Dalhousie
Dalhousie is a hill station full of colonial charm that holds lingering echoes of the Raj. Spread out over five hills (Kathlog, Potreys, Tehra, Bakrota & Balun) the town is named after the 19th-century British governor-general Lord Dalhousie. The town’s varying altitude shades it with a variety of vegetation that includes stately grooves of pines, deodars, oaks, and flowering rhododendron. Rich in colonial architecture, the town preserves some beautiful churches.
Its marvelous forest trails overlook vistas of wooded hills, waterfalls, springs, and rivulets. Like a silver snake finding its way out of the mountains, the twists and turns of river Ravi are a treat to watch from many vantage points. There are also magnificent views of Chamba valley and the mighty Dhauladhar range with its awe-inspiring snow covered peaks filling an entire horizon.
A veneer of Tibetan culture has added a touch of the exotic to this serene resort and along roadsides are huge rocks carved in low relief, painted in the Tibetan style. By road Dalhousie is 555Km from Delhi, 45 Km from Chamba and the closest railhead at Pathankot is 85 Km away.
Sightseeing around Dalhousie
PANJPULLA
Shrouded by a green blanket of pine and deodar trees and enfolding refreshing water streams, the picturesque Panchpula has always been one of the most favorite spots of tourists in Dalhousie. It is a nice picnic spot, where you can spend some time with your family and friends and enjoy the loveliness of exotic waterfalls and refreshing streams. The Panchpula is only three kilometers from the main city of Dalhousie.
KALATOP
Kalatop Khajjiar Sanctuary is a 30.69 km² animal sanctuary at Kalatop and Khajjiar in the Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh, India. The sanctuary area is well laid out for trekking trails both at Kalatop and Khajjiar. There are dense deodar and fir forest covering 19.63 km² of the sanctuary, which is about 6 km from Dalhousie. Pheasants, serow and black bear are some of the common animals found here. The sanctuary lies in the path of the Ravi River and is surrounded by coniferous and oak forests.
KHAJJIAR LAKE
In the shadow of the snow-covered Himalayas, Khajjiar Lake is the most spectacular of lakes. Surrounded by the cedar forest, the lake is located at an elevation of 1920 m. The small water streams of the Himalaya act as a source for the Khajjiar Lake. One can also visit the Khajinag temple which features fine wood carvings and a gold dome.
PANJPULLA
Shrouded by a green blanket of pine and deodar trees and enfolding refreshing water streams, the picturesque Panchpula has always been one of the most favorite spots of tourists in Dalhousie. It is a nice picnic spot, where you can spend some time with your family and friends and enjoy the loveliness of exotic waterfalls and refreshing streams. The Panchpula is only three kilometers from the main city of Dalhousie.
CHAMERA DAM
Dalhousie- Chamera Dam is one of the most frequented tours from Dalhousie. The Chamera Dam lies on the route to Chamba at an approximate distance of 36 kilometers from the center of the city of Dalhousie. The Chamera Dam is built over the River Ravi and supports the hydroelectricity project in the region. The reservoir of the dam is the Chamera Lake that is the hub of various water sports near the city of Dalhousie.
St. FRANCIS CHURCH
The St. Francis Church is draped by the branches of deodar trees. One can see some of the finest examples of glass and stonework in the interior of the church. Each and every wall of the church speaks and narrates its colorful history. The structure of the church is more than 100 years old still, it looks as fresh as it was built yesterday. The church is built in the typical British architecture and bears resemblance to many famous churches in England.
BASOHLI BRIDGE
The bridge, which is in Basohli tehsil of Kathua district of Jammu is North India’s first cable-stayed bridge. It has not only provided close connectivity among the three states of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Punjab but also made the lives of those living close to the Ravi so much easier. Residents of more than three dozen villages now don’t have to undertake the cumbersome journey to meet up.