Bir Billing travel guide

Bir is a village in the Joginder Nagar valley of Kangra district, at about 1,525 m, below the Dhauladhar foothills. It has two reputations that sit side by side. One is paragliding: pilots launch from Billing meadow at about 2,400 m and land on open fields at Chowgan, on the edge of Bir, which is why the pair of names, Bir Billing, is used for the whole destination. The other is the Tibetan Colony, a refugee settlement begun in the early 1960s that now holds monasteries from the Nyingma, Karma Kagyu and Sakya traditions, a Tibetan school, cafés and guesthouses.

The village is quiet, spread out and easy on the legs. Its main roads are lined with guesthouses, small restaurants and cafés, and the colony's lanes are flat enough for slow walkers. Most visitors spend their time between Chokling Monastery, Deer Park Institute and the landing fields, and add the monasteries and temples near Baijnath. Bir is not a place of long lists of sights. It is a place to stay for a few days, walk at your own pace and decide each morning what the weather will allow.

The wider valley adds good day trips. Baijnath has a stone Shiva temple built in 1204, Palampur has Kangra's oldest tea estates, Andretta is a small artists' village, and the high valley of Rajgundha, beyond Billing, suits fit walkers. Dharamshala, about 50 km away, has its own Raahzo page and works as a long day trip rather than a base.

Time your visit by weather. Autumn, from October to November, is clear and dry and is the main flying season. Spring is pleasant too, while July and August bring very heavy monsoon rain and paragliding is paused. For older travellers, the village itself is easy, the road up to Billing is steep and best done with an experienced driver, and flying is optional.