Dehli to dharamsala/mcleod ganj

lobo

Can i have any opinions of the best/easiest way to do this. I was thinking either

a. Train to amristar (see golden temple etc) train to pathankot and then the bus to mcleod ganj

b. Bus straight to mcleod ganj 13 hours

I have never used an indian bus so if anyone has any info on the journey and if its better to get a private/state bus can they post there opinions.
13 hours dosent sound to bad i was 46 hours on an indian train....how bad can a bus be?

SHIMLA

I haven't visited Amritsar, but I believe the Golden Temple is worth seeing. Hence, your first option seems better.

From Pathankot you can also take a share Taxi to Dharamsala; or the narrow gauge train from Pathankot to Kangra(just for experiencing the journey) and then a bus from Kangra to D'sala.

If you want to take a direct bus from Delhi to D'sala, then an overnight deluxe coach is recommended.

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irsel

I have been in Amritsarr and it is realy worth to be visited. Take your time for the Golden Temple and then drive to the boundary to Pakistan. It is realy a very good entertainment to watch the evening ceremony there.
We took the train (a very fast one, which was was realy comfortable) from Delhi to Amritsar. After staying there some days we drove to Dharamsala. Therefore we rented a jeep. By this going there was realy nice. Certainly much more comfortable than taking the dierct bus from Delhi.
May be this is a view of 2 people who are a bit older and prefer the comfortable way of life, even in India.

ddutta

Hi lobo,

I agree with shimla & irsel the Golden Temple is worth seeing.You can take 2013 shatabdi express(super fast train) from N.Delhi (dep. at 16.30pm) to Amritsar (arrv. at 22.15 pm). Then proceed to dharamsala/mcleod ganj . both the cities are well connected by bus /taxi . If you want to go direct to dharamsala/mcleod ganj from Delhi you can avail luxury coach(a/c) .For more datails log on to http://hrtc.nic.in/

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lobo

Thanks guys, i will be going to amristar on my travels i wasnt sure if to hit dharamsla first directly and then maybe return to dehli after a while and get the shatabi to amristar.
I am glad its easy to get a jeep from amristar to dharamsala, isrel did u drive yourself or share jeep?
Have any of you got a ball park figure for the price of a taxi/jeep with driver from amristar to dharamsla?
Might get the train to patkaknot and then bus/taxi.

Thanks for the link ddutta

slowbus

Getting from Amritsar to Dharamsala is quite painless. I think there's one direct bus each day, or you can change in Pathankot.
There are many buses/trains from Amritsar to Pathankot (21Rs/3hrs), and many buses from Pathankot to Dharamsala (66Rs/3hrs). As Shimla mentioned, you can also take the train to Kangra, but I think there are only two trains a day so you may need to plan ahead a little. The bus ride from Pathankot is quite painless, and takes about 3 hours. Sharing a jeep is probably a little faster, but also probably not worth the expense since its such a short bus ride, with an easy connection in Pathankot.

-m2-

If you are a rail buff, there is some info on the Kangra Valley Railway here:

Scenic rail trips -- Kangra Valley Railroad

irsel

lobo, we took a shared jeep which was really quite comfortable. But I do not remember how much we had to pay. It is about 5 years ago.
If you go to Amritsar do not miss the special show at the boundary. And - much more important - go to the temple during day time and again by night. It is a very special atmosphere.
Afterwards compare with Daramsalas atmosphere during a puja in one of the temples there.

lobo

Thanks for the help guys, i think i will scratch off the bus direct from dehli. Go to amristar and chill there for a while.
(im thinking ahead i dont leave till begining of october).

kailash35

hello,
if you go to Amritsar, don't miss the Jallianwala bagh. ok this is just a garden but this is the place where 2000 Indians were killed by the British in early 1900's. There is a very special atsmosphere there.
I took the bus to Pathankot and after the Kangra valley train.
This train is VERY VERY slow; at some places, people going on foot were faster than us!
The problem if you stop in Kangra is that they are not so many people doing so and you might have to discuss a lot to have a good price for taxi to Mac Leod ganj but there is a bus going every 15 minutes and it takes one hour.

lobo

Thanks Kalash I will go ther and hopefully get some nice pictures.