Things to do and Main places to visit around Mcleodganj || One of the popular hill Stations in Himachal Pradesh, India

The little Lhasa in India, which is popularly known as Mcledoganj is also know for it's interesting street-walks through a different kind of culture. This Photo Journey is more about some interesting streets around Mcledoganj Town, so let's walk with these photographs...Mcledoganj is the home of the Tibetan Guru and leader His Holiness The Dalai Lama and the Tibetian government in exile. Under the Himalayas, snow covered Dhaluadhar Mountain Ranges, Mcledoganj is a beautiful hill station and a world known destination.Mcledoganj is more about a Tibetian Colony in this part of the country with highest importance. Mcledoganj has many institutions that tell the world about their great culture, medical practices, historical challenges, current way of living life and lot more other things. People from different parts of the world come to this place for learning their culture, Yoga, Meditation and different art forms... Above photograph is clicked inside Tibetian Museum near Residence of Him Holiness Dalai Lama !!!The cultural life in Dharamshala/Mcledoganj is colorful and rich in tradition. The fairs and festivals are occasions for relaxation. To the local Indian traditions, Tibetan refugees have added their own festivals such as Losar (which is Tibetan New Year) and His Holiness Dalai Lama's birthday which is celebrated on July 6 with the performance of Tibetan, Nepali and Gaddi dances revealing the cultural mosaic of Mcleodganj. More recently tourists and students from the west have added rock music, stage musicals and contribute other Western influences to this melting pot of peoples and cultures... These days different kinds of people can be seen on Mcledoganj streets and everyone having their specific styles/approaches...Mcledoganj streets are quite colorful and main color of these streets is Red. It's more because of Red religion of this land. Monks in red dresses can be seen all around and most of them keep doing some prayers, even while walking from one place to other.Mcledoganj is not an ordinary Indian hill sation, but it’s wholly a different place being in touch with the whole world but has an environment of its own. It’s an old British place. Mcleodganj is a world famous tourist destination. Foreigners from all over the world and many other celebrities visit this small hill town... Check out following link to know how Lonely Planet introduces this wonderful town - http://www.lonelyplanet.com/india/himachal-pradesh/mcleod-ganjOne of the main road in Mcleodganj is one which connects Bus-Stand with Residence of His Holiness Dalai Lama. Apart from that, there is another street just parallel to this road, which has various restaurants offering Tibetian food and some art galleries.Other popular street is one which connects MCledoganj with Bhagsu Waterfalls. Over the years, this all these streets have changed a lot and can't really comment if this change is positive or not.

Idea of this Photo Journey came after a brief discussion with one of my office friends, who want to go on a road-trip to Mcleodganj and other places around. During the discussion it came that they have approximately 4 days in hand and want to make best of this time. This Photo Journey is to help in planning such Road Trip around Palampur region of Himachal Pradesh. (Declaimer - This plan is made purely for Nature Lovers and Adventurous people)Please note that, if you want to know more about any of the places being discussed here; just click on photographs of appropriate links shared in between. So this discussion started with an idea of Road Journey to Mcledoganj and what other things can be approached if we have 4 days in hand. So what we planned is to hit Mcledoganj in morning or by noon.. Have some rest at your Hotel/Resort and have your breakfast/lunch... and move out to feel the place, as per your preference. Main places you may want to do around Mcledoganj Streets - a Visit to Temple near residence of His Holiness Dalai Lama, a small walk till St. John Church (This is a wonderful walk through high cedar trees around the road), Bhagsu Waterfalls & a temple near it and don't miss interesting eating options in Mcledoganj streets. Shopping is something you will figure out yourself :Next Day again can be spent around Mcleodganj for trekking around Triund or general walks around the place to better feel it and enjoy the nature around Dharmshala/Mcledoganj..Next day, we planned to move towards Barot. We planned to leave Mcleodganj by 7am in the morning and expect to reach Barot by 12:00 noon, which is reasonable estimate. Barot is least known place but wonderful place for nature lover. No commercialization, peaceful and isolated from tourist movements. The only challenge is place to stay. There are very simple Guest-Houses to stay, but not bad at all unless you are looking for good service with luxury arrangements in your room. Simple & clean rooms with basic stuff can be found across the river at Barot. While going to Barot, lot many things may compel you to stop and spend some time, but ignore while going to Barot and enjoy them during back journey. Don't think twice before stopping if you find something very interesting, which may not be possible to experience during back journey :)Spend one night at Barot and start back journey to Palampur in the morning... Now, it's time to chill on the way and take your time wherever you feel like. There is a cut on the way which takes us to Bir Billing. Distance-wise it's just 14 kilometers from main road but takes around 1-1.5 hr because of steep hill and bad road. Bir-Billing is one of the world popular place for Paragliding and World Cuo happens at this place only. From top, whole valley can be seen where everything looks very tiny. This is one of the best place to experience Paragliding and it can't be compared with paragliding options at Solang Valley or other hill stations. It takes 45 minimum to land in the valley if wind favors you, otherwise 1 hr to 1.5 hrs is average time to land after you fly from top. But please note that Bir Billing is at least one day affair, so need to be planned accordingly. So here I have put it as an optional place because you may not find anybody on top who can provide paragliding services to you.There is an interesting and huge Monastery on the way. It's just 2 kilometers away from main road which connects Barot with Palampur. There is a cut near Chuantra town which takes to us to Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche Institute. You can choose to visit this Tibetan colony and Monastery. After spending some time here, we can further towards Baijnath, which is our next destinationBaijnath is one of the main important town with a popular Shiva Temple made up of rocks. This temple is on right side of the road and comes just in the beginning of Baijnath Market. Nice place to spend some time and go to it's back side which has well maintained garden with an amazing view to river flowing in the valley with snow capped hills in background.Drive from Baijnath to Palampur is simply amazing with wonderful road, scenic beauty and tea gardens on both sides of the road. If you haven't stopped your car for lunch, take a break at Taragarh Palace, which is a Welcome Heritage Hotel on the way to Palampur. This can also be a decent place to stay...As you come near to Palampur, don't miss to stop and see Kayakalp Health Resort... This area is generally very beautiful... A round inside Agricultural university can be a good idea, if you want to see how hybrid seeds are produced in their local fields and how they actually maintain all these things...As you enter into Palampur Town, just move up towards Chuapati and Neugal Cafe which is one of the beautiful place in Palampur. Huge Tea Gardens surrounded by beautiful cottages and colorful houses. Have a cup of tea at Neagul Cafe and enjoy wonderful view of Dhauladhar Mountain Ranges, which can be best seen form this place. If still you have time in hand, take a small detour to go near to Neugal River which flows just below the hill where Cafe is located. I know this day can be very tiring but rewarding as well. Now it's upto you where you want to stay. Going to Dharmshala/Mcledoganj doesn't make sense if you plan to leave back for Delhi/Chandigarh in morning. If still there is some desire to explore more around Mcleodganj, go to Dharmshala and spend your night there. In case interested in staying at Palampur, there is a nice hotel by HPDTC- Tea Bud. btw Palampur is known as Tea City of North India. Next morning, if you leave early I strongly recommend to go via Masroor Temples and hit Una, which will be 25-30 kilometers extra. But this temple is worth seeing. There are some series of Monolithic temples which are carved out of a huge hill. Temple is located at a very isolated village. This overall plan share details about some of the main places. To know more options, check out links shared in this Photo Journey which have more detailed information about each places discussed here. Mcleodganj in Himachal Pradesh is one of the popular destination for tourists, travellers and explorers. We have shared about Mcleodganj many times in past, but this time we are sharing again after request from one of our followers who is planning to visit Mcleodganj during summer vacations. This Photo Journey will share some details about interesting things to do in Mcleodganj and surrounding areas. Also about main places around Mcleodganj worth visiting.

 Mcledoganj is popular destination for folks who believe in Budhism or want to explore religious environments of different styles. A good percentage of Tourists come to Mcleodganj for learning Tibetan Buddhism, culture, crafts. Let's have a quick Photo Journey of  Tsuglagkhang Budha Temple and know more about the daya-to-day activities of this place...Photograph showing a Monk looking at Budha Statute which is inside the temple and he has completing some rounds around this temple. These temples are located on second storey of the Temple complex. One can walk up with shoes and there are some places to put your shoes before you enter into the templesSome of the folks were taking rounds of these temples and doing some prayers after completing each round. Prayer wheels are also installed around one of the temples and folks can be seen doing it religiously. Folks are not allowed to enter into the temple from front gate. There are two gate on both sides of the temples fro where people can enter and exit. In above photograph you see front gate of temple which is closed with a colorful cloth.Just in front of these temples, there is a huge open space with some wooden boards, cushions and something to wear in hands. Many folks were using these things to pray in some different way. We don't have much details about this particular process and will try to share more details soon. Hope that above photograph will be helpful in understanding the way each of them was doing it.The Dalai Lama Temple complex is just a short walk from the McleodGanj bus stand in upper Dharamsala. The road which connects bus stand with Temple is called as temple-Road and one of the main road with lot of shops, Hotels & cafes around it. The temple complex is open daily, from sunrise to sunset, and visitors are welcome to explore the peaceful ambiance of the surroundings.A Sculpture installed inside the Museum in this campus of Dalai Lama Temple. This Museum shared lot of old stories through some photographs, videos and text news. We shall be sharing a separate photo Journey from this museum.Next to the Tsulagkhang is a temple devoted to the Kalachakra. This temple is decorated with frescos depicting 722 deities of the mandala, Shakamuni Buddha, and the central Kalachakra image. The frescos were completed by a team of painters over a period of three years under the direction of the Dalai Lama and three master painters. Along the walls and columns of the temple are many traditional Tibetan Thangka paintingsThere are many Dharamsala attractions to choose from, but among the top things to do in Dharamshala is a visit to the residence, monastery, and temple of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. Dalami Lama's residence is just in front of this temple, although he keeps moving between various countries to share knowledge and thoughts. A Broader schedule of His Holiness Dalai Lama can be seen at the notice-board installed outside his residenceIn the early morning, folks are welcome to participate as the monks chant and meditate. People can join local residents for a meditative walk around the temple/monastery complex. Along the way one will see many prayer flags and 'mani' stones.A View of Mcleodganj Market from Dalai Lama Temple with beautiful background of Dhauladhar hills in Himachal Pradesh, IndiaThere are some benches places in front of main temple, where people can sit and bid their prayers... Most of the folks around the place can be seen with nice smile on face and peaceful environment all aroundPublic services and prayers held at Tsulagkhang each day. In the evening, butter lamps are lit to dispel the darkness. There is a room on one of the corners of this temple where lot of butter lamps can be seen. This room is usually closed but lamps can be seen through glassed windows.Within the Dharamsala Tsuglagkhang temple are three principal images. The central image, seen from the entrance, is that of Shakamuni Buddha. Nearby is Padmasambhava, the Indian yogi who introduced Buddhism to Tibet in the 8th century. Also nearby is Avalokitesvara or Chenresig, of whom the Dalai Lama is considered to be the current emanation. Both Padmasambhava and Avalokitesvara sit facing Tibet. The image of Avalokitesvara, sculpted in silver with eleven faces, one thousand arms, and one thousand eyes, has an interesting story A collection of sacred texts, the Khagyur, direct teachings of Buddha, and Tengyur, commentaries on the Khagyur by Indian & Tibetan scholars can be seen here.Across the Dalai Lama Temple courtyard iNamgyal Monastery. Every afternoon and evening, you can see young monks debate in traditional Tibetastyle embellished with hand clapping anemphatic gestures.

The little Lhasa in India, which is popularly known as Mcledoganj is also know for it's interesting street-walks through a different kind of culture. This Photo Journey is more about some interesting streets around Mcledoganj Town, so let's walk with these photographs...Mcledoganj is the home of the Tibetan Guru and leader His Holiness The Dalai Lama and the Tibetian government in exile. Under the Himalayas, snow covered Dhaluadhar Mountain Ranges, Mcledoganj is a beautiful hill station and a world known destination.Mcledoganj is more about a Tibetian Colony in this part of the country with highest importance. Mcledoganj has many institutions that tell the world about their great culture, medical practices, historical challenges, current way of living life and lot more other things. People from different parts of the world come to this place for learning their culture, Yoga, Meditation and different art forms... Above photograph is clicked inside Tibetian Museum near Residence of Him Holiness Dalai Lama !!!The cultural life in Dharamshala/Mcledoganj is colorful and rich in tradition. The fairs and festivals are occasions for relaxation. To the local Indian traditions, Tibetan refugees have added their own festivals such as Losar (which is Tibetan New Year) and His Holiness Dalai Lama's birthday which is celebrated on July 6 with the performance of Tibetan, Nepali and Gaddi dances revealing the cultural mosaic of Mcleodganj. More recently tourists and students from the west have added rock music, stage musicals and contribute other Western influences to this melting pot of peoples and cultures... These days different kinds of people can be seen on Mcledoganj streets and everyone having their specific styles/approaches...Mcledoganj streets are quite colorful and main color of these streets is Red. It's more because of Red religion of this land. Monks in red dresses can be seen all around and most of them keep doing some prayers, even while walking from one place to other.Mcledoganj is not an ordinary Indian hill sation, but it’s wholly a different place being in touch with the whole world but has an environment of its own. It’s an old British place. Mcleodganj is a world famous tourist destination. Foreigners from all over the world and many other celebrities visit this small hill town... Check out following link to know how Lonely Planet introduces this wonderful town - http://www.lonelyplanet.com/india/himachal-pradesh/mcleod-ganjOne of the main road in Mcleodganj is one which connects Bus-Stand with Residence of His Holiness Dalai Lama. Apart from that, there is another street just parallel to this road, which has various restaurants offering Tibetian food and some art galleries.Other popular street is one which connects MCledoganj with Bhagsu Waterfalls. Over the years, this all these streets have changed a lot and can't really comment if this change is positive or not.It's very difficult to define Mcledoganj to folks, because it's very different place as compared to other popular tourist destinations in India. It's a small town around high hills of Dharmshala and main inhabitants are Tibetans. There is a small market with interesting stuff to buy and variety of cafes/restaurants serving multiple cuisines. Clam streets of Mcleodganj never fail to surprise you at every corner & turn. This place becomes very crowded when Dalai Lama is around. Dalai Lama residence is in Mcleodganj and there is a museum adjoining this house.   

 Mcledoganj is popular destination for folks who believe in Budhism or want to explore religious environments of different styles. A good percentage of Tourists come to Mcleodganj for learning Tibetan Buddhism, culture, crafts. Let's have a quick Photo Journey of  Tsuglagkhang Budha Temple and know more about the daya-to-day activities of this place...Photograph showing a Monk looking at Budha Statute which is inside the temple and he has completing some rounds around this temple. These temples are located on second storey of the Temple complex. One can walk up with shoes and there are some places to put your shoes before you enter into the templesSome of the folks were taking rounds of these temples and doing some prayers after completing each round. Prayer wheels are also installed around one of the temples and folks can be seen doing it religiously. Folks are not allowed to enter into the temple from front gate. There are two gate on both sides of the temples fro where people can enter and exit. In above photograph you see front gate of temple which is closed with a colorful cloth.Just in front of these temples, there is a huge open space with some wooden boards, cushions and something to wear in hands. Many folks were using these things to pray in some different way. We don't have much details about this particular process and will try to share more details soon. Hope that above photograph will be helpful in understanding the way each of them was doing it.The Dalai Lama Temple complex is just a short walk from the McleodGanj bus stand in upper Dharamsala. The road which connects bus stand with Temple is called as temple-Road and one of the main road with lot of shops, Hotels & cafes around it. The temple complex is open daily, from sunrise to sunset, and visitors are welcome to explore the peaceful ambiance of the surroundings.A Sculpture installed inside the Museum in this campus of Dalai Lama Temple. This Museum shared lot of old stories through some photographs, videos and text news. We shall be sharing a separate photo Journey from this museum.Next to the Tsulagkhang is a temple devoted to the Kalachakra. This temple is decorated with frescos depicting 722 deities of the mandala, Shakamuni Buddha, and the central Kalachakra image. The frescos were completed by a team of painters over a period of three years under the direction of the Dalai Lama and three master painters. Along the walls and columns of the temple are many traditional Tibetan Thangka paintingsThere are many Dharamsala attractions to choose from, but among the top things to do in Dharamshala is a visit to the residence, monastery, and temple of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. Dalami Lama's residence is just in front of this temple, although he keeps moving between various countries to share knowledge and thoughts. A Broader schedule of His Holiness Dalai Lama can be seen at the notice-board installed outside his residenceIn the early morning, folks are welcome to participate as the monks chant and meditate. People can join local residents for a meditative walk around the temple/monastery complex. Along the way one will see many prayer flags and 'mani' stones.A View of Mcleodganj Market from Dalai Lama Temple with beautiful background of Dhauladhar hills in Himachal Pradesh, IndiaThere are some benches places in front of main temple, where people can sit and bid their prayers... Most of the folks around the place can be seen with nice smile on face and peaceful environment all aroundPublic services and prayers held at Tsulagkhang each day. In the evening, butter lamps are lit to dispel the darkness. There is a room on one of the corners of this temple where lot of butter lamps can be seen. This room is usually closed but lamps can be seen through glassed windows.Within the Dharamsala Tsuglagkhang temple are three principal images. The central image, seen from the entrance, is that of Shakamuni Buddha. Nearby is Padmasambhava, the Indian yogi who introduced Buddhism to Tibet in the 8th century. Also nearby is Avalokitesvara or Chenresig, of whom the Dalai Lama is considered to be the current emanation. Both Padmasambhava and Avalokitesvara sit facing Tibet. The image of Avalokitesvara, sculpted in silver with eleven faces, one thousand arms, and one thousand eyes, has an interesting story A collection of sacred texts, the Khagyur, direct teachings of Buddha, and Tengyur, commentaries on the Khagyur by Indian & Tibetan scholars can be seen here.Across the Dalai Lama Temple courtyard iNamgyal Monastery. Every afternoon and evening, you can see young monks debate in traditional Tibetastyle embellished with hand clapping anemphatic gestures.

There is a spiritual soul of the town which can be sensed in every part of the town. Lot of travelers come to Mcleodganj to know more about this culture & religion. Many of the folks who come to Mcleodganj, they start following the religion and at times stay there for a long time. 

