“Palampur”, when you heard this word, you may get perplexed about the Palampur village that you had occasionally read in your school time. But Palampur is not only an imaginary village, it is the real one. In today’s article, we are going to discover the real world’s Palampur. So, let’s explore.

About Palampur

Palampur is a beautiful hill station situated in the Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh. It is famous for its tea plantations which were started by the British officers around the year 1849 AD. Palampur is a fascinating spot consisting of pine forests and tea gardens. It has several flower nurseries, beautiful trees and paddy fields, charming picnic spots, and a lot of other things.

Palampur provides a beautiful view of the majestic Dhauladhar range. The town has beautiful landscapes, and several water streams pass through the town. In addition to it, it is also a paradise for adventure lovers. There are several treks you can enjoy near Palampur such as the Triund, and the Baijnath-Manali treks. Palampur is an essential part of the Himachal Pradesh Tourism circuit.

Where is Palampur?

Palampur is situated in the north-western region of Himachal Pradesh in North India. Located in Kangra Valley near alluring Dhauladhars, it is an altitude of 1,220 meters above sea level. Palampur is 35 km from the popular hill station Dharamshala and 10 km from Baijnath.

Why to visit Palampur?

Palampur is a worth visiting hill station in Himachal Pradesh. It is an integral part of the state tourism circuit and is close to many other popular tourist destinations such as Bir Billing, Dharamshala, Rajgundha, Baijnath. Palampur is much more than the tea gardens and offers a unique blend of natural greenery and water.

Palampur is derived from the word “Pulam” which in the local language means enough water. It has abundant water resources like waterfalls, river streams, etc. The most famous water stream among tourists here is “Neugal Khad”. If you like to play with fresh water passing through mountains, Palampur is the best option for you.

Places to Visit in Palampur

Saurabh Van Vihar

Saurabh Van Vihar is 4km away from Palampur and is the best tourist spot in Palampur. It is a captivating nature park backboned by mesmerizing Dhauladhar ranges and a perfect spot for recreation. It is a great picnic spot too and is away from the city crowd. The beauty of this place is enhanced with a variety of green trees and plants. Saurabh Van Vihar has a clean water pond with a variety of fishes.

Boating can also be enjoyed here on an extra payment. There is a separate park for kids, and you can watch a variety of bird species here. Saurabh Van Vihar is dedicated to the Late. Saurabh Van Vihar is dedicated to Captain Saurabh Kalia who was an Indian army officer who died during the Kargil War. He was kept alive by the Pakistani Security Forces and kept in captivity where he was tortured.

Palampur Tea Gardens

The tea gardens at Palampur are the major cause of tourist attraction to Palampur. The town is regarded as the “Tea Capital of North-western India”. Most of the town is filled with green tea gardens, which makes it a perfect photography spot. If you are a tea lover and want to know how tea is manufactured, then it is the right spot. The tea plantations here started in 1849 when Dr. Jameson and other British officers realize the potential of tea cultivation here.

At that time, tea produced here was exported to foreign markets such as Europe, America, and Australia. In 1905 an earthquake affected the tea plantation here badly after which the Assam tea gain popularity in the market. The tea leaves grown here are further processed at Palampur Cooperative Tea Factory and are branded as the “Kangra Tea”. The taste of the tea here is different from the ones you used to drink at home.

Bir

Bir is about 35 km from the Palampur and is famous for its flying activities. Bir is another picturesque hill station located in the Dhauladhar range of the Himalayas. Bir is the right spot for ecotourism, spiritual studies, and meditation activities. It is the right spot to discover Tibetan Culture and flying activities.

If you visit Palampur, then your trip will be incomplete if you leave without enjoying Paragliding at Bir Billing. Bir Billing is regarded as the Paragliding Capital of India and is an internationally recognized paragliding site. It hosted India’s first-ever Paragliding World Cup back in the year 2015.

Neugal Khad

Neugal Khad is a beautiful wide stream of water located 2 km from Palampur. Also known as the Bundla Stream, Neugal Khad is a popular picnic spot among tourists. The “Khad” in the local language denotes a wide water stream. The interesting thing here is the bridge over the water stream. This place is a perfect picnic spot and is appropriate for photography.

Walking on the pebbled path along the Neugal Khad and listening to water sounds is an amazing experience. A couple of distances from here is the Neugal Khad is the Neugal Park which features a couple of eateries and cafes. While having food and hot tea or coffee, you can enjoy panoramic views of the Dhauladhar mountains.

Baijnath Shiv Temple

The Baijnath Shiv Temple is one of the most magnificent monuments of the Kangra Valley. This temple is devoted to the “Lord Shiva”. The ancient name of this town was “Kirgrama”. The temple is situated near the bank of the “Binwa” water stream, which is a tributary of the river Beas. The temple has a beautiful lingam and a fine sculpture work associated with Ravana.

