Day trips in Bir Billing
- 01
Andretta artists' village
A small village on the Palampur road known for Norah Richards' house, the Sobha Singh Art Gallery and Andretta Pottery. A calm day trip for crafts and art.
- Time needed
- 2 to 3 hours
- Walking
- Easy
- Best time
- Weekday mornings; check opening hours as they may change
- Tickets
- Opening times reported online are about 10 am to 5 pm for the pottery and 9:30 am to 5:30 pm for the gallery, but these may change, so confirm before travelling. Ask in advance about visitor fees.
- 02
Rajgundha Valley
A remote valley at about 2,700 m in the Chota Bhangal region, reached by a rough road and a trek from Billing. Beautiful, but demanding and best for able walkers.
- Time needed
- A full day; overnight is more relaxed
- Walking
- Demanding
- Best time
- April to June and September to November; winter snow often closes routes from December to March
- Tickets
- There is no entry fee we could verify. Hire a local driver or guide, check road conditions before leaving, and carry water, layers and some cash as there are few facilities.
Places of worship in Bir Billing
- 03
Chokling Monastery
The main monastery of Bir's Tibetan Colony, a Nyingma complex with a large stupa and prayer hall. It is the easiest introduction to Tibetan Buddhist life in the village.
- Time needed
- 45 to 90 minutes
- Walking
- Easy
- Best time
- Morning or around sunset, when visitors report chanting in the main hall; clear days for light on the stupa
- Tickets
- No entry fee is publicly listed for visitors. Dress modestly, remove shoes before entering the hall, and ask before photographing inside. Please follow any signs about when the hall is closed to visitors.
- 04
Palpung Sherabling Monastery
The seat in exile of the 12th Tai Situpa, a large Karma Kagyu monastery in pine forest west of Bir. It is peaceful, spacious and used by a working monastic community.
- Time needed
- 1.5 to 2 hours
- Walking
- Moderate
- Best time
- Morning on clear days; ask locally about ceremony days and lama dances
- Tickets
- No entry fee is publicly confirmed. Dress modestly, remove shoes in shrines, and expect photography to be restricted inside the prayer hall. Ask staff before entering unfamiliar buildings.
Culture in Bir Billing
- 05
Deer Park Institute
A lay centre for studying Buddhist and classical Indian thought, set up in 2006 in a former monastic college in the Tibetan Colony. Programmes are mostly free and donation-supported.
- Time needed
- 1 hour to a full day, depending on the programme
- Walking
- Easy
- Best time
- When a course or teaching is scheduled; check the institute's calendar before arriving
- Tickets
- Courses are offered free of charge according to the institute, with donations welcomed and a few specialised workshops charged. Check whether day visitors are welcome and whether foreign nationals need a permit before you plan.
- 06
Dharmalaya Institute
A six-acre eco-campus in the foothills above Bir, running workshops on natural building, permaculture and sustainable living. Visits are best arranged through its programmes.
- Time needed
- A day or a week-long workshop
- Walking
- Moderate
- Best time
- During a scheduled workshop or volunteer period; check the institute's events calendar
- Tickets
- Access is through programmes, workshops or volunteer periods. Check fees, availability and visitor rules on the institute's events page, and book before you arrive.
Temples in Bir Billing
- 07
Baijnath Temple
A stone Nagara-style Shiva temple built in 1204 and dedicated to Vaidyanath, the lord of physicians. It is the finest old temple in the valley and a short drive from Bir.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Walking
- Easy
- Best time
- Mornings; Mahashivratri brings large crowds and a state-level fair
- Tickets
- Worshippers enter the active shrine free. The site is protected by the Archaeological Survey of India; check on arrival for any monument fee. Remove shoes, dress modestly and follow priests' instructions on photography.
Neighbourhoods in Bir Billing
- 08
Bir Tibetan Colony
The Tibetan refugee settlement at Chowgan, begun in the early 1960s, with several monasteries, a school, a Men-Tsee-Khang branch, cafés and guesthouses. It is the cultural centre of Bir.
- Time needed
- 3 to 4 hours for a leisurely walk
- Walking
- Easy
- Best time
- Mornings in autumn and spring; the colony is also the best place to be in the flying season afternoons
- Tickets
- Walking the colony is free. Monasteries are open to visitors with modest dress and quiet. Foreign nationals staying in the colony may need a Protected Area Permit, so check the current rules before travelling.
Experiences in Bir Billing
- 09
Chowgan landing field
The open fields at the edge of Bir's Tibetan Colony where paragliders land. It is an easy, flat place to watch the sky fill with wings from a café table.
- Time needed
- 1 to 2 hours
- Walking
- Easy
- Best time
- Mid to late afternoon in the flying season (about September to November) when clear weather brings pilots down in numbers
- Tickets
- Watching is free. Tandem landings and flights are sold separately by operators. Keep out of the marked landing area and follow any instructions from staff.
Close enough to combine