This Treasure Trove Of The Kangra Valley Displays Arts, Crafts And Rich Past, Artifacts That Date Back To The 5th Century. It Includes A Gallery Of Kangra's Famous Miniature Painting And A Representative Collection Of Sculptures, Pottery And Anthropological Items. Shamianas And Dresses Used By Local Royalty, Old Carved Doors, Jails, Lintels And Pandals Are Also On Display Coins, Jewelry And Manuscripts Are Included. A Section Houses The Work Of Contemporary Artists, Sculptures And Photographers.

At There Start Of Town, Landscaped Lawns And A Web Of Narrow Paths Fill A Pine Grove Where A Monument Has Been Raised To Commemorate The Post Independence War Heroes Of Himachal Pradesh.

A 3 Km Level Walk From The Kotwali Bazaar Leads Up To This Rock Temple.

8 Km From Dharamsala, Between Forsythganj And Mcleodganj Is The Charming Church Of St. John In The Wilderness. Under The Shade Of Deodar Branches, A Memorial Has Been Erected Over The Body Of The British Viceroy, Lord Elgin Who Died At Dharamsala In 1863. There Is A Well Tended Old Graveyard On These Grassy Sloped.

Often Called The Little Lhasa, At 1770m Is The Residence Of His Holiness, The Dalai Lama. The Tibetan Government In Exile Has Been Head Quartered Here For Over Three Decades. The Impressive Monastery Has Larger Than Life Images Of The Buddha, Padmasambhava And Avaloktwshwara. The Large Tibetan Community And The Presence Of Traditional Architectural Designs Drawn From Tibet Have Enhanced The Area. Tibetian Handicrafts And Garments Are Available On Sale Every Sunday. The Tibetian Institute Of Performing Arts Is Just A Km Away And Organises A Ten Day Festival From The Second Saturday Of April.

11 Km From Dharamsala And Surrounded By Deodar Trees This Is An Enchanting And Serene Picnic Spot.

Close To Fresh Springs, This Ancient Temple Is 11 Km From Dharamsala. It Is A Popular Picnic Spot And The Famous Slate Quarries Are Close By.

10 Km From Dharamsala On The Banks Of The Rivulet Bindusaras, Is An Ashram Complex Established By The Late Swami Chinmayananda, A Noted Exponent Of The Gita. The Complex Includes A 9 Meter High Image Of Lord Hanuman, A Magnificent Rama Temple, A Meditation Hall, A School, And A Health And Recreation Centre.

Shopping In Dharamshala Is An Exciting Experience If You Bargain And Purchase Local Items Like Tibetan Carpets And Mats. They Are Hand Woven And Available In Various Shapes, Sizes And Colors. The Designs On These Carpets Draw Inspiration From Nature And Natural Surroundings. Some Of The Hand Woven Items May Also Have Religious Figures Or Spiritual Symbols. During Your Visit To The Famous Kotwali Bazaar You Can Pick Up Handcrafted Items Such As Carpets Depicting The Culture Of Dharamshala Through Stories Or Monuments, Traditional Tibetan Hats, Bags, Trousers, Slippers, And Chubas (sheepskin Coats). You Can Also Buy Woolen Shawls, Prayer Wheels And Prayer Flags. Jewellery Is Also Famous In Dharamshala. You Can Pick Up Tibetan Trinkets And Other Traditional Pieces Of Jewellery. If You Are Fond Of Art And Painting, You Can Purchase Special Mandala Paintings And Exquisite Thangkas. You Can Also Go In For Traditional Tibetan Dresses. Carry Some Of These As Souvenirs Or Gift Items For Your Family And Friends And They Are Sure To Be Appreciated.

Dharamsala Or 'second Tibet' Is One Of The Best Places To Visit If You Want A Complete Holiday Experience With Great Places To See And Good Food To Munch On. All Year Round, This Tourist Destination Gets Visitors From All Over The World. The Breathtaking Landscape Of Dharamsala With Its High Rising Hills, Green Valleys, Sparkling Streams And Well Maintained Tea Gardens Combine To Give You An Out Of The World Experience. Add To That The Mouthwatering Delicacies And You Are Guaranteed A Great Time At Dharamshala. Eating Out In Dharamsala Is Fun, Especially When You Get A Taste Of The Local Delicacies Or Tibetan Cuisine. You Can Explore The Many Restaurants And Food Joints In Dharamsala And Enjoy The Sheer Variety On Offer. Dharamshala Is A Foodie's Paradise, With Steaming Hot Momos And Delicious Yak Butter Tea Available. You Can Also Try The Freshly Made Tea From The Tea Gardens And Also Buy Some For Back Home. Tea Is Called Chai In Dharamshala And The Rest Of India. If You Love Food, This Is The Place For You. Thenthuk And Thukpa Are Other Local Delicacies That Are Available In Plenty In The Town. Enjoy These Delicacies By Visiting Dharamshala During The Right Time Of The Year. The Ideal Time To Vsit This Tourist Destination Is From September To October And From April To June. During These Months, You Can Not Only Take Part In Excursions And Discover The Colonial Settlements And Other Attractions, But Also Treat Your Taste Buds To Some Local Delicacies In Dharamsala. The Himalayan Restaurant Serves Some Delicious Local Dishes And Jji's Cafe Whips Up Delicious Muesli To The Strains Of Bob Dylan's Music! For Quality Herbal Tea Or Delectable Western Food And French Pastries, You Can Visit Lhamo's Croissant. Lung-ta In Dharamsala Treats You With Authentic Japanese Cuisine, While The Malabar Restaurant Specializes In Mouth Watering Indian Dishes. On Your India Travel Expedition To Dharamshala Don't Miss Out On The Town's Speciality - Momos. You Can Have These At The Well Known Momo Cafe. Other Places To Eat In Dharamsala Include Le Vrai Cafe, Snow Lion Restaurant, Moon Peak Cafe, Rewa Cafe, Nick's Italian Kitchen And Taste Of India.

