Kangra Valley

The picturesque Kangra Valley ( 2000 feet) lies in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. The exotic Kangra Valley lying between the Dhauladhar and the Shivalik foothills in the state of Himachal Pradesh is the conglomeration of valleys and plateaus of the Himalayas. It is one of the most pleasant and relaxing destination in the Himalayas. The Valley was called as the Nagarkot in the ancient times, as it was the ancient capital of the hill state of Nagarkot. Renowned for its natural beauty, the valley attracts thousands of tourists every year.

Kangra Valley is well protected by the Dhauladhar range. The valley provides the magnificent view of the Dhauladhar Range in gentle slopes covered with the forests of pine, orchards, tea gardens and terraced fields. The valley is known for the scenic beauty, ancient temples and numerous adventure sports.

Dotted with some of the most revered temples of India, like the temples of Brajeshwari, Baijnath, Jawalamukhi and Chamunda Devi, a tour to Kangra Valley is blessed with all the ingredients necessary for that dream vacation.

Kangra is also famous for Kangra paintings. The pictorial art of Kangra is one of the finest gifts of India to the art-world.                     

Kangra town is 18 km from Dharamsala. This was the first seat  of Raja Sansar Chand II (1775-1823) .One of the  ancient capital of powerful hill state-fort of Nagarkot(3km) stands as a mute witness to the ravages of conquerors from Mahmood of Ghazni to the Emperor Jehangir, and the disastrous earthquake of 1905. The place is now called "Purana Kangra".2   km from the bus stand is the temple dedicated to the goddess Barjeshwari Devi. Known for   its legendary wealth it was invaded in 1009 AD by Mahmud of Ghazni who departed with King's ransom in gold, silver and jewels. Earthquake of 1905 destroyed it completely. Rebuilt in the present form in 1920, it continues to be a busy palace of pilgrimage. 

BEST TIME TO VISIT
The best time to visit Kangra is between March and June.

How to Reach??

By AirThe airport at Gaggal in Kangra is at a distance of 7 km, this is the nearest airport. There are daily flights from Delhi to this place.

By Bus/ Taxi: Distance from Kangra

Delhi	495 Kms	Approximate travel time from Delhi to Kangra is 13 hours  from Chandigarh to Kangra is 8 hours from Shimla to Kangra is 7 hours from Pathankot to Kangra is 3 hours from Dalhousie to Kangra (via Pathankot) 6 Hours from Manali to Kangra 7 hours Taxis and buses are easily available from these places.
Chandigarh	230 Kms
Pathankot	70 Kms
Shimla	215 Kms
Dalhousie	150 Kms
Manali	225 Kms

By Rail

The nearest broad gauge railhead is Pathankot, 70 km away. Pathankot is on Delhi Jammu Railway line and there are plenty of trains to choose from at different timings. It takes two and a half hours from this place to reach Kangra. The narrow gauge rail head is Kangra itself. The Pathankot Kangra rail distance is about 97 Kms and it takes about five hours to reach there. The 164 Kms long narrow gauge line from Pathankot passes through Kangra, Maranda (Palampur), Baijnath and reaches Joginder Nagar offering breathtaking views.

On this rail line, there are 20 crossings stations, 7 passenger halts and 971 bridges. Both luxury trains and ordinary trains offer services. One of the luxurious trains, Kangra Queen runs between Pathankot and Palampur, passing through the picturesque regions of Kangra in Himachal Pradesh.  Passing through Dhauladhar ranges of the Himalayas to the north and the foothills to the south, this track has two tunnels which are of 250 ft and 1,000 ft in length, respectively. The scenic beauty of the serene ambience offers memorable experience for travelers on this rail route.