Autumn in Himachal: Escapades through McLeod and Dalhousie during Demonetization, with Nishant
Issue #2: A podcast with Nishant Prabhu
In November 2016, My wife Roopa, and I decided to chase the autumn hues in Dharmshala, McLeod Ganj, and Dalhousie. I refer to this route and this trip as the "Other Himachal" because a standard Himachal itinerary usually includes the mega-touristy cities/towns like Shimla and Manali & we wanted to go the ‘other’ way 🙂 I have always been a budget-traveller, the kinds who enjoys exploring everything around in my vacation.. and so, planning my vacations is almost as fun as being on the trip itself! Psst, my friends refer to me as an “expert planner” usually, haha! But little did I know, fate had a wicked sense of humour. Enter demonetization! 😈 We started our trip to Himachal from Mumbai with just a measly 4000 rupees between us and desperate hopes to find ATMs filled with currency through our journey.
But wait, the misadventures were just getting started! We had to catch a train from Delhi to Pathankot, then drive to McLeod Ganj. Of course, we ended up heading to New Delhi station instead of Old Delhi station 🤐 Panic mode activated! Luckily, we had our trusty old metro cards, so we dashed to the correct station just in time. The train left in a flash, milliseconds after we hopped on.
To cut a long story short, amidst this chaotic and almost filmy situation, we forgot to withdraw cash! & after paying a cabbie, buying us dinner etc., we were left with just 2k between us and the entire trip ahead 🤪
We reached Pathankot and had to take a public bus to Dharamshala (guess why? Hint: ❎💰). After a back breaking journey we reached McLeod Ganj and ran straight to an ATM, and phew! McLeod Ganj saved the day with an ATM with cash and without any queue. Yeah, we were kinda living on the edge! 🫣
McLeod Ganj is a lovely little town on a hilly slope, with countless hotels, and hostels to choose from. One will surely cross paths with lots of Tibetans, other foreigners, teens and overall a young crowd. The café scene here is quite legendary. However, you know the real star of the show in my eyes? The Tibetan restaurants! And for the first time ever, I confess my love for veg momos over their meaty counterparts. Those locally grown mushrooms? They add a flavour that's out of this world. Trust me on this. Do leisurely walk around the mall road here and enjoy momos, some pahadi food, lots of desserts and garma-garam chai-maggi #FeelGoodFactor
And oh boy, the cafes! Stunning views, live music in the evening—total hipster heaven. You've got the Nick’s Italian Cafe1 and Jimmy’s Italian Kitchen2, the cool kids' hangouts. The vibe is so contagious, you can't help but feel young and alive.🕺🏻
The Namgyal monastery is the most popular monastery here (there are a few others in McLeod and Dharamsala). His Holiness, the Dalai Lama, lives in in this monastery3 when he’s in town. Do visit here for some relaxing chill vibes.
Another highlight of my McLeod trip was the Triund trek. The trek was no walk in the park. It's a moderately tough one, where at times you can’t even see any clear paths. Some folks start early in the morning, while others opt for a leisurely afternoon start and stay until nightfall. The sunrise up there is said to be pure magic. Despite having her periods, Roopa fearlessly conquered the entire trek like a boss! And yes, I have to admit, the sweat and hard work are totally worth it. The view from the top was simply mind-blowing! Mountains and clouds surround you, and it's a humbling experience. You realize that even though you conquered one peak, there are bigger and grander mountains all around. To note, there is a government circuit house and several proper camping facilities up there in case people want to spend the night in Triund.
On our way back, we made a pit stop at the famous Shiva Cafe4, overlooking the Bhagsunag waterfalls. The waterfall was very average to be honest, but the trance music and lights in Shiva café was really wow! But it was getting late for us and we had to trek down a little further, so we settled for coffee and then headed back. But if you’re up for it, stay a little longer there and hang out with fellow tourists and chill.. They've got some decent food options too.
I knew that while we were in the vicinity of Dharmshala, we just can’t miss out on the pretty towns nearby. Kangra is just an hour away, and we took a shared taxi to reach there. We were blown away by the beautiful Kangra fort, and the audio guide experience there is on another level! Crystal clear narration, and amazing storytelling in multiple languages. It's like having a personal tour guide in your pocket. The fort gave off major European vibes - majestic stone structures, well maintained, with a touch of gothic charm! It's like stumbling into a medieval movie set. Totally epic!
