It is a hill station with a difference - for the several separate areas of the town are located at different levels up a spur of the Dhauladhar range. While the lower end of town at a height of 1250 m is the. busy commercial part, the upper suburbs with evocative names like Forystheganj and Macleodganj are not too far below the snow line. The massive snow capped peaks of the Dhauladhars rise like a backdrop above the town. Dharamsala is a hill station with great variations not only in levels and temperature but also in character.

A faint colonial aura still lingers around cottages that snuggle into the hillside and in the stone church of St. John in the Wilderness with its beautiful stained glass windows. A former Viceroy, Lord Elgin is buried in its churchyard.

Up in Macleodganj is a charming Tibetan settlement with bustling bazaars that sell carpets, handicrafts and delicious Tibetan food. A giant prayer wheel ornaments a main street and in the the monastery, a serene statue of the Lord Buddha presides over the gentle chanting of the monks.

The Dalai Lama resides in Macleodganj, which is now a major centre for Tibetan culture. It has the School of Tibetan Studies with rare manuscripts and ancient texts, the Tibetan Institute for the Performing Arts and a handicrafts centre.

DHARAMSALA

• Altitude : Between 1250m and 2000m

• Climate : Varies between 35°C in summer and 0°C in winter.

• How to get there : Well connected by road. Nearest narrow gauge railhead 17 tan; broad gauge railhead at Pathankot, 90 km, connects all major cities. Nearest airport, Kangra, 12 km,

• Distances : Delhi 514 km, Chandigarh 239 km, Kullu 214 km, Shimla 332 km, Chamba 192 km.

Kangra is a little town located just 17 km away from Dharamsala, in one of the prettiest valleys of Himachal with its lush green terraces & orchards, overlooking a gushing stream - the Banganga. Once the ancient capital of a powerful hill state, Kangra was known for its magnificent temples and as a centre of the arts. The exquisite Pahari style of miniature painting flourished during the reign of Raja Sansar Chand (1775-1823). Fine murals commissioned by the king are still to be found in palaces and temples in this area. At Kangra itself, a fort and some temples are the only remnants of its glorious past.

Just outside the town is the temple dedicated to Bajreshwari Devi. This beautiful temple known once for its legendary wealth was subject to successive depradations by invaders from the north.

Mohammed of Ghazni is known to have departed with a king's ransom in gold, silver and jewels in 1009. Destroyed completely in 1905 by an earthquake, it was rebuilt in 1920. It continues to be a busy place of pilgrimage. Colourful stalls outside the temple tend to pilgrims' needs and sell brass puja utensils, incense, sacred threads, flags and images of the goddess.

KANGRA

• Altitude : 615m

• Climate : Varies between 35°C in summer and 0°C in winter.

• How to get there : Like Dharamsala (18 kms), Kangra is well linked by road. Broad gauge railhead Pathankot (86 km) connected by narrow gauge line. Kangra Airport, 7 km.

Palampur (1219 m) just 35 km from Kangra, is a quiet unspoilt town situated on a little plateau with the dramatic Neugal chasm of the Bundia stream cutting across one edge. It is surrounded by green tea estates with forests of pine and deodar on the higher slopes. Palampur has lovely walks and trails. Some of the paths that wander off into the hills are used by the Gaddis-the nomadic shepherds of the area. A number of interesting places close by, opportunities for angling in the river Bundia and for hang gliding and paragliding at Billing-Bir, 35 km away, make Palampur an interesting destination.

PALAMPUR

• Altitude : 1219m

• Climate : Warm during the day, cool m the evenings, in summer.

• How to get there : Located close to Kangra (35 km) and Dharamsala (40 km), Palampur is well linked by road. Pathankot (115 km) nearest broad gauge railhead. Kangra Airport, 30 km.