10-Nights Northern India’s Hill Stations - Tailormade Journeys — CALL

Itinerary Details

1 Arrive Delhi

Namaste and welcome to Delhi, India's capital and northern gateway. Settle into your hotel, an oasis of calm just moments from the vibrant restaurants, shops and bars of Gurugram (Gurgaon). Once a sleepy suburb of New Delhi, Gurugram is now among the fastest growing cities in India and home to over 250 of the Fortune 500 companies. Drop your bags, relax and soak in the views over the azure reflection pool or explore your surroundings spread over nine acres.

Journey to Amritsar, a city in India’s northern Punjab state that is home to the magnificent Golden Temple, the most important pilgrimage site of Sikhism. Known by locals as Sri Harmandir Sahib, the Golden Temple is cover with pure gold and surrounded by the holy waters of the Amrit Sarovar, which reflect the structure’s beauty. Devotees travel from across the world to bathe and pay their respects to the holy Sikh scripture within the glistening temple’s walls. After time free to relax, visit the Golden Temple for the auspicious Palki Sahib night ceremony. Witness the Guru Granth Sahib (Holy Book) being carried from the main shrine to the inner sanctum amid the chanting of hymns.

Rise early to once more visit the Golden Temple as morning prayers begin. Step inside the communal kitchen to see the Sikh community come together to prepare simple meals for the 35,000 pilgrims who visit the temple daily. Wind through the narrow lanes of the Hall Bazaar and pay your respects at Jallianwala Bagh, the memorial commemorating the 1919 massacre of Indian nationalists and unaffiliated civilians in a walled garden. Your afternoon is free for relaxing or to join a culinary tour (for an additional fee), exploring local neighborhoods to sample the variety of Punjabi cuisine.

Head to Dharamshala, a hill station that emerges from the cedar and pine forests of Himachal Pradesh on the edge of the Himalaya. Stop at a traditional nomadic settlement of the Gaddi tribe to meet locals and observe their daily life. Discover the Norbulingka Institute, dedicated to the preservation of Tibetan culture. Watch the Tibetan artisans and their apprentices as they practice the ancient Buddhist art forms of statue-making, thangka painting and appliqué, as well as woodcarving, tailoring and weaving. Step inside the temple to see some of the finest thangka frescoes. Continue to your hotel near McLeod Ganj, home to the Dalai Lama and the center of Little Tibet, with beautiful views of the snow-capped Dhauladhar mountain range and the pristine Dharamshala valley.

Explore the Dalai Lama’s monastery, Tsuglag Khang, the largest Tibetan temple outside Tibet and home to around 200 monks. The prayer wheels, colorful décor and Tibetan-style architecture are mesmerizing. Continue to the small Gyuto monastery, the recent home of the Karmapa, the Tibetan spiritual leader. This evening, join locals on a kora walk around the Dalai Lama temple and meet a lama, if you wish.

Travel to Palampur, known as the tea capital of Northern India. Snow-fed rivers, monsoon rains and winds from the southwest create a unique ecosystem in Palampur, perfect for growing tea leaves. Settle into your beautiful lodge in the Wah Tea Estate, established in 1857 and now the largest working tea estate in the Kangra Valley. Watch the Wah tea ladies pluck only two leaves and a bud before trying your hand at this intricate skill. Visit the factory and appreciate the processes of withering, rolling, fermenting, drying and sorting. Stroll through the organic farm, which supplies the lodge with fresh produce. Then head to the gardens surrounded by tea bushes for an aromatic tea tasting.

Stimulate your creativity at Andretta, a tranquil village and artists’ colony. Step inside the mudbrick home of Irish writer and dramatist Norah Richards, who established the village in the 1920s. See the colorful paintings of Sobha Singh at the small family-run gallery and try your hand at throwing a pot in Andretta Pottery. Later, ride the narrow-gauge Kangra railway for a glimpse of local village life against the backdrop of the Himalaya. Continue to Baijnath and marvel at the quietly famous Shiva temple, a beautiful example of early medieval architecture built in the 13th century. Finally, admire the brightly colored intricate paintings that adorn the walls of Tashi Jong Monastery, the homely residence of Tibetan refugees before returning to your accommodation.

Explore the many remnants of British colonial life, starting at the Indian Institute of Advanced Study. Also known as the Viceregal Lodge, it served as the Viceroy’s summer retreat until Indian independence was achieved. Roam the immense Scottish structure and its beautiful botanical gardens and glimpse photographs from the last years of the Raj. Continue exploring Shimla on foot, taking in the colonial architecture, museums, churches and the Jhako Temple. Your afternoon is free to revel in the history of your luxurious hotel or continue exploring the city.

Step aboard the beloved Himalayan Queen train and journey deep into the Himalayan foothills. Roll on through tunnels and over bridges along the century-old meter gauge line, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the finest feats of engineering in India. Your journey ends at Kandaghat station, after which you return to Shimla. Relax in your hotel pool and spa or enjoy an optional activity (for an additional fee). Choose from a short trek through the local rhododendron and cedar forests or take the cultural trail to the Army Heritage Museum and the house of legendary The Jungle Book author Rudyard Kipling.

Relax, recoup and reflect on your wonderous journey through northern India’s hill station country with a full day free of scheduled activities, perhaps taking advantage of your hotel’s amenities or fitting in some last-minute shopping or exploration of the area on your own.