McLeodGanj is a suburb of Dharamshala Town in Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh, India. Tourism is an important industry in McLeodGanj and many people come here to study Tibetan Buddhism, culture, crafts etc. The town is also known for Tibetan handicrafts, thangkas, Tibetan carpets, garments and other souvenirs. This Photo Journey talks more about shopping at Mcleodganj and what is so special about it...I have been to Mcleodganj many times (most of the times with boys) and was never able to appreciate the fact that Mcleodganj is a good place to buy some specific stuff. Many times, I tried to buy few things for home but high rates made be change my mind :) ... Later I got to know the about some special facts about shopping at Mcledoganj...Stuff for Meditation,Yoga, Trendy cloths and Stone studded jewellery etc. -These are some of the most popular shopping stuff available in Mcleodganj Market. There are some shops of designer woolens, Kashmiri Shawls etc. In Mcledoganj street there are lot shops offer hand-made musical instruments.A  Photograph showing different types of Meditation Bowls made up of different types of metals and majorly with Ashtdhatu, which has some significance. Tibetan Singing Bowls, rin gongs, Himalayan bowls or suzu gongs are a type of bell, specifically classified as a standing bell. Rather than hanging inverted or attached to a handle, singing bowls sit with the bottom surface resting. The sides and rim of singing bowls vibrate to produce sound characterized by a fundamental frequency (first harmonic) and usually two audible harmonic overtones (second and third harmonic). Check out following link to know about these Singing Bowls - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singing_bowKeep reading to know more about pricing and negotiations at Mcleodganj Market.Different types of Budha Statutes can bought and huge range of sizes is available at Mcledoganj. Varous types include Health Budha, Sleeping Budha, Peace Budha etc. Apart from variation is sizes, some of the metallic Budhas are also studded with stones. We were evaluating them w.r.. visual beauty of the statues rather than the value of those stones or importance of Budha's postureAfter spending 1.5 hours in Mcleodganj Market we realized that there is huge difference between prices offered by various shops for almost similar stuff. Since none of us had any information about this stuff, we thought of buying some stuff from road-side kiosks which were comparitively cheaper than bigger shops. Although we were not sure if there was any different is stuff or not.At the same time, we saw huge difference in offering price and started negotiating with them. It was unbelievable to buy some stuff at 1/3rd of originally quotes price. Some of the stuff was bought at half price. After some shopping we were in big doubt about actual pricing, because final pricing was also a good amount. Anyways, we didn't think much about it but it seems there is huge scope of bargaining at Mcleodganj Market. Also we realized that extended market towards Bhagsu was unnecessarily expensive than the main market near to Dalai Lama's ResidenceSinging bowls are used worldwide for meditation, music, relaxation, personal well-being. They are used by a wide range of professionals, including health professionals, school teachers, musicians and spiritual teachers. Singing bowls are used in health care by psychotherapists, massage therapists, cancer specialists, stress and meditation specialists. They are used to help treat cancer patients and also for post traumatic stress disorder. They are popular in classrooms to help facilitate group activities and focus students' attention. This was first time when we were knowing about these Meditation Bowls and we bought few in a belief that whatever we bought is authentic. Anyways, I like the vibration and sound it makes on rubbing a wooden stick against it's top partIt has an average elevation of 2000 metres. Mcleodganj os situated on the Dhauladhar Range, whose highest peak, 'Hanuman Ka Tibba' at about 5700 metres..The Tibetan government-in-exile is headquartered in McLeodGanj.Apart from metallic stuff, Mcledoganj Market is also popular among foreigners for cloths. Even urban Indians also like the kind of cloths Mcleodganj Markets offer. I wish I had a photograph to show some samples. There are some art & craft galleries in different streets of Mcleodganj.Apart from some unique shopping opportunities, there are some decent eating places inside Mcleodganj Streets. It's a great place to try authentic Tibetian food. Also there are some decent cafes to enjoy different flavors of tea and coffee. We shall try to share more about Eating options at McleodganjMcleodganj streets can usually be seen with lot of foreigners like we seen in Rajasthani towns like Pushkar. Market is usually full of tourists and Monks who keep walking on main road which connects main chowk of Mcleodganj with Dalai Lama's Residence. There is anothr market near to Mcledoganj, which is situated near Bhagsu Temple and Waterfall.So best way of shopping at Mcleodganj is to know what exactly you want, set your upper limit, negotiate hard to get right price. But of course, how to best price? If you already have any experience, please share with others through comments :)To know more about Mcleodganj, check out - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McLeod_Ganj

McLeodGanj is a suburb of Dharamshala Town in Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh, India. Tourism is an important industry in McLeodGanj and many people come here to study Tibetan Buddhism, culture, crafts etc. The town is also known for Tibetan handicrafts, thangkas, Tibetan carpets, garments and other souvenirs. This Photo Journey talks more about shopping at Mcleodganj and what is so special about it...I have been to Mcleodganj many times (most of the times with boys) and was never able to appreciate the fact that Mcleodganj is a good place to buy some specific stuff. Many times, I tried to buy few things for home but high rates made be change my mind :) ... Later I got to know the about some special facts about shopping at Mcledoganj...Stuff for Meditation,Yoga, Trendy cloths and Stone studded jewellery etc. -These are some of the most popular shopping stuff available in Mcleodganj Market. There are some shops of designer woolens, Kashmiri Shawls etc. In Mcledoganj street there are lot shops offer hand-made musical instruments.A  Photograph showing different types of Meditation Bowls made up of different types of metals and majorly with Ashtdhatu, which has some significance. Tibetan Singing Bowls, rin gongs, Himalayan bowls or suzu gongs are a type of bell, specifically classified as a standing bell. Rather than hanging inverted or attached to a handle, singing bowls sit with the bottom surface resting. The sides and rim of singing bowls vibrate to produce sound characterized by a fundamental frequency (first harmonic) and usually two audible harmonic overtones (second and third harmonic). Check out following link to know about these Singing Bowls - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singing_bowKeep reading to know more about pricing and negotiations at Mcleodganj Market.Different types of Budha Statutes can bought and huge range of sizes is available at Mcledoganj. Varous types include Health Budha, Sleeping Budha, Peace Budha etc. Apart from variation is sizes, some of the metallic Budhas are also studded with stones. We were evaluating them w.r.. visual beauty of the statues rather than the value of those stones or importance of Budha's postureAfter spending 1.5 hours in Mcleodganj Market we realized that there is huge difference between prices offered by various shops for almost similar stuff. Since none of us had any information about this stuff, we thought of buying some stuff from road-side kiosks which were comparitively cheaper than bigger shops. Although we were not sure if there was any different is stuff or not.At the same time, we saw huge difference in offering price and started negotiating with them. It was unbelievable to buy some stuff at 1/3rd of originally quotes price. Some of the stuff was bought at half price. After some shopping we were in big doubt about actual pricing, because final pricing was also a good amount. Anyways, we didn't think much about it but it seems there is huge scope of bargaining at Mcleodganj Market. Also we realized that extended market towards Bhagsu was unnecessarily expensive than the main market near to Dalai Lama's ResidenceSinging bowls are used worldwide for meditation, music, relaxation, personal well-being. They are used by a wide range of professionals, including health professionals, school teachers, musicians and spiritual teachers. Singing bowls are used in health care by psychotherapists, massage therapists, cancer specialists, stress and meditation specialists. They are used to help treat cancer patients and also for post traumatic stress disorder. They are popular in classrooms to help facilitate group activities and focus students' attention. This was first time when we were knowing about these Meditation Bowls and we bought few in a belief that whatever we bought is authentic. Anyways, I like the vibration and sound it makes on rubbing a wooden stick against it's top partIt has an average elevation of 2000 metres. Mcleodganj os situated on the Dhauladhar Range, whose highest peak, 'Hanuman Ka Tibba' at about 5700 metres..The Tibetan government-in-exile is headquartered in McLeodGanj.Apart from metallic stuff, Mcledoganj Market is also popular among foreigners for cloths. Even urban Indians also like the kind of cloths Mcleodganj Markets offer. I wish I had a photograph to show some samples. There are some art & craft galleries in different streets of Mcleodganj.Apart from some unique shopping opportunities, there are some decent eating places inside Mcleodganj Streets. It's a great place to try authentic Tibetian food. Also there are some decent cafes to enjoy different flavors of tea and coffee. We shall try to share more about Eating options at McleodganjMcleodganj streets can usually be seen with lot of foreigners like we seen in Rajasthani towns like Pushkar. Market is usually full of tourists and Monks who keep walking on main road which connects main chowk of Mcleodganj with Dalai Lama's Residence. There is anothr market near to Mcledoganj, which is situated near Bhagsu Temple and Waterfall.So best way of shopping at Mcleodganj is to know what exactly you want, set your upper limit, negotiate hard to get right price. But of course, how to best price? If you already have any experience, please share with others through comments :)To know more about Mcleodganj, check out - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McLeod_GanjMcLeodGanj is a suburb of Dharamshala Town in Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh, India. Tourism is an important industry in McLeodGanj and many people come here to study Tibetan Buddhism, culture, crafts etc. The town is also known for Tibetan handicrafts, thangkas, Tibetan carpets, garments and other souvenirs. This Photo Journey talks more about shopping at Mcleodganj and what is so special about it...I have been to Mcleodganj many times (most of the times with boys) and was never able to appreciate the fact that Mcleodganj is a good place to buy some specific stuff. Many times, I tried to buy few things for home but high rates made be change my mind :) ... Later I got to know the about some special facts about shopping at Mcledoganj...Stuff for Meditation,Yoga, Trendy cloths and Stone studded jewellery etc. -These are some of the most popular shopping stuff available in Mcleodganj Market. There are some shops of designer woolens, Kashmiri Shawls etc. In Mcledoganj street there are lot shops offer hand-made musical instruments.A  Photograph showing different types of Meditation Bowls made up of different types of metals and majorly with Ashtdhatu, which has some significance. Tibetan Singing Bowls, rin gongs, Himalayan bowls or suzu gongs are a type of bell, specifically classified as a standing bell. Rather than hanging inverted or attached to a handle, singing bowls sit with the bottom surface resting. The sides and rim of singing bowls vibrate to produce sound characterized by a fundamental frequency (first harmonic) and usually two audible harmonic overtones (second and third harmonic). Check out following link to know about these Singing Bowls - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singing_bowKeep reading to know more about pricing and negotiations at Mcleodganj Market.Different types of Budha Statutes can bought and huge range of sizes is available at Mcledoganj. Varous types include Health Budha, Sleeping Budha, Peace Budha etc. Apart from variation is sizes, some of the metallic Budhas are also studded with stones. We were evaluating them w.r.. visual beauty of the statues rather than the value of those stones or importance of Budha's postureAfter spending 1.5 hours in Mcleodganj Market we realized that there is huge difference between prices offered by various shops for almost similar stuff. Since none of us had any information about this stuff, we thought of buying some stuff from road-side kiosks which were comparitively cheaper than bigger shops. Although we were not sure if there was any different is stuff or not.At the same time, we saw huge difference in offering price and started negotiating with them. It was unbelievable to buy some stuff at 1/3rd of originally quotes price. Some of the stuff was bought at half price. After some shopping we were in big doubt about actual pricing, because final pricing was also a good amount. Anyways, we didn't think much about it but it seems there is huge scope of bargaining at Mcleodganj Market. Also we realized that extended market towards Bhagsu was unnecessarily expensive than the main market near to Dalai Lama's ResidenceSinging bowls are used worldwide for meditation, music, relaxation, personal well-being. They are used by a wide range of professionals, including health professionals, school teachers, musicians and spiritual teachers. Singing bowls are used in health care by psychotherapists, massage therapists, cancer specialists, stress and meditation specialists. They are used to help treat cancer patients and also for post traumatic stress disorder. They are popular in classrooms to help facilitate group activities and focus students' attention. This was first time when we were knowing about these Meditation Bowls and we bought few in a belief that whatever we bought is authentic. Anyways, I like the vibration and sound it makes on rubbing a wooden stick against it's top partIt has an average elevation of 2000 metres. Mcleodganj os situated on the Dhauladhar Range, whose highest peak, 'Hanuman Ka Tibba' at about 5700 metres..The Tibetan government-in-exile is headquartered in McLeodGanj.Apart from metallic stuff, Mcledoganj Market is also popular among foreigners for cloths. Even urban Indians also like the kind of cloths Mcleodganj Markets offer. I wish I had a photograph to show some samples. There are some art & craft galleries in different streets of Mcleodganj.Apart from some unique shopping opportunities, there are some decent eating places inside Mcleodganj Streets. It's a great place to try authentic Tibetian food. Also there are some decent cafes to enjoy different flavors of tea and coffee. We shall try to share more about Eating options at McleodganjMcleodganj streets can usually be seen with lot of foreigners like we seen in Rajasthani towns like Pushkar. Market is usually full of tourists and Monks who keep walking on main road which connects main chowk of Mcleodganj with Dalai Lama's Residence. There is anothr market near to Mcledoganj, which is situated near Bhagsu Temple and Waterfall.So best way of shopping at Mcleodganj is to know what exactly you want, set your upper limit, negotiate hard to get right price. But of course, how to best price? If you already have any experience, please share with others through comments :)To know more about Mcleodganj, check out - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McLeod_GanjMany of the folks in this town follow Buddhism and hence many of the shops offers appropriate stuff. One can find very interesting things in these shops, but be aware that inflated rates are quoted in most of these shops. So the tip is to see what you want to buy, inquire about it different shops, try to judge a reasonable cost and negotiate :). A meditation bowl which is quoted at 1500 Rs can be bought for 450Rs (from personal experience).  

Mcleodganj is different kind of hill station in Himachal Pradesh, with different type of culture and environment. This Photo Journey will try to express the main things you notice in this small town near Dharmshala. Let's check out this colorful Photo Journey from Mcleodganj...During your journey towards Mcledoganj, you may not need to reach Mcledoganj for seeing Monks in their interesting dresses. Monks can usually be seen roaming around various places and some of them keep doing some prayers in parallel to other regular activities. Above photograph is shot on road which connects Mcledoganj with Bahgsu Nag Waterfalls. It's sort of mulch-religion shot...Apart from large number of Monks, foreign tourists can be seen in abundance. Most of the street of Mcleodganj can be seen full of tourists from different parts of the world !Colorful cloths, different fashions, innovative hair-styles & lot of different styles can be seen in the streets of Mcledoganj. Overall environment in these streets in quite different.All the streets of this town keep walking most of the time, even when it's drizzling in hills of Mcledoodganj !Many of the tourists come here for different purposes around Yoga, Meditation, Budha etc. During various activities in the town, they got to meet different people and then they enjoy the journey together. You can see many tourists staying in various streets of Mcleodganj for multiple weeks. by looking at them conversing, it seems that they know each other for a long time... A good destination for tourists !Trying various musical forms of India is another big motivation for tourists to come to these hills stations. This girl was standing in front of this shop for around 2 hours and kept playing different flutes. There was no one on shop and she kept waiting that someone would come and she will buy few for her. There are lot of such interesting shops in the streets of Mcleodganj !There are various cloth markets at Mcleodganj, but different styled cloths can be seen in most of them. So it again becomes a good destination for people interested in shopping and especially shopping for trendy cloths.Prayers all around the streets of Mcledoganj !One part of Mcleodganj gives wonderful view of snow capped dhauladhar mountain ranges.Mcledoganj is also a main station in the list birders and peope love to trek Triund which is one of the popular trek around Mcleodganj. Triund is moderate trek, which takes one day only. Sometimes people go uphill with tents and spend one night there.Apart from main temple near Residence of His Holiness Dalai Lama, there is another temple in the middle of Mcledoganj Market. Above photograph is shot at the temple in market.Mcleodganj is also a good place for finding decent range of warm cloths and winter-wear. Above photograph shows a road-side shop with various options of Shawls, sweaters etc.Also there are many art shops, where tourists can step-in and can try thier artistic ideas. Here you see one of the tourist doing some painting and trying to sell these in the street...

McLeodGanj is a suburb of Dharamshala Town in Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh, India. Tourism is an important industry in McLeodGanj and many people come here to study Tibetan Buddhism, culture, crafts etc. The town is also known for Tibetan handicrafts, thangkas, Tibetan carpets, garments and other souvenirs. This Photo Journey talks more about shopping at Mcleodganj and what is so special about it...I have been to Mcleodganj many times (most of the times with boys) and was never able to appreciate the fact that Mcleodganj is a good place to buy some specific stuff. Many times, I tried to buy few things for home but high rates made be change my mind :) ... Later I got to know the about some special facts about shopping at Mcledoganj...Stuff for Meditation,Yoga, Trendy cloths and Stone studded jewellery etc. -These are some of the most popular shopping stuff available in Mcleodganj Market. There are some shops of designer woolens, Kashmiri Shawls etc. In Mcledoganj street there are lot shops offer hand-made musical instruments.A  Photograph showing different types of Meditation Bowls made up of different types of metals and majorly with Ashtdhatu, which has some significance. Tibetan Singing Bowls, rin gongs, Himalayan bowls or suzu gongs are a type of bell, specifically classified as a standing bell. Rather than hanging inverted or attached to a handle, singing bowls sit with the bottom surface resting. The sides and rim of singing bowls vibrate to produce sound characterized by a fundamental frequency (first harmonic) and usually two audible harmonic overtones (second and third harmonic). Check out following link to know about these Singing Bowls - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singing_bowKeep reading to know more about pricing and negotiations at Mcleodganj Market.Different types of Budha Statutes can bought and huge range of sizes is available at Mcledoganj. Varous types include Health Budha, Sleeping Budha, Peace Budha etc. Apart from variation is sizes, some of the metallic Budhas are also studded with stones. We were evaluating them w.r.. visual beauty of the statues rather than the value of those stones or importance of Budha's postureAfter spending 1.5 hours in Mcleodganj Market we realized that there is huge difference between prices offered by various shops for almost similar stuff. Since none of us had any information about this stuff, we thought of buying some stuff from road-side kiosks which were comparitively cheaper than bigger shops. Although we were not sure if there was any different is stuff or not.At the same time, we saw huge difference in offering price and started negotiating with them. It was unbelievable to buy some stuff at 1/3rd of originally quotes price. Some of the stuff was bought at half price. After some shopping we were in big doubt about actual pricing, because final pricing was also a good amount. Anyways, we didn't think much about it but it seems there is huge scope of bargaining at Mcleodganj Market. Also we realized that extended market towards Bhagsu was unnecessarily expensive than the main market near to Dalai Lama's ResidenceSinging bowls are used worldwide for meditation, music, relaxation, personal well-being. They are used by a wide range of professionals, including health professionals, school teachers, musicians and spiritual teachers. Singing bowls are used in health care by psychotherapists, massage therapists, cancer specialists, stress and meditation specialists. They are used to help treat cancer patients and also for post traumatic stress disorder. They are popular in classrooms to help facilitate group activities and focus students' attention. This was first time when we were knowing about these Meditation Bowls and we bought few in a belief that whatever we bought is authentic. Anyways, I like the vibration and sound it makes on rubbing a wooden stick against it's top partIt has an average elevation of 2000 metres. Mcleodganj os situated on the Dhauladhar Range, whose highest peak, 'Hanuman Ka Tibba' at about 5700 metres..The Tibetan government-in-exile is headquartered in McLeodGanj.Apart from metallic stuff, Mcledoganj Market is also popular among foreigners for cloths. Even urban Indians also like the kind of cloths Mcleodganj Markets offer. I wish I had a photograph to show some samples. There are some art & craft galleries in different streets of Mcleodganj.Apart from some unique shopping opportunities, there are some decent eating places inside Mcleodganj Streets. It's a great place to try authentic Tibetian food. Also there are some decent cafes to enjoy different flavors of tea and coffee. We shall try to share more about Eating options at McleodganjMcleodganj streets can usually be seen with lot of foreigners like we seen in Rajasthani towns like Pushkar. Market is usually full of tourists and Monks who keep walking on main road which connects main chowk of Mcleodganj with Dalai Lama's Residence. There is anothr market near to Mcledoganj, which is situated near Bhagsu Temple and Waterfall.So best way of shopping at Mcleodganj is to know what exactly you want, set your upper limit, negotiate hard to get right price. But of course, how to best price? If you already have any experience, please share with others through comments :)To know more about Mcleodganj, check out - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McLeod_GanjLot of foreigners can be seen walking around the streets of Mcledoganj town. They get indulged in different activities of their choice and there are plenty of ways in Mcledoganj to do what you want to do and the way you want to be.