The lingam here is one of the ‘twelve Jyotirlingas’ and is believed that Ravana used to worship Lord Shiva here. The temple is surrounded by beautiful green parks and annually a Shivratri fair is organized here. Baijnath temple is an appropriate spot for many devotees who came to seek the blessings of God Shiva.

Chamunda Devi Temple

This is another great temple which you can visit near Palampur. Chamunda Devi Temple is about 10 km from Palampur and is situated on the bank of the ‘Baner’ stream. This temple is one of the Shakti Peeth in the Dhauladhar range and is dedicated to the goddess “Chamunda”. Chamunda Temple is one of the most important temples in the area. It is one of the major tourist attractions for people visiting Palampur.

This is built-in Himachali architecture and is visited by thousands of devotees from all over India. The goddess Chamunda is said to fulfil the desires of those who worshipped her. There is a small cave within the temple, where lies a stone ‘Siva Lingam’ representing Nandi Keshwar(Shiva) himself.

Andretta Pottery

Andretta Pottery is a beautiful pottery studio situated 10km away from Palampur in the Andretta Village. Andretta Pottery Studio is India’s oldest pottery studio based in Palampur. The history of the Andretta Pottery can be traced back to the ‘Late Sardar Gurucharan Singh’ from Delhi. He was the pioneer responsible for introducing studio art pottery in India. Later, his son ‘Mansimran Singh’ carried his father’s pottery business forward.

Andretta Pottery offers a 3-month course where you get a chance to learn pottery. You can either opt for 15 min course where you get introduced to basic pottery. You can hand on the given clay and shape them into beautiful artwork. Even you can buy some of the beautiful artworks here from the showroom. The potteries and crafts here are in demand all over the world.

Sobha Singh Art Gallery

This is another great place of artwork located 11 km away from Palampur. Alike Andretta Pottery, it is situated 1 km away from Pottery Studio in the same Andretta Village. It is a decent place for art lovers and is dedicated to Sobha Singh, the painter of Sikh Gurus. Sobha Singh is one of the iconic painters from the Sikh community. This art gallery is an integral part of Punjab’s art heritage. The main artwork that brought him fame was the Guru Nanak masterpiece.

He painted several Sikh Gurus and some of the famous icons such as Prithviraj Kapoor and M.S. Randhawa. He also painted portraits of India’s national heroes such as Mahatma Gandhi, Bhagat Singh, and Lal Bahadur Shashtri. The Art Gallery has two main parts: The main art gallery and art museum. The art gallery and museum consist of amazing work done by the artist Sobha Singh.

Jakhani Mata Temple

Jakhani Mata Temple is situated in the Dugh village, 7km away from Palampur. This temple is dedicated to Devi Jakhani and is a great tourist spot. This is one of the most scenic places and is located at the topmost point. Once you reach there, you will find yourself in the lap of the Dhauladhar mountains. Fast food and coffee are available at a nearby single shop here.

This temple is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Palampur. There is a narrow and steep road to the temple. You can also trek up to the temple top. The road to the temple is a motorable one and can be reached by either car or bike.

Gopalpur Zoo

Gopalpur Zoo is situated 12 km away from Palampur in Gopalpur village. The zoo is surrounded by the Dhauladhar range on all sides. It is well maintained, and its majority of the area is full of greenery. This place is scenic and is good for children to enjoy. Proper information boards are there, and you have to walk 2-3 hours to cover the entire zoo.

There are a variety of animals and birds here. Some of the major attractions here are Himalayan Black Bear, Fox, Leopard, Asiatic Lion, Sambar Dear, Goral, Wild Pig, Peacock, Vulture, Parrot, Eagle, etc.

Best time to visit Palampur

Palampur has mild climatic conditions that make it a perfect spot. Every season in Palampur comes in its purest form and tourists can visit Palampur throughout the year. The best time to visit Palampur is during March-June and September-November months.

Below we have discussed the experience of the hill station during various seasons:

Summer season in Palampur

The summer season in Palampur starts from mid-March and ends till June. The weather remains pleasant, and the temperature may rise to 35°C and drop to 7°C at night. This season is the best to discover the lush green nature here. You can enjoy several activities during this season such as Paragliding in Bir Billing, Rajgundha trek, Triund trek, and many more.

Monsoon season in Palampur

Monsoon season in Palampur begins here from mid-July and lasts till September. The temperature remains in the range of 10°C to 25°C. Palampur receives a lot of storms and rainfall during the monsoon season. You won’t feel that much heat during this season. However, this is not the best season if you spend some time outdoors and try adventure activities.

Winter season in Palampur

Mid-October to February is the winter season in Palampur. The temperature remains in the range of 2°C to 20°C. December and January are the coldest months of the year. The hill station gets frequent snowfall during winters. Some major spots nearby to enjoy the snowfall during winters are Nagri, Birni Devi Temple, and Bir Billing.

