Himachal Family Tour Package: Dharamshala & Dalhousie

Dharamshala, Dalhousie and Khajjiar for families, in 4 nights and 5 days

This is a family circuit built around two of Himachal's gentlest hill towns and the meadow that gave India its own Mini Switzerland. You spend the first two nights in Dharamshala and McLeodganj, the seat of the Dalai Lama, then move across the Dhauladhar foothills to Dalhousie for two more, with a full day set aside for Khajjiar. The pace is deliberately easy. Short drives, low-altitude walks, and plenty of open green space mean kids do not get restless and older parents are not left breathless.

Khajjiar is the day everyone remembers. It is a saucer of grassland ringed by deodar forest at about 6,500 feet, and the tourism board itself calls it the Mini Switzerland of India. Horses graze, children roll down the slope, and there is a small lake in the middle. It sits a short drive from Dalhousie, so you see it without a long haul.

Every day on this itinerary can be reshaped. Add a night, change a hotel, or slow the sightseeing down for a trip with toddlers. This is the family-focused version of the wider Himachal range, and you can compare all our Himachal family packages here.

Day-by-day itinerary (Day 1 to Day 5)

Day 1: Arrive in the Kangra valley and settle into Dharamshala

Your trip starts at your chosen base point. Most families arrive at Pathankot, the nearest railhead, and drive up in about two and a half hours, though many also come in through Chandigarh or fly directly into Kangra (Gaggal) Airport, which is roughly 15 km from Dharamshala. Our private AC cab meets you and brings you up to Hotel Manu Vinod in the Naddi and Satobari area of upper Dharamshala, close to Dal Lake. Check in, take a welcome drink, and keep the evening light. If you arrive early, it is worth a first look at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) Stadium, often called one of the most scenic cricket grounds in the world, with the Dhauladhar range rising straight behind the stands. Dinner is at the hotel.

Day 2: McLeodganj, the Dalai Lama Temple and the Naddi viewpoint

After breakfast you spend a full day around McLeodganj, the Tibetan quarter above Dharamshala. The heart of it is the Tsuglagkhang Complex, the Dalai Lama Temple, where you can walk the prayer-wheel circuit and visit the Tibet Museum and the Namgyal Monastery next door. From there the day is a string of short, family-friendly stops: the Bhagsunag Temple and the Bhagsu waterfall behind it, the stone Church of St John in the Wilderness, built in 1852 and set among tall cedars, and Dal Lake, a quiet green pond ringed by trees. Close the afternoon at the Naddi viewpoint for a wide sunset over the Dhauladhar peaks. Families with older children who want more can add a short leg of the Triund trek, one of the easiest high-ridge walks in the region. Return to the hotel for dinner.

Day 3: Cross the Dhauladhar to Dalhousie

Check out after breakfast for the drive to Dalhousie, about 120 km and close to four hours through changing valley scenery. Dalhousie was laid out by the British in 1854 as a summer retreat, and it keeps that quiet, colonial-era feel across its five low hills. Check in to Hotel Monal near the Mall and GPO, rest through the afternoon, then walk down to Gandhi Chowk and Subhash Chowk in the evening. These twin market squares are where the town gathers, good for Chamba handicrafts, woollens and a slow family stroll. Dinner and overnight in Dalhousie.

Day 4: Khajjiar, the Mini Switzerland day

This is the big one. After breakfast you drive out toward Khajjiar, roughly 24 km from Dalhousie, stopping along the way at Panchpula, a set of streams and small waterfalls that also holds the memorial to freedom fighter Sardar Ajit Singh, and at Subhash Baoli, a spring-fed spot named for Subhash Chandra Bose. For a bigger view, the road climbs to Dainkund Peak, the highest point around Dalhousie at about 2,745 metres, with a short walk to the top. Then comes Khajjiar itself, the wide meadow and forest bowl that earns the Mini Switzerland name, where kids can run free, ride ponies or simply picnic by the lake. On the way you pass through the Kalatop Wildlife Sanctuary, a deodar forest often good for spotting deer and birds. Families with time to spare can extend toward Chamera Lake, the reservoir behind Chamera Dam near Chamba, which offers gentle boating. Return to Dalhousie for dinner.

Day 5: A last Himachal morning, then homeward

Enjoy a relaxed breakfast and complete checkout. Your private cab then takes you back down to your departure point, usually Pathankot for a train or onward journey, or through to Chandigarh or Delhi if that suits your booking better. You leave with a phone full of Khajjiar photos and a family trip that never asked too much of anyone.

Is this trip right for your family?

Short answer: yes, and especially for mixed-age groups. The whole route stays between roughly 4,500 and 7,000 feet, so there is no serious altitude to worry about with young children or grandparents. The drives are short by hill standards, the walks are optional and gentle, and the two bases are calm towns rather than crowded resorts.

• With young kids get open space at Khajjiar, pony rides, a lake, and the Bhagsu waterfall to splash near.

• Older parents get an easy pace, no steep treks unless they choose one, plus the Dalai Lama Temple, the churches and the markets to explore slowly.

• As a group, everyone eats together (breakfast and dinner are included daily) and travels in one private cab, so there is no juggling of buses or shared transfers.

The one caveat worth planning for: if you travel in deep winter, Dalhousie and Khajjiar can get snow and the odd road closure, which is magical for kids but needs a flexible morning or two. We build that flexibility in.

Best time to visit Dharamshala and Dalhousie

Both towns are year-round, but what you get changes a lot by season. Here is the quick read for a family trip.

What this Dharamshala Dalhousie trip costs per person from Delhi, and how to reach

The package is priced per person on twin sharing and covers your hotels, daily breakfast and dinner, and a private cab for every transfer and sightseeing leg. It is land-only, so your train or flight to the base point is separate. Here is how the tiers compare.

Both tiers are per person on twin sharing and exclude your train or flight fare to the base point. Premium and boutique hotel upgrades, children's rates and extra nights are quoted on request. Every figure here is customisable; ask for a free quote and our Himachal desk will build the exact tier around your dates.

How to reach Dharamshala and Dalhousie

Distances are approximate and worth confirming for your dates. For deeper planning on the region and its other towns, see our Himachal travel guide.

What is included, what is not, and the cancellation policy

Cancellation and payment policy

• Free cancellation and full refund up to 30 days before departure.

• 50% refund between 30 and 15 days before departure.

• 25% refund between 15 and 7 days before departure.

• No refund within 7 days of departure.

• Date changes are free up to 15 days before departure, subject to hotel and cab availability.

Booking is confirmed on an advance payment, with the balance due before travel. Your trip coordinator shares the exact schedule in writing when you book.

Fares and hotels on this page are checked by our Himachal desk against live operator inventory before every booking.

Ready to plan your Himachal family trip?

Four nights across Dharamshala, McLeodganj, Dalhousie and Khajjiar is about the most family calm you can pack into a single Himachal week, low altitude, short drives, and one meadow the kids will not stop talking about. Tell us your dates and who is travelling, and our Himachal desk will send back a tailored quote at your chosen hotel tier.

Get a free custom quote for this 4N/5D family package, or browse all Himachal family tour packages.