Trek Himachal

Getting to Dharamshala

One of the better known and more travelled to destinations in Himachal, Dharamshala is located in the West of the state in the lap of the Dhauladhar ranges. McLeodganj, the home of the Dalai Lama, a big Tibetan centre and the start point of this trek, is further up 9 km from Dharamshala.

1. By Road: Dharamshala lies on State Highway 17 connecting Palampur to Dharamshala. It is 36 km off the NH20 connecting Mandi and Pathankot. On the way you pass the Chamunda Devi Temple. Once you are within a few km of Dharamshala, you will see the road curving and sloping upwards. Dharamshala now also boasts of a world class cricket venue and a little planning and co-ordination on the BCCI's and the Himachal Govt.'s part; which could be asking for too much, could lead to this small town also becoming a cricket destination.

2. By Air: The closest airport is Gaggal Airport, around 36 km away. The airport is served by Jagson Airlines and Kingfisher Airlines from Delhi. Dharamshala is an hour's drive away from the airport.

3. By Rail: Should you so wish, Dharamshala can also be indirectly reached by train. The closest major junction is Pathankot. From Pathankot, there is a narrow gauge train service to Jogindernagar. You can get off at Palampur or Kangra and Dharamshala is an hour's drive from either place. The train journey from Pathankot is by no means fast, a road journey is much faster. Take the train only if you are in a mood to spend time looking around.

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