Places to visit in

Himachal

Kangra Fort (near Dharamshala in Kangra district, Himachal Pradesh) is one of the oldest and largest forts in India. It was the historic seat of the Katoch dynasty—one of the region's oldest royal lineages—and has been a strategic stronghold and cultural center for centuries. The fort's layered remains reflect influences from regional Rajput rulers, Mughal encounters, and later conflicts involving hill states, Gorkhas and the British, making it important for both historical and archaeological study. Its position on a spur above the Kangra valley also gives it natural defensive value and offers sweeping views of the valley and the Dhauladhar range.

Masroor Rock Cut Temples are a rare group of monolithic rock-cut Hindu temples in the Kangra Valley of Himachal Pradesh, generally dated to the early medieval period (commonly attributed to around the 8th–10th century CE). The complex is important for its unique single‑rock carving technique, its fine bas‑relief sculptures of major Hindu deities, and as a cultural pilgrimage site reflecting the architectural continuity of the North Indian (Nagara) temple tradition in the western Himalaya.

Palampur is a picturesque town in the Kangra Valley of Himachal Pradesh, known for its sprawling tea gardens, rich agricultural landscape, and dramatic backdrop of the Dhauladhar range. It is an important center for Kangra tea production and local hill agriculture, blending natural beauty with cultural traditions of the Kangra region. The town's location at the foot of the Dhauladhars makes it a gateway for treks, nature walks, and mountain views.

The Tea Gardens of Palampur are an important part of the Kangra Valley's agricultural and cultural landscape. Palampur is often called the 'Tea Capital of North India' because of its extensive tea cultivation on terraced slopes at the foothills of the Dhauladhar range. The tea estates reflect colonial-era agricultural development and continue to support local economies and traditional settlement patterns.

Andretta Artists' Village is an influential cultural hamlet in the Kangra Valley of Himachal Pradesh, known for its long association with theatre, painting and pottery. It became a focal point for creative work and cultural exchange in the 20th century after Irish theatre practitioner Norah Richards made it her home and encouraged Punjabi theatre and local artisans. Over decades it attracted painters, potters and sculptors who established studios and craft centers, creating a living artists' colony that celebrates traditional crafts and contemporary art in a rural Himalayan setting.

Baijnath Temple (Baijnath Dham) in Kangra district, Himachal Pradesh, is an ancient Hindu temple complex dedicated to Lord Shiva as 'Vaidyanath' or 'Baijnath'. Believed to have been constructed around the 12th–13th century CE, it is an important example of early medieval North Indian (Nagara) temple architecture in the Himalayan foothills. The temple has been a major center of Shaivite worship and regional pilgrimage for centuries and anchors local cultural identity in the Kangra Valley.

Chamunda Devi Temple (Chamunda Temple) near Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh, is a prominent Hindu shrine dedicated to Goddess Chamunda, a fearsome form of Durga. The temple is important for local Hindus and pilgrims from across North India, offering religious and cultural continuity in the Kangra region. Its hilltop location provides spiritual seclusion and panoramic views of the Kangra valley. The temple's rituals, local customs, and annual fairs reflect the syncretic traditions of Himachali mountain worship blended with mainstream Hindu practices.

Jwala Ji Temple (Jwalamukhi), Kangra District, Himachal Pradesh is one of the most revered Shakti Peethas in India where a natural eternal flame is worshipped as a manifestation of the Goddess. The site has ancient religious importance, referenced in Puranic and local legends, and has been a continuous center of Hindu worship for centuries. It also attracts scholars and pilgrims interested in sacred fire worship and Himalayan religious history.

Maharana Pratap Sagar, commonly called Pong Dam Lake, is one of the largest man-made wetlands in northern India. Created by the Pong Dam on the Beas River (completed in 1974), the reservoir is internationally important as a Ramsar site and designated as a protected area due to its role as a wintering ground for migratory waterfowl. It supports biodiversity including resident and migratory birds, aquatic life, and wetland vegetation, and plays a vital role in regional irrigation and hydropower generation.

Pong Dam Wildlife Sanctuary (Maharana Pratap Sagar) is a large man-made wetland in the Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh created after the construction of Pong Dam. It is one of North India's most important freshwater wetlands and an internationally recognized bird area — designated as an Important Bird Area (IBA) and a Ramsar site. The reservoir and surrounding marshes support large congregations of migratory and resident waterfowl and provide critical habitat for breeding, staging and wintering birds. The sanctuary also supports local fisheries and livelihoods, and has reshaped the landscape and ecology of the Himalayan foothills since its creation.

