Location: Dhauladhar Ranges, Dharamsala, Himachal Pradesh

Height: 5,639 m

Difficulty: Easy

Recommended Season: All year round

Dauladhar is quite a peaceful and enchanting place that is located on the main outer Himalayan peak. You can enjoy the view of the Kangra valley, which looks extremely beautiful and mesmerizes the onlookers. During peak season, tourists can enjoy the view of the flowers that fills the whole valley. Also there are beautiful temples, tea estates, and other things that are worth seeing here.

The place of Dhauladhar has spectacular views that make it the most favorite destination spots amongst the tourists. The vertical landslide makes it quite interesting and beautiful. This place is quite popular amongst the trekkers and adventure lovers. You can view large numbers of Gaddi shepherds that usually flock here.

Some of the interesting places that are worth visiting here are Chintpuri, Kangra, Chamba, Dharmshala, Joginder Nagar, Palampur, Dalhousie, and many others.

Dharamsala, the headquarters of Kangra district, lies on its southern spur in above the Kangra Valley, which divides it from Chamba.

The highest peak in the range, just behind Dharamsala, is the Hanuman Ka Tiba, or 'White Mountain', about 5,639 m. or 18,500 ft. high. There are several peaks which are close to 5,180 m. or 17,000 ft. Himachal Pradesh has the great fortune of having all the major Himalayan ranges represented in it. The Greater Himalayas that begin from near Ladakh and runs all the way to Mount Everest and Kangchenjunga in Sikkim, passing through Himachal Pradesh. The Pir Panjal Range starting from near Patni Top in Jammu and Kashmir all the way to Garhwal, passing through Himachal Pradesh. Finally, the Dhauladhar range, also known as the Outer Himalayas or Lesser Himalayas. They begin from near Dalhousie at the northwest end of Himachal Pradesh and glitter through the state to near the bank of the Beas River in the Kulu district of Himachal Pradesh. While they end near Badrinath in Garhwal, they lie almost entirely in Himachal Pradesh. They are distinctive in their typical dark granite rocky formations with a remarkably steep rise culminating in sharp streaks of snow and ice at the top of their crested peaks. This distinctive profile is best seen from the Kangra valley from where they seem to shoot up vertically. The elevation of the Dhauladhars ranges widely from 3,500 m to nearly 6,000 m. From the banks of the Beas river in Kulu, the range curves towards the town of Mandi. Then, running north, it passes through Barabhangal, joins the Pir Panjal range and then moves into Chamba.

The Dhauladhars have a peculiar topography. Extremely rocky with a lot of granite, the flanks of the range contain a lot of slate stones (often used for the roofs of houses in the region), limestones and sandstones. Ascending from any side is a tough business, given the near vertical incline. This calls for really tough trekking and mountaineering. There is very little habitation on the range given the harsh conditions. But meadows abound near the crest providing rich pastures for grazing where large numbers of Gaddi shepherds take their flocks. The top of the crest is buried under vast expanses of thick snow. As a matter of fact, Triund - Ilaqua, approached from the hill station of McLeod Ganj, is the nearest and most accessible snow line in the Indian Himalayas. The range has rich flora and fauna and its exquisite beauty attracts mountain lovers who return many times over to savour the delightful trails and there are many of them.

Several peaks both virgin and scaled have drawn mountaineers from all over the world. Some of the well known ones are Mun (4610 m) near Dharamshala, Kailash (5655 m) in the sacred Manimahesh region, Gaurjunda (4946 m), near the Talang pass, which is also commonly referred to as the Dhauladhar Matterhorn, Christmas (4581 m), Toral (4686 m), Dromedary (4553 m), Riflehorn (4400 m), Lantern (5100 m), Arthur's Seat (4525 m), Camel (4520 m), Slab (4570 m) and several other named and unnamed peaks.

Due to the position of the range it receives two monsoons a year with heavy rains so, where the mountains have not been heavily logged, there are dense pine and Deodar forests. Because of their renowned beauty, the friendliness of the Gaddi people who live on both sides of the range, and relatively easy access from Delhi, they are popular for hikers and trekkers.

Locations Covered by Dauladhar

Chintpurni

Chintpurni is located at the height of 940 meters. It is visited by thousands of devotees from all over the country. You can view the idol of the Goddess without head. The closest railway station is located near Hoshiarpur, which is located in Punjab. This place is quite close to Jwalamukhi.

Jwalamukhi

It is another interesting place located in Himachal Pradesh that has rich tradition and history. It has historical relevance and is visited by many visitors across the world. Devotees come here to visit the temple and enjoy the glory of the Goddess here. There are many ways of reaching this place. You can hire private cabs so as to effortlessly reach this place. There are quite a few interesting places that are worth visiting here. The state transportation mode is the best and reliable.

Kangra

Kangra is a small town that located in Himachal Pradesh. The town was formed by few Rajput Kings, and it still holds it legend. This place is well known for the magnificent temples and other places. Don’t miss to visit the temple of Devi Vajreshwari.

Dalhousie

This town has been named after the famous Lord Dalhousie who was once the British Governor general of India. It is located on the western side of Himachal Pradesh, and is known for its natural beauty. This place can be reached through roadways from Delhi.

Khajjiar

This place is known as the “Switzerland of India”. It is located in Himachal Pradesh, and is known for the dense forest and deodar climb slopes. The closest destinations are Dalhousie, which is like 23 kilometers from this place.

Chamba

It is one of the oldest districts that are located in the beautiful state of Himachal Pradesh. The population of the state is approximately 20,132. It is located on the banks of Ravi River. The place has historical relevance and is known for its scenic beauty.

Dharamshala

Dharamshala is a small town that is located in Kangra district in Himachal Pradesh. It was earlier known as Bhagsu. It is the official headquarters of Dalai Lama, named as Central Tibetan Administration. It is also the residence of the great monk. The place can be reached from Delhi through flight.

Chamunda Devi

It is the temple dedicated to Goddess Durga. You can see the Goddess in the form of Kali. Thousands of people visit this temple, and it is located at a great height of 1000 meters. So be prepared to do lot of climbing.

Palampur

The hilly region of Palampur is located in the municipal council of the Kangra Valley in the Himachal Pradesh. It has lots of tea gardens that are widely spread across the place. It is also known for its pine forests. The tea estate is one of the main sources of income for the people here.

Joginder Nagar

This place is located in Himachal Pradesh and is known to be created from the Hydel Power scheme. This place has been beautifully engineered by experts, and thus is known to be one of the best places to visit in the country. It is a perfect holiday destination that attracts thousands of tourists from all over the country. You can visit Mandi, which is like 55 kilometers from this place. Well connected with roadways and airways (the nearest airport being at Gaggal in Kangra, approx 65 km from Joginder Nagar), tourists will have no issues in reaching this place.