Best Time to Visit Dalhousie

Summer, monsoon, autumn, pre-winter, winter and spring. These six seasons define the Indian weather in a nutshell. Each more gorgeous than the other in its own way. Dalhousie shines like a diamond, showing its beautiful facets with every passing month. With every change comes a different theme. The winter moon give way to flower-laden spring hills, which in turn pave way for the peak tourist season of summer. The best time to visit Dalhousie depends completely upon the aspect you wish to explore.  The temperature variance between seasons is moderate. This means you will be spared the extreme weather conditions.

Most Popular Dalhousie Tour Packages

Dalhousie in Winter (October to February)

For honeymooners and seasoned trekkers, this is the best time to visit Dalhousie. You will get the solitude you seek. The thronging crowds will no longer photobomb your selfies. Nor will there be any queue for hiring the best adventure equipment or mountain guides. You can pick and choose the hotels at discounted tariffs. Homestays offer a warm and welcoming experience with local families.

The mountains, roads and trees are enwrapped in angel-white snow. The temperature ranges from a maximum of 14° C in December to a minimum of 1° C in January. Winters do experience a bit of rains amounting to around 178 mm. in January. Enjoy the soft fresh snow as you frolic in the snowfall. Clear skies mean you can view the stunning Dhauladhar range with certainty. Stargazers can explore the wealth of star-studded wilderness. Khajjiar is an absolute showstopper in this season. True to its given name, it does look like Mini Switzerland.

Travel Tips:

· Take good woollens and trekking shoes with you.

· Carry a torch and keep your phones at full charge, as there might be instances of electricity downtime.

· Water pipelines freeze; do inform your hotel/hosts in advance if you require hot water for bathing.

· Keep a regular tab on road conditions and clearances as heavy snow can prevent you from leaving Dalhousie until it gets cleared.

Dalhousie in Summer (March to June)

In terms of best time to go to Dalhousie, summer offers a double treat. Come March and you can have the best of two seasons. Imagine bright afternoon skies, snow just about melting away to reveal green treetops, sweeping vistas of white daisies and yellow buttercups all across the forest floor. That’s Dalhousie for you at the start of spring-summer. By April the snow is gone, and visitors start arriving in great numbers.

This is the peak tourist season. The maximum temperature barely reaches 24° C. It is a great weather to go for treks, boating, paragliding, zorbing and stargazing. The Cafés have the freshest handpicked ingredients. The curio shops are brimming with the keepsakes. Markets are buzzing with the trendiest specials in town. Summer surely sets the mood for a complete vacation with exciting tour packages. Put on a pair of comfortable shoes and head out for long walks on the garam and thandi sadak. Summer overlaps with autumn in October.

Travel Tips:

· Pick hotels and homestays on the outskirts of Dalhousie if you don’t want to stay in a crowded area.

· Always carry your bottle of water if you are used to groundwater. Dalhousie uses surface water, which may have solutes that do not agree with you.

· This is rush time. Book your tickets, hotels, guides and transport in advance.

· Ask for accreditation and references when booking adventure activities and equipment.

Dalhousie in Monsoon (July to September) 

If you want to see the real life on a hill-station, then monsoon is the best time to visit Dalhousie. The curious tourists are gone. The vehicular traffic thins out. Busy and narrow roads look serene and wide now. Lingering mist and Mild showers give the famous Cafés their old-world idyllic charm. You can savour unhurried sips of coffee as you finish reading your favourite book. Watch children go to school and the residents go about their daily chores. Everyone has time at hand to chat and mix around. Nature is at its lushest green. You would love a rain-trek on the mint green trails. It is quite safe.

The maximum temperature reaches 28° C. The average rainfall is 214 mm. Dalhousie can be your gateway to go to Spiti Valley, if you wish to go to a sunnier place afterwards.

Travel Tips:

· Monsoon in Dalhousie has just a few bouts of thunderstorms. Check for weather forecast before planning the trip if you’d like to avoid them.

· Have flexible plans. On some lazy days it may rain all day or there might cancellations.

· Carry an umbrella at all times.

· Landslides are a possibility, but hills are very well prepared to deal with them.  Have buffer time at hand.

· Treks and hikes take longer time to complete. Keep a track of the sun. It gets dark early in the evenings.

· The visibility changes fast as the clouds move with the wind. Do not panic in zero visibility. The clouds will start moving away as fast as they had descended.

Gadget Care

· Keep your phone in your pocket in winters to avoid excess battery drain.

· Do not charge your phones at extremely low temperatures. Wait till you get back to your room.

· Use phone cases with thermal/water protection.

· Carry extra zip-lock pouches and silica gel bags.

Have you chosen your best time to visit Dalhousie? Celebrate nature’s magical hues in every season. SOTC has some wonderful Dalhousie tour packages  and Himachal tour packages. Call us for any assistance that you require in planning your holiday.