Just 5 hours away from Amritsar, the Himalayan foothills of Dharamshala provide a calm and serene alternative to the crowded city. If you are looking for malls and buzzing touristy avenues, then this is the wrong place for you to go. The picturesque natural beauty of the mountains offers a unique mix of Tibetan and Himachali cultures. The Dalai Lama lives in exile in Dharamshala and you can visit the Dalai Lama temple here. There is even a mini Israel inside the mountains which I will elaborate further below.

 Above McLeodganj lies Dharamkot, a small hippie village that feels like mini Israel due to signs written in Hebrew and hordes of Israeli backpackers staying here. Israeli food is offered on the menus and Dharamkot makes a good starting point for your trek up to Triund, Illaqua or Indrhar Pass. This sleepy village doesn’t have any roads, except for a single road that leads to it and pretty much ends where there’s a very famous café called “Trek and Dine”.  A 10 minute taxi ride from McLeodganj dropped us at the start of the village and we walked down a rocky path. There is a slew of guesthouses and hostels, with several courses such as yoga, meditation or even harmonica being offered. I think Dharamkot is good for those who feel that McLoedganj is too touristy and to escape from the noise pollution due to the traffic in McLeodganj.

streets of Dharamshala

night scene in McLeodganj, filled with shops selling Tibetan wares

As usual, I trekked alone up to Triund. I do not want to hire a guide when the path is well-trodden. It was an intermediate trek, with some parts that required more energy. There were many locals doing the treks in groups, and you can stop for a break at many of the teahouses along the way. Of course they served you overpriced tea, but sometimes in the cold weather you would just want to sip a cup of hot tea to keep warm.

It started to rain when I reached Triund after walking for 3.5 hours. I wanted to go back down, but a local told me that there are nicer views further up. So I decided to heed his advice and went up to the snowline. It was rewarding indeed. I ended up staying for two nights at Himalaya base camp, where they pitched a tent for me and made fresh chapatis for dinner. It was pitch black at night but the sky was lit with the stars. The sunset was also spectacular and we were surrounded by goats all around, which belonged to the owner of the camp. I am glad I made this spontaneous decision because I really enjoyed being in the mountains. On the last night, there was a group of Indian trekkers who set up a campfire and we mingled around it, playing songs and making merry. I reluctanly bid farewell to Himalaya base camp on the third day and made our way down to Dharamshala.