Short answer: For a Dharamshala 3 day itinerary, spend day 1 in McLeodganj (Tsuglagkhang, Bhagsu waterfall, Jogiwara Road), day 2 on Naddi sunrise, St John's church and Norbulingka, and day 3 either at Kangra Fort and Masroor or on a day trip to Bir for paragliding. Three days is enough to see the main sights without rushing.
Three days is the sweet spot for Dharamshala. It’s long enough to see McLeodganj properly and take one day trip, but short enough to fit a long weekend. This is the plan we give friends.
Day 1: McLeodganj
Morning. Start at Tsuglagkhang, the Dalai Lama’s temple complex, and the Tibet Museum beside it. Go before 10 am, when it’s peaceful and monks are at prayer.
Late morning. Walk the 2 km to Bhagsunag temple and on to Bhagsu waterfall. The last stretch is a rocky path, so wear proper shoes.
Afternoon. Lunch at one of the Tibetan places in McLeodganj, then wander Jogiwara Road and the bookshops.
Evening. Sunset from a café terrace facing the valley.
Day 2: Naddi, St John’s and Norbulingka
Sunrise. Drive up to Naddi viewpoint, ten minutes above McLeodganj, for sunrise on the Dhauladhar. It is the single best view in town.
Morning. Dal Lake (small, but pretty) and St John in the Wilderness, the 1852 stone church in the deodars.
Afternoon. Down to Norbulingka Institute near Sidhpur, with its gardens, thangka painters and woodcarvers, plus a good café. On the way back, stop at the HPCA stadium with the mountains behind it.
Day 3: pick one
Option A, history: Kangra Fort and Masroor. Kangra Fort in the morning, Brajeshwari Devi in the bazaar, then the eighth-century rock-cut temples at Masroor in the afternoon light. About 6–7 hours. Details in our Kangra Fort guide.
Option B, adventure: Bir Billing. Leave by 8 am, take a tandem paragliding flight, visit the monasteries and tea gardens, and be back by evening. It is about 70 km each way. See Dharamshala to Bir taxi fares.
Option C, trek: Triund. If you’re fit, walk up to Triund and back, or better, stay the night. See our Triund trek guide.
Getting around
McLeodganj’s centre is walkable, but everything else needs a car. A full-day sightseeing taxi is the easiest way, and it removes the parking hassle. Our Dharamshala sightseeing taxi covers days 1 and 2; day 3 is a separate day trip.
If you have a fourth day
Add Palampur and its tea gardens, or a slow morning at the Gyuto monastery in Sidhbari.
Prefer it all arranged? Our Dharamshala & McLeodganj tour is this itinerary, with hotels and a driver.
Quick questions
Is 3 days enough for Dharamshala?
Yes. Three days covers McLeodganj, Naddi, Norbulingka and one day trip. Add a fourth day for the Triund trek.
Where should I stay for 3 days in Dharamshala?
McLeodganj if you want to walk to cafés and monasteries; lower Dharamshala if you want easier car access and quiet.
Written by the team at Ankush Travels, a tour and taxi company in Kangra, Himachal Pradesh. We run these routes every week. Spotted something out of date? Tell us on WhatsApp.