Next, we hopped on a Heritage train from Kangra to Baijnath - the Darjeeling toy train kinda experience. We booked those tickets in advance but we got off at Palampur instead, a tea estate where the slopes are covered in lush green tea leaves. They even gave us a tour of those tea factories. It's a small town, but they've got lavish properties for a fancy stay too. And thanks to the demonetization chaos, there were hardly any tourists around. It felt like we had the whole darn town to ourselves! We hopped into an auto-rickshaw for a ride around the town. The Neugal Khad River there had a park and even boating options. It's the perfect spot to soak up the serene vibes. Note: Please check the train timings in advance when you plan this day
Note added by the co-hosts at Misadventure of a Sneaker podcast:
Kora walk5 - A small hike behind the Namgyal monastery. Look it up on Google maps and take this walk. You’ll have prayer wheels and flags all along and a view of the majestic mountains on the other side.
Trinket shopping in McLeod - The mall road is a shoppers paradise. From trinkets to carpets to amazing woollen wear. Negotiate well and go crazy shopping.
Norbulingka monastery/institute: This is an institute and a monastery in Dharamsala. A huge area, lush green with fountains around. The institute teaches locals several art forms here (painting, wood carving, weaving and many more). Do spend a few hours here leisurely exploring the place & then check out the café too. Norbulingka has started a cosy cafe in McLeod mall road too, head over there too
Our next pitstop was Dalhousie and yes, thanks to demonetization, we took the state bus again 😀 Dalhousie is a town that still has the Brit-era ‘hill station’ feel to it. Lesser number of tourists, pine trees till the eyes can see, uphill strolls, some pristine waterfalls and lovely old churches around. The mall road here is much less commercial (if you compare it to Shimla/Manali/McLeod etc.). The special item here is the amazing Gulab Jamuns that you get 🤤gorge on a few different varieties before you start exploring in and around Dalhousie!
The Dainkund trek comes highly recommended across all blogs and vlogs and it totally lived up to the hype. It’s a well defined trek with concrete steps and you get stunning views while walking. There is a Pholani Devi temple at the end of the trek. The entire trek will take you more than an hour and with barely any tourist at sight (Yayyy Demonetization!), this was our own private mountain paradise - surrounded by fluffy clouds, majestic pine trees and the dreamy mist that comes in. Simply stunning! During winter months, when the snow falls, those trees turn into a snowy wonderland. Roopa must have taken a million pictures here & with no network at the top we had a lovely time yapping away to glory.
To note: the place gets extremely windy (and so very cold). Carry all your warm clothes along.
The next day, we headed to the breath-taking Chamera Lake and Dam, just a short 20-30 minutes drive from Dalhousie. Though I seem to be repeating myself, this place too is an absolute must-visit! The water was so clear, picture-perfect reflections of the majestic mountains danced on the lake's surface. Boating here was like stepping into a magical realm.
If you Google for things to do around Dalhousie, usually the #1 recommended place would be Khajjiar, a place that's usually covered in a day trip BUT we decided to stay the night. Fun fact: it's the same place where iconic movies like Kuch Kuch Hota Hai and Roja were filmed 🎥 Popularly known as the mini-Switzerland by all the guides there 😁(I kinda agree with this & yes, I’ve been to Switzerland too, so its a 1st hand comparison!). Khajjiar is another one of the picture-perfect meadows. Lush green, with a little lake in between and surrounded by dense pine forests. During our autumn visit, the meadows transformed into a stunning blend of yellowish brown hues - like the ‘fall colors’. We stayed in a hotel6 in the meadows itself - I had plans of it being a nice romantic stay. However, we were the ONLY people in the hotel (even the caretaker didn’t stay there), and as the mist rolled in and the sun set in the evening, an eerie silence fell upon the surroundings 👻 But when we woke up in the morning, it was simply magical. The entire meadows were just to ourselves. Tourists start coming in by mid-morning, so we leisurely strolled around everywhere and heard all the Roja/KKHH stories from the guides around - great fun!
