Day 01: Arrive in Chandigarh and drive to Shimla.

Arrive on the train (Shatabadi Express) or the flight and we will drive you to Shimla. This charming journey to the hills takes around four hours to bring you to this former Summer Capital of British India. On arrival check into your hotel/homestay.

Day 02: Shimla

Learn the history and geography of this hill station, which was established originally as a retreat, then a sanatorium, and then the Summer Capital. Your guide is a well-educated local resident who knows the town by heart. His curiosity to share the stories of this place makes your visit more interesting.

Day 03: Shimla

Shimla is a Walker's paradise. Many people coming to Shimla regret if they miss it, so we keep here two nights for you so that you can walk through the Heritage Lanes of Shimla with your guide. There are beautiful Churches, A Viceregal Lodge now called the Institute of Advanced Study.

Day 04: Shimla

On your third day you can take a stroll to The Army Heritage Museum, Annandale Ground, the Gaiety Theater, and of course The Mall Road - a busy street but meant only for pedestrians.

Day 05: Shimla - Kotgarh

Drive to Kotgarh for 3 hours. Kotgarh is the place where apple fruit was introduced in these hills. Samual Stoke or later he became Satyanand Stoke, brought saplings from his mother’s orchards in California and planted them here. Today Kotgarh is one of the richest villages in Asia, only due to apples and other stone fruits. Here we are going to stay with Kartik and Anuradha who have made their house in the hills. The couple started making jams from the fruit grown around, which made them famous in the area. Later they built a house and started hosting people. In the afternoon visit some of the orchards, and a church and meet locals.

Day 06: Kotgarh

Let us walk through the hills of Kotgarh and enjoy the views of the orchards, Himalayan ranges, and the remote hamlets. This forest trail leads you through some of the breathtaking views of the hills and the habitats of wildlife

Day 07: Kotgarh – Tirthan

Tirthan is approximately 4:30 hours drive from Kotgarh.Tirthan displays the actual culture of the hills through its remote villages, traditional lifestyle and its flora & fauna.Drive over Jalori pass and then descend towards the valley. You will be amazed to see the forest and its views.

Day 08: Tirthan

A short drive through the busy bazaar of Banjar brings us to the base of a village. We start ascending towards the fort Chaini or better known as Chaini Kothi. This hike brings amazing views of the area, GHNP and the hill slopes

Day 09: Tirthan

A peaceful walk through a cedar forest rejuvenates you, helping to reduce stress and clear your mind after a busy workday. Today’s experience is getting close to nature and seeing how people survive in these remote locations. There are villages built in traditional style and meet the inhabitants living and maintaining their traditions. Lunch shall be served in a local house in the village.

Day 10: Tirthan – Palampur

We take NH 154 & drive for 5:30 hours through the beautiful scenery dominated by snowclad Dhauladhar mountain ranges of the Himalayas to reach Palampur, famous for the tea garden which were originally planted by the British. After Asam, Palampur was the place where they planted tea.

Day 11: Palampur

A tea tasting tour, a visit to the factory, and then a short walk through the tea estate is will make your day. We are also going to have lunch in the estate.Later drive to the village Andreta where Sardar Sobha Singh the famous Sikh artist made his home.

Day 12: Palampur – Pragpur

After breakfast, we drive to Pragpur, the first Heritage Village of India. This place is known for its age-old mansions built by the people of the Sood community of this area. With time these mansions got abandoned as the owners moved to other places in search of survival. These mansions are built in Anglo-Islamic style of architecture and most of them are lying vacant.Check-in on arrival and then we proceed for a Village Walk through the village of Garli and enjoy the local lifestyle.

Day 13: Pragpur- Dharamshala

Dharamsala once settled by the British, today is the seat of Dalai Lama and his government in exile. On the way, we shall visit Kangra Fort. Built by Pandavas the age-old fort was annexed by many rulers including, the Mughals, Sikhs, Gurkha, and finally by the British. The view of the Dhauladhar range of the Himalayas from the fort is eye-catching. Arrive in Dharamsala by lunchtime and check into the hotel. Later in the afternoon, we visit the Dalai Lama Monastery and Tibetan Museum.

Day 14: Dharamshala

Today is a day to have a real introduction to nature. So we drive to village Naddi but before that, we shall visit the Tibetan Children’s Village. This is a school run by Dalai Lama’s government, for orphans from Tibets. There are nearly 1500 children in the school. Later we drive to Naddi for a kilometer and we start our walk through a forest. The initial stretch is through the village and then we enter the forest. The view keeps changing and we walk around the hill that gradually takes us to a tea shop at Dharamkot, in two hours. Here the vehicle waits for us to drive us to the hotel. Afternoon we shall visit Bhagsunag, a small village now occupied by many modern structures.

Day 15: Dharamshala

A visit to Narbulinga Institute where the Tibetan students learn how to make Thangka paintings, wood crafts, metal sculptures, and embroidery. A sales center to sell all this material is also established here.

B'fast, Lunch & Dinner

Exp: Tibetan Culture Hub

Day 16: Dharamshala - Amritsar

After breakfast, we drive to Amritsar, in the state of Punjab, in the Himalayan foothills called the Shivaliks. Amritsar, home of the Golden Temple, is one of the most ancient and fascinating cities in India. It is an important seat of Sikh history and culture. Being the gateway for travelers coming to India on the overland route from Central Asia, it soon became the center of various commercial activities. The Golden Temple was founded by the fourth Guru of the Sikhs, Guru Ramdas, and completed by his successor Guru Arjan Dev. It is famous for its full golden dome, one of the most sacred pilgrim sites for Sikhs. The Mandir is built on a 67-foot square of marble and is a two-storied structure. Maharaja Ranjit Singh had the upper half of the building built with approximately 400 kg of gold leaf. The Golden Temple is surrounded by several other temples, such as the Durgiana Temple.

Day 17: Amritsar

We will circumambulate the Golden temple, stopping periodically for moments of quiet reflection. The temple complex is like a small community, filled with many different activities. We will visit the kitchen where free meals are prepared by volunteers throughout the day; the temple where the holy book, Aad Guru Sahib, is read aloud from 4 a.m. to 10 pm daily; and observe devotional rituals. Travel to the border town Wagah to see the flag ceremony at dusk.

Day 18: Amritsar Departure

Drive to the Airport / Railway Station to board a flight/train for your onward journey.

B'fast, Lunch & Dinner

Exp: Leaving the Holy City