Old Photo Journey of St. John's Church is one of the most popular ones so far and if you have missed old one, we strongly recommend to see old photographs and those were clicked in appropriate season of the year with wonderful Himalayan Hues... HERE... This Photo Journey shared some of the recent photographs from our last visit to Mcledoganj and next will be planned with Mountain-Cleaners to make surroundings of this place cleanerThis time, we had enough time to spend around St. John Church in Mcledoganj. We were staying in Dharmshala, took a local bus from Dharmshala Bus-Station and reached this church which comes on the way from Dharmshala to Mcledoganj. It was a great welcome at church with wonderful music all around. I have been to this place many times and this was first time, when we listened prayers at St. John Church. It was Sunday Morning..This road you see on left is the one which connects Mcledoganj with Dharmshala. Mcledoganj is hardly 1.5 kilometers from here and after spending some time around the church we walked till Mcledoganj Market. In above photograph you can see that church is just on right side of this road and connected through a well maintained concrete path till main gateThis Photograph shows back side of St. John Church. Entry is on other side which is facing main road. This Photograph is clicked from the forest which is in back side of this church, although this whole hill is covered with high Cedar Trees. It was clear day, which is extremely unpredictable in Dharmshala/Mcledoganj. In India after Chirapoongi, Dharmshala gets maximum rains. In fact on same day it rained and we had to spend 2 hrs inside a cafe at Mcledoganj.During this visit, we met a gentleman who was cleaning the space around St. John Church. He comes to this place from Dharmshala every Sunday and do this work as a volunteer. Unfortunately he can't clean all hills around this place and tourists have made this place full of plastic bottles and wrappers. Mountain Cleaners is an organization which is based in Mcledoganj put their best efforts in ensuring cleanness around this part of State. Photo Journey team will try to clean the space around St John Church with Mountain-Cleaners next timeOverall this is a peaceful place to spend some time, although I know many people don't like such places. In past, I recommended this place to friends who visited Mcledoganj and they didn't like this place. Anyways, it's personal choice and it's worth to at least visit it onceIts churchyard is the final resting place of Lord Elgin, who served as Governor General of the Province of Canada, who oversaw the Creation of Responsible Government in Canada, and later while in China, ordered the complete destruction of the Old Summer Palace. He became Governor-General & Viceroy of India in 1861 during the British Raj, though he soon died at Dharamshala on November 20, 1863 and was buried there. (Courtesy - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._John_in_the_Wilderness)The most notable memorial and one which adjoins the church (the one you see on left side of first photograph in Photo Journey), is the elaborate stone memorial that was erected over the body of the British Viceroy, Lord Elgin who died at Dharamsala in 1863.The inscription reads - In memory of JAMES BRUCE, Earl of Elign and Kincardine K.T. G.C.B. G.M. S. I. Viceroy, and Governor-General of India, who having previously served his country as Governor of Jamaica, Governor General of Canada, High commissioner and Ambassador to China, and in other High offices, died at Dhurmsala in the discharge of his duties, on the 20th November 1863, aged 52 years and 4 months.There are many graves outside the St. John's church where many Britishers of that period have been buried. Still their names are engraved there. People visiting Mcleodganj often visit this fantastic church and get to know a lot about British history in India. This Photograph is clicked in front part of main church. There is a huge area where lot of graves are facing main Mcleodganj town.Apart from the one in front, there are some graves in backyard of St. John's Church in Mcledoganj. On both sides, this church is flanked by a well tended cemetery over the grassy slopes. Some of the graves are of those who were killed in the great earthquake of 1905. The inscriptions on others have a heartrending poignancy... (Courtsey - http://www.yatra.com/holiday-packages/destinations/in/mcleodganj/attractions/church+of+st+john+in+the+wilderness)St John Church structure survived 1905 Kangra earthquake, which killed close to 19800 people, injured thousands in the Kangra area and destroyed most buildings in Kangra, Mcleodganj and Dharamshala... its spire, Bell tower, was however destroyed. Later, a new bell, built in 1915 by Mears and Stainbank, which was brought from England and installed outside in the compound of the church. It's just in front of main gate of Church, enclosed with concrete on three side and iron bars on front sideSt. John in the Wilderness is an Anglican church dedicated to Saint John which was built in 1852 and located near Mcledoganj suurb of Dharamshala, India... Set amidst deodar forest and built in neo-Gothic architecture, this church is known for its Belgian stained-glass windows donated by Lady Elgin, wife of Lord ElginWeather around this place very pleasant. It remains cool even when Mcledoganj is hot due to direct sunlight. This part is mainly surrounded by dense and high cedar trees.If you keep your eyes open, this place is surrounded by beautiful flora as well. Lot of tiny flower in different colors can be seen in these hills.

There is a beautiful church in Mcledoganj which looks different in all the seasons. Second photograph of this Photo Journey is also the same church which you see above. St. John church is must visit place. It's at walkable distance from the town and the road is beautiful for a quick walk under high deodar trees.  

Mcleodganj is different kind of hill station in Himachal Pradesh, with different type of culture and environment. This Photo Journey will try to express the main things you notice in this small town near Dharmshala. Let's check out this colorful Photo Journey from Mcleodganj...During your journey towards Mcledoganj, you may not need to reach Mcledoganj for seeing Monks in their interesting dresses. Monks can usually be seen roaming around various places and some of them keep doing some prayers in parallel to other regular activities. Above photograph is shot on road which connects Mcledoganj with Bahgsu Nag Waterfalls. It's sort of mulch-religion shot...Apart from large number of Monks, foreign tourists can be seen in abundance. Most of the street of Mcleodganj can be seen full of tourists from different parts of the world !Colorful cloths, different fashions, innovative hair-styles & lot of different styles can be seen in the streets of Mcledoganj. Overall environment in these streets in quite different.All the streets of this town keep walking most of the time, even when it's drizzling in hills of Mcledoodganj !Many of the tourists come here for different purposes around Yoga, Meditation, Budha etc. During various activities in the town, they got to meet different people and then they enjoy the journey together. You can see many tourists staying in various streets of Mcleodganj for multiple weeks. by looking at them conversing, it seems that they know each other for a long time... A good destination for tourists !Trying various musical forms of India is another big motivation for tourists to come to these hills stations. This girl was standing in front of this shop for around 2 hours and kept playing different flutes. There was no one on shop and she kept waiting that someone would come and she will buy few for her. There are lot of such interesting shops in the streets of Mcleodganj !There are various cloth markets at Mcleodganj, but different styled cloths can be seen in most of them. So it again becomes a good destination for people interested in shopping and especially shopping for trendy cloths.Prayers all around the streets of Mcledoganj !One part of Mcleodganj gives wonderful view of snow capped dhauladhar mountain ranges.Mcledoganj is also a main station in the list birders and peope love to trek Triund which is one of the popular trek around Mcleodganj. Triund is moderate trek, which takes one day only. Sometimes people go uphill with tents and spend one night there.Apart from main temple near Residence of His Holiness Dalai Lama, there is another temple in the middle of Mcledoganj Market. Above photograph is shot at the temple in market.Mcleodganj is also a good place for finding decent range of warm cloths and winter-wear. Above photograph shows a road-side shop with various options of Shawls, sweaters etc.Also there are many art shops, where tourists can step-in and can try thier artistic ideas. Here you see one of the tourist doing some painting and trying to sell these in the street...

Mcleodganj is different kind of hill station in Himachal Pradesh, with different type of culture and environment. This Photo Journey will try to express the main things you notice in this small town near Dharmshala. Let's check out this colorful Photo Journey from Mcleodganj...During your journey towards Mcledoganj, you may not need to reach Mcledoganj for seeing Monks in their interesting dresses. Monks can usually be seen roaming around various places and some of them keep doing some prayers in parallel to other regular activities. Above photograph is shot on road which connects Mcledoganj with Bahgsu Nag Waterfalls. It's sort of mulch-religion shot...Apart from large number of Monks, foreign tourists can be seen in abundance. Most of the street of Mcleodganj can be seen full of tourists from different parts of the world !Colorful cloths, different fashions, innovative hair-styles & lot of different styles can be seen in the streets of Mcledoganj. Overall environment in these streets in quite different.All the streets of this town keep walking most of the time, even when it's drizzling in hills of Mcledoodganj !Many of the tourists come here for different purposes around Yoga, Meditation, Budha etc. During various activities in the town, they got to meet different people and then they enjoy the journey together. You can see many tourists staying in various streets of Mcleodganj for multiple weeks. by looking at them conversing, it seems that they know each other for a long time... A good destination for tourists !Trying various musical forms of India is another big motivation for tourists to come to these hills stations. This girl was standing in front of this shop for around 2 hours and kept playing different flutes. There was no one on shop and she kept waiting that someone would come and she will buy few for her. There are lot of such interesting shops in the streets of Mcleodganj !There are various cloth markets at Mcleodganj, but different styled cloths can be seen in most of them. So it again becomes a good destination for people interested in shopping and especially shopping for trendy cloths.Prayers all around the streets of Mcledoganj !One part of Mcleodganj gives wonderful view of snow capped dhauladhar mountain ranges.Mcledoganj is also a main station in the list birders and peope love to trek Triund which is one of the popular trek around Mcleodganj. Triund is moderate trek, which takes one day only. Sometimes people go uphill with tents and spend one night there.Apart from main temple near Residence of His Holiness Dalai Lama, there is another temple in the middle of Mcledoganj Market. Above photograph is shot at the temple in market.Mcleodganj is also a good place for finding decent range of warm cloths and winter-wear. Above photograph shows a road-side shop with various options of Shawls, sweaters etc.Also there are many art shops, where tourists can step-in and can try thier artistic ideas. Here you see one of the tourist doing some painting and trying to sell these in the street...Mcleodganj is different kind of hill station in Himachal Pradesh, with different type of culture and environment. This Photo Journey will try to express the main things you notice in this small town near Dharmshala. Let's check out this colorful Photo Journey from Mcleodganj...During your journey towards Mcledoganj, you may not need to reach Mcledoganj for seeing Monks in their interesting dresses. Monks can usually be seen roaming around various places and some of them keep doing some prayers in parallel to other regular activities. Above photograph is shot on road which connects Mcledoganj with Bahgsu Nag Waterfalls. It's sort of mulch-religion shot...Apart from large number of Monks, foreign tourists can be seen in abundance. Most of the street of Mcleodganj can be seen full of tourists from different parts of the world !Colorful cloths, different fashions, innovative hair-styles & lot of different styles can be seen in the streets of Mcledoganj. Overall environment in these streets in quite different.All the streets of this town keep walking most of the time, even when it's drizzling in hills of Mcledoodganj !Many of the tourists come here for different purposes around Yoga, Meditation, Budha etc. During various activities in the town, they got to meet different people and then they enjoy the journey together. You can see many tourists staying in various streets of Mcleodganj for multiple weeks. by looking at them conversing, it seems that they know each other for a long time... A good destination for tourists !Trying various musical forms of India is another big motivation for tourists to come to these hills stations. This girl was standing in front of this shop for around 2 hours and kept playing different flutes. There was no one on shop and she kept waiting that someone would come and she will buy few for her. There are lot of such interesting shops in the streets of Mcleodganj !There are various cloth markets at Mcleodganj, but different styled cloths can be seen in most of them. So it again becomes a good destination for people interested in shopping and especially shopping for trendy cloths.Prayers all around the streets of Mcledoganj !One part of Mcleodganj gives wonderful view of snow capped dhauladhar mountain ranges.Mcledoganj is also a main station in the list birders and peope love to trek Triund which is one of the popular trek around Mcleodganj. Triund is moderate trek, which takes one day only. Sometimes people go uphill with tents and spend one night there.Apart from main temple near Residence of His Holiness Dalai Lama, there is another temple in the middle of Mcledoganj Market. Above photograph is shot at the temple in market.Mcleodganj is also a good place for finding decent range of warm cloths and winter-wear. Above photograph shows a road-side shop with various options of Shawls, sweaters etc.Also there are many art shops, where tourists can step-in and can try thier artistic ideas. Here you see one of the tourist doing some painting and trying to sell these in the street...
McLeodGanj is a suburb of Dharamshala Town in Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh, India. Tourism is an important industry in McLeodGanj and many people come here to study Tibetan Buddhism, culture, crafts etc. The town is also known for Tibetan handicrafts, thangkas, Tibetan carpets, garments and other souvenirs. This Photo Journey talks more about shopping at Mcleodganj and what is so special about it...I have been to Mcleodganj many times (most of the times with boys) and was never able to appreciate the fact that Mcleodganj is a good place to buy some specific stuff. Many times, I tried to buy few things for home but high rates made be change my mind :) ... Later I got to know the about some special facts about shopping at Mcledoganj...Stuff for Meditation,Yoga, Trendy cloths and Stone studded jewellery etc. -These are some of the most popular shopping stuff available in Mcleodganj Market. There are some shops of designer woolens, Kashmiri Shawls etc. In Mcledoganj street there are lot shops offer hand-made musical instruments.A  Photograph showing different types of Meditation Bowls made up of different types of metals and majorly with Ashtdhatu, which has some significance. Tibetan Singing Bowls, rin gongs, Himalayan bowls or suzu gongs are a type of bell, specifically classified as a standing bell. Rather than hanging inverted or attached to a handle, singing bowls sit with the bottom surface resting. The sides and rim of singing bowls vibrate to produce sound characterized by a fundamental frequency (first harmonic) and usually two audible harmonic overtones (second and third harmonic). Check out following link to know about these Singing Bowls - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singing_bowKeep reading to know more about pricing and negotiations at Mcleodganj Market.Different types of Budha Statutes can bought and huge range of sizes is available at Mcledoganj. Varous types include Health Budha, Sleeping Budha, Peace Budha etc. Apart from variation is sizes, some of the metallic Budhas are also studded with stones. We were evaluating them w.r.. visual beauty of the statues rather than the value of those stones or importance of Budha's postureAfter spending 1.5 hours in Mcleodganj Market we realized that there is huge difference between prices offered by various shops for almost similar stuff. Since none of us had any information about this stuff, we thought of buying some stuff from road-side kiosks which were comparitively cheaper than bigger shops. Although we were not sure if there was any different is stuff or not.At the same time, we saw huge difference in offering price and started negotiating with them. It was unbelievable to buy some stuff at 1/3rd of originally quotes price. Some of the stuff was bought at half price. After some shopping we were in big doubt about actual pricing, because final pricing was also a good amount. Anyways, we didn't think much about it but it seems there is huge scope of bargaining at Mcleodganj Market. Also we realized that extended market towards Bhagsu was unnecessarily expensive than the main market near to Dalai Lama's ResidenceSinging bowls are used worldwide for meditation, music, relaxation, personal well-being. They are used by a wide range of professionals, including health professionals, school teachers, musicians and spiritual teachers. Singing bowls are used in health care by psychotherapists, massage therapists, cancer specialists, stress and meditation specialists. They are used to help treat cancer patients and also for post traumatic stress disorder. They are popular in classrooms to help facilitate group activities and focus students' attention. This was first time when we were knowing about these Meditation Bowls and we bought few in a belief that whatever we bought is authentic. Anyways, I like the vibration and sound it makes on rubbing a wooden stick against it's top partIt has an average elevation of 2000 metres. Mcleodganj os situated on the Dhauladhar Range, whose highest peak, 'Hanuman Ka Tibba' at about 5700 metres..The Tibetan government-in-exile is headquartered in McLeodGanj.Apart from metallic stuff, Mcledoganj Market is also popular among foreigners for cloths. Even urban Indians also like the kind of cloths Mcleodganj Markets offer. I wish I had a photograph to show some samples. There are some art & craft galleries in different streets of Mcleodganj.Apart from some unique shopping opportunities, there are some decent eating places inside Mcleodganj Streets. It's a great place to try authentic Tibetian food. Also there are some decent cafes to enjoy different flavors of tea and coffee. We shall try to share more about Eating options at McleodganjMcleodganj streets can usually be seen with lot of foreigners like we seen in Rajasthani towns like Pushkar. Market is usually full of tourists and Monks who keep walking on main road which connects main chowk of Mcleodganj with Dalai Lama's Residence. There is anothr market near to Mcledoganj, which is situated near Bhagsu Temple and Waterfall.So best way of shopping at Mcleodganj is to know what exactly you want, set your upper limit, negotiate hard to get right price. But of course, how to best price? If you already have any experience, please share with others through comments :)To know more about Mcleodganj, check out - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McLeod_GanjFashion on street is something that you would not be able to compare to any other parts of the country. There are various fashion stores in the town and stuff is available at quite reasonable price, but don't expect very good quality. Things are designer but made for temporary use by foreigners. Most of these shops are full of tourists. Again, the rule of negotiation applies here as well.  

