Places to Visit in Dharamshala

Dharamshala is a hill station in Himachal Pradesh with spectacular scenic beauty. Dharamshala is more popular as the home of Dalai Lama, the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader. The showy white Dhauladhar mountain range can be seen very clearly from Dharamshala. Dharamshala is the best hill station in Himachal Pradesh to experience Tibetan culture and its majestic Buddhist monasteries. Dharamshala has quite a lot of shops, restaurants, and bazaars, where you can eat and shop. The lush green deodar forests and tea gardens in Dharamshala make it very scenic. You can go to several trekking places from Dharamshala. To help you make your perfect Dharamshala tour itinerary, we have given below all the best places to visit in Dharamshala. You can also book a Himachal Tour Package with us, or even book a Dharamshala Sightseeing Package with us.

1. Dharamshala Cricket Stadium

Dharamshala Cricket Stadium is one of the highest cricket stadiums in the world. You can come here and watch a cricket match being played here. But even otherwise, you can visit Dharamshala Cricket Stadium for some nice scenic views and peaceful moments. The main stand of this stadium is made with Tibetan architecture and is a marvelous sight.

2. Triund Hill

Triund Hill is one of the very scenic places to visit in Dharamshala. Its offers the best scenic views of the Dhauladhar mountain range and valleys below. A trek to Triund Hill is one of the best trekking in Himachal Pradesh. The Triund Hill trek route goes through oak and deodar forests, deep valleys, campsites, temples, and natural scenery.

3. St. John in the Wilderness Church

St. John’s Church is one of the oldest churches in Dharamshala. As the church is situated in dense oak forests, it is also called St. John in the Wilderness Church. The neo-gothic architecture of this church is a spectacular sight in itself. The stained glass windows of this church add more beauty to this church. The church was built in 1862 and Lord Elgin, who was a Viceroy of India, is buried here.

4. War Memorial

War Memorial is a famous tourist attractions in Dharamshala. The memorial is dedicated to those soldiers of Kangra who fought bravely and sacrificed themselves for their country. There are three huge black walls with the names of all these soldiers. You can see the replica of war tanks, military warplanes, guns, cannons, etc. The surrounding forests make this War Memorial a scenic place to visit in Dharamshala.

5. Library of Tibetan Works and Archives

The Library of Tibetan Works and Archives is one of the best places in Dharamshala to study Buddhism. The 14th Dalai Lama inaugurated this library in 1970. You can tour this library and see old hand-written manuscripts and books related to Tibetan Buddhist culture. One of the special attractions of this museum is the photographs, 600 thangkas, Buddhist statues, and wooden carved mandala of Avalokiteshwara.

6. Bhagsunag Temple

Bhagsunag Temple is among the famous temples in Dharamshala. This ancient temple of Lord Shiva has a sacred water pond where devotees and tourists take a dip to refresh themselves. The water of this pond is also said to heal the body of various physical ailments. There is a divine aura in Bhagsunag Temple, which attracts people to pray here. The temple is on the way to the famous Bhagsu Waterfalls.

7. Gyuto Monastery

Gyuto Monastery is one of the famous Buddhist monasteries in Dharamshala that you can visit. The monastery is best known for preserving the Tantrik meditation culture of Tibet. The Tantrik practices taught by Ksongkhapa are still preserved carefully by the Buddhist monks who reside here. The monastery is a beautiful sight, with its stunning Tibetan architecture and bold red and yellow colors. Gypto Monastery offers scenic views of the Beas River and Dhauladhar mountain ranges.

8. Kareri Dal Lake

In Dharamshala, Kareri Dal Lake is one of the best sightseeing places. The lake is best for boat rides and offers scenic views of the surrounding mountain ridges. Kareri Dal Lake is a place of relaxation in natural environs. You can stop here for a short break if you are on a trek to Sunset Point. There is a small temple of Lord Shiva near the lake.

9. Dharamkot Studio

Dharamkot Studio is a pottery studio in Dharamshala where you can learn about pottery and take pottery classes. You can even try your hand once in this pottery class in Dharamshala. Dharamkot Studio is an interesting place to visit in Dharamshala. The expert instructor at Dharamkot Studio will guide you with the first steps in pottery. You can see for yourself all the pottery utensils and objects made from clay at the studio.

