Golden AmritsarRoad trip to Golden temple, Wagah border, Dharamshala and McleodganjTotal No of days - 7Dated - Jan 2010
Home - Travelogues - Amritsar Dharamshala Mcleodganj - Trip advisoy
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Trip Advisory Amritsar Dharamshala & McLeodganj
Best time to visit
Best time to visit Amritsar is from October to March. Summers are too hot as it ranges to 45 degrees, and in winters the temperature can fall to -4 degrees.
The Best time to visit Mcleodganj is the autumn and spring months.
Dharamshala can be visited best September to November. December is too cold and snow falls.
Food
Amritsar is famous for Punjabi cuisine like Lachedar Parantha, Amritsari Stuff Kulcha, Sarson ka Saag and Makki di Roti, Fried fish, Kheer Phirni and so on. You can find many dhabas selling hot delicacies among which the ones worth trying are
Bharawan da Dhaba at Town Hall for makkai di roti and sarson ka saag.
Kesar da Dhaba at Chowk Passian try Mah ke Dal with Lacha Paratha or Butter Naan.
Ahuja Milk Bhandar for their Kesar Lassi
Makhan Fish at Majitha Road for Fried Fish and Fish Pakora
Gurdas Ram Jalebi wala for their Jalebi
Brijwasi Chaat Bhandar at Copper Road for tikkis and chaats
Amar Chand & Sons for Besan ke ladoo
Crystal Restaurant near the lawrence road is a good option but a bit expensive but has a good ambience.
Dharamshala has many hotels serving good butter chicken/ tandoori chicken. As such I dont find a specific cuisine of the place to try out.
McLeodganj is the add of Tibetan eateries and the streets are packed with eatery stalls. Relish on momos, thupka soup, chowmein, and other Tibetan flavoured Chinese dishes. The roadside diners are quaint small and inexpensive. Try Laping a spicy Tibetan snack. Snow Lion and Nick's Kitchen(Italian food) can be tried out. Pancakes, humus sandwiches and herbal teas are to look out for.
Snack on roadside momos
Norling Restaurant in Jogi Para Road - thupkas, momos
First Cup Cafe at Jogi Para Road - Milkshakes, Fresh pancakes, Brown bread, Fruits with muesli etc have a good breakfast here.
French A log - good snacks and bakery items
Chocolate Log - Coffee and Fresh pancakes.
Festivals
Amritsar
Ram Tirath located 11 kms from Amritsar city is historically important as it believed that Sita mata delivered her sons Luv and Kush here in the hut of Rishi Balmik. 2 weeks after Diwali a grand fair takes place here which lasts for 5 days.
Diwali is celebrated at Golden Temple with great enthusiasm for three days. Diwali usually falls in the end of the month of October or November.
Basant Panchami is celebrated with great enthusiasm at Gurudwara Chheharta Sahib which is 7 kms from Amritsar. It falls in the month of either the end of January or beginning of February.
Hola Mahalla is held at Anandpur Sahib (193 kms away from Amritsar). Mock battles were followed by music and poetry competitions. It takes place around March 15.
Dharamshala
Saka Dawa Festival is a major Tibetan festival celebrated in June every year to commemorate the three stages of Lord Buddha.
Prashar Fair is celebrated in June on the banks of the Prashar lake. It is celebrated by the local tribals to welcome the summer season.
The Tibetan Institute Of Performing Arts celebrates the Shoton Festival which displays the various cultural's art forms in the months of Feb or March. It lasts for nearly 10 days.
Losar is celebrated here in Dharamshala. It is the Tibetan New Year. It falls in the month of February or March.
Free Spirit Film Festival celebrated in October/November during which feature films, short films, global issues related films and documentaries are selected and showed to the viewers.
International Himalayan Festival is celebrated in December in wake of the formation of the Kangra district.
McLeodganj
Himalayan International Festival is celebrated in December to commemorate the conferment of the Nobel Peace Prize on the Tibetan spiritual leader, Dalai Lama.
Losar is the Tibetan New Year and is celebrated in the month of Feb/March every year.
The Bodh Festival is celebrated in Oct./Nov.
The Himalayan Int'l Festival is also celebrated here around 10-15 December every year.
Shopping
Amritsar
There are many souvenir shops outside the Golden temple where you can buy photo's, paintings, ornaments and even knives, swords, shields etc
Markets to check out for are Hall Bazaar, Katra Jaimal Singh and Lawrence Road .
Look out for good juttis and embroidered stuff.
Focal Point (industrial Area) is famous for wooden chess boards.
Bhandari Namkin Shop at Dayananad Nagar has some tasty namkeens to carry back home for friends and family.
Dharamshala
Woolen Accessories as well as Embroidery items based on the Chamba and Kangra School of paintings can be brought.
Tibet Quality Shop and Jogibara Road can be hunted down.
Jogibara Road is the main place for shopping at the street side stalls, also look out for jams squashes, juices etc.
Wooden carving, silk and woolen woven scarves can be shopped.
Norbulingka Institute Khaniyara Road , Men-Tsee-Khang Hospital , Dhom-pat-sang Bhagsu Road , Namaste India Main Square Mcleodganj , Tibetan Children Village Dal Road Upper Dharamshala are good places for shopping.
McLeodganj
Tibetan Handicrafts Cooperative Centre for Tibetan carpets.
TCV Handicraft Centre for Tibetan handicrafts
Norling Designs sells products of the Norbulingka Institute.
Green Shop sells hand made Tibetan paper.
Nowrojee General Merchants shop is nothing less than an antique museum. Step in to see.
Roadside shops where one can bargain to purchase footwear to clothes, flasks to bags.
