Located at the foot of the spectacular Dhauladhar mountain range, the town of Dharamshala overlooks the lush Kangra Valley in the north Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. Renowned for its natural beauty and its ancient Hindu temples, Dharamshala is also world famous as the home of the Dalai Lama and the centre of the Tibetan community in exile.

Strung out across a series of ridges that fan out from the lower reaches of the Dhauladhar mountains, Dharamshala is made up of several parts. The main attraction is McLeod Ganj, a former British hill station in upper Dharamshala where Tibetan refugees have made their home.

Dharamshala is easily reached by plane, train, bus and taxi. The nearest airport is a convenient 15 kilometres away. The railhead, Pathankot, is approximately two hours away by car. Several buses make the nightly run to Delhi and the town is also well connected to major destinations in Himachal Pradesh and neighbouring states.

Check out our handy guides to travel, lodging, and food in Dharamshala.