On our way back to Dalhousie, we stopped at a point from where the Kalatop hike starts. If you’re wondering why is this place popular, this is the place where the snow-clad scenes of the movie 'Lootera' was filmed. It is a gorgeous hike where you walk through a pine forest, it is so densely packed with pine trees that sunlight can barely sneak through. This is actually a Wildlife Sanctuary too, where you can spot many birds and some animals too. But here's my favourite part, as you hike through here, the scent of pine fills the air everywhere you go! It's like living in a natural room-freshener paradise. Imagine living here and not spending a fortune on those fancy pine-scented sprays! Also, don't forget to hit up the canteen behind the circuit house for some epic bhajias 😀
That kinda ended our Himachal vacation. We headed back to Delhi from Pathankot! But we had planned a day’s stay in Delhi before our flight back home and we decided to check out some monuments of Old Delhi. First up, the Lotus Temple and Red Fort. I highly recommend anyone traveling to Delhi to do a tour of the Red Fort! They've got audio guides and human guides right there. The Red Fort isn’t all about the flag hoisting, but the complex inside has rich history, amazing architecture and the stories you hear are really an experience to cherish.
I love looking for offbeat options, and I had read about the Humayun's Tomb long back, so we headed there next. This is not a monument that would otherwise appear in the top-things-to-see. & ON MY GOD! Amidst the very noisy and chaotic Hazrat Nizamuddin Station, you have this complex - absolutely calm, serene and so peaceful. Roopa and I were at a loss for words. Seriously, in my eyes, the architecture is on par with the Taj Mahal! We sat there, took some time to unwind, and soak in its beauty for some time 😀 It was like ending our trip on the perfect note!
Net net, I proudly wear the badge of a budget traveller, and I'm more than happy to explore the world by any means possible. My mantra is simple: see the world, take it all in, and make unforgettable memories along the way. For me, experiencing every corner of this beautiful planet is far more important than fancy hotels or luxurious modes of travel. Whether it's trekking through breath-taking landscapes, boating on serene waters, walking through charming streets, or even skiing down snowy slopes, I want to do it all in a single day! Main udna chahta hoon, daudna chahta hoon, girna bhi chahta hoon.. bus rukna nahi chahta (I’m telling you, I am Ranbir’s inspiration for YJHD 😛). Travelling fills my soul with joy and adventure, and I'm grateful that my rocking wife Roopa, shares the same passion. In this trip, even the demonetization chaos couldn't dampen our spirits. So, I’d say whether it's a leisurely journey or a whirlwind adventure, exploring is the key. Enjoy the journey, savour the moments, and let travel enrich your life with endless stories and cherished memories. Happy travels, everyone!
Nick’s Italian Kitchen - https://www.instagram.com/kunga.nicksitaliankitchen
Jimmy’s Italian Kitchen - https://www.instagram.com/jimmysitaliankitchen/
Namgyal Monastery - https://namgyalmonastery.org/
Shiva Cafe Mcleodganj - https://www.tripadvisor.in/Restaurant_Review-g319724-d5038041-Reviews-Shiva_Cafe-Dharamsala_Kangra_District_Himachal_Pradesh.html
Kora walk - https://www.tripadvisor.in/AttractionProductReview-g1092107-d12469928-Guided_Kora_Circuit_Walking_Tour_Around_McLeod_Ganj-McLeod_Ganj_Dharamsala_Kangra.html
Khajjiar Hotel - http://hptdc.in/index.php/the-khajji-cottage-khajjiar-devdar-hotel/
Nishant’s Itinerary:
Day 1: Mumbai to Delhi (flight); Delhi to Pathankot (overnight train)
Day 2: Pathankot to McLeodganj (4-5 hours road travel)
Leisurely walk around roads of McLeodganj - Mall road exploring
Day 3: Triund trek full day
Day 4: Explore rest of Dharamsala and go to places around Dharamsala
Cricket ground
Kangra Fort
Heritage Train to Palampur
Explore tea estate of Palampur
Day 5: Travel to Dalhousie
Leisurely walk around Dalhousie
Visit the waterfalls around
Day 6: Dainkund trek
Day 7: Travel to Chamera Lake
Day 8: Travel to Khajjiar and stay overnight
Day 9: Return from Khajjiar to Dalhousie
Trek to Kalatop
Day 10: Depart for Pathankot and overnight train to Delhi
Day 11: Explore the day in Delhi
Tour Red Fort
Tour Lotus temple
Tour Humayun’s Tomb
Evening flight back to Mumbai