THRILLING TREKS
Dharamshala is an ideal base for avid trekkers looking to explore higher lands.
The forests and mountains around Dharamshala make for fantastic treks, of which the easy ninekilometre hike from McLeod Ganj to 13 Triund is the most popular. The path goes through thick pine and deodar forests, and several winding curves that open to a green camping ground at 2,896 metres—with stunning vistas of the Kangra Valley and Dhauladhar range. Further up across the snowline is the natural rock shelter of 14 Lahesh Cave at 3,474 metres, with the sacred peak of Mani Mahesh Kailash and the Pir Panjal range running in the backdrop. It makes for a crucial night halt for ardent trekkers continuing on. From here, the trail gets difficult, as it passes over the snowbound Dhauladhars to the 4,389-ft-high Indrahar Pass, which connects the Kangra and Chamba valleys. Many who embark on this trek opt to descend on the other side, through green meadows and tiny hamlets, to Chamba.