Mcleodganj is different kind of hill station in Himachal Pradesh, with different type of culture and environment. This Photo Journey will try to express the main things you notice in this small town near Dharmshala. Let's check out this colorful Photo Journey from Mcleodganj...During your journey towards Mcledoganj, you may not need to reach Mcledoganj for seeing Monks in their interesting dresses. Monks can usually be seen roaming around various places and some of them keep doing some prayers in parallel to other regular activities. Above photograph is shot on road which connects Mcledoganj with Bahgsu Nag Waterfalls. It's sort of mulch-religion shot...Apart from large number of Monks, foreign tourists can be seen in abundance. Most of the street of Mcleodganj can be seen full of tourists from different parts of the world !Colorful cloths, different fashions, innovative hair-styles & lot of different styles can be seen in the streets of Mcledoganj. Overall environment in these streets in quite different.All the streets of this town keep walking most of the time, even when it's drizzling in hills of Mcledoodganj !Many of the tourists come here for different purposes around Yoga, Meditation, Budha etc. During various activities in the town, they got to meet different people and then they enjoy the journey together. You can see many tourists staying in various streets of Mcleodganj for multiple weeks. by looking at them conversing, it seems that they know each other for a long time... A good destination for tourists !Trying various musical forms of India is another big motivation for tourists to come to these hills stations. This girl was standing in front of this shop for around 2 hours and kept playing different flutes. There was no one on shop and she kept waiting that someone would come and she will buy few for her. There are lot of such interesting shops in the streets of Mcleodganj !There are various cloth markets at Mcleodganj, but different styled cloths can be seen in most of them. So it again becomes a good destination for people interested in shopping and especially shopping for trendy cloths.Prayers all around the streets of Mcledoganj !One part of Mcleodganj gives wonderful view of snow capped dhauladhar mountain ranges.Mcledoganj is also a main station in the list birders and peope love to trek Triund which is one of the popular trek around Mcleodganj. Triund is moderate trek, which takes one day only. Sometimes people go uphill with tents and spend one night there.Apart from main temple near Residence of His Holiness Dalai Lama, there is another temple in the middle of Mcledoganj Market. Above photograph is shot at the temple in market.Mcleodganj is also a good place for finding decent range of warm cloths and winter-wear. Above photograph shows a road-side shop with various options of Shawls, sweaters etc.Also there are many art shops, where tourists can step-in and can try thier artistic ideas. Here you see one of the tourist doing some painting and trying to sell these in the street...

Different parts of India offers different types of food and flavors. At the same time, Mcleodganj town which is in Himachal Pradesh (a State of Northern India) offers completely different kind of food. This Photo Journey is about a different flavor of food which is not same as that of other towns of the state. Let's continue with this Photo Journey from Mcledoganj and know more about flavors of Mcleodganj...Tourists at Mcledoganj comes with varies motives and mainly focused around Budhism. Apart from that many of tourists come here by the name of Mcleodganj, because it has come on Tourist map of India and one of the important tourist destination. I have seen many people going there and they come back with mixed reviews about the place. The basic reason is wrong expectations from this place. But of-course people interested in exploring Tibetian Culture, Budhism or want to learn Yoga/Mediation etc. It's also a good destination for foodies.Recently one of my friend was planning to go to Palampur and asked abouteatables she can find around the place. I had no clue about anything special in Palampur but of-course at Mcleodganj, she can try multiple things from a huge range of restaurants.During our visits, we have tried various restaurants and cafes. There are mixed reviews on food & I am not an expert to comment of food. So we shall try not to mention any specific place for eating or avoiding... Anyways, for light snacks and tea - we loved Coffee-Talk :) . Above photograph is shot at Coffee-Talk only. I loved their herbal tea with honey :)A good range of cuisines can be found in streets of Mcleodganj, but trying flavors of Tibet is one of the must things to do for everyone. There are various restaurants and street-side kiosks to try Tibetian food. These colorful streets serve Tibetan food in pure flavor and some of the restaurants make it indo-tibetian..Interiors of most of these restaurants is quite different from eating places we see in big cities. Some of the restaurants have good range of books on budhism, yoga and Meditation... Music you hear in these streets is also different and soothing most of the time...I don't remember name of this soup kind of stuff but it was something made up of home-made noodles. Although none of us were able to figure out something which looks like noddle :) ... It tastes something healthy, which didn't suite me :) .. Others liked it and I liked some of the tried stuff they servedMost of the eating places in Mcledoganj streets have reasonable rates expect few with fine dining setup. Various items ranging from 70-250 rs are available in most of these places. One tip - If you enter into Tibetian Restaurant, don't dare to order tea during end. Only focus on Tibetian cuisine and ignore other things served there..At Mcledoganj, it's hard to find a decent place for Indian Food. Although there are some options but sounded expensive to us. So why not try other cuisines, while at Mcleodganj :On India-Mike there is a forum discussion, which shares some of the first-hand experiences in various restaurants around Mcledoganj streets and Bhagsu - http://www.indiamike.com/india/indian-cooking-and-cuisine-f12/mcleodganj-a-food-lovers-paradise-t34348There are some Italian, Chinese and Thai Restaurants with quite popular names. But the special part is - that most of them serve food in Indian style. Which means that you will be Indian ingredients in their servings, which may not see in actual Thai, Italian and Chinese...Mcleodganj is popular place for Foodies and they shouldn't miss this place in case plan to come to this part of Himalayan State. Which means, any foodie coming to Dharmshala, Kangra, Palampur or Baijnath, s/he should come to Mcleodganj for trying different flavors...
Different parts of India offers different types of food and flavors. At the same time, Mcleodganj town which is in Himachal Pradesh (a State of Northern India) offers completely different kind of food. This Photo Journey is about a different flavor of food which is not same as that of other towns of the state. Let's continue with this Photo Journey from Mcledoganj and know more about flavors of Mcleodganj...Tourists at Mcledoganj comes with varies motives and mainly focused around Budhism. Apart from that many of tourists come here by the name of Mcleodganj, because it has come on Tourist map of India and one of the important tourist destination. I have seen many people going there and they come back with mixed reviews about the place. The basic reason is wrong expectations from this place. But of-course people interested in exploring Tibetian Culture, Budhism or want to learn Yoga/Mediation etc. It's also a good destination for foodies.Recently one of my friend was planning to go to Palampur and asked abouteatables she can find around the place. I had no clue about anything special in Palampur but of-course at Mcleodganj, she can try multiple things from a huge range of restaurants.During our visits, we have tried various restaurants and cafes. There are mixed reviews on food & I am not an expert to comment of food. So we shall try not to mention any specific place for eating or avoiding... Anyways, for light snacks and tea - we loved Coffee-Talk :) . Above photograph is shot at Coffee-Talk only. I loved their herbal tea with honey :)A good range of cuisines can be found in streets of Mcleodganj, but trying flavors of Tibet is one of the must things to do for everyone. There are various restaurants and street-side kiosks to try Tibetian food. These colorful streets serve Tibetan food in pure flavor and some of the restaurants make it indo-tibetian..Interiors of most of these restaurants is quite different from eating places we see in big cities. Some of the restaurants have good range of books on budhism, yoga and Meditation... Music you hear in these streets is also different and soothing most of the time...I don't remember name of this soup kind of stuff but it was something made up of home-made noodles. Although none of us were able to figure out something which looks like noddle :) ... It tastes something healthy, which didn't suite me :) .. Others liked it and I liked some of the tried stuff they servedMost of the eating places in Mcledoganj streets have reasonable rates expect few with fine dining setup. Various items ranging from 70-250 rs are available in most of these places. One tip - If you enter into Tibetian Restaurant, don't dare to order tea during end. Only focus on Tibetian cuisine and ignore other things served there..At Mcledoganj, it's hard to find a decent place for Indian Food. Although there are some options but sounded expensive to us. So why not try other cuisines, while at Mcleodganj :On India-Mike there is a forum discussion, which shares some of the first-hand experiences in various restaurants around Mcledoganj streets and Bhagsu - http://www.indiamike.com/india/indian-cooking-and-cuisine-f12/mcleodganj-a-food-lovers-paradise-t34348There are some Italian, Chinese and Thai Restaurants with quite popular names. But the special part is - that most of them serve food in Indian style. Which means that you will be Indian ingredients in their servings, which may not see in actual Thai, Italian and Chinese...Mcleodganj is popular place for Foodies and they shouldn't miss this place in case plan to come to this part of Himalayan State. Which means, any foodie coming to Dharmshala, Kangra, Palampur or Baijnath, s/he should come to Mcleodganj for trying different flavors...

Different parts of India offers different types of food and flavors. At the same time, Mcleodganj town which is in Himachal Pradesh (a State of Northern India) offers completely different kind of food. This Photo Journey is about a different flavor of food which is not same as that of other towns of the state. Let's continue with this Photo Journey from Mcledoganj and know more about flavors of Mcleodganj...Tourists at Mcledoganj comes with varies motives and mainly focused around Budhism. Apart from that many of tourists come here by the name of Mcleodganj, because it has come on Tourist map of India and one of the important tourist destination. I have seen many people going there and they come back with mixed reviews about the place. The basic reason is wrong expectations from this place. But of-course people interested in exploring Tibetian Culture, Budhism or want to learn Yoga/Mediation etc. It's also a good destination for foodies.Recently one of my friend was planning to go to Palampur and asked abouteatables she can find around the place. I had no clue about anything special in Palampur but of-course at Mcleodganj, she can try multiple things from a huge range of restaurants.During our visits, we have tried various restaurants and cafes. There are mixed reviews on food & I am not an expert to comment of food. So we shall try not to mention any specific place for eating or avoiding... Anyways, for light snacks and tea - we loved Coffee-Talk :) . Above photograph is shot at Coffee-Talk only. I loved their herbal tea with honey :)A good range of cuisines can be found in streets of Mcleodganj, but trying flavors of Tibet is one of the must things to do for everyone. There are various restaurants and street-side kiosks to try Tibetian food. These colorful streets serve Tibetan food in pure flavor and some of the restaurants make it indo-tibetian..Interiors of most of these restaurants is quite different from eating places we see in big cities. Some of the restaurants have good range of books on budhism, yoga and Meditation... Music you hear in these streets is also different and soothing most of the time...I don't remember name of this soup kind of stuff but it was something made up of home-made noodles. Although none of us were able to figure out something which looks like noddle :) ... It tastes something healthy, which didn't suite me :) .. Others liked it and I liked some of the tried stuff they servedMost of the eating places in Mcledoganj streets have reasonable rates expect few with fine dining setup. Various items ranging from 70-250 rs are available in most of these places. One tip - If you enter into Tibetian Restaurant, don't dare to order tea during end. Only focus on Tibetian cuisine and ignore other things served there..At Mcledoganj, it's hard to find a decent place for Indian Food. Although there are some options but sounded expensive to us. So why not try other cuisines, while at Mcleodganj :On India-Mike there is a forum discussion, which shares some of the first-hand experiences in various restaurants around Mcledoganj streets and Bhagsu - http://www.indiamike.com/india/indian-cooking-and-cuisine-f12/mcleodganj-a-food-lovers-paradise-t34348There are some Italian, Chinese and Thai Restaurants with quite popular names. But the special part is - that most of them serve food in Indian style. Which means that you will be Indian ingredients in their servings, which may not see in actual Thai, Italian and Chinese...Mcleodganj is popular place for Foodies and they shouldn't miss this place in case plan to come to this part of Himalayan State. Which means, any foodie coming to Dharmshala, Kangra, Palampur or Baijnath, s/he should come to Mcleodganj for trying different flavors...

Mcledoganj streets have very interesting options to eat and explore. There are different types of cafes and restaurants with unique styles. It would be difficult for you to locate Indian food in Mcleodganj, but other options are in abundance - Thai, Chinese, Tibetan, Italian, Continental, Japanese etc.  

Triund is one of the popular treks in Himachal Pradesh. This is counted in moderate treks, although many of the trekkers consider it simple trek. This Photo Journey shares wonderful series of photographs by Rakesh Ranjan, who has done this trek many times. Let's check out this Photo Journey and enjoy the trek with Rakesh Ranjan !Triund is just 10 kilometers from Bhagsu Nag which is now very famous among  foreigner tourist as a trekking paradise. Triund is name of a ridge in Dhauladhar Himalayas... Reaching Triund is very easy for people coming to Mcledoganj and Dharmshala. Accommodation at Triund is available in the rest house of Forest Department, but water has to be fetched from a distance of about 2 kilometers. Most of the times trekkers prefer to stay in tents. Many local companies arrange trekking facilities for trekkers & tourists. Although many of the trekkers take their stuff with them.  Triund lies at the feet of the perpetually snow covered Dhauladhar mountain ranges at the height of three thousands meters. It's around 20 kilometers from Dharmshala Town. The snow line starts at Ilaqa which is at 3300 feet, 5km from Triund.A photograph showing sunset moments from top at Triund !Triund is a popular picnic and trekking spot around Dharmshala/Mcleodganj. The tracks from Rawa, Dal Lake, Dharamkot and Bhagsunag meet at a ridge known as Galu temple (2130 meters) which has a small shrine and water point.A wonderful photograph by Rakesh Ranjan which looks quite similar to what we have seen in Windows-XP wallpapersHimalayas is very beautiful but my main emphasis to come in this area can be Yoga & Meditation...The trek to Triund is quite easy as compared to other treks and first timers can manage doing this trek. Some of the trekkers also like to move ahead to Ilaka, as path is a little treacherous in some spots can be more adventurous.A herd of Sheeps around Triund Trek !A View of Mcleodganj & Dharmshala towns from triund Trek in Himachal Pradesh !Folks who plan to visit Mcledoganj/Dharmshala during the weekend, they plan to go till Triund during day time and come back by evening. This trek can easily be done in one day, although it can be completely different experience to stay there in tents.Triund is on the foothills of Dhauladhar mountain range. The entire trek is full of adventurous experiences. The Triund trek is one of the most popular treks in the hills of Himachal Pradesh, INDIA. It makes for a very pleasant and enjoyable Trekking experience in the state. It is a short trek on the oldest migratory route followed by shepherds of Chamba and Kangra regions of Himalayan State in India.The Triund Trek combines the beauty of two of the most beautiful valleys in the Himachal Pradesh. The views from Laka are breathtaking and you occasionally come across shepherds rearing their flock of sheep in the green pastures. This trek is quite easy and pleasant.The Dhauladhar range is a southern branch of the main Outer Himalayan chain of mountains. The famous Gallu Temple is near the Mcleodganj waterfall in Dharamsala.On the way to Trek, folks can enjoy various flowers & herbs.Big Thanks to Rakesh Ranjan for sharing this wonderful Photo Journey from triund. PHOTO JOURNEY already has some wonderful journeys from neighboring places like Dharmshala, Mcleodganj, Palampur, Baijnath & many other interesting towns/sights.

Triund is an interesting trek from Mcleodganj and can be planned in a day. One can hire camping equipment from market and stay at Triund for a night.

Bhagsunag Waterfalls  are also quite popular but don't have high expectations. It's a small waterfall for which you need to trek a bit. A good place to hang around with friends when planning to be around Mcleodganj. 

Idea of this Photo Journey came after a brief discussion with one of my office friends, who want to go on a road-trip to Mcleodganj and other places around. During the discussion it came that they have approximately 4 days in hand and want to make best of this time. This Photo Journey is to help in planning such Road Trip around Palampur region of Himachal Pradesh. (Declaimer - This plan is made purely for Nature Lovers and Adventurous people)Please note that, if you want to know more about any of the places being discussed here; just click on photographs of appropriate links shared in between. So this discussion started with an idea of Road Journey to Mcledoganj and what other things can be approached if we have 4 days in hand. So what we planned is to hit Mcledoganj in morning or by noon.. Have some rest at your Hotel/Resort and have your breakfast/lunch... and move out to feel the place, as per your preference. Main places you may want to do around Mcledoganj Streets - a Visit to Temple near residence of His Holiness Dalai Lama, a small walk till St. John Church (This is a wonderful walk through high cedar trees around the road), Bhagsu Waterfalls & a temple near it and don't miss interesting eating options in Mcledoganj streets. Shopping is something you will figure out yourself :Next Day again can be spent around Mcleodganj for trekking around Triund or general walks around the place to better feel it and enjoy the nature around Dharmshala/Mcledoganj..Next day, we planned to move towards Barot. We planned to leave Mcleodganj by 7am in the morning and expect to reach Barot by 12:00 noon, which is reasonable estimate. Barot is least known place but wonderful place for nature lover. No commercialization, peaceful and isolated from tourist movements. The only challenge is place to stay. There are very simple Guest-Houses to stay, but not bad at all unless you are looking for good service with luxury arrangements in your room. Simple & clean rooms with basic stuff can be found across the river at Barot. While going to Barot, lot many things may compel you to stop and spend some time, but ignore while going to Barot and enjoy them during back journey. Don't think twice before stopping if you find something very interesting, which may not be possible to experience during back journey :)Spend one night at Barot and start back journey to Palampur in the morning... Now, it's time to chill on the way and take your time wherever you feel like. There is a cut on the way which takes us to Bir Billing. Distance-wise it's just 14 kilometers from main road but takes around 1-1.5 hr because of steep hill and bad road. Bir-Billing is one of the world popular place for Paragliding and World Cuo happens at this place only. From top, whole valley can be seen where everything looks very tiny. This is one of the best place to experience Paragliding and it can't be compared with paragliding options at Solang Valley or other hill stations. It takes 45 minimum to land in the valley if wind favors you, otherwise 1 hr to 1.5 hrs is average time to land after you fly from top. But please note that Bir Billing is at least one day affair, so need to be planned accordingly. So here I have put it as an optional place because you may not find anybody on top who can provide paragliding services to you.There is an interesting and huge Monastery on the way. It's just 2 kilometers away from main road which connects Barot with Palampur. There is a cut near Chuantra town which takes to us to Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche Institute. You can choose to visit this Tibetan colony and Monastery. After spending some time here, we can further towards Baijnath, which is our next destinationBaijnath is one of the main important town with a popular Shiva Temple made up of rocks. This temple is on right side of the road and comes just in the beginning of Baijnath Market. Nice place to spend some time and go to it's back side which has well maintained garden with an amazing view to river flowing in the valley with snow capped hills in background.Drive from Baijnath to Palampur is simply amazing with wonderful road, scenic beauty and tea gardens on both sides of the road. If you haven't stopped your car for lunch, take a break at Taragarh Palace, which is a Welcome Heritage Hotel on the way to Palampur. This can also be a decent place to stay...As you come near to Palampur, don't miss to stop and see Kayakalp Health Resort... This area is generally very beautiful... A round inside Agricultural university can be a good idea, if you want to see how hybrid seeds are produced in their local fields and how they actually maintain all these things...As you enter into Palampur Town, just move up towards Chuapati and Neugal Cafe which is one of the beautiful place in Palampur. Huge Tea Gardens surrounded by beautiful cottages and colorful houses. Have a cup of tea at Neagul Cafe and enjoy wonderful view of Dhauladhar Mountain Ranges, which can be best seen form this place. If still you have time in hand, take a small detour to go near to Neugal River which flows just below the hill where Cafe is located. I know this day can be very tiring but rewarding as well. Now it's upto you where you want to stay. Going to Dharmshala/Mcledoganj doesn't make sense if you plan to leave back for Delhi/Chandigarh in morning. If still there is some desire to explore more around Mcleodganj, go to Dharmshala and spend your night there. In case interested in staying at Palampur, there is a nice hotel by HPDTC- Tea Bud. btw Palampur is known as Tea City of North India. Next morning, if you leave early I strongly recommend to go via Masroor Temples and hit Una, which will be 25-30 kilometers extra. But this temple is worth seeing. There are some series of Monolithic temples which are carved out of a huge hill. Temple is located at a very isolated village. This overall plan share details about some of the main places. To know more options, check out links shared in this Photo Journey which have more detailed information about each places discussed here.

Cricket stadium in Dharmshala is one of the most beautiful stadium in the country and one can plan to have a visit there. Dhauladhar mountain ranges with snow cover look amazing from this stadium and a perfect place for you take a selfie with stadium and snow covered hills in the background :).