10. Kangra Fort

There are so many interesting places in Dharamahsla like the Kangra Fort. The fort is in ruins but you can still marvel at the few remaining sections of this fort. The Katoch dynasty built this Kangra Fort in the 4th century, which makes this one of the oldest forts in India. You can visit a museum and three temples on the fort premises. The watchtower in the fort offers magnificent views of rivers flowing below.

11. Tsuglagkhang Temple

One of the best Buddhist temples in Dharamshala is the Tsuglagkhang Temple. It is more popular as Dalai Lama Temple. Inside the temple, there are huge idols of Buddhist gods like Avalokiteshvara, Padmasambhava, and others. You will see Buddhist monks chanting prayers and meditating in the prayer halls. You can listen to the preaching of the Dalai Lama and interact with the monks to learn about their daily lives at the temple. Rotate the prayer wheel and sit for some time in meditation, because these are the best things to do at this Dalai Lama Temple.

12. Bhagsu Waterfall

Bhagsu Waterfall is one of the best sightseeing places in Dharamshala. This spectacular waterfall is 20 m in height and its unique beauty attracts adventure lovers from everywhere. Bhagsu Waterfall is one of those waterfalls where you can take a dip in the cold waters. There is a pool at the base of the falls where people come and swim. Bhagsunag Temple is situated close to this waterfall and is also one of the best temples to visit in Dharamshala.

13. Jwala Devi Temple

Jwala Devi Temple is a Hindu temple in Dharamshala which is devoted to Goddess Jwala Devi. She is a divine incarnation of Goddess Shakti, and this temple is one of the 51 Shakti Peeth temples. It is believed that the tongue of Sati fell at this place during mythological times. The main attraction of this temple is the natural fire that is burning since ancient times and is burning even today without any fuel. Visit the temple at the time of aarti and you can offer prayers at this temple.

14. McLeod Ganj

On your visit to Dharamshala, you can visit McLeod Ganj. This is one of the most beautiful sightseeing places in Dharamshala. McLeod Ganj is the finest of places to experience Tibetan culture at the Buddhist monasteries here. Dalai Lama also visits McLeod Ganj and gives his lectures at the Tsuglagkhang Temple. Namgyal Monastery, Nechung Monastery, Naddi Viewpoint, and Minkiani Pass are the best places to visit in McLeod Ganj. You can shop for Tibetan art and handicraft items in bazaars in McLeod Ganj.

15. Kalachakra Temple

In Dharamshala, you can visit Kalachakra Temple, which is one of the famous Buddhist temples in Dharamshala. The temple is a Tibetan temple with rich and classic Tibetan architecture. There are huge idols of Lord Buddha, Tibetan paintings, murals, and Tibetan prayer wheels, in this temple. You can see the Tibetan art which is famous all over Dharamshala in this temple. There is a book shop and a café in this temple. Kalachakra Temple is a center of Buddhist teachings and Dalai Lama visits this temple for imparting his teaching to the Buddhist monks.

16. Namgyal Monastery

Namgyal Monastery is considered to be one of the most famous Buddhist monasteries in Dharamshala. This monastery is also the place where the Dalai Lama resides and gives lectures and teaches other Buddhist monks about the Buddhist ways of life. Dalai Lama established Namgyal Monastery in the 16th century. 200 Tibetan monks reside here and learn more about Tantrik Buddhism, Tibetan spiritual texts, Buddhist philosophy, dance, chanting practices, and English and Tibetan languages.

17. Dharamshala to McLeod Ganj Ropeway

The ropeway between Dharamshala and McLeod Ganj is also called Dharamshala Skyway. It is a 1.8 km cable car ride between Dharamshala and McLeod Ganj. You can see lush green forests and mountains from the cable car. The cable car ride is just 5 minutes in duration.

18. Tea Gardens

Dharamshala is known for its tea gardens, which produce fine quality tea. The tea gardens in Dharamshala are perfect for a nice stroll and the scenic mountains in the backdrop make the tea gardens even more picturesque. You can taste the organic tea here and pluck tea leaves for yourself. The aroma of fresh tea leaves is very soothing in itself. You can see the entire process of making tea and sip on fine blends of tea that are made here.

19. Masroor Rock Cut Temple

Masroor Rock Cut Temple is one of the famous temple in Dharamshala. The temple ruins are among the most famous ancient temple structures that you can visit on your trip to Dharamshala. Masroor Rock Cut temples are temples of Hindu gods and goddesses like Shiva, Vishnu, Saraswati, Parvati, etc. The temple complex is an archaeological site and the temples are believed to be built during the 8th century. The temples are made out of a single rock structure and are an example of early temple architecture.