How to reach Palampur

Palampur is easily accessible from major locations such as Delhi, Chandigarh, Pathankot. The best way to reach Palampur is to travel by overnight Deluxe bus. The Palampur Bus Stand is the nearest bus station to Palampur. Depending on your preferences, you can also reach Palampur by flight or train.

Below we have discussed the various options to reach Palampur Hill Station.

How to reach Palampur by Road

The best way to reach Palampur is by road journey. Palampur lies on the National Highway (NH154) that connects Pathankot to Mandi. The road up to Palampur is in proper condition and a road trip to Palampur can be covered by various options described below.

By Bus:

Regular private and government HRTC buses operate at Palampur. Palampur has its own interstate bus terminal and is well connected to major cities like Delhi, Chandigarh, Pathankot, Dharamshala, Manali, and many others. Day and Night bus services are also available for large distance routes. This is the most convenient and budget-friendly option.

By Private Vehicle:

The people traveling by their own private car or touring bike will enjoy the most of their journey. A personal vehicle is the most flexible option when traveling to Palampur. Traveling in a private vehicle could be a lot more fun. If you don’t have your personal vehicle, then you can rent a car for your trip.

How to reach Palampur by Flight

Palampur hill station has no direct flight connectivity. Gaggal Airport near Dharamshala is the nearest airport to Palampur. Gaggal Airport is 40 km away from Palampur and it takes around 1 hour to reach. The airport is well connected to several major cities and there are several domestic and economic flight options available.

After reaching the Gaggal Airport, there are two further options you can choose from:

By Car:

After reaching the Gaggal Airport, you can directly book a taxi up to Palampur which will cost you near about 1100-1700 INR.

By Bus:

Check-out at the airport, and then head up to Dharamshala Bus Terminal (approx. 13 km from Airport), from where you can directly travel by bus up to Palampur.

How to reach Palampur by Train

Palampur’s own Railway Station is a narrow station and is connected to the major other locations in Himachal. It is not the best option if you are traveling from other states as it a narrow-gauge station. Pathankot railway station is the nearest broad gauge railway station to Palampur and is 115 km away.

After reaching the Pathankot station, there are some options you can choose from:

By Toy Train:

From the Pathankot station, you can travel by toy train up to Palampur. This toy train is famous among many tourists as it gives an amazing view passing through hills.

By Car:

You can even book a cab directly from Pathankot to Palampur which will nearly cost you about 2000-3000INR. This 115 km road distance will take about 5 hours by car.

By Bus:

Check-out at the railway station, and then head up to the nearby Interstate Bus Terminal, from where you can directly travel by bus up to Palampur.

How to travel to Palampur from various locations

Delhi-Palampur

Distance between Delhi to Palampur by road is 501 Kms and takes around 10-12 hours for the road journey. The road condition is fair and the road remains smooth for most of the journey. Even in the hilly areas, the road is properly constructed and only a few bad patches are there throughout the journey. You can even opt for flight and train bookings depending on your preferences. The best way to reach Palampur from Delhi is by taking an overnight Deluxe bus from Delhi.

Chandigarh-Palampur

The distance between Chandigarh and Palampur by road is 260 km and takes around 7 hours. Several HRTC buses operate from Chandigarh to Palampur. You can even opt for a flight from the nearest Shaheed Bhagat Singh International airport. However, the best option is to travel in a Delhi-Palampur route Deluxe bus. Another option is to book a taxi from Chandigarh to Palampur.

Dharamshala-Palampur

Dharamshala is a popular hill station in Himachal Pradesh and is about 35 km from Palampur. At Dharamshala bus station there are several buses operating frequently at Palampur Route. It takes about 1 hour to reach Palampur from Dharamshala. You can rather book a direct taxi from Dharamshala to Palampur.

Manali-Palampur

Manali is about 190 km far from Palampur and the road journey takes around 6 hours to complete. Several semi-deluxe and ordinary buses operate from Manali to Palampur. If it is difficult for you to find a bus up to Palampur, then ask people nearby for help. You can also book a taxi from Manali to Palampur.

Mobile Network in Palampur

Since Palampur is a famous hill station, so there is superior network coverage in Palampur. At Palampur, the ISP’s Jio, Airtel, VI, and BSNL work fine. So don’t worry. However, the network coverage may get disrupted temporarily while trekking to nearby offbeat locations.

ATM & Cash Availability

There are around 7-8 ATMs in the Palampur main market. Not all the shops here accept online transactions. If you are exploring some remote destinations in Palampur, you may face difficulties. So remember to carry some cash with you during the trip.

Conclusion

So, this is all about the Palampur hill station. It is recommended to visit Palampur once during your Himachal trip.

What are your opinions on this post?

If you have any queries about Palampur. Let us know by leaving a comment below.