Dharamsala Is Home To 10,000 Tibetans And Their Exiled Leader, So, Unsurprisingly, There Are Dozens Of Tibetan Restaurants. One Of The Best Is The Simply Named Tibet Kitchen, Which Offers A Wide Variety Of All The Dishes Typical To The Country - Steamed Vegetable Dumplings, Called Momos, Soupy Noodles, Called Thukpa, And Golden Fried Baby Corn. The Waiters Are Patient As Guests Dither Over The Menu And Are Quick To Serve The Food Once The Order Has Been Made.

Given The Type Of Hippy Travellers Who Usually Flock To Mcloud Ganj, Many Of The Cafes Have A Relaxed 'loungey' Feel. Yet The Crepe Pancake Hut, With Low Tables, Cushions On The Floor And Stacks Of Second Hand Books, Has One Of The Most Chilled Atmospheres Of Them All. Come Here For A Slow Start To The Day With A Chocolate Pancake, Scrambled Eggs Or Some Perfect Sticky Ginger Cake. If Not In The Mood To Eat, Just Enjoy A Pot Of Mint Tea And A Good Book Beside The Red Robed Monks Who Are Often Found Chatting And Reading Inside.

What Namghal Cafe Is Best At Is Rather Specific; Vegetarian Pizza. If You Prefer Your Pizza Covered In Peperoni And Sausages Then You May Be Disappointed, But This Restaurant Is Worth A Visit Even If You're Not Enticed By The Food. It Is Set Within The Dalai Lama's Temple And Most Of The Waiters Are Volunteers From A School For Tibetan Refugee Children. Lounge On The Sunny Roof Terrace And Admire The View Or Flick Through The Buddhist Books On Offer In The Cosy Interior.

If Books Are What You're Looking For, Then Check Out The Tranquil, Idyllically Positioned Cafe Illiterati. Owned By A Charming Belgian, This Place Has A Big Balcony With Spectacular Views Over Dharamsala's Rolling Green Hills. It Doubles Up As A Library And Has Neat Shelves Of Books, Used And New, Which Can Be Borrowed Or Bought. It Is Elegantly Furnished With Polished Wood, Wide Windows And A Piano At One Corner. The Owner Or His Guests Often Tinkle Away At The Piano As Others Read And Eat. The Food Is Fresh And Mostly For Those With European Tastes, Ranging From Tomato Soup To Pizza, Lasagna And Fresh Salads. The Teas And Coffees Are Excellent - This Would Be An Ideal Place For A Lazy, Literary Brunch.

You Get What You're Promised In This Casual Two-storey Restaurant - Chicken Tandoori, Yellow Dahl, Vegetable Biryani And Aloo Gobi, All Heavy With Indian Spice And Sold For Less Than £3 A Plate. The Upper Deck Is Full Of Plant Life And Simple Wooden Tables With Open Walls In Good Weather.

The Little Peace Cafe Is A Great Place To Enjoy A Plate Of Stir-fried Noodles Amongst Chattering Monks. Enjoy The Peace And Tranquillity Suggested In The Restaurant's Title, Relaxing Against The Breathtaking Views, Watching Indian Life Pass By. Peace Cafe Is Also A Good Breakfast Pit Stop Offering Masala Tea, Fresh Juices And Deliciously Steamed Tibetan Bread.

Perched Above The Noisy Main Square, Mclo Restaurant Is Crammed With People Nightly. Its Popularity Comes As A Result Of The Comparably Late Closing Time (11pm) And The Chef's Incredible Capacity To Make Food From All Corners Of The World. The Menu Consists Of Indian, Chinese, Italian, French And Tibetan Cuisine - You Will Be Offered Everything From Momos To Grilled Trout And Spaghetti. The Top Floor Terrace Is A Sociable Place In Which To Drink A Late Night Beer Whilst Listening To European Pop Music And Chattering To Travellers. Mcllo Also Prides Itself On Having Once Had A Visit From James Bond - Pierce Bronsan Is Said To Have Lounged About On The Terrace One September Evening.

If Your Taste Buds Haven't Been Sufficiently Tingled By The Italian Food At Nick's, Then Come To Ogo's Italian Cafe For Another Sumptuous Repast. The Chocolate Puddings Are Particularly Famed, Evoking Feelings Of Relaxing Indulgently In The Amalfi Coast With Beautifully Fresh Ingredients And Oodles Of Flavor.

Hidden Away In The Basement Of Black Magic Restaurant, Woeser Bakery Is Definitely Worth Searching For. Its Position Offers A Calm Refuge From The Orchestra Of Horns On Jogiwara Road And The Owner Is An Absolute Charmer. The Middle Aged Tendill Sangmo Named The Bakery After Her Daughter And Has Worked Tirelessly On Perfecting The Best Carrot Cake In Dharamsala - Most Reviewers Will Agree That She Has Achieved Her Goal. The Homemade Cappuccinos Are Everything They Should Be And If You're Feeling Decadent, Then Simply Dip A Chocolate Covered Cherry Into The Creamy Froth. The Chocolate Brownies Have Been Described On Tripadvisor With The Simple Declaration - 'i Died And Went To Heaven.'