20. Aghanjar Mahadev Temple

Aghanjar Mahadev Temple is a 500-year-old Shiva temple in Dharamshala. The temple is surrounded by lush green forests and there is a stream of water that flows nearby the temple. The main shiv linga is in a cave. According to a legend, Lord Shiva appeared before Arjun when he was on his way to Mount Kailash to fight the Kauravas. Lord Shiva blessed Arjun and this temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva.

21. Namgyalma Stupa

Namgyalma Stupa is among the top places to visit in Dharamshala. The stupa is a dome-shaped structure, and the remains of Lord Buddha are kept here. Namgyalma Stupa is an important and sacred place for Buddhists in Dharamshala. The stupa is a very sacred place and it is similar in design to the stupa built by Emperor Ashoka during the 3rd century BC. There are several prayer wheels, and the stupa is so powerful that even rainwater that falls on this stupa gets purified. You can stay here for some time and watch the Buddhist monks rotate the prayer wheels and chant prayers.

22. Nandi View Point

Nandi View Point is one of the most scenic places in Dharamshala. You can watch the entire panorama of the Dhauladhar mountain range from Nandi View Point. Various treks begin from this viewpoint like treks to Kareri Dal Lake, Dharamkot, Triund Hill trek, etc.

23. Guna Devi Temple

Guna Devi Temple is dedicated to a divine form of Goddess Kali. This Temple is one of the temples that you can visit on your holiday trip to Dharamshala. You can reach this temple by trekking through Naddi Village. The views of the Dhauladhar mountains on this trek are so beautiful that they will make this trek very scenic.

24. Lahesh Caves

Lahesh Caves are natural caves that you can visit on your trip to Dharamshala. This is one of the best treks in Himachal Pradesh. The scenic route of this trek goes through spectacular Himachali landscapes and rugged terrain. You can halt at various places on this trek to view the surrounding scenery.

25. Nechung Monastery

Nechung Monastery is in the vast Tsuglagkhang Complex in Dharamshala. The monastery holds a very important place in Tibetan Buddhism. Nechung Monastery is below the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives. The structure of Nechung Monastery is similar to the original monastery which was destroyed in Tibet during the Tibet Uprising. You can see Buddhist monks meditating here and chanting prayers. The walls of this monastery are painted Tibetan paintings.

26. Naam Art Gallery

Naam Art Gallery is an art gallery that has artworks by famous artists. You can browse these artworks and relax for some time in the peaceful environment of this art gallery in Dharamshala. There are oil paintings, watercolor paintings, and spiritual artworks by famous European artists like Elsbeth Buschman, Alfred W. Hallett, etc. If you want to buy a souvenir here, you can do so in the souvenir shop on the premises.

27. Kangra Art Museum

In Kangra Art Museum, you can see rural handicrafts of tribal people that live in this region. You can visit various exhibits that show costumes, photographs, embroidered garments, miniature paintings, etc. You can also see sculptures, pottery, and ancient relics and artifacts. Kangra Art Museum is among the interesting places to visit in Dharamshala.

28. Norbulingka Institute

On your visit to Dharamshala, you must visit Norbulingka Institute. The building of Norbulingka Institute has Tibetan-style architecture. The Norbulingka Institute is an important center of Tibetan learning in Dharamshala. You can take a guided tour inside the institute and see sculptures, decorative arts, woodwork, embroideries, clothing, etc. There is a small café in the institute where you can relax and refresh yourself. You can even shop for souvenirs in the small souvenir shop.

29. Indrahar Pass

Indrahar Pass is one of the most popular places to trek near Dharamshala. This trek is one of the best trekking places in Himachal Pradesh. You can spot the mountain peaks of Pir Panjal and other mountain ranges on this trek. You will find many places on the trek route where you can set up a camp for the night. Indrahar Pass trek is an easy trek than other treks like the Lahesh Caves trek and Triund Hill trek.

30. Laka Glacier

One of the best treks that you can do in Dharamshala is the Laka Glacier trek. The trek is a 3-day trek and covers 26 km. The joy of this trek is unparalleled in comparison to other treks like the Triund Hill trek and others. You can have scenic views of Kangra Valley and Dhauladhar mountain peaks on this trek. Laka Glacier trek starts from McLeod Ganj and the route covers alpine grasslands, glaciers, mountain valleys, river streams, and dense deodar forests.