Dalhousie is this lovely little hill station 80 kms from Pathankot in Punjab at an altitude of 2030 metres above sea level. Yes, it's named after the Viceroy Lord Dalhousie. Less known and less crowded than the big 3 North Indian hill stations: Shimla, Manali and Mussoorie. It has breathtaking views of the Dhauladhar range of the Himalayas and we were fortunate to find snow in February this year when we drove up from Chandigarh.
The first picture is of St.John's Church at Gandhi Chowk which dates back to 1863! The next one is of the Youth Hostel in front of the HPTDC hotel we stayed in. See the snow outside our window in the third photo?
Dalhousie has plenty to offer for ardent shoppers. There's the mandatory Tibetan market, plenty of souvenir shops, Kashmiri clothes stores, wine shops and so on. There are a number of restaurants and eating joints, momos by the roadside...suffice it to say, you won't go hungry.
We chose to bed down at the HPTDC hotel because it offers a level of comfort, cleanliness and excellent service that's value for money. A word about these hotels- they always have accommodation for drivers, usually free of cost. The food is basic but served hot. The staff is courteous and helpful. Living in such harsh conditions makes them sensitive to visitors' needs. Besides that, it boils down to good ol' pragmatism; Himachal's economy is heavily dependent on tourism. Whatever the reason, it makes the visitor feel comfortable and welcome.
A view of the Dhauladhar range of the Himalayas from our hotel window. Lovely, clear morning.
But look what happened next:
The weather changed, and how! Rain, snow, and howling winds!
We were forced to cut short our stay and return home because more rain and snow were on the way. We had to get back to Chandigarh the day after. So, it was good bye, Dalhousie. But what a great experience. Made in heaven. Gimme snow over sun any day!
That's me in front of the hotel, all wrapped up but happy.
There's much to be said for the Himalayas. They truly are nature's wonders and those of you who can, must visit some of these magnificent hill stations at least once in life. The roads are quite good now although landslides are a very real danger. But what's life without risks, huh? We have just one life and none of us are getting out of it alive!
Watch this space. I'll be covering a few more hill stations soon, lesser known ones like Naldehra and Kalpa. And, perhaps we can revisit my 2014 road trip from Chandigarh to Leh and back?
Go, travel!
