Bir Billing itinerary

Plan 01

1 day in Bir

1. 01

   Day 1: Colony morning, landing fields afternoon

   Start at Chokling Monastery after breakfast and walk around the stupa before the prayer hall. Wander the Tibetan Colony lanes, stopping at Deer Park Institute if a programme is open to visitors, then have momos for lunch. Rest, then settle at a café near the landing fields in the mid-afternoon to watch paragliders come in if conditions are good. Finish with tea and an early dinner in the colony.

   Stop	Time needed	Walking	Best time
   Chokling Monastery	45 to 90 minutes	Easy	Morning or around sunset, when visitors report chanting in the main hall; clear days for light on the stupa
   Deer Park Institute	1 hour to a full day, depending on the programme	Easy	When a course or teaching is scheduled; check the institute's calendar before arriving

   Pace: All the stops today are easy on the legs.

Plan 02

2 days in Bir

1. 01

   Day 1: The colony and landing fields

   Spend the morning at Chokling Monastery and the colony lanes, lunch at a small Tibetan restaurant, and rest. In the afternoon go to the Chowgan fields to watch the landings, and decide whether to book a tandem flight for the next day.

   Stop	Time needed	Walking	Best time
   Chokling Monastery	45 to 90 minutes	Easy	Morning or around sunset, when visitors report chanting in the main hall; clear days for light on the stupa

   Pace: All the stops today are easy on the legs.

2. 02

   Day 2: Baijnath and Sherabling

   Drive to Palpung Sherabling Monastery in the morning while it is calm, then continue to Baijnath Temple for the carved stone walls. Have lunch in Baijnath, return to Bir by mid-afternoon, and spend the evening at a café or by the fields.

   Stop	Time needed	Walking	Best time
   Palpung Sherabling Monastery	1.5 to 2 hours	Moderate	Morning on clear days; ask locally about ceremony days and lama dances
   Baijnath Temple	1 hour	Easy	Mornings; Mahashivratri brings large crowds and a state-level fair

   Pace: Moderate walking today — plan a sit-down break between stops.

   With parents at Palpung Sherabling Monastery: The grounds are spread out and include some steps and slopes between old and new sections. A vehicle to the main gate helps, benches and shade are limited, and shoes come off for the shrine hall.

Plan 03

3 days in Bir

1. 01

   Day 1: Settle in on foot

   Walk the Tibetan Colony, visit Chokling Monastery and Deer Park Institute, and have an easy afternoon at the landing fields.

   Stop	Time needed	Walking	Best time
   Chokling Monastery	45 to 90 minutes	Easy	Morning or around sunset, when visitors report chanting in the main hall; clear days for light on the stupa
   Deer Park Institute	1 hour to a full day, depending on the programme	Easy	When a course or teaching is scheduled; check the institute's calendar before arriving

   Pace: All the stops today are easy on the legs.

2. 02

   Day 2: Billing and the sky

   Go up to Billing meadow with an experienced driver, watch the launches and, if you choose, fly tandem with a vetted operator. Return for a quiet afternoon.

3. 03

   Day 3: Baijnath, Sherabling and tea

   Visit Palpung Sherabling and Baijnath Temple in the morning. If time allows, add Andretta and the Palampur tea gardens on the way, or keep the day short and rest.

   Stop	Time needed	Walking	Best time
   Baijnath Temple	1 hour	Easy	Mornings; Mahashivratri brings large crowds and a state-level fair
   Palampur tea gardens	Half a day	Easy	Clear mornings in spring and autumn; monsoon is very wet and views disappear

   Pace: All the stops today are easy on the legs.

Read before you go

Guides for the stops on these routes

Pacing

Pacing a Bir Billing trip for parents and children

• Base yourself in the Tibetan Colony. Its lanes are flat, cafés offer frequent seating and the monasteries are close.
• Watch the paragliders from a café at Chowgan rather than flying; the experience is similar and far less demanding.
• Hire an experienced driver for Billing, as the road is steep and winding. Carry warm layers, since the meadow is windy and cold.
• Monastery halls need shoes off and often floor seating. Ask about chairs, and wear socks for cold floors.
• Avoid Rajgundha if mobility is limited; the road is rough and the final stretch may need walking.
• Visit in October or November for clear, mild weather, and avoid July and August when rain and landslides are common.

Bir Billing with elderly parents: the full guide →