Day 0: Board Train from Chandigarh to Pathankot. I’m not sure if you will be driving to Dharamsala though. That would be a great advantage.
Day 1: Take vehicle from Pathankot to Dharamsala. You can stay at either Dharamsala or McLeodGanj. We stayed at McLeodGanj because the Dalai Lama Temple Complex is walking distance. For Day 1, go around McLeodGanj – There are very old antique shops and amazing food outlets. Check out Tripadvisor for a complete list.
Day 2: In and around McLeodGanj. There is the temple, St. John’s Church in the Wilderness, Norbulingka, Bhagsunag temple and couple of places you can visit. Also Dharamsala is a couple of kilometres away (5km I think), so you can visit the stadium and around as well. Start early so that you have ample energy and time Because it will be a long day.
Day 3: Triund. Its best if you can trek to the place (haven’t tried this though). Please visit this.
Day 4: Jwalamukhi temple. We didn’t get time though to visit. Its around 20–25 km away from McLeodGanj. Go directly to Pathankot and take train back to Chandigarh.
First of all. Welcome to Dharamsala. You’ll have a lot of fun here.
I think 2–3 days are enough to explore the richness of Dharamsala.
It will take you 6–7 hours to reach Dharamsala from Chandigarh. So, plan your trip accordingly.
You can depart from Chandigarh in night. In that way you can reach Dharamsala by 4–5 o’clock morning. Or you can start your journey in the morning if you want to start exploring Dharamsala on the next day after settling in the hotel and having some rest.
Hotels in Dharamsala are a bit expensive than other cities in North. I don’t know much about the hotels there as I am a permanent resident in Dharamsala and did not need hotels to stay as yet. However, you can choose a good hotel via Trivago. Please refer:Find Cheap Hotels in Dharamsala
Now, coming on to the Attractions in Dharamsala.
If you want to explore the rich Tibetan Culture then you should definitely go to Dalai Lama Temple in Mcleodganj, Tibetan Museum in Mcleodganj( 9Km from Dharamsala). You can also enjoy Tibetan Cuisine in the local restaurants in Mcleodganj. You should also try Meditation classes in nearby Tibetan Vipassana Institute. You can also visit Karmapa Monastery in Sidhbari(6Kms from Dharamsala). You’ll truly enjoy the Tibetan vibe there. Dont forget to visit St. John’s Church in Wilderness, famour for its Swiss Flimt glass Windows, whilst returning back from Mcleodganj.
If you are more of a nature person then you should go to Bhagsu Waterfalls(Mcleodganj), Bhagsu Temple(Mcleodganj), Dal Lake(Naddi(7Kms from Dharamsala)), Scenic Hill Top Village of Dharamkot(2km from Naddi), The picturesque HPCA Cricket Stadium Dharamsala( 2nd Highest cricket stadium in the world), Indrunag Temple and Trek(13 Km from Dharamsala).
The most beautiful location, however is The Triund Trek. But, The trek is 9 km from Mcleodganj and will take 2 days atleast to gasp in the beauty. So, you can reserve that for your next trip.
Last but not the least, the Indra(God of Rain) is showering his blessings on Dharamsala for a few days now. So better get your woolen stuff packed.
