingka Institute in Dharamshala, set amidst a gorgeous garden with flowing water and koi fish, was founded in 1988, with the objective of preserving the Tibetan language and cultural heritage. There is a temple here around which craft centres are located, which specialise in traditional forms of Thanka painting to Metal art that are considered integral to Tibetan Monastery architecture.

Bir-Billing & World Famous Paragliding

Bir is undoubtedly a must-visit spot. It offers unobstructed views of the mountains and the cutest, yummiest cafes! Make sure to check out our personal favourite cafes: June 16th, Silver Linings and Avva’s.

Billing is recognized as one of the top paragliding sites world-wide, and the World Paragliding competition was held here in 2015 and 2018. For both adrenaline junkies and adventure sport newbies, paragliding can be a fun addition to the holiday!

Time: 45 minutes to Bir

Price: Approx Rs. 2,500 for paragliding (negotiable at landing site)

Andretta Village

The renowned Andretta Village has beautiful shady walking paths, and great view of the Dhauladhars. Visit the interesting Sobha Singh Art Gallery with the artist’s original home and studio intact, and walk around inside Norah Richard's original mud home with beautiful Kangra construction. Then go to the well known Andretta Pottery which lets you take pottery classes for approx 15 minutes, or even for a day (based on availability). 

Duration: 15 minutes to Andretta Village

Price: Rs 150 (approx) to try your hand at the wheel

Treks, Hikes & Jeep Safaris

There are plenty of options for day and overnight treks around the area. A locally based activities company ensures to tailor treks to suit guest abilities and interests. They also offer Jeep safaris for those who prefer a more relaxed way of enjoying the ultimate treat - a mountain top picnic with a fantastic view! The best bit about these activities is that they take guests up lesser trodden paths and meandering mountain ways. Sometimes, you might not even see a local for hours! The guides are from the local villages and shepherd tribes, and very well trained and capable of helping guests throughout the journey. Go for the activity, but stay for the views.

Duration: 4 hours to Full Day

Price: Depending on Activity

TEMPLES

Himachal Pradesh is known as the Dev-Bhoomi, the Land of Gods. The Kangra region is well known for its world-famous temples which include Baijnath, Bajreshwari Devi Temple, Chamunda Devi Temple, Masroor Rock Temple, Chinmaya Tapovan, Kathgarh Temple and Trilokpur Temple. The region is especially well known for the 9 (Nav) Devi temples –  Mansadevi, Naina Devi, Chintpurni, Jawalamukhi, Vaishnodevi, Vrajeshwari, Chamundadevi, Kalika Devi and Shakumbhri Devi.

Masroor Rock Temple - A unique monolithic structure and is also one of the most unexplored temples in the region. It has 15 rock-cut temples richly carved and built in the Indo-Aryan style. 

Chamunda Devi Temple - A beautiful spot which has outstanding views of the Dhauladhars

Baijnath Temple - About 40 minutes from us, the temple was constructed in 1204 A.D. The temple is a beautiful example of Nagara style, an early medieval north Indian temple architecture.