Old Photo Journey of St. John's Church is one of the most popular ones so far and if you have missed old one, we strongly recommend to see old photographs and those were clicked in appropriate season of the year with wonderful Himalayan Hues... HERE... This Photo Journey shared some of the recent photographs from our last visit to Mcledoganj and next will be planned with Mountain-Cleaners to make surroundings of this place cleanerThis time, we had enough time to spend around St. John Church in Mcledoganj. We were staying in Dharmshala, took a local bus from Dharmshala Bus-Station and reached this church which comes on the way from Dharmshala to Mcledoganj. It was a great welcome at church with wonderful music all around. I have been to this place many times and this was first time, when we listened prayers at St. John Church. It was Sunday Morning..This road you see on left is the one which connects Mcledoganj with Dharmshala. Mcledoganj is hardly 1.5 kilometers from here and after spending some time around the church we walked till Mcledoganj Market. In above photograph you can see that church is just on right side of this road and connected through a well maintained concrete path till main gateThis Photograph shows back side of St. John Church. Entry is on other side which is facing main road. This Photograph is clicked from the forest which is in back side of this church, although this whole hill is covered with high Cedar Trees. It was clear day, which is extremely unpredictable in Dharmshala/Mcledoganj. In India after Chirapoongi, Dharmshala gets maximum rains. In fact on same day it rained and we had to spend 2 hrs inside a cafe at Mcledoganj.During this visit, we met a gentleman who was cleaning the space around St. John Church. He comes to this place from Dharmshala every Sunday and do this work as a volunteer. Unfortunately he can't clean all hills around this place and tourists have made this place full of plastic bottles and wrappers. Mountain Cleaners is an organization which is based in Mcledoganj put their best efforts in ensuring cleanness around this part of State. Photo Journey team will try to clean the space around St John Church with Mountain-Cleaners next timeOverall this is a peaceful place to spend some time, although I know many people don't like such places. In past, I recommended this place to friends who visited Mcledoganj and they didn't like this place. Anyways, it's personal choice and it's worth to at least visit it onceIts churchyard is the final resting place of Lord Elgin, who served as Governor General of the Province of Canada, who oversaw the Creation of Responsible Government in Canada, and later while in China, ordered the complete destruction of the Old Summer Palace. He became Governor-General & Viceroy of India in 1861 during the British Raj, though he soon died at Dharamshala on November 20, 1863 and was buried there. (Courtesy - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._John_in_the_Wilderness)The most notable memorial and one which adjoins the church (the one you see on left side of first photograph in Photo Journey), is the elaborate stone memorial that was erected over the body of the British Viceroy, Lord Elgin who died at Dharamsala in 1863.The inscription reads - In memory of JAMES BRUCE, Earl of Elign and Kincardine K.T. G.C.B. G.M. S. I. Viceroy, and Governor-General of India, who having previously served his country as Governor of Jamaica, Governor General of Canada, High commissioner and Ambassador to China, and in other High offices, died at Dhurmsala in the discharge of his duties, on the 20th November 1863, aged 52 years and 4 months.There are many graves outside the St. John's church where many Britishers of that period have been buried. Still their names are engraved there. People visiting Mcleodganj often visit this fantastic church and get to know a lot about British history in India. This Photograph is clicked in front part of main church. There is a huge area where lot of graves are facing main Mcleodganj town.Apart from the one in front, there are some graves in backyard of St. John's Church in Mcledoganj. On both sides, this church is flanked by a well tended cemetery over the grassy slopes. Some of the graves are of those who were killed in the great earthquake of 1905. The inscriptions on others have a heartrending poignancy... (Courtsey - http://www.yatra.com/holiday-packages/destinations/in/mcleodganj/attractions/church+of+st+john+in+the+wilderness)St John Church structure survived 1905 Kangra earthquake, which killed close to 19800 people, injured thousands in the Kangra area and destroyed most buildings in Kangra, Mcleodganj and Dharamshala... its spire, Bell tower, was however destroyed. Later, a new bell, built in 1915 by Mears and Stainbank, which was brought from England and installed outside in the compound of the church. It's just in front of main gate of Church, enclosed with concrete on three side and iron bars on front sideSt. John in the Wilderness is an Anglican church dedicated to Saint John which was built in 1852 and located near Mcledoganj suurb of Dharamshala, India... Set amidst deodar forest and built in neo-Gothic architecture, this church is known for its Belgian stained-glass windows donated by Lady Elgin, wife of Lord ElginWeather around this place very pleasant. It remains cool even when Mcledoganj is hot due to direct sunlight. This part is mainly surrounded by dense and high cedar trees.If you keep your eyes open, this place is surrounded by beautiful flora as well. Lot of tiny flower in different colors can be seen in these hills.

Idea of this Photo Journey came after a brief discussion with one of my office friends, who want to go on a road-trip to Mcleodganj and other places around. During the discussion it came that they have approximately 4 days in hand and want to make best of this time. This Photo Journey is to help in planning such Road Trip around Palampur region of Himachal Pradesh. (Declaimer - This plan is made purely for Nature Lovers and Adventurous people)Please note that, if you want to know more about any of the places being discussed here; just click on photographs of appropriate links shared in between. So this discussion started with an idea of Road Journey to Mcledoganj and what other things can be approached if we have 4 days in hand. So what we planned is to hit Mcledoganj in morning or by noon.. Have some rest at your Hotel/Resort and have your breakfast/lunch... and move out to feel the place, as per your preference. Main places you may want to do around Mcledoganj Streets - a Visit to Temple near residence of His Holiness Dalai Lama, a small walk till St. John Church (This is a wonderful walk through high cedar trees around the road), Bhagsu Waterfalls & a temple near it and don't miss interesting eating options in Mcledoganj streets. Shopping is something you will figure out yourself :Next Day again can be spent around Mcleodganj for trekking around Triund or general walks around the place to better feel it and enjoy the nature around Dharmshala/Mcledoganj..Next day, we planned to move towards Barot. We planned to leave Mcleodganj by 7am in the morning and expect to reach Barot by 12:00 noon, which is reasonable estimate. Barot is least known place but wonderful place for nature lover. No commercialization, peaceful and isolated from tourist movements. The only challenge is place to stay. There are very simple Guest-Houses to stay, but not bad at all unless you are looking for good service with luxury arrangements in your room. Simple & clean rooms with basic stuff can be found across the river at Barot. While going to Barot, lot many things may compel you to stop and spend some time, but ignore while going to Barot and enjoy them during back journey. Don't think twice before stopping if you find something very interesting, which may not be possible to experience during back journey :)Spend one night at Barot and start back journey to Palampur in the morning... Now, it's time to chill on the way and take your time wherever you feel like. There is a cut on the way which takes us to Bir Billing. Distance-wise it's just 14 kilometers from main road but takes around 1-1.5 hr because of steep hill and bad road. Bir-Billing is one of the world popular place for Paragliding and World Cuo happens at this place only. From top, whole valley can be seen where everything looks very tiny. This is one of the best place to experience Paragliding and it can't be compared with paragliding options at Solang Valley or other hill stations. It takes 45 minimum to land in the valley if wind favors you, otherwise 1 hr to 1.5 hrs is average time to land after you fly from top. But please note that Bir Billing is at least one day affair, so need to be planned accordingly. So here I have put it as an optional place because you may not find anybody on top who can provide paragliding services to you.There is an interesting and huge Monastery on the way. It's just 2 kilometers away from main road which connects Barot with Palampur. There is a cut near Chuantra town which takes to us to Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche Institute. You can choose to visit this Tibetan colony and Monastery. After spending some time here, we can further towards Baijnath, which is our next destinationBaijnath is one of the main important town with a popular Shiva Temple made up of rocks. This temple is on right side of the road and comes just in the beginning of Baijnath Market. Nice place to spend some time and go to it's back side which has well maintained garden with an amazing view to river flowing in the valley with snow capped hills in background.Drive from Baijnath to Palampur is simply amazing with wonderful road, scenic beauty and tea gardens on both sides of the road. If you haven't stopped your car for lunch, take a break at Taragarh Palace, which is a Welcome Heritage Hotel on the way to Palampur. This can also be a decent place to stay...As you come near to Palampur, don't miss to stop and see Kayakalp Health Resort... This area is generally very beautiful... A round inside Agricultural university can be a good idea, if you want to see how hybrid seeds are produced in their local fields and how they actually maintain all these things...As you enter into Palampur Town, just move up towards Chuapati and Neugal Cafe which is one of the beautiful place in Palampur. Huge Tea Gardens surrounded by beautiful cottages and colorful houses. Have a cup of tea at Neagul Cafe and enjoy wonderful view of Dhauladhar Mountain Ranges, which can be best seen form this place. If still you have time in hand, take a small detour to go near to Neugal River which flows just below the hill where Cafe is located. I know this day can be very tiring but rewarding as well. Now it's upto you where you want to stay. Going to Dharmshala/Mcledoganj doesn't make sense if you plan to leave back for Delhi/Chandigarh in morning. If still there is some desire to explore more around Mcleodganj, go to Dharmshala and spend your night there. In case interested in staying at Palampur, there is a nice hotel by HPDTC- Tea Bud. btw Palampur is known as Tea City of North India. Next morning, if you leave early I strongly recommend to go via Masroor Temples and hit Una, which will be 25-30 kilometers extra. But this temple is worth seeing. There are some series of Monolithic temples which are carved out of a huge hill. Temple is located at a very isolated village. This overall plan share details about some of the main places. To know more options, check out links shared in this Photo Journey which have more detailed information about each places discussed here.

A drive from Mcledoganj to Naddi through Dal lake is worth exploring.  Naddi is another beautiful place in the lap of nature. There are few resorts around Naddi, which are best for folks who want to have a peaceful vacation. 

Idea of this Photo Journey came after a brief discussion with one of my office friends, who want to go on a road-trip to Mcleodganj and other places around. During the discussion it came that they have approximately 4 days in hand and want to make best of this time. This Photo Journey is to help in planning such Road Trip around Palampur region of Himachal Pradesh. (Declaimer - This plan is made purely for Nature Lovers and Adventurous people)Please note that, if you want to know more about any of the places being discussed here; just click on photographs of appropriate links shared in between. So this discussion started with an idea of Road Journey to Mcledoganj and what other things can be approached if we have 4 days in hand. So what we planned is to hit Mcledoganj in morning or by noon.. Have some rest at your Hotel/Resort and have your breakfast/lunch... and move out to feel the place, as per your preference. Main places you may want to do around Mcledoganj Streets - a Visit to Temple near residence of His Holiness Dalai Lama, a small walk till St. John Church (This is a wonderful walk through high cedar trees around the road), Bhagsu Waterfalls & a temple near it and don't miss interesting eating options in Mcledoganj streets. Shopping is something you will figure out yourself :Next Day again can be spent around Mcleodganj for trekking around Triund or general walks around the place to better feel it and enjoy the nature around Dharmshala/Mcledoganj..Next day, we planned to move towards Barot. We planned to leave Mcleodganj by 7am in the morning and expect to reach Barot by 12:00 noon, which is reasonable estimate. Barot is least known place but wonderful place for nature lover. No commercialization, peaceful and isolated from tourist movements. The only challenge is place to stay. There are very simple Guest-Houses to stay, but not bad at all unless you are looking for good service with luxury arrangements in your room. Simple & clean rooms with basic stuff can be found across the river at Barot. While going to Barot, lot many things may compel you to stop and spend some time, but ignore while going to Barot and enjoy them during back journey. Don't think twice before stopping if you find something very interesting, which may not be possible to experience during back journey :)Spend one night at Barot and start back journey to Palampur in the morning... Now, it's time to chill on the way and take your time wherever you feel like. There is a cut on the way which takes us to Bir Billing. Distance-wise it's just 14 kilometers from main road but takes around 1-1.5 hr because of steep hill and bad road. Bir-Billing is one of the world popular place for Paragliding and World Cuo happens at this place only. From top, whole valley can be seen where everything looks very tiny. This is one of the best place to experience Paragliding and it can't be compared with paragliding options at Solang Valley or other hill stations. It takes 45 minimum to land in the valley if wind favors you, otherwise 1 hr to 1.5 hrs is average time to land after you fly from top. But please note that Bir Billing is at least one day affair, so need to be planned accordingly. So here I have put it as an optional place because you may not find anybody on top who can provide paragliding services to you.There is an interesting and huge Monastery on the way. It's just 2 kilometers away from main road which connects Barot with Palampur. There is a cut near Chuantra town which takes to us to Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche Institute. You can choose to visit this Tibetan colony and Monastery. After spending some time here, we can further towards Baijnath, which is our next destinationBaijnath is one of the main important town with a popular Shiva Temple made up of rocks. This temple is on right side of the road and comes just in the beginning of Baijnath Market. Nice place to spend some time and go to it's back side which has well maintained garden with an amazing view to river flowing in the valley with snow capped hills in background.Drive from Baijnath to Palampur is simply amazing with wonderful road, scenic beauty and tea gardens on both sides of the road. If you haven't stopped your car for lunch, take a break at Taragarh Palace, which is a Welcome Heritage Hotel on the way to Palampur. This can also be a decent place to stay...As you come near to Palampur, don't miss to stop and see Kayakalp Health Resort... This area is generally very beautiful... A round inside Agricultural university can be a good idea, if you want to see how hybrid seeds are produced in their local fields and how they actually maintain all these things...As you enter into Palampur Town, just move up towards Chuapati and Neugal Cafe which is one of the beautiful place in Palampur. Huge Tea Gardens surrounded by beautiful cottages and colorful houses. Have a cup of tea at Neagul Cafe and enjoy wonderful view of Dhauladhar Mountain Ranges, which can be best seen form this place. If still you have time in hand, take a small detour to go near to Neugal River which flows just below the hill where Cafe is located. I know this day can be very tiring but rewarding as well. Now it's upto you where you want to stay. Going to Dharmshala/Mcledoganj doesn't make sense if you plan to leave back for Delhi/Chandigarh in morning. If still there is some desire to explore more around Mcleodganj, go to Dharmshala and spend your night there. In case interested in staying at Palampur, there is a nice hotel by HPDTC- Tea Bud. btw Palampur is known as Tea City of North India. Next morning, if you leave early I strongly recommend to go via Masroor Temples and hit Una, which will be 25-30 kilometers extra. But this temple is worth seeing. There are some series of Monolithic temples which are carved out of a huge hill. Temple is located at a very isolated village. This overall plan share details about some of the main places. To know more options, check out links shared in this Photo Journey which have more detailed information about each places discussed here.

Palampur is another interesting destination around Mcleodganj. Palampur is known as Tea Capital of North India. It's a 1.5 hours drive to Palampur from Mcledoganj, through Dharmshala & Chamunda Devi.

Idea of this Photo Journey came after a brief discussion with one of my office friends, who want to go on a road-trip to Mcleodganj and other places around. During the discussion it came that they have approximately 4 days in hand and want to make best of this time. This Photo Journey is to help in planning such Road Trip around Palampur region of Himachal Pradesh. (Declaimer - This plan is made purely for Nature Lovers and Adventurous people)Please note that, if you want to know more about any of the places being discussed here; just click on photographs of appropriate links shared in between. So this discussion started with an idea of Road Journey to Mcledoganj and what other things can be approached if we have 4 days in hand. So what we planned is to hit Mcledoganj in morning or by noon.. Have some rest at your Hotel/Resort and have your breakfast/lunch... and move out to feel the place, as per your preference. Main places you may want to do around Mcledoganj Streets - a Visit to Temple near residence of His Holiness Dalai Lama, a small walk till St. John Church (This is a wonderful walk through high cedar trees around the road), Bhagsu Waterfalls & a temple near it and don't miss interesting eating options in Mcledoganj streets. Shopping is something you will figure out yourself :Next Day again can be spent around Mcleodganj for trekking around Triund or general walks around the place to better feel it and enjoy the nature around Dharmshala/Mcledoganj..Next day, we planned to move towards Barot. We planned to leave Mcleodganj by 7am in the morning and expect to reach Barot by 12:00 noon, which is reasonable estimate. Barot is least known place but wonderful place for nature lover. No commercialization, peaceful and isolated from tourist movements. The only challenge is place to stay. There are very simple Guest-Houses to stay, but not bad at all unless you are looking for good service with luxury arrangements in your room. Simple & clean rooms with basic stuff can be found across the river at Barot. While going to Barot, lot many things may compel you to stop and spend some time, but ignore while going to Barot and enjoy them during back journey. Don't think twice before stopping if you find something very interesting, which may not be possible to experience during back journey :)Spend one night at Barot and start back journey to Palampur in the morning... Now, it's time to chill on the way and take your time wherever you feel like. There is a cut on the way which takes us to Bir Billing. Distance-wise it's just 14 kilometers from main road but takes around 1-1.5 hr because of steep hill and bad road. Bir-Billing is one of the world popular place for Paragliding and World Cuo happens at this place only. From top, whole valley can be seen where everything looks very tiny. This is one of the best place to experience Paragliding and it can't be compared with paragliding options at Solang Valley or other hill stations. It takes 45 minimum to land in the valley if wind favors you, otherwise 1 hr to 1.5 hrs is average time to land after you fly from top. But please note that Bir Billing is at least one day affair, so need to be planned accordingly. So here I have put it as an optional place because you may not find anybody on top who can provide paragliding services to you.There is an interesting and huge Monastery on the way. It's just 2 kilometers away from main road which connects Barot with Palampur. There is a cut near Chuantra town which takes to us to Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche Institute. You can choose to visit this Tibetan colony and Monastery. After spending some time here, we can further towards Baijnath, which is our next destinationBaijnath is one of the main important town with a popular Shiva Temple made up of rocks. This temple is on right side of the road and comes just in the beginning of Baijnath Market. Nice place to spend some time and go to it's back side which has well maintained garden with an amazing view to river flowing in the valley with snow capped hills in background.Drive from Baijnath to Palampur is simply amazing with wonderful road, scenic beauty and tea gardens on both sides of the road. If you haven't stopped your car for lunch, take a break at Taragarh Palace, which is a Welcome Heritage Hotel on the way to Palampur. This can also be a decent place to stay...As you come near to Palampur, don't miss to stop and see Kayakalp Health Resort... This area is generally very beautiful... A round inside Agricultural university can be a good idea, if you want to see how hybrid seeds are produced in their local fields and how they actually maintain all these things...As you enter into Palampur Town, just move up towards Chuapati and Neugal Cafe which is one of the beautiful place in Palampur. Huge Tea Gardens surrounded by beautiful cottages and colorful houses. Have a cup of tea at Neagul Cafe and enjoy wonderful view of Dhauladhar Mountain Ranges, which can be best seen form this place. If still you have time in hand, take a small detour to go near to Neugal River which flows just below the hill where Cafe is located. I know this day can be very tiring but rewarding as well. Now it's upto you where you want to stay. Going to Dharmshala/Mcledoganj doesn't make sense if you plan to leave back for Delhi/Chandigarh in morning. If still there is some desire to explore more around Mcleodganj, go to Dharmshala and spend your night there. In case interested in staying at Palampur, there is a nice hotel by HPDTC- Tea Bud. btw Palampur is known as Tea City of North India. Next morning, if you leave early I strongly recommend to go via Masroor Temples and hit Una, which will be 25-30 kilometers extra. But this temple is worth seeing. There are some series of Monolithic temples which are carved out of a huge hill. Temple is located at a very isolated village. This overall plan share details about some of the main places. To know more options, check out links shared in this Photo Journey which have more detailed information about each places discussed here.

