Blogs

Bir stays · 22 min

The best hostels in Bir: twelve stays, compared honestly

Twelve hostels in Bir, Chaugan and the landing site — wifi, rooms, house rules and the honest drawbacks of each, from Zostel Plus and goSTOPS to Bir Nest and The Bunker.

2 Oct 2026Read →

Bir cafés · 19 min

The best cafés in Bir: an honest guide to eating in a village that shuts at nine

Ten cafés in Bir and Chaugan, ranked by what they are actually good at — Himachali Dham, brunch, sourdough, dosa, sunsets, and the one kitchen open past midnight.

14 Aug 2026Read →

Bir cafés · 4 min

Bhoomi Cafe, Chaugan: sourdough, Korean food and no wifi on purpose

The most interesting kitchen in the Bir valley sits beside Chokling Monastery — a women-run vegetarian bakery crossed with a Korean and Turkish menu. And it shuts at 5 pm.

14 Aug 2026Read →

Bir stays · 9 min

Work from home in Bir Billing: an honest guide to staying a month

Real internet speeds, the power-cut problem nobody warns you about, what a month actually costs, and the twelve Bir stays worth booking for a long workation — compared honestly, including the one we would not book.

14 Aug 2026Read →

Cafés · 16 min

The best cafés in Dharamkot: a properly opinionated guide

Nine cafés worth the climb, ranked by what they're actually good at — Vietnamese hotpot, Karnataka dosas, sourdough pizza, specialty coffee and the cheapest terrace view in the village.

13 Aug 2026Read →

Stays · 16 min

The best homestays in Dharamkot and Bhagsu: an honest guide

Nine places to stay in Dharamkot and Bhagsu, sorted by what they are actually good at — kitchens, home cooking, budget, silence, dogs and working internet — with the drawbacks left in.

13 Aug 2026Read →

Stays · 4 min

Kishore Singh Homestay: rooms with kitchens on Dharamkot Studio Road

The property with more long-stay reviews than anywhere else in Dharamkot. Functional kitchens, a top-floor terrace with the valley below it, and a family who let people extend indefinitely.

13 Aug 2026Read →

Stays · 4 min

Snow White Guest House: dead-central Dharamkot, and still quiet

Directly opposite Bodhi Greens on the main street, with a shared kitchen, a water filter, 24-hour hot water and rooms that face fields instead of the lane.

13 Aug 2026Read →

Cafés · 4 min

Mysore Café, Dharamkot: a Bangalore kitchen transplanted to the upper village

One of the smallest places on the Dharamkot café map and one of the most loved. Ghee podi thatte idli, uttapam, kokum soda and the afternoon closure that trips people up.

7 Aug 2026Read →

Food · 2 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 · 2 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 · 7 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 →

Season guide · 2 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.

2 Jul 2026Read →

Heritage · 7 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.

2 Jul 2026Read →

Trek comparison · 3 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 · 2 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 · 2 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 · 2 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 →

Offbeat · 5 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 · 4 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 · 3 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 · 6 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 · 8 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 →

Gear · 2 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 · 7 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 · 8 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 →