Dalhousie is a colonial-era hill station in the Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh, established in the mid-19th century and named after Lord Dalhousie. It served as a summer retreat for British officials and retains distinctive colonial architecture—stone churches, colonial bungalows, and tree-lined avenues. Culturally, Dalhousie acts as a gateway to the remote valleys of Chamba and hosts a blend of Pahari traditions and Himalayan customs. Naturally, the town sits on five connected hills and offers spectacular views of the Dhauladhar and Pir Panjal ranges, dense deodar and pine forests, and nearby meadows and wildlife habitats.

Khajjiar is a small hill station in the Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh, noted for its lush alpine meadow, dense deodar forests, and panoramic Himalayan views. Often called "Mini Switzerland of India", Khajjiar is valued for its natural beauty and tranquil landscape, making it a popular getaway for nature lovers and photographers.

Kalatop–Khajjiar Wildlife Sanctuary (near Dalhousie, Chamba district, Himachal Pradesh) is a compact but ecologically important protected area that conserves mid- to high-elevation Himalayan coniferous forests (deodar, fir, spruce and mixed pine) and a mosaic of meadows and streams. The sanctuary provides habitat for several Himalayan mammals and a rich assemblage of birds, and it functions as an accessible example of western Himalayan biodiversity close to major hill-town tourism circuits.

Chamba is an ancient hill town and former princely state in Himachal Pradesh, valued for its rich Pahari culture, historic temples, and scenic Himalayan valley setting. It served as a cultural and administrative center for the region for centuries and preserves significant examples of Pahari art, architecture, and museum collections.

Chamera Lake (the reservoir created by Chamera Dam on the Ravi River) is an important man-made water body in the Chamba/Dalhousie region of Himachal Pradesh. It supplies hydroelectric power and irrigation water and has become an attractive natural recreation spot, offering scenic Himalayan views and a habitat for freshwater species. The area is significant for local communities for livelihoods linked to tourism and fisheries.

Bharmour (also spelled Bharmaur) is an ancient town in the Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh, India. It sits in the upper Ravi valley and is an important cultural and religious center for the local Gaddi community. Historically it was one of the early seats of power in the region and is best known for its cluster of ancient temples dating from early medieval periods, which reflect Himalayan temple architecture and woodcraft. Naturally, Bharmour acts as a gateway to high-altitude meadows and pilgrimage routes (notably the Manimahesh Yatra) and offers panoramic views of surrounding peaks and alpine landscapes.

Chaurasi Temple Complex in Bharmour (Chamba district, Himachal Pradesh) is an ancient cluster of small temples representing the region's medieval Himalayan temple architecture and devotional traditions. The complex is culturally significant as a pilgrimage site and as a rare surviving ensemble of multiple shrines arranged together, reflecting the religious life and local patronage of early hill kingdoms.

Manimahesh Lake is a highly sacred Himalayan pilgrimage site in Himachal Pradesh (Chamba region). Situated beneath the striking Manimahesh Kailash peak, it holds deep cultural and religious importance for devotees of Lord Shiva. The lake and surrounding valleys are also valued for their pristine alpine ecology, medicinal herbs, and high‑altitude scenery. Many local communities maintain ancient temple sites and traditions tied to the lake and the annual pilgrimage.

Sach Pass is a high-altitude mountain pass in the Pir Panjal range of the Himalayas that connects the Chamba valley with Pangi Valley in Himachal Pradesh. It has long served as an important traditional route for shepherds, traders and local communities, and today is valued for its dramatic alpine landscapes, fragile high-altitude ecology, and as an adventurous overland link between remote regions of Himachal. The pass sits at an elevation of approximately 4,414 metres (about 14,480 ft) and showcases classic Himalaya terrain: snowfields, glacial streams, steep gorges and alpine meadows.

Pangi Valley (Chamba district, Himachal Pradesh) is a remote high‑altitude valley noted for its rugged landscapes, traditional Pangwal culture and relatively undisturbed alpine ecosystems. The valley's isolation preserved unique local customs, architecture and language (Pangwali). Historically it was part of trans‑Himalayan seasonal routes and has a legacy of self‑reliant mountain communities living in stone villages along the Ravi River and its tributaries.