Barot is another destination around this part of Himachal Pradesh, which is a small village having beautiful landscapes and awesome weather.  This can only be planned if you have one extra day in hand. There is 3.5 hours drive from Mcleodganj through Palampur, Baijnath & Bir Billing. And it's recommended to spend one night in home stays of Barot. 

Idea of this Photo Journey came after a brief discussion with one of my office friends, who want to go on a road-trip to Mcleodganj and other places around. During the discussion it came that they have approximately 4 days in hand and want to make best of this time. This Photo Journey is to help in planning such Road Trip around Palampur region of Himachal Pradesh. (Declaimer - This plan is made purely for Nature Lovers and Adventurous people)Please note that, if you want to know more about any of the places being discussed here; just click on photographs of appropriate links shared in between. So this discussion started with an idea of Road Journey to Mcledoganj and what other things can be approached if we have 4 days in hand. So what we planned is to hit Mcledoganj in morning or by noon.. Have some rest at your Hotel/Resort and have your breakfast/lunch... and move out to feel the place, as per your preference. Main places you may want to do around Mcledoganj Streets - a Visit to Temple near residence of His Holiness Dalai Lama, a small walk till St. John Church (This is a wonderful walk through high cedar trees around the road), Bhagsu Waterfalls & a temple near it and don't miss interesting eating options in Mcledoganj streets. Shopping is something you will figure out yourself :Next Day again can be spent around Mcleodganj for trekking around Triund or general walks around the place to better feel it and enjoy the nature around Dharmshala/Mcledoganj..Next day, we planned to move towards Barot. We planned to leave Mcleodganj by 7am in the morning and expect to reach Barot by 12:00 noon, which is reasonable estimate. Barot is least known place but wonderful place for nature lover. No commercialization, peaceful and isolated from tourist movements. The only challenge is place to stay. There are very simple Guest-Houses to stay, but not bad at all unless you are looking for good service with luxury arrangements in your room. Simple & clean rooms with basic stuff can be found across the river at Barot. While going to Barot, lot many things may compel you to stop and spend some time, but ignore while going to Barot and enjoy them during back journey. Don't think twice before stopping if you find something very interesting, which may not be possible to experience during back journey :)Spend one night at Barot and start back journey to Palampur in the morning... Now, it's time to chill on the way and take your time wherever you feel like. There is a cut on the way which takes us to Bir Billing. Distance-wise it's just 14 kilometers from main road but takes around 1-1.5 hr because of steep hill and bad road. Bir-Billing is one of the world popular place for Paragliding and World Cuo happens at this place only. From top, whole valley can be seen where everything looks very tiny. This is one of the best place to experience Paragliding and it can't be compared with paragliding options at Solang Valley or other hill stations. It takes 45 minimum to land in the valley if wind favors you, otherwise 1 hr to 1.5 hrs is average time to land after you fly from top. But please note that Bir Billing is at least one day affair, so need to be planned accordingly. So here I have put it as an optional place because you may not find anybody on top who can provide paragliding services to you.There is an interesting and huge Monastery on the way. It's just 2 kilometers away from main road which connects Barot with Palampur. There is a cut near Chuantra town which takes to us to Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche Institute. You can choose to visit this Tibetan colony and Monastery. After spending some time here, we can further towards Baijnath, which is our next destinationBaijnath is one of the main important town with a popular Shiva Temple made up of rocks. This temple is on right side of the road and comes just in the beginning of Baijnath Market. Nice place to spend some time and go to it's back side which has well maintained garden with an amazing view to river flowing in the valley with snow capped hills in background.Drive from Baijnath to Palampur is simply amazing with wonderful road, scenic beauty and tea gardens on both sides of the road. If you haven't stopped your car for lunch, take a break at Taragarh Palace, which is a Welcome Heritage Hotel on the way to Palampur. This can also be a decent place to stay...As you come near to Palampur, don't miss to stop and see Kayakalp Health Resort... This area is generally very beautiful... A round inside Agricultural university can be a good idea, if you want to see how hybrid seeds are produced in their local fields and how they actually maintain all these things...As you enter into Palampur Town, just move up towards Chuapati and Neugal Cafe which is one of the beautiful place in Palampur. Huge Tea Gardens surrounded by beautiful cottages and colorful houses. Have a cup of tea at Neagul Cafe and enjoy wonderful view of Dhauladhar Mountain Ranges, which can be best seen form this place. If still you have time in hand, take a small detour to go near to Neugal River which flows just below the hill where Cafe is located. I know this day can be very tiring but rewarding as well. Now it's upto you where you want to stay. Going to Dharmshala/Mcledoganj doesn't make sense if you plan to leave back for Delhi/Chandigarh in morning. If still there is some desire to explore more around Mcleodganj, go to Dharmshala and spend your night there. In case interested in staying at Palampur, there is a nice hotel by HPDTC- Tea Bud. btw Palampur is known as Tea City of North India. Next morning, if you leave early I strongly recommend to go via Masroor Temples and hit Una, which will be 25-30 kilometers extra. But this temple is worth seeing. There are some series of Monolithic temples which are carved out of a huge hill. Temple is located at a very isolated village. This overall plan share details about some of the main places. To know more options, check out links shared in this Photo Journey which have more detailed information about each places discussed here.


Idea of this Photo Journey came after a brief discussion with one of my office friends, who want to go on a road-trip to Mcleodganj and other places around. During the discussion it came that they have approximately 4 days in hand and want to make best of this time. This Photo Journey is to help in planning such Road Trip around Palampur region of Himachal Pradesh. (Declaimer - This plan is made purely for Nature Lovers and Adventurous people)Please note that, if you want to know more about any of the places being discussed here; just click on photographs of appropriate links shared in between. So this discussion started with an idea of Road Journey to Mcledoganj and what other things can be approached if we have 4 days in hand. So what we planned is to hit Mcledoganj in morning or by noon.. Have some rest at your Hotel/Resort and have your breakfast/lunch... and move out to feel the place, as per your preference. Main places you may want to do around Mcledoganj Streets - a Visit to Temple near residence of His Holiness Dalai Lama, a small walk till St. John Church (This is a wonderful walk through high cedar trees around the road), Bhagsu Waterfalls & a temple near it and don't miss interesting eating options in Mcledoganj streets. Shopping is something you will figure out yourself :Next Day again can be spent around Mcleodganj for trekking around Triund or general walks around the place to better feel it and enjoy the nature around Dharmshala/Mcledoganj..Next day, we planned to move towards Barot. We planned to leave Mcleodganj by 7am in the morning and expect to reach Barot by 12:00 noon, which is reasonable estimate. Barot is least known place but wonderful place for nature lover. No commercialization, peaceful and isolated from tourist movements. The only challenge is place to stay. There are very simple Guest-Houses to stay, but not bad at all unless you are looking for good service with luxury arrangements in your room. Simple & clean rooms with basic stuff can be found across the river at Barot. While going to Barot, lot many things may compel you to stop and spend some time, but ignore while going to Barot and enjoy them during back journey. Don't think twice before stopping if you find something very interesting, which may not be possible to experience during back journey :)Spend one night at Barot and start back journey to Palampur in the morning... Now, it's time to chill on the way and take your time wherever you feel like. There is a cut on the way which takes us to Bir Billing. Distance-wise it's just 14 kilometers from main road but takes around 1-1.5 hr because of steep hill and bad road. Bir-Billing is one of the world popular place for Paragliding and World Cuo happens at this place only. From top, whole valley can be seen where everything looks very tiny. This is one of the best place to experience Paragliding and it can't be compared with paragliding options at Solang Valley or other hill stations. It takes 45 minimum to land in the valley if wind favors you, otherwise 1 hr to 1.5 hrs is average time to land after you fly from top. But please note that Bir Billing is at least one day affair, so need to be planned accordingly. So here I have put it as an optional place because you may not find anybody on top who can provide paragliding services to you.There is an interesting and huge Monastery on the way. It's just 2 kilometers away from main road which connects Barot with Palampur. There is a cut near Chuantra town which takes to us to Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche Institute. You can choose to visit this Tibetan colony and Monastery. After spending some time here, we can further towards Baijnath, which is our next destinationBaijnath is one of the main important town with a popular Shiva Temple made up of rocks. This temple is on right side of the road and comes just in the beginning of Baijnath Market. Nice place to spend some time and go to it's back side which has well maintained garden with an amazing view to river flowing in the valley with snow capped hills in background.Drive from Baijnath to Palampur is simply amazing with wonderful road, scenic beauty and tea gardens on both sides of the road. If you haven't stopped your car for lunch, take a break at Taragarh Palace, which is a Welcome Heritage Hotel on the way to Palampur. This can also be a decent place to stay...As you come near to Palampur, don't miss to stop and see Kayakalp Health Resort... This area is generally very beautiful... A round inside Agricultural university can be a good idea, if you want to see how hybrid seeds are produced in their local fields and how they actually maintain all these things...As you enter into Palampur Town, just move up towards Chuapati and Neugal Cafe which is one of the beautiful place in Palampur. Huge Tea Gardens surrounded by beautiful cottages and colorful houses. Have a cup of tea at Neagul Cafe and enjoy wonderful view of Dhauladhar Mountain Ranges, which can be best seen form this place. If still you have time in hand, take a small detour to go near to Neugal River which flows just below the hill where Cafe is located. I know this day can be very tiring but rewarding as well. Now it's upto you where you want to stay. Going to Dharmshala/Mcledoganj doesn't make sense if you plan to leave back for Delhi/Chandigarh in morning. If still there is some desire to explore more around Mcleodganj, go to Dharmshala and spend your night there. In case interested in staying at Palampur, there is a nice hotel by HPDTC- Tea Bud. btw Palampur is known as Tea City of North India. Next morning, if you leave early I strongly recommend to go via Masroor Temples and hit Una, which will be 25-30 kilometers extra. But this temple is worth seeing. There are some series of Monolithic temples which are carved out of a huge hill. Temple is located at a very isolated village. This overall plan share details about some of the main places. To know more options, check out links shared in this Photo Journey which have more detailed information about each places discussed here.



Idea of this Photo Journey came after a brief discussion with one of my office friends, who want to go on a road-trip to Mcleodganj and other places around. During the discussion it came that they have approximately 4 days in hand and want to make best of this time. This Photo Journey is to help in planning such Road Trip around Palampur region of Himachal Pradesh. (Declaimer - This plan is made purely for Nature Lovers and Adventurous people)Please note that, if you want to know more about any of the places being discussed here; just click on photographs of appropriate links shared in between. So this discussion started with an idea of Road Journey to Mcledoganj and what other things can be approached if we have 4 days in hand. So what we planned is to hit Mcledoganj in morning or by noon.. Have some rest at your Hotel/Resort and have your breakfast/lunch... and move out to feel the place, as per your preference. Main places you may want to do around Mcledoganj Streets - a Visit to Temple near residence of His Holiness Dalai Lama, a small walk till St. John Church (This is a wonderful walk through high cedar trees around the road), Bhagsu Waterfalls & a temple near it and don't miss interesting eating options in Mcledoganj streets. Shopping is something you will figure out yourself :Next Day again can be spent around Mcleodganj for trekking around Triund or general walks around the place to better feel it and enjoy the nature around Dharmshala/Mcledoganj..Next day, we planned to move towards Barot. We planned to leave Mcleodganj by 7am in the morning and expect to reach Barot by 12:00 noon, which is reasonable estimate. Barot is least known place but wonderful place for nature lover. No commercialization, peaceful and isolated from tourist movements. The only challenge is place to stay. There are very simple Guest-Houses to stay, but not bad at all unless you are looking for good service with luxury arrangements in your room. Simple & clean rooms with basic stuff can be found across the river at Barot. While going to Barot, lot many things may compel you to stop and spend some time, but ignore while going to Barot and enjoy them during back journey. Don't think twice before stopping if you find something very interesting, which may not be possible to experience during back journey :)Spend one night at Barot and start back journey to Palampur in the morning... Now, it's time to chill on the way and take your time wherever you feel like. There is a cut on the way which takes us to Bir Billing. Distance-wise it's just 14 kilometers from main road but takes around 1-1.5 hr because of steep hill and bad road. Bir-Billing is one of the world popular place for Paragliding and World Cuo happens at this place only. From top, whole valley can be seen where everything looks very tiny. This is one of the best place to experience Paragliding and it can't be compared with paragliding options at Solang Valley or other hill stations. It takes 45 minimum to land in the valley if wind favors you, otherwise 1 hr to 1.5 hrs is average time to land after you fly from top. But please note that Bir Billing is at least one day affair, so need to be planned accordingly. So here I have put it as an optional place because you may not find anybody on top who can provide paragliding services to you.There is an interesting and huge Monastery on the way. It's just 2 kilometers away from main road which connects Barot with Palampur. There is a cut near Chuantra town which takes to us to Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche Institute. You can choose to visit this Tibetan colony and Monastery. After spending some time here, we can further towards Baijnath, which is our next destinationBaijnath is one of the main important town with a popular Shiva Temple made up of rocks. This temple is on right side of the road and comes just in the beginning of Baijnath Market. Nice place to spend some time and go to it's back side which has well maintained garden with an amazing view to river flowing in the valley with snow capped hills in background.Drive from Baijnath to Palampur is simply amazing with wonderful road, scenic beauty and tea gardens on both sides of the road. If you haven't stopped your car for lunch, take a break at Taragarh Palace, which is a Welcome Heritage Hotel on the way to Palampur. This can also be a decent place to stay...As you come near to Palampur, don't miss to stop and see Kayakalp Health Resort... This area is generally very beautiful... A round inside Agricultural university can be a good idea, if you want to see how hybrid seeds are produced in their local fields and how they actually maintain all these things...As you enter into Palampur Town, just move up towards Chuapati and Neugal Cafe which is one of the beautiful place in Palampur. Huge Tea Gardens surrounded by beautiful cottages and colorful houses. Have a cup of tea at Neagul Cafe and enjoy wonderful view of Dhauladhar Mountain Ranges, which can be best seen form this place. If still you have time in hand, take a small detour to go near to Neugal River which flows just below the hill where Cafe is located. I know this day can be very tiring but rewarding as well. Now it's upto you where you want to stay. Going to Dharmshala/Mcledoganj doesn't make sense if you plan to leave back for Delhi/Chandigarh in morning. If still there is some desire to explore more around Mcleodganj, go to Dharmshala and spend your night there. In case interested in staying at Palampur, there is a nice hotel by HPDTC- Tea Bud. btw Palampur is known as Tea City of North India. Next morning, if you leave early I strongly recommend to go via Masroor Temples and hit Una, which will be 25-30 kilometers extra. But this temple is worth seeing. There are some series of Monolithic temples which are carved out of a huge hill. Temple is located at a very isolated village. This overall plan share details about some of the main places. To know more options, check out links shared in this Photo Journey which have more detailed information about each places discussed here.

Idea of this Photo Journey came after a brief discussion with one of my office friends, who want to go on a road-trip to Mcleodganj and other places around. During the discussion it came that they have approximately 4 days in hand and want to make best of this time. This Photo Journey is to help in planning such Road Trip around Palampur region of Himachal Pradesh. (Declaimer - This plan is made purely for Nature Lovers and Adventurous people)Please note that, if you want to know more about any of the places being discussed here; just click on photographs of appropriate links shared in between. So this discussion started with an idea of Road Journey to Mcledoganj and what other things can be approached if we have 4 days in hand. So what we planned is to hit Mcledoganj in morning or by noon.. Have some rest at your Hotel/Resort and have your breakfast/lunch... and move out to feel the place, as per your preference. Main places you may want to do around Mcledoganj Streets - a Visit to Temple near residence of His Holiness Dalai Lama, a small walk till St. John Church (This is a wonderful walk through high cedar trees around the road), Bhagsu Waterfalls & a temple near it and don't miss interesting eating options in Mcledoganj streets. Shopping is something you will figure out yourself :Next Day again can be spent around Mcleodganj for trekking around Triund or general walks around the place to better feel it and enjoy the nature around Dharmshala/Mcledoganj..Next day, we planned to move towards Barot. We planned to leave Mcleodganj by 7am in the morning and expect to reach Barot by 12:00 noon, which is reasonable estimate. Barot is least known place but wonderful place for nature lover. No commercialization, peaceful and isolated from tourist movements. The only challenge is place to stay. There are very simple Guest-Houses to stay, but not bad at all unless you are looking for good service with luxury arrangements in your room. Simple & clean rooms with basic stuff can be found across the river at Barot. While going to Barot, lot many things may compel you to stop and spend some time, but ignore while going to Barot and enjoy them during back journey. Don't think twice before stopping if you find something very interesting, which may not be possible to experience during back journey :)Spend one night at Barot and start back journey to Palampur in the morning... Now, it's time to chill on the way and take your time wherever you feel like. There is a cut on the way which takes us to Bir Billing. Distance-wise it's just 14 kilometers from main road but takes around 1-1.5 hr because of steep hill and bad road. Bir-Billing is one of the world popular place for Paragliding and World Cuo happens at this place only. From top, whole valley can be seen where everything looks very tiny. This is one of the best place to experience Paragliding and it can't be compared with paragliding options at Solang Valley or other hill stations. It takes 45 minimum to land in the valley if wind favors you, otherwise 1 hr to 1.5 hrs is average time to land after you fly from top. But please note that Bir Billing is at least one day affair, so need to be planned accordingly. So here I have put it as an optional place because you may not find anybody on top who can provide paragliding services to you.There is an interesting and huge Monastery on the way. It's just 2 kilometers away from main road which connects Barot with Palampur. There is a cut near Chuantra town which takes to us to Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche Institute. You can choose to visit this Tibetan colony and Monastery. After spending some time here, we can further towards Baijnath, which is our next destinationBaijnath is one of the main important town with a popular Shiva Temple made up of rocks. This temple is on right side of the road and comes just in the beginning of Baijnath Market. Nice place to spend some time and go to it's back side which has well maintained garden with an amazing view to river flowing in the valley with snow capped hills in background.Drive from Baijnath to Palampur is simply amazing with wonderful road, scenic beauty and tea gardens on both sides of the road. If you haven't stopped your car for lunch, take a break at Taragarh Palace, which is a Welcome Heritage Hotel on the way to Palampur. This can also be a decent place to stay...As you come near to Palampur, don't miss to stop and see Kayakalp Health Resort... This area is generally very beautiful... A round inside Agricultural university can be a good idea, if you want to see how hybrid seeds are produced in their local fields and how they actually maintain all these things...As you enter into Palampur Town, just move up towards Chuapati and Neugal Cafe which is one of the beautiful place in Palampur. Huge Tea Gardens surrounded by beautiful cottages and colorful houses. Have a cup of tea at Neagul Cafe and enjoy wonderful view of Dhauladhar Mountain Ranges, which can be best seen form this place. If still you have time in hand, take a small detour to go near to Neugal River which flows just below the hill where Cafe is located. I know this day can be very tiring but rewarding as well. Now it's upto you where you want to stay. Going to Dharmshala/Mcledoganj doesn't make sense if you plan to leave back for Delhi/Chandigarh in morning. If still there is some desire to explore more around Mcleodganj, go to Dharmshala and spend your night there. In case interested in staying at Palampur, there is a nice hotel by HPDTC- Tea Bud. btw Palampur is known as Tea City of North India. Next morning, if you leave early I strongly recommend to go via Masroor Temples and hit Una, which will be 25-30 kilometers extra. But this temple is worth seeing. There are some series of Monolithic temples which are carved out of a huge hill. Temple is located at a very isolated village. This overall plan share details about some of the main places. To know more options, check out links shared in this Photo Journey which have more detailed information about each places discussed here.

