About Banikhet & Dalhousie
Banikhet
Banikhet is located about seven kilometers from Dalhousie, India. Banikhet is an important place in Chamba district tourism. It is also known as the gateway of Chamba district. It is also known for the Historical Naag Mandir, Jawala Mata Mandir and Helipad. It is situated in the Dhauladhar range of the Himalayas at an altitude of 5,500 feet (1,700 m) above the sea level. It has daytime temperature of 25°C and the night temperature of about 15°C during summers. Banikhet also possesses a number of tourist attractions that attract tourists from the different parts of the world. Moreover, with the establishment of the NHPC ltd’s Chamera Hydro-Electric Project, residential and official buildings, it has attained prominence.
Dalhousie
Dalhousie is a hill station in Chamba district, in the northern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. It is situated on 5 hills – Kathalagh, Potreyn, Terah, Bakrota and Bhangora. Dalhousie Town was named after The Earl of Dalhousie, who was the British Governor-General in India while establishing this place as a summer retreat. Located on the western edge of the Dhauladhar mountain range of the Himalayas, it is surrounded by snow-capped peaks. Dalhousie is situated between 6,000 and 9,000 feet (2,700 m) above sea level. The best time to visit is in the summer, and the peak tourist season is from May to September. Scottish and Victorian architecture is prevalent in the bungalows and churches in the town. It’s home to colonial-era buildings, including St. Francis and St. John’s churches, which date back to the rule of the British Raj in the 1800s. A trek up Dainkund Peak leads to Pholani Devi Temple. To the north, Subhash Baoli is a peaceful area with pine trees and panoramic views.
Site Seeing Places In Dalhousie
Khajjiar
Khajjiar is a hill station in the north Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. Dating from the 12th century, Khajji Nag Temple is dedicated to a serpent god. Nearby, the high-altitude Khajjiar Lake is surrounded by cedar forest. West, Kalatop Wildlife Sanctuary is home to animals including deer and bears. Farther west, Dalhousie is a hill station with mountain views, dotted with temples and 19th-century British churches.
Dain Kund
Dainkund Peak is a stunning tourist place, perched at an altitude of 2755 meters, is the supreme mount in Dalhousie.
From this peak tourists can relish 360° view of the entire valley. The noise of the breeze passing through the trees makes a musical sound, due to which this peak has also obtained the name, the singing hill.
The vertex of this hill is engaged by the Indian Air Force and by taking a left turn from there will take tourists to the Pholani mata Temple. One of the most pleasant facts about this temple is that, except a trident there is nothing inside the temple premises. From above, tourists can also enjoy trekking in this attractive hill.
Kala top
Kalatop Khajjiar Sanctuary is a 30.69 km² animal sanctuary at Kalatop and Khajjiar in the Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh, India. The sanctuary area is well laid out for trekking trails both at Kalatop and Khajjiar. There is a dense deodar and fir forest covering 19.63 km² of the sanctuary, which is about 6 km from Dalhousie. Pheasants and black bear are some of the common animals found here.
Chamera Dam
Chamera Lake is a lake located in the Chamba district. It is about 25 kms from Dalhousie. At an elevated height of 763 meters above sea level, it makes a perfect getaway with friends, family and loved ones, to spend a day or have a picnic nearby. The Chamera Dam nearby is the source of Chamera Lake, as it is the former’s reservoir. Apart from this source, it receives a continual supply from River Ravi. Chamera Lake is a famous tourist destination, due to its perfect year-round climate. There are food stalls around the lake for tourists to enjoy a light snack as they enjoy the lake. There are also some water sports like motorboat ride which the tourists can enjoy.
Bhalai Mata Temple
Bhalai Mata Temple is dedicated to the Hindu Goddess Bhadra. It is located on a 3,800 feet (1,200 m) high spur in Bhalei, which is now a Sub-Tehsil headquarters. It is about 35 km from Salooni Tehsil headquarters. The temple can be approached either from Chamba or from Dalhousie and is at a distance of 40 kilometers from Chamba and 30 kilometers from Dalhousie. The deity is in the front of an image of black stone of two feet height and is enshrined in the sanctum sanctorum of the temple. Bhadar Kali draws a large number of pilgrims from far and wide. A big havan ceremony is performed during navratras of Ashwin and Chait months.
