Dharamshala

Dharamshala sits at about 1,457 m in the Kangra valley, under the Dhauladhar range. It is the winter capital of Himachal Pradesh. Since 1960 it has been home to the 14th Dalai Lama and the Tibetan government-in-exile. The upper town of McLeod Ganj (about 1,830 m) is the centre of Tibetan Buddhist life in India. Here you can see the Tsuglagkhang complex, Namgyal Monastery and the Tibet Museum. Lower Dharamshala is the shopping and office hub. People come for temples, cafes, the HPCA cricket stadium, tea gardens near Palampur and Dhauladhar day hikes to Triund and Bhagsu waterfall. Spring and autumn give the clearest mountain views. The monsoon here is among the wettest in the state. Gaggal airport is about 15 km away. Pathankot is the nearest main railhead. Stay at least two nights, so you can see the town and the monasteries without rushing. If you have more time, add Kangra and Palampur.