Travellers make the world a better place to live. Their stories, their experiences and their everyday struggles have so much to offer to any and every individual who somewhere, sometimes desires to be an explorer to the universe of mystery, the world. Discover the spirituality and nature in the land of Dharamshala!

“The first time I travelled, I lost my bag. The last time I travelled, I found my soul.” 

The more you travel the closer you reach to unveiling the mystery of mother nature. And when talking about mother nature, there is no way that India doesn’t receive a celebrated mention in the list. It holds the count of offering the widest varieties of landscapes, vegetation, adventure and whatnot. 

The north part of India consisting of places like Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and more offers a serene beauty of everything that mankind can be thankful for. Dharamshala in Himachal Pradesh is one famous spot that tourists of all ages and boundaries love to explore. But what is it that makes the spot so celebrated and admired? 

Well, quick backpacking to Dharamshala can surely calm a lot of your questions. But if in case you can’t, our dear traveller, Ketan Aggarwal is here to take you on a virtual trip you forever will be thankful for and immediately start backpacking. So without any further delays, let us just straight begin with experiencing the magical moments that Ketan experienced throughout his travel. 

Ketan Agarwal is a Business Consultant by profession and a keen traveller by passion. He loves taking short to long trips with friends and families, exploring the best of nature, food, adventure and loads of love moments. He recently took a trip to Dharamshala along with his dear friend who made sure to live every moment of the trip. 

Delhi to Dharamshala:- 

The trip to Dharamshala began from Delhi. It was a 4 day planned trip with a major motive to relish the experience and adventure of Trekking in Mcleodganj and paragliding in Bir. The trip started with a noted enthusiasm from Delhi on a bus. They reached Dharamshala in the morning around 9 am. After reaching Dharamshala they took a local bus and left for Mcleodganj which was at a decent distance from Dharamshala. 

On reaching Mcleodganj, Ketan and his friend began to hunt for accommodation. They looked around a few spots but nothing seemed like impressing them. And then suddenly they came across a beautiful accommodation spot called, The Hosteller Mini. The place was quite decent and composed. They checked in around 1 pm and rested themselves to fuel up in order to begin energetic the next day. 

In the evening, Ketan & his friend toured around the local markets to experience the authenticity of the spot. Later they shared tasty bites at one of the most astonishing cafe’s called Welcome Cafe. The food according to Ketan was purely delicious and truly worth trying. He along with his friends returned back as a happy child. 

Triund Trek at Mcleodganj:- 

The next was the day of adventure and the final time where Ketan was about to strike away from his one major wishlist i.e. trekking at Triund. It’s somewhere around 8 to 9 kilometers and takes about 6 hours to complete the journey. 

Ketan began his most memorable trip by 10 in the morning. After some hours of trekking, he made a small halt at Bhagsu Fall to enjoy the serene scenic beauty of mother nature. Moving ahead he along with his friend and other companions reached the summit around 6 in the evening. 

In between, they took many small halts but finally reached the decided destination. The view from the summit was incredible and the sunset just seemed unreal. It just felt like magic, we were above clouds having our best time, Ketan states. 

After some time their guide began with installing the tents where Ketan and other companions would wait and rest to witness another unreal and incredible beauty, the sunrise in the morning. The stay at the summit to Ketan felt like real heaven. Their tents were facing the mighty Dhauladhar ranges which in every sense seemed angelic. 

After the successful installation of the tents, Ketan along with other companions had great food and fun. They remained up till late at night enjoying themselves at the warm spread of bonfire.

Exploring Mcleodganj:-

The next day was the real day of magic when the sunrise was to be seen. It was early 5:30 – 6:00 in the morning and we were all ready to witness the magnificent spread of golden light over the white snowy beauty, says Ketan. The sun finally came up and the golden spread was witnessed by every individual present at that moment. 

After experiencing such a magnificent view, Ketan along with his friend had breakfast and set down to return back to the hostel. They left around 10 am and reached the hostel at about 3 pm in the early evening. 

After reaching the hostel they tested a bit to fuel back with energy. In the evening Ketan along with his friend set out to grab some food. He looked for a lot of cafes around and then suddenly stayed back to one of the must-visit cafes in Mcleodganj, Rakus Cafe. The place is defined as an absolute winner in terms of food, ambience and everything in between by Ketan. He also loved the fact that there were dogs roaming around in the cafe to share a friendly vibe. Also, Ketan says, if you’re lucky, you can have a band performing for you. So it’s a must-visit spot when in Mcleodganj according to Ketan. 

Best of Mcleodganj at glance:- 

Day 4 at Dharamshala was supposed to be super fun too. Ketan had planned to visit monasteries but due to the surging of COVID 19 cases, the majority of them were prohibited for visitors. Therefore, as a replacement to it, the cafe lover, Ketan, along with his friend went to visit a nearby cafe called Shiva Cafe. The cafe was just 2km away from the hostel. They went and slurped their favourite delicacies and enjoyed the weather as it rained a bit. 

After having their fun food blast they set out on a journey to explore local markets and managed to purchase some souvenirs. On successfully exploring the spot they reached their departing spot and got ready to head back to Delhi holding millions of moments to cherish and share. 

Overview of the Journey:- 

Trip:- Delhi – Dharamshala (Mcleodganj) 

Major Attractions:- Trekking (Triund) (Rs. 800/- per person), Local Markets & Exotic Cafes

Stay:- The Hosteller Mini 

Cafe Visited:- Welcome Cafe, Rakus Cafe & Shiva Cafe 

Estimated Budget:- Rs. 6000/- Rs. 8000/- (per person) 

Must visit spot for Paragliding – (India Chalk’s Recommendation) 

Paragliding in Bir:- 

Bir Billing is a small village in Himachal Pradesh that is well known for a number of adventures. The place is well-tailored and characterized by various appealing landscapes and other features. It is also the first-ever spot to hold the world cup of paragliding. You as a traveller here will be able to avail of multiple benefits. From exotic escapes to trained professionals you just have the best of all. 

The rates for the adventure can range somewhere between Rs. 1000/- to Rs. 1500/- (depending on your choice and amenities you avail). 

Travelling to places you’ve never added unmatchable value to one’s life. Travelling not just allows you to explore instead it nurtures and evolves you for a better tomorrow. Our dear traveller had the best experience living his bucket list mention and continues to add and live forever. Are you someone who’s living his/her best or are just wondering what if? Strike down that what if immediately and set yourself free to learn, fall and evolve. 

For more photos and videos, check out his Instagram page:@safarnama_ketan. And for more such unique and authentic stories stay tuned and follow us on our Instagram handle: @indiachalk

Let us know in the comment section below, your exciting travel experiences.

Keep Travelling! Keep Exploring!