Bir and Palampur in three days — Billing, the monasteries, the tea gardens and Baijnath
Three days in the Kangra valley, on two bases. Day one is Bir: the launch at Billing, Chokling Monastery and the Tibetan colony. Days two and three move to Palampur for the tea gardens, Andretta, Baijnath and the painted Narbadeshwar Temple at Sujanpur Tira.
Photos: Original: PanWoyteczekDerivative work: UnpetitproleX (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Gannu03 (CC BY-SA 4.0) · UnpetitproleX (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Viraat Kothare (CC BY-SA 3.0) — via Wikimedia Commons, resized.
Who this is for
Friends and couples who want a slow trip with a little flying, monasteries, tea and old temples. No long walks; the longest drive is the last day's.
Day by day
Day 1Bir — Billing and the colony
3 stops · 40 min on the road
Bir — Billing and the colony
The launch meadow at Billing in the morning, when the flying starts in season, and the Tibetan colony in the afternoon.
- 10:00BillingThe launch meadow at 2,400 m, about 32 min up the hill. The flying season is September and October, with some flying in November; operators quote on the day. The meadow paths are not measured on our map.
- ↓ 39 min by road · 16 km14:30Chokling MonasteryThe monastery at the centre of Bir's Tibetan colony.
- ↓ a short walk15:30Bir Tibetan ColonyThe lanes of the colony around it, for tea and the evening.
Day 2Palampur — the tea gardens and Andretta
2 stops · 21 min on the road
Palampur — the tea gardens and Andretta
Bir to Palampur is about 29 km and 55 min. The tea gardens begin at the edge of town, and the artists' village of Andretta is about 19 min away.
- 10:30Palampur tea gardensThe rows of Kangra tea on the slopes at the edge of town; walk the paths between them.
- ↓ 21 min by road · 10 km14:00Andretta, Himachal PradeshThe artists' village where the Irish theatre artist Norah Richards settled in 1924.
Day 3Baijnath, and the painted temple at Sujanpur Tira
2 stops · 1 h 29 min on the road
Baijnath, and the painted temple at Sujanpur Tira
Shiva's stone temple at Baijnath in the morning, then the long drive south to the painted walls of Narbadeshwar, about 41 km and 79 min from Palampur.
- 09:30Baijnath Temple, Himachal PradeshThe stone temple of Shiva as Vaidyanath, the Lord of Physicians, built in 1204.
- ↓ 1 h 29 min by road · 45 km13:30Narbadeshwar Temple, Sujanpur TiraThe temple of Shiva built in 1802 by Maharani Pransani Devi, its walls painted with scenes from the Mahabharata and the Ramayana.
Getting there
Bir is about 13 km from Joginder Nagar station and about 64 km from Dharamshala; see how to reach Bir.
Where to stay
One night in Bir, two in Palampur.
Know before you go
- Come in September or October for the paragliding; outside the season Billing is a quiet meadow with a view.
- Start day three early; Narbadeshwar is the furthest stop of the trip.
- Tandem flights are quoted on the day; we publish no price.
Places on this route
Going together
No one has started a group going on this plan yet. Start one and other travellers can ask to come along.
Other ways to do it
All Bir itineraries →
Nearby destinations
All destinations →
Questions people ask
How far is Palampur from Bir?
About 29 km and 55 min by road on our measured routing. The two make an easy pair: Bir for the paragliding launch and the monasteries, Palampur for the tea gardens and as the base for Baijnath, which is about 14 km and 28 min from Bir as well.
Is three days enough for Bir and Palampur?
Yes, at an easy pace. One day covers Billing and Bir's monasteries, one the tea gardens and Andretta, and one Baijnath with the temple at Sujanpur Tira. Add a day in September or October if you want a flight and the weather turns on the first.
When is the paragliding season at Bir?
September and October, with some flying in November, according to the village's own article. The launch is at Billing, 2,400 m, about 32 min above Bir by road. Wind and cloud decide each day, so leave a spare morning if flying is the reason for the trip.