Explore Dalhousie

Lord Dalhousie, Governor-General of India from 1848 to 1856, chose the five peaks at 2,036 metres in the Chamba district for his summer retreat-which is how the hill station that bears his name came to exist. He considered it his favourite. After Independence, when most British-era hill stations either boomed (Shimla, Ooty) or were quietly forgotten, Dalhousie chose a different path. It did not develop substantially. The colonial bungalows, the pine forests, the churches, and the general atmosphere of a hill station that peaked architecturally in 1910 remain largely intact today. This is precisely what makes Dalhousie different from Shimla or Manali. There is no Mall Road crowd, no traffic in the main bazaar after 9pm, no visible tourism industry beyond a few guesthouses and one golf club. The Brij Villa Colonial Retreat is the most architecturally significant accommodation option-a restored colonial bungalow with original teak furniture, fireplaces, and a garden that has been maintained in period style. Presidium Sarovar Premiere is the contemporary luxury option. Alike uses both. Khajjiar, 22 kilometres from Dalhousie, is the destination that has been called the Switzerland of India-a claim made by a Swiss consul in 1992, which the Himachal Pradesh government formally acknowledged and now references on their tourist literature. The comparison is specific: a circular meadow (1.5 kilometres in diameter) at 1,920 metres, rimmed by deodar forest and backed by snowcapped Himalayan peaks. The meadow is genuine-not a park or a maintained lawn, but an alpine grass meadow that supports grazing animals and has no development within it. Alike's Khajjiar excursion is a full day with a private guide, culminating in a gourmet picnic on the meadow. Satdhara Falls, 2 kilometres from Dalhousie, is a series of limestone-filtered waterfalls whose water carries bicarbonate minerals from the Himalayan rock. The falls run year-round and are surrounded by deodar forest. The local belief is that the water has medicinal properties-there is some geological basis in the mineral content. The Satdhara nature walk is a 2-hour curated experience with a botanist guide who covers the forest ecology. Kalatop Wildlife Sanctuary, 9 kilometres from Dalhousie, holds barking deer, Himalayan black bears, snow leopards (at higher altitude), and over 150 bird species. A guided birdwatching walk at dawn in the Kalatop forest is one of the best birding experiences in Himachal Pradesh. The forest trail to the Kalatop rest house is accessible without a 4WD vehicle.