At a glance Surrounded by a stretch of the Dhauladhar mountains, overlooking the Kangra Valley at a height of 4,550 ft, Dharamsala is 21 km from Kangra Town in West Himachal. About the city Dharamsala most is the manner in which it is simultaneously an Indian hill settlement in its lower reaches of Lower Dharamsala with its Kotwali Bazaar, while Upper Dharamsala is more residential, with elegant bungalows and the cantonment. Yet, a distance of just 10 km separates these two communities. A short walk further up passes through the distinctively British Forsytheganj, and from here McLeodganj is only a stone's throw away. How to reach Road: Drive to Una via Kiratpur, on to Nehran Pukhar and over the Beas to Kangra; from here Dharamsala is 21 km En route halts: Karnal and Una Rail: Nearest railhead: Chakki Bank (76 km/ 2 1/2 hrs) Best option TO Jammu Express (dep: Old Delhi 10.40 pm; arr: Chakki Bank 6.53 am) Cab is Rs 600 to Dharamsala Best option FROM Jammu-Delhi Express (dep: Chakki Bank 8 pm; arr: Old Delhi 4.20 am) Air: airport: Gaggal (11 km/ 30 mins). Hire cab to town (Rs 350 approx) Journey Time Road: 10.5 Hours from Delhi Rail: 8 Hours in Train + 2.5 Hours by road from Delhi Air: 1.5 Hours in Flight + 30 minutes by road from Delhi Distances 511 km North West from Delhi 21 km from Kangra From Delhi NH1 to Ambala NH22 to Zirakpur NH21 to Kiratpur via Chandigarh State highways to Dharamsala and McLeodganj via Una and Kangra Best Seasons The weather is excellent in spring and autumn. It's best, however, in summer Places in and around Lower and Upper Dharamsalas Kotwali Bazaar in Lower Dharamsala consists of a number of higgledy-piggledy shops that embrace the road on both sides, with little caf's where you can have a cup of steaming hot tea, while the shopping enthusiast exhausts the bazaar's charms. While here, you may want to check out the Kangra Art Museum (Sundays and Mondays closed) with its wonderful collection of miniatures, though the rooms are both poky and dingy. Don't tarry too long at the gloomy Yol Camp where Italian prisoners of war were lodged during World War II, but you can pay your respects at the War Memorial nearby, which commemorates the sacrifice of Himachali war heroes. Longer rambling walks are recommended in Upper Dharamsala, and if you do not feel like driving up, hop on to a bus. The town has frequent bus connections to Upper Dharamsala and McLeodganj. Get off at Upper Dharamsala and walk up, which is the best way of getting to know this interesting part of Himachal. The road passes through deeply wooded Forsytheganj with bungalows set back from the road. Just ahead is St John's Church, a pretty stone building that holds Viceroy Lord Elgin's Memorial, who had died here in 1863. The church has some beautiful stained glass windows. Dalai Lama's Home A couple of turns will bring you to the main chowk of McLeodganj. The Dalai Lama's Tibetan settlement buzzes with colour and life. Here, you will find everything from monks to feisty restaurateurs and shop owners, from hippies to corporate honchos looking for alternative management therapies. Prayer wheels and carpet shops fade into the distance as you take the wooded trail that will lead you to Gelugpa Monastery, with its many guest houses adjoining the Dalai Lama's residence where the hum of "Om mani padme hum" suffuses the air. The monastery is a little disappointing at first, built in the manner of a government building, but inside it, the giant statue of Buddha, the thankas and other ritual and votive objects soon distract from its severe symmetry. Norbulingka At Sidhpur on the Yol Road is Norbulingka (16 km), a centre devoted to the preservation of Tibetan arts and crafts, worth a day's trip. Set in a Japanese-style garden, Norbulingka has a temple, souvenir shops, the Losel Dolls Museum, thanka painting centre, tailoring section and a caf, Norling. The metal and wood workshops are further up in a village. If you wish to spend more time here, stay at the Norling Guest House (Tel: 246402, 246405; Tariff: Rs 1,000-2,000). The view of Norbulingka spread across the hills from Norling is truly breathtaking. To hire a guide, contact the reception.