Blogs

Season guide · 9 min

Winter in Dharamshala: what stays open, what closes, what you should know

Snow, shortened days, and a half-empty McLeod Ganj. Winter in Dharamshala is quieter and colder than brochures let on. Here is the honest version.

15 Nov 2026Read →

Heritage · 11 min

Kangra Fort: a 3,500-year-old story told in stone

Mahmud of Ghazni sacked it. Akbar's general took it. The 1905 earthquake flattened half of it. A walk through one of the oldest continuously-held forts in Asia.

10 Sep 2026Read →

Food · 10 min

Where to eat in McLeod Ganj: beyond the travel-blog circuit

Everyone ends up at the same six cafes. Here is a wider list, including the place the monks actually go, and a Bhagsu bakery that only opens on Sundays.

1 Aug 2026Read →

Culture · 9 min

The Gaddi shepherds of the Dhauladhar: who they are and why it matters

You will share the trail with them. Understanding who they are and what they are doing makes every high-altitude trek in this region better.

20 Jul 2026Read →

Expedition · 13 min

Indrahar Pass: planning your first Dhauladhar crossing

Four days, a 4,342-metre pass, and a bivouac inside Lahesh Cave. What to pack, how to train, and why this trek is not to be approached the way you approach Triund.

5 Jul 2026Read →

Trek comparison · 9 min

Kareri Lake vs Triund: which trek should you pick?

Two very different Dhauladhar experiences. A straight comparison of difficulty, scenery, crowd, and the kind of traveller each one suits.

15 Jun 2026Read →

Trek guide · 8 min

Minkiani Pass & the seven sacred lakes of the Dhauladhar

Beyond Triund and Indrahar lies a quieter Dhauladhar — the high passes and glacial lakes the Gaddi shepherds have crossed for centuries. A local guide to Minkiani, Lam Dal and the seven sacred lakes.

12 Jun 2026Read →

City guide · 7 min

Bir Billing beyond paragliding: a local's guide

Everyone comes to Bir to fly — but the village rewards anyone who stays. Monasteries, café culture, the Rajgundha trail, Gunehar waterfall and a working tea factory, from people who know it.

12 Jun 2026Read →

City guide · 6 min

Dharamkot: the Himalayas' hippie village, explained

Just above McLeod Ganj, Dharamkot is where the cedar forest, the yoga scene and the slow-travel crowd meet. What it's really like, and how to do it well.

12 Jun 2026Read →

Culture · 7 min

Yoga, Vipassana & meditation in Dharamshala: where to actually go

Dharamshala is a global yoga and meditation hub — and a confusing one. A straight guide to drop-in classes, teacher trainings and silent retreats in Dharamkot, Bhagsu and McLeod Ganj.

12 Jun 2026Read →

City guide · 6 min

Palampur: a tea-capital day trip from Dharamshala

An hour from Dharamshala, Palampur grows the floral Kangra tea on terraces under the Dhauladhar. A relaxed day of tea gardens, a cliff-edge café, a Tibetan monastery and a 9th-century temple.

12 Jun 2026Read →

Heritage · 6 min

Masroor: Himachal's hidden rock-cut temples

Carved from a single sandstone ridge in the 8th century and mirrored in a sacred pool with the Dhauladhar behind, the Masroor temples are the north Himalaya's 'Ellora' — and almost nobody visits.

12 Jun 2026Read →

Offbeat · 8 min

Barot Valley: the complete travel guide

A green shelf of fields and slate roofs on the Uhl river, built around a 1920s power project and then forgotten by the crowds. How to reach Barot, where to stay, the trout, the treks — everything we know from years of going.

12 Jun 2026Read →

Planning · 7 min

Best time to visit Dharamshala: an honest month-by-month answer

March–June and September–November are the easy answers — but the right month depends on whether you're here for treks, flights, snow, temples or quiet. A local team's honest calendar.

12 Jun 2026Read →

Rentals · 9 min

Scooty & bike rental in Dharamshala: the complete 2026 guide

What it costs, what you need, and whether to rent a Scooty or a Royal Enfield. A local operator's straight guide to renting a two-wheeler or car in Dharamshala and McLeod Ganj.

9 Jun 2026Read →

Trek guide · 12 min

The best treks in Dharamshala: a local guide's ranked list for 2026

From the easy Triund ridge to the 4,342 m Indrahar Pass crossing. Every worthwhile trek in Dharamshala ranked by difficulty, with honest notes on who each one suits.

9 Jun 2026Read →

City guide · 11 min

A local's alternate sightseeing day in Dharamshala

Forget the nine-stop cab circuit. Here is the forgotten church, the Sunday-only bakery, and the viewpoint no taxi driver offers until you ask twice.

1 Jun 2026Read →

Adventure · 8 min

Bir-Billing paragliding: what nobody tells first-timers

The thermal window, the weight-wing math, the actual length of the flight, and the waiting game at take-off. Things that matter once you are at 2,400 metres and committed.

15 May 2026Read →

Gear · 8 min

Packing list for a 2-night ridge trek in the Dhauladhar

The honest list, stripped of the marketing gear you do not need and the basic items most people forget. Weight-conscious, mountain-tested.

10 May 2026Read →

Trek guide · 10 min

Triund Trek: a month-by-month trail guide for 2026

Trail snow, cafe openings, monsoon leeches, and the best week to book. A straight-up walkthrough of every month on the ridge, from someone who does the climb more than is sensible.

1 May 2026Read →

Travel guide · 12 min

How to reach Dharamshala in 2026: trains, buses, flights, and the drive

Volvo from Delhi, the slow train to Kangra, a quick flight to Gaggal, or the scenic drive from Chandigarh. The real pros and cons of each, with prices.

25 Apr 2026Read →