There is a beautiful Monastery which comes on the way from Mcleodganj to Barot. 

Idea of this Photo Journey came after a brief discussion with one of my office friends, who want to go on a road-trip to Mcleodganj and other places around. During the discussion it came that they have approximately 4 days in hand and want to make best of this time. This Photo Journey is to help in planning such Road Trip around Palampur region of Himachal Pradesh. (Declaimer - This plan is made purely for Nature Lovers and Adventurous people)Please note that, if you want to know more about any of the places being discussed here; just click on photographs of appropriate links shared in between. So this discussion started with an idea of Road Journey to Mcledoganj and what other things can be approached if we have 4 days in hand. So what we planned is to hit Mcledoganj in morning or by noon.. Have some rest at your Hotel/Resort and have your breakfast/lunch... and move out to feel the place, as per your preference. Main places you may want to do around Mcledoganj Streets - a Visit to Temple near residence of His Holiness Dalai Lama, a small walk till St. John Church (This is a wonderful walk through high cedar trees around the road), Bhagsu Waterfalls & a temple near it and don't miss interesting eating options in Mcledoganj streets. Shopping is something you will figure out yourself :Next Day again can be spent around Mcleodganj for trekking around Triund or general walks around the place to better feel it and enjoy the nature around Dharmshala/Mcledoganj..Next day, we planned to move towards Barot. We planned to leave Mcleodganj by 7am in the morning and expect to reach Barot by 12:00 noon, which is reasonable estimate. Barot is least known place but wonderful place for nature lover. No commercialization, peaceful and isolated from tourist movements. The only challenge is place to stay. There are very simple Guest-Houses to stay, but not bad at all unless you are looking for good service with luxury arrangements in your room. Simple & clean rooms with basic stuff can be found across the river at Barot. While going to Barot, lot many things may compel you to stop and spend some time, but ignore while going to Barot and enjoy them during back journey. Don't think twice before stopping if you find something very interesting, which may not be possible to experience during back journey :)Spend one night at Barot and start back journey to Palampur in the morning... Now, it's time to chill on the way and take your time wherever you feel like. There is a cut on the way which takes us to Bir Billing. Distance-wise it's just 14 kilometers from main road but takes around 1-1.5 hr because of steep hill and bad road. Bir-Billing is one of the world popular place for Paragliding and World Cuo happens at this place only. From top, whole valley can be seen where everything looks very tiny. This is one of the best place to experience Paragliding and it can't be compared with paragliding options at Solang Valley or other hill stations. It takes 45 minimum to land in the valley if wind favors you, otherwise 1 hr to 1.5 hrs is average time to land after you fly from top. But please note that Bir Billing is at least one day affair, so need to be planned accordingly. So here I have put it as an optional place because you may not find anybody on top who can provide paragliding services to you.There is an interesting and huge Monastery on the way. It's just 2 kilometers away from main road which connects Barot with Palampur. There is a cut near Chuantra town which takes to us to Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche Institute. You can choose to visit this Tibetan colony and Monastery. After spending some time here, we can further towards Baijnath, which is our next destinationBaijnath is one of the main important town with a popular Shiva Temple made up of rocks. This temple is on right side of the road and comes just in the beginning of Baijnath Market. Nice place to spend some time and go to it's back side which has well maintained garden with an amazing view to river flowing in the valley with snow capped hills in background.Drive from Baijnath to Palampur is simply amazing with wonderful road, scenic beauty and tea gardens on both sides of the road. If you haven't stopped your car for lunch, take a break at Taragarh Palace, which is a Welcome Heritage Hotel on the way to Palampur. This can also be a decent place to stay...As you come near to Palampur, don't miss to stop and see Kayakalp Health Resort... This area is generally very beautiful... A round inside Agricultural university can be a good idea, if you want to see how hybrid seeds are produced in their local fields and how they actually maintain all these things...As you enter into Palampur Town, just move up towards Chuapati and Neugal Cafe which is one of the beautiful place in Palampur. Huge Tea Gardens surrounded by beautiful cottages and colorful houses. Have a cup of tea at Neagul Cafe and enjoy wonderful view of Dhauladhar Mountain Ranges, which can be best seen form this place. If still you have time in hand, take a small detour to go near to Neugal River which flows just below the hill where Cafe is located. I know this day can be very tiring but rewarding as well. Now it's upto you where you want to stay. Going to Dharmshala/Mcledoganj doesn't make sense if you plan to leave back for Delhi/Chandigarh in morning. If still there is some desire to explore more around Mcleodganj, go to Dharmshala and spend your night there. In case interested in staying at Palampur, there is a nice hotel by HPDTC- Tea Bud. btw Palampur is known as Tea City of North India. Next morning, if you leave early I strongly recommend to go via Masroor Temples and hit Una, which will be 25-30 kilometers extra. But this temple is worth seeing. There are some series of Monolithic temples which are carved out of a huge hill. Temple is located at a very isolated village. This overall plan share details about some of the main places. To know more options, check out links shared in this Photo Journey which have more detailed information about each places discussed here.

There is a famous temple in Baijnath, which is made up of stones and dedicated to Shiva. A drive from Palampur to Baijnath is exceptional. 

Idea of this Photo Journey came after a brief discussion with one of my office friends, who want to go on a road-trip to Mcleodganj and other places around. During the discussion it came that they have approximately 4 days in hand and want to make best of this time. This Photo Journey is to help in planning such Road Trip around Palampur region of Himachal Pradesh. (Declaimer - This plan is made purely for Nature Lovers and Adventurous people)Please note that, if you want to know more about any of the places being discussed here; just click on photographs of appropriate links shared in between. So this discussion started with an idea of Road Journey to Mcledoganj and what other things can be approached if we have 4 days in hand. So what we planned is to hit Mcledoganj in morning or by noon.. Have some rest at your Hotel/Resort and have your breakfast/lunch... and move out to feel the place, as per your preference. Main places you may want to do around Mcledoganj Streets - a Visit to Temple near residence of His Holiness Dalai Lama, a small walk till St. John Church (This is a wonderful walk through high cedar trees around the road), Bhagsu Waterfalls & a temple near it and don't miss interesting eating options in Mcledoganj streets. Shopping is something you will figure out yourself :Next Day again can be spent around Mcleodganj for trekking around Triund or general walks around the place to better feel it and enjoy the nature around Dharmshala/Mcledoganj..Next day, we planned to move towards Barot. We planned to leave Mcleodganj by 7am in the morning and expect to reach Barot by 12:00 noon, which is reasonable estimate. Barot is least known place but wonderful place for nature lover. No commercialization, peaceful and isolated from tourist movements. The only challenge is place to stay. There are very simple Guest-Houses to stay, but not bad at all unless you are looking for good service with luxury arrangements in your room. Simple & clean rooms with basic stuff can be found across the river at Barot. While going to Barot, lot many things may compel you to stop and spend some time, but ignore while going to Barot and enjoy them during back journey. Don't think twice before stopping if you find something very interesting, which may not be possible to experience during back journey :)Spend one night at Barot and start back journey to Palampur in the morning... Now, it's time to chill on the way and take your time wherever you feel like. There is a cut on the way which takes us to Bir Billing. Distance-wise it's just 14 kilometers from main road but takes around 1-1.5 hr because of steep hill and bad road. Bir-Billing is one of the world popular place for Paragliding and World Cuo happens at this place only. From top, whole valley can be seen where everything looks very tiny. This is one of the best place to experience Paragliding and it can't be compared with paragliding options at Solang Valley or other hill stations. It takes 45 minimum to land in the valley if wind favors you, otherwise 1 hr to 1.5 hrs is average time to land after you fly from top. But please note that Bir Billing is at least one day affair, so need to be planned accordingly. So here I have put it as an optional place because you may not find anybody on top who can provide paragliding services to you.There is an interesting and huge Monastery on the way. It's just 2 kilometers away from main road which connects Barot with Palampur. There is a cut near Chuantra town which takes to us to Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche Institute. You can choose to visit this Tibetan colony and Monastery. After spending some time here, we can further towards Baijnath, which is our next destinationBaijnath is one of the main important town with a popular Shiva Temple made up of rocks. This temple is on right side of the road and comes just in the beginning of Baijnath Market. Nice place to spend some time and go to it's back side which has well maintained garden with an amazing view to river flowing in the valley with snow capped hills in background.Drive from Baijnath to Palampur is simply amazing with wonderful road, scenic beauty and tea gardens on both sides of the road. If you haven't stopped your car for lunch, take a break at Taragarh Palace, which is a Welcome Heritage Hotel on the way to Palampur. This can also be a decent place to stay...As you come near to Palampur, don't miss to stop and see Kayakalp Health Resort... This area is generally very beautiful... A round inside Agricultural university can be a good idea, if you want to see how hybrid seeds are produced in their local fields and how they actually maintain all these things...As you enter into Palampur Town, just move up towards Chuapati and Neugal Cafe which is one of the beautiful place in Palampur. Huge Tea Gardens surrounded by beautiful cottages and colorful houses. Have a cup of tea at Neagul Cafe and enjoy wonderful view of Dhauladhar Mountain Ranges, which can be best seen form this place. If still you have time in hand, take a small detour to go near to Neugal River which flows just below the hill where Cafe is located. I know this day can be very tiring but rewarding as well. Now it's upto you where you want to stay. Going to Dharmshala/Mcledoganj doesn't make sense if you plan to leave back for Delhi/Chandigarh in morning. If still there is some desire to explore more around Mcleodganj, go to Dharmshala and spend your night there. In case interested in staying at Palampur, there is a nice hotel by HPDTC- Tea Bud. btw Palampur is known as Tea City of North India. Next morning, if you leave early I strongly recommend to go via Masroor Temples and hit Una, which will be 25-30 kilometers extra. But this temple is worth seeing. There are some series of Monolithic temples which are carved out of a huge hill. Temple is located at a very isolated village. This overall plan share details about some of the main places. To know more options, check out links shared in this Photo Journey which have more detailed information about each places discussed here.


Idea of this Photo Journey came after a brief discussion with one of my office friends, who want to go on a road-trip to Mcleodganj and other places around. During the discussion it came that they have approximately 4 days in hand and want to make best of this time. This Photo Journey is to help in planning such Road Trip around Palampur region of Himachal Pradesh. (Declaimer - This plan is made purely for Nature Lovers and Adventurous people)Please note that, if you want to know more about any of the places being discussed here; just click on photographs of appropriate links shared in between. So this discussion started with an idea of Road Journey to Mcledoganj and what other things can be approached if we have 4 days in hand. So what we planned is to hit Mcledoganj in morning or by noon.. Have some rest at your Hotel/Resort and have your breakfast/lunch... and move out to feel the place, as per your preference. Main places you may want to do around Mcledoganj Streets - a Visit to Temple near residence of His Holiness Dalai Lama, a small walk till St. John Church (This is a wonderful walk through high cedar trees around the road), Bhagsu Waterfalls & a temple near it and don't miss interesting eating options in Mcledoganj streets. Shopping is something you will figure out yourself :Next Day again can be spent around Mcleodganj for trekking around Triund or general walks around the place to better feel it and enjoy the nature around Dharmshala/Mcledoganj..Next day, we planned to move towards Barot. We planned to leave Mcleodganj by 7am in the morning and expect to reach Barot by 12:00 noon, which is reasonable estimate. Barot is least known place but wonderful place for nature lover. No commercialization, peaceful and isolated from tourist movements. The only challenge is place to stay. There are very simple Guest-Houses to stay, but not bad at all unless you are looking for good service with luxury arrangements in your room. Simple & clean rooms with basic stuff can be found across the river at Barot. While going to Barot, lot many things may compel you to stop and spend some time, but ignore while going to Barot and enjoy them during back journey. Don't think twice before stopping if you find something very interesting, which may not be possible to experience during back journey :)Spend one night at Barot and start back journey to Palampur in the morning... Now, it's time to chill on the way and take your time wherever you feel like. There is a cut on the way which takes us to Bir Billing. Distance-wise it's just 14 kilometers from main road but takes around 1-1.5 hr because of steep hill and bad road. Bir-Billing is one of the world popular place for Paragliding and World Cuo happens at this place only. From top, whole valley can be seen where everything looks very tiny. This is one of the best place to experience Paragliding and it can't be compared with paragliding options at Solang Valley or other hill stations. It takes 45 minimum to land in the valley if wind favors you, otherwise 1 hr to 1.5 hrs is average time to land after you fly from top. But please note that Bir Billing is at least one day affair, so need to be planned accordingly. So here I have put it as an optional place because you may not find anybody on top who can provide paragliding services to you.There is an interesting and huge Monastery on the way. It's just 2 kilometers away from main road which connects Barot with Palampur. There is a cut near Chuantra town which takes to us to Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche Institute. You can choose to visit this Tibetan colony and Monastery. After spending some time here, we can further towards Baijnath, which is our next destinationBaijnath is one of the main important town with a popular Shiva Temple made up of rocks. This temple is on right side of the road and comes just in the beginning of Baijnath Market. Nice place to spend some time and go to it's back side which has well maintained garden with an amazing view to river flowing in the valley with snow capped hills in background.Drive from Baijnath to Palampur is simply amazing with wonderful road, scenic beauty and tea gardens on both sides of the road. If you haven't stopped your car for lunch, take a break at Taragarh Palace, which is a Welcome Heritage Hotel on the way to Palampur. This can also be a decent place to stay...As you come near to Palampur, don't miss to stop and see Kayakalp Health Resort... This area is generally very beautiful... A round inside Agricultural university can be a good idea, if you want to see how hybrid seeds are produced in their local fields and how they actually maintain all these things...As you enter into Palampur Town, just move up towards Chuapati and Neugal Cafe which is one of the beautiful place in Palampur. Huge Tea Gardens surrounded by beautiful cottages and colorful houses. Have a cup of tea at Neagul Cafe and enjoy wonderful view of Dhauladhar Mountain Ranges, which can be best seen form this place. If still you have time in hand, take a small detour to go near to Neugal River which flows just below the hill where Cafe is located. I know this day can be very tiring but rewarding as well. Now it's upto you where you want to stay. Going to Dharmshala/Mcledoganj doesn't make sense if you plan to leave back for Delhi/Chandigarh in morning. If still there is some desire to explore more around Mcleodganj, go to Dharmshala and spend your night there. In case interested in staying at Palampur, there is a nice hotel by HPDTC- Tea Bud. btw Palampur is known as Tea City of North India. Next morning, if you leave early I strongly recommend to go via Masroor Temples and hit Una, which will be 25-30 kilometers extra. But this temple is worth seeing. There are some series of Monolithic temples which are carved out of a huge hill. Temple is located at a very isolated village. This overall plan share details about some of the main places. To know more options, check out links shared in this Photo Journey which have more detailed information about each places discussed here.


Idea of this Photo Journey came after a brief discussion with one of my office friends, who want to go on a road-trip to Mcleodganj and other places around. During the discussion it came that they have approximately 4 days in hand and want to make best of this time. This Photo Journey is to help in planning such Road Trip around Palampur region of Himachal Pradesh. (Declaimer - This plan is made purely for Nature Lovers and Adventurous people)Please note that, if you want to know more about any of the places being discussed here; just click on photographs of appropriate links shared in between. So this discussion started with an idea of Road Journey to Mcledoganj and what other things can be approached if we have 4 days in hand. So what we planned is to hit Mcledoganj in morning or by noon.. Have some rest at your Hotel/Resort and have your breakfast/lunch... and move out to feel the place, as per your preference. Main places you may want to do around Mcledoganj Streets - a Visit to Temple near residence of His Holiness Dalai Lama, a small walk till St. John Church (This is a wonderful walk through high cedar trees around the road), Bhagsu Waterfalls & a temple near it and don't miss interesting eating options in Mcledoganj streets. Shopping is something you will figure out yourself :Next Day again can be spent around Mcleodganj for trekking around Triund or general walks around the place to better feel it and enjoy the nature around Dharmshala/Mcledoganj..Next day, we planned to move towards Barot. We planned to leave Mcleodganj by 7am in the morning and expect to reach Barot by 12:00 noon, which is reasonable estimate. Barot is least known place but wonderful place for nature lover. No commercialization, peaceful and isolated from tourist movements. The only challenge is place to stay. There are very simple Guest-Houses to stay, but not bad at all unless you are looking for good service with luxury arrangements in your room. Simple & clean rooms with basic stuff can be found across the river at Barot. While going to Barot, lot many things may compel you to stop and spend some time, but ignore while going to Barot and enjoy them during back journey. Don't think twice before stopping if you find something very interesting, which may not be possible to experience during back journey :)Spend one night at Barot and start back journey to Palampur in the morning... Now, it's time to chill on the way and take your time wherever you feel like. There is a cut on the way which takes us to Bir Billing. Distance-wise it's just 14 kilometers from main road but takes around 1-1.5 hr because of steep hill and bad road. Bir-Billing is one of the world popular place for Paragliding and World Cuo happens at this place only. From top, whole valley can be seen where everything looks very tiny. This is one of the best place to experience Paragliding and it can't be compared with paragliding options at Solang Valley or other hill stations. It takes 45 minimum to land in the valley if wind favors you, otherwise 1 hr to 1.5 hrs is average time to land after you fly from top. But please note that Bir Billing is at least one day affair, so need to be planned accordingly. So here I have put it as an optional place because you may not find anybody on top who can provide paragliding services to you.There is an interesting and huge Monastery on the way. It's just 2 kilometers away from main road which connects Barot with Palampur. There is a cut near Chuantra town which takes to us to Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche Institute. You can choose to visit this Tibetan colony and Monastery. After spending some time here, we can further towards Baijnath, which is our next destinationBaijnath is one of the main important town with a popular Shiva Temple made up of rocks. This temple is on right side of the road and comes just in the beginning of Baijnath Market. Nice place to spend some time and go to it's back side which has well maintained garden with an amazing view to river flowing in the valley with snow capped hills in background.Drive from Baijnath to Palampur is simply amazing with wonderful road, scenic beauty and tea gardens on both sides of the road. If you haven't stopped your car for lunch, take a break at Taragarh Palace, which is a Welcome Heritage Hotel on the way to Palampur. This can also be a decent place to stay...As you come near to Palampur, don't miss to stop and see Kayakalp Health Resort... This area is generally very beautiful... A round inside Agricultural university can be a good idea, if you want to see how hybrid seeds are produced in their local fields and how they actually maintain all these things...As you enter into Palampur Town, just move up towards Chuapati and Neugal Cafe which is one of the beautiful place in Palampur. Huge Tea Gardens surrounded by beautiful cottages and colorful houses. Have a cup of tea at Neagul Cafe and enjoy wonderful view of Dhauladhar Mountain Ranges, which can be best seen form this place. If still you have time in hand, take a small detour to go near to Neugal River which flows just below the hill where Cafe is located. I know this day can be very tiring but rewarding as well. Now it's upto you where you want to stay. Going to Dharmshala/Mcledoganj doesn't make sense if you plan to leave back for Delhi/Chandigarh in morning. If still there is some desire to explore more around Mcleodganj, go to Dharmshala and spend your night there. In case interested in staying at Palampur, there is a nice hotel by HPDTC- Tea Bud. btw Palampur is known as Tea City of North India. Next morning, if you leave early I strongly recommend to go via Masroor Temples and hit Una, which will be 25-30 kilometers extra. But this temple is worth seeing. There are some series of Monolithic temples which are carved out of a huge hill. Temple is located at a very isolated village. This overall plan share details about some of the main places. To know more options, check out links shared in this Photo Journey which have more detailed information about each places discussed here.


