Day 1 : Sightseeing at Mcleodganj & Sunset view at Naddi
Assuming you are reaching around noon time. Suitable locations for the hotel and homestays (In radius of 3-4km) of Main market, Mcleodganj.
- Hotel Wood Castle - Room tariffs start from INR 1500 on weekdays and INR 2000 on weekends
- Junglaat Ecorganic Stays & Experiences - Room tariffs start from INR 1800 on weekdays and INR 3000 weekends
- Bhagsu Homestay - Room tariffs start from INR 750 approx.
You are recommended to start your day with lunch so rest of the day you can enjoy sightseeing.
- Food culture at Mcleodganj is an amalgamation of Himachali, Punjabi, Tibetan, Italian, and Israeli cuisines and almost every restaurant serves good both vegetarian and non-vegetarian foods. Below Options in Main Market
- Tibet Kitchen -are popular restaurants that serve good Tibetan food.
- Jimmy’s Italian Kitchen - Italian Food and Namgyal cafe (Main market)
- Trek & Dine (Dharamkot) - Israeli Food 3 km from Mcleodganj.
- Rimpu's Sher E Punjab - Himachali and Punjabi food
Bhagsu falls (2 km from main market): Just 20-25 mins walk and a few stairs away is the beauty of the Bhagsu Falls, which is a gorgeous waterfall that cascades into a rocky pool. Taking a bath under waterfall is not allowed but you can dip your feet in water and feel the flow of cold water.
- Shiva Café (1 km from Bhagsu Falls): One of the most popular cafes and it is on the way up from Bhagsu falls. The view from this café is to die for though! It is a good option to just relax and calm your mind.
Bhagsu Falls
Church of St. John in the Wilderness (3 km from shiva cafe towards Naddi village): The road leading up to the St. John’s church is quiet and full of lush green trees. Spend some time in the wilderness. Just on the Left-side of the church you can visit the Cemetery.
Dal Lake (2 km from St. John Church in the wilderness) - This small but natural lake derives its name from the Dal lake in Kashmir and is a popular tourist sight in Mcleodganj. Set in the backdrop of the Deodar forest, the lake could have been a quaint little gem. However, the presence of activities like boating and crowds of tourists have made it another tourist spot.
- Sunset Point (1 km from Dal Lake) - This is a place in Naddi that will be in your list of ‘most beautiful sunsets in my life.’ It is not just about the actual sunset, but what makes it magical is the sight of mighty Dhauladhars on the opposite end.
Dinner Options:
- Mcllo`s Restaurant, Main Market, Mcleodganj serves excellent food both vegetarian and non - vegetarian food.
- Morgan’s place, Dharamkot, is a great place to have a nice hearty meal, Though the distance from Mcleodganj to Dharamkot is only 3 km but many times you will notice traffic jams on this route.
Overnight stay at hotel.
DAY 2 - Hike to Triund, most popular one day trek of this region
Triund Hill Trek - It’s an easy to moderate 9 kms trek. It starts from Dharamkot (2 kms from Main Market). You can hire a taxi to reduce the distance by 3 kms by starting from Gallu Devi temple(3.5 kms from Main Market and 1.5 kms from Dharamkot).
- While trekking will walk amongst cloudy trails, locating herds of sheep, see the stunning evening sky and offers panoramic and breathtaking views of the Bhagsu village, Mcleodganj, Dharamsala valley and distant views of Shivalik hills and plains of Kangra valley and the snow-covered Dhauladhar ranges, very picturesque.
- Once you reach Triund, you will see a large land of lush green grass and the mighty Dhauladhar ranges with all its glory.
Triund Hill Trek
Lunch options;
- By the time you reach the top, it will be lunch time. Food options are limited on the top as only a few shops serve maggi, bread omelette, Dal-Chawal, Tea, cold-drinks and a few other snacks depending on the availability.
- Heading down before Sunset is important as overnight camping is no longer permitted at Triund top.
Triund Hill Trek
Dinner options:
- Labooze Cafe Bar Lounge Main Market, Mcleodganj offers good North Indian food.
- Organic Thali Cafe in Dharamkot, offers good vegetarian food, Trek & Dine offers good continental food.
Overnight stay at hotel.
Day 3 - Visit Dharamshala, Cricket Stadium & Museum
You may start you day early and have your breakfast at below mentioned recommended food joint:
Moonpeak cafe - Woeser bakery located 1 km from the Main Market are popular joints for breakfast here. You can find varities of Sandwiches and Cakes.
Dharamshala Town, Himachal Pradesh
Maan Tea Factory and Tea garden ( Dharamshala) - (7 Km from main market) Mann tea garden is situated at an elevation of 4500 ft. having Tea Plantation area of about 15 Hectares. Manufacturer of a wide variety of Tea, such as Black Orthodox Tea, Formosa Pouchong Tea, Green Tea, Oolong Tea, Saffron Tea, White Peony Tea, and White Tea.
Dharamshala Cricket (HPCA) Stadium - (4 km from Maan Tea Factory and Tea garden) Stunning, Breath-taking, Awesome, a view comparable to the Adelaide Oval or Newlands. The stadium is open for tourists free of cost. The main stand is built with Tibetan architectural style.
State War Memorial- (600 meters from Dharamshala Cricket (HPCA) Stadium). Be sure to walk around and read and see the names of the freedom fighters those who lost their lives for different wars fought. Pay your honour to different regiments of the Indian Army. Entry fees Rs. 10 per person and Rs. 20 for parking.
Lunch options at Dharamshala;
- Chef’s Farmhouse is a really amazing restaurant just 2 km from the Dharamshala cricket stadium, offering a variety of food options.
- Vinod’s Rasoi is just 1 km from Dharamshala cricket stadium, offers excellent North Indian food.
Norbulingka Institute Of Tibetan Culture (INDIA) - ( 6 km from State War Memorial and War Museum) Norbulingka believes in the preservation and continuation of Tibetan art through self-sustaining means. Under the guidance of talented masters, they endow artists and craftspeople with ancestral knowledge, providing jobs to a community of over 300 Tibetans.
- Entry fees of Rs 50 per person.
Norbulingka Institute Of Tibetan Culture
You may departure from Mcleodganj after spending a quality evening with your friends & family.