History of Dalhousie and surroundings

• Dainkund Walk – The road to Daikund takes away to the right side from the KalaTop toll booth . It is a 4 hour drive up to the check post barrier of an Air Force base. You have to park the car here. There is a 1/2 km , steep walk upto a observation hut. It offers spectacular view of the Dhauladhar ranges. For the not-so-religious minded, the point offers even more spectacular view of Kailash Parbat of Dhaula Dhar ranges (not to be confused with Kailash Parbat of Kailash Mansarover fame, which is in Tibet) Being the highest mountain peak in the region, it offers a complete 360? view of the entire valley. So fasten your seat belts and be prepared for an amazing experience hidden in the lap of the mighty Himalayas. The road enroute the peak is embellished with flowers on both sides that are a treat to the eyes. One has to put on one’s walking-shoes to cover a good 30-40 minutes on foot to reach atop the peak.
  As you make your way through the valley, the wild daisy blossoms and fluttering butterflies will simply take your breath away. The tiring and difficult trek is wonderfully soothed by the mesmerising valley-views. If you are lucky, then you could catch a glimpse of the Kailash Mountain on a clear day. The top of the Dainkund Peak is home to the Pholani Devi Temple which houses nothing more than a trident. One can hear the pleasant breeze blowing through the trees creating a musical serenade.
  • It is fondly known as the Singing Hill.
• A view of Gobind Sagar Lake from Dilniwas, Upper Bakrota, Dalhousie

• Upper Bakrota – The highest area in Dalhousie, it has a number of estates, a residential school, and an Army barracks at the top. The area is circled by a road called Bakrota Walk, on the way to Khajjiar which ends at Alah Water Tank. It was the preferred destination of the landed gentry of Punjab during the Raj, now populated by similar residents from the new India. Some of the houses are worth seeing, but are mostly on private gated estates.

• Church – St John?s church  This Protestant Church in Dalhousie is a throwback to the Victorian era and holds great historical significance as the first religious site to be built here, dating all the way back to 1863.This one is equally magnificent and ancient, built more than a century ago. A perfect example of Victorian architecture.

• What to buy: Two main markets— one run by the local Himachalis and the other by Tibetan-immigrants! Both of them has their own share of exquisite artifacts. But one should not forget to bargain to some real great extent! Don’t forget to bring back home, a speciality of this place— dried-blossoms of some local trees, which are varnished, and sold in the local markets! They are not very expensive, and are generally hardy to survive the strains of long journey and packing/unpacking! CHAMBA ,(nearby MANGLA CAMP) has excellent quality leather goods.

• Caf? Dalhousie is one of the quaintest and, perhaps, the oldest cafes in town. A tiny place on the lower floor of HHo el Dalhousie, it is perfect for a simple breakfast of scrambled eggs, peanut butter toasts and a coffee. An evening stroll in the Gandhi Chowk market is incomplete without a masala chai and popcorn bucket from here. All the food at the cafe is made to order. While the service is slow, the food quality and amazing views from its inside leaves little room for complaints. A no-frills place, Cafe Dalhousie sees a lot of people walking in for its old-world charm.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jZUTUxdcvI

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Suggestions by last year Dalhousie trekker Ms.Anubhuti Rastogi

1. Get a hair dryer to dry their things in case of emergency.
2. One light blanket if possible.3. Add directions to base camp from bus stop as many locals around don’t know it exactly.