Idea of this Photo Journey came after a brief discussion with one of my office friends, who want to go on a road-trip to Mcleodganj and other places around. During the discussion it came that they have approximately 4 days in hand and want to make best of this time. This Photo Journey is to help in planning such Road Trip around Palampur region of Himachal Pradesh. (Declaimer - This plan is made purely for Nature Lovers and Adventurous people)Please note that, if you want to know more about any of the places being discussed here; just click on photographs of appropriate links shared in between. So this discussion started with an idea of Road Journey to Mcledoganj and what other things can be approached if we have 4 days in hand. So what we planned is to hit Mcledoganj in morning or by noon.. Have some rest at your Hotel/Resort and have your breakfast/lunch... and move out to feel the place, as per your preference. Main places you may want to do around Mcledoganj Streets - a Visit to Temple near residence of His Holiness Dalai Lama, a small walk till St. John Church (This is a wonderful walk through high cedar trees around the road), Bhagsu Waterfalls & a temple near it and don't miss interesting eating options in Mcledoganj streets. Shopping is something you will figure out yourself :Next Day again can be spent around Mcleodganj for trekking around Triund or general walks around the place to better feel it and enjoy the nature around Dharmshala/Mcledoganj..Next day, we planned to move towards Barot. We planned to leave Mcleodganj by 7am in the morning and expect to reach Barot by 12:00 noon, which is reasonable estimate. Barot is least known place but wonderful place for nature lover. No commercialization, peaceful and isolated from tourist movements. The only challenge is place to stay. There are very simple Guest-Houses to stay, but not bad at all unless you are looking for good service with luxury arrangements in your room. Simple & clean rooms with basic stuff can be found across the river at Barot. While going to Barot, lot many things may compel you to stop and spend some time, but ignore while going to Barot and enjoy them during back journey. Don't think twice before stopping if you find something very interesting, which may not be possible to experience during back journey :)Spend one night at Barot and start back journey to Palampur in the morning... Now, it's time to chill on the way and take your time wherever you feel like. There is a cut on the way which takes us to Bir Billing. Distance-wise it's just 14 kilometers from main road but takes around 1-1.5 hr because of steep hill and bad road. Bir-Billing is one of the world popular place for Paragliding and World Cuo happens at this place only. From top, whole valley can be seen where everything looks very tiny. This is one of the best place to experience Paragliding and it can't be compared with paragliding options at Solang Valley or other hill stations. It takes 45 minimum to land in the valley if wind favors you, otherwise 1 hr to 1.5 hrs is average time to land after you fly from top. But please note that Bir Billing is at least one day affair, so need to be planned accordingly. So here I have put it as an optional place because you may not find anybody on top who can provide paragliding services to you.There is an interesting and huge Monastery on the way. It's just 2 kilometers away from main road which connects Barot with Palampur. There is a cut near Chuantra town which takes to us to Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche Institute. You can choose to visit this Tibetan colony and Monastery. After spending some time here, we can further towards Baijnath, which is our next destinationBaijnath is one of the main important town with a popular Shiva Temple made up of rocks. This temple is on right side of the road and comes just in the beginning of Baijnath Market. Nice place to spend some time and go to it's back side which has well maintained garden with an amazing view to river flowing in the valley with snow capped hills in background.Drive from Baijnath to Palampur is simply amazing with wonderful road, scenic beauty and tea gardens on both sides of the road. If you haven't stopped your car for lunch, take a break at Taragarh Palace, which is a Welcome Heritage Hotel on the way to Palampur. This can also be a decent place to stay...As you come near to Palampur, don't miss to stop and see Kayakalp Health Resort... This area is generally very beautiful... A round inside Agricultural university can be a good idea, if you want to see how hybrid seeds are produced in their local fields and how they actually maintain all these things...As you enter into Palampur Town, just move up towards Chuapati and Neugal Cafe which is one of the beautiful place in Palampur. Huge Tea Gardens surrounded by beautiful cottages and colorful houses. Have a cup of tea at Neagul Cafe and enjoy wonderful view of Dhauladhar Mountain Ranges, which can be best seen form this place. If still you have time in hand, take a small detour to go near to Neugal River which flows just below the hill where Cafe is located. I know this day can be very tiring but rewarding as well. Now it's upto you where you want to stay. Going to Dharmshala/Mcledoganj doesn't make sense if you plan to leave back for Delhi/Chandigarh in morning. If still there is some desire to explore more around Mcleodganj, go to Dharmshala and spend your night there. In case interested in staying at Palampur, there is a nice hotel by HPDTC- Tea Bud. btw Palampur is known as Tea City of North India. Next morning, if you leave early I strongly recommend to go via Masroor Temples and hit Una, which will be 25-30 kilometers extra. But this temple is worth seeing. There are some series of Monolithic temples which are carved out of a huge hill. Temple is located at a very isolated village. This overall plan share details about some of the main places. To know more options, check out links shared in this Photo Journey which have more detailed information about each places discussed here.

Idea of this Photo Journey came after a brief discussion with one of my office friends, who want to go on a road-trip to Mcleodganj and other places around. During the discussion it came that they have approximately 4 days in hand and want to make best of this time. This Photo Journey is to help in planning such Road Trip around Palampur region of Himachal Pradesh. (Declaimer - This plan is made purely for Nature Lovers and Adventurous people)Please note that, if you want to know more about any of the places being discussed here; just click on photographs of appropriate links shared in between. So this discussion started with an idea of Road Journey to Mcledoganj and what other things can be approached if we have 4 days in hand. So what we planned is to hit Mcledoganj in morning or by noon.. Have some rest at your Hotel/Resort and have your breakfast/lunch... and move out to feel the place, as per your preference. Main places you may want to do around Mcledoganj Streets - a Visit to Temple near residence of His Holiness Dalai Lama, a small walk till St. John Church (This is a wonderful walk through high cedar trees around the road), Bhagsu Waterfalls & a temple near it and don't miss interesting eating options in Mcledoganj streets. Shopping is something you will figure out yourself :Next Day again can be spent around Mcleodganj for trekking around Triund or general walks around the place to better feel it and enjoy the nature around Dharmshala/Mcledoganj..Next day, we planned to move towards Barot. We planned to leave Mcleodganj by 7am in the morning and expect to reach Barot by 12:00 noon, which is reasonable estimate. Barot is least known place but wonderful place for nature lover. No commercialization, peaceful and isolated from tourist movements. The only challenge is place to stay. There are very simple Guest-Houses to stay, but not bad at all unless you are looking for good service with luxury arrangements in your room. Simple & clean rooms with basic stuff can be found across the river at Barot. While going to Barot, lot many things may compel you to stop and spend some time, but ignore while going to Barot and enjoy them during back journey. Don't think twice before stopping if you find something very interesting, which may not be possible to experience during back journey :)Spend one night at Barot and start back journey to Palampur in the morning... Now, it's time to chill on the way and take your time wherever you feel like. There is a cut on the way which takes us to Bir Billing. Distance-wise it's just 14 kilometers from main road but takes around 1-1.5 hr because of steep hill and bad road. Bir-Billing is one of the world popular place for Paragliding and World Cuo happens at this place only. From top, whole valley can be seen where everything looks very tiny. This is one of the best place to experience Paragliding and it can't be compared with paragliding options at Solang Valley or other hill stations. It takes 45 minimum to land in the valley if wind favors you, otherwise 1 hr to 1.5 hrs is average time to land after you fly from top. But please note that Bir Billing is at least one day affair, so need to be planned accordingly. So here I have put it as an optional place because you may not find anybody on top who can provide paragliding services to you.There is an interesting and huge Monastery on the way. It's just 2 kilometers away from main road which connects Barot with Palampur. There is a cut near Chuantra town which takes to us to Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche Institute. You can choose to visit this Tibetan colony and Monastery. After spending some time here, we can further towards Baijnath, which is our next destinationBaijnath is one of the main important town with a popular Shiva Temple made up of rocks. This temple is on right side of the road and comes just in the beginning of Baijnath Market. Nice place to spend some time and go to it's back side which has well maintained garden with an amazing view to river flowing in the valley with snow capped hills in background.Drive from Baijnath to Palampur is simply amazing with wonderful road, scenic beauty and tea gardens on both sides of the road. If you haven't stopped your car for lunch, take a break at Taragarh Palace, which is a Welcome Heritage Hotel on the way to Palampur. This can also be a decent place to stay...As you come near to Palampur, don't miss to stop and see Kayakalp Health Resort... This area is generally very beautiful... A round inside Agricultural university can be a good idea, if you want to see how hybrid seeds are produced in their local fields and how they actually maintain all these things...As you enter into Palampur Town, just move up towards Chuapati and Neugal Cafe which is one of the beautiful place in Palampur. Huge Tea Gardens surrounded by beautiful cottages and colorful houses. Have a cup of tea at Neagul Cafe and enjoy wonderful view of Dhauladhar Mountain Ranges, which can be best seen form this place. If still you have time in hand, take a small detour to go near to Neugal River which flows just below the hill where Cafe is located. I know this day can be very tiring but rewarding as well. Now it's upto you where you want to stay. Going to Dharmshala/Mcledoganj doesn't make sense if you plan to leave back for Delhi/Chandigarh in morning. If still there is some desire to explore more around Mcleodganj, go to Dharmshala and spend your night there. In case interested in staying at Palampur, there is a nice hotel by HPDTC- Tea Bud. btw Palampur is known as Tea City of North India. Next morning, if you leave early I strongly recommend to go via Masroor Temples and hit Una, which will be 25-30 kilometers extra. But this temple is worth seeing. There are some series of Monolithic temples which are carved out of a huge hill. Temple is located at a very isolated village. This overall plan share details about some of the main places. To know more options, check out links shared in this Photo Journey which have more detailed information about each places discussed here.

One of the best paragliding adventure can be experienced at Bir Billing, where Paragliding world cup happens. A beautiful place at a very high hill in this vicinity.  

Idea of this Photo Journey came after a brief discussion with one of my office friends, who want to go on a road-trip to Mcleodganj and other places around. During the discussion it came that they have approximately 4 days in hand and want to make best of this time. This Photo Journey is to help in planning such Road Trip around Palampur region of Himachal Pradesh. (Declaimer - This plan is made purely for Nature Lovers and Adventurous people)Please note that, if you want to know more about any of the places being discussed here; just click on photographs of appropriate links shared in between. So this discussion started with an idea of Road Journey to Mcledoganj and what other things can be approached if we have 4 days in hand. So what we planned is to hit Mcledoganj in morning or by noon.. Have some rest at your Hotel/Resort and have your breakfast/lunch... and move out to feel the place, as per your preference. Main places you may want to do around Mcledoganj Streets - a Visit to Temple near residence of His Holiness Dalai Lama, a small walk till St. John Church (This is a wonderful walk through high cedar trees around the road), Bhagsu Waterfalls & a temple near it and don't miss interesting eating options in Mcledoganj streets. Shopping is something you will figure out yourself :Next Day again can be spent around Mcleodganj for trekking around Triund or general walks around the place to better feel it and enjoy the nature around Dharmshala/Mcledoganj..Next day, we planned to move towards Barot. We planned to leave Mcleodganj by 7am in the morning and expect to reach Barot by 12:00 noon, which is reasonable estimate. Barot is least known place but wonderful place for nature lover. No commercialization, peaceful and isolated from tourist movements. The only challenge is place to stay. There are very simple Guest-Houses to stay, but not bad at all unless you are looking for good service with luxury arrangements in your room. Simple & clean rooms with basic stuff can be found across the river at Barot. While going to Barot, lot many things may compel you to stop and spend some time, but ignore while going to Barot and enjoy them during back journey. Don't think twice before stopping if you find something very interesting, which may not be possible to experience during back journey :)Spend one night at Barot and start back journey to Palampur in the morning... Now, it's time to chill on the way and take your time wherever you feel like. There is a cut on the way which takes us to Bir Billing. Distance-wise it's just 14 kilometers from main road but takes around 1-1.5 hr because of steep hill and bad road. Bir-Billing is one of the world popular place for Paragliding and World Cuo happens at this place only. From top, whole valley can be seen where everything looks very tiny. This is one of the best place to experience Paragliding and it can't be compared with paragliding options at Solang Valley or other hill stations. It takes 45 minimum to land in the valley if wind favors you, otherwise 1 hr to 1.5 hrs is average time to land after you fly from top. But please note that Bir Billing is at least one day affair, so need to be planned accordingly. So here I have put it as an optional place because you may not find anybody on top who can provide paragliding services to you.There is an interesting and huge Monastery on the way. It's just 2 kilometers away from main road which connects Barot with Palampur. There is a cut near Chuantra town which takes to us to Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche Institute. You can choose to visit this Tibetan colony and Monastery. After spending some time here, we can further towards Baijnath, which is our next destinationBaijnath is one of the main important town with a popular Shiva Temple made up of rocks. This temple is on right side of the road and comes just in the beginning of Baijnath Market. Nice place to spend some time and go to it's back side which has well maintained garden with an amazing view to river flowing in the valley with snow capped hills in background.Drive from Baijnath to Palampur is simply amazing with wonderful road, scenic beauty and tea gardens on both sides of the road. If you haven't stopped your car for lunch, take a break at Taragarh Palace, which is a Welcome Heritage Hotel on the way to Palampur. This can also be a decent place to stay...As you come near to Palampur, don't miss to stop and see Kayakalp Health Resort... This area is generally very beautiful... A round inside Agricultural university can be a good idea, if you want to see how hybrid seeds are produced in their local fields and how they actually maintain all these things...As you enter into Palampur Town, just move up towards Chuapati and Neugal Cafe which is one of the beautiful place in Palampur. Huge Tea Gardens surrounded by beautiful cottages and colorful houses. Have a cup of tea at Neagul Cafe and enjoy wonderful view of Dhauladhar Mountain Ranges, which can be best seen form this place. If still you have time in hand, take a small detour to go near to Neugal River which flows just below the hill where Cafe is located. I know this day can be very tiring but rewarding as well. Now it's upto you where you want to stay. Going to Dharmshala/Mcledoganj doesn't make sense if you plan to leave back for Delhi/Chandigarh in morning. If still there is some desire to explore more around Mcleodganj, go to Dharmshala and spend your night there. In case interested in staying at Palampur, there is a nice hotel by HPDTC- Tea Bud. btw Palampur is known as Tea City of North India. Next morning, if you leave early I strongly recommend to go via Masroor Temples and hit Una, which will be 25-30 kilometers extra. But this temple is worth seeing. There are some series of Monolithic temples which are carved out of a huge hill. Temple is located at a very isolated village. This overall plan share details about some of the main places. To know more options, check out links shared in this Photo Journey which have more detailed information about each places discussed here.

Monolithic temples of Masroor are not nearby but if you plan to take train from Una, then this temple can be planned. And if you are there during winters, a visit to Pong wetland is also must. Millions of birds visit Pong Dam during winters. 

Comments

Sunil Deepak said…
Stunning pictures! Loved it.
Thanks Deepak ! Have you been to Mcledoganj?
prateek said…
It was a pleasure to read this travel piece..informative and concise,just how I prefer it ;) really like to sound of barot, would love to backpack in these areas
Prateek, It's always great to know when someone likes the way we share details on this blog. Please feel free to contact in case you need more details while planning a trip to this region.
Annie said…
Wow ! Amazing pictures.. Now Im all the more confused about my itinerary .. All the places look so alluring.. especially the way ur pictures describe them !

What can be a good 3 day itinerary for Mcleod ?
Annie said…
Wow.. Amazing pictures ! Now Im all the more confused with my Mcleod itinerary ! Your snaps make the place more alluring ! :)
Great work ..

What according to you would be a good 3day plan for Mcleodganj ? I was interested in Triund..
Annie - I agree :)

There is lot to explore in this region of Himachal Pradesh and I can understand your confusion now. Please have a look at http://www.travellingcamera.com/2014/04/planning-trip-to-one-of-best.html and see if it helps in some way :)

If not, please share your preferences and I can share appropriate details accordingly.

Best,
VJ
Unknown said…
useful, concise yet all minute details covered.. Thanks for this information!! Now m all the more excited to go there.. is kate June a good time to visit these places.. I'm planning a four day trip and looking for a peace ful vacation.. My interests are paragliding, trekking, and take a insight to buddhist culture.. Pleae can you suggest me an itenary of four days..
Hi Niketa, Happy to hear that you found it useful for your planning. Here are some places you would want to explore for your interests -

Trekking - Thriund
Paragliding - Bir BIlling
Buddist culture - Mcleodganj

Here is what I can think of for 4 days -
Day1 - Trek to Triund and stay in Mcleodgnaj
Day2 - SPend another day around Mcelodganj
Day3 - Go to Bir Billing for paragliding and stay around Bir Billing
Day4 - Can visit Chauntra Monastery and other monasteries around Bir Billing

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