DAY TRIPS
A 30-minute drive from Dharamshala takes you to the lively hamlet of 15 Dharamkot— home to numerous cafes, yoga and meditation centres, shops selling dream catchers and trippy artworks, and hostels and homestays hosting backpackers from around the world. A relaxed 45-minute drive from Dharamshala will bring you to 16 Kangra Fort— the largest fort in the Himalayas and one of the oldest in India, constructed in the fourth century CE by the Katoch dynasty on a steep rock dominating the valley. The nearby 17 Masroor Temples— an early eighth-century complex of rock-cut temples, carved out of a monolithic rock, are known for their Nagara architectural style. Along the way, drop in at the 18 Norbulingka Institute ( norbulingka.org) and witness Tibetan statue-making, thangka painting, screen-printing, woodcarving, and other crafts. Further ahead, a breathtaking drive will bring you to 19 Bir, noted for its monasteries and for being the paragliding capital of India.